Behind The Mic: NBC Olympics Continues to Announce 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Commentary Lineup
Story Highlights
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, Chris Collinsworth called his 500th NFL game of his career on Sunday; ESPN signs Rebecca Lobo as new women’s basketball analyst in multi year extension; and more.
NBC Olympics Announces Hosts for 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Coverage on USA Network And CNBC
NBC Olympics today announced hosts for coverage of the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Italy that will appear on CNBC and USA Network: Trenni Casey, Lindsay Czarniak, Carolyn Manno, George Savaricas, and Andrew Siciliano, who also returns as a host of the critically acclaimed Gold Zone whip-around show. The Opening Ceremony of the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games is Feb. 6, 2026, on NBC and Peacock.
Comprehensive cable coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics will be on USA Network and CNBC, with CNBC providing coverage on the weekends and weekdays once its business day programming concludes. Coverage on USA Network and CNBC begins Thursday, Feb. 5 with women’s hockey, mixed doubles curling, and snowboard big air competition. Additional information about Milan Cortina programming will be announced at a later date.
“We are excited to have veterans of multiple Olympics returning to serve as hosts to present the most compelling stories, news, and interviews as we take viewers from event to event throughout the Games,” says Rebecca Chatman, Vice President and Coordinating Producer, NBC Olympics Production.
Beginning in early January 2026, USA Network and CNBC will be owned and operated by Versant, a new global media and technology company spun off from Comcast NBCUniversal. NBC Olympics coverage will appear on CNBC and USA Networks pursuant to an agreement between the two companies.
USA NETWORK & CNBC HOSTS:
Trenni Casey (CNBC)
- 6th assignment with NBC Olympics, previously serving as a cable host for Paris Olympics and a reporter in Sochi, Rio, PyeongChang, and Tokyo
- A host and reporter for NBC Sports Boston since 2012, she currently hosts Arbella Early Edition weeknights at 6 p.m. ET, featuring discussions with the best voices in Boston sports
- Previously worked for MLB Network, ABC Sports, and Big Ten Network
Lindsay Czarniak (USA Network)
- 6th assignment for NBC Olympics, previously serving as a cable host for the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2022 Beijing Olympics, co-host of the On Her Turf show on Peacock for the Tokyo Olympics, sportsdesk reporter at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and reporter at the 2006 Torino Olympics
- Previously, served as host, anchor, reporter and correspondent for NBC Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS, and CNN
- Her podcast, Things No One Tells You… features discussion with major figures in sports, music, and entertainment
Carolyn Manno (USA Network)
- 8th Olympics assignment for NBC Olympics and sixth as a host. Previously was a USA Network host for the 2024 Paris Olympics, CNBC host for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Olympic Channel host for Tokyo Olympics, an NBCSN host for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics, freestyle skiing reporter at 2014 Sochi Olympics, and a multi-event reporter at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Served as host as Gold Zone made its Paralympic Games debut for Paris 2024, as well as a sled hockey reporter (2022) and studio host (2021, 2018, 2016 and 2014) for NBC Sports’ Paralympic coverage
- Serves as host for women’s college basketball on Peacock. Previously worked across numerous NBC Sports events, including NFL, NASCAR, and horse racing
- Currently a reporter and host at CNN, WNBC and the American Kennel Club.
George Savaricas (USA Network)
- 3rd NBC Olympics assignment, previously serving as golf studio host for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the Tokyo Olympics
- Currently serves as a studio host for Golf Central and Golf Today on GOLF Channel and provides play-by-play commentary on its PGA TOUR coverage
- Serves as a host of Fantasy Football Pregame at 11 a.m. ET on Peacock on NFL Sundays
Andrew Siciliano (USA Network)
- 4th Olympics with NBC Sports, previously serving as a host of Gold Zone coverage for three Olympic Games (2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, 2016 Rio Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics)
- In addition to his USA Network role, he returns as a host of the Gold Zone whip-around show, which presents viewers with the best and most compelling moments happening at any time
- Play-by-play radio voice of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns (since 2024); hosts Yahoo Sports’ Inside Coverage NFL podcast; handled Big Ten Football play-by-play for NBC Sports this fall
- Served as host of the groundbreaking Red Zone Channel on DIRECTV (2005-2022), and spent 13 seasons as a host for NFL Network
As previously announced, Mike Tirico will serve as NBC Olympics’ host for the live and primetime shows on NBC and Peacock with Maria Taylor hosting the late-night show following their Super Bowl assignments.
