Jason Kelce has his first post-NFL gig lined up.
The newly retired Philadelphia Eagles center earned seven Pro Bowl selections and one Super Bowl ring during his 13-year NFL career. Along the way, he became one of the faces of the Eagles and — along with younger brother and “New Heights” podcast co-host Travis Kelce, the star Kansas City Chiefs tight end who happens to be dating pop superstar Taylor Swift — one of the league’s most recognized names.
Now Jason Kelce is making the move to TV. The Times has learned he will be joining the on-air crew for ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown,” the pregame show to the network’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast.
ESPN, which has yet to announce the move, declined to comment. The Athletic was the first to report the news.
Last season, “Monday Night Countdown” was hosted by SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt, who was joined by analysts Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears and Robert Griffin III.
Kelce was a walk-on linebacker at Cincinnati and a sixth-round pick for the Eagles in the 2011 draft. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2014 and his most recent this past season.
Jason Kelce speaks during the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Feb. 8, 2019.
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
After the Eagles’ win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Kelce gained national attention at the team’s parade by donning a Mummers outfit and shrieking out an NSFW victory speech for the ages.
He also might be known as the wild and crazy guy who went shirtless and chugged beers in the same VIP suite as Swift during the AFC championship game earlier this year or who jumped into the ring with former Eagles teammate Lane Johnson at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia earlier this month.
Kelce has also shown a more down-to-earth side, though, such as when he told Travis, “You crossed the line,” for losing his cool at Chiefs coach Andy Reid on the sideline during Super Bowl LVIII in February.
“I don’t try to be anything that I’m not and I think fans, especially in Philadelphia, appreciate that. I think it’s a very ‘real’ relationship,” Kelce said in 2023. “I just try to be as much of myself as I can be, not trying to get a big head or anything like that because I certainly don’t have one and really just engage with the fans in a real way as much as possible. I think they reciprocate that.”