Tirico out for Bears and Bucs clash
Noah Eagle steps in for the NBC Sunday Night Football broadcast at Soldier Field.
By Rafael Bailey ·
NBC Sports anchor Mike Tirico will not appear in the booth for the upcoming matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game is scheduled for Sunday at Soldier Field, marking the first time the longtime broadcaster will miss a regular season NFL telecast since joining the network as a full time play by play announcer in 2023.
Tirico cited a health issue as the reason for his absence. He stated that he plans to return to the broadcast team the following week in Cincinnati. The next game on the schedule features the Cincinnati Bengals, where he intends to rejoin his colleagues for the broadcast.
Noah Eagle will take over play by play duties for the Chicago game. Eagle will work alongside color commentators Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark. The trio will provide coverage of the contest for the national audience.
Tirico has served as the lead voice for NBC Sports since 2016. Before that transition, he spent 25 years at ESPN. At NBC, his roles have expanded to include hosting Football Night in America, calling Stanley Cup Final games, and serving as the primary play by play announcer for basketball and Olympic coverage.
The Bears and Buccaneers are set to take the field at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday. The broadcast will air on NBC Chicago, followed immediately by the Sports Sunday program.
