NFL RedZone already underwent a major change at the end of the 2024 NFL season, introducing a few ads to its previously famous ‘seven hours of commercial-free football.’
The program may see another occur ahead of the 2025 NFL season, as long-time host Scott Hanson’s future with it is uncertain.
Hanson has hosted NFL RedZone since the program’s creation in 2009. However, his contract with NFL Network expired after the 2024 NFL season, according to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy. As a result, he is a free agent and is not guaranteed to return to NFL Media.
Where could Hanson end up? Here’s what to know about his potential suitors as he hits free agency.
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Is Scott Hanson leaving NFL RedZone?
While Hanson’s contract with NFL Network is up, he isn’t guaranteed to leave NFL RedZone. He is ‘still in negotiations to return to NFL Media,’ according to Front Office Sports, so a deal between the two sides remains possible.
That said, talks between Hanson and the company ‘have stalled… amid negotiations for ESPN to take over NFL Media and NFL RedZone,’ per Front Office Sports.
That could force Hanson to consider his options as he looks to lock-in a role – and a lucrative contract – for the 2025 NFL season and beyond.
Scott Hanson NBC rumors
To that point, Hanson is reportedly ‘in talks’ about landing a full-time role with NBC Sports. He worked with NBC during the 2024 Summer Olympics and drew rave reviews for hosting the network’s RedZone-like ‘Gold Zone’ program.
“Scott brought his inimitable enthusiasm and energy to Gold Zone. NFL fans loved watching him transfer his ‘all-in’ mentality from football Sundays to the Paris Olympics,’ Molly Solomon, president of NBC Olympics production, told Front Office Sports in a September 2024 statement. ‘Each of our four hosts brought his own unique personality to the show, and Scott was certainly a key contributor to our process of re-imagining how Gold Zone could be experienced and consumed going forward.’
The full scope of Hanson’s potential role with NBC is not yet clear. Front Office Sports described it as a ‘wide ranging’ one that would include Olympic and NFL coverage responsibilities.
It also isn’t clear how valuable a potential pact between Hanson and NBC might be – or whether a deal will actually get over the finish line without another suitor joining the fray.