Longtime afternoon host Tom Tolbert reportedly out at KNBR after 28 years

After nearly three decades as a prominent Bay Area sports radio voice, Tom Tolbert has been unexpectedly let go.

Barrett Media broke the news on Wednesday, reporting that after 28 years, the longtime afternoon drive host and former NBA player was dismissed by KNBR. Tolbert himself confirmed the departure in a text to SFGATE, acknowledging his exit from the iconic San Francisco-based sports station.

KNBR’s station owner, Cumulus, also confirmed the news through a spokesperson, who informed SFGATE that Tolbert’s farewell show, alongside program director Adam Copeland, would air on Thursday.

As noted by SFGATE, this marks the second time KNBR has parted ways with a beloved longtime host in less than a year. Last November, Paul McCaffrey, co-host of the iconic Murph and Mac morning show for 18 years, was let go. Additionally, nighttime host F.P. Santangelo was not retained.

As for Tolbert, he first came to the Bay Area in 1989. He spent three of his seven NBA seasons with the Golden State Warriors and later returned to the place where his professional sports career began, swiftly securing a job with KNBR in 1996.

He remained with the station for the next 28 years, up until this Thursday.

Also a former ESPN analyst, Tolbert faced a major health scare in 2017 that served as both a personal battle and a source of inspiration. He stayed incredibly positive after undergoing heart surgery and continued to remain a fixture of KNBR’s airwaves for the next eight years.

Tolbert’s departure comes amid a broader transformation in the sports radio landscape, as Fox Sports Radio anchors recently announced their departures following a wave of layoffs at iHeartMedia.

Along with Tolbert, add KNBR’s John Lund’s name to the list of layoffs at KNBR — and in the industry.

KNBR has also parted ways with @JohnLundRadio https://t.co/s1zPueyT5E

— Barrett Media (@Barrett_Media) November 13, 2024

[Barrett Media, SFGATE]