How 'bout this Dan?: Longtime Jazz PA announcer Dan Roberts says goodbye

SALT LAKE CITY — "And that'll do it."

That was how Dan Roberts began his last sentence as the Utah Jazz's public address announcer (the second part of the sentence — "Oklahoma City 145, Utah Jazz 111" — was less symbolic).

You might not have always known the name, but you knew the voice. Roberts' unique tone has reverberated at darn near every Jazz home game since the team moved to Utah in 1979.

Roberts has been at the mic — first at the old Salt Palace and then the Delta Center — for 46 years, seeing every era of Utah Jazz basketball in the process (and that doesn't include his time announcing for the Utah Stars).

"It's a voice, whether you're intentionally focused on it or not, it's going to be a sound that you know," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "Obviously, his tenure here speaks for itself — 46 years, over 2,100 games."

And it's a voice that Hardy will never forget; it was Roberts who first announced Hardy as an NBA head coach. That's a moment that sticks with you.

"It rings in all of our heads when we think about Jazz games," Hardy said. "So I feel honored that I got to be here at all while he was here."

And there's one phrase that sticks out.

Roberts' catchphrase "How 'bout this Jazz?" has served as the exclamation point for major moments delivered by Adrian Dantley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Deron Williams, Donovan Mitchell, and to the recent days of Lauri Markkanen — even if the team reportedly asked him to stop using it a few years back.

The NBA is an ever-changing landscape. Coaches come and go, players change teams, owners sell teams, but Roberts has been the constant. He's the last remaining staff member from the first season in Utah.

"That is a really, really long time; but, yeah, I don't think I'll be sitting here 46 years," Hardy said.

That's what made Roberts' tenure so special; it was the common thread that weaved together all the Jazz eras.

Like how a song can help spur a memory, hearing Roberts bellow out that phrase unlocks years of emotions. The phrase originated from a Sports Illustrated article in 1980 about the University of Georgia titled "How 'bout them Dawgs?"

"I'm looking at that going, 'How about the Jazz?''" Roberts said, but he quickly realized that didn't sound quite right.

But what about "How about this Jazz?"

"I thought, 'What the hell, I'll give it a shot,'" Robert said.

It caught on.

Those words over a raucous crowd after a big shot worked in perfect harmony for four-plus decades, even if some people had some minor issues with the grammar.

"When I first started doing it, I had a couple English teachers send notes down — 'It's these Jazz,'" Roberts remembered. "Jazz is singular, so I sent the notes back to them."

Most, though, were a-OK with it. And as he prepared to hang up the mic for good, he started to realize just how much he has meant to the fan base.

With the accolades and tributes pouring in, more and more are putting a name and face to the voice they've long known. He's been stopped at stores with quizzical stares asking, "Aren't you ...?"

"It's the tail end of the story, and all of the sudden I'm being recognized. It's kind of bizarre," he said.

Not that he's not appreciating the extra attention.

"It's just something I'm not used to," Roberts said. "I mean, the players go through that day after day after day. I mean, this is the first day after day for me."

He's added to so many moments; now, he's finally getting his proper recognition.

It's been an emotional last few days for Roberts, especially as he knew the end of his tenure was coming, but he's found himself lying awake at night thinking about his long career.

"I've increased my medications," he joked.

After his final game on Friday, Jazz owner Ryan Smith grabbed the game ball and awarded it to Roberts. Markkanen gave him a hug, Collin Sexton dapped him up, and he shared a moment with Kyle Filipowski. The team gathered around him for a picture as he saluted the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation.

"Thank you and I love you all," he said when asked if he had a message for the fan base.

It'll be tough, he said, when the calendar turns to fall, knowing he won't be back in his regular seat. He said he might catch some games as a fan, acknowledging that sitting in the crowd is "going to be bizarre."

It'll be bizarre not to have him on the mic, either, though NBA 2K26 might help fans out there. He just returned from California, recording lines for the upcoming game.

"So, at least I'll be able to listen to myself," he said.

Undoubtedly, a few more Jazz fans will do the same.

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