Hall of Famer Tony Dungy is likely out as a regular on “Football Night in America” after 17 seasons, as NBC plans to revamp its NFL pregame show, sources briefed on the move told The Athletic.
The Dungy move is one of the first decisions in what is anticipated to be a new-look show. While it is the highest-rated Sunday pregame show, it has the benefit of being sandwiched between the late 4:25 p.m. window on CBS and Fox and its premiere game on Sunday night.
The network may take the show fully on the road next season and slim down its cast, according to sources briefed on NBC’s plans.
Sources said that no final decisions have been made on the show, and Dungy has not been fully informed of the move, leaving the small possibility NBC could change its mind. The network also could give Dungy an “emeritus” role, as it did in the past with Bob Costas and Al Michaels, where he would contribute in a reduced role but still have an association with the network.
NBC declined to comment.
Many of the contracts for NBC’s studio analysts ended after the Super Bowl. The ex-player analysts on the show included Dungy, Devin McCourty, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms and Rodney Harrison.
Besides host Maria Taylor, NBC also has insider Mike Florio, fantasy analyst Matthew Berry, reporter Jac Collinsworth and statistician Steve Kornacki.
Dungy and Harrison were on the road this past season with Collinsworth, while the rest of the crew was in the studio. The trio of Collinsworth, Dungy and Harrison was at Alcatraz during the Super Bowl pregame.
While NBC wants to revamp, the pool of potential analysts could make it difficult to do it in one full swoop. The No. 1 NFL TV studio target, former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, might be reluctant to enter TV, while Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce appears to want to play another year and has indicated he prefers to call games if he enters broadcasting. Cam Heyward appeared on NBC’s Super Bowl pregame, but might not be done playing. Kirk Cousins was on CBS’ postseason pregame, and though he is expected to be cut by the Atlanta Falcons, he could also stay on the field. A wild card is quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who also might play another year with the Steelers.
Dungy, 70, was the focus of attention during Super Bowl week after Bill Belichick was denied entrance into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dungy, who was part of the voting body for the Class of 2026, repeatedly declined to say if he voted for Belichick. Dungy’s Indianapolis Colts and Belichick’s New England Patriots were bitter rivals, with the teams involved in the “Deflategate” scandal.
Dungy played three seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, including with the 1979 Super Bowl champion Steelers. He went on to be a successful head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then with the Colts, whom he helped lead to a Super Bowl victory over the Chicago Bears in 2007.