NBC announcer caught on hot mic calling Olympics’ big air finals ‘so boring’

A hot mic caught NBC broadcaster and former professional snowboarder Todd Richards sharing how unimpressed he was with the “boring” men’s snowboarding big air finals Saturday.

Richards must’ve thought the Peacock broadcast cut to a commercial break or ended when he said, “That was boring.”

“That was so boring,” Richards continued. “The qualifier was way more exciting.”

Japan’s Kira Kimura competes during the men’s snowboarding big air finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. AP

Richards’ comments came shortly after Japan’s Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata took the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the event, while defending Olympic gold medalist Su Yiming, of China, finished in third.

Ollie Martin, a 17-year-old high school senior from Colorado, just missed the podium as he finished in fourth.

Team USA is still waiting to win its first medal of the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. 

This is Richards’ sixth Winter Olympics that he’s worked as a commentator.

Su Yiming of China competes during the Men’s Snowboard Big Air Final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 7, 2026. Xinhua/Shutterstock

The former professional snowboarder represented Team USA when the sport made its debut at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

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Richards is widely respected in the snowboarding world.

He’s been deemed a “pioneer of the halfpipe” because he brought a skateboarding style to the event.

In September, he was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.