Mike Tirico worried fans when he suddenly halted his Kentucky Derby coverage on Saturday, May 3.
The legendary NBC commentator, who recently filled in for Today’sCraig Melvin in April, stepped away from coverage, as his NBC colleague Ahmed Fareed stepped in without missing a beat to fill in for him.
Fans immediately took to social media to express their concerns for the 58-year-old sports broadcaster, with many questioning why he “sounded” off.
“why does mike tirico sound like that?” one wrote, as another echoed, “Mike Tirico sounds like he should be in bed sleeping, not covering the Derby.”
Others questioned if he had a cold, as someone stated, “Why are we pretending like Mike Tirico is ok. Something is very wrong,” and many wished him the best, “Hope Mike Tirico feels better. He sounds like me right now. #HeadCold.”
Fareed said on air that Tirico had to step away after feeling “under the weather,” adding, “It is not like baseball. If the closer comes in, the starter can come back in the game
