NBC announces major broadcast change for SNF with host Maria Taylor off for rest of season on maternity leave
Samuel Coleman
Published Sep 17, 2026
SUNDAY Night Football will look a little different for the remainder of the NFL season.
Maria Taylor made one final broadcast appearance on Sunday for the Jacksonville Jaguars-Baltimore Ravens game before going on parental leave.

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The NFL on NBC crew put together an emotional video to congratulate Taylor on her pregnancy.
"Maria, so excited for you and John, we love you guys," Jason Garrett said in the video.
"I'm so excited for you and your husband John, congratulations," Chris Simms said.
"We wish you the best and good luck."
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Taylor was in tears after watching the video and thanked her team for the special sendoff.
"Maria magic is leaving, okay? But you guys have a great rest of the season," she said.
NBC announced that Ahmed Fareed will host Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock for the rest of the season.
Fareed is already a host and reporter for multiple NBC shows including B1G College Countdown, MLB Sunday Leadoff, Premier League, horse racing, and even rugby.
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Fareed also does Olympics coverage each time the event rolls around.
He will start his role on Saturday, December 23 for a special edition of Football Night in America at 3 pm on NBC and Peacock.
This will air before the Saturday matchups of the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers.
Fareed most recently appeared on Awful Announcing's Short and to the Point podcast where he called himself the sportscaster who doesn't know everything.
Fortunately for him, he has an all-star cast in Rodney Harrison, Tony Dungy, Chris Simms, Jason Garrett, Devin McCourty, and Mike Florio to back him up.
Fareed will be thrown right into the fire this Saturday for an action-packed Christmas weekend of NFL games.