LAS VEGAS—Jason Kelce is taking the primary steps towards a TV profession. The common Eagles heart was in Vegas this week and met with each ESPN and Fox Sports, Front Office Sports has realized.

Kelce has been hitting the blackjack tables, and he attended a U2 live performance on the Sphere as he waits for brother Travis Kelce and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs to tackle the 49ers. But he additionally seems to be placing in some work recon. Virtually each offseason there’s a retiring NFL participant wanted by networks trying to bolster their soccer protection. And whereas the 36-year previous six-time All-Pro hasn’t introduced an official resolution about enjoying in 2024, he’s exploring his choices.

According to a supply with direct information of the scenario, Kelce met this week with ESPN to debate presumably linking up; and FOS spoke to a different supply who witnessed Kelce assembly for a similar goal with Fox. (ESPN and Fox declined to remark.) Those talks are considered as a preliminary “testing of the water;” he’s been “making the rounds” with varied networks, in accordance with one of many sources, and the expectation from each nets is that CBS, NBC and Amazon will be a part of the hunt if Kelce formally turns into a TV free agent. 

The 13-year NFL veteran already boasts one of the common sports activities podcasts within the nation, New Heights, with brother Travis. He’s squarely in the midst of continuous media protection of the romance between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift; he endeared himself to hundreds of thousands of TV viewers by chugging beers with Bills followers; and in Vegas this week he told TMZ that he “obviously” would like to comply with his brother’s footsteps and host Saturday Night Live.

Pressure’s on Shanahan and Romo, Says Mad Dog Russo

The two individuals with essentially the most driving on Super Bowl Sunday are 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and lead CBS analyst Tony Romo. That’s the phrase from sports activities radio broadcaster Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who chatted with me Friday earlier than internet hosting his present, SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, on Radio Row.

“Shanahan needs to win this game,” says Russo. “Nobody’s going to kill [49ers quarterback Brock] Purdy. [Chiefs QB Patrick] Mahomes has won a couple already. [Chiefs coach Andy] Reid’s a Hall of Famer. But Romo needs a good performance—and Shanahan needs to win.”

To be honest to Romo, the final two Super Bowls he known as with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson have been boring, non-competitive affairs. But as a former Cowboys QB, Romo ought to understand that wins are the one issues that matter.

“The Super Bowl is about the analyst. So we’ll see how he responds,” says Russo.

Mike Drops

Russo, by the way in which, is aware of what’s what. During our interview he accurately predicted the NFL’s unique streaming-only playoff recreation would transfer from Peacock to Amazon subsequent season. Within hours, The Wall Street Journal reported the transfer. … And Speaking of Purdy, the previous Mr. Irrelevant is making strides with entrepreneurs on Madison Avenue. Just earlier than the Super Bowl he signed a nationwide endorsement take care of Toyota, making him their first new athletic endorser since they turned the NFL’s official automotive sponsor, in October. “He’s been an incredible story,” says Toyota exec Dedra DeLilli. In different phrases: Not so irrelevant. … Peyton and Eli Manning’s Monday Night Football ManningForged has been a success. On Radio Row Friday, Eli instructed me he would welcome doing a ManningForged of ESPN’s upcoming first Super Bowl, following the 2027 season. “That would be fun,” he says. “I never thought of calling a Super Bowl. That was never in the game plan for me as a player. Obviously, these last few years, doing some of the broadcasts, going to watch Super Bowls all the time, it would be fun to do that with Peyton and call a game.”