Dean Blevins reflects on 40-year career ahead of retirement

It was a bittersweet day as longtime sports anchor Dean Blevins prepared to sign off for one of the final times, capping a 40-year career in sports broadcasting, including nearly three decades at News 9.

In his own words, he reflected on the journey that began long before he ever stepped in front of a camera.

“I was raised around church and sports, and that was it,” Blevins said. “From the time I was one or two years old, I was into sports and stayed that way forever.”

The former University of Oklahoma quarterback said it was a chance to call a college basketball game on Tulsa Cable that ignited his love for broadcasting.

“I got to call one half of a game on television, and I was so excited about that,” he said. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I ran out of that arena, ran up top during halftime, and called mom and dad, ‘Guys, I know what I want to do the rest of my life.’”

Blevins joined News 9 in 1993 and quickly became a household name. He was known not just for reporting scores, but for bringing analysis, commentary and insight into Oklahoma’s biggest sports moments.

“I was not going to be the guy that sat up and just read the ball scores,” Blevins said. “As soon as I hit Oklahoma City in 1988, it was more of a commentary style, more opinion.”

Over the course of his career, Blevins says he turned down job offers in larger markets, choosing to stay in Oklahoma, where he had built a connection with the audience and sports community.

“I’ve made my mark, whatever it is, in the state of Oklahoma,” he said.

Blevins also spent more than a decade calling college football games, which allowed him to meet every major coach in the country and visit stadiums across the nation. Those experiences, he said, helped him tell stories in a different and more meaningful way.

While his résumé is filled with highlights, Blevins said his greatest accomplishment is more personal.

“I got out healthy, with a family and friends, and that’s really, really important,” he said.

He also credited his wife Sarah, his stepsons Chris and Ross, and their families, along with the family he grew up with, for supporting him throughout the years.

As Blevins prepares to leave the spotlight, his voice and presence remain embedded in Oklahoma sports history, not just for the stories he told, but for how he told them.

“I think I did it my way,” he said.