Behind The Mic: Stanley Tucci to Join the NBCUniversal Coverage Team of Milan Cortina 2026

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 weeks edition, Malika Andrews extends her contract with ESPN for NBA Countdown; Seth Walder to join ESPN as NFL analyst; and more."First Take" Host Molly Qerim to Depart ESPN After the End of This SeasonMolly Qerim, the host of ESPNs morning show First Take with Stephen A.

Smith, is departing the network at the end of the year after spending a decade as host, she announced Monday night.

Qerim, 41, was attempting to reach a contract extension with ESPN, according to The Athletic, but she opted to move on.

Qerim has worked at the network since 2006, first working on digital and mobile platforms.Ron Darling Signs Multi-Year Contract Renewal with TNT SportsTNT Sports has inked a multiyear contract renewal with longtime MLB color analyst Ron Darling.

Darling, 65, has been the MLB on TBS lead game analyst for both regular and postseason games since 2008.

He joined TBS in 2007 as a guest studio analyst during the playoffs.ESPN Reaches Multi-Year Extension with Sports Emmy Award-Winning Host and Reporter Malika AndrewsESPN announces it has reached a multi-year extension with one of its highest-profile personalities, Malika Andrews.

The Sports Emmy Award-winning host and reporter will continue to have a year-round presence as the host of NBA Countdown, NBA Today and the NBA Draft on ESPN.Additionally, ESPN is expanding Andrews on-air presence with a package of NBA sideline reporter assignments.

Recently, Andrews was named host of WNBA Countdown on ESPN.Andrews joined ESPN in 2018 as an NBA reporter covering the leagues Midwest region.

She became the first national reporter in the NBA Bubble during the pandemic in 2020 and in the same year became the youngest sideline reporter for an NBA game.

In 2021, Andrews became the youngest sideline reporter assigned to the NBA Finals on ABC.In 2021, ESPN launched NBA Today a year-round, weekday studio show hosted by Andrews.

NBA Today is entering its fifth year ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.

In 2022, Andrews became the first woman to host the NBA Draft.

Prior to the 2023-24 season, Andrews was named host of NBA Countdown ESPNs NBA pregame show.Andrews won the Sports Emmy Award in 2022 for Outstanding Personality Emerging On-Air Talent.

She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and sits on the NABJ Sports Task Force Scholarship Committee.

Andrews was honored with the 2021 NABJ Michael J.

Feeney Emerging Journalist of the Year Award.Stanley Tucci to Join NBCUniversal's Olympic Primetime Coverage for Milan Cortina 2026Stanley Tucci, the Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor and New York Times best-selling author, will join NBCUniversals primetime coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games in February 2026.

The Italian American actor will be on-site in northern Italy during the Games, spotlighting the local cuisine, culture, and lifestyle on NBC and Peacock.

Coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics begins with the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb.

6, 2026, on NBC and Peacock.During primetime, Tucci will present travelogue-style segments highlighting the food, traditions, and history of the regions hosting the Winter Olympics.

He is well known for exploring Italian culture on television, having won two consecutive Emmy Awards for CNNs Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy and currently hosting National Geographics Tucci in Italy, which spotlights 10 regions across the country, including northern Italy.

Tuccis own roots trace back to Marzi, a town in Calabria in southern Italy.Its been my passion to learn about the people of Italy by traversing the country and savoring its food.

But this time, Ill have a guest with me -- the world, says Tucci.

Im excited to return to northern Italy as the Olympic Games brings the world to its doorstep.

What foods will the world fall in love with? What favorites will be uncovered? How will Italy transform with the world as its guest? Im excited to share it all with the American primetime audience in February.I immediately thought of Stanley when we started planning for Milan, says Molly Solomon, Executive Producer, NBC Olympics.

America has an affinity for all things Italian, and with his string of hit shows and best sellers, Stanleys now the it guy on Italian culture in our country.

His mix of cool curiosity and masterful storytelling makes him the perfect guide to dish on northern Italys culinary and cultural treasures.

