Those who tuned into the early Wild Card playoff game between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans on NBC Saturday were likely curious about the announcing team.
NBC typically broadcasts one NFL game per week — the “Sunday Night Football” game called by Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth. But NBC had two games on Saturday, so they had the team of Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge call the early game, and the fan response was mostly positive.
Most fans enjoyed the announcing team and appreciated having Blackledge, who typically calls college football, broadcasting an NFL game.
Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge are becoming one of my favs. Blackledge should bring back the food profiles and do it at the tailgates!
— Lance Wilkerson (@LanceWilkerson) January 13, 2024
Eagle and Blackledge are terrific….has an old school feel to the broadcast that I love.
Smart | Entertaining | Timing is perfect
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) January 13, 2024
I’m confident saying @NoahEagle15 & @Todd_Blackledge is easily the most under rated tandem in sports. It’s only been a year, but they are both phenomenal individually and as a pair #NFLWildCard
— B T (@bteezer27) January 13, 2024
Good seeing Todd Blackledge on a football broadcast again. Always thought he was a great analyst.
— D. K (@Kinder_1211) January 13, 2024
Noah Eagle might be as good as his dad at pbp already. He and Blackledge are very good together too
— Robert from Wisconsin (@Rob_In_WI) January 13, 2024
Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge are so much better than Al Michael's and Dungey last year. Like it's not even close
— Cleat Massey (@cleatmessi) January 13, 2024
Quick thought: Broadcast team of Noah Eagle & Todd Blackledge is really good.
— Frank Frangie (@Frank_Frangie) January 13, 2024
Fans were also hoping Blackledge would bring his “Taste of the Town” segment that he does on college football games to the NFL.
If Todd Blackledge is calling the Cleveland-Houston game, will we get a "Taste of the Town" segment? I liked those when he called college games.
— Robert C. Lewis (@Robbie347) January 13, 2024
We better get a clip of Todd Blackledge eating something weird during this game for traditions sake
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) January 13, 2024
This was the second NFL game called by the duo for NBC this season. They were also on the call for the Steelers-Bengals game on Saturday, Dec. 23 in Week 16.
Blackledge is well known to most football fans. He played quarterback at Penn State and later became a first-round pick in the famed 1983 NFL Draft. He began a broadcasting career in 1994 and has mostly worked for ABC/ESPN. Beginning in 2023, Blackledge teamed with Eagle on NBC’s “Big Ten Saturday Night” college football package.
Eagle is the son of CBS announcer Ian Eagle. He calls both college football and college basketball for NBC, and the occasional NFL game.
