Craig Carton is returning to WFAN this January for a third stint at the New York sports radio station, a move that has sparked reflections from his former co-host, Evan Roberts. In candid (and somewhat playful) remarks on the Evan & Tiki show, Roberts shared his perspective on working with Carton and the dynamic that defined their previous partnership.
“I’m gonna be honest. I loved working with Craig. Let me make something clear, he’s the one who left me, okay. He left, and when he left, which I respected, I had no problem with [it]. I looked to get married again,” Roberts said, highlighting both his personal respect for Carton’s decision to step away and the professional bond they shared.
Under the reported changes, Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber would shift from afternoons to the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. block. The move would be Roberts’ second major schedule change in two years.
Meanwhile, Carton is reported to have a new partner. FAN overnight host Chris McMonigle has emerged as the leading candidate to join him. According to the reporting, McMonigle’s growing on-air profile, familiarity with WFAN’s core audience and ability to handle high-volume caller segments have been viewed internally as key strengths.
Carton’s last co-host at WFAN before leaving two years ago was indeed Roberts, as the pair hosted afternoon drive together. Roberts went further, drawing a colorful analogy to his personal life as he reflected on their time together on the WFAN airwaves.
“So for my ex-wife to come back and say, ‘Oh, you want to sleep with me again?’ I have no problem with a one-night stand. But I’m married, it doesn’t mean I didn’t have incredible joy doing that program. And the truth is if he never left, we’d still be together making beautiful music. Which is not my fault,” he said, underscoring the deep creative chemistry that made the show resonate with listeners.
Carton, who first joined WFAN in 2007 and quickly became one of the station’s most recognizable voices. He partnered with Boomer Esiason on the morning show from 2007 until 2017, when he left following his arrest on fraud charges related to a ticket resale scam he used to try to repay gambling debts.
Carton was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison in April 2019. He began serving two months later, but he was released after a year. A few months later, he secured his return to WFAN and partnered with Roberts in the afternoon drive. He then left again in 2023 to focus full-time on his FS1 morning show that got canceled earlier this summer.
Carton hosted two separate morning programs for FOX Sports on FS1, but failed to connect with an audience that would keep him on the network. WFAN’s morning show featuring Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti addressed Carton’s return earlier in the day.
“This was in the works for years,” Esiason said. “When he left, there was just too much money for him to turn down. Now he’s going to come back and do what he does best: extemporaneous thought on a radio show for four hours.”
Giannotti acknowledged the emotional and professional toll of ongoing lineup changes.
“I’m excited for the lineup, but also very sad that something else had to change,” he said. “There’s been a lot of different midday and afternoon combinations while we’ve been sitting here. None of them are easy on the people involved.”
For Roberts, the return of his former co-host evokes a mix of nostalgia and acknowledgment of what made their pairing successful. Fans of the Carton & Roberts show fondly remember the chemistry that drove discussions on sports, pop culture, and New York-centric topics, blending high-energy debate with moments of humor and candid insight.
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