The magnitude of the opportunity doesn’t escape Tirico, even with all of the success and fulfilled broadcasting dreams he has already enjoyed in his career.
**SAN FRANCISCO** — Mike Tirico has been a play-by-play voice or studio host for an impressive array of the highest-profile sporting events during his long career. Since moving to NBC from ESPN in the summer of 2016, he’s been a prominent voice on the network’s coverage of five Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, the US Open (golf), the Indianapolis 500, and even some NHL broadcasts.
This year, he added the role of lead play-by-play voice on NBC’s NBA programming in the first year of the new rights deal, on top of having the same role on the network’s “Sunday Night Football” broadcasts. And that’s still an incomplete list. In retrospect, it might have been easier to list the big events and broadcasts he has *not* been a significant part of.
Yet come Sunday night, when the Patriots and Seahawks square off in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California, Tirico will enjoy a career first—calling his first Super Bowl.
The magnitude of the opportunity doesn’t escape him, even with all of the success and fulfilled broadcasting dreams he has already enjoyed.
“As I’ve said a few times, you don’t dream about this because the dream is so silly that you stop and you wake up before you get to this point,” Tirico said. “I think for all of us, Super Bowls bring back very specific memories, people you’ve watched the game with. If your favorite team was in it, moments that have lasted forever. And to be a part of that scenario for this year’s Super Bowl is the thrill of a lifetime.”
Tirico and analyst Cris Collinsworth—who is calling his sixth Super Bowl, five of which have included the Patriots, including the memorable Super Bowl XLIX win over the Seahawks 11 years ago—will call the game. Reporters Melissa Stark and Kaylee Hartung will be on the sidelines, with Terry McAulay serving as the rules analyst.
Maria Taylor will host the pregame show, which begins at 1 p.m. on NBC and Peacock. Taylor will also handle the Lombardi Trophy presentation to the winning team. Overall coverage kicks off at noon with the “Road to the Super Bowl” program.
Analysts and former Patriots Devin McCourty and Rodney Harrison will be part of the pregame coverage, along with Tony Dungy (perhaps he’ll reveal whether he voted for Bill Belichick for the Hall of Fame) and Jason Garrett. Noah Eagle and Jac Collinsworth will also co-host the pregame festivities.
Tirico’s workday will not end when the Super Bowl broadcast wraps up. In a remarkable broadcasting daily double, he will also host NBC’s Olympic studio program “Primetime in Milan” from Levi’s Stadium following the game.
Tirico, who was still calling NBA games in the buildup to the Super Bowl and Olympics, acknowledges that he’s had to hunker down and dedicate serious study time for his high-profile assignments.
“Last week was kind of in a cave, if you will. Just spent most of last week getting ready for what’s ahead,” he said. “The advantage with the Olympics is being a part of it all, all year and in the few years leading up to it, and gradually preparing along the way. Last March, doing the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston was part of a philosophy of ‘let’s build and be ready for what’s ahead this winter with the combo of the Olympics and the Super Bowl.’”
“For me, this is beyond comprehension—to be able to have the trust of the folks who we work for and with, to be able to do both of these events. But it does not happen without the absolute best team in all places.”
The preparation requires an abundance of discipline. But Tirico emphasizes that as time-consuming as preparing for the Olympics and the Super Bowl can be—while calling NBA games too—he knows it’s something he’s fortunate to be able to do.
“This is not a hard job physically,” he said. “We’re not building buildings. We’re not digging ditches. We’re talking about sports, and we’re treated very well along the way. The opportunity is one that you budget your time, be prepared, and go have fun doing it.”
“If I can’t have fun and embrace and enjoy this month, and this week specifically, then I should go find something else to do. And thankfully, I’m staying here for a little bit. I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity for this week.”
https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2026/02/07/mike-tirico-nbc-super-bowl-lx-announcer-broadcast-patriots-seahawks/
