New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Erin & Charissa on Sideline Mishaps, Best Kelce Convo, Girl Dad Advice & Being a Plus One | EP 165

November 24, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Sports media legends Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson joined the podcast to discuss their careers, favorite stadiums (like Jerry World), and the unique challenges of holiday broadcasting. 
  • Both Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson cited their fathers as their primary motivation for pursuing careers in sports broadcasting. 
  • The guests and hosts agreed that NHL players are often the wildest and most candid athletes to interview compared to NFL players, who tend to be more 'buttoned up.' 
  • Hockey players share a unique culture characterized by ruthless teammate accountability and a high tolerance for physical damage, though NHL health insurance surprisingly excludes comprehensive dental coverage. 
  • Transitioning former players into broadcasting requires patience, as demonstrated by the initial confusion over basic terms like "banter," but their inherent personalities and the networks' allowance for authenticity lead to success, as seen with Tom Brady's rapid improvement. 

Segments

Sponsor Reads and Welcome
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: KFC is promoting their ‘Cluck Turkey’ campaign for Thanksgiving, suggesting consumers choose chicken over traditional turkey.
  • Summary: The segment opens with sponsor reads for KFC, Allstate, and Wondery+. KFC is actively campaigning against eating turkey for Thanksgiving. The hosts officially welcome Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson to the ‘New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce’ podcast.
Guest Introduction and Career Highlights
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(00:03:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson are highly requested guests known for covering major sporting events and co-hosting the ‘Calm Down Podcast.’
  • Summary: Jason introduces the guests, noting their extensive coverage history, including Super Bowls and the World Series. Between them, they hold an Emmy and a Pat Summerall Award, with Erin Andrews also achieving third place on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ The guests immediately reference a previous viral interview involving Taylor Swift.
Interviewing the Kelce Brothers
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(00:06:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Charissa Thompson recalls interviewing both Kelce brothers simultaneously for NFL Films, learning that Travis chose number 87 because it was Jason’s birth year.
  • Summary: The guests are asked who is the better interviewee between Jason and Travis, leading Charissa to recall a joint interview from about ten years prior. During that interview, Travis claimed he chose his jersey number to honor Jason’s birth year, a claim Jason humorously disputes.
Jason’s Transition to Broadcasting
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(00:09:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason Kelsey’s biggest surprise in broadcasting is the sheer volume of travel and the necessity to focus holistically across the entire NFL, unlike when playing.
  • Summary: Charissa asks Jason about the biggest surprise since entering broadcasting, to which he cites the extensive travel schedule. He notes that as a player, focus is narrow, but as a broadcaster, he must watch far more football and pay attention to league-wide details.
Favorite NFL Stadium Environments
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(00:11:09)
  • Key Takeaway: From a spectator viewpoint, Jerry World (AT&T Stadium) is considered ‘fucking awesome’ due to its amenities, while Arrowhead Stadium maintains a superior, less corporate feel.
  • Summary: The conversation shifts to favorite stadiums to visit as a broadcaster; Jason admits Jerry World is great for viewing, though he hated playing there. Charissa praises Arrowhead for feeling less corporate and more like a college field, contrasting it with modern, ‘spaceship-like’ venues.
Holiday Game Broadcasting Experience
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(00:16:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Hosting holiday games like Thanksgiving requires broadcasters to sacrifice family time but offers the ‘badass’ reward of a front-row seat to high-level NFL action.
  • Summary: Charissa describes hosting holiday games as difficult due to hotel stays but rewarding because they get to watch top athletes. Jason expresses his love for playing on Christmas, feeling the excitement of the holiday while on the field, and notes that Thanksgiving games carry special tribute elements for Fox.
Turducken Cooking and Fried Turkey Tips
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(00:18:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The key to a perfect fried turkey involves brining it and ensuring it is completely thawed before lowering it into the oil to prevent disaster.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the Turducken, which Jason and Jared both prefer to fry rather than roast. Jason shares essential tips for frying turkey, emphasizing the need to brine the bird and correctly gauge the oil fill line to account for displacement.
Motivations for Sports Broadcasting Careers
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(00:21:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Charissa’s motivation stemmed from wanting to stay involved in sports after growing up playing them, while Jason was inspired by his father teaching him football while making it a game.
  • Summary: Charissa explains she pursued sports media to remain connected to sports, starting in HR to get ‘in the building.’ Jason shares how his father used games like ‘school’ to teach him football, fostering his lifelong obsession with the sport.
Impact on Women in Sports Media
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(00:30:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Both Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson acknowledged the importance of supporting younger women in the industry, noting that while being female can help get a foot in the door, hard work is required to stay.
  • Summary: The guests were moved by Kylie Kelce’s praise regarding the platform they provide for women in sports. Charissa recalled receiving a note from a younger reporter who cited them as inspiration, contrasting this with past experiences where some women in the industry were ’not so nice.'
First Broadcast Moments
