Despite initially teasing that he would explore his options elsewhere, all indications appeared to be that Dan Orlovsky would remain at ESPN once his contract expired this offseason.
But while that’s ultimately what wound up happening with the Worldwide Leader officially announcing a new contract for the former NFL quarterback on Wednesday, Orlovsky says his free agency decision was hardly a foregone conclusion.
Joining Thursday’s episode of the SI Media with Jimmy Traina podcast, the former UConn star discussed his decision to remain with ESPN. And when asked if he was ever close to leaving the Disney-owned network, Orlovsky immediately replied “yes” before providing more context.
“I came close to very seriously entertaining other places,” he said. “What I’ve learned is I do myself a disservice if I don’t… I’ve worked my absolute tail off for six or seven years now to get to that point this summer. I didn’t want to make a decision ‘just cause’ or emotionally or in the moment. So yeah, I tried to take my time to be very conscious of it and open-minded to every element or opportunity.
“There was a lot of really really deep conversations had with myself and my wife and our kids and other places and coaching. And it’s not necessarily the next step for 2025 or 2026. It’s what would be the next step for five years from now? Seven years from now. I worked really hard. I’m really proud to say that. It’s a trademark of kind of who I am. And I wanted to, for a lack of a better term, take advantage of that.”
Orlovsky didn’t initially specify who he entertained offers from, aside from reviving his longstanding flirtation with coaching. He did, however, confirm that CBS had offered him its top college football game analyst role, as The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand previously reported.
But according to Orlovsky, that opportunity wouldn’t have limited him to just the college ranks.
“The guys at CBS, I absolutely love,” he said. “The opportunity with CBS was basically going to be all-encompassing. It wasn’t going to be just a college opportunity. There was going to be — maybe not like that day, but in the future, whether it was a month from then, six months from then, a year from then — it was going to be an all-encompassing opportunity and that was really enticing.”
Nevertheless, Orlovsky re-upped with ESPN on a four-year deal, although he still maintains aspirations that extend beyond his new contract. That includes a desire to call one of the NFL’s biggest games each week, and of course, coaching.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.