Rich Eisen’s been a name in the game for more than 2 decades now. While he used to work with ESPN on baseball in the 90s, he’s really bloomed since his 2003 shift to the NFL Network. He was a bit of a groundbreaker with them, even launching their first podcast, The Rich Eisen Podcast in 2010. And of course, there’s The Rich Eisen Show, an institution since 2014.

With what fans are saying, maybe he should stick to podcasts and pre-game shows. It’s clear play-by-play is not his area of expertise. He’s attracted the annoyance of numerous fans over the course of the Jacksonville Jaguars-Chicago Bears game. While fans of his show have sometimes lauded his soothing voice, it seems he’s just not what fans are looking for when they’re tied up in the thrill and excitement on-field. One fan said, despite him enjoying Eisen’s show, he’s “AWFUL at play by play.”

That same soothing voice just saps the energy a bit. You want someone with a little dust and gristle in their voice. Of course, not everyone thinks he’s soothing either. One fan said “Would rather listen to my toddlers scream at the top of their lungs than play-by-play from Rich Eisen” That one’s a bit harsh, but the general reception to Eisen’s play-by-play on X must be disheartening him.

He’s a bit playful and mild, that’s the thing, and reactions are polarizing. One one hand, you’ve got a user saying, “I like Rich Eisen calling games. Seems like a chill older dude. Reminds me a little of my dad and he’s easy to listen to,” and on the other you’ve got one saying “Rich Eisen announcing a game just sounds like constant “Dad jokes”. Gets kind of annoying for me. Maybe it’s because he’s a Jets fan.” The dad vibes are undeniable, but fans aren’t looking for that on a Sunday morning apparently.

Is the fan verdict conclusive? Should Rich Eisen give up play-by-play commentary?

Some fans also seem to find him overbearing, like he fills the room. One fan tweeted in reply to the tweet calling him annoying said, “He’s awful. Thinks he’s funny. Never stops talking, doesn’t give Warner an inch of time.” A general preference for Warner’s commentary does seem to stem from his delivery being less playful and more facts and figures oriented. As a former quarterback in the NFL, Warner knows the game in a way Eisen just doesn’t.

But again, it really does take all sorts to make the world. One fan tweeted, “It’s not even his primary job but Rich Eisen is easily one of the best play by play commentators in the NFL,” an unpopular opinion for sure, but not an altogether unique one. Eisen’s found continued success with his show, and it’s likely that’s what he’ll be best known for. Sure, he could have his forays into play-by-play broadcast again, but surely broadcasters will listen to fan response, right?