NFL Rumors: ESPN Wants Jason Kelce To Host ‘Monday Night Football’ Pregame Show

In a statement laced with tears, Eagles center Jason Kelce, one of the team’s main leaders and a player who has been to two Super Bowls and six postseason games in the last seven seasons, announced his retirement, capping a career that should go down in Hall of Fame history.

NFL Rumors: ESPN Wants Jason Kelce To Host ‘Monday Night Football’ Pregame Show

Kelce, 36, was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and spent his whole 13-year playing career for the Eagles. He played at a high level right up until his last action, as seen by his seven Pro Bowl selections in 13 seasons and his sixth first-team All-Pro selection in 2023.

But before long, he’s in demand once more!

Executives with knowledge of ESPN’s preparations claim that the network is preparing for another “Monday Night Football” pregame shake-up.

Robert Griffin III’s position is in doubt a year after the set underwent a comprehensive overhaul under the direction of Scott Van Pelt, as the network is fervently seeking former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce for Monday evenings.

Man, play-by-play Troy Aikman, an analyst, and Joe Buck were enticed to leave Fox to work in the “Monday Night Football” booth. The variant “Manningcast” that Peyton and Eli Manning presented in 2021 was an immediate hit.

After a string of layoffs at ESPN in June prior to the season, longtime MNF pregame anchor Suzy Kolber was replaced with Scott Van Pelt last season. The program’s mainstay, Steve Young, was also fired, making room for Robert Griffin III, Marcus Spears, and Ryan Clark to take center stage.

It seems as if Kelce, who co-hosts the well-liked “New Heights” podcast with his brother, Travis Kelce, of the Chiefs, may be the first to go when the networks think about making changes to their NFL roster for 2024.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Bill Belichick is still a wild card and could not care less about a typical studio job.

According to an earlier story from The Athletic, Peyton Manning is attempting to sign Belichick to a contract with his Omaha Productions firm, which collaborates with ESPN.

After 13 seasons with the Eagles, Kelce announced his retirement from the NFL during the 2024 offseason. However, because of his charm, media experience, and NFL knowledge, many see him as a future great NFL TV commentator.

ESPN is not the only company after Kelce; NBC, CBS, and Amazon Prime Video are also considering a deal.

Executives say that Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s part-time position on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” is uncertain. Throughout the season, Fitzgerald made appearances on around one-third of the shows.

His deal expired in February, and it hasn’t been extended as of yet. ESPN told Fitzgerald that before deciding on a new contract, they wanted to see how the rest of their MNF pregame lineup worked out.

Full-time Employees Van Pelt, Marcus Spears, and Ryan Clark are anticipated to make a comeback on “Countdown.” The feature reporter will continue to be Michelle Beisner-Buck.

ESPN’s strategy probably calls for adding Kelce on the “MNF” pregame show in place of Griffin. Griffin had been “viewed as a rising star at the network, but he has leveled off, putting him at serious risk of being out on Mondays,” according to Marchand.

There are vacancies on the other networks as well. Notably, CBS has not signed any of Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Bill Cowher, or Nate Burleson to return to “The NFL Today” for the upcoming season. That plus CBS’s presence in New York would make them a compelling choice for Kelce.

He could face competition from Amazon Prime as well. He was featured on the massive streaming service’s Week 10 “Thursday Night Football” broadcast, as previously indicated. Additionally, the network made a documentary on his 2022 season.

It’s not yet clear which network has the advantage in the Kelce sweepstakes or if the future Hall of Famer will join the TV ranks this season.

After saying in a social media video that USC quarterback Caleb Williams, the projected top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, should “pull an Eli Manning” and decline to play for the Bears, who hold the No. 1 pick, former Heisman Trophy winner RG3 stirred up controversy. RG3 last played for the Ravens in 2020.

“Can Caleb Williams really take a look at all that’s transpired with simply Justin Fields and say, ‘You know what? This is the organization that has my best interest at heart and they are going to help develop me into the player that I want to become,’” Griffin said.

What made Jason Kelce select number 62?

The real reason Jason Kelce wears number 62 is that he was given it to him when he made it to the NFL, and he is honored to wear it.

How long was Jason Kelce retirement speech?

The Eagles center covered a wide range of issues during his more than 40-minute speech. These are all the items that you may have overlooked. Veteran Eagles center Jason Kelce made his retirement announcement on Monday. His almost 45-minute speech was filled with memories, emotions, and thank-yous.

What is Jason Kelce’s annual salary?

Jason Kelce has a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles as of 2023. With his current $14.5 million annual deal, he is the highest-paid center in the NFL.

Does Jason Kelce have kids?

Wyatt Elizabeth, Elliotte Ray, and Bennett Llewellyn are Jason and Kylie McDevitt’s three happy daughters. Jason announced his retirement from the NFL in March 2024. Shortly after the Super Bowl in February 2023, the couple had their youngest daughter.

 

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