Michael Holley, a long-time Boston Globe sports columnist and ESPN contributor, fainted during a live broadcast of NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk on Friday. The 56-year-old appeared via satellite to discuss NFL topics when he slid out of his chair and onto the floor.
Host Mike Florio immediately cut to a commercial break, asking his production crew, "What happened to Michael Holley? Did he just pass out? Let's go ahead and take a break here. We want to see what's going on with Michael Holley and we'll continue the conversation on PFT Live right after this."
Florio later provided an update, stating that Holley is doing fine. "Michael was in the studio at his home," Florio told Awful Announcing. "It's very warm in there. He hadn't had anything to eat or drink before the show. He became overheated during the show and passed out."
Florio noted that he didn't notice Holley's distress until he slumped in his seat, as he was focused on the camera. "We went to break right away to try and get him assistance, if he needed it. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and is fine." Holley did not speak as he lost consciousness on camera. Television studios can become warm due to production lighting, and Holley was wearing a warmup jacket at the time.
The incident drew comparisons to a 2000 TNT broadcast where NFL great Bruce Smith passed out while standing, later revealed to be due to flu and dehydration.