We cant wait for him to make America hungry in primetime.Tucci has had an illustrious acting career, appearing in films such as The Hunger Games series, Spotlight, Conclave, The Devil Wears Prada, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Lovely Bones, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Tucci is also the recipient of six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and has been nominated for a Grammy Award and Tony Award.

Additionally, he is a New York Times best-selling author and has written multiple food-focused books, including Taste: My Life Through Food and What I Ate in One Year.ESPN Re-Signs NFL Analysts Herm Edwards, Jeff Saturday, Andrew Hawkins and Jason McCourty to Multi-Year AgreementsESPN has re-signed Herm Edwards, Jeff Saturday, Andrew Hawk Hawkins and Jason McCourty to new multi-year agreements, continuing the NFL analysts presence across the networks industry-leading NFL coverage.

Edwards coached and played in the NFL for more than 25 years, while Hawkins, McCourty and Saturday combined to play for more than 30 years, with both McCourty and Saturday winning a Super Bowl.

Each of the four analysts will continue to appear on Get Up, First Take, NFL Live and SportsCenter throughout the year, while also contributing to other multi-platform endeavors.Edwards, a respected voice with a blend of significant playing and coaching experience, continues to offer authoritative perspective on all aspects of the NFL while also analyzing college football and top NFL prospects periodically.

The former defensive back will bookend ESPNs Sunday NFL coverage on SportsCenter, regularly appearing in both the morning and late-night editions, in addition to weekly Sunday morning appearances on ABCs Good Morning America.

Edwards also begins the week on SportsCenter, appearing on multiple editions of ESPNs flagship show throughout the day on Mondays.Saturdays new agreement extends his ESPN tenure beyond a decade, having joined the network in 2013 immediately following his six-time Pro Bowl playing career.

The 14-year NFL veteran offensive lineman turned analyst will continue bringing his unique perspective to fans on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, appearing on Get Up, First Take, SportsCenter, NFL Live and Pardon the Interruption.

During his ESPN tenure, Saturday has contributed to the companys coverage of marquee events, including the Super Bowl, NFL Free Agency and the NFL Draft.Hawkins, a six-year NFL veteran, will appear on NFL Live and Get Up primarily on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with additional contributions to First Take and SportsCenter throughout the season.

Hawkins, along with Dan Orlovsky, introduced a groundbreaking virtual reality segment on NFL Live last season, utilizing StatusPro, a sports technology company he co-founded.

The technology provides fans with a virtual reality experience, showcasing the vantage point of a quarterbacks perspective in game action.McCourty, who won Super Bowl LIII with the New England Patriots, enters his second year at ESPN.

The 13-year NFL defensive veteran will regularly appear on Tuesdays and Thursdays across Get Up, First Take, NFL Live and SportsCenter during the season.

Beyond his ESPN role, McCourty will also maintain his position as an NFL game analyst for CBS, a role he has held since 2023.ESPN Re-Signs Michael Eaves to New Multi-Year ContractESPN has re-signed anchor Michael Eaves to a new, multi-year contract where he will continue his hosting duties on SportsCenter along with contributing to ESPNs coverage of golf majors.I cant believe its already been 10 years since I signed my first ESPN contract.

Time flies when you are having fun, and I have been doing that during my time here, says Eaves.Michael has been a steady and familiar presence for sports fans, from the SportsCenter desk to major golf events.

His professionalism and versatility have made him a valued member of our team, and were pleased he will continue with ESPN, says Mike Foss, Senior Vice President, Sports Studio & Entertainment.Since joining in 2015, Eaves is most seen anchoring nighttime editions of SportsCenter from Bristol, CT but has also anchored from the road at the Masters, PGA Championship and other ESPN events.

In addition to anchoring SportsCenter, Eaves conducts post-round interviews with players during ESPNs live coverage of the Masters and the PGA Championship and hosts practice round shows.I have been very fortunate to have covered some of my favorite sports and the biggest events, and I look forward to a few more years of doing the same, says Eaves.Eaves began his career at WKYT/WDKY-TV in Lexington, Ky., before moving to Memphis as a sports anchor at WPTY/WLMT-TV, where he also worked on Grizzlies telecasts and hosted a morning sports talk show.

