DHANI JONES, HOST OF NBC'S "SPARTAN: ULTIMATE TEAM CHALLENGE" & FORMER NFL STAR, TO JOIN NBC OLYMPICS AS REPORTER IN RIO

Former Linebacker for New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles & Cincinnati Bengals, Jones Makes NBC Olympics Debut

Opening Ceremony of 2016 Rio Olympic Games is Next Friday, August 5 on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. - July 27, 2016 - Dhani Jones, the former NFL linebacker who is a host of the NBC primetime hit Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, will serve as a reporter for NBC Olympics' coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad is next Friday, August 5, on NBC.

Jones will report at various venues and locations throughout the Games, and will contribute to features on a variety of platforms including The Olympic Zone - a 30-minute nightly show that airs on NBC affiliates. Jones' "Spartan" colleague Kyle Martino is an analyst for NBC Sports Group's Premier League coverage and will serve as an NBC Olympics soccer analyst.

"Dhani is an engaging personality with a wide-range of experiences and interests - from professional athlete to primetime entertainment host to haberdashery and philanthropy. We're excited to have him on our team in Rio," said Jim Bell, Executive Producer, NBC Olympics.

Following an 11-year NFL career (2000-10) as a linebacker with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals, Jones embarked on numerous media projects. He wrote a travelogue/memoir, hosted "Dhani Tackles the Globe" on Travel Channel, and is a current host of a show on Spike.

THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE RIO OLYMPICS IS NEXT FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 ON NBC

About NBC Olympics

A division of NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic Games coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. The London 2012 Olympic Games were watched by 217 million Americans across the networks of NBCUniversal, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history.