Bob Costas to join CNN as on-air contributor

Veteran sportscaster Bob Costas will join CNN as an on-air contributor, the network announcement Monday.

The longtime NBC Sports commentator “will provide commentary and his perspective on a wide range of sports-related issues as the industry adapts to new challenges posed by the coronavirus and the frequent intersection of sports with larger societal issues,” CNN said in a statement.

The 28-time Emmy award winner worked with CNN President Jeff Zucker when they were both at NBC, where Zucker was NBCUniversal president.

“Bob Costas is a legendary, respected voice across the spectrum of sports and beyond,” said Zucker, who got his start at NBC as a researcher during the network’s coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games that Costas covered for NBC. “As the world continues to change amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are confident that Bob’s insightful analysis will help our viewers better understand what the future holds as the sports and teams we love evolve to meet this moment.”

Costas has been outspoken on the risks associated with football, at one point saying near the end of his time at NBC that the “game destroys people’s brains.” He has insisted that NBC did not fire him.

In addition to being a national announcer for NBC’s professional baseball and basketball coverage, Costas once hosted a talk-show, “Later with Bob Costas,” on the network, earning him an Emmy in 1993.

“I’m very pleased to join CNN’s roster of journalists and commentators. CNN’s willingness to devote time and attention to sports related topics, makes it a good fit for me,” Costas said in a statement.

The 68-year-old was elected to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2012.