Our long national nightmare is finally over. Scott Hanson will officially return as the host of NFL RedZone for a 17th season.
There was some doubt, sure. But that uncertainty vanished when Mike McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday, May 21, that Hanson was “likely” to return with a new contract in hand. Now, just nine days later, Hanson himself has confirmed it. He’s coming back.
This past winter, reports suggested that talks between Hanson and NFL Media had stalled, and that the talented free agent was eyeing a wide-ranging gig at NBC Sports. McCarthy reported that NFL negotiations “have progressed in recent months,” and those talks have now resulted in Hanson’s official return.
“The NFL has told me they want me back,” Hanson told Yahoo Sports ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. “I certainly want to be back as host of RedZone, 16 seasons of what’s been called the greatest football show there is. We have to come to an agreement, and we’re not there yet, but negotiations are ongoing, and I’m very hopeful.”
Turns out, he was right to be hopeful.
Hanson will also be signing with NBC Sports to return as host of Gold Zone during the 2026 Winter Olympics, but that won’t interfere with RedZone. He’ll be doing both.
On Friday, Hanson posted on X (formerly Twitter) that 100 days from May 30 marks the return of NFL RedZone. And for anyone wondering, yes, he’ll be there.
“We have A LOT of touchdowns to watch together!” he wrote.
100 days from now = NFL RedZone.
(& for those wondering: Yes, I *will* be there. We have A LOT of Touchdowns to watch together!) #NFLRedZone
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) May 30, 2025
Scott Hanson coming back means stability for NFL RedZone at a time when certainty is rare. He is RedZone. No one else carries the energy or pace like he does. The league knows it, fans know it, and now it’s official. The show’s identity will remain intact for now, although contract details have not been made readily available.
Without Hanson, RedZone loses its soul. With him, it stays the indispensable Sunday destination for every touchdown, every highlight, every moment that matters.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.