Bleav in Eagles, a notable podcast from the Bleav network, is establishing its own unique space within team-specific sports media. Leigh Mayock, who has dedicated the last decade to production and talent relations at NFL Network and Fox, is now stepping into the limelight with a new on-air role alongside her father, Mike Mayock — a veteran football analyst and former GM of the Las Vegas Raiders, who frequently appears as a guest.
Ahead of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LVIII appearance, the Mayocks discussed their podcast’s origins with Awful Announcing. Mike attributes the idea to Bleav president and executive producer Eric Weinberger, a former NFL Network executive. “He knows Leigh because she had done some work at NFL Network,” Mayock explained. “But she wasn’t an announcer; he respected her enough to suggest, ‘Why don’t you guys do a podcast together?’” Initially, Mike wasn’t too enthusiastic. “My initial reaction was, ‘You know, I’ve got enough on my plate.’ As her father, that meant I’d need to watch more tape for our discussions. So I initially said, ‘I’m not interested.’”
Yet, Weinberger persisted and encouraged Leigh to pursue the podcast on her own, leading her to embrace the opportunity. “Eric presented it as a fun new challenge,” she shared. “I’ve always been on the production side, but it felt like a new creative outlet, especially as I had just moved back to Philadelphia, aligning perfectly with the Eagles.” Leigh originally envisioned her dad making just a brief appearance, but their initial chats led to Mike becoming a regular guest. “We had such a great time that it morphed into him being a regular. Preparing for these podcasts isn’t as tough as he thinks; I’ve always seen him show up fully prepared, so that’s how I approach it,” Leigh said.
Mike has been impressed with Leigh’s ability to handle technical football discussions. “She can talk football,” he remarked. “I give her a ton of credit for working hard to ask the right questions during our chats. I told her, ‘You’ve got to do this the right way.’ She consistently comes prepared with insightful questions, proving she’s smarter than her dad.” While Leigh enjoys discussing football strategy, she aims to find a balance by integrating lifestyle and pop culture elements into the podcast, even though she understands the audience’s primary interest lies with the Xs and Os.
“If it were up to me, I’d incorporate more pop culture,” she stated. “However, I acknowledge the audience’s preferences, and when tuning in with my dad, they’re looking for football insights.”
Mike’s knack for simplifying complex concepts has notably influenced Leigh. “He explains things uniquely, breaking them down effectively,” she noted. While Leigh’s on-air work is a fresh endeavor, she maintains her production role, booking guests for Fox Sports Radio at the Super Bowl, and she cherishes this new creative outlet. “It’s thrilling to engage with the audience and experiment with ideas. Sometimes I think a concept will resonate, and it flops, while other times, an idea I think is insignificant takes off,” she shared.
Mike finds it intriguing to see Leigh traverse a similar path into football media, albeit from a different perspective. “I’ve gone through it all: television, radio, podcasts. It’s fascinating to watch Leigh, who’s in her 30s, follow a similar trajectory after years in production,” he commented. “She’s gravitating towards social media just like I did at her age.” For Mike, it’s Leigh’s developing skills that stand out. Regarding the Eagles specifically, Mike has established plenty of connections over the years, making this podcast particularly enjoyable for him. “Having grown up in West Philadelphia and doing Eagles preseason games for five years, I feel at home with this team,” he expressed.
As the Super Bowl approaches, he’s looking forward to the face-off with former head coach Andy Reid. “The dynamic with Andy Reid is exciting; he left Philadelphia under scrutiny yet has become a Hall of Fame coach. It’s special for both of us to have these connections leading into the final game of the year.” Leigh believes the presence of the Eagles at the Super Bowl will amplify interest in their podcast. “More people are tuning in because the Eagles are in the spotlight, and the city’s excitement is incredible. Being part of the Eagles’ momentum feels amazing. While I’m in New Orleans, we plan to do a remote episode this week with Dad, and who knows, maybe we’ll record one from the parade!”
