Jason Garrett spent nearly two decades coaching in the NFL, most of it as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. When he transitioned to broadcasting in 2022, joining NBC Sports as an analyst, it seemed like a natural next chapter. Now, according to people familiar with the network’s thinking, that chapter may be coming to an end sooner than expected.
Garrett joined NBC to cover the United States Football League before moving into a more prominent role covering Notre Dame football and eventually landing a seat on Football Night in America, the network’s flagship NFL pregame show. He became part of a lineup that included Maria Taylor, Tony Dungy and Chris Simms. But with Dungy now out, sources say NBC may move on from Garrett as well, part of a quiet but deliberate realignment of who gets to occupy those seats.
A generational shift in sports media
The trend reshaping NFL studio coverage is not limited to NBC. Across major networks, the longtime preference for experienced coaches with decades of sideline knowledge is giving way to a different model. Recently retired players, rules analysts and even fantasy football specialists are filling roles that once belonged to gray-haired veterans of the coaching profession.
For years, former coaches were fixtures on NFL television. Figures like John Madden, Jon Gruden and Jimmy Johnson built careers in front of the camera that rivaled their on-field legacies. By 2026, that landscape has changed considerably. The coaches who still appear regularly on major pregame shows represent a shrinking group.
Several factors are driving the shift. The most coveted coaching minds tend to stay on the sidelines, where the money and the competition are. Top coaches at the NFL level can earn between $15 and $20 million annually, a figure that major networks struggle to match for studio appearances that may require only a handful of days per week. Those who do move to television sometimes fail to translate their football intelligence into compelling on-air personalities, which makes networks hesitant to commit long-term.
Meanwhile, recently retired players bring name recognition, relatability and a fanbase that networks see as a direct path to stronger ratings.
Dungy’s emotional farewell
The shift became most visible with the departure of Tony Dungy, who had been a cornerstone of Football Night in America since 2009. The Hall of Famer confirmed this spring that he would not be returning to the show in the fall, ending a 17-year run that made him one of the most recognizable voices in NFL broadcasting.
Dungy shared a heartfelt message reflecting on his time at the network, expressing both disappointment and gratitude. He acknowledged the uncertainty about what comes next, whether in football, broadcasting or community work, while expressing confidence that his path forward would reveal itself. His relationship with fellow analyst Rodney Harrison stood out as one of the highlights of his time at NBC.
Dungy’s coaching career gave him credibility that few broadcasters could match. He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 before taking over the Indianapolis Colts, where he won Super Bowl XLI in 2007. He also worked as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings earlier in his career.
What comes next
NBC is also reported to be rethinking the format of Football Night in America itself, with a greater emphasis on in-stadium broadcasts rather than traditional studio coverage. Whether those structural changes factored into Dungy’s exit remains unclear, but the combination of a format overhaul and a generational reset in talent suggests the show Garrett joined in 2022 may look very different by the time the 2026 season kicks off.
