Former WEEI morning host John Dennis says the inclusion of Kirk Minihane is a main reason he left the station. He walked away in 2016, even with a year left on his contract.

What We Know: Dennis co-hosted WEEI’s morning show with Gerry Callahan for nearly two decades, starting in 1997. However, the chemistry shifted after Minihane joined the program in 2013. Later, Dennis entered a 30-day inpatient alcohol rehab program. Ultimately, he left after 2016, even though his contract ran through 2017. Dennis spoke about Minihane’s inclusion and impact on the working environment he enjoyed at WEEI for many years on The Big O Podcast with Glenn Ordway.

What They Said: (All quotes via The Big O Podcast):

John Dennis on his working relationship with Kirk Minihane: “It eventually got sort of complicated. He wasn’t fond of the way I did it. I wasn’t fond of the way he did it. At a certain point, when I went away to alcohol rehab, I was informed that he [Kirk Minihane] and somebody said Gerry [Callahan] went into the boss and said, “Listen, when he’s done with this 30 days, you know, inpatient alcohol rehab thing, do we have to have him back?” That was sort of the beginning of the end of the relationship.”

John Dennis on his final year with WEEI working with Kirk Minihane: “It was torture. 2016 was my last year there, and it was the longest year of my life. I enjoyed the first 19 years immensely… It’s was a great kind of big family, and it all changed when this kind of disruptive person came in. It just changed.”

John Dennis on why he left WEEI with time remaining on his contract: “I had a year left on my contract. I was contracted through 2017, and I called Phil Zachary on a Thursday night from my house. I said, “Phil, I said I can’t do it anymore. I’m done.” He said, “Well, you have a year left on your contract, and I said I don’t care. I said you don’t have to pay me. He said, take two weeks off, take a nice long vacation, relax, get away from it. Don’t turn the radio on. Put your feet up or go on a beach or something. Then we’ll revisit this in two weeks. I said, Phil, I’ll be glad to take your two weeks a vacation. But in two weeks, I’m going to have the very same answer for you. I don’t want to do this anymore, and I walked away from one more year of WEEI salary and contract.”

What Remains Unclear: Still, Callahan’s exact role in Dennis’ departure from WEEI remains murky. Dennis said only that “somebody said” Callahan joined Minihane in that meeting. Furthermore, it’s unclear whether Minihane or Callahan will respond publicly. It’s also unclear whether WEEI will address the account.

What It Means: Dennis’s comments offer a rare inside look at one of Boston sports radio’s most notable breakups. Moreover, they show how one lineup change can reshape a long-running show. Ultimately, Dennis valued his peace more than a final year of salary. Now, roughly a decade later, he’s offering a candid account of why he walked away.

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