The NFL returned after an interminable hiatus last night in the form of Tyson Bagent versus Davis Mills as the Chicago Bears defeated the Houston Texans, 21-17, in the Hall of Fame Game. ESPN/ABC had the privilege of televising the exhibition and the return of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman signaled the unofficial start of fall. Soon, entire weekends will melt away under the weight of watching football all day long.
It also marked Jason Kelce's debut on Monday Night Countdown and to the surprise of absolutely no one, the former Eagles center hit the ground running. Sporting a beret he picked up during his celebrity turn at the Olympics in Paris, Kelce discussed, among other things, the quirky new kickoff rules with Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears.
Kelce may be facing a learning curve as he negotiates extended live television for the first time but his performance proved that he'll have no trouble fitting in. There was an intense bidding war for his services not just because he's transformed into an A-list celebrity but because he's damn good talking into microphones. Heck, it appears he's on a collision course with a nine-figure podcast.
He was a guy in a funny hat with football knowlege, working efficiently and providing good information in a free-flowing conversation. That's pretty much the Rosetta stone for these types of roles and it's a great sign for both Kelce and ESPN that he showed that range right out of the gate.
Just because it's unsurprising doesn't mean it shouldn't be noted.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jason Kelce Looked Pretty Comfortable During His 'Monday Night Countdown' Debut.
