Why was Terry Bradshaw not on 'FOX NFL Sunday'?

Last week, a lot of "FOX NFL Sunday" viewers were surprised to turn on the popular weekly pre-game show and find out that regular hosts Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Curt Menefeee weren't there.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, FOX sidelined the regular crew and didn't have them come to the Los Angeles studio. The network didn't announce that anyone on the crew had tested positive for COVID-19, only revealing that it was a decision made in the name of safety and caution.

Strahan, Bradshaw, Long and Menefee were replaced on-air by hosts Chris Myers, Charles Woodson and Reggie Bush, who usually cover college football for FOX.

This week, "FOX NFL Sunday" was back with the original crew -- all except for Terry Bradshaw.

As of Sunday afternoon, FOX has not issued any official explanation for Terry Bradshaw's absence. But the on-air hosts did mention they were thinking about Terry Bradshaw and offered their well-wishes to their colleague.

Viewers and social media users immediately assumed Bradshaw must have contracted COVID-19.

Fox NFL Sunday "wishes the best" for Terry Bradshaw... any specific word on what's up with that? Was he responsible for the crew isolating last week?

— Morgan Wick (@morganwick) November 26, 2020

Fellow Louisiana QB Terry Bradshaw is still missing for the second Sunday on #FOXNFLSunday. Kirk, Strahan and Howie send their love & say they’re missing the “blonde bomber.” WTH??Does Terry have the Covid? Thoughts & prayers, TB.

— David Walker (@DavidWalkerQB) November 29, 2020

Of course, it's possible that Terry Bradshaw is dealing with some other health or family issue that kept him off-air for a second week in a row.

Terry Bradshaw famously led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl championships as their quarterback in the 1970s. He is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and former league MVP (1978). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame following his retirement in 1984.

Upon his retirement, Bradshaw began his career as a TV personality. He worked as an NFL analyst for CBS until 1994, when he joined FOX as part of their "NFL Sunday" team of analysts.

Terry Bradshaw's comedic ability and infectious down-South personality made him a fan favorite. He's appeared in numerous commercials, TV shows and movies playing himself. Earlier this year, he launched a reality show called "The Bradshaw Bunch" that focuses on himself, his wife and his daughters.

NFL has been hit hard by COVID-19 this week

Week 12 of this NFL season will go down as the worst so far in terms of COVID-19 complications.

The game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens that was scheduled for Thanksgiving Thursday has been pushed back twice -- first to Sunday, then to Tuesday -- because the Ravens had a COVID outbreak among their players and staff. Reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson, the Ravens' star quarterback, was one of the people infected.

The Indianapolis Colts had to sit at least five players for their crucial AFC South matchup with the Tennessee Titans, and wound up losing in a blowout.

The Denver Broncos had to hold all of the quarterbacks on their roster out of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, plugging in rookie wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback (he played QB in college).

The San Francisco 49ers may have to find a new home stadium for the next two weeks, at least. Santa Clara County, which houses the 49ers' Levi's Stadium, declared a ban on contact sports due to COVID-19 concerns. The 49ers are supposed to play their Weeks 13 and 14 games at home.