Cris Collinsworth Called 500th NFL Game, With Buccaneers-Rams on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock
Sunday at SoFi Stadium, Cris Collinsworth served as an analyst for his 500th NFL game (regular + postseason) when he joined Mike Tirico in the booth for a matchup of NFC first-place teams as the 8-2 Los Angeles Rams host the 6-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock).
Thirty-five years ago, on Sunday, Sept. 9, 1990, Collinsworth debuted as a game analyst alongside NBC play-by-player Jim Donovan in the booth at Rich (now Highmark) Stadium – the site of a matchup between first-round drafted quarterbacks, as Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills defeated Jeff George and the Indianapolis Colts 26-10. This Sunday, in his 500th game, Collinsworth will focus on another top QB matchup, featuring No. 1 overall picks Baker Mayfield of the Buccaneers and Matthew Stafford of the Rams.
Bookended by those two games, Collinsworth’s celebrated career has taken him through 52 NFL stadiums, partnered him with 13 play-by-play voices for games that appeared on four television networks and two streaming services… and even included one game as a sideline reporter!
Along the way, he has also served as an NFL studio analyst on five networks – HBO and Showtime for Inside the NFL (1989-2013), The NFL on NBC (1996-97), Fox NFL Sunday (1998-2001), NBC’s Football Night in America (2006-08), and NFL Network’s NFL 100: All-Time Team (2019) – and has contributed to coverage of four Olympics with NBC Sports. In addition, during the 1992-94 seasons, Collinsworth served as a game analyst for Notre Dame Football, a Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1, 1994), and an Orange Bowl (Jan. 1, 1995 – national championship game between Nebraska and Miami) for NBC.
Among many honors, Collinsworth has won 17 individual Sports Emmy Awards – nine for outstanding event analyst, and eight for outstanding studio analyst. In addition, he is a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 for career-long excellence in the sports TV and media industry, and was in Canton, Ohio in August 2017 when Sunday Night Football was distinguished with a display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for “its record run as the #1 show in all of primetime television.”
Prior to his broadcasting career, Collinsworth starred at wide receiver for eight years with the Cincinnati Bengals (1981-88), playing in the Super Bowl after his first and last seasons. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, he played in 107 games, catching 417 passes for 6,698 yards (four 1,000-yard seasons) and 36 touchdowns.
PRIMETIME NFL RECORD HOLDER
In Sept. 2025, Collinsworth began his 17th season in the Sunday Night Football booth – the most seasons by an analyst on the NFL’s broadcast primetime package.
SIDELINE REPORTER!
On January 15, 1994, Collinsworth worked his only game as a sideline reporter. With Marv Albert and Paul Maguire in the NBC booth for an AFC Divisional Playoff, Collinsworth braved the -14-degree wind chill at Rich Stadium as the Buffalo Bills defeated the visiting Los Angeles Raiders 29-23 enroute to their fourth consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
BRRR!!
That Jan. 1994 AFC Divisional Playoff was neither the first, nor last, memorable cold-weather NFL experience for Collinsworth, who went to high school in Titusville, Fla., and played in college at the University of Florida.
At the end of his rookie playing season, on January 10, 1982, Collinsworth’s Bengals hosted the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship Game. The game, a 27-7 Bengals’ win, was called “The Freezer Bowl” as it was the second-coldest game in NFL history (-9 degrees Fahrenheit, excluding chill from the 35 mile per hour winds).
Exactly 34 years later, on Jan. 10, 2016, he was in the booth for the Seahawks-Vikings NFC Wild Card Game — the third-coldest NFL game on record, with a kickoff temperature of -6 degrees Fahrenheit. (Collinsworth looking back on the Wild Card game: “I’m thinking, ‘I’ve played in worse.’ There was no wind that day in Minneapolis. We had 35-mile-per-hour winds in The Freezer Bowl.”)
BY THE NUMBERS – WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE
Sunday marked Collinsworth’s 31st Rams game, 26th Buccaneers game, and 14th game at SoFi Stadium.
Following is a full breakdown of Collinsworth’s 500 NFL regular and postseason games as a game analyst (includes this Sunday):
WHAT GAMES IS HE CALLING, AND FOR WHICH NETWORK?
BREAKDOWN OF GAMES, AS GAME ANALYST
| Regular Season | 453 games |
| Wild Card | 21 games |
| Divisional | 15 games |
| Conf. Champ. | 3 games |
| Super Bowl | 5 games |
| Pro Bowl | 3 games |
MOST GAMES, BY NETWORK, AS GAME ANALYST
| Network (Platform) | # of Games |
| NBC | 402 |
| FOX | 64 |
| NFL Network | 22 |
| NBC/NFL Network | 5 |
| NBC/NFL Network/Prime Video | 5 |
| Peacock | 1 |
| NFLN/NBC/CBS | 1 |
WHO IS HE CALLING GAMES WITH?
