Chris “Mad Dog” Russo can’t be a full-time SiriusXM Radio host forever, but will he even do it for another year?
One week after Dan Patrick announced the launch of his four-year retirement tour, Chris Russo didn’t go quite that far, but he offered little assurances about his radio future as his SiriusXM contract gets set to expire. Russo joined the latest episode of Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated Media Podcast and during the appearance, the Radio Hall of Famer was asked to address a recent comment he made about his future.
According to Traina, during a recent episode of Mad Dog Unleashed, Russo said he’ll be with SiriusXM through the Super Bowl, “and then we’ll see.”
“Did I say that?” Russo asked. “Listen, who knows. I am definitely going to be all over the Super Bowl and all over the fall. I got four kids in college beginning this year. I have nobody in the house beginning August 28. That’s the first time in 24 or 25 years that that is going to occur for the Jeanie Russos and the Chris Russos.
“I get a kid who’s going to be the third assistant in Northern Arizona. You don’t think I’m going to be wrapped up in Flagstaff, Arizona there for a good part of the season? I have a daughter in San Diego. You think I’m not going to be interested in going out there to see her? I got Colin, who is at Wisconsin. I could see him doing radio in a year or so, his senior year in Madison. And then you got a kid in Chicago going to college. So, from that standpoint, freedom is important.”
With his contract set to expire next year, Traina surmised that Russo just needs to work out a deal with SiriusXM that gives him some schedule flexibility, more than he might need to consider retiring from radio altogether anytime soon.
“I am 64 years old in two months. I can’t be doing this forever, correct?” Russo said. “So from that perspective, you know I will definitely, definitely be everywhere through February 14th. Give me a little leeway where I can at least reassess my life after I have everybody away for a term.”
Russo is going to turn 64 in two months and instead of lessening his workload in recent years, he’s been adding to it. In addition to his afternoon radio show on SiriusXM, Russo hosts High Heat every weekday on MLB Network and joins Stephen A. Smith weekly on ESPN’ First Take. Russo doesn’t look or sound like someone who is nearing retirement as his platform and recognizability continue to grow, especially since landing the ESPN gig.
According to Russo, his longtime producer Eddie Erickson suggested that he trade radio for a biweekly interview podcast and under ESPN’s brand. SiriusXM probably doesn’t love hearing about that suggestion. While a pre-recorded podcast might be a possibility in the future, it’s hard to imagine that will satisfy the former WFAN host, who still thrives off the energy of live radio. The Howard Stern model of working three days a week with a lot of vacation time and summers off might be a better long-term fit for Russo with Sirius.
Earlier this year, Russo scoffed at the notion he could return to terrestrial radio by way of 98.7 ESPN New York. “I love Sirius so much. They’ve been good to me,” Russo said in January. “Sirius in the afternoon, I’m going to do that as long as they’ll have me.” And he ultimately reiterated that sentiment on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast.
“I love Sirius,” Russo said. “I’m not going to terrestrial, I’m not going back to 660 or anything like that, it’s gonna be here.”
Russo doesn’t appear to have plans of leaving Sirius, but as his contract nears expiration, the capacity in which he’s willing to stay on Mad Dog Sports Radio and for how long are definitely in question.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com