It’s not often you hear a play-by-play announcer interrupt himself to blast a league rule, but NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico went there Sunday night.
Early in the third quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Dallas Cowboys matchup on Sunday Night Football, the Bucs ran a play after the play clock appeared to expire.
“Off in time,” Tirico said skeptically as the play unfolded. “Mazi Smith dragged by [Bucky] Irving. First down, just inside — I can’t stand that rule. When it says 00, it should be a delay of game. In a league where we go frame by frame to see if a guy’s got a toe down or not, we’re still backwards with the double-zero on the play clock.
“I understand some mechanics, I understand that, I just wanted to share that with you. I was watching the Houston game yesterday, and it bothered me, because twice it was 00, and immediately it was a delay of game.”
Analyst Cris Collinsworth lightened the moment with a little joke.
“I can’t stand that rule. When it says 00, it should be a delay of game. In a league where we go frame by frame to see if a guy’s got a toe down or not, we’re still backwards with the double-zero on the play clock.” – Mike Tirico 🏈🎙️ #NFL #SNF pic.twitter.com/wpHOELbELn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 23, 2024
“Well, that’s part of the reason I enjoy irritating you, because there’s nothing better than when you get fired up,” Collinsworth said.
[NBC]
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