Is Jason Kelce TV's most sought free agent?
More than six weeks passed between Jason Kelce's final game and when he was ready to throw on a cutoff shirt, get his ankles taped one last time, and deliver a stirring retirement speech marking the end of his legendary career.
While knowing when to walk away was understandably hard, the answer for what comes after football has seemed clear for some time now.
Kelce has been exploring the contours of a potential post-career transition to TV for over a year. He's utilized resources that the league provides and taken a test ride in the broadcast booth.
While in Vegas to watch his brother play in the Super Bowl, he took further steps to identify his future options.
While where and in what role is still unclear, what is unmistakable is that Kelce looks primed to be the next big name in broadcasting.
In addition to hosting one of the most popular podcasts in America and being one of the sexiest men alive, Kelce is an all-pro center and one of the all-time best to play the position.
The landscape and scope of broadcasting opportunities for former players forever changed when CBS enticed Tony Romo into NFL retirement with a then-staggering $3 million a year offer to supplant Phil Simms as their #1 analyst. It was a bold and unprecedented move at the time, and recent history has shown that it forever changed the game.
After three seasons, Romo performed well enough to earn a 600% raise for his second contract, signing a 10-year $180 million deal in early 2020.
In March 2022, two years after Romo reset the market for the second time, ESPN lured Troy Aikman, a broadcasting free agent, away from Fox with a five-year, $90 million deal. Fox then filled the vacancy created by Aikman's departure by making Tom Brady an offer he couldn't refuse: 10 years, $375 million.
Where could Kelce land should he decide to take a TV job in the 2024 season?
Only a day after the Eagles lost to the Bucs in the playoffs, Awful Announcing published a piece naming NBC as the "most obvious spot," one where he could serve as the #2 analyst and potential successor to Cris Collinsworth.
"...the reality is that he's a unicorn in the field. When it comes to players-turned-broadcasters, some have Hall of Fame credentials and others are naturals in front of the camera, but few have both — and that's before factoring that Kelce's celebrity already transcends football."
Pro Football Talk pegs Amazon as his most likely destination.
"Amazon makes the most sense, especially since he could be added to the existing booth. Or, frankly, he could replace Herbstreit, who at times seems to be perhaps stretched a little too thin by his college football itinerary and work requirements."
The Athletic views CBS and NBC as "the favorites," pointing out that CBS has an interest in Kelce and a studio lineup with a plethora of openings:
"CBS has a wide-open desk after the Super Bowl and has interest in Kelce. While host James Brown is signed for two more years and newcomer J.J. Watt is due back, Nate Burleson, Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms are all free agents. This is why Kelce and CBS have already held talks."
Wherever he ends up, there will be one clear winner: the fans who will get to watch him on their TVs this fall.
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