New York sports radio hosts aren’t pleased about the Empire State Building celebrating the New England Patriots’ AFC Championship victory to advance to Super Bowl LX.
After the Patriots beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, and the Seattle Seahawks took down the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game, the New York City-based Empire State Building lit up in colors to celebrate each team’s victory on Sunday.
Santa Clara bound!⁰Shining in @Patriots colors in honor of their AFC Championship win. pic.twitter.com/Fkhw1HSxo3
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) January 25, 2026
The stage is set. Lighting in green and blue @Seahawks colors to celebrate their NFC Championship win. pic.twitter.com/zv4nkGFDMZ
— Empire State Building (@EmpireStateBldg) January 26, 2026
On Monday’s edition of The Carton Show, WFAN hosts Craig Carton and Chris McMonigle voiced their displeasure about the Empire State Building supporting the Patriots, an AFC East rival of the New York Jets, and a two-time Super Bowl opponent of the New York Giants.
Craig and C-Mac went off on the Empire State Building lighting up in Patriots colors:@craigcartonlive @CMacWFAN pic.twitter.com/j6GcZZQujS
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) January 26, 2026
“I hate the fact, I hate it with the passion of a thousand suns, that the Empire State Building is lit up in Patriot colors after the mere fact that a team that we hate, a team that has dominated us, a team that has owned us, a team that mocks us as New Yorkers, and we have no putback to that,” Carton said. “That we would still light up the Empire State Building in Patriot colors irks the hell out of me. And I know it’s done six months in advance. And I have to tell you, it still bothers the hell out of me.”
“I’m with you,” McMonigle said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t know why we do it.”
“I think they pay for it, the NFL,” Carton responded.
“The Eagles won the Super Bowl, the Empire State Building is Kelly Green,” Carton continued. “And we’re like, look, not all money is good money. You have to say no sometimes.”
“You are the shining example of New York City, and you’re celebrating its biggest rival,” McMonigle added.
“You at some point have to say to the NFL, ‘We’re going to give you your money back,'” Carton said. “Because in good conscience, we can’t light up the Empire State Building in Phillies red, and Eagles green, and Patriots whatever the hell it is.”
“What if the Jets lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game?” McMonigle asked.
We likely won’t have to worry about that specific scenario anytime soon.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.