WFAN host Craig Carton didn’t mince words Thursday when reacting to NBC Sports’ decision to remove longtime NFL analyst Tony Dungy from its game and studio coverage beginning next season, using his platform on The Carton Show to celebrate the end of Dungy’s 17-year tenure with the network while framing the move as a necessary correction for a broadcast he believes had grown stale.
WFAN host Craig Carton used his Thursday show to praise NBC Sports. He said he was “happy to see that NBC took heat off our criticisms of some of their broadcasts.” Carton then pivoted to a pointed critique of Dungy’s on-air style. The shift highlighted how strongly he felt about the move.
“So happy to hear that next year we will not be forced to suffer through the holier than now, soapbox living Tony Dungy and his sanctimonious bull crap that was force fed us for the last 17 years. Good riddance to him,” said Carton.
Although the remarks were predictably provocative, Carton said his frustration focused on Dungy’s performance as a broadcaster. He stressed that his critique did not target Dungy’s character. Carton later clarified that he holds no personal animus toward the Hall of Fame coach. However, he believes the network maintained its commitment longer than it should have.
“Let’s be honest, he brought nothing to the table as a broadcaster,” Carton said, describing Dungy’s analysis as “vanilla” and “milquetoast,” terms that reflect a broader criticism Carton has leveled at studio shows he feels lack urgency, personality and compelling debate in an era when sports viewers increasingly gravitate toward sharper commentary and more dynamic exchanges.
“There’s never any great insight. There was a lot of clichés and generalities. You know, the team that wins the turnover battle’s got a pretty good chance. And he has zero personality,” Carton said, suggesting that the network’s studio format demands stronger, more defined voices capable of cutting through a crowded media landscape.
Still, Craig Carton drew a clear line between critique and character. He said, “He’s a very nice man. He’s very well respected, and people like him a lot, and I have nothing bad to say about him as a human being at all.” Carton then added, “But that was a 17-year run that was like, ‘What are we doing?’”
Dungy, who transitioned to television after a decorated coaching career that included a Super Bowl title, has been a staple of NBC’s NFL coverage since joining the network. NBC has not yet announced who will fill his role next season.
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