Jason Kelce is gearing up to tackle "Monday Night Football" — and he says he's raring to go.
A source familiar with the negotiations confirmed to TODAY.com that the recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center will join “Monday Night Countdown,” the pregame show for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
While nothing is official — ESPN has not officially confirmed the move — Kelce he says he is looking forward to this new chapter in his life.
“Nothing has been officially inked yet or announced yet, but obviously there’s been a lot of reports out there about me going to ESPN and I think time will kind of take care of that, but it’s a tremendous honor to even be considered to potentially work there,” he said on the May 1 episode of his “New Heights” podcast that he does with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
The brothers said they couldn't get enough of ESPN while growing up.
“It fueled our love for sports,” Travis Kelce said.
“We were glued to the TV each and every day, so the fact that I may, potentially, probably will be working there is pretty darn cool, man,” Jason Kelce said.
“That’s some cool stuff to see come full circle, man, because we used to live and die by ESPN on that TV growing up,” Travis Kelce said.
Jason Kelce said he looked into the opportunity with ESPN and made sure to do his “due diligence.”
“Throughout the whole process, and meeting and talking to everybody over at ESPN, it became apparent that it was really the right fit and at the end of the day it was something that I’m really, really looking forward to, this next phase,” he said.
Kelce said he’s thrilled to move into a new area in his life.
“I guess it’s a little bit clearer now, which I’m certainly excited about,” he said.
“I know, to some degree, who I’m working with, and think very, very highly of all of them. I’m excited to learn. I know a lot about football, but not a lot about this world," he said.
"So it’s just another avenue to continue to expand your knowledge, create relationships, because that’s what this business is all about. That’s what every business is all about. It’s always about the people you interact with. So, I’m really excited.”
ESPN declined comment when contacted by TODAY.com.
The Athletic was the first to report the news of Kelce joining “Monday Night Countdown.”
Jason Kelce is no stranger to the broadcast game. He and his brother's "New Heights" podcast is the No. 2 sports podcast on Spotify's charts.
On April 1, Jason Kelce's wife, Kylie Kelce, hinted at his possible pivot to sportscasting during an appearance on TODAY.
“I think nothing is off the table at this point,” she said at the time. “I think that he — I mean, he’s my husband, so I’m biased, but I think he’s just so good at everything he tries. It’s kind of a pain in the butt. I think that nothing is off the table. He’s an ideas guy, so I think he’s just sort of letting them brew and see what happens.”
Jason Kelce’s vibrant personality and captivating antics reached new heights and charmed viewers during the recent football season. In January, he appeared shirtless at the Kansas City Chiefs' divisional road playoff game against the Buffalo Bills as he supported his brother.
He peeled off his shirt once again when he made an appearance April 6 at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. During the show, the footballer stepped up on the wrestling ring, ripped off his shirt and screamed, much to the delight of his audience.
In between, he announced his retirement during an emotional press conference on March 4, capping a 13-season career that is expected to one day land him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
