NBC drew widespread criticism for omitting the national anthem before Sunday night's game between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The decision, made just days before Veterans Day and during the NFL's annual "Salute To Service" week honoring military members, prompted an outcry from viewers.

Instead of broadcasting "The Star-Spangled Banner," NBC aired an interview with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and a performance by Carrie Underwood. While viewers saw a brief aerial shot of the field, flag bearers were already exiting with the American flag, indicating the anthem had concluded or was bypassed.

This choice ignited anger on social media. One viewer commented, "This is a disgrace and @nbc should be ashamed of itself. Anyone who lives in this country should at the minimum respect the national anthem." Another wrote, "NBC skipped the national anthem on Sunday Night Football during Veterans Day week. NBC is pathetic. Sick!!! Americans need to speak out against these traitors!!!"

A third expressed, "Shame on NBC for not showing the National Anthem!!! My son is serving overseas. You suck! I will not forget. Will cancel any subscriptions that involved NBC." Concerns were also raised about NBC's commitment to patriotism, with one person stating, "NBC deciding not to show the singing of the National Anthem tells everyone that they don't care about the country or its people so maybe they should lose their rights to broadcast."

The Daily Mail has reached out to NBC for a statement regarding the decision not to broadcast the anthem.

In the game itself, the Chicago Bears secured a 27-24 victory over the Buccaneers, despite what was described as one of their weaker offensive performances of the season. A late field goal sealed the win.

The broadcast also faced disruption when lead play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico was unexpectedly pulled due to a health issue. He was replaced by Noah Eagle for the game. Tirico, who has been the voice of Sunday Night Football since 2022, expressed his hope to return for the following week's broadcast.