When NBC announced that Michael Jordan would join its NBA coverage for the 2025-26 season, the sports world buzzed with anticipation. Fans imagined the greatest of all time breaking down plays, dropping hot takes, and dishing out real-time analysis. But what they got was something far more subdued: a lengthy sit-down interview with host Mike Tirico, chopped into segments and sprinkled through the season. No studio banter, no live reactions—just Jordan talking hoops.
That gap between expectation and reality sparked a wave of criticism, some of it harsh. But Tirico isn't having it. In a recent chat with Front Office Sports Tonight's Bridget Condon, the veteran broadcaster pushed back, making it clear that the project was never meant to be what some assumed.
“It was fun. A lot of people took it and ran with what they thought it was going to be, when we never really said a lot of what it was going to be,” Tirico said. “It was just Michael talking about basketball. And Michael was terrific about it, too.”
Tirico's defense is simple: the interview was never marketed as a traditional analyst role, and judging it by those standards misses the point. For him, the value lay in the rare opportunity to hear Jordan, who has largely stayed out of the public eye for two decades, open up about the game he defined.
“Michael hasn’t sat down with a lot of folks over the last 20 years, and I’m honored that we did it,” Tirico said. “And I think if people look at the content of what was there, and not what their expectations were or the other stuff, I think they’d come away and say, ‘You know, it’s pretty interesting to hear what he said.’ So glad Michael did it. Lucky to have the time around him. And if he ever does it again, I hope I’m the guy on the other side of the couch. If not, I’ll be sitting there and listening to him; that’s for darn sure.”
While no second interview is on the horizon, Tirico's enthusiasm suggests he'd jump at the chance. NBC, for its part, remains hopeful Jordan will return for the 2026-27 season. Whether fans will embrace another lengthy sit-down is another question—but Tirico believes the content speaks for itself.
This isn't the first time a sports figure has faced backlash for an unexpected role. Just last year, Jason Kelce's sneakers with a suit on MNF drew online criticism, and earlier this season, Greg Olsen's brutal middle school speech sparked a parental firestorm. But Tirico's stance is clear: sometimes the best moments come from defying expectations.
For now, Jordan's NBC chapter remains a one-off experiment—one that Tirico insists was worth every second. As he put it, hearing Michael Jordan talk basketball is never a waste, no matter the format.
