ESPN is ‘aggressively pursued’ by Jason Kelce to join its Monday Night Football program, according to sources.
Kelce, 36, ended his illustrious NFL career in a tearful press conference earlier this month, announcing his retirement after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nonetheless, the Super Bowl-winning center has plenty of alternatives as he prepares to start on a new chapter in his post-playing career, with many television networks apparently vying for his signature.
According to The Athletic, ESPN plans to add Kelce to Monday Night Football next season as part of a pregame lineup overhaul.
Just one year after Scott Van Pelt oversaw a set renovation, Robert Griffin III’s spot is considered to be in jeopardy, while Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s part-time future on ‘Monday Night Countdown’ is uncertain.
ESPN ‘aggressively recruited’ Jason Kelce to join their Monday Night Football program.
ESPN is determined to include Kelce in Monday Night Football as part of a pregame shake-up.
Robert Griffin III’s job on the show as an analyst is said to be under threat next season.
Fitzgerald’s contract expired in February and has yet to be renewed, with executives telling him they wanted to watch how the rest of their roster developed before making a final decision.
ESPN officials want Kelce to join their popular Monday night show as an analyst, but they have competition from numerous other networks.
NBC, CBS, and Amazon Prime are reportedly interested in signing the recently retired player, who appeared on Thursday Night Football with the Chicago Bears against the Carolina Panthers in November.
Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark will return to ‘Countdown’ with Van Pelt, while Michelle Beisner-Buck will continue as the show’s feature reporter.
Another name on ESPN’s want list is the legendary Bill Belichick, who is now without an NFL coaching position after leaving the New England Patriots.
However, Belichick is said to have told the network that he is not interested in appearing on a regular studio show.
Kelce is hot property in the TV world after announcing his retirement, bringing his long career in Philadelphia to an end.
Kelce, 36, elected to end his historic football career earlier this month.
Earlier this week, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni stated that the team had lost one of the finest players to grace both the franchise and the NFL when his senior center elected to leave.
‘Obviously, we are losing one of the best players in not only Eagles history, but also NFL history,’ Sirianni stated during the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Tuesday.
‘One of the best centers of all time, so clearly there will be things that we need to work on replacing with that.’