When ESPN hired Jason Kelce, it was one of the biggest talent acquisitions, both in salary and in star power, in recent memory. The future Hall of Famer had just completed a fantastic career with the Philadelphia Eagles. But more importantly, he had proven himself to be a multi-dimensional personality by hosting one of the world\u2019s most popular podcasts with his brother, Travis, at New Heights.<\/p>\n
When ESPN hired Kelce, a lot of us observing the landscape expected him to take a central role in the network\u2019s football coverage \u2013 this generation\u2019s answer to John Madden. A former lineman who could articulate the game in a new and entertaining way and be a transcendent football analyst.<\/p>\n
We couldn\u2019t have been more wrong.<\/p>\n
Kelce\u2019s NFL contributions at the network have been quite limited, mostly to his weekly Monday Night Countdown appearances, where he is a supporting cast member. It\u2019s beyond that where ESPN is getting the most out of Jason Kelce.<\/p>\n
There was his experimental late-night show (which may or may not come back<\/a>), he showed up on NHL coverage<\/a>, and now he\u2019s becoming a part of golf with his TGL appearance<\/a> and upcoming assignment at the Masters Par 3 contest<\/a>.<\/p>\n From the outside, it seems pretty random. And it seems like maybe ESPN doesn\u2019t know how best to use one of its highest-paid stars<\/a>.<\/p>\n But maybe we\u2019ve all missed the forest for the trees, and this is exactly what both Jason Kelce and ESPN want.<\/p>\n It\u2019s much like the ManningCast in the way that it\u2019s not what anyone envisioned when imagining a media career for Peyton and Eli Manning. Any network would write a blank check to either (see Brady, Tom) to come in and be a top analyst week in and week out. But it\u2019s what they are happy to do in showing up for most weeks during the NFL season to do their own thing.<\/p>\n