NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Saturday, February 7, 2026

Episode Date: February 8, 2026

Savannah Guthrie pleads for mother’s return in new video, says “we will pay”; Team USA makes strong start on first day of competition at Winter Olympics; Massive security operation underway for Super Bowl LX; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight on a jam-packed nightly news, we are live at Levi Stadium with the Super Bowl, now less than 24 hours away, and we'll take you live to Milan as the Olympics begin. But first, breaking news in the search for Nancy Guthrie. Savannah releasing this new video, telling her mother's potential captor, we've received your message. We'll play the full video. Her message after the FBI returned to search Nancy's home for evidence. We talked to the news director who stationed received a message from the potential potential. capture after that possible ransom note, as President Trump now says answers could come soon. In Milan, Team USA dominating women's hockey at the Winter Olympics, as American skating superstar,

Ilya Malinen hit the ice today. Did he live up to the epic expectations? Our reporter spoke to him right after. Plus, Olympic legend Lindsey Vaughn's incredible training run today on a torn ACL. Can she win gold when she competes tomorrow? Her new message tonight. Super Bowl countdown were on the field with behind-the-scenes access, and my one-on-one with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, why he told me Bat Bunny, was the right choice for the halftime show. The life-threatening deep freeze, blanketing the east, car accidents piling up as the snow pours down, this dramatic rescue off New York City and the record cold temperatures about to get even worse.

President Trump saying he won't apologize for that racist video of the Obama's that was posted, then take it down on his truth social account. And love is in the air and on the ice. The American skating power couple already dominating the Olympics and stealing hearts around the world. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News,

live from the Super Bowl. Reporting tonight from Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Here is Tom Yamas. And good evening. We are live tonight from Levi Stadium. You can see the field here just behind me. In less than 24 hours, this stadium will be packed, and the teams will be taking that field for the kickoff to Super Bowl 60. We'll get to that in a moment,

and to Team USA's first full day of competition in Milan, including some of our top figure skaters you see right here. But we begin with that breaking news. The new message from Savannah Guthrie released just moments ago, her mother Nancy, and this was the scene at her Arizona home last night. You can see FBI agents back at the property to search every inch for new clues and towing a vehicle believed to be Nancy's. It comes as authorities investigate a new note related to the case. Today we spoke with the head of the Tucson TV station who received that message and you'll hear from her as well in just a moment. All that new activity comes as Nancy's family and friends and everyone here at NBC News hold out hope for her safe return as we approach one week since her

disappearance. But we begin with Dana Griffin live in Tucson tonight. And Dana, what did this new video from Savannah Guthrie say? Yes, Tom, it was posted just minutes ago. She says they got the message. All they are asking for their mothers to be returned. And this breaking Tom, they say they are willing to pay. Tonight, a new message. We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay. Nancy Guthrie's family pleading for her return nearly a week after she was reported missing.

Authorities overnight back at Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home. Drone video showing FBI agents searching every inch of the property, disconnecting and removing a device from the roof and climbing up a ladder into dense vegetation. A vehicle believed to be Nancy's towed away. As renewed activity shut down roads near her home, reaction from the highest levels of government. President Trump last night on Air Force One. We have some clues, I think, that are very strong, and I think we could have some answers coming up fairly soon. Investigators looking for potential clues in a second note sent to the same Tucson TV station

that received a ransom note through their anonymous tip line earlier this week. What was your reaction? I did not enjoy receiving that. I did not know that we were going to be the communication platform. Authorities have not said what's in it if it's connected to the first note or if either is legitimate. There is something in there that we believe they're trying to convey. This is the same people. I see.

We know this. something that only the family would know. I'm assuming. Something like that. The news director sharing the latest note was not a ransom demand and did not include proof of life. NBC News asked the Pima County Sheriff if Nancy's pacemaker could prove she's alive. He said it's not definitive. It's a tool, but I don't know that it ever will tell you she's alive or not. Can you consult with her doctor? Sometimes it can. We've talked to doctors and we've talked to the pacemaker company and all of those things are working. But my understanding is, you could be deceased and that pace or baker still is working.

