The radio icon debunks Max Kellerman replacement rumors and shares the 'dark secret' that nobody was ever going to fill Chris Russo's chair
Max Kellerman opens up about his relationship with "First Take" host Stephen A. Smith. The rumors have persisted for years in sports media circles: after the iconic “Mike and the Mad Dog” partnership split, Max Kellerman was supposedly in line to become Mike Francesa’s new partner on WFAN.
, Francesa didn’t just correct the record; he demolished it entirely, revealing a “dark secret” that changes everything we thought we knew about that period in sports radio history. “Max Kellerman recently said in an interview that he was going to be your partner after you parted ways with May Dog. Is this true?” Francesa read from a listener’s email before delivering his unequivocal response: “No, it’s completely untrue. There’s not a word of truth to that.” But Francesa didn’t stop there. He pulled back the curtain on what was really happening during those months of very public “auditions” that followed Chris “Mad Dog” Russo’s departure from WFAN. “I can tell you a little dark secret that Chernoff knew,” Francesa confessed, referring to then-WFAN program director Mark Chernoff. “I was never hiring anybody. That’s the fact. And I knew that.” The revelation completely reframes the narrative around what many in the industry viewed as an extensive search for Francesa’s next on-air partner. While Francesa did meet with numerous candidates — including both Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman — he now claims none of these meetings were ever serious considerations. “Nobody ever got a second interview. There never was a second interview for anybody,” Francesa emphasized. “Nobody ever got far enough to even have a discussion about being part of the show, what their role would be or money. It never ever came to that.”“I met with Max myself for dinner near my house, and by the time I got home, it was already out that we had met and that finished him,” Francesa explained. “We never talked again.” While WFAN management used the opportunity to network and meet potential talent, Francesa maintains that the entire exercise was essentially theater. The station received “hundreds of calls” from interested parties ranging from politicians to comedians to former athletes, but Francesa insists, “Nobody was ever a serious candidate. That’s the fact.” Looking back, Francesa’s solo success in the years that followed seems to validate his decision. After initially taking meetings at management’s request, it became clear that replacing the Mad Dog would be impossible, so why try? For sports radio fans, the revelation provides fascinating context for one of the industry’s most scrutinized transitions. The supposed competition to become Mike’s new partner—a storyline that dominated New York sports media for months—was apparently settled before it ever began. “Nobody was ever in line to get the show. Case closed, ever,” Francesa stated with finality, putting to rest years of speculation and positioning his post-Mad Dog career in an entirely new light.The Advance Local Express Desk uses AI tools to assist in producing content, which is reviewed and edited by staff. Advance Local is the parent company of AL.com, Cleveland.com, lehighvalleylive.com,...
@Adv-Express Ai-Sports Section:/Sports
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Max Verstappen Hits Out At F1 Journalist Over Controversial George Russell ClashVerstappen was unhappy with a line of questioning after missing out on a fifth F1 world championship.
Read more »
Rich Paul and Max Kellerman Enter the Video Podcasting Arena‘Game Over,’ a new show hosted by the superagent and former ESPN personality, puts Paul in a new seat and brings Kellerman back to an old one—and emerges from a knotty web of high-profile sports media relationships.
Read more »
Stephen A. Smith fires back at ‘Muhammad Kellerman’: ‘Are you really sure you want to go there?”First Take's fiery host doesn't hold back as he dismantles Max Kellerman's claim that Stephen A. was afraid to debate him
Read more »
Apple Offloads Beats Studio Pro at 49% Off, Now the Cheapest AirPods Max Alternative With ANCIf you listen to a lot of music, you're going to want a good pair of headphones to go along with it.
Read more »
Max Kellerman Roasts Travis Kelce for Costly Dropped Pass Against TexansMax Kellerman tore into Travis Kelce after he dropped a crucial fourth-quarter pass, leading to an interception and another Chiefs loss
Read more »
Rich Paul, Max Kellerman, and Bill Simmons Launch New Podcast 'Game Over'Sports agent Rich Paul and former ESPN personality Max Kellerman team up with Bill Simmons for a new video podcast on Spotify and Netflix, promising a fresh perspective on sports and culture. The show marks a reconciliation between Paul and Simmons, who previously had public disagreements.
Read more »