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

The NFL’s popular “RedZone” broadcast returns for its 18th season on Sunday, and while the focus is seemingly on how many commercials the previously commercial-free program will air, host Scott Hanson has other things up his sleeve.

But first, the commercials thing:

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

‘NFL REDZONE’ HOST SCOTT HANSON SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS FAN FRUSTRATION OVER COSTLY STREAMING SUBSCRIPTIONS

NFL Network’s Scott Hanson speaks on stage on the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 26, 2025. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

“So we’re on a Dallas Cowboys drive. OK, first-and-10 after a 5-yard gain. They’re walking back to the huddle. That’s when we will splice in one standalone, 15-second commercial. I can confirm that for you.”

“RedZone” aired 16 advertisements of some kind at one point last season, which marked a significant increase for what was once seven hours of commercial-free programming.

Hanson said fears that the number will increase to start the 2026 season are unfounded. In fact, there will be fewer at the start of the season. That, of course, says nothing about what will happen later this season, but Hanson isn’t making those 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,” he said. “But yes, there will be advertisements, a limited number, what I would describe as a limited amount, but fans can make their own minds up about that.”

The White House’s Michael Kratsios was reportedly briefed on the incident and has been monitoring the situation. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images / Getty Images)

Fans made up their minds about “RedZone” and Hanson a long time ago, and those fans have come from some unlikely places.

“I’ve been told we’ve been on in the White House in the last two administrations, so both sides of the aisle,” Hanson said.

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“I’ve been told by the players … Tom Brady, loves ‘RedZone,’ loved it when he was a player, when he was playing on Monday Night Football or Thursday night football or the bye week, he was watching ‘RedZone.’

“Josh Allen — one of the faces of the NFL today — loves ‘RedZone.’ When he’s playing on an off day or whatever, if he can watch ‘RedZone.’ So it’s just, it’s, it’s a phenomenon.”

Hanson, back with Lowe’s for the second year of the popular “Earn Your Sunday” campaign along with Dak Prescott, Christian McCaffrey and Justin Jefferson, is something of a renaissance man.

Great white shark jumping out of water with mouth open. (iStock)

He’s visited six of the planet’s seven continents and promises to eventually make it to Antarctica, the only continent he’s missed.

Hanson has cage dived with great white sharks and found himself at somewhat safe distances from lions on the Serengeti. He’s also visited the Great Wall of China.

All that begs some rapid fire questions:

So, what’s his adventure vacation preference, running with the bulls in Pamplona or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro?

“I’ve done both,” Hanson said. “Kilimanjaro was more beautiful. Running with the bulls required more courage. Running with the bulls.”

More afraid of great white sharks or lions?

“Lions, because you don’t have bars in front of you when you go on safari in the Serengeti plain,” Hanson said. “I had bars in front of me when the great whites came up.”

Because he visited both China and Mexico, we have to ask: Mexican or Chinese food?

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“Oh, Mexican,” Hanson said. “Only because in China, the Chinese food is not like American Chinese food. Let me just tell you that I ate a thing called duck dong. And I’m like, what is duck dong? I like it, it’s real tasty, until they slowed down, and I learned they were speaking English, and they were saying duck tongue.

“Duck tongue is what they were feeding me. Yeah, no. Give me Mexican.”

Seven hours of RedZone begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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