His career then took him to Los Angeles, where he spent more than a decade with FOX Sports West/Prime Ticket covering the Clippers, Angels, Lakers, Dodgers and Pac-12 football, before serving as a news and sports anchor at Al Jazeera America.Eaves has won four LA-Area Emmy Awards in the Best Sports Reporting and Outstanding Sports Feature categories and earned a 2012 Telly Award for Best Sports Feature.

He was named Best Television Anchor in Southern California by the LA Press Club in 2013.His affiliations include memberships in the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and the National Association of Black Journalists.A Kentucky native, Eaves graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.

In 2025, he was honored by the Universitys alumni association by being named to its Hall of Distinguished Alumni.ESPN Signs National NFL Analyst Seth Walder to New DealESPN is re-signing national NFL analyst Seth Walder to a multi-year contract extension.

Walder has been with ESPN since 2017.Examples of his work include NFL free agency and trade grades, including recently grading the Green Bay Packers - Dallas Cowboys trade involving star defensive end Micah Parsons.

Additional work includes topics ranging from season projections to player analysis based on NFL Next Gen Stats.

He writes for ESPN.com and makes regular appearances across ESPN studio programming, mainly ESPN BET Live."Were thrilled that Seth is part of our team.

Hes not just sharp with the numbers he has a way of making data-driven insights relatable for every fan, says Matt Morris, Director, Analytics & Innovation at ESPN.

Whether its breaking down trades, betting angles, or big-picture trends, he helps our readers see the game clearer."Says Walder, At ESPN I get to do the work I love to do: from evaluating transactions to predictive modeling to politely scolding coaches for punting.

Im thrilled to stay.Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon Sign New Multi-Year Extensions with ESPNTony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, two of the most influential voices in media, have signed new multi-year extensions with ESPN, ensuring that both broadcasting legends will remain hosts of Pardon The Interruption beyond the shows 25-year anniversary in fall 2026.

PTI is one of the longest-running daily shows in sports media history and ESPNs most-viewed daily studio program.Kornheiser and Wilbon have co-hosted together since PTI debuted on October 22, 2001.

Built upon the contentious but good-natured verbal sparring they engaged in for years in The Washington Post newsroom as sports columnists and colleagues, the show remains a fan-favorite and one of the most beloved programs across television and streaming now well into its third decade.

In all, PTI has been honored with three Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Daily Studio Show (2009, 2016 and 2019).Tony and Mike have made PTI into a singular success story and every bit as relevant today as it has ever been, says Burke Magnus, ESPNs President of Content.

Their information and opinions are as smart and strong as ever, and they remain daily appointment viewing for sports fans.In addition to co-hosting PTI, Kornheiser and Wilbon will continue to contribute a daily segment for the opening minutes of the 6 p.m.

ET edition of SportsCenter.

Wilbon will also remain a signature voice in ESPNs season-long NBA coverage.Beyond its original airtime at 5:30 p.m.

on ESPN, PTI re-airs multiple times per day across ESPN networks.

It is also available on demand via the ESPN App, and in an audio-only version as a daily ESPN podcast.

With ESPNs full suite of networks and services now available directly to fans for the first time ever, PTI will remain one of the exclusive studio offerings in the years ahead.PTIs iconic graphic rundown and fast-paced format have been imitated by countless sports, news and entertainment programs since its debut in the early 2000s.

The 30-minute weekday show is also known for its 5 Good Minutes newsmaker interviews, its quirky Mail Time, Role Play and Odds Makers segments, and for its commitment to fact-checking during the daily Errors and Omissions recap, among other signature elements.In addition to the new deals for Kornheiser and Wilbon, Rydholm Projects, Inc.

has agreed to terms on an extension with ESPN to continue producing PTI from Washington, D.C.

under the direction of executive producer Erik Rydholm and coordinating producer Matt Kelliher, whove been with the show since its inception..

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