NBC's longtime Olympics host Bob Costas is handing the torch to Mike Tirico for the 2018 Winter Games, the network announced Thursday.
Tirico will debut as the prime-time host for the network with the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, ending a run for Costas that began in 1992.
Costas, 64, said in a statement that it was his choice to leave the job after 11 Olympic Games. He will continue to appear on NBC Sports and NBC News programs.
"It's been a wonderful run, but I just felt now was the right time to step away and I'm grateful that NBC left that decision to me," he said.
Tirico, 50, joined NBC Sports last July after a long career at ESPN that included play-by-play for "Monday Night Football." He was the daytime host of NBC's Summer Olympics coverage in Rio last year and served as host of the network's pregame show for "Sunday Night Football."
"Bob Costas and the Olympics has been one of the greatest pairings in sports broadcasting history, and there isn't anyone better suited to inherit his mantle than Mike Tirico," said Jim Bell, NBC Olympics' president for production and programming. "Mike's natural gifts as a broadcaster and passion for storytelling are just two reasons he is the perfect choice to host the biggest, most distinguished sports event in the world."
In 2011, NBC agreed to pay $4.38 billion to the International Olympic Committee for the rights to broadcast the Games in the U.S. through 2020. The deal was extended through 2032 for another $7.75 billion.
