Adrian Fedkiw
The voice and Axe Man are finally getting their due.
Before longtime Philadelphia Eagles play-by-play announcer Merrill Reese and two-time All Pro linebacker Jeremiah Trotter officially get inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame Monday night, however, hundreds of Eagles fans attended the Hall of Fame Brunch on Sunday morning to celebrate their respective careers.
Many former Eagles were there too, including Brian Westbrook, Bill Bergey, Quintin Mikell and Mike Quick.
Reese is in his 40th season as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Birds and is the longest tenured announcer in the NFL.
Reese graduated from Temple University and it was there where he perfected his craft and gained valuable experience broadcasting football, baseball, and Big 5 college basketball for its radio station, WRTI-FM. While meeting with reporters, he used the word resilience numerous times when asked what type of advice he’d give someone that is attempting to crack into the broadcasting business. You can listen to that among other topics below.
Trotter spent eight of his 11 seasons with the Eagles, notching a pair of All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl appearances over three separate stints with the team. The “Axe Man” posted five 150-tackle seasons with Philadelphia, including 202 during his first full year as a starter in 1999. He helped guide the team to three NFC East titles and five playoff appearances, including a pair of NFC Championship games and a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX.
After the media session, Reese and Trotter joined Dave Spadaro to reflect on their favorite memories with the team. A video tribute was played for each as well.
Congratulations to both.