If you tuned in to Today this morning expecting to see Matt Lauer, you were disappointed. But Matt wasn't off on another world wind tour of Asia or South America or the Baja Peninsula.

No, the intrepid NBC host had a serious bike accident which sent him flying over the handlebars. According to co-host Meredith Vieira, Matt was biking at his Long Island home over the weekend when he had a run-in with a deer!

Matt stopped short and was sent over the front of the bike. Meredith reassured viewers that Matt had a displaced shoulder, but that it was popped back into the socket and he's recovering nicely. She then responded to Matt's suggestion that his TV competitors had enlisted the deer to get him. "I'd hire the deer -- but just to graze him," joked Meredith.

All things considered, it's fortunate that Lauer only hurt his shoulder, especially in light of the tragic, unforeseen death of Natasha Richardson. She simply fell on the bunny slope, but the injury to her head caused an impact to the brain that killed her.

There's no word yet about when Matt will be back on air.