Today show anchor Matt Lauer was absent from the show this morning after a bicycling run-in with a deer on Long Island over the weekend. Lauer separated his shoulder after he “slammed on his brake and went over his handlebars,” said co-anchor Meredith Vieira.

Lauer is slated to have surgery today and is expected back in the anchor chair Wednesday.

Vieira said Lauer joked in an email that “the deer was hired by the competition.”

Weekend Today anchor Lester Holt filled in today for Lauer.