Jason Kelce is set to test his skills in late-night television early next year.
Kelce revealed on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he will host “They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce” on ESPN. The show will run for one hour on five consecutive Friday nights starting Jan. 3, coinciding with the end of the NFL regular season and the playoffs.
The show will be recorded in front of a live audience at Union Transfer in Philadelphia. The first four episodes will air at 1 a.m. ET beginning Jan. 4, with the final episode airing at 1:30 on Feb. 1.
“I’ve always been a fan of late-night shows. I remember staying up late watching Conan O’Brien with my friends,” Kelce shared on Kimmel’s show. “We’ll have a variety of guests on the show — NFL legends, former teammates, coaches, and celebrities.”
Editor’s Picks
The musical entertainment for the show will be provided by the Philadelphia-based band Snacktime.
The show’s title pays tribute to “They Call it Pro Football,” NFL Films’ inaugural full-length film in 1967. NFL Films has its roots in Philadelphia, with founders Ed and Steve Sabol being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “They Call it Pro Football” also featured the iconic voice of John Facenda, who started out as a news anchor on Philadelphia television before becoming known as the voice of NFL Films.
Each episode of Kelce’s show will have replays on ESPN2 and will be available on ESPN+ as well as Kelce’s and ESPN’s YouTube channels.
Kelce recently signed a multiyear deal with ESPN. Apart from hosting “They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce,” he is also a part of the network’s “Monday Night Countdown” show and provides analysis during halftime and postgame. After a 13-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelce retired at the conclusion of last season and was highly sought after by broadcasting networks. He also took part in last year’s NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop.
Kelce made headlines for other reasons recently.
He was involved in an altercation in State College, Pennsylvania, prior to the Penn State-Ohio State game on Nov. 2, where a fan taunted Kelce and reportedly used an anti-gay slur regarding his brother, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. A video showed Kelce grabbing the fan’s phone and tossing it to the ground, with Kelce allegedly using the same anti-gay slur during the incident.
Kelce issued an apology for his actions on ESPN on Nov. 4.
On Thursday night, as Kelce was leaving the El Capitan Entertainment Center in Los Angeles, where “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is taped, he was verbally confronted by an autograph seeker.
A video released by TMZ captured Kelce explaining that he does not sign autographs for followers. After more than two minutes of being yelled at, Kelce eventually exited his vehicle, signed autographs, and shook the man’s hand.
