What to Know
You would think that, as a sports broadcaster, you might make sure your mic was muted before saying anything that’s not meant for the public to hear. Philadelphia Flyers radio broadcaster Tim Saunders clearly did not do that, and is now suspended from his gig. During the broadcast of the Flyers game against the Buffalo Sabres, Tim believed the broadcast had cut to a commercial break. He ended up sharing an inappropriate comment about oral sex while the mic was still on.
The hot mic moment has gone viral.
In a clip shared to social media, Tim hummed for a bit before making the inappropriate comment. His broadcast partner, Todd Fedoruk, warned him that he was still very much on air at that point. “I think we’re still on the air, Tim,” Todd said after Tim made the vulgar comment. Tim started laughing, clearly thinking his broadcast partner was joking, before saying, “No we’re not, are we?”
A source told The Athletic that Tim had been trying to share a joke with his broadcast partner — not with everyone else.
I think we’re still on the air Tim 😂😭😂😭 pic.twitter.com/lwbeDR8aJy
— Travis Ballinghoff (@travieballin26) December 19, 2025
The Philadelphia Flyers released a statement in response.
In the statement, the Flyers announced that Tim had been suspended because of the incident. “These remarks do not reflect the standards of conduct or values from anyone associated with our organization,” the statement read. “Effective immediately, the Flyers, along with our radio partners, 97.5 The Fanatic, have issued a two-game suspension while we address this matter with all parties involved.”
The Flyers added, “We take this matter very seriously, and sincerely apologize to our listeners, fans, and all those affected by these comments.”
According to PhillyBurbs.com, Tim also apologized for the mistake. “I recognize how offensive my remarks were, and the harm it has caused,” he said. “I take full responsibility and sincerely apologize to the Flyers, 97.5 The Fanatic and all those affected by my remarks.”
He also promised to hold himself to “a higher standard moving forward to ensure our broadcast is a safe and respectful place everyone can enjoy.”
On social media, people had mixed reactions.
Some people said it was “not great” but also not the most offensive thing they’ve ever heard. Others actually found it funny (and embarrassing for him). Many also wondered why someone working in that field would risk making a joke like that. “You would think anyone who works in radio or TV would just make it a rule to be 100 percent business whenever working to avoid situations like this…save the goofing around till you’ve left the arena,” one person wrote.
Others suspected that he will be thinking about this moment for a long time. “I bet he still has that awful cringe feeling towards himself,” someone else wrote. “Probably be that last thing he thinks about before bed for the rest of his life.”
