Steve Kornacki Brings His Signature Data Analysis to ‘Football Night in America’

Steve Kornacki has spent years turning complex election data into compelling television. Now, after bringing his signature analysis to four Olympic Games, including the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, he’s expanding his role with NBC Sports and bringing that same approach to another passion: football.

This season, Kornacki has become a weekly fixture on NBC Sports’ Football Night in America, using data to share game highlights and storylines shaping the NFL season. 

Kornacki will also return during the postseason with his popular breakdowns of playoff standings and predictions. 

The expanded role brings together two sides of Kornacki’s work across NBCUniversal – making complex numbers accessible and compelling, whether it’s tracking the electoral map to 270 for NBC News or charting NFL teams’ playoff chances for NBC Sports. 

From election night to Sunday nights on Football Night in America

Kornacki became one of the most recognizable figures in political journalism through his election coverage with his talent for breaking down and clarifying election returns. 

His coverage became a cultural phenomenon during the 2020 presidential election, and he has continued to draw audiences to follow his political analysis across platforms. During the 2026 midterms, Kornacki will once again bring his election analysis to NBC News, which is expected to set a record as NBC’s longest-running midterm election coverage special, including through the popular Kornacki Cam livestream.

But football has long been another passion. A self-described “die-hard NFL fan” who grew up in Boston rooting for the Patriots, Kornacki has increasingly brought his data expertise to the gridiron for NBC Sports.

The crossover is a natural one: both elections and sports generate enormous amounts of real-time data, but the numbers only matter if audiences can understand what they mean. Kornacki’s strength is turning that information into a story viewers can follow as it unfolds.

Bringing data-driven storytelling across NBCUniversal

Kornacki’s expanding role is also an example of how NBCUniversal can apply talent and expertise across its portfolio.

As Chief Data Analyst for both NBC News and NBC Sports, Kornacki moves between two of television’s biggest live-event environments – election coverage and NFL football – while maintaining the same approach audiences have come to recognize.

His digital following has expanded that reach even further. “Kornacki Cam,” which gives viewers an extended look at his analysis during major election nights, regularly generates millions of video starts and has turned his signature style into an experience audiences seek out across platforms. NBC News subscribers can also dive deeper into the data with Kornacki each week in the weekly “Data Dive with Steve Kornacki”  newsletter. 

On Sundays, that same combination of expertise, personality, and real-time analysis is now part of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage.

From election nights to the Olympic Games

Beyond election coverage and the NFL, Kornacki has brought his signature analysis to four Olympic Games for NBCUniversal, most recently the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

His Olympic work began with the Tokyo Games in 2021 and continued through Beijing 2022 and Paris 2024 before returning for Milan Cortina 2026, part of NBCUniversal's historic "Legendary February," which also featured Super Bowl LX.

Across each of these assignments, Kornacki has brought the same approach to live coverage: breaking down the numbers, explaining what's at stake and helping audiences understand the story as it unfolds.

Where to watch Football Night in America? 

Football Night in America is NBC Sports’ 80-minute NFL pregame show that airs before Sunday Night Football, covering league-wide highlights, analysis, and storylines beyond the featured matchup.

The 2026 broadcast team includes host Maria Taylor and analysts Jason Garrett, Devin McCourty, Mike Florio, new addition Mike Tomlin, former Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now Steve Kornacki, Chief Data Analyst for NBC News and NBC Sports.

Football Night in America airs Sunday nights 7 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, followed by the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff for Sunday Night Football. Detailed information here.