Kaylee Hartung, a seasoned broadcast journalist with a versatile career spanning news and sports, is set to achieve a major milestone in February 2026. She will make her debut as a sideline reporter for NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl LX on February 8, joining forces with veteran Melissa Stark. It is the first Super Bowl at NBC for both Hartung and Stark. Previously, Stark worked the sidelines for ABC’s coverage of Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. This marks only the second time in NBC’s history that the network has deployed two sideline reporters for the big game, highlighting Hartung’s rising prominence in sports broadcasting.
Super Bowl LX NBC broadcast team
The broadcast team for Super Bowl LX features NBC’s longstanding Sunday Night Football crew in the booth: Mike Tirico handling play-by-play duties in his first Super Bowl assignment, paired with longtime analyst Cris Collinsworth providing expert color commentary. Together with Hartung and Stark on the sidelines, this experienced lineup promises comprehensive coverage of the championship showdown at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The announcement comes at an exciting time for Hartung, who has quickly become a key figure in NBC’s NFL coverage. Just weeks before the Super Bowl, she will report from the Chicago Bears sideline during NBC’s divisional round playoff matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. This assignment will represent her fifth NFL playoff game with the network, underscoring her growing experience in high-stakes football environments.
Hartung’s path to this moment reflects a dynamic career built on adaptability and excellence across multiple media platforms.
Kaylee Hartung’s journey to Super Bowl Sunday
Born on November 7, 1985, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, her interest in journalism was sparked early by a personal tragedy: at age 10, she witnessed reporters covering the fatal plane crash of her father during an air show. That experience inspired her to pursue storytelling as a way to make sense of the world. After graduating from Episcopal High School, Hartung attended Washington and Lee University, where she earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in broadcast journalism and politics in 2007.
An internship with NBC Nightly News during college solidified her passion, leading to her first full-time role at CBS News in Washington, D.C. There, she served as an assistant to legendary anchor Bob Schieffer and later as an associate producer on Face the Nation. She also contributed to CBSNews.com programs like Washington Unplugged and Unplugged Under 40.
Hartung’s transition into sports began at ESPN, where she started with the Longhorn Network before becoming one of the lead reporters for the launch of the SEC Network. Her work focused on college football and basketball, earning her regular appearances on SportsCenter and coverage of major events like the College Football Playoffs and College World Series.
In 2017, she shifted to CNN for broader news reporting, then returned to the Disney family in 2019 as a correspondent for ABC News. Based in Los Angeles, she covered major stories including the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating wildfires, and high-profile interviews with figures like Simone Biles and Natalie Portman.
Her return to sports came in a big way in July 2022, when Amazon Prime Video named her the sideline reporter for Thursday Night Football. Working alongside play-by-play legend Al Michaels and analyst Kirk Herbstreit, Hartung has thrived in the role, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sports Personality/Sideline Reporter after her second season.
In January 2023, Hartung expanded her NBC family ties by joining The Today Show as a national correspondent while also debuting on NBC Sports’ NFL Wild Card coverage with Michaels and Tony Dungy. The following year, she became a permanent fixture in NBC‘s NFL playoff broadcasts, setting the stage for her current high-profile assignments.
Adding to her packed February schedule, Hartung will also make her Winter Olympics debut at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games, reporting on the aerials and moguls freestyle skiing competitions. This follows her Super Bowl duties and demonstrates NBC’s confidence in her versatility across sports genres.
From her early days in D.C. political journalism to gridiron sidelines alongside Tirico, Collinsworth, and Stark, and now the biggest stages in football and the Olympics, Kaylee Hartung’s career illustrates the power of resilience, curiosity, and relentless preparation. As she steps onto the Super Bowl field in 2026, fans can expect the same sharp reporting and poised presence that have defined her journey so far. With the eyes of millions watching, this Louisiana native is ready to shine on one of sports’ grandest stages.
© Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
