According to Puck, she earned more than $20 million a year, a salary network executives told her couldn't be justified anymore thanks to the changing broadcast landscape. "NBC executives loved Hoda and knew her value to the brand,

Kotb first joined NBC as a correspondent back in 1998. She became a co-anchor of the 10 a.m. hour alongside Kathie-Lee Gifford in 2008, with the show dubbed “Today with Kathie-Lee and Hoda.”

With NBC evaluating how to reboot 'Today' and 'CBS Morning' prepping a third hour, the mornings are poised to heat up.