Kanell played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning second-team All-American honors in 1995.

Kanell is perhaps best known for his broadcasting career, in which he has served as a studio analyst, color commentator, and radio host.

In 1995, his senior year, Kanell threw for 2,957 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions on 402 pass attempts.

He led the team to a 10–2 record, including a win over Notre Dame in the 1996 Orange Bowl.

He threw for 6,372 yards, 57 touchdowns (at the time a school record) and 26 interceptions over his four years as a Seminole.

In the off season Kanell found a home with the Atlanta Falcons as a backup to their often injured starting quarterback Chris Chandler.

A year later, Kanell signed with the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League for the 2002 season, appearing in four games in Aaron Garcia's absence.

Kanell made several guest appearances on ESPN Radio's SVP (Scott Van Pelt) & Russillo.

He would also appear on ESPN's new College Football Playoff Selection Show alongside Rece Davis, Joey Galloway, and Kirk Herbstreit.

[7] On August 28, 2017, Kanell joined Fox Sports 1 as a college football analyst, and became the host of his own radio show on SiriusXM.

He is currently a co-host of Dusty and Danny in the morning on College Sports Radio on SiriusXM channel 84.

He is also an analyst for CBS Sports and a host of the Cover 3 College Football Podcast.

[11] During the Wolfpack’s Cinderella run in the 2024 NCAA tournament, Kanell was in attendance for several games wearing a shirt that read "Ben Middlebrooks Uncle."