Howard Eskin forcibly grabbed a woman during an altercation last month that led to his abrupt departure from WIP-FM (94.1), sources told The Inquirer.
The incident on Dec. 9 began as an argument with an employee of Audacy, WIP’s parent company, before escalating into a physical confrontation at Chickie’s & Pete’s in South Philadelphia following a remote broadcast Eskin hosted with Eagles player Brandon Graham.
The Audacy employee interrupted a conversation Eskin was having with Graham, a source said. Eskin yelled at her, and the employee tried to leave the scene before Eskin followed her and grabbed her by the shoulder/arm, sources said.
The incident was witnessed by others at the restaurant and created a commotion, according to sources. There was no immediate comment from Chickie’s & Pete’s. Eskin did not immediately return a call for comment on Friday.
Graham didn’t witness the physical altercation, sources said.
» READ MORE: 94.1 WIP chooses Devan Kaney as Howard Eskin’s replacement on the Eagles’ sideline
Eskin, 73, announced his departure from the station on Dec. 20 and Audacy said the two had “parted ways” after 38 years.
The confrontation at Chickie’s & Pete’s came five months after the Phillies banned Eskin from Citizens Bank Park after an Aramark employee accused him of giving her an “unwelcome kiss.” Eskin returned to the radio a few weeks later and apologized on air, saying, “I’m truly sorry that this did occur.”
Eskin hosted a two-hour Saturday morning radio show and served as the sideline reporter for the station’s Eagles broadcast. On the day he announced his departure from WIP, he was spotted at the NovaCare Complex but was denied media access to the building, sources said. Media members must be on assignment from an accredited outlet to get access, according to the Eagles’ standard policy. The Phillies issue credentials only to media members who are working for a newsgathering organization, a spokeswoman said. The Sixers banned Eskin in July.
A graduate of Northeast High, Eskin has been a staple of the city’s media landscape since the 1980s. He worked as a TV sports anchor before hosting WIP’s first sports-talk program in 1986, when the AM station transitioned to sports radio.
He dominated the airwaves in the 1990s, regularly referring to anyone who disagreed with him as a “dope” or a “genius.” His firebrand style made him stand out, establishing him as a sports media mainstay while drawing love and derision from fans for his slew of feuds with athletes.
But Eskin is no longer affiliated with WIP or any other media outlet. He has continued to post about the team on X with videos taken from other sources.
He attended the Eagles game against the Cowboys last Sunday but watched from the stands as his replacement, Devan Kaney, handled sideline duties for the first time.
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed to this article.