Bob Costas stepping down as NBC prime-time Olympics host

Bob Costas has become synonymous with the Olympics, but he’s stepping aside as NBC’s prime-time host.

Bob Costas first appeared prominently on NBC’s Olympics coverage in 1988, as a late-night host for the summer games in Seoul, South Korea. He stepped in as the prime-time Olympic host in 1992, with the 2016 summer games in Rio his 11th turn in that marquee role.

The 2018 Winter Olympics are set to start a year from now in Pyeongchang, South Korea. In something of a full circle development for Costas, the long-running face of the Olympics for Americans is stepping aside.

During an appearance with Matt Lauer on Today Thursday morning, to acknowledge the 2018 winter games starting in exactly one year, Costas announced he’s stepping down as NBC Olympics host. Mike Tirico joined NBC last summer after a lengthy run at ESPN, taking part in the network’s coverage of the Rio games, and he’ll take over for Costas as the prime-time Olympics host.

Costas will turn 65 next month, but he’s not retiring. He suggested he’ll be to NBC Sports what Tom Brokaw has been to NBC News.

Here’s some of what Costas had to say:

"“I am going to be like the rest of the country, watching Mike Tirico, who will be an able successor in Korea for the Winter Olympics” a year from now”"

"“They’ve been kind enough — and it’s an honor to even have your name in the same sentence — they’ve been kind enough to call it the Brokaw phase of my career,” Costas said. “So I will be to sports what Tom has been for the last several years to news.”"

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Costas will still show up on NBC’s sports coverage until further notice, even in a smaller role at future Olympics and surely every three years when the network gets its turn to air the Super Bowl. Super Bowl 52 will be NBC’s, so Costas will surely be on site working in some capacity.