Jason Kelce’s retirement tears had yet to dry Monday after his farewell speech but speculation was already percolating about a broadcasting future for the big man.
By then, it had dawned on those interested in such weighty matters that the entertaining brother of Travis (Swift) Kelce would be entering the NFL’s TV marketplace at the same time as the enigmatic Bill Belichick, who only added to his mystique when no NFL owner would hire The Genius during their 2024 coaching searches.
Those who are bullish on Jason Kelce now believe his presence, and the prospect of multiple outlets having interest in him, will adversely impact Belichick’s TV opportunities (if the former Pats coach even wants to get into the broadcasting business) and squeeze him out of the market.
That particular notion is dubious. There’s plenty of room for both Jason Kelce and Belichick. After all, they bring two distinctly different personalities and skill sets to the microphone. One will not cancel the other out.
Kelce is blessed with a Maddenesque persona. When you chip away at all the angles he’s delivered on the “New Heights” podcast, and in other media moments, his love of the game runneth over. Football, and the NFL life, are his oxygen. The same stuff John Madden breathed. Kelce is everyman. He’s unpredictable, irreverent and easy to identify with.
Belichick is more complicated. It’s reported as a given that he will be back in coaching in 2025. While he’s never talked about it publicly, it has also been speculated that working in a booth (either two-person or three) would not appeal to him.
Nor would yucking it up on an NFL studio show. Nonetheless, Belichick in the booth would be fascinating. There would be much for him to reveal. His appearances would be must-see.
Some original thinking producer must be capable of creating a format for Belichick that gives him a chance to combine the history of the game, and its evolution, with a break-down of what’s working on the field today.
Pat McAfee has already publicly reached out to the coach, offering a weekly appearance on his ESPN/YouTube show. And there have been reports Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions unit is looking to team Belichick with Nick Saban on an alternative broadcast.
There could be room in CBS’ “The NFL Today” studio. Going into CBS’ Super Bowl Sunday telecast, only James Brown had agreed to a contract extension. The contracts of Phil Simms, Norman Julius Esiason, Bill Cowher and Nate Burleson have expired and yet to be renewed.
Could other networks like ESPN, Fox or NBC, also make room on their NFL shows for both Belichick and Kelce?
Bottom line: With two unique personalities available, anything is possible. Instead of cancelling each other Kelce and Belichick will only enhance the other’s value.
PATS DOC WORTH THE WATCH
Ever since the groundbreaking success of “The Last Dance” on ESPN, sports divisions and filmmakers have been banging out multi-part docuseries after docuseries for subjects that truly didn’t need seven or eight episodes.
If a Muhammad Ali doc can cover his remarkable life in two hours, then multi-part docuseries need to be produced occasionally. That is why the Apple+ presentation of the New England Patriots dynasty is a grand slam.
It’s compelling television because just like the Jordan series, it covers many events that happened 20 years ago. It provides great historical perspective. Equally impressive is seeing virtually all the key participants of the era sitting for interviews.
Even Bill Parcells. And the mysterious Ernie Adams.
INSIDE BOMBERS BOOTH
Joe Girardi, who will keep a close eye on Aaron Boone from the broadcast booth, will work 25-30 games on YES this season.
MLB sources say that when the idea to bring Girardi back to the Bronx was first broached by executives from YES to the front office, the idea was not unanimously blessed.
Yet after further discussions, the opposing side approved the move to hire the former Bombers skipper. And yes, Boone was made aware of the possibility that Girardi could be joining YES and was cool with it.
So, there.
A GIANT WARNING
Veteran Gasbag Chris Carlin (now of ESPN Radio’s “Carlin vs. Joe” Fortenbaugh) issued a stern Wednesday warning to John Mara’s Giants.
“The Giants can’t afford to continuously go through this cycle [of poor play, losses, coaching changes and uncertainty at the QB position],” Carlin said.
And yet, why can’t the Giants, or any NFL team, “afford to go through this cycle” of garbage?
Do the Giants lose their cut of the billions of TV dollars if the product is inferior? Are fans, used to shabby treatment and losing, going to stop watching the games on TV or not buy tickets?
Has losing and lack of positive continuity caused corporate sponsors to stop spending their marketing dollars on the Giants brand?
AROUND THE DIAL
Russell Wilson is not worth the $85 million hit in dead money the Broncos will absorb against its salary cap over the next two seasons, but he sure can tick bloviators off and stir emotions in the process. In what only can be described as a battle royal, Anthony (Booger) McFarland, Chris Canty, Robert Griffin III and Mike Greenberg got deep into a Tuesday “Get Up” debate on Wilson’s future and who is to blame for his Denver demise. This was a real-deal confrontation. You knew it when the usually steady-rocking Greenberg got bent and actually raised his voice. Shocking! … Ed Cohen, the radio voice of the Knicks, is back on the shelf working through some minor medical issues. Filling in on play-by-play for the MSG Radio Network has been Alex Faust, John Giannone and Pat O’Keefe. Rangers voice Don La Greca filled in for a few early season games but has not returned to the Knicks microphone. … NFLN’s Rich Eisen had the NYC market in a tizzy reporting, according to “rumors” he heard while covering the Combine in Indy, the Giants were “done” with Daniel Jones and suffering from “buyer’s remorse.” The usual Valley of the Stupid vultures picked up Eisen’s report and flew with it but only FAN’s Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber checked out his Five Top Rumors from the 2023 Combine to gauge Eisen’s credibility. Those rumors proved to be all correct. … Marc Malusis, on his FAN Sunday show, had sound advice for fans who are worried that Juan Soto will be one-and-done with the Yankees: “I’m not going to get hung up on the future of Juan Soto,” Malusis said. “If you do, you’re not going to enjoy the Yankees season.” Amen! … This just in: Judging by the amount of interest in an alleged heated telephone call confrontation they had several weeks ago, Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee are officially important people. … Yet we are just wondering why Jason Whitlock wasn’t conferenced into the call?
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: CAITLIN CLARK
For becoming the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history. As important is the way the Iowa scoring machine carried herself while pursuing the milestone. She set an example for all basketball players who reach for greatness.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: BILL SELF
Geez, Kansas’ Self, a major college basketball coaching icon, rats out the head coach of one of his team’s arch-rivals (Kansas State) because its coach blew off the traditional end-of-game handshake line? What’s next? Detention for Wildcats coach Jerome Tang?
DOUBLE TALK
What Norman Julius Esiason said: “The likelihood of Matt Rempe playing in the playoffs is very unlikely.”
What Norman Julius Esiason meant to say: “Rempe won’t be playing in the playoffs.”
