The Super Bowl aka Usher concert might be over, but we’re all still talking about Jeremiah Fennell. The precocious 11-year-old scored one-on-one time with the likes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid for NFL Network on media day ahead of the big game.
And he’s a pro at building rapport. “Fennell and Mahomes went back and forth building a fantasy team of all-time greats from past Super Bowls. He then heard from Kelce on how he might celebrate a touchdown in Sunday’s Super Bowl and how he developed his chemistry with Mahomes,” Today reported.
When talking with Reid about the re-match of the 2020 Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, Fennell talked legacy and whether there were any significant changes to their plan of attack for the game. “That was a heck of a question right there, man,” Reid stated. “That was four years ago, so I don’t know if it’s a grudge match as much as each team wants to do their best.”
Fennell also spoke with 49ers players, tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and linebacker Fred Warner. Samuel even commented on Fennell’s fit that day, saying “You kinda clean too, dog.”
Kittle was so impressed with Fennell’s skills, he questioned, “Do you have a teleprompter somewhere?”
“It’s honestly just been amazing knowing that I’m going to be able to get all these amazing opportunities and meet all these incredible people,” Fennell said during an interview with KMBC.
This isn’t the Las Vegas native’s first rodeo as an NFL correspondent either. Fennell interviewed members of his home team, the Las Vegas “Raiders during the regular season and had a breakout moment at the 2023 Pro Bowl,” also hosted at the Allegiant Stadium.
“Watching the Raiders and watching all the NFL teams and seeing all the fans and all the rivalries, it’s honestly just been a great sport to watch it, a great sport and a great environment to be in,” says the Raiders fan.
But Fennell is so media savvy, he doesn’t even get star struck while performing his reporter duties. “Never, because I know deep down in my heart that they’re all people,” Fennell said. “Just because they’re popular doesn’t mean that they’re different from everybody. So, no, I never get starstruck with people, but I do get excited to see people.”
What inspired Fennell’s sports reporting dreams? Fennell told former running back Michael Robinson, with NFL Network, “I started to do this at the age of 7 years old because I wasn’t able to play sports due to some medical issues, but I still like the sports environment.”
It becomes even more impressive when you find out Fennell is truly a “miracle baby.” According to the bio on his website, when his mother was pregnant with him, specialists told his parents he “might be born either prematurely [or] might even be stillborn.”
After overcoming challenges during his early years, his calling became apparent. “His face would light up and he would commentate play-by-play while watching the Raiders games on TV.”
“So I decided to hone my craft in journalism at the age of 7,” Fennell continued. “And I started my YouTube channel. And, yes, I do think I can keep this as a career because I do still love the sport and I do know a lot about it, so I think that interviewing people can be a long career for me.”