SI

Ian Eagle Masterfully Roasted J.J. Watt After Their New NFL on CBS Team Was Announced

Kristen Wong

Former Houston Texans JJ Watt speaks to the fans during his Ring Of Honor Ceremony at halftime during the game between the Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium.
Former Houston Texans JJ Watt speaks to the fans during his Ring Of Honor Ceremony at halftime during the game between the Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt had better start working on his snappy comebacks.

Watt is set to see more airtime in 2025 after it was announced that he will team up with Ian Eagle on CBS's No. 2 NFL broadcasting team as a game analyst for the network. The move marks Watt's first foray into working live football games after he retired from the NFL at the end of the 2022 season.

Following news of his blockbuster CBS pairing with Eagle, Watt shared to X a hilarious exchange he had over text with his new boothmate.

Eagle, the CBS veteran, was quick to initiate Watt—the soon-to-be play-by-play rookie—into the network's live game analyst ranks with a good ol' fashioned roasting.

"Preparation starts today," Watt wrote to Eagle, along with a picture of a cold tub and a sauna.

That prompted Eagle to reply, "It's commentating. We sit in a booth and talk football."

Watt then asked Eagle how he gets ready for the job, and the longtime commentator responded with the perfect photo:

For those who somehow missed the viral craze, it's a not-so-subtle nod to a fitness influencer's, er, unique morning routine.

We'll see if Watt is ready to take the plunge into live commentating this fall.

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Published
Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

Home/NFL