Jason Kelce makes terrible mistake on his NFL Network debut
The former Eagles center impressed in the booth before Dave Pasch had to correct him during Colts-Commanders in London
Jason Kelce had barely put a foot wrong in his first game as an NFL analyst when years of muscle memory finally caught up with him.
Calling the Indianapolis Colts ’ win over the Washington Commanders in London alongside Dave Pasch and Kurt Warner , Kelce impressed with detailed analysis of blocking schemes, protection breakdowns and life in the trenches.
Then, while discussing Washington’s defense in the third quarter, he accidentally used the franchise’s former nickname. Pasch immediately jumped in.
“Commanders. You did it,” he said. Kelce initially had no idea what Pasch meant.
“What’d I do?” he asked before being told about the slip. Once it clicked, Kelce could only laugh at himself. “Oh my gosh! I almost made it out,” he said. “Sorry, Washington.”
Kelce already joked about making the mistake
The timing made the moment even better. Pasch revealed that before kickoff, he, Kelce and Warner had discussed the possibility that one of them might accidentally use Washington’s former name.
According to Pasch , the trio even had a “little gentlemen’s bet who would be first.” Kelce ended up being the one who lost it.
Washington retired its former nickname - The Redskins - in 2020 after years of criticism from Native American groups and other organizations. The franchise spent two seasons as the Washington Football Team before officially becoming the Commanders in 2022.
Kelce ’s mistake was understandable given the amount of time he spent playing against Washington . He anchored Philadelphia’s offensive line throughout a 13-year Eagles career, meaning the old name was part of his vocabulary for most of his time in the NFL.
Blunder did little to overshadow strong debut
Outside of that brief mistake, Kelce ’s first game in the booth was widely notable for how comfortable he sounded.
He repeatedly broke down what was happening at the line of scrimmage, explaining missed protections and pressure looks in a way that gave viewers more context without slowing the broadcast.
One particularly strong sequence came when Washington was forced to use another quarterback and Kelce explained how a new cadence can create problems for offensive linemen.
He then drew on his own experience with former Eagles backup Nate Sudfeld.
“I had a snap like a rocket… Fumble; everybody’s yelling at Nate Sudfeld. I’m like, ‘Dude, I am so sorry,’” Kelce recalled.
Kelce is scheduled to work three more NFL Network games this season, including Eagles-Jaguars in London on October 11.
That assignment may produce a different kind of challenge. Calling Washington by the right name is one thing. Staying completely neutral while his former team is on the field could be tougher.
