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Dan Orlovsky Makes Cryptic Statements About Future at ESPN

Orlovsky said there are a lot of decisions to be made as he takes a break from television.

Liam McKeone

Dan Orlovsky has worked for ESPN since 2018
Dan Orlovsky has worked for ESPN since 2018 / ESP

Dan Orlovsky was one of the faces of ESPN's Super Bowl coverage again this year. However, his future at the four-letter network suddenly seems to be in doubt after cryptic comments the analyst made on First Take and his X account.

Orlovsky appeared on ESPN's round of morning shows to break down and discuss the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant Super Bowl LIX win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Then, while signing off from First Take, Orlovsky announced he was taking a long break from television and he didn't know what the future held. He finished off by sincerely thanking everyone on set in what sounded an awful lot like a good-bye.

"You guys know this is the end of the season for me, certainly for (Ryan Clark) as well," Orlovsky said on Monday. "I'm taking a break. Won't be on TV for a long time. Just wanted to say thank you to you guys, Stephen A. (Smith), (Molly Qerim), Shannon (Sharpe) for a great season. I love being with you guys, I love y'all. Never know what the future holds but I'm taking a break and I'm sure RC is as well. Just wanted to say thank you. Appreciate you guys so much."

It is not unusual for Orlovsky to be taking a break after the NFL season has concluded. He's exclusively an NFL analyst and won't appear in studio to opine on other sports, like many of his coworkers. But his wording about the future sparks questions about whether he'll make a return to television— questions that were lended further credence by a cryptic tweet from Orlovsky after he signed off.

"Lotta decision to be made," Orlovsky wrote on his X account in response to a fan asking if he was leaving ESPN. "See what happens. I’m grateful for it all"

As reported by Barrett Sports Media, Orlovsky's contract with ESPN expires this year. He was pursued by Fox Sports in 2022, when he last needed a new contract, and has expressed interest in calling games (which he's done occasionally for ESPN the last few years) or giving coaching a shot.

Orlovsky has become one of ESPN's primary faces for NFL coverage. Losing him would be a blow for the network. How his situation unfolds at the Worldwide Leader is worth watching as the NFL shifts into offseason mode.

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Liam McKeone
LIAM MCKEONE

Liam McKeone is a senior writer for the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has been in the industry as a content creator since 2017, and prior to joining SI in May 2024, McKeone worked for NBC Sports Boston and The Big Lead. In addition to his work as a writer, he has hosted the Press Pass Podcast covering sports media and The Big Stream covering pop culture. A graduate of Fordham University, he is always up for a good debate and enjoys loudly arguing about sports, rap music, books and video games. McKeone has been a member of the National Sports Media Association since 2020.

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