It is the end of an era. NBC has let go one of the greatest voices of sports in the history of television.
Bob Costas, 66, has left NBC after 40 years with the network, where the legendary sportsman hosted everything from the World Series and Super Bowl to the Triple Crown and NBA Championship.
He also fronted the network’s coverage of the Olympics 13 times, starting back in 1988 at the Winter Games in Calgary.
Costas confirmed the split to the New York Post, five months after it was reported that the ageless host and network were working to reach a settlement regarding his contract, which still had three years remaining and was worth millions of dollars.
‘It’s all settled quietly and happily for all concerned,’ said Costas.
“My attitude is I have had a wonderful ride and so many wonderful things to look back on and so many great things have happened and great friendships and collaborations, so when things take another turn in another direction, that’s just the way it goes.”
He will still appear on the MLB Network and said he would not be opposed to developing a talk show that takes an in-depth look at sports.
Costas had taken on a diminished role at NBC, following remarks he made at the at the Shirley Povich Symposium in 2017.
An outspoken advocate of CTE awareness, Costas has been critical of the inherent physical dangers of football and was not a part of the network’s Super Bowl coverage last season.
‘The reality is that this game destroys people’s brains,’ said Costas.
Costas began his career in 1973, working for a local station while still working towards his degree at Syracuse University.
After college he did regional coverage in the Midwest before being snapped up by CBS Sports.
From there it was off to NBC Sports in 1979.
From 1988 to 1994 he also hosted Later, a popular late night talk show.
He is the author of Fair Ball: A Fan’s Case for Baseball, one of the best books on the rules of baseball ever written.
Here’s Costas on his show Later interviewing David Letterman: