NBC Has Reportedly Named Replacement For Longtime NFL Sideline Reporter Michele Tafoya

NBC Sports has finally replaced Michele Tafoya.

The New York Post reports Melissa Stark gets the nod and not Kathryn Tappen, who was the presumed favorite for the gig after filling in for Tafoya last year.

NEWS: Kathryn Tappen, already at NBC, was viewed as the favorite to replace Michele Tafoya on the SNF sideline, but it will be Melissa Stark, according to sources.https://t.co/aY82z6b98b

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) April 15, 2022

The 48-year-old Stark will replace longtime NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, who left sports broadcasting to pursue a career in politics after the 2021 season. Aside from her three-year stint as the sideline reporter for ABC’s Monday Night Football in the early 2000s, Stark also worked as a correspondent for The Today Show and as a reporter for NBC’s Olympic coverage. She currently works as a reporter for NFL Network.

On the next NFL 360, @melissastark shares the stories of the women in football that are making waves in their communities 🙏

📺: NFL 360 — Tuesday, March 8th (9pm ET) on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/dfNwvthfGH

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 5, 2022

Stark will be another new face and voice on the team as Mike Tirico takes over play-by-play for the great Al Michaels. Michaels has moved on to Amazon, where he will be the voice for its Thursday Night Football telecasts.