Sheinelle Jones‘ time on the third hour of Today came to an emotional close.
Though the show’s Friday, January 2, episode was prerecorded, it marked Jones’ last day on the NBC morning program’s third hour before she becomes Jenna Bush Hager‘s fourth hour cohost on January 12. To celebrate their final day as a quartet, Jones’ cohosts shared some of their favorite on-and-off-screen moments together.
“We have been fortunate enough to have you with us, but we’ve also been fortunate enough to see the people who have made you who you are,” Al Roker began. “And I think nothing encapsulates that as much as this piece of video you shared.”
Roker went on to show an Instagram video Jones posted back in July 2024 featuring herself, her daughter, Clara, her mother, and her grandmother. “Heading to a special legacy dinner tonight for @akasorority1908 
,” Jones captioned the clip at the time. “My grandmother is 94 years old and pledged in 1949… my mom pledged in 1972… and I joined in 1997 … Clara’s up next – but time can slow down. 
#family.”
On Today, Roker said that he “never” gets tired of watching the sweet family video. Jones noted that “the women in my family have made me who I am — and the guys, too — but it’s almost unspeakable, and I think sometimes you can see that.”
Dylan Dreyer shared her own kind words for Jones, stating, “You have become such a dear friend of mine in the best way possible. My laughter around you is so genuine, and you have just been such an amazing friend to me for so many years. I mean, years and years and years. So, I want to remind you about this.”
Dreyer went on to show a clip of a November 2018 Today segment, in which she tried to teach Jones how to play golf and Jones tried to teach her how to dance. Dreyer’s dance moves had the hosts and the crew cracking up, as Dreyer recalled, “Our camera operators were laughing so hard the camera was shaking.”
She continued, “The laughter started before then, and that was just one of many times that I’ve just fallen on the floor laughing with you. So, thank you for your friendship.”
For Craig Melvin, he honored Jones by writing her an original poem, just as she had done for him for the cast’s Secret Santa back in December 2024.
“In the glare of the cameras, your light shines through. A sister, a leader, so fearless and true. You juggle the chaos, three hearts call you mom, yet walking to work with that grace and calm,” Melvin’s poem read. “The stories you tell come straight from the soul. Authentic and kind, journalism’s goal. The loss you endured, the world also saw, yet still you rise daily, inspiring awe. That smile could outshine the studio’s gleam, a spark of resilience, hope, and dream. Through laughter and tears, you’ve got it my way. Dear Sheinelle, my sister in spirit, you brighten each day.”
The heartfelt gesture made Jones tear up, and she thanked Melvin with a hug before she and the cast toasted to her last day. “It has been my honor to be a part of the nonsense people. I mean, you know you’ve made it when you get a cartoon that calls us the nonsense people,” she said, referring to how the third hour hosts were referred to as Today‘s “nonsense” people in a 2022 episode of Family Guy. “And once a nonsense girl, always one, so you’re not getting rid of me.”
Jones went on to give Today fans a special shoutout, stating, “To you guys at home, thank you so much for all of it, for scaffolding me and the kids. We come in and we laugh, and we’re genuinely laughing. We tear up, like now. This has been one of the rides of my life, with you guys.”
Jones will seemingly take some time off from Today before joining Bush Hager at the fourth hour desk, as Matt Rogers will serve as Bush Hager’s Jenna & Friends guest host next week.
Third Hour of Today, Weekdays, 9 a/8c, NBC
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