Nate Burleson Joins CBS Sports for 2026 NCAA Tournament Coverage

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Nate Burleson, a co-host of "CBS Mornings" and a studio analyst on "THE NFL TODAY" on CBS, will be joining the network's coverage of the 2026 NCAA Tournament as a studio host. Burleson will host college basketball studio coverage starting Sunday on CBS and CBS Sports Network, sharing duties with Adam Zucker.

Why it matters

Burleson's addition to the CBS Sports team for the NCAA Tournament coverage is significant, as he brings his experience as a former NFL player and his Emmy-winning skills as a studio analyst to the network's March Madness programming.

The details

Burleson will be joining CBS Sports and TNT Sports' coverage of the NCAA Tournament, starting with the first round and continuing through the regional finals of the tournament. He will be hosting the coverage from New York, while Adam Zucker and Adam Lefoke will return as studio hosts. TNT Sports veteran host Ernie Johnson announced he will take a step back from the first two weeks of the NCAA Tournament, but will still host studio coverage for the Final Four.

• The 2026 NCAA Tournament will begin with Selection Sunday on March 15.
• The First Four will be held on March 17 and 18, before the first round begins on March 19.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The 2026 NCAA Tournament will begin with Selection Sunday on March 15, followed by the First Four on March 17 and 18, and the first round starting on March 19.