Jason Kelce’s new venture in late-night TV is being met with optimism.
Less than three weeks after They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce premiered on ESPN, one industry leader believes the Super Bowl champion may have what it takes to succeed in the competitive landscape.
“If the show is good and the content is great, people will find it,” Emmy-winning producer Lindsay Shookus — who worked on Saturday Night Live for more than a decade — shared with the New York Times in an interview published Thursday, January 23. “I think ESPN and Jason’s team have to buckle down and find the format that’s going to let him shine.”
While the show has already included special appearances from Kylie Kelce, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and rapper Lil Dicky, They Call It Late Night also leans into sketches and banter.
Related: Everything to Know About Jason Kelce’s Late-Night Show
Jason Kelce may be retired from the NFL, but he’s as busy as ever. The former center for the Philadelphia Eagles is getting ready to host a late night show on ESPN, aptly titled They Call it Late Night with Jason Kelce. Though this will be his first foray into late night, Kelce, 37, has […]
According to Shookus, the unscripted sports discussions were Kelce’s strength after he began serving as an analyst on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown in the fall of 2024.
“He’s not a comedian, and I don’t think you can ask him to be a comedian all of a sudden,” Shookus explained. “I think to break through, you have to capture his authentic self.”
Although Kelce, 37, has spent much of his career focused on football — he spent his entire 13-year career as a center for the Philadelphia Eagles — the “New Heights” podcast cohost has been exploring new career paths ever since he announced his retirement from the NFL in March 2024.
When he signed a multiyear deal to be an ESPN analyst, he negotiated a late-night show concept into his contract.
“I love late-night shows,” Kelce said during a November 2024 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! “I’ve always loved them. I remember at sleepovers watching Conan O’Brien with my friends.”
Related: Jason Kelce Had 1 Very Specific Demand About His Late-Night Show
Jason Kelce is coming to conquer late-night TV, on his own terms. They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce premieres January 3 on ESPN, and the former Philadelphia Eagles star, 37, came to the table with one very specific request for the show. “‘I want to have a live band with horns,’” NFL Films’ […]
As They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce continues airing Saturdays at 1 a.m., ESPN’s president of content, Burke Magnus, is confident Kelce has what it takes to create a unique — and successful — show.
“This is not something I think would work with just anyone, but he’s one of those guys that I believe can pull it off,” Magnus told the New York Times. “For me, it’s going to be a little bit more art than science. Do people think it’s good and funny? Does it have the potential to grow?”
They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce airs on ESPN Saturdays at 1 a.m. ET.
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