Howard Eskin’s abrupt departure last month from 94.1 WIP came after he shouted at a female employee of the radio station, sources told The Inquirer.
The incident happened at Chickie’s & Pete’s restaurant in South Philadelphia after a remote broadcast Eskin hosted with Eagles player Brandon Graham. Audacy, the parent company of WIP-FM, announced days later that Eskin and the station had “parted ways” after 38 years.
Eskin did not return a call for comment Thursday, and Audacy declined comment.
The incident came five months after the Phillies banned Eskin from Citizens Bank Park after an Aramark employee accused him of giving her an “unwanted kiss.” Eskin, 73, returned to the radio a few weeks later and apologized on air, saying, “I’m truly sorry that this did occur.”
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On the day he announced his departure from WIP, Eskin 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. Eskin tried to gain entry, mentioning his work with Fox29, but he no longer works for the television station, and the team did not receive an individual request, sources said. An Eagles spokesperson declined comment.
Eskin has long been a fixture at Eagles activities and was often one of the few local radio personalities to attend media events. He often asked questions at news conferences, but in recent years he rarely interrogated players or coaches. And when he did show up in the locker room, he mostly spoke to team staff members.
About a decade ago, Eskin became a sideline reporter during Eagles games for WIP. Eskin still had a Saturday morning show at WIP and would call in to various programs on the station, but it was his role as sideline reporter that afforded him full media access.
Being a member of the radio broadcast team also allowed him to travel on the Eagles’ charter plane, and when the team won the Super Bowl in 2018, he received a championship ring along with announcers Merrill Reese and Mike Quick.
Eskin rarely challenged the Eagles the way he would the Phillies or 76ers, nor did he report news that could be viewed negatively by the organization.
But Eskin is no longer affiliated with WIP or any other media outlet. The Eagles have become stricter in granting access because of an expanding press corps that includes nontraditional media. Eskin has continued to post about the team on X, the former Twitter, 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. Eskin wore a custom suit and reported information on social media about the game from the seats.
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Eskin responded to a tweet last week and said he was not retired and would “soon” start a podcast.
Eskin’s departure is just one of several from the station in recent years, including the retirements of show hosts Angelo Cataldi, Ray Didinger, and Glen Macnow. Eskin’s son, Spike, along with Ike Reese, hosts the station’s afternoon drive show, a time slot his father dominated for years.
“I leave the station with great affection for the listeners who have made the work I do so fulfilling during my time there,” Howard Eskin posted on X. “I’m looking forward to what comes next career-wise. I promise you’ll be the first to know.”
Staff writer Jeff McLane contributed to this article.