Ian Eagle turned down chance to broadcast New York Mets games

Before Gary Cohen, there was almost Ian Eagle.

There was also Gary Thorne and Howie Rose, the latter of whom still serves as the New York Mets radio play-by-play voice. As for Cohen, he’s served as the Mets’ TV play-by-play voice on SportsNet New York (SNY) since 2006 and finds himself as one of the game’s most beloved announcers.

Some in the industry, like Mike Breen, have expressed envy of Cohen’s perch. Breen, the TV play-by-play voice of the New York Knicks, isn’t gunning for Cohen’s throne, but he revealed to Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take that he’s always wanted to call a Mets game. While perhaps that opportunity hasn’t presented itself for the voice of the NBA on ESPN, it has for a fellow NBA announcer.

That would be Eagle.

“I had a chance to do Mets games back in the early 2000s,” Eagle informed The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand on his Marchand Sports Media podcast. “Was offered a 25-game package with SportsChannel. And the only time my wife ever said, ‘What are you kidding?’ whenever I mentioned a possible job, she’s always been incredibly understanding, supportive and a team player, but she was right.

“I basically had no time off already. And whatever time I would’ve had off, it would’ve been calling Mets game, backing up Howie Rose at the time. So, I didn’t do that.”

CLIP: Ian Eagle calling Mets’ games? It almost happened. pic.twitter.com/TA3WU2tpdF

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) March 6, 2025

Imagine if he had?

While we’ll never know how Eagle’s iconic home run call at Shea Stadium would have sounded, it leaves us wondering what moment might have inspired him to break out his classic “wedgie” call.

Ian Eagle undeniably enhances the NBA and NFL coverage we enjoy today, but it’s hard not to imagine what he could have brought to Mets games.