# Chris Russo
**Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo** is an American sports talk radio host who co-hosted WFAN's *Mike and the Mad Dog* with [Mike Francesa](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-francesa) from 1989 to 2008 and has since hosted *Mad Dog Unleashed* on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Sports Radio, the all-sports channel created for him in 2008.[1](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo) • [2](https://www.siriusxm.com/hosts/chris-russo)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signature show | *Mike and the Mad Dog* on WFAN, debuted September 5, 1989, ran 19 years and dominated New York afternoon drive ratings[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/wfan-timeline/) • [1](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo) |
| SiriusXM role | Joined in 2008 to launch Mad Dog Sports Radio (Ch. 82); hosts *Mad Dog Unleashed* weekdays 3–6 pm ET[2](https://www.siriusxm.com/hosts/chris-russo) |
| Television | Hosts *High Heat* on MLB Network and appears regularly on ESPN's *First Take*[4](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/christopher-mad-dog-russo-new-deal/) |
| Hall of Fame | Inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame on November 1, 2022, in Chicago[5](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/) |
| Award | Francesa and Russo won the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year in 2000[5](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/) |
| Contract | Signed a new three-year SiriusXM agreement in 2024; the New York Post reported he is signed through 2027[4](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/christopher-mad-dog-russo-new-deal/) • [6](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chris-russo-reveals-retirement-thinking-162457886.html) |
| Education | Rollins College, class of 1982; history major[7](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/) |
## Early career and the nickname
Russo graduated from [Rollins College](https://www.edgepedia.org/rollins-college) in 1982, where he was a history major and called Rollins games on the campus station WPRK from 1978 to 1981.[7](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/) He began professional radio in Jacksonville and then worked at WKIS in [Orlando, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-florida), starting in the winter of 1984, hosting a 6 to 8 pm sports talk show on weekdays.[8](https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-they-became-mike-and-the-mad-dog-an-oral-history/) • [7](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/) An Orlando general manager later removed him from the weekday drive-time slot and moved him to weekends, an episode Russo described as a major setback before he moved to New York.[8](https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-they-became-mike-and-the-mad-dog-an-oral-history/)
He arrived in New York in March 1987 to work at WMCA and joined WFAN AM in 1988 as an overnight, weekend, and fill-in host, also appearing as a correspondent on [Don Imus](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-imus)'s show.[8](https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-they-became-mike-and-the-mad-dog-an-oral-history/) • [1](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo) • [5](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/) The nickname "Mad Dog" came from Bob Raissman of the *New York Daily News* in the summer of 1987, which Russo credited with giving him an identifiable caricature.[7](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/)
## Mike and the Mad Dog
In September 1989, WFAN program director Mark Mason paired Russo with Mike Francesa in afternoon drive time to replace veteran host Pete Franklin, a widely unpopular decision at the time that both hosts initially resisted.[8](https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-they-became-mike-and-the-mad-dog-an-oral-history/) • [3](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/wfan-timeline/) The show debuted on September 5, 1989.[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/wfan-timeline/) A New Yorker profile described their division of roles: Francesa's measured [Long Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-island) baritone carried the voice of authority, while Russo, also from Long Island, was the ranter, loud and fast-talking, with a memory for pitching sequences, third-down conversions, and obscure statistics.[9](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/08/30/the-boys-4)
The pairing became a ratings hit in the New York market and ran for 19 years. TIME credited the duo with helping to prove that full-time sports talk could draw ratings and revenue, noting that the United States had five full-time sports radio stations in 1989 and roughly 130 by 1995, and that debate-style television shows such as *Pardon the Interruption* and *First Take* followed the format the show popularized.[10](https://time.com/4853905/meet-the-guys-who-invented-sports-broadcasting-as-you-know-it/) Francesa put the claim directly in a 2017 interview: "There's a direct lineage."
