A staple of Cleveland’s sports radio scene is leaving the sports talk station he helped build, with Dustin Fox announcing on Monday that Thursday will mark his final episode as a co-host on 92.3 The Fan’s Afternoon Drive on The Fan.
“This is something that is kind of a long time coming. This is going to be hard man. This is going to be really hard, but I’m not going to bury the lede: Thursday, Aug. 29 will be most last day on The Fan,” Fox said. “I’m making this decision to leave. And it was not easy. And it has been a lot of praying, a lot of talking with people I trust. A lot of soul-searching in a lot of ways.”
Fox said him leaving has nothing to do with 92.3 or the state of the sports talk radio industry. Rather, he stated his departure is coming as the result of his desire to spend more time with his two kids as they get older.
The former Ohio State captain had been at 92.3 The Fan since the station’s inception in 2011. Despite Cleveland already being the home of two sports talk stations — ESPN affiliate WKNR 850 and WTAM 1100 (the latter of which is now better known for its conservative political talk) — 92.3 quickly established itself as a ratings giant in Cleveland with local coverage that spans from 6 a.m. to midnight.
Fox had been a big part of The Fan’s early and sustained success, co-hosting the station’s afternoon drive program. After initially pairing with Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber on Bull & Fox, he then co-hosted the Afternoon Drive alongside Nick Wilson following Gerstenhaber’s departure from the station in 2022.
Fox’s time at 92.3, however, wasn’t without controversy.
In 2019, the former Minnesota Vikings’ third-round pick took a brief hiatus from his show after receiving social media threats from then-Browns defensive back Jermaine Whitehead, who was later waived as a result on the incident. This past January, he indicated in a social media post that he was done working for 92.3 The Fan while accusing the station’s parent company, Audacy, of not supporting him amid health issues.
Fox addressed those posts during his farewell on Monday while also being transparent about the past personal struggles he has faced.
“I was on the doorstep of dying,” Fox said in reference to this past January. “I was basically having a mental breakdown and everything was spiraling. And I was tired of it. So I got help… I was not healthy and I was going to die.”
“I wanted to kill myself,” he later added. “And I may have. But I didn’t and I’m here.”
Fox also shared that he has since gotten sober and is now 208 days alcohol-free as of Monday.
.@dustinfox37 had an important announcement on @afternoon923FAN earlier.
You can listen to his full message here: https://t.co/S5CxqaeseH pic.twitter.com/rbzvH9XACh
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) August 26, 2024
Despite his January posts indicating otherwise, Fox returned to 92.3 The Fan’s airwaves in March, resuming his role as the drivetime program’s co-host. He indicated on Monday, however, that he knew at the time he might not be at the station long-term moving forward.
Despite his departure from The Fan, he remains a college football television analyst at ESPN, where he will call games alongside Matt Schumacker during the 2024 season.
PSA: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and needs help, the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline can be reached at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health National Helpline can be reached at 1-800-662-4357.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.