Travis Kelce’s NFL playing career could eventually lead directly into one of the biggest broadcasting jobs in football. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio believes the Kansas City Chiefs tight end could become one of the most coveted broadcasting free agents next offseason, with ESPN potentially viewing him as a replacement for Troy Aikman in the Monday Night Football booth.
Kelce remains an active NFL player, but speculation about his post-playing career has intensified as Aikman’s future with ESPN becomes increasingly uncertain. Aikman is entering the final year of his contract and recently acknowledged that he will be a free agent after the season.
Mike Florio sees a major bidding war for Kelce
Florio made the prediction during an appearance on Pardon My Take, saying he expects CBS, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video to have significant interest in Kelce if he decides to pursue broadcasting in 2027.
According to Florio, Kelce has already explored broadcasting opportunities. He said Kelce and Greg Olsen previously inquired about Amazon’s available NFL analyst position before Kirk Herbstreit remained under contract. Florio also pointed to Kelce’s existing relationship with Amazon through New Heights, the podcast he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce.
Florio ultimately believes Kelce could be the most desirable name on the market.
“There could be a three-way bidding war for Travis Kelce,” Florio said, adding that he believes Kelce will be “in a booth somewhere next year.”
That prediction becomes particularly interesting because Aikman’s ESPN future is unresolved. Aikman recently said he expects to broadcast through the season and Super Bowl before determining his next landing spot, while Joe Buck has already agreed to a reported six-year, $108 million extension with ESPN.
ESPN could lean further into the ‘football bro’ era
A Kelce move to ESPN would also fit the network’s increasingly personality-driven approach to NFL coverage. Pat McAfee has become one of ESPN’s biggest personalities, while Jason Kelce has established himself as a major part of the network’s NFL coverage.
McAfee himself recently denied speculation that he could replace Aikman, saying there had been “zero conversation” about such a move.
That leaves Kelce as one of several potential options if ESPN ultimately moves on from Aikman. Greg Olsen and Rams head coach Sean McVay have also been mentioned as possible targets, but Florio believes Kelce could command the most attention.
Kelce’s combination of NFL experience, personality, celebrity status, and established media presence would make him an unusual but potentially massive addition to a major NFL broadcast booth. If he retires after the 2026 season, the biggest question may not be whether Kelce gets a broadcasting job, but which network wins the bidding war for him.
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