After his legendary near-four-decade run at NBC Sports, iconic broadcaster Bob Costas is returning to the network for a special Sunday Night Baseball pregame show.
NBC Sports announced Costas' return on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Costas left NBC Sports in January 2019, ending his lengthy run.
He will be the host of a new Sunday Night Baseball pregame show that will premiere on Thursday, Mar. 26, 2026, at Dodger Stadium. Costas will be present for the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The network is thrilled to have him back, as NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said. “We’re excited that Bob has agreed to come home to NBC Sports, where he helped make baseball an iconic brand earlier in his career for so many years,” said Cordella. “There is no more knowledgeable, authoritative and passionate voice on baseball than Bob Costas.”
Costas also issued a statement on the matter. He is “appreciative” of his other homes, like HBO and MLB Network, but called NBC his “home.”
“As appreciative as I am of other aspects of my career, especially HBO and the MLB Network, for 40 years, my true broadcasting home was NBC,” Costas said. “So many great moments, memories, and friendships. Now, I am very grateful to Rick Cordella and Sam Flood for inviting me back in an emeritus role to conclude my career where so much of it played out.”
Bob Costas' legendary career with NBC Sports
Costas was hired by NBC in 1980. He covered a variety of sports for them, from boxing to NASCAR to the Olympics. While he left in 2019, Costas made a guest appearance during NBC's broadcast of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Even after he left NBC, Costas continued covering baseball. However, he retired from play-by-play calling in October 2024. His final broadcast was Game 4 of the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals for TBS.