Russo left WFAN in August 2008 over a contract dispute; before signing with SiriusXM, he called into the show on the air to say goodbye to Francesa and the audience.[6](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chris-russo-reveals-retirement-thinking-162457886.html) • [10](https://time.com/4853905/meet-the-guys-who-invented-sports-broadcasting-as-you-know-it/) ESPN devoted a 30 for 30 documentary, *Mike and the Mad Dog*, to the show in 2017.[1](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo)
## SiriusXM and television
Russo joined SiriusXM in 2008 to create and headline Mad Dog Sports Radio on channel 82, and he has hosted the channel's anchor program, *Mad Dog Unleashed*, every weekday afternoon, currently from 3 to 6 pm ET.[1](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo) • [2](https://www.siriusxm.com/hosts/chris-russo) In 2024 he signed a new three-year agreement to remain the face of the channel.[4](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/christopher-mad-dog-russo-new-deal/) In 2025, [Stephen A. Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-a-smith) signed a multi-year SiriusXM deal that placed one of his new daily shows on Mad Dog Sports Radio, the channel SiriusXM described as created by Russo.[11](https://apnews.com/article/e8cc0ae63eac9457d235a4c43dd0efb1)
**Television work.** Russo hosted *High Heat with Christopher Russo* on [MLB Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/mlb-network), which the USA Sports Hall of Fame profile dates to 2014–2024, and appears as a regular contributor on ESPN's *First Take*. His weekly *First Take* spot grew out of a 2022 guest appearance whose chemistry with Stephen A. Smith drew fan interest.[4](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/christopher-mad-dog-russo-new-deal/) • [12](https://www.theusahof.com/2023-voting/2026-vote-for-commentators/2083-chris-mad-dog-russo) • [6](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chris-russo-reveals-retirement-thinking-162457886.html) In 2026 he returned to WFAN as a guest on *Evan & Tiki* on the first day Audacy stations were carried on SiriusXM.[13](https://barrettmedia.com/2026/09/01/chris-russo-mad-dog-wfan-misses/)
## Recognition
Francesa and Russo won the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year in 2000.[5](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/) In 2022, an election by more than 800 industry professionals placed Russo in the National Radio Hall of Fame, with induction on November 1 in Chicago, joining figures such as [Ira Glass](https://www.edgepedia.org/ira-glass), Bob Hope, and [Cokie Roberts](https://www.edgepedia.org/cokie-roberts).[5](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/) In 2026, WFAN's Evan Roberts called him, in his own words with a concession from Russo, a candidate for the face of SiriusXM.[14](https://newsday.atexcloud.io/sports/media/mad-dog-russo-wfan-audacy-dxbyrepy)
## On-air style and outlook
Russo describes his philosophy in plain terms: "Never take yourself too seriously – you're talking sports, we're not talking world politics. You're talking sports, have fun."
[15](https://www.si.com/media/chris-mad-dog-russo-explains-his-radio-philosophy-to-dan-patrick) His stated model for the show is a bar: the host runs the forum, but the fans get the outlet and want to be heard.[7](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/) In a 2026 interview with the [New York Post](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-post), he said he had no set retirement plan and might cut back in waves to just the radio show: "I still feel good. I still love and think I can make a contribution."
[6](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chris-russo-reveals-retirement-thinking-162457886.html)
## References
1. [Chris Russo, Radio Hall of Fame](https://www.radiohalloffame.com/chris-russo)
2. [Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo, SiriusXM host page](https://www.siriusxm.com/hosts/chris-russo)
3. [WFAN Timeline: 1987–2012, CBS New York](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/wfan-timeline/)
4. [Chris Russo Signs New Deal to Continue Mad Dog Sports Radio and 'Mad Dog Unleashed', SiriusXM (July 23, 2024)](https://www.siriusxm.com/blog/christopher-mad-dog-russo-new-deal/)
5. [Russo '82 to be Inducted into National Radio Hall of Fame, Rollins College](https://www.rollins.edu/alumni-supporters/news/russo-82-to-be-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/)
6. [Chris Russo reveals his retirement thinking to The Post, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chris-russo-reveals-retirement-thinking-162457886.html)
7. [What I've Learned: Christopher Russo '82, Rollins College](https://www.rollins.edu/news/what-ive-learned-christopher-russo-82/)
8. [How They Became Mike and the Mad Dog: An Oral History, VICE Sports](https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-they-became-mike-and-the-mad-dog-an-oral-history/)
9. [The Boys, The New Yorker (August 23, 2004)](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/08/30/the-boys-4)
10. [Meet The Guys Who Turned Sports Into A Screaming Bar Fight, TIME (2017)](https://time.com/4853905/meet-the-guys-who-invented-sports-broadcasting-as-you-know-it/)
11. [Stephen A. Smith signs deal with SiriusXM, AP News (June 4, 2025)](https://apnews.com/article/e8cc0ae63eac9457d235a4c43dd0efb1)
12. [Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, USA Sports Hall of Fame profile](https://www.theusahof.com/2023-voting/2026-vote-for-commentators/2083-chris-mad-dog-russo)
13. [Chris "Mad Dog" Russo Explains Why He "Definitely" Misses Being On WFAN, Barrett Media](https://barrettmedia.com/2026/09/01/chris-russo-mad-dog-wfan-misses/)
14. [Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo appears on WFAN's 'Evan and Tiki' show, Newsday](https://newsday.atexcloud.io/sports/media/mad-dog-russo-wfan-audacy-dxbyrepy)
15. [Chris "Mad Dog" Russo Explains His Radio Philosophy to Dan Patrick, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/media/chris-mad-dog-russo-explains-his-radio-philosophy-to-dan-patrick)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Broadcasters as people › Sports announcers and team broadcasters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license