Fired NBC reporter ‘hurt’ after as network removes him from Sunday Night Football in major shakeup

Chris Simms will not return to NBC’s Football Night in America program.

Simms announced the news on Monday morning, during Pro Football Talk, a show he co-hosts with Mike Florio.

Getty

The Sunday night show is undergoing a massive makeover this offseason after it had fallen out of favor in recent years. 

Insiders claim that having two separate panels created a disjointed viewing experience, especially given the short duration compared to other pre-game programs.

“I’m not on the show anymore, Mike,” Simms told Florio on Monday.

”I don’t know if anyone told you. I will not be part of ‘Football Night in America.’ They told me that last week, so that’s just going to be a different aspect. That hurt because I do love it.”

The show has already axed beloved Tony Dungy from its panel, and fellow hosts Rodney Harrison and Jac Collinsworth’s jobs are also in question, per The Athletic.

A source told the New York Post that Simms’ other roles within the network will not be impacted by the move.

Simms serves as a college football analyst, co-host’s PFT with Florio, and also runs the popular ‘Chris Simms Unbuttoned’ podcast for the network.

On the show, Florio confirmed that his position on ‘FIA’ was safe, but noted he would only be traveling with the show for a few weeks.

Since retiring from the NFL, Simms has enjoyed a successful sports media career, once going viral for claiming Tom Brady was never a top-10 QB.

Simms played five seasons as a backup quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans before following his dad Phil into broadcasting with NBC in 2016, covering Notre Dame.

Getty

Getty

Replacing Simms on the panel will be former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who revealed he was anxious about stepping into the new role.

“I just thought it’d be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it,” Tomlin said in his NBC debut on Sunday.

“I love to talk football, and so that’s just an exciting component for me. I gotta admit, though, it’s going to be some anxiety about stepping into a new space, but good anxiety. Y’know?

“And lastly, I just thought it would be awesome to share insight with fellow football lovers. 

“It’s good to be uncomfortable, to grow, to associate it with that. But man, I’m fired up about it.”

Tomlin stepped away from his role as head coach of the Steelers in January, ending an 19-season tenure that saw the team reach the playoffs 13 times.

Getty

The Steelers coach had left his future up in the air, being tipped for multiple head coaching roles, but it felt like an inevitability he would eventually end up with one of the major networks.

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.