NBC’s ‘Football Night In America,’ the pregame studio show before ‘Sunday Night Football’ airs, will have a different look for the rest of the 2023 season.
With host Maria Taylor beginning parental leave – her last show was Sunday before Week 15’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens — NBC announced Monday that Ahmed Fareed will step in to fill the position.
Fareed’s first assignment in the role actually comes on Saturday, when NBC airs a Week 16 doubleheader; the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals play on NBC at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by an 8 p.m. ET game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills that will air exclusively on Peacock.
Fareed will next host the show in Week 17 before NBC’s broadcast of the Minnesota Vikings hosting the Green Bay Packers.
Here’s everything you need to know about Ahmed Fareed.
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Who is Ahmed Fareed?
Currently a host and reporter for a few different NBC Sports properties, Fareed had previously hosted ‘Football Night In America’ as a fill-in for Taylor. Fareed’s typical assignments are for the network’s ‘B1G College Countdown’ show, the ‘Chris Simms Unbuttoned’ vodcast, Premier League matches, horse racing and rugby. He also hosted the network’s coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 3 and 4. Fareed has been an on site talent for NBC’s broadcasts of select college football games and handles hosting duties for Peacock’s Big Ten men’s basketball coverage and ‘MLB Sunday Leadoff.’
Fareed has also helped cover four Olympics for NBC Sports, most recently helping with hosting duties on USA Network for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. He has been the anchor for the last two Paralympic Games for NBC.
Where did Ahmed Fareed previously work?
Fareed was already under the NBC umbrella, coming from NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, where he served as a host and reporter from 2013-18. While in that role, Fareed’s coverage touched the area’s major sports teams, including the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders (prior to their relocation to Las Vegas), the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Sacramento Kings and San Jose Sharks.
Before that, Fareed was a host and reporter for MLB Network from 2011-12, where he appeared on shows such as ‘MLB Tonight,’ ‘Hot Stove,’ ‘Quick Pitch’ and ’30 Clubs in 30 Days.’
Where is Ahmed Fareed from?
Fareed is from Sparta, Michigan, a small town about 15 miles north of Grand Rapids. He graduated in 2002 from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse, where he majored in broadcast journalism.
According to the Grand Rapids Press, Fareed had spent one year at Michigan State before he transferred to Syracuse. He went to Sparta High School and played quarterback for the football team and also played for the baseball team.