The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New York Jets on Sunday morning, in London (UK), to move to 5-0 on the young 2024 NFL season. If you were watching (and listening) to Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner on the NFL Network TV broadcast, you may have thought that was a bad thing.
Was that because Rich Eisen isn’t very good at doing play-by-play broadcasting? Maybe. Could it be because of standard large market > fly-over country bias? Possibly. More than likely, it’s a combination of things. But the largest factor affecting the mood of today’s broadcast had to do with Eisen’s lifetime fanhood of the Jets.
That’s right, the guy calling today’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets is a diehard, lifelong fan of the Green Machine. Now looking back, can you hear the pain in Eisen’s calls throughout the contest, as Rodgers threw interception after interception, and his team fell further behind? Well, that’s because he was sad.
Rich Eisen called out for bias call of Minnesota Vikings vs New York Jets
How about during the Jets comeback… did you notice a sudden pep in Rich’s step? Oh, and there was nobody in Tottenham Hotspur stadium who was happier to see Rodgers put his helmet back on and trot onto the field, after the Vikings were called for roughing the punter.
It was a call that completely changed the entire trajectory of Sunday’s overseas contest, and nobody was more excited about it than Eisen. Notice the difference in tone between these calls. It doesn’t take a personality specialist to see what is happening.
“Rodgers, quick throw… and… it’s intercepted! Stephon Gilmore gets the Jets again! As a Patriot, as a Bill and now as a Minnesota Viking. Mike Williams the intended target.”
“Big 41-yard attempt for Reichard. It is…….. goooood. Oh, that looked like it was leaking right, but it hooked right back in. And it is a six point lead for the Vikings with 3:07 to go.”
“And it is of the 15 yard variety! He’s not dead yet, as they would say, Monty Python, here in London. Out he comes, it’s just a flesh wound!! Wow!”
If you noticed Rich Eisen’s bias, you weren’t the only one. There were people all over social media calling him out for what was clearly a Jets fan trying his best (unsuccessfully) to call a game between his favorite team and the Minnesota Vikings.
KFAN Radio personalities (and executives) pile on Eisen
Awful Announcing noticed it pretty quickly , as did many Vikings fans . Even Jets accounts were laughing at how obvious his fanhood was shining for everyone to hear. But it was also noticed by a bunch of personalities and high level executives at KFAN Radio .
KFAN is the home of the Minnesota Vikings, on radio. It’s where legendary play-by-play voice, Paul Allen , makes his living. Some of the biggest stars, including morning show star, Meatsauce Paul Lambert, along with Zach Halvorson, another morning show personality, voiced their displeasure.
Even their boss, and the guy who essentially runs KFAN Radio, Gregg Swedberg took to Twitter to savage the NFL Network broadcasting crew and Rich Eisen. It was an all out KFAN assault.
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Whether Eisen is a Jets fan or not, there is no way this should have happened. The NFL spent so much money getting everything out to London, for this game. Why not just pay an actual play-by-play commentator to call it?
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The whole thing makes zero sense and reeks like Eisen pushing his weight around, because he wanted to be in London to call the game of his favorite team. Of course, that is just speculation, but I cannot think of another reason why this would happen. Next time, let’s leave the studio go back in the studio, no matter how much he begs to go with. Focus on the product, not doing favors.
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