Alex Flanagan Alex Flanagan ( born October 23 , 1973 ) is an American sportscaster who is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson , Arizona . She works for the NFL Network as an anchor / reporter and for NBC Sports as a sideline reporter for the Notre Dame home football games and for " Football Night in America " . Early life and career . Flanagan began her television career while in college as a student intern at KVOA - TV . Following graduation , she worked as a general assignment news reporter and weekend anchor at KCCO - TV in Alexandria , Minnesota and worked in the same capacity for WSFA - TV in Montgomery , Alabama . Fox Sports . Before joining ESPN , Flanagan worked for Fox Sports Net , now known as Fox Sports Networks . She was the featured reporter on The Keith Olbermann Evening News , served as a reporter for the National Sports Report and as a producer / reporter on the Emmy - nominated weekly sports investigative magazine show Goin ' Deep , hosted first by Joe Buck and later by Chris Myers . ESPN . Flanagan worked for ESPN from 2000 - 2006 . She spent five years reporting from the college football sidelines for ESPN . She served as a sideline reporter for the College World Series , the Women ’ s Tennis Association ’ s tour championships , men ' s college basketball , and the NCAA Women ’ s basketball tournament . As a reporter for " SportsCenter " , Flanagan frequently filed reports on the Lakers , Dodgers , Angels , UCLA , USC and the Chargers . She has also covered spring training , the NBA playoffs , college football bowl games , the NCAA Men ’ s basketball tournament and did a weekly segment for " NFL Monday Night Countdown " . At ESPN she helped launch an entertainment themed segment for " SportsCenter " called “ Hollywood Highlights ” , served as co - host of the Home Depot College Football Awards and ESPN Classic road shows . NFL Network and NBC Sports . Flanagan has been a host and reporter for the NFL Network since 2006 . She has reported from five Super Bowls and hosts a variety of programs including " NFL Total Access " . In 2010 , Flanagan joined play - by - play announcer Bob Papa and analysts Matt Millen and Joe Theismann as NFL Network ’ s " Thursday Night Football " game broadcast team , where she provided sideline reports , pre - game and post game interviews . She currently pairs with ESPN colleague Brad Nessler and NBC colleague Mike Mayock . Since 2007 , Flanagan has been the sideline reporter for NBC ’ s national broadcast of Notre Dame home football games with play - by - play voice Tom Hammond and analyst Mike Mayock . Her sideline reporting role for NBC also extended to teaming with John Madden , Al Michaels and Andrea Kremer in February 2009 for NBC ' s telecast of the Steelers ’ win in Super Bowl XLIII . In 2010 , Flanagan began reporting for NBC ’ s " Football Night in America " , where she reported every Sunday from one of the NFL ’ s premiere afternoon games . She added NFL Wild Card playoffs with Notre Dame Football on NBC colleagues Tom Hammond and Mike Mayock . Carolyn Manno fills in for her on occasions on Football Night in America . Olympics and swimming . In August 2008 , Flanagan was one of NBC ’ s hosts during its coverage of the Beijing Olympics . She anchored six hours of Olympic coverage nightly on CNBC and USA Network . That following year , she reported from the U . S . Swimming National Championships where Michael Phelps broke the 100 - meter butterfly record . She was also on deck for the 2010 Pan Pacific championships , helping call the action with Rowdy Gaines and Ted Robinson and Dan Hicks . In 2010 , Flanagan also covered the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver for NBC as a reporter . " Madden NFL " video game . Flanagan can be heard and seen in the popular video game " Madden 10 " and " Madden 11 " , where she hosts an in - game weekly recap show with Fran Charles . Personal life . Alex is a native of Sonoita , Arizona . She is married to former University of Arizona basketball player Kevin Flanagan . They have two daughters and a son . Alex ' s family owns the Arizona steak restaurants The Steak Out ( located in Sonoita ) , and Dove Mountain . Flanagan is a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority . References . Notes