The city of Pittsburgh is a blue-collar town, built on the backs of the iron and steel industry. It’s a tough place that demands tough people, where hard work and loyalty matter. It’s also a city known for its passionate sports fanbase, as “Steeler Nation” stretches across the globe. That’s why when Mike Tomlin decided to depart from his head coaching position with the hometown NFL franchise, the headline sent ripple effects far and wide. Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan didn’t expect to walk into the studio to begin another ordinary day, only for everything to shift so dramatically.
“The news broke five minutes into our show. You have that natural shocked reaction when you know it’s happening,” said Fillipponi. “The cool thing about our show [The PM with Poni and Mueller] is because of the Steelers’ reach and the way people digest consume audio, our audience is international. It was huge moment.”
It had been more than 15 years since Fillipponi entered the Pittsburgh sports radio scene. A graduate of Syracuse University, he and co-host Chris Mueller have guided the afternoon drive timeslot on 93.7 The Fan since 2018. During that time, the duo has learned to recognize the gravity of rare moments. For the first time since 2007, the Pittsburgh Steelers were searching for a new head football coach.
“In the 15 years I’ve been here, [Mike] Tomlin leaving is the number one [story all time],” explained Fillipponi. “This is the top thing that I’ve been a part of since the station’s been on the air.”
Sports radio has long served as a destination for reaction. When games go final, the appetite for local voices breaking down the outcome reaches a fever pitch. An NFL head coach leaving the team is no different. Fillipponi noted that the moment caused a major uptick in global streaming listenership. As a result, every digital metric benefited from The Fan’s ability to own the moment.
Meet The Moment
Fillipponi considers himself a perfectionist, always searching for ways to sharpen his performance. After the show the day Tomlin stepped down, he listened back several times, identifying small moments that could be improved. Opportunities like this are rare, especially for a franchise that has employed only three head coaches over the past 57 seasons.
“I might only get one more crack at this in my lifetime,” joked FIllipponi. “That was a huge moment. You have your core audience, and the audience that checks in when moments like that happens. We want to give them more reasons to come back to us for smaller things, and convert them to P1 listeners. I remind myself sometimes you strive for perfection, but you can’t obtain it.”
The Steel City doesn’t forget. It’s a passionate fanbase, but also one with a long memory. For Fillipponi, Tomlin’s exit marked the end of something he had long wanted. He has never shied away from the belief that while winning seasons were nearly guaranteed, reaching the next championship level rarely occurred. Tomlin’s 19 seasons in Pittsburgh produced just one Super Bowl title.
“I’ve wanted this to happen for such a long time and have been so vocal about it,” explained Fillipponi. “I don’t want to pretend like I’m the only one on our station to feel that, but I think I’m the one who’s said it the most passionately.”
Fillipponi labels himself an entertainer first, constantly identifying what his audience cares about most and diving headfirst into those topics. At times, he admits to playing devils advocate to avoid overly agreeable content and encourage more lean-in listening. He credits Mueller for reacting seamlessly in real time, calling him a fantastic co-pilot who knows how to improvise when the moment demands it.
Sports radio isn’t just a passion for Fillipponi; it’s life. His career ascension has included constant introspection. He believes the medium has given him so much that he feels a responsibility to give back every day.
“I still have incredible energy to do the best show possible, because I love the art form,” explained Fillipponi. “Sometimes I listen to other people who are good. If there’s a big game or topic in their area, I’m curious as to how they’re doing things. Then I’ll ask myself if I would do the same. That part of my brain has not turned off since I began doing this.”
Making The Steel City Home
A native of upstate New York, Fillipponi has fallen in love with Pittsburgh. Over the years, he’s built an audience, a family, and a close circle of friends. His mindset has evolved from his original plan of using the role as a stepping stone elsewhere. Instead, he believes he’s found a true home.
“Pittsburgh is such a great sports town. It’s easily at worst a top ten sports town. I have a great following here that it’s hard to want to leave,” noted Fillipponi. “I don’t feel like an outsider anymore.”
Despite his success, Fillipponi remains self-aware about how others in the industry might perceive his career path.
“I wonder sometimes when people see that I’ve been here for as long as I have. If they feel like I’ve settled or am content with the status quo. That’s not true,” says Fillipponi. “I don’t want this to be it for me. I want to continue building my brand and presence inside the medium. Also, I have inner conversations with myself and peers in the industry all the time about being the big fish in the small pond.”
Rather than focusing on what comes next, Fillipponi prioritizes where he is now. Living in the moment, he believes, allows for greater growth tomorrow. His confidence is matched by a clear understanding that his path doesn’t have to mirror others.
At the 2024 Barrett Media Sports Summit, Fillipponi appeared on a panel alongside fellow Syracuse graduates Damon Amendolara, Nick Wright, and Danny Parkins. While others have moved on to national syndication or television, Fillipponi remains the lone member of the group still hosting local sports radio.
“I have so much respect and love for those guys. They have skills and personality traits that I don’t have. I am very envious of how good they are at certain things, but I also feel I could do okay at that,” said Fillipponi. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m not going to look back on my career and say it was a failure. I might have given you a different answer maybe five to ten years ago, but it’s not how I feel now.”
Always Find The Fun
Fillipponi takes pride in how deeply he’s embedded himself in the Pittsburgh community. Beneath the bravado of his on-air opinions lies a playful side. That side was on full display after losing a bet that required him to pierce his nipples if the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Steelers on Thursday Night Football.
The Steelers lost, and the bet was paid, but with a twist. Instead of handling it privately, 93.7 The Fan turned the moment into a live remote that raised money for breast cancer research. Nearly $15,000 was raised during an unforgettable event.
“The nipples are no longer pierced. I got them pierced at the event on a Wednesday, and had them removed the following Friday,” explains Fillipponi. “Everybody knew I was doing this and came out of the woodwork to volunteer information to me about having pierced nipples in cold weather isn’t fun.”
One of his neighbors, a doctor, later removed the piercings safely. To this day, Fillipponi keeps the barbell rings in his office as a reminder not to say something “dumb” today.
In a city built on grit, loyalty, and showing up every day, Andrew Fillipponi has found something more meaningful than a bigger stage — he’s found belonging.
The microphones, moments, headlines, and viral stunts fade compared to the trust he’s built with a community that values authenticity as much as wins and losses. In Pittsburgh, where people remember who shows up and who stays, Fillipponi isn’t just a radio voice. He’s part of the fabric.
For someone who once believed the next step always had to be somewhere else, that may be the biggest success story of all.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
