Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making the transition from racing to broadcasting after the 2017 season, and he will join NBC next year for the second half of the NASCAR season.
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But Earnhardt's role might not just be limited to NASCAR. NBC executives said Earnhardt could also possibly join broadcasts for NFL games and the Olympics in the future due to his crossover appeal.
NBC Sports executive producer and president Sam Flood said Earnhardt is "clearly the star of his generation."
"His love of the sport and his passion for the history of the sport makes him such a unique talent," Flood said.
"We've talked about football, we've talked about the Olympics. I can see him being involved if it's the right fit for him and for us. We hired Dale to be Dale."
Earnhardt said the transition to broadcasting was an easy decision for him, and he already had some practice in the role last season.
It will be intriguing to see how NBC approaches letting Earnhardt take part in the NFL or Olympic broadcasts. NBC has several people on staff that specialize in the NFL, so Earnhardt will likely have to find a niche for that role to make sense.
The Olympic role would be easier to explain, and it's easy to see him thriving in that role. It was a move that makes sense for both sides, and it will be interesting to see how NBC utilizes his talent in the future.
(h/t NASCAR.com)
