NBC Skips National Anthem Before Sunday Night Football Game at Soldier Field

NBC's broadcast of Sunday Night Football from Soldier Field did not air "The Star-Spangled Banner" before kickoff, a decision that drew attention on social media during the NFL's Salute to Service week, three days before Veterans Day. The Chicago Bears game was the focus of the omission, which was first reported by OutKick and picked up by other outlets.

What viewers saw instead

After analysts Cris Collinsworth and Noah Eagle introduced the broadcast, NBC aired a pregame interview with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. An aerial shot then showed flag bearers carrying a folded, field-sized American flag back into a stadium tunnel. The anthem did not follow.

NBC did air what it calls the "show anthem" featuring Carrie Underwood, and it covered the trade of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Bears. Some viewers noticed the absence of the anthem and commented on it online.

Network decision, not league decision

According to OutKick, the decision to air the national anthem is generally made by the broadcaster rather than the NFL or the club. Reports describe the omission as apparently an editorial decision by NBC. OutKick said it had contacted NBC executives, including communications officials Greg Hughes and Chris McCloskey, to ask why the anthem was left out. Neither had responded by the time of publication.

The reports also referred to an earlier anthem-related moment at Soldier Field this season. On September 28, Mariachi Herencia de Mexico performed an instrumental mariachi version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the Bears' Monday Night Football game on ESPN/ABC, as part of the team's Hispanic Heritage Month "Vamos Bears" celebration. Reactions to that performance were mixed. Williams, who was injured, was shown pacing the sideline during that anthem.

Speculation about the reasoning

One report suggested NBC may have wanted to avoid offending anyone by not airing the anthem at all. That explanation has not been confirmed by NBC, and the same report said the approach did not work, given the reaction it drew.

What we know so far

NBC has not publicly explained the omission in the reports reviewed. The NFL's Salute to Service campaign was running during the week, and Fox Sports had separately announced military tributes ahead of Veterans Day. Further comment from NBC would clarify whether the decision was deliberate and whether it will apply to future broadcasts.

Some reports also noted that the NBC production team's choices are separate from those of the NFL and the Bears, so any policy change would most likely come from the network.

Chopal Unfiltered will update this story if NBC responds.

Keyword context: sunday night football anthem omitted.