Jana Wosnitza at the start of the new NFL season: Jana Wosnitza in an interview: “I can only be good if I really am myself”

Back then at darts, says Jana Wosnitzashe learned to present. It was a tough school – with passionate fans, countless technical terms and a whole lot of partying and testosterone all around. Sports1 was the home of the sports journalist for years, who, after studying business administration and an internship at FC Bayern, decided to go down a different path. In 2017, the Cologne native came to Sports1volunteered there and was soon tested for her suitability for on-air work. This was followed by the “Doppelpass” – the station’s most important format, which she accompanied as co-presenter. Then RTLand thus stand Jana Wosnitza faced one of the most important questions of her career to date: Should she change? To the powerful entertainment channel, back to Cologne, with all the advantages and disadvantages? Since last season, the now 30-year-old has been the presenter of the usually Sunday broadcasts of the NFLA few months ago, she also became known to the non-sports-loving public when she took part in the RTL live show “Let’s Dance” and ended up taking an outstanding second place.

The new regular NFL season begins at RTL on the night of Friday, September 6, at 1:50 a.m., when the reigning Super Bowl winner Kansas City Chiefs die Baltimore Ravens Reception. On Sunday, 8 September, at 7 p.m., the event continues – first with the New York Giantsdie, die Minnesota Vikings as guests. At 10.25 p.m. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Washington Commanders.

teleschau: If you American Football with a dance – which one would it be?

Jana Wosnitza: I’ll take the Charleston: a colorful dance that leaves a lot of room for entertainment.

teleschau: Nothing more formal? Football is a bit like lawn chess…

Jana Wosnitza: That is also true. This autumn, the Paso Doble The man’s dance, very energetic. That would fit the sport. Both comparisons are possible. But the mere fact that we are discussing this question is already a symbol of the range that the American Football has to offer. The NFL Combines entertainment and sport at the highest level.

teleschau: Here comes the question of all questions that fans of this sport are asked again and again: “What is so great about American football? Why do you watch it?” Have you been answered?

Jana Wosnitza: It is this special appeal of sport and incredible athleticism that regularly amazes us, and the entertainment factor that the NFL has to offer in perfection. Don’t be put off by a complex set of rules, because it’s really easy to get started because the basic rules are very simple. You only need a little information to feel the magic of this sport. Then there’s the appeal of being far away. Football is the US sport par excellence, and it has some real characters.

teleschau: What surprised you most in your first season?

Jana Wosnitza: I thought it would be harder for me to put everything under one hut After switching from Sports1 to RTL So much was new to me: new channel, new studio, new team and a new sport. I assumed that I would need more time to feel at home.

teleschau: And then it went faster?

Jana Wosnitza: Yes. Because we produced in a tight schedule, every Sunday, I had the feeling early on that I had been involved for a long time. At the beginning, I did have some opposition from the community. But immediately Patrick Esume and Bjorn Werner for me in the breach, the support of the entire team was great. We grew together as a team extremely quickly. And the haters have now also fallen silent.

Topic Testosterone

teleschau: ProSieben has so far succeeded in establishing this sport through intensive support of the community in this country. The change of broadcasting rights to RTL viewed with skepticism by many fans. And you were a bit of a symbol of that, even though you couldn’t do anything about it…

Jana Wosnitza: I saw this as a challenge that I wanted to accept. In a way, it is completely fine that I was initially skeptical about a few people in the football community. That just shows how important they are to this sport. But I think it soon became clear how much this love of sport unites us all. Today we have convinced fans and viewers how serious the broadcaster is. RTL is, American Football in Germany.

teleschau: In between: Who wins the Super Bowl 2025?

Jana Wosnitza: Phew. I sympathize a little with the San Francisco 49ers. It would be time for the team after all these years.

teleschau: You yourself studied in the USA for a while…

Jana Wosnitza: Yes, I spent half a year in San Diego.

teleschau: What is your relationship with the United States today?