Collinsworth has had 13 play-by-play partners in the booth, and one co-analyst – Troy Aikman – who worked 64 games with Collinsworth (and Joe Buck or Dick Stockton) during the 2002-2004 seasons.
When Collinsworth joins Mike Tirico in the broadcast booth on Feb. 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium to call Super Bowl LX, he will become only the second TV analyst to call Super Bowls with three play-by-play partners. Collinsworth also called Super Bowls alongside Al Michaels and Joe Buck. Frank Gifford called Super Bowls alongside Al Michaels, Jack Buck and Ray Scott/Jack Whitaker.
COLLINSWORTH’S PLAY-BY-PLAY PARTNERS
Play-by-Play Announcer | # of Games |
| Al Michaels | 263 |
| Mike Tirico | 95 |
| Joe Buck | 56 |
| Tom Hammond | 36 |
| Marv Albert | 15 |
| Bryant Gumbel | 11 |
| Dick Stockton | 8 |
| Bob Papa | 7 |
| Jim Donovan | 4 |
| Dan Hicks | 2 |
| Don Criqui | 1 |
| Drew Goodman | 1 |
| Joel Meyers | 1 |
WHERE IS HE CALLING THE GAMES?
Collinsworth has handled NFL game analysis in 52 stadiums. This week’s home team – the Los Angeles Rams – accounts for five different home game sites in Collinsworth’s announcing career: SoFi Stadium; Los Angeles Coliseum; Edward Jones Dome; Busch Stadium; and Anaheim Stadium.
MOST FREQUENT SITES, AS GAME ANALYST
| Stadium, Location | # of Games |
| Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia | 32 |
| Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh | 27 |
| Lambeau Field, Green Bay | 27 |
| AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas | 26 |
| GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City | 22 |
| Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. | 18 |
| Lumen Field, Seattle, Wash. | 18 |
WHICH GAMES IS HE CALLING?
NFC East divisional games account for three of the six most frequently called matchups by Collinsworth, with Dallas-Philadelphia (17) leading the way. Not surprisingly, both teams are on his most games and most frequent game site (above) lists.
MOST GAMES, TEAM, AS GAME ANALYST
| NFL club | # of Games |
| Dallas Cowboys | 67 |
| Green Bay Packers | 66 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 65 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 56 |
| New England Patriots | 50 |
MOST FREQUENT MATCHUPS, AS GAME ANALYST
| Matchup | # of Games |
| Dallas-Philadelphia | 17 |
| Green Bay-Minnesota | 13 |
| Dallas-NY Giants | 11 |
| Baltimore-Pittsburgh | 9 |
| Chicago-Green Bay | 9 |
| NY Giants-Philadelphia | 9 |
The #1 primetime show for an unprecedented 14 consecutive television seasons, NBC’s Sunday Night Football is again primetime’s most-watched program this year, and is on record pace averaging 23.7 million viewers on NBC and Peacock through Week 11 of the NFL season.
NBC Olympics Announces Curling Commentary Teams for 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
As the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team Trials for curling move into the finals this weekend, NBC Olympics today announced its curling commentators for the XXV Olympic Winter Games in Italy. Coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games begins with the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026, on NBC and Peacock.
Play-by-Play
- Jason Knapp returns for his eighth NBC Olympics assignment, and fourth consecutive Winter Games. He previously called the Olympic curling competitions in 2014 (Sochi), 2018 (PyeongChang) and 2022 (Beijing).
- Jim Kozimor, in his eighth NBC Olympics assignment, calls curling for the third consecutive Winter Games (2018 PyeongChang and 2022 Beijing).
- Sloane Martin calls curling in her Winter Games debut for NBC Olympics. She previously worked across multiple events at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Analysts
- Kevin Martin, a two-time Olympic medalist, world champion and World Curling Hall of Famer, will be in the booth for his fourth consecutive Winter Games for NBC Olympics. Martin helped lead Canada to the silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Martin became the first skip to go through an entire Olympic tournament without losing a match, capturing the gold medal on home ice in the final against Norway.
- Tyler George, a 2018 PyeongChang Olympic gold medalist for the U.S., returns to NBC Olympics for a second consecutive Winter Games. George is also a U.S. Nationals champion.
- Jamie Sinclair, a two-time member on the U.S. world championship team, returns to the NBC Olympics team for a second consecutive Winter Games.
