'RedZone' returns for 18th season and, despite 15-second commercials, could still be on in the White House

NFL RedZone to add limited ads as 18th season begins

NFL RedZone is set to return Sunday for its 18th season with a limited number of short commercials planned for the seven-hour broadcast, host Scott Hanson said.

Hanson said the current plan calls for 15-second ads to appear only between plays, during the pauses after a play ends and while teams walk back to the huddle.

“There will be, there will be what people define as commercials,” Hanson said. “The plan is right now to have a limited number of 15-second commercials only in between plays.”

RedZone carried 16 advertisements at one point last season, a change from its earlier commercial-free format. Hanson said he does not expect the number of commercials to rise at the start of the 2026 season, adding that there will be fewer then. He said he does not make the NFL’s business decisions.

“The rest of it is up to the business folks, and Uncle Scott doesn’t make the decisions when it comes to the business folks at the NFL,” Hanson said.

Hanson also said RedZone has reached a broad audience. He said he has been told the show has been on in the White House during the last two administrations. He also said players watch the program when their own teams are not playing, citing Tom Brady and Josh Allen.

“Tom Brady loves ‘RedZone,’” Hanson said, adding that Brady watched during Monday night games, Thursday night games and bye weeks when he was a player. “Josh Allen — one of the faces of the NFL today — loves ‘RedZone.’”

Hanson is also returning with Lowe’s for a second year of the company’s “Earn Your Sunday” campaign, alongside Dak Prescott, Christian McCaffrey and Justin Jefferson.

Away from the broadcast, Hanson said his travels have taken him to six of the world’s seven continents. Antarctica is the only continent he has not visited, and he said he expects to get there eventually.

His trips have included cage diving with great white sharks, being near lions on the Serengeti and visiting the Great Wall of China.

When asked whether he would rather run with the bulls in Pamplona or climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Hanson said he has done both. Kilimanjaro, he said, was the more beautiful experience, while running with the bulls required more courage.

“Kilimanjaro was more beautiful. Running with the bulls required more courage,” Hanson said.

Asked which frightened him more — great white sharks or lions — Hanson chose lions. He said a safari on the Serengeti does not put bars between visitors and the animals, while his shark encounter did.

“I had bars in front of me when the great whites came up,” Hanson said.

On food, Hanson picked Mexican over Chinese. He said food in China differs from American Chinese food and recalled being served a dish he first heard as “duck dong” before learning it was duck tongue.

“Duck tongue is what they were feeding me,” Hanson said. “Give me Mexican.”

RedZone is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.