The “Mad Dog” is about to be an empty nester and he’s about to start evaluating his options.
Chris Russo appeared on the SI Media Podcast and was asked about recent hints he’s been dropping that he’ll continue his radio show on SiriusXM through the Super Bowl and then see what’s what from there.
The radio legend pledged to forge full speed ahead for the next six-plus months, before stopping to catch his breath and figure out what he wants to do.
“I am definitely going to be all over the Super Bowl and all over the fall,” he said, as covered by Barrett Sports Media.
“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.”
Russo joined SiriusXM in 2008 after nearly 20 years in afternoon drive with Mike Francesa on WFAN’s iconic “Mike and the Mad Dog” program.
He’s as busy as ever thanks to his daily show on MLB Network and weekly appearances alongside Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“I am 64 years old in two months. I can’t be doing this forever, correct?” Russo continued, when asked about his SiriusXM contract expiring next year. “So from that perspective, you know I will definitely, definitely be everywhere through, say, February 14th. Give me a little leeway where I can at least reassess my life after I have everybody away for a term.”
There would be precedent if Russo ultimately wanted to remain at SiriusXM but scale back his hours, as that’s what Howard Stern has done in recent years.
One thing he’s sure of is that he’s going to drive his wife, Jeanie, crazy with their kids out of the house.
“This is the first time since 1998 that she’s going to have nobody in the house except me on the third floor breaking down Chargers and Chiefs on a Friday morning after the Thursday night game,” Russo said.
“She’s going to say, ‘I can’t take this anymore. Get me the hell out of here.’”