Rich Eisen’s Path to ESPN and NFL Network Began in Chicago
Early Beginnings
Before Rich Eisen became famous at ESPN and NFL Network, he was just another graduate student looking to make a few bucks.
While attending Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism in 1993-94, Eisen worked as a stringer for the Tribune, covering high school football and basketball games. He’d watch a game, find the person keeping the stats and call in a report from a payphone.
“They would send me to Schaumburg, Wheeling, the hinterlands of Chicagoland,” said Eisen, who grew up on Staten Island in New York. “And they’d pay me a few bucks for it. Nothing to dine out on. [It was] just something to do on a Friday night.”
First Job as a Sports Anchor
In his eight months at Northwestern’s campus on Lake Shore Drive, Eisen tailored assignments to sports. He covered events such as Michael Jordan’s first retirement and the Cubs’ hiring of manager Tom Trebelhorn. Eisen recalls seeing then-Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray at Trebelhorn’s news conference, which was at a Wrigleyville bistro.
“He was on a barstool drinking a Bloody Mary,” Eisen said. “He had a big, huge celery in there, and I doubt it was a Virgin Mary. It was as bloody as the day is long.”
A Career at ESPN and NFL Network
And it was through NU that Eisen got his first job as a sports anchor. A Medill classmate, who had been hired at a TV station in Redding, California, alerted Eisen to an opening in sports. Less than two years later, Eisen was on the set of ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”
Now in his 21st year at NFL Network, Eisen will call the Jaguars-Bears game at 8:30 a.m. Sunday with analyst Kurt Warner from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Stacey Dales and Steve Wyche will report from the sidelines. Fox 32 will carry NFL Network’s broadcast.
Having spent most of his career on the anchor desk, Eisen loves the challenge of calling play-by-play. He has been doing overseas games for NFL Network since 2018. He was on the call for Jets-Vikings in London last week, and he’ll call Giants-Panthers in Munich on November 10.
“Basically, my job has been to preview a game or review a result, not describe it as it’s happening,” Eisen said. “So your sense is to fill time, to not let a moment breathe because it’s your job to move things forward and keep things energetic. And that is the exact opposite of what a play-by-play announcer should do.
“They should not interject as much, they need to be quiet, they need to let a moment breathe and let their analyst explain things. Stick to the nuts and bolts, occasionally entertain, but definitely, most importantly, inform without being overbearing. It is an endeavor that I love, and every single time I do it, I cherish it.”
Remote Patrol
Conclusion
Rich Eisen’s journey to ESPN and NFL Network began in Chicago, where he worked as a stringer for the Tribune, covering high school football and basketball games. From there, he went on to become a sports anchor at ESPN and later at NFL Network, where he currently works as a play-by-play announcer.
FAQs
* How did Rich Eisen get his start in the sports journalism industry?
* He started as a stringer for the Tribune, covering high school football and basketball games.
* What was his first job as a sports anchor?
* A Medill classmate alerted him to an opening in sports at a TV station in Redding, California.
* What is his current role at NFL Network?
* He is a play-by-play announcer, and has been doing overseas games since 2018.
