Following his final appearance on 'First Take' during the NFL season, Dan Orlovsky hinted at having an uncertain future at ESPN. Screen grab: ‘First Take’
ESPNNFLBy Ben Axelrod on

As has been the case since he first joined the network more than six years ago, Dan Orlovsky was a staple of ESPN’s NFL coverage throughout the 2024 season.

But with the campaign now in the books, Orlovsky is getting ready to take a break and it doesn’t sound he knows when — or if — he’ll be back on ESPN’s airwaves in the foreseeable future.

“You guys know this is the end of the season for me, certainly for [Ryan Clark] as well. I’m taking a break, won’t be on TV for a long time,” the former NFL quarterback said at the close of Monday morning’s episode of First Take. “I just want to say to thank you to you guys, Stephen A., Molly [Qerim], Shannon [Sharpe] for a great season. I love you all. You never know what the future holds, but I’m taking a break. I’m sure R.C. is as well. So I just want to say thank you. I appreciate you guys so much.”

Lest the moment get too sentimental, Sharpe followed up Orlovsky’s comments by making a joke about the size of the former UConn star’s ears.

If Orlovsky’s farewell didn’t sound like a typical end-of-season sign off, that’s because it very well may not have been, as his contract at ESPN is reportedly set to expire later this year. The 41-year-old signed his current deal with the Worldwide Leader in 2022 following a pursuit from Fox and has been open about the idea of potentially making the jump to the coaching ranks in what seems to have become a storyline staple of each NFL offseason.

At this point, it’s too early to tell whether Orlovsky will seriously consider his options elsewhere, whether at another network or on a coaching staff or if he is merely maximizing his leverage with ESPN as his current contract comes to a close. But in a reply to a user on X who made note of his First Take farewell, he confirmed that there are a “lotta decision to be made” in what is already shaping up to be one of sports media’s top storylines of the NFL offseason.

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.

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