Tirico, Hanson, Siciliano, Snoop Edit via Liam McGuire
ListsOlympicsBy Matt Yoder on

The 2024 Paris Olympics has been a great success for NBC. After years of declining interest and ratings and a global pandemic postponing the Tokyo Games, this year’s event in Paris has brought the Olympics back to the national spotlight in a big way. NBC has totally reformatted its coverage around live coverage and utilizing streaming through Peacock to its fullest featuring the acclaimed Gold Zone coverage.

And along the way, there have been some familiar voices and new faces leading the coverage from the hosting to the play-by-play to the whip-arounds. From a critical standpoint, it may be the best Olympic coverage we’ve ever seen from NBC. And while there are likely dozens that could be included, here are ten personalities that have led the way.

Mike Tirico

Mike Tirico arrives on the red carpet before the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games along the Seine River.
Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

The indefatigable host took the Olympic baton from Bob Costas and has run with it, making the role his own. Tirico may be the most assured and comfortable sportscaster that has ever lived, equally as confident calling Sunday Night Football as he would Big Ten basketball or explaining breakdancing as an Olympic sport. Tirico is the ultimate point guard, expertly setting up analysts and reporters for their insights and setting the scene for the various sports on display. And even more impressively, he’s done it all in Paris while working a double shift most days.

Kenny Albert

Speaking of someone who sounds comfortable doing almost anything, is there a sport Kenny Albert can’t call? Can we put him on rugby, taekwondo, or rock climbing next time around for an extra challenge? Albert has been at the pool calling water polo, bringing all of his years of experience from calling everything from NFL and MLB Playoff games to the Stanley Cup Final.

Snoop Dogg

The iconic rapper has become the face of NBC’s Olympics presentation serving in an on-air and social media ambassador role and we can’t get enough. America’s #1 Olympic fan has brought a different energy to the entire Olympic experience in his role. And while we were skeptical of NBC refocusing their primetime around celebrities, it’s actually worked to help distinguish it from more sports-focused live coverage.

Laurie Hernandez

The daytime gymnastics analyst was the breakout star of the 2024 Paris Olympics calling live coverage alongside Golf Channel veteran Rich Lerner on play-by-play. Hernandez’s knowledgable, enthusiastic, and Gen Z inspired commentary were a breath of fresh air during some thrilling Olympic competition. Here’s hoping for an even bigger role in Los Angeles four years from now.

Noah Eagle

It’s hard to call Noah Eagle a breakout star anymore since he’s been on the national scene for a full year now being the voice of Big Ten football on NBC in addition to many other roles. But he leveled up once again in Paris as the lead basketball voice. And at 27 years old, he is no longer a voice of the future, but the voice of the present as well.

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade looks on from the media bench during the first half between Canada and Greece during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

While Wade is 15 years Eagle’s senior, his analysis work has been a revelation in Paris. The Eagle-Wade pairing had a natural chemistry and we were able to see a different side of the Miami Heat legend in this role compared to his previous TV work. From his unique catchphrases to his exuberance and contemporary insights, Wade showed that he and Eagle should definitely be penciled in as one of NBC’s lead NBA broadcast teams in 2025.

Julie Foudy

The longtime voice of the US Women’s National Team is a broadcasting legend who has been at it for more than two decades. But is it possible that she’s actually underrated? While Foudy has worked for ESPN and WBD, it’s really only now at the Olympics that we get to hear her call a major tournament working for NBC. Her pairing with the excellent Jon Champion was one of the best in Paris.

Rowdy Gaines

The Rowdy Gaines-Dan Hicks swimming tandem may go down as the greatest Olympic broadcast pairing ever for NBC. Their work calling swimming events is phenomenal and there is simply no other analyst who brings the energy like Rowdy does. We need to enjoy it while we can, though, because Gaines has indicated that he is retiring from broadcasting after the 2028 Olympics.

Andrew Siciliano + Scott Hanson

Gold Zone Hanson Siciliano
Credit: NBC Sports PR

How could we possibly separate the masters of the RedZone and now the Gold Zone? Seeing the longtime dueling NFL whiparound counterparts share the stage together for the first time at the Paris Olympics was an out-of-body experience. And having Gold Zone available for all to stream on Peacock with medal after medal after medal after medal was the best thing about this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics coverage.

Eric Frede

You knew we would have to shout out one of the many talented individuals calling one of the sports off the main stage at the Olympics. And the honor this year goes to Eric Frede who called handball events for NBC on Peacock. The veteran New England sportscaster has done a great job explaining the action to a largely curious American fanbase and calling some thrilling games, like Germany’s “Miracle in Lille” against France in the quarterfinals. Now all we need is to recruit our very best athletes to Team USA handball for 2028 and win the gold medal there so it can be the cult phenomenon that curling is for the Winter Olympics.

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