Reporter
- Kira K. Dixon serves as the curling reporter for the first time in her second NBC Olympics assignment.Dixon currently serves as a reporter and studio host onGOLF Channel’s PGA TOUR coverage.
Knapp, Martin, and Dixon continue to call the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Curling and U.S. Paralympic Team Trials, Curling Wheelchair Mixed Doubles this week across Peacock and USA Network, with live coverage of both finals beginning tomorrow.
U.S. OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC CURLING TEAM TRIALS – FINALS THIS WEEKEND
The United States’ top curling teams take a crucial step toward the chance to represent Team USA at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics at the U.S. Olympic Men’s and Women’s Team Trials – Curling and the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials – Curling Wheelchair Mixed Doubles this week. The events will be held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., with live coverage presented across Peacock and USA Network that began Tuesday and continues through Sunday, Nov. 16.
Live coverage of the Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Paralympic Trials begins tomorrow, Fri., Nov. 14, at 9 a.m. ET, with Game 1 of the Final. At the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Curling Mixed Doubles Trials, Laura Dwyer and Steve Emt will face Penny Ricker and David Samsa in a best-of-three series to determine which team will represent the U.S. at the 2026 Milan Cortina Paralympics. The U.S. will aim for its first podium finish in Paralympic wheelchair curling history.
Curling was included in the program of the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, and after a lengthy Olympic hiatus, has been a mainstay of the Winter Games since 1998. The U.S. men last won a medal in 2018, their only Olympic curling gold, while the U.S. women have never reached the podium.
ESPN Signs Women’s Basketball Analyst and Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo to Multi-Year Extension
ESPN announces it has reached a multi-year contract extension with women’s basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo. She will continue as one of ESPN’s lead voices on women’s college basketball and WNBA coverage, including regular-season games, Champ Week, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament and the WNBA Finals. Lobo will also remain a contributor across ESPN, including SportsCenter and special programming around the women’s game.
“Rebecca is one of the most influential voices in the game of women’s basketball,” says Meg Aronowitz, Senior Vice President, Production. “We could not be more thrilled that she will continue bringing her expertise to every game she calls on our air.”
“I have loved calling women’s college and WNBA games for ESPN the last 20-plus years,” Lobo says. “It’s an honor to be a voice of this sport and to witness some of the greatest performances in the history of the game from a courtside seat. Working with Ryan Ruocco and Holly Rowe is a joy, and I appreciate ESPN’s continued commitment to me and the women’s game.”
Lobo joined ESPN in 2004 and has been a central figure in the network’s coverage of the sport, including multiple NCAA Women’s Final Fours, national championship games and WNBA Finals. A former WNBA All-Star, Olympic gold medalist and member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, she is widely recognized for her insight, experience and impact on the women’s game.
Before ESPN, Lobo played seven WNBA seasons, including as a foundational member of the New York Liberty, and starred at the University of Connecticut, where she helped lead the Huskies to an undefeated national championship season in 1995. Outside of broadcasting, she remains active in youth development, women’s sports advocacy and community initiatives.
Knost, Catalon and Rapaport to Serve as On-Air Announcers for “The Capital One Skins Game” Set for Black Friday on Prime Video
Host Andrew Catalon, on-course analyst Colt Knost, and on-course reporter Dan Rapaport were announced as the on-air team for the return of “The Capital One Skins Game,” in collaboration with PGA TOUR Studios, set for Black Friday on Prime Video.
Capital One will serve as the entitlement sponsor for the event in the United States. As part of its partnership, the financial services brand will have a prominent presence across Prime Video’s live coverage and on-site at Panther National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The integration will include in-broadcast branding elements and logo placement on tee markers, pin flags, caddie bibs, yardage signage, and hospitality spaces—underscoring Capital One’s commitment to connecting with fans through marquee sporting moments.
Prime Video’s coverage will tee off at 9 a.m. ET on November 28, with no subscription or Prime membership required. Prime Video will exclusively broadcast the special event globally at the start of 15 continuous hours of live sports coverage, including the third annual Black Friday Football game and an NBA on Prime doubleheader.
“The Capital One Skins Game” will feature 2025 FedExCup Champion Tommy Fleetwood, two-time major champion Xander Schauffele, eight-time PGA TOUR winner Keegan Bradley and three-time TOUR winner and major champion Shane Lowry, who replaced Justin Thomas due to injury. The foursome will compete at the new Panther National in South Florida, the vision of Jack Nicklaus and Thomas in his debut design.
