.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
Mike Tirico only took over as the full-time voice of "Sunday Night Football" in 2022, but his voice was etched into some great moments in sports history even before he ascended into that role.
From his days calling "Monday Night Football" on ESPN to his time as an NBA and college football play-by-play broadcaster, Tirico is connected to a handful of iconic moments, with many more still to come.
Here are the best of the best among Tirico's calls, from Caleb Williams' wild playoff touchdown to Kobe Bryant's final game.
MORE: Complete guide to Super Bowl broadcast in 2026
Mike Tirico's best calls
11. Steve Gleason blocked punt
- Date: Sept. 25, 2006
Only the third "Monday Night Football" broadcast of Tirico's career brought one of the best moments in New Orleans Saints history, if only because of the circumstances. The game marked the Saints' return to the Superdome for the first time in two years after Hurricane Katrina's devastation made the stadium untenable.
The Saints put an early touchdown on the board when special-teamer Steve Gleason blocked an Atlanta Falcons punt, a play that would go down in NFL history because of the emotion it allowed New Orleans fans and residents to let out. Tirico was on the call.
"Look out! Right through! The kick blocked by Steve Gleason!" Tirico said, following it up with, "Touchdown, New Orleans!" rather than simply, "Touchdown, Saints!"
MORE: Meet new NBA on NBC crew, headlined by Mike Tirico
10. Saquon Barkley's 78-yard TD run vs. Rams
- Date: Jan. 19, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles' toughest challenge during their run to a Super Bowl 59 win came at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams on a snowy day, but a 78-yard touchdown run by Saquon Barkley deep into the fourth quarter was ultimately the difference.
"There goes Barkley! Into the clear, through the snow, all the way home!" Tirico exclaimed as the 2,000-yard rusher sprinted toward the end zone. The snow set the stage for the moment, and Tirico carried it the rest of the way.
MORE: How much is the NFL's Lombardi Trophy worth?
9. Jadeveon Clowney's Outback Bowl hit
- Date: Jan. 1, 2013
Tirico and broadcast partner Jon Gruden were on the call for the iconic hit by Jadeveon Clowney against Michigan in the 2013 Outback Bowl.
"What a hit! Ball's free! South Carolina deserves to have it, and they do!" Tirico said after Clowney delivered the hit on Vincent Smith that knocked both the ball and Smith's helmet loose.
While Tirico has shown more emotion in other situations, his "South Carolina deserves to have it" line is synonymous with the play that went down as one of college football's most memorable moments of the 2010s.
MORE: How the Super Bowl's name traces back to to a 1960s toy
8. Brett Favre-to-Greg Jennings game-winning TD
- Date: Oct. 29, 2007
Tirico was on the call in 2007 when Brett Favre hit Greg Jennings for an 82-yard game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Denver Broncos.
"It is...hauled in by Greg Jennings! The Packers win in overtime! Un-be-lievable!" Tirico said on the "MNF" broadcast, putting enough emphasis on "unbelievable" to make the call unique.
MORE: Super Bowl coin toss history
7. Packers-Seahawks Fail Mary
- Date: Sept. 24, 2012
One of the worst calls in sports history...the Fail Mary pic.twitter.com/ld8U5TS5vK
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) May 5, 2020Before the "is it a catch or interception?" question defined a playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos, it was synonymous with a "Monday Night Football" game between the Green Bay Packers and an upstart Seattle Seahawks team.
Facing a five-point deficit with eight seconds remaining, rookie QB Russell Wilson heaved a prayer to the end zone, and it appeared to be caught by both Seahawks WR Golden Tate and Packers S M.D. Jennings.
Because NFL referees were in the midst of a lockout, replacement referees were on the field and predictably lost control of the situation. One official signaled the play a touchdown, while another signaled an interception. Replay couldn't determine a catch at the time, so the replacement officials had to talk it over and decided the play was a game-winning touchdown for Seattle.
Tirico captured the confusion. "The game's final play is a Wilson lob to the end zone, which is...fought for by Tate, with Jennings simultaneous. Who has it? Who do they give it to? Touchdown!"
After Tirico broke down the situation as best he could, the ruling was made. "Seahawks win in the most bizarre finish you'll ever see!" Tirico exclaimed.
