Fox NFL Announcer Mark Schlereth Responds to Eagles Fans’ Criticism: Feud Ignites Over Broadcast Performance

Fox NFL Announcer Mark Schlereth Responds to Criticism from Eagles Fans

Former NFL offensive lineman turned broadcaster, Mark Schlereth, wants to set the record straight – he does not hate Eagles fans. Schlereth recently called the Eagles’ win against the Washington Commanders for Fox and has since been engaged in a back-and-forth with Birds fans on social media and his podcast, “Stinkin’ Truth,” after receiving criticism for his performance in the booth on Sunday.

Despite the criticism, Schlereth expressed his enjoyment in interacting with Eagles fans, stating, “I love mixing it up with Eagles fans because they’re super passionate, and Twitter is an extension of a locker room for me. It’s fun. There have been a couple of fan bases that just absolutely hate me, which I find hilarious.”

While Schlereth isn’t bothered by the criticism from Eagles fans, it’s the harsh comments made by 94.1 WIP hosts Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie that have fueled his ongoing feud with the Philadelphia fan base. Schlereth took issue with their remarks, stating, “When someone from a flagship station says I’m horrendous and critiques me of being biased, well then I have a problem. You bring my integrity into question, my work ethic, and the way I prepare for a game? That doesn’t fly.”

DeCamara, in particular, criticized Fox’s broadcast on Monday morning, including complaints about obscured shots of the field and the decision to cut away from a scuffle between teams following a touchdown by new Eagles wide receiver Julio Jones. DeCamara went as far as calling Schlereth a “horrendous” and “boring” broadcaster, while Ritchie mentioned that Schlereth seemed to have a bias that came through at times.

These comments struck a nerve with Schlereth, who revealed that he and his crew even paid out of pocket to take a train from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia on Saturday to meet with Eagles players and coaches ahead of the game in person. He emphasized, “If I’m just so biased against Philadelphia, do you think I’d spend $350 of my own money and all day going up on a train and back? Of course not. I expect those comments from fans, but I certainly don’t expect it from media members who know better.”

While Schlereth spent six seasons of his 12-year NFL career playing in Washington, he clarified that he hasn’t had a relationship with the team since it was purchased by Dan Snyder in 1999. Schlereth also mentioned that he criticized the Commanders harshly on his podcast, to the extent that coaches brought up his remarks prior to the game. He believes the disconnect with Eagles fans stems from his belief that Washington played well against a superior team, and his broadcast reflected that perspective.

Schlereth, who has been calling games for Fox since 2017, is in his seventh season with the network. He has called numerous Eagles games during his tenure and may potentially be in Philadelphia later this year, as Fox has four more Eagles games on its schedule. However, he will not be in the booth for the Eagles’ upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys. That game will be called by Fox’s top NFL crew, Kevin Burkhardt and former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen.

Meanwhile, DeCamara and Ritchie, who are closing in on their first year replacing veteran broadcaster Angelo Cataldi, have been a ratings success story so far, retaining Cataldi’s large morning audience.