In what’s been a loaded year of duties for Mike Tirico, it’s only fitting that he learned he won an Emmy while in the middle of doing play-by-play for a high-profile sporting event.
As Tirico called Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night for NBC, he was informed that he won an Emmy for play-by-play commentary.
NBC color commentator Reggie Miller delivered the news to Tirico during the game’s second quarter.
Mike Tirico learns that he’s won an Emmy during the Spurs-Thunder Game 5 broadcast on NBC. 🎙️🏆 pic.twitter.com/BQv4Z9WbF4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 27, 2026
The #SportsEmmys Award for Outstanding Sports Personality: Play-By-Play goes to Mike Tirico @miketirico (@NBCSports @peacock). pic.twitter.com/kov1Cyq2Im
— Sports Emmys (@sportsemmys) May 27, 2026
“We’re amongst greatness right now. You want me to tell you why? Because our friend here just won an Emmy for national play-by-play,” Miller said to color commentator Jamal Crawford.
“Congratulations. Your first Emmy. And it’s an honor for Jamal and I to be alongside you,” Miller told Tirico.
“It’s an honor to hear it from you,” Tirico responded. “Thank you. And thank you to all the people we work with. We just talk. Everybody else works. And we’re blessed to have a great for football, and hoops, and the Olympics.”
While this is the first Sports Emmy for Tirico as a play-by-play announcer, the versatile commentator has won an Emmy twice for his work as a studio host.
This is a well-deserved honor for Tirico, who has put together a remarkable 2026.
In February, Tirico turned heads when he went right from calling Super Bowl LX to hosting primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics for NBC in Milan the next day. He also received strong praise for his monologue to close out NBC’s broadcast after the USA men’s hockey team won the gold medal.
Along with calling the Super Bowl as NBC’s Sunday Night Football voice (and he received praise for that) and hosting the Olympics, Tirico became the lead voice for Sunday Night Basketball and NBC’s NBA coverage. And he does terrific work as a true pro in every role.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.