The Walt Disney Co. announced on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel will return to ABC and host “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since being pulled from the network, but this decision might cause a backlash on a major deal between ESPNÂ and the NFL.
ESPN, which is owned by Disney, has been looking to lock in the NFL for a hefty, long-term deal. But there are some issues that still need to be hashed out.
Will Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Dampen the ESPN-NFL Deal?
In the deal, the NFL would agree to send the NFL Network, the NFL RedZone brand, NFL Fantasy Football, and other media assets over to ESPN for a 10 percent stake in the company that would be worth nearly $2 billion, according to Front Office Sports.
According to the New York Post, Kimmel’s comments on Charlie Kirk coincided with the FCC’s scrutiny of Nexstar’s $6.2 billion Tegna merger and Disney’s pending NFL deal. There have been some concerns that the pending regulatory approval could be jeopardized.
But Disney’s decision to side with Kimmel and bring him back might just torpedo this deal.
#JimmyKimmel returns!
Disney and ABC will bring the comedian back to its schedule starting Tuesday night. “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a… pic.twitter.com/Bu0HrHtdyW
— Variety (@Variety) September 22, 2025
According to Ari Fleischer, a former White House Press Secretary under President George W. Bush, this situation might be one that President Donald Trump sees as “political catnip,” in his words.
“Given his interest in the NFL, and his history of using media mergers for leverage, it’s hard to see him not playing around with this,” Fleischer told Front Office Sports, according to the Post. “I doubt this will be a straightforward commercial transaction.”
Reviewing the ESPN-NFL deal will take months for the different governmental regulatory agencies to do. The working relationship between ESPN and the NFL runs deep. ESPN forks over $2.7 billion per year to air “Monday Night Football” with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman behind the microphones.
ESPN is also included in rotating Super Bowl network coverage after the 2026 and 2030 NFL seasons. That’s been something ESPN has wanted to be a part of dating back to its first year on the air in 1979.
Over the years, names like Chris Berman and Tom Jackson, who hosted “NFL Primetime” for decades, made for must-see viewing for ESPN’s NFL fanbase.
Kimmel Deal Might Add More Pressure
As for the league itself, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did appear with Trump at the White House earlier this year when announcing that Washington, D.C., would host the 2027 NFL Draft.
Disney’s decision about Kimmel could put even more pressure on the deal on the table between ESPN and the NFL. The league recognizes the importance of a long-term relationship with ESPN for maintaining its dominance in TV ratings.
NFL games, especially those on Monday nights, are watched by millions. In turn, millions of advertising dollars are put forth for prime spots during the telecasts.
The evolving situation between these two entities will be worth watching in the days and weeks ahead.