Now, the Guthrie's agonizing weight continues for their mother. So hard to see Savannah in that state. And Dana, last night we mentioned investigators looking at a potential lead about a vehicle. What are officials saying today? So Tom, the sheriff's department said today that investigators have not connected a vehicle to this case, nor have they identified any suspects or persons of interest. Tom. Dana Griffin for us tonight, Dana, thank you.

We're going to take a turn now to the Winter Olympics in Italy, where the first medals were handed out today, and an American skating superstar hit the eyes for the first time. Shaquille Brewster was there for it all. Watch Switzerland's Farnio von Alman fly downhill in Borneo. To take home the first gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics. I'll take it. I'm super happy. It feels like kind of a movie.

No medals yet for Team USA today, but you see fans here in Milan coming out and supporting figure skaters in day two of this team event. Beautiful quad flip to open. Including the quad god, Ilya Malanin who made his Olympic debut today, landing two of his signature jumps. There is quad bluts in combination. Gorgeous. But it wasn't enough, the gold medal favorite beaten out in the short program by Japan's Yuma Kajiyama. on Olympic ice. How was it? I felt really good. I felt really confident and so grateful to be here. It's such an honor that I spent so much hours, so many just time, dedication just to get to this

plan. After another solid performance today from ice dancers Madison Chalk and Evan Bates, team USA sitting in first place with one more day of competition to go. Here we go. Ollie Martin, this is it. His chance for a medal right here. In Lavinio, 17-year-old Ali Martin throwing down a monster run in the big air snowboarding final. Ollie Martin stops out, front side, 1800. But finishing just off the podium. On the ice, it was another dominant showing from the U.S. women's hockey team.

Spoiling Finland's debut after a neurovirus outbreak postponed their first game, U.S. Captain Hilary Knight making history during the game. In speed skating, the hometown crowd roared as Francesca Lola Brigida pulled off a massive upset on her 35th birthday, winning Italy its first gold of the Games. Lola Brigida soaking it all in with her two-year-old son, Tommaso. But not everyone in Italy is celebrating the arrival of the Games.

Police clashing with demonstrators who threw fireworks to protest the Olympics' environmental impact. Officers using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. And Italian officials say they are investigating the sabotage of three train lines, which may be connected to the games. Some real security concerns there, Shack, and you were at the figure skating team event today. It wraps up tomorrow, and Ilya Malinen is going to skate again?

That's right, Tom. We just learned that he will be back on the ice tomorrow for that men's free skate as he tries to help his team clinch gold. And then going into next week, he is a heavy favorite in the men's single, as we all wait to see if he's going to do that quadruple-axil jump. Tom? He's incredible on the eyes.

So right, Jack, thank you. And make sure to watch our primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics tonight at 8 Eastern right here on NBC and on Peacock. And we're here at Levi Stadium because Super Bowl 60 is less than 24 hours away. I spoke to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the game, and we were on the front lines of a massive security operation to protect the fans. From dozens of the TSA's explosive sniffing canines on the ground to armed F-15 fighter jets in the air.

And Coast Guard boats in the waters, security for Super Bowl 60 is at the highest possible level. Tactical teams will be ready to deploy from Black Hawk helicopters as part of a massive operation, combining federal and local law enforcement. So what's going through your mind is we're a day out. You know, we're ready. We've been doing this for two years now, planning. We're ready. We've got a great plan in place.

Santa Clara's police chief, Corey Morgan, taking us into the command center set up inside Levi Stadium. Chief, I'm seeing all these video boards here. How many cameras do you guys have? Yeah, we're in the nerve center here. We have hundreds of cameras in this stadium. Every corner of the stadium, you guys have eyes on it. It's all about situational awareness for us. As they're putting the final touches on the field, this could be the stage for the biggest telecast in history. Last year, Super Bowl 59 had an average of 128 million Americans tuning in. Super Bowl 60, could be even bigger. Second and goal.

The New England Patriots in Seattle Seahawks last met in the big game in 2015. Pass is intercepted at the goal line. When a late-game interception sealed the Patriots win. Amazing. The Patriots this time, the underdogs, now led by quarterback Drake May in just his second year in the league.

