Travis Kelce hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and Jason Kelce appeared on “WrestleMania 40.”
Will Heath/NBC/Getty Images; Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Last April, Jason Kelce walked into the NFL’s West Coast media hub in Inglewood, Calif. (located right next to SoFi Stadium) with some trepidation. In an otherwise nondescript conference room, Mr. Kelce talked with those in the room about the challenges that NFL stars might face after retirement, attendees recalled.
Kelce was in Los Angeles to attend the NFL’s broadcast boot camp. Broadcast bootcamps give players the opportunity to hone their skills for television, radio, podcasts and other media.
“So many players are interested in, ‘How can I continue playing football?'” “I think I could be on TV, but I don’t really know,” said the NFL’s senior vice president of player operations. Tracy Perlman said. hollywood reporter About the boot camp at that time. “So this gives them a chance to learn about it and understand the commitment it takes, and it allows the salesperson to decide, “Am I good at this?”
And Kelce already had a popular podcast when he entered camp (new heightswhich he co-hosts with his brother Travis Kelce), “knocked it out,” in the words of an attendee.
“Everyone knew he would be a star if he wanted to be,” they added.
Jason and Travis Kelce gained fame for their on-field football skills, but the pair have since become two of the most high-profile individuals in the media industry, and interest in their services is said to be high. I am.
Travis Kelce’s latest job is as a game show host.Kelce is a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs while still recording a reimagined game show. Are you smarter than a 5th grader? for Amazon Prime Video titles Are you smarter than celebrities? Famous faces will appear in place of famous students. Prime announced a 20-episode pickup on Wednesday.
The Chiefs star signed with CAA last year for his off-field activities.
During the week of this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Jason Kelce (presumably knowing he would officially retire in a month) was courted by many of the league’s broadcast partners to offer studio shows and I tried to invite him to the broadcast booth (The Athletic CBS, NBC, and ESPN are among the potential landing spots).
He has already made one high-profile appearance since his retirement. On April 6, Jason Kelce and teammate Lane Johnson wore Eagles-themed luchador masks to help WWE star Rey Mysterio win at WrestleMania 40, and the crowd cheered for the Eagles. Brought. There’s a standing ovation.
But while Jason is pursuing NFL-related options, Travis is already thinking beyond game shows.Of course, the Chiefs star was the host. saturday night live Last year and recently he said THR He is also interested in pursuing scripted roles.
“I’m here in Los Angeles trying to get more comfortable in the entertainment world before resuming my football career. I know that’s the main focus of my life and I’ll always be there until I’m done playing.” I know that’s the case,”’ Kelce said. “But I’m definitely still dabbling in the scripted world, the entertainment world, and I’ll see where that path takes me. I’m very excited, but at the same time, I don’t know where I’m going in that world. I know I’m a bit of an amateur, so I definitely have to be comfortable and use my own creativity.”
Travis was also in Hollywood to record an episode for a movie. new heights, a year after attending NFL broadcast boot camp, Jason has joined in person. Then, as a surprise guest, action star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on the podcast and gave a lengthy interview.
Schwarzenegger praised the brothers for their honesty and the fun they had on the show, then moved the conversation to a topic he said should be taken “off the record.”
“A lot of times you do shows where you’re in different places and you’re in different places, right? And this split screen works really well,” Schwarzenegger said, adding that Jason and He mentioned how Travis hosted the show from his respective homes in Pennsylvania and Kansas City during the NFL season. “But now you’re in Hollywood, so you’re together. There’s a reason — I’m not stupid, you know — there’s a reason they put you together in Hollywood. I mean, all kinds of interviews. is planned.”
The brothers laughed it off, but Travis wondered out loud if he could get any parts.
But it is new heights It could be the brothers’ biggest deal yet. The show has regularly performed well on Apple and Spotify’s podcast charts since its debut in 2022, and near the start of last NFL season, Travis Kelce’s romance with music superstar Taylor Swift After it became public, it often took first place.
The show is currently in negotiations for a new contract, and Swift herself is new heights Baseball cap at Coachella earlier this month.
And while the overall podcast market has cooled, top shows are still being paid handsomely.
Joe Rogan renegotiates deal with Spotify for estimated $250 million, shows hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes smartless He left Amazon for SiriusXM in a $100 million deal. 8 digit trade new heights You must participate in the play.
“I think everyone is shocked that it turned out the way it did,” Travis Kelce said. THR. “But we just started realizing that we are actually two different walks of life and wanted to showcase our brotherhood and similarities. I wanted people to see first-hand what it’s like to be at the lunch table or dinner table with Kelsey.
And while soccer has been the dinner topic for most of my adult life, Hollywood is calling and the door is opening.
It could be a new dinner conversation topic.
