Fox is reportedly “considered the favorite” for Mike Tomlin should he decide to work in television; Netflix is reported as preparing its bid to be all cash for WBD studio/streaming assets; and Kaylee Hartung is joining NBC’s Super Bowl broadcast. Plus news on Fanatics, Josh Pate, Apple TV and Zach Gelb.
Fox reportedly considered favorite to land Tomlin if he decides to work in TV
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 years in the position on Tuesday and is widely expected to have no shortage of suitors should he pursue a television career. Andrew Marchand of The Athletic wrote on social media that “Fox Sports, ESPN, NBC and CBS all will have interest” should Tomlin decide to work in television, citing “sources briefed on their thinking.” Per Marchand, Fox, which has yet to fill the “Fox NFL Sunday” vacancy left by Jimmy Johnson, is “considered the favorite” to land Tomlin.
Marchand also said on social media that NBC could seek to add Tomlin for the Super Bowl, which it will broadcast in just under a month. The “Football Night in America” pregame show currently has two former NFL head coaches on its staff in Tony Dungy and Jason Garrett.
In a conversation with Richard Deitsch published four years ago by The Athletic, NBC Sports NFL and Prime Video “Thursday Night Football” EP Fred Gaudelli said that Tomlin would be a “transformational” hire. Gaudelli had Tomlin as the top name on his list and said that he would be equally good in the studio or on a game. Deitsch pointed out in the story that Gaudelli had spoken to Tomlin about working in broadcasting. Tomlin, after being told by Gaudelli that he would have a job waiting for him if he chose to go down the path, said that he was “never coming to the dark side.”
Throughout Tomlin’s 19 years coaching the Steelers, the team never had a losing record and competed in the playoffs 13 times, winning the Super Bowl in the 2008-09 season. According to ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, Tomlin is “not expected to coach elsewhere in 2026.”
Netflix reportedly preparing to alter its WBD bid to all cash
Netflix is preparing to amend its bid to acquire the streaming and studio assets owned by Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash offer, according to a report by Joe Flint and Jessica Toonkel of The Wall Street Journal. The exact parameters of a possible all-cash offer, first reported Tuesday afternoon by Josh Sisco and Lucas Shaw of Bloomberg, are unknown at this time, although the WSJ report said that it could help in simplifying the Netflix deal. Netflix had previously agreed to a deal worth $27.75/share for WBD film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, all of which are slated to be spun out from WBD’s global networks later this year.
Paramount has consistently maintained that its $30/share hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is “superior,” including as recently as Monday. In that letter to shareholders, Paramount chairman/CEO David Ellison said the Netflix shares in the proposed deal would be worth $4.11/share as of Friday’s close. Paramount filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday alleging that the company has withheld key information from shareholders that would help them “be able to make an informed decision” regarding its offer. WBD slammed the lawsuit as “meritless” and reiterated that its board feels the transaction proposed from Paramount “is not superior to the merger agreement with Netflix.”
The lawsuit filed by Paramount (acquired by Deadline) mentions a “fiduciary out” in the agreement between Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix that, if exercised, would allow the WBD Board to negotiate with a competing bidder “after receiving either a superior proposal or a proposal that could reasonably be expected to result in a superior proposal.” Paramount pointed out that Warner Bros. Discovery did not address the latter and claimed that it had been “stonewalled … before entering into exclusivity with Netflix.” In addition to the lawsuit, Paramount outlined plans to “nominate a slate of directors” to the WBD Board.
Warner Bros. Discovery would owe Netflix a $2.8 billion termination fee if it decided to abandon the existing merger agreement. Paramount wrote last month that it would work with Warner Bros. Discovery to avoid the costs and expressed confidence “that a liability management solution can be executed,” according to a report by William D. Cohan of Puck.
Hartung joining NBC Super Bowl broadcast
Amazon Prime Video “Thursday Night Football” sideline repoter Kaylee Hartung will work in the same capacity on the NBC Sports broadcast of Super Bowl 60, it was announced Tuesday. Hartung, who will be making her Super Bowl debut, will be joined by Melissa Stark — who will be working the game for the first time since she was the lead “Monday Night Football” sideline reporter in 2003 — play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico and analyst Cris Collinsworth.
Hartung has been an occasional contributor to NBC NFL broadcasts, most recently working the Peacock-exclusive Ravens-Packers game last month. She will join NBC for this coming weekend’s Rams-Bears Divisional Round game. Following the Super Bowl, she is slated to report on aerials/moguls freestyle skiing for NBC at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
For NBC’s previous Super Bowl broadcast in 2022, the sideline reporters were Michele Tafoya and Kathryn Tappen, the latter of whom remains with NBC and is the network’s lead sideline reporter on college football games.
Hartung has reported on Prime Video NFL broadcasts for the last four years, while also working in news as a correspondent for NBC’s “TODAY” show. She has mixed sports and news for much of her career, at one point leaving a role with ESPN to join CNN.
Plus: Fanatics Studios, Josh Pate, Apple TV, Zach Gelb
- Fanatics and OBB Media have announced “Fanatics Studios,” a joint venture that will work on content in the sports and entertainment spaces. The company has entered into partnerships with ESPN, Major League Baseball, the WWE and the LA 28 Olympic and Paralympic Games for a variety of projects that include co-producing this year’s ESPY Awards, launching a new unscripted culinary series with Jimmy and Jey Uso, and creating a docuseries about the World Baseball Classic with Box To Box Films.
- ESPN is looking to expand the role of college football contributor Josh Pate, per Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Mike Foss, SVP, sport studio and entertainment at ESPN, was quoted by Glasspiegel saying: “As we look at everything Josh has done, we certainly want to find a world where he’s a part of it.”
- Apple TV announced a “multi-part documentary series” about the life of Andre Agassi to be directed by Chris Smith and produced by Library Films. Agassi, the former men’s singles world No. 1 and Career Grand Slam winner, worked as a studio analyst for TNT Sports’ coverage of Roland-Garros last summer.
- Zach Gelb announced Friday that he has joined 365 Sports and Rogue Media Network, hosting a weekday afternoon program on YouTube and available on podcast platforms. Gelb had previously worked for Audacy-owned Infinity Sports Network before his exit from the platform last month amid lineup changes as part of a new partnership with Westwood One.
