The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a thrilling comeback win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, but the game wasn’t the only thing stirring up conversation. Many fans were more focused on what they perceived as a biased broadcast that seemed to lean heavily toward the Eagles.
Played in Philadelphia, the game saw ESPN fully embracing the city and its hometown heroes, particularly Jason Kelce. The beloved Eagles center, who recently joined ESPN’s pregame crew as an analyst, was prominently featured.
Kelce not only hyped up the crowd outside Lincoln Financial Field before the game, but he also made multiple appearances during the broadcast, further cementing the Eagles-centric vibe.
Even when the broadcast wasn’t directly focused on Kelce, the Eagles’ presence was still strongly felt. On the alternate ESPN2 “Manningcast,” actor and devoted Eagles fan Miles Teller appeared, adding to the hometown spirit. Falcons fans, meanwhile, had a brief moment in the spotlight with an appearance by former Atlanta MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, but many felt that it wasn’t enough to balance the seemingly one-sided coverage.
The overwhelming focus on Philadelphia didn’t sit well with some viewers, especially Falcons fans, who voiced their frustrations.
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Sports radio host Grant Paulsen took to social media with a sarcastic comment, noting how much airtime Kelce was getting during the broadcast. “Looks like Jason Kelce is leaving the booth. Perhaps Brian Dawkins will join Joe and Troy next to lead the broadcast in an E-A-G-L-E-S chant. Or maybe we could just, you know, get back to the game,” Paulsen tweeted, capturing the sentiment of many viewers who felt the broadcast was getting off track.
Lang Whitaker, a longtime basketball journalist and Falcons fan, also weighed in, saying, “As a Falcons fan, pretty weird to have an announcer openly cheering for the Eagles. Thanks, ESPN.” His comment highlighted the unease felt by Falcons fans, who felt underrepresented during a national broadcast that should have been neutral.
Fans on social media echoed similar sentiments. “Obviously I love Kelce, but ESPN has kept him on waaaaay too long. It’s an Eagles broadcast now, not a national broadcast. Falcons fans are unhappy I’d imagine,” one fan posted, adding to the growing frustration. Even former Falcons star Jamal Anderson joined in, celebrating his team’s victory while throwing a little shade at the Eagles-heavy pregame show: “We fought the city… We fought ESPN’s pre-game Kelce rally… We fought the Eagles! DIRTY BIRDS WON.”
Another fan summed it up bluntly after the Falcons secured their win: “That W felt SO good after ESPN forced us to watch the Jason Kelce show for 3 hours of pregame. FOH.”
With the Falcons’ impressive win behind them, fans are now looking ahead to their next primetime game on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. Falcons supporters are hoping for a more balanced broadcast as they prepare to take on the reigning Super Bowl champions on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Whether the narrative will shift from Philadelphia remains to be seen, but Falcons fans are certainly ready for a bit more love in the national spotlight.
