Jason Kelce has officially joined ESPN as the newest member of “Monday Night Countdown,” ESPN announced Tuesday.
The announcement was made during the Disney 2024 Upfront presentation.
Kelce, a former Philadelphia Eagles center, retired from the NFL in March after 13 seasons. He will join “Monday Night Countdown,” which covers NFL news prior to “Monday Night Football,” “throughout the regular season and ESPN’s Super Wild Card and Divisional Round playoff games,” according to an ESPN press release.
Kelce will also be featured at halftime during ESPN’s coverage of “Monday Night Football.”
“The six-time NFL All-Pro will also become a member of ESPN’s Super Bowl studio coverage each year, including Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles (February 2027) when America’s Biggest Game airs on ESPN and ABC,” the release stated. “Additional postseason studio appearances will occur annually, including during the NFL’s Conference Championship weekend. Further opportunities will be explored.”
Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce on set of Amazon Thursday Night Football Postgame Show after the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sept. 14, 2023 in Philadelphia.
Cooper Neill/Getty Images, FILE
Kelce weighed in on the announcement Tuesday, saying in a statement included in ESPN’s press release, “Turns out, it was a short retirement! I’m excited to join ESPN, and particularly the Monday Night Countdown team. ESPN was a consistent presence in our household growing up and the network helped shape who I am and my love of all sports. To now appear on that same screen is a full circle moment. And, I mean it’s freaking Monday Night Football! and I’m ready for some football.”
Burke Magnus, the president of content at ESPN, praised Kelce in a statement also included in the release.
“Jason is a highly respected, Super Bowl Champion with a strong connection to fans,” he said. “Walking off the field and immediately to ESPN, viewers will benefit from his perspective which has been shaped through his years as an established locker room leader and a future Hall of Fame center. Jason’s addition to Monday Night Countdown will greatly strengthen our NFL coverage.”
Earlier this year, Kelce hinted at a potential move to ESPN on the May 1 episode of his “New Heights” podcast, which he co-hosts with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“Yeah, nothing’s been officially inked yet or announced yet, but obviously there’s been a lot of reports out there about me going to ESPN, and you know, 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 at the time.
During his time on the field, Kelce gained unique recognition as a center, particularly for the outsized role he played as an offensive lineman, a position that generally does not garner much fanfare. His many accolades include a Super Bowl championship, seven Pro-Bowl selections and six All-Pro seasons.
ESPN is owned by The Walt Disney Company, the parent company of ABC News and “Good Morning America.”
