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    • Jason Kelce Brings Star Power to ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Countdown’
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    Jason Kelce Brings Star Power to ESPN’s ‘Monday Night Countdown’

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    PHILADELPHIA — Jason Kelce definitely qualifies as a “personality asset.”

    After all, that’s why ESPN valued its broadcast services for the 2024 NFL season so much.

    “He kept asking, ‘What do you expect from me? What do you want?’ And we’d say, ‘We just want you to be yourself,'” ESPN vice president of production Seth Markman told USA TODAY Sports.

    Kelce joined the network’s “Monday Night Countdown” desk, along with anchor Scott Van Pelt and fellow analysts Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark. Every company that broadcasts the NFL held meetings to convince the former Philadelphia Eagles center to join their shop because of his engaging personality.

    “It’s unique. He dresses differently. He sounds different,” said Markman, who oversees ESPN’s college football and NFL studio programming. “He’s not your typical NFL analyst.”

    Indeed, Kelce, wearing a Kelly green Italian tracksuit, kicked off Monday’s edition of “Countdown” in style by whipping up a frenzied crowd outside Lincoln Financial Field. As a DJ spun music behind him, Kelce shouted into a microphone — not unlike what his brother and podcast cohost Travis did after winning Super Bowl 58 — and introduced his former Eagles teammates Fletcher Cox, a fellow freshman retiree, and Nick Foles, who was honored before Philadelphia hosted the Atlanta Falcons on “MNF.”

    “I think people see him as an average guy, they really do, and they can relate to him,” Markman said. “He’s so nice. And I think that comes through.”

    Kelce made his way from one stage to the “Countdown” set, high-fiving fans as security cleared the way, as he did for many Eagles ball carriers during his 13-year NFL career. As he took his seat between Spears and Clark, Kelce wiped his head and hands with a blue towel.

    “I don’t know if I have any energy left, guys,” he said.

    During the show, Kelce dished some hard truths about the Carolina Panthers after the team announced that second-year quarterback Bryce Young would be benched. He made a comment about how a referee who showed off a fine display of athleticism during Justin Jefferson’s 97-yard touchdown on Sunday should have Next Gen Stats. The six-time All-Pro turned and waved to fans who chanted his name and held up his No. 62 jersey during a commercial break.

    “This city is incredible, man,” Kelce said on the show. “It really is. It’s so unique.”

    To make room for Kelce on “Countdown,” the network moved on from Robert Griffin III, who was fired in what was seen as a financial decision. Concerns about chemistry always exist when a new voice joins a show, Markman said. Kelce’s current popularity levels, at an all-time high thanks to his podcast and brother Travis’ romance with Taylor Swift, could complicate matters. Markman floated the possibility of adding Kelce to the “Countdown” crew, and he said they were receptive to his addition.

    “He draws a lot of attention, especially here,” Markman said. “But these guys are so selfless and they realize that adding him helps the show.”

    During the third quarter of Monday’s game, Kelce will announce the game in the ESPN broadcast booth, along with announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. Kelce had expressed interest in trying it out, and an Eagles home game made sense, Markman said. The goal is to not make the experiment sound like a celebrity interview.

    “Because who knows where it could lead? I think he could be really good at that,” Markman said. “I think he could be good at anything he wants to do.”

    For now, “Countdown” fits Kelce’s lifestyle. But he might want to cover games someday, Markman said.

    Any other network would have been happy to have Kelce in any capacity. During Kelce’s first meeting with ESPN, he talked about what “MNF” meant to him and his brother while growing up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

    “I thought that gave us a little bit of an edge, the relationships and how he felt about our brand,” Markman said. “Honestly, I knew all the other networks were in. And you don’t know. You’re hoping and hoping and trying to convince — I had a good feeling, but not like, ‘This is a sure thing.’ When his agent called and told us the good news, it was a great feeling.”

    Kelce’s addition is part of ESPN’s ramping up of the star power behind its “MNF” brand in recent years. The “Manningcast” with Peyton and Eli Manning became an instant hit during the 2021 season. Buck and Aikman, who moved from FOX to “MNF,” ended the quest for a high-profile booth. In 2024, Bill Belichick will join the “Manningcast” for every episode.

    “I think we made a concerted effort to say, ‘This is our number one property, this is ‘Monday Night Football,’ and we’re going to put the biggest and best names on this property,” Markman said. “That’s why we feel even better about what we have by adding Bill and Jason this year — it’s important to us.”

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