NBC Sports‘ Mike Tirico says he “wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t go on with the show” on his exit Sunday from coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Tirico was having a severe reaction to a nut allergy, but says he’s doing fine now.
“I feel fine. I have my coffee, watching the [Today] show like I do every morning,” he said Monday on the morning show.
Tirico explained that he has had a nut allergy for most of his life. “Whatever I ended up eating during the day — usually you end up doing that snack grazing that a lot of us in TV do so you’re not eating a big meal before you go on the air — I ate something that had a nut in it and had a nut allergy, causing your throat and your nose all that stuff to kind of clog up and swell,” he said. “It affects your breathing a little bit, so (I) wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t go on with the show, took an EpiPen shot, got treated by EMTs, felt better about 8, 9 o’clock came along, but it takes a long while to get out of your system.”
Tirico shared yesterday on X, “Hate being a scratch after making the starting gate @KentuckyDerby,” he began. “Just a significant reaction to my nut allergy. If you have one you know how it can knock you down.”
He added, “Profound thanks to @ChurchillDowns for their care. And to our amazing @nbcsports horse racing family. Especially Randy [Moss], Jerry [Bailey] & Ahmed Fareed So lucky to have @SyracuseU fam step in and do such a great job.”
Ahmed Fareed replaced Tirico and confirmed that Tirico would not return to the broadcast.
