Fans Want Answers After NBC’s Controversial National Anthem Decision Before The Bears-Bucs SNF Game

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football crew had a busy pregame in Chicago. The Chicago Bears hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the night, three days before Veterans Day. 

Chicago rolled to another win, beating the Bucs 27-24.

Cris Collinsworth and Noah Eagle opened the broadcast with a booth introduction. NBC then showed a pregame interview with quarterback Caleb Williams, whose Sunday Night Football player introduction also made headlines.

Next came an aerial view of the field. OutKick described the flag bearers “carrying a folded field-sized American flag back into one of the stadium’s tunnels.” 

They noted that NBC’s broadcast never showed the national anthem.

The outlet said it asked NBC communications executives Greg Hughes and Chris McCloskey why the anthem was left out. 

Neither had replied by publication. The report adds that networks, not the NFL, generally decide whether to air it. Its report does not say whether the anthem was performed inside Soldier Field. The Idaho Public Press noted that the flag footage does not settle that question either.

Fans Riot Online After NBC Opts To Skip The National Anthem

Some fans on social media pushed for a change after the Sunday night broadcast, including a rule that would make the anthem mandatory on TV.

“More reasons to boycott the NFL, NBC, and the anti-American BS prevailing in this country right now!” one wrote.

“NBC missing the national anthem on Veterans’ Day week. No wonder your guys ratings sucks. Somebody there needs to be fired,” someone asked.

“That’s a choice NBC made, not the NFL or the Bears. And as of this morning NBC still hasn’t explained it,” one veteran added as part of a lengthy post.

The NFL observes Salute to Service in November, and Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, November 11.