Where was Terry Bradshaw Sunday? Here's what we know about his NFC Championship absence

Where was Terry Bradshaw?

That's the question a lot of NFL fans had on Sunday during the "Fox NFL Sunday" pregame show, before Fox's coverage of the San Francisco 49ers-Detroit Lions NFC Championship game. Bradshaw is part of the network's pregame crew, which includes host Curt Menefee, along with analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson, as well as reporter Jay Glazer.

Bradshaw often narrates highlights from other games during halftime and after games, and banters with Menefee and the other hosts throughout the lead-in to the game itself. They're a chummy bunch and they've been together awhile, often taking mild shots at each other as they all break down games.

But Bradshaw wasn't there Sunday.

Why wasn't Terry Bradshaw on Fox Sunday?

The reason was simple: Bradshaw was sick.

The New York Post's Andrew Marchand, a sports-media scoop machine, posted on X (formerly Twitter), that "Terry Bradshaw is not on Fox's pregame as he's under the weather."

Menefee addressed Bradshaw's absence as the show began, as well.

"Usually right here for all 30 years, Terry Bradshaw," Menefee said. "But TB is a little under the weather right now. He's going to have the evening off."

Bradshaw, 75, has been with "Fox NFL Sunday" since it started in 1994. He's often derided as being kind of a dope, and he definitely leans into that persona. But he won four Super Bowls as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (as are Long, Strahan and Johnson).

Bradshaw also typically handles the trophy ceremony after the league-championship game, if sometimes inelegantly. Strahan took over those duties Sunday and, um, it didn't go well.

Who is playing in Super Bowl 2024?

On the field, the 49ers came from behind to beat the Lions, 34-31. In the AFC Championship — broadcast by CBS, which has its own pregame show — the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 17-10. The Super Bowl, between the 49ers and Chiefs, will be played Sunday, Feb. 11. CBS will carry the game, meaning "Fox NFL Sunday" is done for the season.

It's a rematch of the 2020 Super Bowl, in which the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20. And that was without Taylor Swift.

Is Taylor Swift going to the Super Bowl?

Yes, that means Taylor Swift, famously dating Travis Kelce of the Chiefs, is going to the Super Bowl.

Maybe.

She hasn't said anything publicly, and she has a concert scheduled in Tokyo the night before. But come on. Last year's Super Bowl, held in Arizona, was the most-watched telecast in TV history. Given the ratings and social-media boost Swift has given the NFL this season, CBS ought to pay for her transportation. That's a ticket that pays for itself, and then some.

How to watch Super Bowl 2024 in Las Vegas

San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.

4:30 p.m. Arizona time Sunday, Feb. 11, on CBS.

'Living the dream': Jay Glazer, NFL insider for Fox Sports, still grinds

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.

Subscribe to azcentral.com today. What are you waiting for?

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Is Terry Bradshaw sick? He was missing from the 'Fox NFL Sunday' show