A flip off his bicycle took "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer off the air Monday with a shoulder injury.
Lauer, 51, was riding his bicycle on Long Island this weekend when a deer jumped into his path. He flipped over the bike's handlebars and was slightly hurt, NBC said.
What the El!?! Editorial:
Wow, that's the most random thing I've ever heard! I've heard of people totally their car with a deer or a cow, but a deer totally you on a bike?
That's just crazy, you have no protection from a bounding animal that weighs more than you! CRAZY.
"Today" show publicist Megan Kopf said Lauer, who was wearing a helmet, separated his shoulder and was scheduled to have surgery Monday.
"He's doing well, and we hope to have him back on `Today' later this week," Kopf said in an e-mail.
Lauer's broadcast partner, Meredith Vieira, joked on the air that Lauer thinks the deer was hired by the competition.
"Matt's banged up with a displaced shoulder, it popped out," she said. "So hopefully he'll be on the mend soon."
Lester Holt filled in as Vieira's co-host Monday.