Dan Patrick Advises Jason Kelce Not To Join ESPN -- So Do We

ESPN is one of several networks interested in signing Jason Kelce to a media contract before the upcoming football season. But Dan Patrick, a former face of ESPN, advises Kelce not to sign there.

"You don’t just come in and do Monday Night Countdown. There’s so much more they’ll ask you to do. It’s called the car wash for a reason. You go in and you’ll be on this show and this show and this show and this show. You’re at their demand." Patrick said.

Patrick said he had a similar conversation with Charles Barkley when he was considering moving from TNT to ESPN:

"I want to hear Charles one time. I don’t want it to be watered down that you’re hearing it three or four times over the course of the day. If you go to ESPN you have to really be geared up to, ‘I really like being on TV. I really like being on radio. I really like doing somebody’s podcast.’ If Jason Kelce is interested in that, that could be the place for him. I wouldn’t advise him to go there because I think he’s a unique voice right now and I would want to have one place where I could hear him."

Patrick references how ESPN often uses its personalities across the network, not isolating them to one marquee platform. 

For example, Dan Orlovsky doesn't just appear as an analyst on "NFL Live." He also appears on "SportsCenter," "Get Up," and "First Take." He color commentates college football broadcasts and international broadcasts for the NFL.

However, ESPN makes exceptions for talents whom it considers singular. Notice ESPN does not schedule Troy Aikman or Joe Buck to appear anywhere but Monday Night Football, the role for which they are signed.

Jason Kelce is singular.

Particularly in a bidding war, he'd have the leverage to decide his workload at ESPN. 

The more accurate concern for Kelce regarding ESPN should be the energy of the Monday Night Football pregame show, or lack thereof. 

Kelce is a nosiey, animated personality. He's fun. "Monday Night Countdown," in its current form, is not.

ESPN revamped the program last season, pitting host Scott Van Pelt with Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, and Robert Griffin III. ESPN hopes to replace RGIII next season. Good. He wasn't any good in the role. However, Spears and Clark aren't exactly hoots, either. Particularly Clark, who can't help but inject unfounded social commentary into his analysis. 

Van Pelt is a talented host. We don't dispute that. Yet he was reluctant last year to prevent Clark and RGIII from using the platform to air their personal grievances. 

He lost control of the show.

Thus, ESPN would be better off recasting the entire pregame program around Jason Kelce next season, perhaps adding more likable analysts around him – like, say, Dan Orlovsky and Jeff Saturday.

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Jason Kelce reacts after the Kansas City Chiefs score against the Buffalo Bills during the first half for the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. (Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) 

Ultimately, if Jason Kelce has the choice of ESPN, NBC, CBS, or Amazon Prime – Amazon is the most natural fit. 

The Thursday Night Football pregame show is live at the site of each weekly matchup, allowing the panelist to feed off the energy of the crowd. 

Host Charissa Thompson traffic cops a more loose, cheerful broadcast. Kelce's unpredictable personality would mesh more easily with co-analysts Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andrew Whitworth, Richard Sherman, and Tony Gonzalez.

Plus, Amazon already airs several alternative broadcasts to complement the main TNF feed. Travis Kelce is likely a year or two away from joining his brother in media, full-time.

You know where we are going … 

ESPN already broadcasts the ManningCast. Amazon can counter with the KelceCast. It's too obvious of a golden programming decision to bypass. 

So, we agree with Dan Patrick that ESPN is not the ideal fit for Jason Kelce – just not for the reasons Patrick voiced.