Thursday, 07 May 2026

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Commentators 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Sports Talk Show Host
Statistics & Accolades: 1x National Sports Media Association National Sportscaster of the Year
Radio Hall of Fame
1x Marconi Award Winner
When you think of New York Sports Radio in the modern era, nobody gives off that vibe better than Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.

Working his way through the ranks, Russo made it to WFAN in 1988. He already had his “Mad Dog” nickname, which he earned from his aggressive style and NYC accent. Within two years, Russo was paired with Mike Francesca, and they became not only the toast of the town but a syndicated force in sports radio. Arguably, the duo became the backbone of proving that you could build a 24-hour sports radio format.

As the show grew, Russo saw a ceiling, and in 2008, he broke out on his own, bringing his candid rants to SiriusXM, where he had his own channel, Mad Dog Sports Radio, which is still popular today.

Russo has also worked for the MLB Network for ten years (2014-24) and occasionally appears on ESPN.

We are proud to nominate Chris “Mad Dog” Russo for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.