Jason Kelce Sets His Sights on Hollywood, Wants to Tackle Comedy Next (Exclusive)

From the gridiron to the green room!

Jason Kelce may have retired from the NFL, but his Hollywood career is just getting started.

According to a source, the former Philadelphia Eagles center, 38, is determined to expand his acting resume. He’s already made guest appearances on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Abbott Elementary, and starred in commercials for Buffalo Wild Wings, Campbell’s Chunky Soup and more.

“Jason has a level of passion for comedy and for show business,” the source tells Star. “Sure, his brother Travis [Kelce] can make a meal out of a lighthearted cameo in Happy Gilmore 2, but Jason is a bigger comedy nerd and show business aficionado than Travis is by far. He worships at the altar of Conan O’Brien.”

Kelce took a page out of his childhood idol’s playbook when hiring staffers for his ESPN show They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, drafting two Late Night with Conan O’Brien alums, Andy Blitz and Jon Glaser, to work in the writer’s room.

The Super Bowl champ even paid a visit to the Upright Citizens Brigade improv studio in L.A. to practice his monologue skills in the months leading up to the show’s January 4 premiere.

“Jason is driven to hone his comedy skills and make real connections in that world,” says the source. “Eventually, [he hopes to] reach his goal of leading a significant, successful comedy project that gets him taken seriously.”

Adds the source: “Jason may have the body of a football gladiator, but he has the heart and mind of a professional comic. The sky is the limit!”