ESPN is sending Jason Kelce to The Masters.
The network’s star NFL studio analyst will work his first assignment from Augusta National next week, serving as an on-course reporter during ESPN’s broadcast of The Masters Par 3 Contest.
The competition takes place annually on the Wednesday before the first round of The Masters on Thursday, with players and past champions spending a casual afternoon at Augusta National’s nine-hole Par 3 course. Children and other family members often accompany participants, and even hit some tee shots and putts on the green. There is no prize money.
Kelce will conduct interviews with players and their families in what will be his second golf gig for ESPN.
The former Eagles center was a special guest announcer for the final three matches of the TGL regular season, which took place March 1-3. During that stint, Kelce’s on-air responsibilities ranged from interacting with players to reporting live from underneath the 5,270 square-foot rotating green complex at SoFi Center. ESPN’s two-year deal with TGL expired following the season, but the two sides are believed to be discussing an extension.
Scott Van Pelt will host ESPN’s coverage of the Par 3 contest, which will exclusively stream on the ESPN App and Disney+ from noon to 2 p.m. ET on April 8, followed by two hours of coverage on the flagship ESPN channel. Marty Smith will also interview players, along with Kelce.
Kelce joined ESPN in 2024 after retiring following the previous season. He’s been a fixture on the network’s Monday Night Countdown pregame show during the NFL season, and also worked on ESPN’s Postseason NFL Countdown show this past year.
In 2025, he hosted They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce on ESPN. That show has yet to return for a second season.
Too Much Kelce?
Kelce’s ever-expanding presence at ESPN, combined with his role as co-host of the New Heights podcast with his brother, Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce, may be putting the former offensive lineman at risk of over-exposure with some sports fans.
Immediate reaction on social media to Kelce’s Masters job was a mixed bag at best.
“We don’t need the Kelces in everything,” one user on X/Twitter wrote. “Who asked for this?” commented another.
“Nobody asked for this,” posted another user. “Just stick with Marty Smith and the other pros they have that are good at their job.”
Kelce also served as a special hockey correspondent for ESPN’s coverage of the NHL Stadium Series in January. He was not listed in ESPN’s initial plans for NFL Draft coverage that were released earlier this month.
