NFL Fans Blasted NBC’s Mike Tirico For ‘Asterisk’ Line After Lions’ Win Over Chiefs

This wasn’t cool.

NFL fans called out NBC’s Mike Tirico after his postgame comments about the Detroit Lions’ upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday went viral.

Tirico said that the win for Detroit would have an asterisk next to it because Kansas City didn’t have star defensive tackle Chris Jones or Patrick Mahomes’ top target, star tight end Travis Kelce, available for the game (Jones due to a contract dispute, Kelce due to a knee injury). 

That rubbed many around the NFL the wrong way, minimizing what was one of the biggest wins for the Lions’ franchise in a long time.

• Also see: Tirico Claps Back at Critics of ‘Asterisk’ Comment

No offense to Mike Tirico, but this is a ridiculous thing to say after a team wins

We have teams with 10 guys on IR every year in the NFL (in later weeks of a season), you never hear someone try to take a win away by saying "Asterisks" - guys didn't playpic.twitter.com/21nZVz7aIu

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2023

Yeah that’s wack. No matter how much football you cover, watch, study, love, you can’t imagine what it feels like, to duke it out in front of 70-80k, with all eyes on you. Every mistake, every injury, every lost rep, everything. Ain’t no asterisk. Those guys earned that win. https://t.co/d5IRbpvhhs

— FOST (@GeorgeFoster72) September 8, 2023

Ain’t no Asterisks!!! Lions 1 and 0 beat the chiefs on their home field onto next week!! #Simple Lions gonna win a lot more https://t.co/jdLVWpiXP3

— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) September 8, 2023

Find someone who loves you as much as NFL broadcasters love Mahomes and the Chiefs https://t.co/jXkEPfT5Hu

— iain mcletchie (@mcletch) September 8, 2023

Tirico saying that Lions needs an asterisk because no Travis Kelce and no Chris Jones is very weak.

1-0 is 1-0.

— Josh Newman (@Joshua_Newman) September 8, 2023

Mike Tirico saying this #Lions W has an asterisk next to it is probably not going to go over well with Michiganders when he returns to the state.

— Kory E. Woods (@KoryEWoods) September 8, 2023

Mike Tirico with an all time bad take and now it’s bulletin board material.

Hope the @Lions wear shirts with an asterisk on them for warmups next week.

— Ben Hundley (@benrhundley) September 8, 2023

Ouch.

Injuries are part of the game, and the Lions winning on the road at Arrowhead Stadium is quite the accomplishment, no matter who was on the field for the Chiefs.