The favored Seahawks are led by Sam Donald, who has enjoyed a season of redemption after disappointing runs with four other NFL teams. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell telling me this season has been the best he's ever watched. I think the performances, the comebacks, over 70% of our games were within one score in the final five minutes. All of that just you have no way to anticipate what's going to happen. He also says he's excited for halftime performer Bad Bunny, who just won album of the year at the Grammys. President Trump has criticized the artist for his opposition to ICE and the administration's

deportation policies. Tell me why you think this is going to be such a great halftime show. Because he's one of the world's greatest artists, and he understands the importance of trying to use this to unite the world. And I think he'll do it in a really creative and fun way. With 90,000 fans expected in and around the stadium on game day, anticipation now reaching a fever pitch ahead of Kickoff. And we'll have more on the Super Bowl later in the broadcast. Back east, a life-threatening deep freeze is blanketing much of the region with record cold temperature set to get even worse. Stephen Romo reports. Tonight, a brutal cold snap plunging 78 million Americans under cold weather

alerts. Parts of Massachusetts seeing more than a foot of snow in the past 24 hours. This car going through the ice on a lake. Incredibly, police say no one was hurt. And a dramatic helicopter rescue after three people fell through the ice off New York City. You can see a member of the scuba team pulling someone out of the freezing water to safety. In Butler County, Pennsylvania, this multi-car pile-up blamed for at least one death. Authorities in Michigan also say white-out conditions led to multiple crashes and road closures. And for the third weekend in a row, Flakes are flying as far south as North Carolina. Meanwhile, many areas dealing with dangerous wind chills, feeling as low as 10 to 20 degrees below zero.

Snow, ice, and wind causing delays and ground stops at airports up the East Coast. The wind even knocking down part of this gas station in New Jersey today. The National Weather Service issuing an extreme cold warning from New York City and D.C. through tomorrow, saying there are risks of hypothermia, frostbite and even death if proper precautions aren't taken. And Stephen Romo joins us tonight live from New York and Stephen brutal temperatures in the east tonight. Any word on when folks might get some relief? Yeah, Tom, those wind chills are below zero here in New York City.

And tomorrow, the highs are forecast to be 10 to 30 degrees below average from Maine all the way down to the Carolinas. But some good news ahead for the week coming up, a much-needed warming trend. in the forecast. Tom? Stephen, Romo, for us, Stephen, thank you. We turn to the White House now. President Trump has now spoken about that racist video posted to his truth social account, saying he had not seen the part of the video

with the offensive portrayal of Barack and Michelle Obama. The president is condemning it, but not apologizing for the video, posted to his truth social account depicting the Obamas as apes in a jungle. No, I didn't make a mistake. I mean, if I look at a lot of thousands of things. And I looked at the beginning of it was fine.

Two sources tell NBC News that Senator Tim Scott and other Republicans called Trump demanding an explanation. Scott, the Senate's only black Republican said the post was the most racist thing he's seen out of the White House. Still ahead tonight, we'll show you Lindsay Vaughn's incredible training run today, and she did it on a torn ACL. The big question now, can she win? tomorrow. Stay with us.

Welcome back. We are just hours away from Lindsay Vaughn competing in the Olympics for the first time since that devastating injury. But tonight, the big question is it can't she race? It's can she win gold? Molly Hunter's in Cortina. Tomorrow, it will all come down to about 90 seconds for Lindsay Vaughn. During her second training run this morning, the comeback queen with a ruptured ACL and a brace on her left knee, proved she's ready. Flying down the Tafana in bid number 15. Right on the money there.

Finding an aggressive line down the course. Lindsay Vaughan is looking pretty powerful. It comes less than a week after crashing out in Cranes, Montana, airlifted off the slope, throwing her Olympic return into question. I have to see how it feels. If it's stable and I feel confident, I'll continue to race. But I can't tell you that answer until I actually ski 85 miles an hour.

That was Tuesday. Today, she clocked 73 miles per hour. But so strong and so powerful. And tomorrow, it's top speed. Tomorrow, she's going to lay it all out, right? Absolutely. She came here to win, and she will be putting everything on the line tomorrow, and she will leave nothing on the hill.

