NBC Sports play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico will miss Sunday night’s NFL matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of an undisclosed health issue, the network announced Sunday.
Tirico, 59, had been scheduled to call his 300th career NFL game from the broadcast booth at Soldier Field in Chicago. Instead, his milestone appearance will be placed on hold while he recovers.
“Unfortunately, I will have to miss tonight’s game in Chicago due to a health issue,” Tirico said in a statement released through NBC Sports PR. “I look forward to watching tonight and can’t wait to be back with Cris, Melissa and the rest of our SNF team next Sunday night in Cincinnati.”
Noah Eagle steps in on short notice
NBC Sports announced that broadcaster Noah Eagle will step in as the lead play-by-play voice for the prime-time broadcast alongside analyst Cris Collinsworth and sideline reporter Melissa Stark. Eagle, 29, was tapped on short notice following his assignment on Saturday night in nearby South Bend, Indiana, where he handled play-by-play duties for NBC’s college football game between Notre Dame and Miami.
Eagle is currently in his fourth season handling weekly prime-time Big Ten football games for NBC and Peacock, People reported. His proximity in northern Indiana made him a swift replacement option after Tirico was ruled out on Sunday afternoon, according to FTW Outdoors.
Milestone delayed for NBC’s lead voice
The sudden absence temporarily delays Tirico’s entry into the 300-game milestone as an NFL play-by-play commentator. The veteran sports personality took over as the lead voice of “Sunday Night Football” in 2022, succeeding long-time commentator Al Michaels. Prior to joining NBC, Tirico spent decades at ESPN, where he served as the voice of “Monday Night Football” from 2006 through 2015, alongside extensive commentary for the NBA and Olympic broadcasts, People reported.
While network officials and Tirico provided no specific medical details regarding his current condition, the broadcaster experienced a public medical scare in 2025. During that year’s Kentucky Derby coverage, Tirico suffered an allergic reaction linked to a lifelong nut allergy after accidentally consuming a trigger food, requiring treatment on-site from emergency medical technicians, according to People.
Teams clash at Soldier Field
The unexpected booth substitution comes as the Chicago Bears enter Sunday’s contest with a 6-2 record, marking their best start through eight games since 2012, The El Paso Times reported. Chicago has won three consecutive contests, including previous prime-time victories over New England on Oct. 22 and Seattle on Nov. 2, behind quarterback Caleb Williams.
The visiting Buccaneers entered the matchup at 3-5 following an unusual 16-0 shutout victory against the Atlanta Falcons the previous week. In that rain-soaked contest, Tampa Bay set a franchise rushing record with 324 yards on the ground and did not complete a single pass, becoming the first NFL franchise to accomplish that feat since the Buffalo Bills in 1974, according to The El Paso Times.
Network officials anticipate Tirico will make a prompt recovery and return to the broadcast booth on Nov. 15, when the Cincinnati Bengals are scheduled to host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium.
