There is a chance that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not return to NBC in 2024.
With Earnhardt's contract with NBC having expired at the end of 2023, he is technically a free agent broadcaster. Earnhardt shared that news on the season premiere of his podcast "The Dale Jr. Download."
"My contract with NBC is up," Earnhardt said. "It was up at the end of last year. I'm currently working through what that looks like for me."
Earnhardt has expressed his pleasure working for NBC and his desire to stay with NBC.
"I definitely love being in the broadcast booth and want to continue doing that," Earnhardt said. "We've had some great conversations with all of NASCAR's TV partners. My home and my love is at NBC, and I'd love to be back with them, so we'll see where it goes. But right now, I really don't have a job in terms of broadcasting."
Earnhardt joined NBC in 2018 when he stopped racing in the NASCAR Cup Series after 2017. His first race in the broadcast booth for NBC was at Chicagoland Speedway in 2018, where an iconic call was made. Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson battled for the lead on the final lap, and as Larson made a move to pass Busch, Earnhardt screamed, "Slide job! Slide job! Almost." This is a call that is still played back on social media today for many to enjoy.
Losing Earnhardt at NBC would be a major loss for the company. His is an iconic name in NASCAR that could be let go. Earnhardt has become a staple of the NBC broadcast booth.
Earnhardt has done just about everything at NBC. Aside from being a driver analyst in the booth, Earnhardt has done play-by-play for a few races, and he has done pit road reporting as well. Earnhardt has also been sent to events such as the Super Bowl and Kentucky Derby to be a part of the coverage for NBC.
"The Dale Jr, Download" had been featured on NBC's app, Peacock, but it is no longer on the streaming service. This means Earnhardt is officially not employed by NBC for the time being. Earnhardt has expressed his feelings of anxiousness not knowing what could be next for him.
"As I learn more about my broadcasting future, I will let everyone know about that," Earnhardt said. "I'm anxious to get that sorted out because certainly have had a lot of fun with NBC over the years during that, broadcasting with (Steve) Letarte and those guys."
Three companies are joining the fold next year as a part of the new broadcasting deal. 2025 will see Amazon and Turner Sports airing five Cup races each during the summer. Also, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will be fully broadcast on the CW Network starting in 2025.
Those three companies may be looking to hire Earnhardt while he is a free agent now.
As a free agent, even if Earnhardt doesn't return to NBC, he will end up broadcasting in some way, shape or form. He is a household name who happens to be a really good broadcaster in the eyes of many viewers.