And she'll walk away, having skied the best race, she could possibly ski no matter what, no matter what the outcome is. Telling Tom before the crash, she could handle all of it. I think pressure is a privilege, so I'm looking forward. to the opportunity. Von posting tonight, I still believe in usually when the odds are stacked against me the most, I pull the best of what's inside me out. Lindsay knows this course here in Cortina so well. She has seen so much success here that if she's going to pull it off anywhere, it's going to be here. Tom. All right, Molly, thank you. When we return from here at Levi Stadium,

our inside look at tomorrow's Super Bowl matchup, which quarterback has the edge? Stay with us. Welcome back from Levi's Stadium. We're now less than 24 hours to the Super Bowl, and I'm joined by NBC Sports Analyst and former Patriot and Super Bowl winner, Devin, thanks so much for joining us. Our viewers may remember you were on that Patriots team that beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 49.

That game came down in the last 20 seconds, that interception on the one-yard line. So what do the Seahawks have to do to beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? I think one of the keys is they got to lean on their defense. They have the number one defense in the NFL when it comes to scoring. So you go out there and you say, hey, guys, do what you've done all year. Make it hard on offense. Make it hard on Drake May.

And then I think for Sam Darnel, control the game with the running game, give Ken Walker the ball. And then when J.S.N, Jackson Smith, and Jake was open, find him and find them a lot. A lot of people have been talking about the quarterbacks you just mentioned. You got to play with Tom Brady. What does Drake May have to do for the Patriots? What does Sam Darnold have to do for the Seahawks? I think both these guys have to be calm. Just the first time in the Super Bowl, you're going to have so many emotions and nerves.

They've got to do what their teams need. I think for Drake May, he's got to use his legs. He's got to run. And then his defense is tough. When they get opportunities, you got to throw it down the field. And I think Sam Darnel, he's been waiting for this time to get and prove to everybody, hey, I am the number three picking the drag back in 2018. I think he's going to be in control, and he's going to go out there and have fun.

I'd ask you who you're going to pick, but I already know the answer to that. Yeah, I might be a little biased. All right, Devin, so great to see you. When we come back later in the broadcast, love is in the air and on the ice. Our one-on-one with the skating couple dominating the Winter Olympics. That's next. That was Team USA skaters Madison Chalk and Evan Bates competing today. An Olympic power couple now stealing hearts around the world.

Here's Emily Aketa. When Madison Chalk and Evan Bates first took the ice together 15 years ago, their grace, spunk, and chemistry quickly shines through. Maddie and Evan skate in a different one. world. Now they've become one of the most celebrated pairs in ice dance history. With their moms watching with tears in their eyes, the pair was just crowned national champions. And it is official now. For a record, seventh time. I'm so grateful for this moment to share with everyone here and to share this with Evan. They've won every title possible, except for one,

an individual medal at the Olympics. They've got the best lifts in the business. Even though it could be by fifth Olympics, Maddie's fourth Olympics, we still feel like as giddy and as childlike as ever. And while their chemistry has flourished on the ice, so too their love off of it. Watch the adoring gayses they exchanged during our interview. We built our relationship on friendship, which I think is why it has been so successful. And we had this strong bond before we even started dating. In 2024, the couple said, I do exchanging lays in Hawaii in honor of Chalk's heritage. You guys live together, you work together, you compete together.

How do you keep the peace? We get asked all the time, like, don't you get sick of each other? And honestly, the answer is no. Her strengths are different from my strengths, and we complement each other in so many different ways. From Bates' command and exquisite lifts to Chalk's artistry designing creative costumes for their programs. The other secret to their success? Absolutely Stella and Henry. They accompany us to training every day.

While fans are speculating this could be the 33 and 36-year-old's last dance on the world stage, chalk and Bates say they feel like they've already won. I hope what comes through is just our passion, the love that we have for skating, the love that we have for each other, and just the culmination of so many years of work that will be happening in Milan. Emily Keta, NBC News. And good luck to them and Team USA. That's nightly news for this Saturday. Don't miss primetime Olympics coverage tonight, and of course, the Super Bowl tomorrow.

And I'll see you live from the Olympics on Monday. I'm Tom Yamas. Thanks so much for watching tonight. And always, we're here for you. Good night.