Dan Orlovsky to be removed from ESPN job in major shakeup with Jason Kelce a ‘dark horse’ to replace him

Dan Orlovsky looks to be out of an ESPN role.

In light of the network’s blockbuster billion-dollar acquisition of multiple NFL Media assets, ESPN appear to be conducting a major overhaul in personnel.

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Orlovsky appears to be one of the victims of their shakeup, as well as the rest of ESPN’s No. 2 NFL game-calling team that includes Chris Fowler and Louis Riddick Jr, per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic.

As part of the new agreement with the NFL, ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” double-headers will be no longer.

Instead, it is expected that ESPN’s extra seven games, as per the new deal, will be played internationally.

Thus, Fowler would not be regularly available due to his commitments as their lead college football play-by-play announcer, while Orlovsky and Riddick are also involved somewhat in broadcasts at the collegiate level.

But in the No. 2 team’s three seasons together, the trio never really looked to have fully gelled together, likely as a result of their busy assignments elsewhere across the network with Fowler part of ESPN’s tennis coverage, Riddick on draft coverage, and Orlovsky a regular contributor on the likes of NFL Live, First Take and other studio shows.

There are no reports that Orlovsky will be removed from those roles, and there is still a chance that Fowler, Orlovsky and Riddick could still end up in the mix for a game here and there, according to Marchand.

As for ESPN’s No. 1 NFL broadcasting team, made up of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, no changes are expected, with the pair set to call the network’s first Super Bowl next season.

Looking past the 2026 season, though, their futures are unclear with both Buck and Aikman are entering their final year of their five-year contracts with the network, which are estimated at a total combined value of $165 million.

While the new No.2 booth has yet to be formally announced, reports suggest both Dave Pasch and Mike Monaco are set to become play-by-play announcers.

Similarly, Bob Wischusen’s name has also reportedly been floated around in conversations.

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Dark horse replacement emerges

One other “dark horse candidate” appears to have cropped up in conversations as a replacement is that of Jason Kelce.

The Philadelphia Eagles icon has been a part of ESPN since his retirement from playing pro football back in 2024, having signed to a multi-year contract back in May 2024.

In his short time thus far in his new TV career, Kelce has taken on a plethora of assignments himself, including that of “Monday Night Countdown.”

Furthermore, he has also been part of ESPN’s coverage of the TGL Golf league where he served as a guest announcer during the latter stages of the regular season, and is being sent to The Masters in April as an on-course reporter of the Par 3 Contest.

Whilst Kelce appears to be highly coveted at ESPN, fans have been left less than impressed by his links to a new NFL role.

“ENOUGH OF JASON KELCE THIS IS ABSURD,” one fan posted on social media.

“Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, wants more Jason Kelce,” a second chimed in.

“That would be a great choice if you want to go from bad to much worse,” a third brutally wrote.

Kelce being offered a role as part of ESPN’s new No. 2 NFL team, though, isn’t a certainty, with NFL Network’s Kurt Warner also thought to be in the mix, according to The Athletic’s report.

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