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What happened to Michael Holley? NBC Sports host passed out live on air; horrifying footage sparks concerns
NBC Sports analyst Michael Holley fainted during Pro Football Talk Live while co-host Mike Florio spoke.
NBC Sports analyst Michael Holley suddenly fainted during an episode of Pro Football Talk Live while his co-host Mike Florio was addressing him.
In the footage, which NBC opted not to broadcast again on streaming services, Holley started to sway in his seat and ultimately fell out of the camera's frame—leading the show to switch to a screen displaying only Florio. “Did he just pass out?” Florio asked.
Compounding the alarm, Holley was transmitting from his residence, leaving no producers or coworkers present to promptly assess his condition.
Mike Florio issues statement after Michael Holley's tragedy
Soon after the occurrence, Florio, the founder and editor-in-chief of PFT, issued a statement verifying that Holley collapsed while on air.
“Friday’s edition of PFT Live included a moment that was unprecedented in the 15-year history of the show,” Florio, 61, stated. “Co-host Michael Holley fainted on live TV.”
The sports commentator clarified that Holley's health issue stemmed from overheating and a lack of food prior to the early broadcast, scheduled for 7 a.m. EST.
“As he became ill, I was looking at the camera, which sits above the monitor that returns the live feed of the show,” Florio elaborated.
“I noticed Michael moving,” he said. “I thought that he had again lost his audio. When he slumped to the right and fell out of the view of the screen, I knew something was wrong.”
Team reached out to Michael Holley's wife
Florio stated that his team transitioned to a commercial break and promptly reached out to his wife.
He went on to stress that the control room must maintain a list of phone numbers for family members who can be promptly reached in the event that a co-host contributing from home experiences an unexpected health problem.
Is Michael Holley okay? Concerns raised
“We appreciate the concern expressed by those who saw it happen, Florio concluded. ”Michael will be back for his next scheduled appearance.”
Meanwhile, several people on X raised concerns about Holley's situation, with one asking: “Is he okay? Doesn’t seem heat related to me.”
“Seems like a seizure of some kind,” another wrote.
Holley has been a part of PFT for two years. He serves as an associate professor of journalism at Boston University and is also a best-selling sports author for the New York Times.
“Yeah that’s not overheated that’s a seizure or worse, he should get a MRI and full body scan ASAP better safe than sorry,” one more reacted.
