If Jason Kelce wants to be on an NFL studio show, he will have options with NBC, CBS and ESPN the likeliest landing spots, officials involved with discussions told The Athletic.
Kelce, who retired Monday from the NFL after 13 seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles center, is in a strong position as his very popular podcast, “New Heights” with his brother, Travis Kelce, tight end for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, has the potential to make millions in a separate partnership.
For both NBC’s and CBS’ NFL pregame shows on Sundays, Kelce could easily commute from his home in Philadelphia, making the national TV jobs a one- or two-day work week. NBC’s program is located in Stamford, Conn., while CBS’ is in Manhattan. Last season, NBC added Devin McCourty and could look at Kelce as a perfect partner as it retools its roster, getting younger and more contemporary.
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.
While NBC and CBS are viewed as the favorites, ESPN is always a stalking horse and has interest. It has a variety of shows from its marquees on Sunday and Monday to its daily NFL programs.
Meanwhile, Fox is in a Super Bowl year, but its desk is already full and its shows are on the West Coast, making it an unlikely destination. Amazon Prime Video could only offer a contributor spot on “Thursday Night Football,” but, if the Kelces brought their podcast under the Amazon umbrella, it could be part of a bigger deal. Kelce does have a pre-existing relationship with Amazon after his documentary with his wife, Kylie, appeared on the platform.
For a center, Kelce is a very unique position to be sought after. Networks could look at Jason as a one-two-punch acquisition with the idea of adding Travis whenever he retires.
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