On Wednesday, CBS announced that it will shake up its NFL coverage with a new No. 2 broadcasting team.
Ian Eagle will be joined by future Hall of Fame defensive lineman J.J. Watt for the 2025 NFL season.
Watt, who’s been a familiar face as a studio analyst on CBS’s The NFL Today, is stepping into the broadcast booth with Eagle. The two already have some on-air chemistry from working together on the Netflix broadcast of the Christmas Day game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs.
To mark the announcement, Watt shared a funny text exchange with Eagle, giving fans a taste of the playful banter they can expect to hear in the booth.
The two poked fun at their preparation routines for their upcoming broadcasts together.
New partnership is off to a hot start… @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/EZk1eI2fd8
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 26, 2025
For those confused by their tongue-in-cheek conversation about their “preparation” routines, it seems to be a playful nod to the viral meme surrounding Ashton Hall, a former Alcorn State player turned fitness influencer known for his over-the-top morning routine videos.
@ashtonhallofficialThe Morning routine. Easy routes don’t pay well, get up.♬ original sound – Worthy Supps
While neither Watt nor Eagle will likely be starting their day at 3:55 AM like Hall claims he does, expect both to come prepared in their own unique way for their upcoming on-air partnership this coming season.
If they can work together as reasonably well as they did on Christmas Day, a broadcast that generally received rave reviews, expect Eagle and Watt to quickly become one of the more beloved broadcast tandems around the sport in short order.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.