NFL reporter Michael Holley sparked a frightening scene Friday when he suddenly fainted during a live NBC Sports broadcast, forcing the show to abruptly cut to commercial.
Holley, 56, a longtime Boston sports journalist and former ESPN contributor, was appearing remotely on Pro Football Talk with host Mike Florio when the scary moment unfolded.
As the two discussed the latest NFL headlines, Holley suddenly became wide-eyed and began slipping down in his chair before disappearing from view.
A stunned Florio immediately realized something was wrong.
“What happened to Michael Holley?” Florio asked members of the production crew. “Did he just pass out?”
The host quickly sent the program to commercial as staff scrambled to determine whether Holley needed emergency help.
“We want to see what’s going on with Michael Holley,” Florio told viewers before the broadcast cut away.
Fortunately, the frightening incident did not turn out to be as serious as it initially appeared.
Florio later told Awful Announcing that Holley had been broadcasting from a studio inside his home that had become extremely warm.
According to Florio, Holley had also not eaten or had anything to drink before going on the air.
“It’s very warm in there,” Florio explained. “He hadn’t had anything to eat or drink before the show. He became overheated during the show and passed out.”
Florio said he initially missed the warning signs because he was looking directly into the camera instead of watching Holley on a monitor.
“I didn’t notice until he slumped in his seat,” he said.
The show immediately went to break so producers could make sure Holley received assistance if necessary.
Thankfully, Holley regained consciousness quickly.
“Fortunately, he recovered quickly and is fine,” Florio said.
The incident was especially alarming because Holley, who was wearing a warmup jacket, appeared to fade without saying a word before collapsing out of his chair.
Television studios can become surprisingly hot under production lights, which is why many professional sets are kept unusually cold during broadcasts.
Holley’s collapse also brought back memories of another frightening live-TV moment involving NFL legend Bruce Smith.
Smith fainted during a TNT broadcast in 2000 while standing on the set. It was later revealed that the Hall of Famer had been suffering from the flu and dehydration at the time.
In Holley’s case, the terrifying on-air scare had a much happier ending, with Florio assuring worried viewers that the veteran sports journalist was doing well after the incident.
