NEW ORLEANS — Mike Tirico doesn’t just call the game; he amplifies the pulse of the stadium. As we barrel toward Super Bowl 60, the NBC play-by-play man has cemented himself as the soundtrack of modern American sports. While he officially took the “Sunday Night Football” reins in 2022, his résumé reads like a history book of heart-stoppers.
From the deafening roar of the Superdome to the stunned silence of a snowy Philadelphia, Tirico finds the right words when the rest of us are speechless. Here is the definitive ranking of his finest work, including the call that just redefined Chicago Bears history.
11. Steve Gleason’s Blocked Punt (Sept. 25, 2006)
Context is everything. This wasn’t just a football play; it was the sonic boom of a city rising from the mud. The Saints returned to the Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, and the atmosphere was heavy. When Steve Gleason smothered that punt, Tirico didn’t step on the moment with over-analysis. He let the noise wash over the broadcast.
“Look out! Right through! The kick blocked by Steve Gleason! Touchdown, New Orleans!”
He didn’t say “Touchdown Saints.” He said “New Orleans.” That distinction mattered.
10. Saquon Barkley in the Snow (Jan. 19, 2025)
The Eagles’ march to the Super Bowl 59 title hit a wall against the Rams until Barkley decided he was done waiting. In blinding snow, Barkley broke loose for 78 yards, and Tirico matched his stride.
“There goes Barkley! Into the clear, through the snow, all the way home!”
Simple. Visual. Perfect. The weather provided the drama; Tirico provided the caption.
9. The Clowney Hit (Jan. 1, 2013)
Violence in football is rarely beautiful, but Jadeveon Clowney’s dismantling of Michigan’s Vincent Smith was art. The hit popped Smith’s helmet off like a champagne cork. Tirico, usually measured, tapped into the primal reaction every fan had at home.
“South Carolina deserves to have it, and they do!”
It was an editorial judgment delivered in real-time, and he was absolutely right.
8. Favre to Jennings (Oct. 29, 2007)
Brett Favre. Overtime. Monday Night Football. The script wrote itself, but the delivery sold it. When Favre hit Greg Jennings for the 82-yard winner against Denver, Tirico stretched the word “Unbelievable” into three distinct syllables, mirroring the disbelief of the Broncos’ secondary.
7. The Fail Mary (Sept. 24, 2012)
Chaos requires a steady hand. When the replacement refs turned a Packers-Seahawks ending into a national controversy, Tirico acted as the investigative reporter. He navigated the confusion of simultaneous possession between Golden Tate and M.D. Jennings without losing the audience.
“The game’s final play is a Wilson lob to the end zone… Who has it? Who do they give it to? Touchdown! … Seahawks win in the most bizarre finish you’ll ever see!”
6. The Miss at Acrisure (Jan. 4, 2026)
Just last month, the AFC North title hung in the balance. The Steelers needed a miracle, and they got it from the foot of Tyler Loop—or rather, the lack thereof. Tirico understood that for Pittsburgh, the story wasn’t the make; it was the miss.
“Snap good, hold good, the kick IS NO GOOD! It is wide right! And the Steelers are the champions of the north!”
5. The Kick-Six (Nov. 30, 2015)
Browns fans look away. In a tie game, Cleveland lined up for a winning field goal. Instead, Will Hill scooped the block and rumbled down the sideline. Tirico’s voice climbed an octave with every ten yards Hill gained, capturing the pure shock of a “you had to be there” finish.
4. Kobe’s Final Bow (April 13, 2016)
Calling a retirement game is tricky; you can easily slide into nostalgia and miss the action. But when Kobe Bryant started hitting everything in sight, Tirico rode the wave. The call on the go-ahead jumper was electric, but his sign-off after the final free throw was legendary.
“60.”
Just the number. Nothing else needed to be said.
3. Caleb Williams’ Prayer (Jan. 18, 2026)
We are still processing this one. The Bears were dead. Fourth down, playoffs on the line, Williams running 25 yards backward. It looked like a disaster until the ball hung in the air and found Cole Kmet.
“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!”
Tirico’s incredulity mirrored every person watching in Chicago. It captured the “how did he do that?” energy that defines the Williams era.
2. The Cincinnati Kid (Jan. 15, 2023)
A 98-yard fumble return by a defensive lineman is agonizingly slow. You have time to think. Tirico used that time to weave a biography into a touchdown call. Recognizing Sam Hubbard was a local product, he dropped the line “The Cincinnati Kid!” mid-play. It turned a great highlight into a hometown legend.
1. Lillard’s 0.9 Seconds (May 2, 2014)
The gold standard. The Blazers hadn’t won a playoff series in 14 years. Down two, less than a second left. Tirico set the stakes—“A three wins the series”—and then nailed the explosion.
“It’s Lillard, he got the shot off! Lillard, good! Good! And the Blazers win the series!”
The double “Good!” matched the rhythm of the net snapping and the buzzer sounding. It remains the perfect marriage of moment and microphone.
“You don’t hear the announcer when you’re playing, but when you watch the tape back, a guy like Mike [Tirico] makes you feel like a superhero. He frames the painting.” — Sam Hubbard, Bengals Defensive End
What’s Next
Tirico will be in the booth for Super Bowl 60, and if this postseason is any indicator, we are due for one more signature call. With the league leaning heavily into offensive speed, expect Tirico’s cadence to be tested early and often. The man is ready.
