Noah Eagle has heard your complaints about nepotism.
The son of legendary broadcaster Ian Eagle has built a solid resume of his own — spanning the NBA, NFL, college sports, and the Olympics — but he knows the accusations will never fully go away. He’s not naive. And frankly, he doesn’t expect a free pass.
That much became clear during a recent appearance on the Awful Announcing Podcast with host Brandon Contes.
“They shouldn’t necessarily go away because I think that comes inherently with going into this and following in a very public figure’s footsteps,” Noah Eagle said. “And I’m OK with that. If I wasn’t OK with that, I certainly wouldn’t have gone into this. I think what’s been cool is seeing, let’s say, there’s one person who said, ‘Nepotism,’ I think I’ve been really thankful for a lot of people who have then responded to that, saying, ‘You know, he actually does really good work. We really appreciate how he does a game, and things of that nature.”
What’s changed over time, Eagle said, is the way others speak up on his behalf.
“I appreciate all those people who are just watching and have seemed to like my work because that’s really the goal at the end of it is: I still just want to entertain and inform the audience,” he said. “That’s my job. And as long as I’m doing that, I won’t care if there are people who think one thing or another. I’ve been very fortunate, again, to be in really great positions and to have some really amazing games. I’ve got lucky to call some of these epic final games and epic NFL and the Olympics and things of that nature. And so, the more of those you bank up, the less of the other stuff, I think, usually gets talked about.”
Eagle knows his last name will always be part of the story. Just as it is for Joe Buck, Kenny Albert, and others who followed in famous footsteps into the booth, he’s not trying to erase that narrative; just outworking it. With each major event he calls, the conversation gradually shifts from how he got the job to what he does with it.
“I mean, just look at Joe Buck or Kenny Albert or any of these people,” Eagle continued. “It’s always going to be there, no matter how incredible. Kenny’s done, now, the second-most national broadcasts ever. And Joe Buck has called infinite World Series and Super Bowls, and some of the biggest events known to man. It doesn’t matter. It’s always going to be there. And I’m completely, 100 percent fine with that. But I’ve been very happy that people seem to enjoy what I’ve been providing. And as long as that’s the case, then I feel like I’ve done my job to the best of my ability.”
And he does all that while reading the social media comments and criticisms because, like most people, he sees them.
“I think anyone that tells you they don’t would be lying,” Noah told Contes. “I just think it’s about how do you react to them. What was taught to me — and this is true with life if somebody says something behind your back or to your face — I think when I was a little kid, I remember this happening where I was at my preschool graduation, and someone said something to somebody else, who then told me what they said about me, and it impacted me. I vividly remember my parents sitting me down after that and saying, ‘Are you good?’ And I told them what happened, and they were like, ‘Why do you care? That’s not going to impact who you are. That doesn’t change the person that you’re becoming.’ And I was five or whatever, six years old. But it still sat with me for the rest of my life of okay, you know, it’s just words. It doesn’t change how I live.”
That message still resonates 22 years later.
He doesn’t pretend that the feedback doesn’t affect him. Other times, he takes it to heart, especially when the criticism feels valid. It’s not about blocking out the noise. It’s about knowing which parts are worth listening to.
That’s how Eagle handles the nepotism chatter. He’s not trying to outrun it, and he knows it never fully goes away. But he also knows the only thing that really matters is the work. You can’t fake that, not for long anyway. And that’s something no last name can fake.
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