Hot mic moments are always an unpredictable highlight of any broadcast, but how the announcers handle them can make all the difference.
Sunday’s Chicago Bears-Carolina Panthers broadcast saw Bears center Coleman Shelton drop an absolute gem, as he was picked up by a hot mic telling his quarterback, Caleb Williams, ‘We got f*cking fire, man.’ Those at home could make out every word, and so could Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma.
Williams was barking out signals — or perhaps an audible — when his center pointed out that A’Shawn Robinson is in the neighborhood, and you might want to pay attention to the 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive end. That’s as big of a fire as we have ever seen.
Instead of the usual routine—either apologizing for the language or just pretending it never happened, depending on how bold or clear the hot mic moment was—the NFL on Fox announcers decided to run with it and have some fun with what they (and everyone else) heard.
“Apparently, they have a fire, Kenny,” quipped Vilma.
“Sounds like it,” offered Albert while in between laughs. “Call in the authorities.”
Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma react to a great hot mic moment.
Jonathan Vilma: Apparently they have a fire, Kenny.
Kenny Albert: Sounds like it. Call in the authorities. pic.twitter.com/WKFvG88iQK
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 6, 2024
Instead of calling in the authorities, they called a pass play to the right side, and Williams found Rome Odunze for a four-yard gain. Shelton and his offensive line counterparts handled the “fire” pretty well, but it also ensured that Williams got the ball out of his hands quickly.
Ultimately, no fire trucks (or the authorities) were needed.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.