It’s not every day you see a man lose his gig one month and get a bigger platform the next. But Chase Daniel, the definition of NFL journeyman turned TV voice, just pulled it off. One minute, he’s packing up after Fox shut down The Facility. Next thing you know, ESPN scoops him up and hands him the mic for Week 1 of college football. And the cherry on top? One of the OGs of the booth is already giving him strong eyes. Yeah, this story’s got layers.

Chase Daniel’s broadcasting career just hit the accelerator. On August 19, Front Office Sports reported that Daniel, fresh out of Fox Sports, will slide into the booth with Clay Matvick to call Pitt vs. Duquesne in Week 1. ESPN isn’t just giving him a game; they’re betting on his upside, seeing him as a potential “high-level analyst” down the road. This comes barely a month after FS1 pulled the plug on The Facility, a morning show where Daniel chopped it up with Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, and James Jones. Ratings tanked, the network retooled, and just like that, Daniel was out.

But here’s where it gets good. Tim Brando, a voice that’s been calling college football longer than most fans have been alive, saw Daniel’s debut and was quick to co-sign. On X, Brando posted: “I thought for a maiden voyage doing a game remotely (not ideal) by the way for anyone but especially a newbie, and he was excellent. Congrats @ChaseDaniel & @espn.” For a rookie analyst, getting props from Brando is like LeBron giving you dap at your first pickup run. That’s validation you can’t fake.

Daniel’s path here is pretty wild. From being Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year at Mizzou to cashing holy cow money like $43.1 million as an NFL backup with just five starts, he built a career most people only dream about. He was last on a roster in 2022, and by 2024, he was already knee-deep in TV, splitting time between Fox, NFL Network, and Scoop City, his podcast with Dianna Russini and James Palmer. Sure, The Facility flopped—averaging just 121,000 viewers per show—but his breakdowns had promise. Reddit even called him a “low-key good hire” for ESPN, comparing him to Dan Orlovsky, another ex-QB who surprised people with sharp takes.

The irony? Fox may have cut him loose, but the timing couldn’t have been sweeter. ESPN just secured the College Football Playoff rights for the next seven years, along with a full SEC package. They needed fresh faces who can talk the talk, and Daniel slides right into that mix. Week 1, he’s in Pittsburgh. Week 2, he’ll be in Athens for Georgia vs. Austin Peay. Week 3, he’s in Lexington for Kentucky vs. Eastern Michigan. That’s a quick crash course in the college circuit, and it shows ESPN isn’t just tossing him scraps—they’re grooming him for the long haul.

Daniel himself played the firing with grace. After Fox axed The Facility, he hit social media: “Really thankful for the chance to work with so many great people—on and off camera—on FS1’s The Facility. While the news was unexpected and change is never easy, I’ve learned through my time in the NFL that you’ve got to be adaptable & resilient through the highs & the lows.” Classic Chase: calm, humble, and quietly flexing that 13-year NFL survivor mindset.

And let’s be real—this move isn’t just ESPN doing Daniel a favor. It’s a strategy. A guy like Daniel brings QB brainpower, knows how to prep like a pro, and has a personality that feels approachable on air. Plus, fans love the “bag collector” narrative. Man made $43 million holding a clipboard. Now he’s holding a headset. If that isn’t the most Chase Daniel thing ever, we don’t know what is.

So what do we have here? A backup QB who became a millionaire without the spotlight, got cut from his first big TV gig, and bounced back with an even bigger stage—all while getting the Tim Brando seal of approval. ESPN clearly thinks he’s their next Orlovsky. The question is: Can Chase Daniel turn this shot into his real breakout moment? If history tells us anything, never bet against a man who made a career out of staying ready when nobody expected him to play.

Chase Daniel’s college career—Mizzou goat?

Before the backup bags and broadcast booths, Chase Daniel was that guy at Missouri. He carved his name into Tigers’ lore with a four-year run that flipped the program’s ceiling. As a freshman in 2005, he saw the field in spurts, but by 2006 he was QB1, slinging the rock like he’d been running Gary Pinkel’s spread for a decade.

His breakout was legendary. In 2007, Daniel threw for over 4,300 yards and 33 touchdowns, leading Mizzou to a 12–2 record, a Big 12 North crown, and—get this—the program’s first-ever No. 1 BCS ranking. For Missouri fans, that was a once-in-a-lifetime high. Daniel was a Heisman finalist, finishing fourth, and proved the Tigers weren’t just a basketball school anymore.

He wasn’t a one-hit wonder, either. In 2008, Daniel doubled down with career highs: 72.9% completion rate, 4,335 yards, and 39 touchdowns. By the time he packed up his Columbia locker, he had over 12,500 yards and 101 touchdowns on his resume. The numbers weren’t just video-game-ish; they rewrote the school record book.

Missouri never captured a national title in that era, but Daniel’s impact was seismic. He made Mizzou a legit national contender, laid the groundwork for the program’s eventual SEC jump, and gave fans a golden age to brag about. When folks talk about the Tigers punching above their weight in the late 2000s, Chase Daniel is the first name they drop.

And now? The same guy who once lit up Big 12 defenses is stepping into the booth to call SEC games. Circle of life, football edition.