Dan Orlovsky’s ESPN future remains up in the air amid wholesale changes at the network.
Just 24 hours after Super Bowl LIX, the NFL analyst hinted that his time with the broadcaster was up, as his contract is set to expire before the start of the new season.
Orlovsky attracted attention for saying that he would be ‘taking a break’ and wouldn’t be on TV ‘for a long time’ in an emotional First Take segment on February 10.
He then offered thanks to fellow on-air talents Stephen A. Smith, Molly Qerim, and Shannon Sharpe, saying: ‘Never know what the future holds.’
Orlovsky’s break, however, lasted three weeks.
He returned to ESPN earlier this month, appearing on their morning show ‘Get Up’, before forcing Stephen A. to walk off the ‘First Take’ set with a tale about his vacation to Hawaii.
The former quarterback later clarified on social media that he was never planning to step away from broadcasting, and that he just wanted to take time away.
Despite a warm reception on his return – from both viewers and co-hosts – Orlovsky’s future is far from certain with it widely reported that his contract still in limbo.
Despite that, Orlovsky was back again on ESPN’s programming for the start of NFL free agency on Monday, March 10.
And as he discussed Sam Darnold‘s move to the Seattle Seahawks, Orlovsky found himself compared to the $100million quarterback by ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Schefter said: “At this point in his career, (Darnold) wants to be loved.
“During Dan Orlovsky’s career, he just wanted somebody to love him the whole time.
“The only place that ever loved him that way was ESPN. We love Dan!”
“Time will tell,” Orlovsky quipped back, suggesting that it won’t be long before his future is resolved.
His cryptic hint gained plenty of traction on social media, and while fans are still in the dark over Orlovsky’s future, many have called for ESPN to offer him a new deal.
“He’s the best guy on ESPN,” one person said on X.
“They can’t afford to lose Dan. Him and Louis Riddick are the best NFL analysts they have by far,” another wrote.
“Dan, the one bright spot of ESPN. If CBS or Fox was smart, they would pick him up for next season,” a third suggested.
A recent report from Front Office Sports suggested that ESPN does indeed want to sign one of their most popular on-air talents to a contract extension, but it’s also said Orlovsky has other ‘options’.
Rumors have also suggested the 12-year NFL veteran would be interested in leaving TV for a coaching position this offseason.
There have also been wholesale changes at ESPN in recent months.
The broadcaster is parting ways with Major League Baseball after the 2025 season, ending their decades-long partnership, in a decision that was announced a little less than a month before the start of the new campaign.
ESPN first aired MLB games in 1990, but the league said in a statement that it is dismayed at how the network has pulled back its coverage.
The Disney-owned outlet has also made a number of cost-cutting moves in the last 12 months that have seen high-profile talent leave.
But just last week, Orlovsky’s co-star Smith has announced new five-year, $100m contract.
The deal will see him continuing to star on ‘First Take’ while scaling back some of his other required appearances on the network.
ESPN have also locked down Laura Rutledge for the foreseeable future.
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