Tensions between current and former WFAN hosts spilled back onto the airwaves Monday morning, as Gregg Giannotti delivered a pointed and, at times, personal response to criticism from Brandon Tierney during an appearance on the station last week.
Speaking on Boomer & Gio, Giannotti addressed Tierney’s recent claim that Giannotti had been a “bad teammate,” pushing back forcefully while also questioning the circumstances that led to Tierney’s return to the station. Giannotti said he had been told Tierney pushed aggressively behind the scenes to secure airtime tied to discussion about St. John’s Red Storm, despite previously criticizing the station publicly.
“I was told that BT [Brandon Tierney] pressed very hard to have a St John’s appearance on the radio station. [He] pressed star program director Ryan Hurley very hard to get on the radio station. The radio station that he thinks stinks now,” said Giannotti. “He really had to get on the radio station to talk St John’s because I guess WFAN still matters. But it doesn’t on his podcast.”
Beyond the booking itself, however, Giannotti took particular issue with Tierney’s characterization of his behavior during a past on-air prank, which Tierney cited as evidence of poor teamwork.
Giannotti rejected that notion outright, arguing instead that the situation highlighted a broader issue with Tierney’s approach to the medium, including an inability to embrace humor and self-awareness in a format that often relies on both.
“He said that I was implying that he was drinking with the team and that’s being a bad teammate. His take on that is exactly the reason why he couldn’t cut it here,” noted Giannotti about Tierney, who left WFAN in December following a lineup change. “He is someone who takes things way too seriously. He can’t laugh at himself, and he doesn’t get it. If he did, and showed a little bit more personality and could laugh at himself, maybe he would have had more success here.”
The criticism escalated as Giannotti defended his own reputation within the industry, pointing to relationships built during previous stops, including at CBS Sports Radio. He maintained that colleagues and producers he has worked alongside would describe him as collaborative and supportive, while alleging that Tierney’s own working relationships were far more strained.
“Everybody that worked for Brandon [Tierney} couldn’t stand him. So if you want to go down the road, we’ll go down the road,” said Giannotti. “People hated working with that guy. He’s the bad teammate. He would trash his producers, and would belittle them. So don’t tell me I’m a bad teammate, because you can’t take a joke.”
Giannotti continued by revisiting Tierney’s prior tenure in national radio, claiming that leadership decisions at the time reflected dissatisfaction with Tierney’s on-air performance. He described being brought into a prominent role as part of a course correction, emphasizing that entertainment value and audience connection remain central to success in the format.
In addition to targeting Tierney, Giannotti directed frustration toward Ryan Hurley, criticizing the station’s decision-making process in granting the appearance.
“Our program director [Ryan Hurley] is also a bad teammate for putting him on and caving in that situation. Being essentially a marshmallow speed bump. That was ridiculous. Should have never happened. Honestly, like, if you had any balls at all, you would say no,” said Giannotti. “[WFAN] gave you an opportunity to goodbye shows, and promote your stuff. Then you go on and you co-sign dumb ass Joe Benigno’s comments. Now we’re gonna let you back on the radio station to promote St John’s because you begged? More decisions like that, he [Hurley] won’t be around at all. Ridiculous. Have the backs of the people that are here.”
Neither Tierney nor Hurley publicly responded to Giannotti’s remarks as of Monday afternoon.
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