Jason Kelce is one of the most popular retired football players in the world. The former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman isn’t shy about being his true self, whether that’s going shirtless in the middle of a wintry NFL playoff game in January or dancing for a crowd of fans. Kelce’s fame has gotten a boost from his brother’s romance with pop icon Taylor Swift, but the older brother has earned plenty of popularity under his own accord.
ESPN feels that Jason Kelce has a face and personality fit for late-night television. They have greenlit a late-night program that will debut right after the New Year in January 2025. We have everything you need to know about Jason Kelce’s new series right here.
When and where will Jason Kelce’s late-night show air?
According to ESPN’s website, They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce is the title of the program and it will air every Friday night/Saturday morning in January at 1 a.m. ET along with the first Friday night/Saturday morning in February at 1:30 a.m ET. The first episode is on January 3/4 (depending on your time zone) and the final one is on January 31/February 1 (again depending on your time zone). The show will be one hour long, like every other traditional late-night series. As far as a streaming home for the show, fans who don’t have cable can watch They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce on ESPN+. This streamer is easy to purchase in a bundle with Hulu and Disney+.
Who will be appearing on Jason Kelce’s late-night show?
There isn’t a lot of information on who will be appearing on the show yet. Jason Kelce told Jimmy Kimmel when the show was announced that he would invite on a lot of former NFL players, coaches, and football-related celebrities of interest for the fans at home. We know the Kelces have branched out into pop culture in a big way since Travis started dating Taylor Swift so fingers crossed we might see the ultra-famous pop superstar on the late-night show even for just a passing glance.
ESPN could look to the success of the ManningCast on Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli Manning. This show that broadcasts simultaneously with the football game every Monday leverages the great personalities of the Manning brothers and their knowledge of the game. The show invites various celebrities at different points such as Snoop Dogg to talk about both the sport and entertainment at large. Jason Kelce’s show will be much more entertainment-focused than analytical since it’s not airing concurrently with a live football game. Think of the energy on the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live but with a football theme.
What are some other TV shows hosted by or featuring former athletes?
Jason Kelce certainly isn’t the first retired athlete to get into the world of TV and entertainment, but he is a rarity in the late-night talk show sphere. There have been a few sports stars to host a talk show in the past, namely basketball legend Magic Johnson. The Magic Hour ran during the summer of 1998, but Kelce’s show shouldn’t take many notes from Johnson’s. The Los Angeles Lakers icon couldn’t transform his charismatic personality into an affable and believable hosting demeanor and the series was cancelled after only a few months on the air.
Kelce’s brother Travis currently hosts a game show on Prime Video, Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? The series is a spiritual successor to the Jeff Foxworthy game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Travis and Jason both know how to present themselves in front of a large audience, they’re good with people, and fans both inside and outside football enjoy their presence. From cereal boxes to ESPN’s studios, get ready for world domination from the Kelce brothers.
What are some of Jason Kelce’s accomplishments during his football career?
Jason Kelce is one of the best players in NFL history at his position. Playing center, Kelce didn’t get talked about a lot compared to his teammates who played flashier positions, but the center is one of the most important offensive line positions in football. Kelce helped direct traffic up on the offensive line and communicated well with the quarterback when setting up each offensive drive.
Kelce’s numbers and accolades are incredible. He won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles to cap off the 2017 season. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times in his career and named First-team All-Pro six times. Kelce was great right up to his last season in the league, being named to both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in his final campaign. He immediately went to work in football media in his first season of retirement which has allowed fans in Philadelphia to remain close to him while they’re missing him on the field.
