Just three weeks into his career as a member of the media, it hasn’t taken long for Jason Kelce to leave his mark on Monday Night Countdown.
After making his debut by saying “tits” on live TV and following it by being the center of attention during his return to Philadelphia, the former All-Pro center managed to leave his co-workers speechless on Monday night. Kelce’s comment came in response to a prompt from Scott Van Pelt as the pregame show discussed — you guessed it — the Dallas Cowboys’ recent struggles.
“Jason, when you start pushing them and they can’t stop you, that has to be the best feeling there is,” Van Pelt said, referencing the Cowboys’ underwhelming rushing defense.
“You did not have to ask him the question like that,” Marcus Spears interjected.
Only it was too late.
“There’s nothing more I love than pushing it on another grown man and just taking it over,” Kelce replied. “Yes Scott, you are absolutely correct.”
Scott Van Pelt: “Jason, when you start pushing them and they can’t stop you, that has to be the best feeling there is.”
Jason Kelce: “There’s nothing more I love than pushing it on another grown man and just taking it over. Yes Scott, you are absolutely correct.” pic.twitter.com/Fx7zzNC4f8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 24, 2024
The New Heights co-host attempted to provide some actual analysis, noting that the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry backfield isn’t exactly “a simple thing to stop.” But by that point, the segment was already off the rails, with Spears standing up from his seat as if he was about to walk off the set, while Ryan Clark turned his own chair around to face himself away from the camera.
“Yeah guys, this might be the last one for me,” Clark said once Kelce finished his point.
Kelce joked on Tuesday morning that he had no other choice but to go there after SVP’s setup.
I mean what was I supposed to do when Scott sets me up like this! https://t.co/Hg6j4S5xtu
— Jason Kelce (@JasonKelce) September 24, 2024
This is exactly what ESPN was signing up for when it won the Kelce sweepstakes following his retirement from the NFL this past offseason.
At this point in his less-than-month-old media career, some trends have already emerged, including Kelce’s knack for going viral. And while one could say the Cleveland Heights, Ohio, went a little too far for a nationally televised NFL pregame show, the reaction from Spears and Clark shows that Monday Night Countdown just got a lot more unpredictable this season.
[Monday Night Countdown]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.