2016By Ken Fang on

She’s had some high profile assignments for ESPN as sideline reporter for ABC’s Saturday Night Football and on the NBA. Now she’s leaving for NBC where she will be the sideline reporter for Thursday Night Football and join her fellow former ESPN’er Mike Tirico who will call the games. Cox’s departure from the Worldwide Leader was reported back in May, but the deal was not made official until today.

Cox will make her Peacock debut during the Olympics. She’ll be the reporter for the indoor volleyball competition. Cox is not totally unfamiliar with NBC as she has covered Olympic beach volleyball in Athens, Beijing and London. In Rio, Cox will be the reporter for indoor volleyball.

In addition to working on the Olympics and Thursday Night Football, Cox will cover select events for Golf Channel and will also be assigned to other major events produced by NBC Sports.

Of course we have a quote from Heather in the official announcement:

“I am excited to join NBC Sports Group and can’t wait to travel to Rio,” Cox said. “I have always valued my Olympic relationship with NBC, and I’m thrilled to extend that full-time to the NFL, Football Night in America, golf and many more events in NBC’s deep portfolio.”

NBC Sports Executive Producer Sam Flood is quoted as well:

“We are excited to add Heather, a big-game reporter, to our Thursday Night Football team,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer of NBC Sports. “She did an excellent job at three previous Summer Games with NBC, and appropriately, her first assignment is the Rio Olympics.”

Cox worked at ESPN from 1994 through this year. Among her duties besides college football and the NBA at the Worldwide Leader, she covered the WNBA, women’s college basketball, golf’s U.S. Women’s Open and NCAA Championships.

Cox is one of the better sideline reporters. She doesn’t ask clichéd questions (How do you feel/Talk about/What was on your mind) and listens to the answers for follow ups. With NBC’s bit event portfolio, expect to see Cox when NBC has the Super Bowl in 2018 and on future Olympics.

[NBC Sports Pressbox]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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