MORE: Revisiting the highest-scoring Super Bowl ever
6. Tyler Loop's missed field goal vs. Steelers
- Date: Jan. 4, 2026
Tirico received widespread praise for his call of the entire Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore at the end of the 2025 regular season, but he did an excellent job setting the stage for Tyler Loop's attempt at a division-winning field and following through during the play.
After outlining the significance of the moment for both teams in addition to Loop himself, Tirico made the call: "Snap good, hold good, the kick IS NO GOOD! It is wide right! And the Steelers are the champions of the north!"
While it wasn't quite a playoff game, it certainly had the feel of one, and Tirico is part of what made that possible.
MORE: Meet Cris Collinsworth's family tree, including broadcast colleague son Jac
5. Will Hill kick-six
- Date: Nov. 30, 2015
The play known as the "Kick Six" didn't happen in the NFL, but the professional ranks did have their own version of a kick-six two years after Auburn's iconic moment.
Tirico was on the call when the Cleveland Browns' attempt at a game-winning field goal against the Baltimore Ravens was blocked and returned for a game-winning touchdown by Ravens S Will Hill.
"And it's blocked! And it's picked up by Will Hill! Will Hill runs down the sideline...Hill is gonna get a block! Will Hill is gonna win the game on a blocked field goal! Unbelievable!" Tirico yelled as Browns fans sat in disbelief.
MORE: Every Super Bowl MVP winner in NFL history
4. Kobe Bryant go-ahead shot in final game
Date: April 13, 2016
Tirico rose to the moment throughout Kobe Bryant's final game in 2016, and it culminated in a go-ahead shot for the Los Angeles Lakers legend with less than a minute remaining.
"The Lakers down one. Will Kobe give them one last gamer? Bryant on the move, with the jumper...he got it! 58 points! And the Lakers lead!" Tirico said as the Staples Center erupted. Not long after, Tirico kept it short and sweet when Bryant hit 60 points, simply uttering, "60," as the Hall of Famer's final free throw went down.
MORE: Biggest comebacks in Super Bowl history
3. Caleb Williams' improbable TD vs. Rams
- Date: Jan. 18, 2026
A fourth-down touchdown with the game on the line in the playoffs is remarkable in itself, but the play by Caleb Williams to tie the game against the Los Angeles Rams was another level of wild because he was chased about 25 yards behind the line of scrimmage and had to heave a prayer more than 40 yards just to extend the game.
When Williams hit an open Cole Kmet in the end zone for the touchdown, Tirico met the moment.
"In all kinds of trouble, put it up for grabs in the end zone...he got it! For the touchdown! They've done it again! Unbelievable!" Tirico said as Cris Collinsworth laughed in the background.
All anyone could do at that point was laugh, as the Bears made a habit of improbable comebacks throughout the season and added one more in that divisional round game, but Chicago's run would come to an end in overtime.
MORE: Lowest-scoring games in Super Bowl history
2. Sam Hubbard 98-yard fumble return TD
- Date: Jan. 15, 2023
The Cincinnati Bengals were in serious trouble against Baltimore Ravens backup QB Tyler Huntley in a 2022 wild-card game, but a fumble near the goal line by Huntley and the resulting madness was called beautifully by Tirico.
"Oh that ball's live! Picked up by Sam Hubbard! The Cincinnati kid! Hubbard's got a convoy. Chased by Andrews. At the 30! The 20! He! Will! Score" was the call from Tirico, who managed to weave in Hubbard's hometown hero story seamlessly as the play unfolded.
Hubbard's touchdown went a grand total of 98 yards and turned what nearly became a 24-17 Ravens lead into a 24-17 Bengals lead that would stick as the final score.
MORE: How many Super Bowls have the Patriots won?
1. Damian Lillard series-winning buzzer-beater
- Date: May 2, 2014
Damian Lillard somehow has two series-clinching buzzer-beating shots on his record, and Tirico was on the call for ESPN for the first. He certainly met the moment.
"Nine-tenths left. A three wins the series. It's Lillard, he got the shot off! Lillard, good! Good! And the Blazers win the series for the first time in 14 years!" was the call from Tirico, who again set the stage for the moment before following through with it.
Once his initial call was over, Tirico let the rest of the moment speak for itself as Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets players showed all kinds of emotions.
English (US)