What Is Mike Tirico’s Ethnicity? The Sports Anchor Has Controversial Takes on His Race

Sports anchor Mike Tirico has long been an admired and respected voice in the media industry. His smooth voice and charismatic charm has been a staple in many NBC events, from Sunday Night Football to the Olympics to The Today Show. But beyond the broadcast booth, many are curious about Tirico’s personal background. Specifically, his ethnicity and heritage.

Over the years, Mike has addressed questions about his racial identity, making headlines with his unique perspective on the topic. Here’s what you need to know about his ethnicity and how he views his race.

Mike was born in New York City on Dec. 13, 1966. He was welcomed into the world by his Italian mother and his African American father, making him biracial and multi-ethnic. However, Mike shared early in his career that he felt more connected to his Italian ethnicity than his identity as a Black man.

According to Syracuse.com, the anchor, who graduated from Syracuse University in 1988 admitted he didn't identify with being African American during a 1994 interview with The Post Standard. A then-24-year-old Mike told the outlet he didn't know what race he was, though he was aware that some may identify him as Black based on his skin tone.

"When people go around and say, ‘You are Black’—well, I don’t encourage it, but by the same token I don’t back off of it,” he explained at the time. “If you want to call me that, that’s fine. But, you know, in my whole family, there’s nobody I know who is Black.”

Mike went on to explain he didn't feel connected to his African American roots because of his upbringing. Per The Root, his parents, Donald and Maria, separated when he was 4, and he was mostly raised by his mother and her side of the family.

"The only contact I had growing up was with my mom’s side of the family," he explained. "And they are all as white as the refrigerator I’m standing in front of right now."

Mike also said that, due to him not having a connection to his father or his family, he wanted to trace back to his roots to see if there were actually any Black ancestors in his lineage, despite knowing his father's race and ethnicity.

"I know the story sounds like a lot of bull, but it’s the truth,” he confirmed. “Does it matter to me? Yeah, I’d like to find out the truth at some point, so I can answer questions for my kids. But me? I’m living, I’m working, I’m leading an upstanding life. I don’t worry about it.”

Years after his The Post Standard interview, Mike further discussed his ethnicity with The New York Times in a 2017 article titled "Mike Tirico Would Like to Talk About Anything but Mike Tirico." In the piece, Mike said he didn't want his audience to focus on or judge him based on his race and identity.

"Why do I have to check any box?” he told the outlet. “If we live in a world where we’re not supposed to judge, why should anyone care about identifying?”

"The race question in America is one that probably never produces a satisfactory answer for those who are asking the questions," Mike added.

While he isn't focused on his race, many who saw his past comments were, including The Root's writer, Stephen A. Crockett, Jr., who used his last point in his article about the anchor's comments to remind him that his appearance and ethnicity is something only the Black community can relate to.

"I know a black nose when I see one," Crockett said. "I have one. It protrudes off my face like a calling card to the ancestors. It is the first noticeable thing that makes it clear at least one of my parents is black. Tirico is black. He is blacker than a Caprice Classic sitting on dubs parked outside a wig/barbecue/fish-fry/church/liquor store. He’s blacker than a Jack and Jill cotillion. He’s blacker than syrup sandwiches. He’s blacker than Slick Rick’s eye patch."

Period.