Mike Tirico Explains His Kentucky Derby Exit Due To Severe Nut Allergy: “Couldn’t Go On With The Show”

NBC Sports‘ Mike Tirico says he “wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t go on with the show” on his exit Sunday from coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Tirico was having a severe reaction to a nut allergy, but says he’s doing fine now.

“I feel fine. I have my coffee, watching the [Today] show like I do every morning,” he said Monday on the morning show.

Tirico explained that he has had a nut allergy for most of his life. “Whatever I ended up eating during the day — usually you end up doing that snack grazing that a lot of us in TV do so you’re not eating a big meal before you go on the air — I ate something that had a nut in it and had a nut allergy, causing your throat and your nose all that stuff to kind of clog up and swell,” he said. “It affects your breathing a little bit, so (I) wasn’t feeling well, couldn’t go on with the show, took an EpiPen shot, got treated by EMTs, felt better about 8, 9 o’clock came along, but it takes a long while to get out of your system.”

Tirico shared yesterday on X, “Hate being a scratch after making the starting gate @KentuckyDerby,” he began. “Just a significant reaction to my nut allergy. If you have one you know how it can knock you down.”

He added, “Profound thanks to @ChurchillDowns for their care. And to our amazing @nbcsports horse racing family. Especially Randy [Moss], Jerry [Bailey] & Ahmed Fareed So lucky to have @SyracuseU fam step in and do such a great job.”

Ahmed Fareed replaced Tirico and confirmed that Tirico would not return to the broadcast.