Scott Hanson Announces NFL RedZone Return for 17th Season as Host

Scott Hanson confirmed Friday that he will return as the host of NFL RedZone during the 2025 NFL season.

In a post on X, Hanson announced his return and noted that the first edition of NFL RedZone for the 2025 campaign begins in 100 days:

RedZone debuted in 2009, and Hanson has served as the host of the popular channel since its inception. It has long been a hit among football fans since it monitors every game and hones in on particular games when a team enters the red zone and is on the verge of scoring.

Until Friday, it was uncertain if Hanson would be back at RedZone for his 17th season, as there were reports that suggested he was weighing other options.

In February, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported that Hanson's contract with NFL Network expired at the end of the 2024 NFL season.

NFL Network owns and operates RedZone, meaning a replacement would have been needed had Hanson decided to sign elsewhere.

McCarthy reported in February that Hanson was "in negotiations" to re-sign with NFL Media, but he also noted that the talks had "stalled."

Hanson was reportedly in talks with NBC Sports as well for a full-time role after successfully hosting Gold Zone during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

NBC was reportedly interested in signing Hanson to a deal that would have expanded his Olympic coverage and allowed him to cover the NFL for the network as well.

Hanson's personality and ability to quickly transition from one game to another is a big reason why NFL RedZone became a phenomenon, and it is fair to wonder if someone else would have been capable of filling the void.

Luckily for football fans, they won't have to find that out in 2025, as Hanson will be back at the controls for a 17th consecutive season.

The 2025 NFL regular season starts Sept. 4 when the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys, but Hanson's time to shine will come on Sept. 7 when the bulk of the Week 1 games are played.