DFW’s Eagle Ready To Freak Out?

• Over the past two weeks, iHeartMedia has seen some significant executive downsizing in its Dallas-Ft. Worth cluster — longtime Region President Kelly Kibler exited, along with Don Davis, PD of Classic Rock KZPS (Lonestar 92.5) and Active Rock KEGL (97.1 The Eagle), and Dan O’Malley & Alfie Coy, the hosts of The Eagle’s afternoon drive Treehouse show.

Now comes word from Sports Illustrated, of all places, that iHeartMedia is preparing to flip the venerable Eagle to Sports-Talk as 97.1 The Freak as soon as this Friday, Sept. 30. The Dallas Morning News is echoing that coverage as well (subscription required).

SI‘s Richie Whitt reports that Texas Radio Hall of Famer Mike Rhyner, known as “The Old Grey Wolf” and “The Patriarch” of Cumulus Sports-Talk KTCK (1310 The Ticket) until his abrupt retirement in Jan. 2020, is coming off the bench and returning to the air via The Freak, part of a line-up that sources say will include Rhyner, Eagle holdovers Ben Rogers and Jeff “Skin” Wade, former 105.3 The Fan host Jeff Cavanaugh and Ticket refugees Julie Dobbs and Mike Sirois. For his part, Rhymer has been peppering his social media posts with “freak” references, so there’s that. You are advised to watch this space.