NBC Announcer Tirico Sits Out Bears-Bucs Game, 300th Game Postponed

Mike Tirico will miss the Week 9 “Sunday Night Football” broadcast between the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a health issue, according to the New York Post ^[1]. The NBC play-by-play broadcaster confirmed his absence in a statement released by the network, noting he would not be in the booth for the game in Chicago.

“I unfortunately will have to miss tonight’s game in Chicago due to a health issue,” Tirico said in the statement, as reported by the Independent ^[2]. He expressed enthusiasm for the broadcast he would watch from home and confirmed he would return to the team for next week’s game in Cincinnati.

Noah Eagle will replace Tirico in the broadcast booth for the matchup. Eagle, who serves as NBC’s lead college football voice and also calls NBA games, is stepping into the role on short notice. According to the New York Post ^[1], he called a thriller between Notre Dame and Miami just one night prior.

Tirico’s absence is particularly notable because he was set to call his 300th NFL game during the broadcast, a milestone he reached by taking over the “Sunday Night Football” role in 2022 after Al Michaels moved to Amazon. The Independent ^[2] confirmed that Tirico’s next appearance will be his 300th career NFL broadcast, scheduled for next Sunday night.

Cris Collinsworth, Tirico’s broadcast partner, praised his colleague in an interview with The Athletic cited by the New York Post ^[1]. Collinsworth described Tirico as someone who combines immense talent with relentless work ethic and genuine passion for the profession.

The Bears enter the game seeking their fourth consecutive win, while the Buccaneers look to secure a victory for the fourth time in five games after starting the season 0-4. NBC has not disclosed specific details regarding the nature of Tirico’s health issue, keeping the announcement focused on his temporary absence from the field. The network confirmed that the broadcast will proceed as scheduled with Eagle leading the commentary.