A familiar voice is reportedly ready to return to WFAN soon, leading to a shift in afternoon programming at the sports station.
According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, Craig Carton and the station are close to finalizing a deal that would bring him back to WFAN for a third time. Carton’s new show will have a co-host, with overnight host Chris McMonigle as the leading candidate, though others are being considered.
Marchand added that Carton’s return will shift the “Evan and Tiki” show from its current spot to the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot. With these moves, Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata will no longer be part of the regular weekday schedule.
Reports surfaced in July that Carton could make a return to WFAN, with Marchand pointing to the connection Carton had with a station executive as a potential path for his comeback.
“A return to WFAN is not out of the question for Carton,” Marchand said in July. “WFAN has continued its dominance in the market with Tiki Barber joining Carton’s former partner, Evan Roberts, on afternoon drive. Chris Oliviero, who brought Carton back to WFAN after Carton served a prison sentence for fraud, is the chief business officer of the station’s parent company, Audacy, and oversees WFAN.”
Carton, 56, initially joined WFAN in 2007, working with Boomer Esiason. The two remained together until Carton was arrested in 2017 on federal charges related to a ticket scheme that used money to pay off his gambling debts. Carton was sentenced to three and a half years in prison but served slightly more than a year before being released for good behavior.
Carton returned to WFAN in 2020 but left again in 2023 and signed with FS1. He co-hosted the morning show ‘Breakfast Ball’ with Mark Schlereth and Danny Parkins on FS1, but the show was canceled in July. Carton subsequently created his daily podcast, “The Craig Carton Show.”