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Mike Tirico was noticeably absent for most of NBC’s Kentucky Derby coverage on Saturday, raising eyebrows among viewers.
Tirico appeared briefly early in the broadcast but was replaced by Ahmed Fareed less than an hour in due to an unspecified illness.
"Mike, as you may have heard, is a little under the weather right now. So I’m gonna step in and take over for a bit," Fareed said on the broadcast. "It is not like baseball. If the closer comes in, the starter can come back in the game. So rest assured, when Mike is feeling better, he will be right back in this seat. But let’s move on to the show here.”
Tirico's subdued energy before the handoff sparked concern on social media.
NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"The way he sounds, there should be odds on Mike Tirico not making it to the finish of the Kentucky Derby show," one viewer said.
Another added, "Is Mike Tirico alright? Watching NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage and it sounds like he is talking with his mouth full."
NBC later revealed that Tirico was dealing with the effects of a nut allergy.
"We want to tell you (Tirico) does have a nut allergy and had a reaction earlier today," Fareed said. "He is feeling fine now, but is going to stay on the sidelines. Mike, I know you're watching right now. I hope you are feeling better and get back to yourself very soon."
This was Tirico’s ninth time covering the storied event. Since joining NBC in 2016 Tirico has become the network’s lead play-by-play announcer for “Sunday Night Football” and a fixture across its biggest broadcasts, including the Olympics and the Super Bowl.
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Tirico appeared briefly early in the broadcast but was replaced by Ahmed Fareed less than an hour in due to an unspecified illness.
"Mike, as you may have heard, is a little under the weather right now. So I’m gonna step in and take over for a bit," Fareed said on the broadcast. "It is not like baseball. If the closer comes in, the starter can come back in the game. So rest assured, when Mike is feeling better, he will be right back in this seat. But let’s move on to the show here.”
Tirico's subdued energy before the handoff sparked concern on social media.
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NBC Sports broadcaster Mike Tirico© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
"The way he sounds, there should be odds on Mike Tirico not making it to the finish of the Kentucky Derby show," one viewer said.
Another added, "Is Mike Tirico alright? Watching NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage and it sounds like he is talking with his mouth full."
NBC later revealed that Tirico was dealing with the effects of a nut allergy.
"We want to tell you (Tirico) does have a nut allergy and had a reaction earlier today," Fareed said. "He is feeling fine now, but is going to stay on the sidelines. Mike, I know you're watching right now. I hope you are feeling better and get back to yourself very soon."
This was Tirico’s ninth time covering the storied event. Since joining NBC in 2016 Tirico has become the network’s lead play-by-play announcer for “Sunday Night Football” and a fixture across its biggest broadcasts, including the Olympics and the Super Bowl.
Continue reading...