“The Skins Game has always been about blending personality and competition in a way that feels fun and accessible for fans, and with Capital One joining as the entitlement sponsor, we’re bringing that spirit back with a broadcast team and on-course product that delivers across the board,” says Chad Mumm, Co-Founder and President of Pro Shop. “Andrew, Colt, and Dan bring the depth of knowledge and passion that will make the coverage feel fresh and genuinely entertaining, and we’re thrilled to have them as our announce team on Black Friday.”
Catalon currently serves as a member of the CBS Sports golf team. Additionally, he also handles play-by-play duties for the NFL ON CBS and the network’s coverage of NCAA men’s basketball.
Knost serves as an on-course reporter for CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA TOUR. In addition to his work with CBS Sports, Knost is a co-host of “Gravy and the Sleeze” on SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio, and serves as a co-host on the “Sub-Par” podcast.
Rapaport is a pro golf insider who has covered the game closely since 2018 and currently serves as Editor-at-Large at Skratch. He also hosts Skratch’s weekly live golf show “Dan on Golf.” Prior to Skratch he enjoyed stops at Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest and Barstool Sports.
The format will be emblematic of the traditional Skins Game structure, where each hole carries a dollar value, and tied holes roll over to raise the stakes throughout play. In an exciting twist for the reimagined The Capital One Skins Game, the event will feature a “reverse purse,” where all players will begin the competition with $1 million on the scoreboard and fans will watch as the players’ fortunes rise and fall with every hole won or lost, adding a new layer of tension, drama and strategy to every shot.
Developed and produced by Pro Shop’s entertainment division, Pro Shop Studios, in collaboration with PGA TOUR Studios and Propagate Content, the event will fuse the game’s storied history with a modern energy for today’s fans. Excel Sports Management will serve as tournament organizer, with broadcast production led by TMRW Sports.
TNT Sports Announces Commentators for GEICO Players Era Men’s & Women’s Championships
TNT Sports will present a feast of college basketball action during Thanksgiving Week as the exclusive broadcaster of the GEICO Players Era Men’s and Women’s Championships from Las Vegas across TNT and truTV, with all studio and game coverage also available to stream live on HBO Max.
GEICO Players Era Men’s Championship
The expanded Players Era men’s field boasts nine of the top 25 ranked teams in the country, including Houston, Michigan, and Alabama, and some of the highest profile student-athletes in college basketball today.
Coverage of the GEICO Players Era Men’s Championship on both Monday, November 24 and Tuesday, November 25 will begin on TNT at 12:30 p.m. ET with a 30-minute pregame show live from Las Vegas, featuring host Adam Lefkoe, alongside Bruce Pearl, Jamal Mashburn, Jalen Rose, and Chris Webber, who will be making his first appearance of the season as part of TNT Sports’ coverage of college basketball.
Tim Doyle, Dennis Scott, Dalen Cuff, and Seth Davis will also contribute studio coverage from TNT Sports’ Atlanta studios for games airing on truTV each day.
Game commentators for men’s games airing on TNT on Monday, November 24 are as follows:
Brandon Gaudin, Candace Parker, Nabil Karim
- 1 p.m. – Rutgers/#20 Tennessee
- 3:30 p.m. – Notre Dame/#24 Kansas
- 6 p.m. – Syracuse/#2 Houston
- 9:30 p.m. – #13 Gonzaga/#11 Alabama
- Midnight – UNLV/Maryland
- 2 p.m. – Creighton/Baylor
- 4:30 p.m. – #16 Iowa State/#14 St. John’s
- 8 p.m. – #22 Auburn/Oregon
- 10:30 p.m. – SDSU/#7 Michigan
- 1 p.m. – Notre Dame/Rutgers
- 3:30 p.m. – Syracuse/#24 Kansas
- 6 p.m. – #20 Tennessee/#2 Houston
- 8:30 p.m. – #22 Auburn/#7 Michigan
- 11pm p.m. – SDSU/Oregon
Game commentators for men’s games airing on truTV on Tuesday, November 25 are as follows:
JB Long, Candace Parker, Autumn Johnson
- 2 p.m. – Creighton/#16 Iowa State
- 4:30 p.m. – Baylor/#14 St. John’s
- 9:30 p.m. – Maryland/#13 Gonzaga
- Midnight – UNLV/#11 Alabama
The first-ever Players Era women’s field features four top teams including three of last season’s four national semifinalists competing (#2 South Carolina, #3 UCLA, and #4 Texas), along with Duke who won the 2025 ACC Tournament and fell to South Carolina in the East Regional Final.