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(00:33:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Erin Andrews’ first major ESPN moment involved bracing herself so hard on a jib cam that her producer told her to ‘close your legs’ next time.
  • Summary: Erin recalls her first major gig covering the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup Final Game 7, where she picked out a specific green top for the broadcast. Charissa detailed starting in local production, interviewing fans in bars, before getting her first on-air shot covering the Colorado Rockies.
Favorite Sports to Cover
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(00:41:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The NFL is the favorite sport to cover, but playoff hockey is ranked second due to the athletes’ willingness to give outlandish soundbites.
  • Summary: Erin states the NFL is the best sport to cover, attributing this partly to the Kelce brothers, but ranks playoff hockey just below it. She notes that NHL players are generally wilder and more candid in interviews than NFL players, who are more ‘buttoned up.’
Best College Football Environments
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(00:45:21)
  • Key Takeaway: LSU at night in Death Valley is unanimously considered the best college football environment due to the fans being ‘marinated perfectly’ and the sheer intensity that shakes the stadium.
  • Summary: Erin notes that while Alabama under Saban was the goal, LSU at night is the ultimate environment, citing stories of fans shaking the visiting team’s bus. Jason mentions that college football feels different now due to NIL and conference realignment, making the current landscape feel ’nuts.’
Hockey Culture and Dental Insurance
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(00:51:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Hockey culture enforces humility through ruthless teammate criticism, and players often treat missing teeth as a badge of honor.
  • Summary: Hockey players maintain a culture where teammates aggressively keep each other humble, often bragging about physical injuries like missing teeth. Despite the NHL providing incredible health insurance for players, dental coverage for life is explicitly excluded because the owners refused to agree to it. This contrasts with the players’ otherwise high level of coverage.
Former Players in Broadcasting
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(00:53:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Former players like those on Amazon’s crew can transition quickly into TV if they do their homework and networks allow them to ‘be you.’
  • Summary: Broadcasting newcomers, even those without prior TV experience, can succeed quickly if they are allowed to maintain their authentic personalities, as seen with Amazon’s talent. Jason Kelce’s transition into broadcasting is noted as being more difficult than it appears, evidenced by the intense scrutiny Tom Brady faced. Brady showed significant improvement in his broadcasting skills between his fourth game and later in the season, showcasing a strong work ethic.
Sideline Interview Challenges
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(00:58:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Lloyd Carr was cited as the hardest coach to interview due to blowing off a first-time interviewer at halftime during the Michigan vs. App State game.
  • Summary: The hardest coach to interview was Lloyd Carr, who ignored Erin Andrews during her first game at halftime of the Michigan vs. App State game. Bill Belichick was challenging because he was consistently direct and unemotional, regardless of the game situation, which required extra preparation. Kyle Shanahan is considered great for interviews because he is very direct and will tell you everything, even while sprinting at halftime.
Boyfriend Whistle Concept
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(01:01:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘boyfriend whistle’ is proposed as a tool for women to get their boyfriends/husbands’ attention to complete chores, capitalizing on men’s coachability.
  • Summary: The ‘boyfriend whistle’ idea suggests using a coach-like whistle to snap a man into attention for household tasks, as verbal requests while they are occupied are often forgotten. Charissa Thompson immediately planned to order one for her husband, Steve, who prefers tasks to be written down rather than verbally communicated while he is busy. The hosts agreed to potentially create a ‘New Heights whistle’ product.
Ideal Travel Partner Traits
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(01:03:14)
  • Key Takeaway: A good travel plus one is responsible for logistics like passports and schedules, allowing the other person to immediately start vacation mode at the airport.
  • Summary: Charissa prefers a travel partner who handles logistics like passports and reservations, enabling her to relax immediately upon arriving at the airport bar or lounge. Jared is described as being very organized, sometimes to the point of being a ‘Clerk Griswold’ about scheduling vacations. The hosts recounted a recent European trip where the planning was entirely handled by others, which they greatly appreciated.
Advice for Raising Teenage Girls
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(01:05:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Parents should prioritize being a parent over being a friend, maintaining firm boundaries to raise good human beings, even if it causes temporary conflict.
  • Summary: Jason’s father emphasized that his job was to be a parent, not a friend, and that friendship could be decided after the child turned 18. Discipline and clear boundaries are crucial for children, even for girls, as it helps them navigate the world later on. Jason admitted it is difficult not to cave to his daughters’ looks, noting Kylie is better at maintaining discipline than he is.
Interview Questions and Bad Breath
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(01:13:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Interviewees most appreciate questions about their family and teammates, while interviewers must obsessively manage their breath to avoid ruining close-proximity conversations.
  • Summary: Travis Kelce stated he most enjoys questions that shine a light on his family and the supporting cast from Cleveland Heights, as those are at the core of his life. Erin Andrews maintains an extreme focus on breath hygiene during interviews, carrying Listerine and spray, after hearing athletes complain about interviewers with bad breath. The segment concluded with a humorous comparison of how men and women handle giving critical feedback, noting men are more direct.