Mike Tirico to Miss Bucs-Bears Broadcast With Health Issue

Mike Tirico will miss NBC’s Sunday Night Football broadcast of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Chicago Bears game on November 8 because of a health issue, and Noah Eagle will take over play-by-play duties, NBC said.

Tirico’s statement, released by the network, gave no further information about the health issue. He said he expected to return for the next Sunday Night Football broadcast, on November 15, when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers. His return has not been confirmed.

Eagle will work with analyst Cris Collinsworth and sideline reporter Melissa Stark for the game at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Eagle had called Notre Dame’s game against Miami on Saturday night and also works as a college football and NBA broadcaster for NBC.

The Bucs-Bears broadcast had been scheduled to be Tirico’s 300th NFL game. His milestone will be deferred because he is not calling the game, according to reports citing a recent profile of the broadcaster. If he returns for the Bengals-Steelers game as he expects, he would reach the milestone in Cincinnati.

Tirico said he planned to watch the Chicago game despite missing the broadcast. The game is part of Week 9 of the NFL season. The November 15...