Bob Costas ‘Quietly’ and ‘Happily’ Ends 40-Year Career at NBC

Bob Costas has reportedly left NBC as quietly as possible after 40 years of work with the network.

Costas is a legendary sportscaster, who has worked on the air for NBC Sports since 1979. According to a report by the New York Post, that time is behind him, as the 66-year-old moves into semi-retirement. The details of Costa’s departure, however, are being kept quiet.

“It’s all settled quietly and happily for all concerned,” Costa told the outlet.

Costas will continue his work on the MLB Network, where he is expected to call about 20 games play-by-play on the air. He is also expected to be a big part of the new inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame next week, and is reportedly exploring an interview-style show as well.

“If I do anything else, it will be a hybrid of my HBO show and Later,” he said.

While he has not made a big deal out of it, Costas has reportedly been looking for an end to his multimillion dollar contract for months. The sportscaster has been struggling to find roles that he is passionate about and that NBC sees as profitable. Costas reportedly fell under a “Brokaw clause” starting in 2012, giving him relatively free reign to pursue the kind of reporting he liked best.

The exact dollar amount Costas will receive at the end of his long contract is still unclear. He told reporters that the deal was struck “more than fairly,” and that it was actually set in stone before the end of 2018. He said that it was a joint decision between himself and NBC to keep the departure quiet. An NBC representative confirmed the news, but offered no further details.

A big part of the departure was reportedly Costa’s growing disinterest in NFL football. The sportscaster has always been most passionate about baseball, and while NFL coverage has become one of the most profitable sports for NBC, Costas’ heart has not been in it. Many fans suspected he was on his way out in February when he was not a part of NBC’s Super Bowl coverage at all.

Costas also handed over the 2018 Winter Olympics to Mike Tirico, who has slowly taken on more and more high profile sporting coverage. Costas served as NBC’s main host for the Olympics from 1988 until 2016, traveling the world in the process. He even published a book about the experience titled Olympic Media: Inside the Biggest Show on Television.

Costas has achieved just about everything a sportscaster could hope to do in their career. Now, he said that he is excited to see what comes next on the MLB Network.