Who is Bob Costas? The legendary sports broadcaster with encyclopedic knowledge

When it comes to sports broadcasting, Bob Costas is one of the most recognizable faces and voices in the industry.

Costas is an American sportscaster who was on the air for NBC from 1980 till 2019. He's now employed by Turner Sports, where he does play-by-play and studio work for the MLB on TBS. In addition, Costas is employed by the MLB Network, where he does play-by-play work as well.

Costas is well-known for his encyclopedia-like knowledge of sports along with his quick and witty sense of humor. His sporting expertise is also very wide-ranging. For many years, he hosted NBC's NFL and NBA coverage. Costas became best known as the face of football on NBC after hosting one of the most popular shows on TV, "Sunday Night Football."

Bob Costas also did NBC’s play-by-play commentary for NBA and MLB coverage. In addition, Costas has been a prime time host for 12 Olympic broadcasts for NBC from 1988-2016, among various other roles.

Now aged 70, he has also received a lot of awards for his work. That includes winning 29 Emmys for sports broadcasting, more than any other sports broadcaster. Costas has also been named “National Sportscaster of the Year” a record eight times. In 2012, he was elected to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame.

For some of Bob Costas' best moments, check out the video below:

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Why did Bob Costas leave NBC after 40 years?

American sportscaster Bob Costas

It’s not often that someone leaves their workplace of 40 years, especially someone as loved as Bob Costas. However, that's exactly what happened when Costas departed from NBC in 2019.

Costas' departure reportedly had to do with his regular criticisms of the NFL. This includes when Costas said that “football destroys peoples brains” in 2017. He also disagreed with the network regarding things such as Olympic host countries like China and Russia, who have reportedly violated human rights.

Criticism like these created tension in the network, according to an interview Costas did with ESPN in 2019. Costas has since shed some more light on his departure from NBC. During an interview on “In Depth With Graham Bensinger” earlier this year, Costas highlighted the fact that he wished the transition went smoother.

"There was no announcement. I didn't need a parade, but it would've been nice if I could've ended on a grace note. … I would've been fine if they just had me do some sort of programming, and then at the end, for two minutes, say goodbye. The only thing I wish about leaving NBC is that it ended on a more gracious note, and maybe we'll circle back and make that right at some point," Costas said.

Whether or not Bob Costas gets a chance to make things right with the NBC remains to be seen. However, even after his departure, nothing can take away from all his accomplishments throughout his legendary career.