Mike Tirico won a lot of fans over on Sunday with his monologue to close out Team USA’s thrilling gold medal overtime win over Canada, including Scott Van Pelt.
Tirico was widely praised for his uplifting message, putting the perfect cap on what was one of the most memorable sporting events in recent memory. And it applied not just to the USA-Canada hockey game, but the Olympics as a whole.
He effortlessly presented the moment not just in a sporting context, but in an inspirational one as well, saying that sports is ultimately the thing that can draw us closer together and unify us in increasingly divided times.
“Our country loves sports and it brings us together unlike anything else.”
Mike Tirico wraps up a HISTORIC #WinterOlympics for Team USA. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dRnOWTQk4M
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) February 22, 2026
The message was instantly applauded by Tirico’s sports media colleagues and outside of the industry as well as rising to the moment. And Scott Van Pelt felt it was worthy of dedicating time during Monday night’s One Big Thing on SportsCenter. And in his tribute, SVP said that Mike Tirico has elevated himself to a position in the industry where he stands alone at the top in sports broadcasting.
Scott Van Pelt pays tribute to Mike Tirico on SportsCenter in his One Big Thing.
“What he did on Sunday I believe moves him to a place occupied by one person in our business – him.” pic.twitter.com/wNBCe2Ca4y
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 24, 2026
“Mike Tirico’s going to kill me for this and I don’t care,” Van Pelt said. “He’s been my friend for decades and he’s been great at what he does for longer. But what he did on Sunday I believe moves him to a place occupied by one person in our business – him.”
“The message is one thing. How you deliver it is another. And the moment is the truly elusive thing. And this was a singular moment in time. A Sunday morning in America in winter, with the entire nation watching. And Mike was able to finish telling this remarkable story in a way I truly believe only he could, elevating this craft to its pinnacle and somehow being equal to a moment that will be remembered for all time here in the United States of America.”
What a month it has been for Mike Tirico. Not only did he host the Olympics, but he also called his first Super Bowl with NBC. Later on this year he will also serve as the lead play-by-play voice for the NBA on NBC. And whether it’s hosting, play-by-play, or providing commentary like he did on Sunday, he can do it all flawlessly. If you asked AI to build the perfect sports broadcaster, it would just answer “Mike Tirico.”
There are a few names worth lifting up as the top sports media personality in America right now and a great mix of up-and-comers and living legends. But for Scott Van Pelt to be willing to say that Mike Tirico stands alone at the top of the industry on national television tells you all you need to know about the respect that he has from his peers in separating himself as the best of the best.