One of the NFL’s most recognizable media stars could be on the move.
According to a report by Michael McCarthy in Front Office Sports, NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson is testing the free agent waters, and could be headed to NBC. Per McCarthy, “Scott Hanson is in talks with NBC Sports about a wide-ranging job that could include Olympics and NFL coverage.”
Last summer, Hanson hosted NBC Sports’ Gold Zone broadcast on Peacock during the Paris Olympics. His performance on the whip-around show drew rave reviews, and the network announced earlier this week that the format will return for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. The report also says NBC is considering Hanson for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Although it seems that NBC would have a clear role for Hanson, the host still remains in negotiations to return to NFL Media. Those talks have reportedly stalled, however, amid renewed negotiations between ESPN and the league for the network to purchase its media assets, which would include NFL RedZone. Hanson’s contract with NFL Media expired after the football season.
If the NFL RedZone host were to depart for NBC, it’s likely that the network would find a role for him during Sunday Night Football. McCarthy speculates that he could fill the seat currently occupied by Maria Taylor on Football Night in America if Taylor left to host NBC’s NBA coverage next season, though that is far from confirmed.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.