JUST IN: Legendary Sportscaster Bob Costas Retires From Play-by-By Announcing After 44 Years

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Legendary sportscaster Bob Costas has retired from MLB play-by-play duties after more than four decades in the broadcast booth, The Athletic announced Thursday.

Costas, 72, confirmed the decision with The Athletic. He will formally announce the news at a later date.

According to the report, the decision was made prior this past MLB season. It is also the final season on his contract.

Costas called his first MLB game in 1980 on NBC, where he became a household name over the course of 39 years with the network. After leaving NBC in 2019, joined CNN and TBS — both properties of Warner Bros. Discovery. He’s also served as MLB Network’s lead play-by-play announcer since the network began.

Prior to his departure at NBC, Costas was the host of the Olympics from 1988 to 2016. That role is now occupied by Sunday Night Football’s Mike Tirico.

Although Costas is rightfully regarded as one of the most iconic announcers in all of sports, he faced harsh criticism for his most recent work. In his final playoff series — the ALDS between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees — Costas was bashed for what many felt was a lack of enthusiasm and bias toward the Yankees. His final call was Game 4 of the ALDS, in which the Yankees won to clinch the series 3-1.

Costas will continue to serve as a contributing analyst with MLB Network. His play-by-play duties there will also come to an end.