Jason Kelce is 'looking forward' to his career's 'next phase' with ESPN

Jason Kelce announced his retirement during the 2024 NFL offseason following a legendary career with the Philadelphia Eagles. After being just a sixth-round draft pick, he spent 13 years as one of the best overall offensive linemen in the entire NFL.

While his contributions will surely be missed on the football field, Kelce is expected to remain extremely active in the media. His "New Heights" podcast with younger brother Travis Kelce continues to grow in popularity, which may have helped to open up another career path for the former center.

It has been recently reported that Jason Kelce is nearing an official deal to join ESPN in a studio role covering the NFL on television. He recently addressed the reports during a recent episode of his podcast and discussed what it could mean for his post-retirement life:

"Nothing has been officially inked or announced yet, but obviously there's been a lot of reports out there about me going to ESPN. 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. The network was everything that Travis and I watched growing up.

"We talk about stuff, these guys that we grew up watching, and watching ESPN fueled our love for Sports Center. Before phones, that was the only way to get all of the coverage. We were glued to the TV each and every day. So the fact that I may potentially, probably be working there, it's pretty darn cool man."

Kelce explained that he had done some research, looking to ensure he would be a good fit:

"I did my due diligence, you know what I mean, you want to really make sure you're looking at things and talking to people that are knowledgeable in the industry. I've never done something like this, and throughout the whole process meeting and talking with everybody over at ESPN, it became apparent that it was really the right fit.

"At the end of the day, it was something that I'm really looking forward to, this next phase. I guess it's a little bit clearer now, which I'm certainly excited about. I'm excited to learn. I know a lot about football, but I don't know a lot about this world. So that's just another avenue to continue to expand our knowledge and create relationships, because that's what this business is all about."

While Jason Kelce insisted that nothing is official yet, the way he talked about ESPN certainly sounds as though he is on his way to working there. It will be interesting to see exactly what type of role he takes on, but it is currently rumored to be a studio analyst position.

Jason Kelce's case for the Hall of Fame

Jason Kelce

Being elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a prestigious honor for any NFL player following their career. It's also a rare one for those who play in certain positions, with centers being one of them. Just 10 centers from NFL history have received the honor of being enshrined in Canton.

While Jason Kelce will try to join this exclusive club, he has career accomplishments that suggest he will one day be elected. Most notably, he recently set the record for the most All-Pro appearances by any center in NFL history with six selections.

This also ties him with Reggie White and Chuck Bednarik, two more Hall of Famers, for the most such selections in Philadelphia Eagles history. Jason Kelce is one of the greatest linemen of this generation, and one of the best centers ever, so his case for the Hall of Fame appears strong.