Jana Wosnitza: I just like this American way of thinking. This feeling: “Nothing is too big for me. I am allowed to think about everything, to always want to go one step further.” That is a mentality that I appreciate and that is also reflected in sport. NFL is sexy, and of course that has to do with great marketing. It’s clear there: you can’t get past football. Sport brings people together. In the USA and here too…

teleschau: In the last two or three years you have met athletes of all kinds: dancers, darts professionals, football players and of course soccer players. Which clichés are true?

Jana Wosnitza: Oh, I really don’t think of clichés. But what I can say is that there was a lot of testosterone involved at one point or another. But I like that and can deal with it well.

teleschau: There was this impressive moment when you were standing on the lawn between hundreds of two-meter-tall giants right after the end of the Super Bowl and were hunting for interviews…

Jana Wosnitza: The game went into extra time and we all stood in the catacombs for ages. And then all these people stormed onto the pitch. That was really special – and yes, it was the first time for me. I had only seen this exceptional situation on TV up until then. But we had prepared well. Despite the heat in Las Vegas I kept my neon green Jacket so that I could somehow find our cameras again. It worked. And then it became clear to me: I have to give everything for the German audience to get one or two interviews with Patrick Mahomes Or Travis Kelce At least – I touched her (laughs). But it was only my first year, my first Super Bowl on site. We all have to have goals…

“At
RTL It’s not just sport that counts, but also entertainment”

teleschau: After the end of the season, you took part in the RTL show “Let’s Dance” for a few months. RTL Were you somehow forced or did you really want to do this?

Jana Wosnitza (laughs): No no, I wanted that. I’m just a huge fan of television. I love sport and I love entertainment. This format brings the two together in a great way. I also saw it as a personal challenge.

teleschau: In what way?

Jana Wosnitza: “Let’s Dance” gave me the chance to put my actual job aside for a while and find out: What else can I get out of myself? Here, as a dancer. I had no experience at all. My father was terribly shocked when he heard that. “Child, what’s that about? You can’t dance,” he said. And I tried desperately to explain to him that that was exactly the point of the show.

teleschau: You came second in the final. And your father didn’t have this talent until then?

Jana Wosnitza: Not at all. He was sure that it would be a complete catastrophe (laughs).

teleschau: But you are also paying a price at your new home station. Your mother’s serious cancer was discussed several times on “Let’s Dance”. Did you know that RTL no longer like in the “Doppelpass” at Sports1 That in a certain sense they themselves become the subject of reporting?

Jana Wosnitza: Yes, I did. But I had already thought about this topic long before I made the change. Anyone who is on television also asks themselves: What kind of presenter do I want to be? There are two ways: one is to concentrate solely on the technical aspects and journalism and thus be a little aloof. And on the other hand, you can also try to be as much the same person in front of the camera as you are behind the camera. I am certainly more vulnerable to attack, and I am sure not everyone likes that. But for me, that is the right way – the only way. I can only be good if I am real. And yes, of course, with RTL It is not just the sport that counts, but also the entertainment. No other broadcaster manages to combine both as well as RTL.

teleschau: You keep your private life fairly private. Why did you allow the topic of your mother to be discussed?

Jana Wosnitza: Of course I spoke to her about it beforehand. They wanted to make it public because she herself had found a lot of support in other people’s stories. If she could help just one person a little bit, then, she says, it was worth it for her. It was just important to me not to go public with the topic too early. It only came up in show nine. I want people to get to know me first. Under no circumstances did I want the impression to be created that this family story was like a playing card for me in this competition. And that wasn’t the case.

teleschau: After a year at RTL: Do you want more tasks as an entertainer beyond sports?

Jana Wosnitza: Absolutely. Of course I want to, but I don’t force anything. I am happy with RTL because this channel offers me a lot of opportunities. The industry is notoriously fast-moving: things can always turn out differently than you think.