NBC Chicago adds part time sports anchor but isn’t naming a lead one just yet

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Chicago’s NBC owned station has hired a new member for its sports department — but isn’t saying who might get the “lead” anchor role.

On Oct. 26, 2021, the station announced Siafa Lewis would be leaving the station for KYW in Philadelphia.

Lewis had been the station’s lead sports anchor and also anchored on weekend mornings. At KYW, he’ll be anchoring weekday newscasts.

“We thank Siafa for his years of work here in Chicago and send him back to his hometown with our best wishes for his future success,” Frank Whittaker, station manager and vice president of news at WMAQ wrote in an email memo to staff.

Meanwhile, WMAQ hired Leila Rahimi as a part times sports reporter and anchor. Rahimi joined sports radio station WSCR in January 2021 and previously appeared on NBC Sports Chicago.

No permanent lead sports anchor has been named, with existing anchors Jeff Blanzy and Mike Berman and Rahimi rotating spots during the station’s newscasts.