"It's not like I'm super thrilled": Jason Kelce gets honest about having to travel for ESPN broadcasting

Jason Kelce pulled back the curtain on his post-NFL life. He admitted that the constant travel tied to his new broadcasting role isn’t his favorite part of the job.

The longtime Eagles center retired after 13 seasons before joining ESPN’s "Monday Night Countdown" last year. His younger brother, Chiefs star Travis Kelce, remains on the field and recently got engaged to pop icon Taylor Swift after a two-year relationship.

Jason shared on Wednesday how life on the road feels less glamorous than fans might imagine.

"I'm out of the house because it's my job," Jason said (56:24), via the "New Heights." podcast. "I have to travel every single week. It's not like I'm super thrilled, although it is. It has been fun. I'm not gonna lie. I do like getting out of the house."

Jason's analyst contract with ESPN spans three years for $24 million, placing him among the network’s highest-paid NFL personalities. The job’s steady travel schedule sends him to different cities for each broadcast.

Jason Kelce says his Ireland trip wasn’t for work

Syndication: Detroit Free Press - Source: Imagn

Jason Kelce also offered a candid confession about a recent overseas excursion that had nothing to do with his ESPN duties.

"Did go over to Ireland recently, and that was not part of my job," Kelce said on Wednesday, via the "New Heights" podcast. "That was solely to play golf and have fun. So I guess I'm lying a little bit."

The broadcaster’s second season with ESPN comes amid the network’s strict exclusivity rules for on-air talent. YouTube approached Kelce in August to participate in its coverage of the Chiefs-Chargers season opener in Brazil, a game featuring his brother.

ESPN declined the offer due to its standing policy barring employees from appearing on outside streaming broadcasts. Industry insiders emphasized that the rule predates YouTube’s inquiry and applies across ESPN’s lineup, not just to Kelce.

Away from television, "New Heights" continues to dominate the podcast world. Since Travis Kelce's high-profile relationship with Swift, the show has surged in viewership. It also broke a YouTube record in September when Swift unveiled details of her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl."

Their deal with Amazon ensures it streams on Prime Video and YouTube, where it regularly charts among the top five sports shows on Apple Podcasts.