Scott Hanson in many ways has become the face of the NFL media world. While announcers like Jim Nantz or Joe Buck may call one game a week, Hanson has his finger on the pulse of a dozen or so games each and every Sunday. And for millions of fans around the country, Hanson is the preferred voice to get their football fix.
The longtime NFL RedZone host became the sole whiparound lead this year after Sunday Ticket moved from DirecTV to YouTube TV and the version led by Andrew Siciliano was discontinued.
Hanson has hosted the NFL’s version, RedZone, for 15 seasons. But according to a report this week from Michael McCarthy at Front Office Sports, the 2024 season is the last one that he is under contract for with NFL Media, which is leading to potential questions about his future.
Hanson’s contract with NFL Media, which he signed in 2021, expires after the upcoming season, Front Office Sports has learned. The high-energy host could draw lucrative offers from NFL broadcast partners such as NBC Sports, Fox Sports, ESPN or Amazon Prime Video. YouTube TV is also an option, as it could use Hanson’s appeal to sell more “Sunday Ticket” subscriptions.
The 53-year-old’s profile exploded this summer after he served as lead host for NBC Sports’ Gold Zone coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Replicating the live whiparound style of NFLN’s RedZone, Gold Zone was the breakout hit of NBC/Peacock’s Olympics coverage. As John Green, bestselling author of The Fault in Our Stars, tweeted: “I’ve taken a lot of drugs in my life but I’ve never taken a drug like Peacock’s Olympic Gold Zone. What a rush.”
Scott Hanson is one of the most popular hosts in sports. And as he showed at the Olympics, he’s clearly capable of doing many other things outside of the NFL. But the shield is certainly where he has become a household name and where his passion lies thanks to his amazing work on NFL RedZone over the years.
Looking at other possible NFL destinations in sports media, hosting gigs seem pretty well set. Mike Greenberg and Scott Van Pelt were given ESPN’s central roles on Sunday morning and Monday night, so why would Bristol want to pay out another big contract when their biggest stars are already filling those roles? NBC’s Maria Taylor is relatively new to her role at Football Night in America and not likely to be on the move. Same with Charissa Thompson at Amazon. James Brown and Curt Menefee have served CBS and Fox well for a long time respectively, but there’s no guarantee those seats will actually open next season.
And for what it’s worth, do any of those opportunities have the importance and exposure of guiding NFL fans through seven hours of pulsating action each Sunday? Pregame and studio shows don’t carry the weight they used to a generation ago. Right now RedZone is one of the most culturally significant shows in sports and Scott Hanson is a perfect fit for it. With all that being considered, it would be shocking if this didn’t end in any other scenario than a nice contract extension and Hanson hosting NFL RedZone for a long time to come.
