In 2005, NASCAR fans witnessed something special. Carl Edwards, a fresh-faced young driver, pulled off a dramatic last-lap pass to score his first career Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. But what came next made him a legend. As soon as he climbed out of his car, Edwards sprinted toward the track and executed a perfect backflip. The crowd went wild. It was a celebration that would become his signature move every time he won.

For years, fans eagerly awaited more of those backflips. Edwards went on to win 28 Cup Series races, battling some of NASCAR’s biggest stars and nearly winning a championship. Then, in 2016, at the peak of his career, he walked away. His sudden retirement left the NASCAR world in shock. For nearly a decade, Edwards lived a quiet life, far from the limelight.

NASCAR never stopped calling, but Edwards stayed firm in his decision to remain retired. But now, nearly a decade later, Edwards is making another backflip. He is stepping out of retirement to ‘race again’ but in a very different way. He will be joining Amazon Prime as a race analyst for their first season with NASCAR. But his comeback was not as easy as it seems.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards has been one of the most sought-after names in NASCAR broadcasting since his retirement. Yet, for years, he declined every offer. So, what changed? Prime Video’s executives made it personal. Instead of pitching him over the phone, they traveled to Missouri to meet him in person. The unique setting broke the ice, and Edwards soon realized these were the people with whom he wanted to work.

Starting May 25, Edwards will be part of Amazon Prime Video’s five-race NASCAR Cup Series broadcast. Edwards is excited about his new role. “The thing I’m excited about, and I feel like I can hopefully accomplish, is to talk a little bit about what’s going on inside of that car. I have nothing to hide. I want to share with the fans what might be going on inside of that helmet,” Edwards said in a statement.

The move shouldn’t be a total surprise. Just a month ago, Jenna Fryer reported hearing from Cousin Carl about his plans to enter the broadcasting booth sometime in 2025. Going farther back to Richmond, the driver had some plans to enter commentary and race analysis. “I had more fun than I thought I would have last year at Darlington up in the booth with Clint and Mike. It really was enjoyable…I left thinking, man, that’s fun, and so I think if I were to come back in a regular capacity, what I enjoyed was being up in the booth. I enjoyed kind of calling the race to whatever degree I did there. That part I enjoyed. So maybe something like that. But I don’t have anything lined up right now, but definitely much more open to that than I ever have been.

Watching Edwards come back to racing is no small feat. After coming heartbreakingly close to winning the Cup Series title in 2011, losing to Tony Stewart in a tiebreaker—the closest championship battle in NASCAR history, Cousin Carl dropped out of NASCAR, keeping an incredibly low profile until Richmond 2023 during NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary celebration

Apart from Amazon Prime Team’s efforts, Dale Earnhardt Jr also played a key role in Carl Edwards’s comeback. Edwards sought Earnhardt’s opinion on the opportunity, and his words convinced him. “Dale said, ‘We are going to build each other up.’ That was perfect for me,” Edwards shared. Notably, Dale Jr is also part of the broadcasting team, which will start working from Coca-Cola 600 onwards.

Along with Dale Jr and Carl Edwards the Amazon Prime broadcast team will feature Adam Alexander, Steve Letarte, Corey LaJoie, and pit reporters like Trevor Bayne, Kim Coon, and Marty Snider. With such an experienced lineup, Prime Video is entering NASCAR with a powerhouse team. In addition to race coverage, Prime Video will also handle practice and qualifying broadcasts for nearly the entire first half of the season (excluding the All-Star Race).

Notably, the latest media deal is a major step for NASCAR, bringing its biggest races to a streaming service for the first time. With Edwards back in NASCAR in this new capacity, fans can celebrate his return. However, another big question remains: Will he take the wheel again?

Will Edwards Drive for Kyle Larson?

Just a few months ago, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson publicly offered his seat to Carl Edwards for this year’s All-Star race. The 2021 Cup series champion is attempting “The Double” in 2025 (racing both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day) and needs a substitute. In a candid media conversation, Larson had said, “I would love to have Carl Edwards do it. That’s my pick this year.”

Now, as Carl Edwards announced his journey with Amazon Prime Video, NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass revealed that Larson had a different motive behind his approach. On X, he reported, “This is one of the reasons Kyle Larson was hoping Carl Edwards would practice his car for the all-star race while Larson is at Indy 500 qualifying. That was, Edwards would have a feel of the car before doing any analysis on broadcasts.”

However, ahead of his Hall of Fame induction, Edwards had refused the offer. The 2011 championship runner-up appreciated the sentiment, but he quickly shut down any serious talk of racing again. “No. It’s cool, but I’d probably crash the car. I’d try a simulator, but it’s a no for now,” he said. For now, it seems unlikely that Edwards will race again. But, NASCAR is unpredictable. Just as no one expected him to retire in 2016, no one expected him to return as a broadcaster. Maybe, just maybe, he will surprise fans once again with one last backflip—this time, behind the wheel.