Mike Golic Returns to ESPN Radio with Son

After six years away from the airwaves, Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Golic is stepping back onto ESPN Radio’s statewide channel. Beginning August 3, the veteran will share the 10 a.m.–noon time slot with his son, Mike Golic Jr., under the banner “The Golics.” The show replaces the slot left vacant when Clinton Yates exited in March.

Golic never imagined a comeback was possible after the format’s evolution left him feeling sidelined. He cites the network’s decision to bring back Rich Eisen as a subtle hint that the winds were shifting. Even so, the elder Golic’s career continued elsewhere, including a stint with FanDuel Sports Network before its bankruptcy wiped out his show “Golic & Golic.”

When FanDuel folded, Golic found himself without a home. Two job offers involved working alongside his son, while a third centered on Mike Golic Jr. alone. The father‑and‑son duo quickly agreed that a return to ESPN Radio was their preferred destination, provided they could keep their outside commitments intact. Golic will still call NFL games for Westwood One, and Golic Jr. will maintain his television work with TNT Sports and his Sinclair Sports podcast.

The decision to reunite was sparked by an unexpected call from ESPN executive Mike Foss. Foss had previously produced digital programs from Golic Jr.’s home, creating a pre‑existing rapport. “I was a little shocked,” Golic recalled, noting that returning to the ESPN logo felt like coming home rather than launching a fresh chapter. The first week of “The Golics” will be taped together in Los Angeles, with plans to eventually co‑host from a shared studio in either LA or ESPN’s Bristol complex during the NFL season.

Golic views radio as an evolving medium, not a dying one. He learned to adapt during his years away, watching the rise of on‑demand streaming and the constant turnover in ESPN Radio’s lineup. “You have to be ready to pivot,” he said, explaining that “The Golics” will also launch as a podcast to meet modern listeners’ habits.

The return has generated buzz across the industry. Longtime partner Mike Greenberg, who co‑hosted “Mike & Mike” until 2017 and later worked with Golic again, sent congratulatory texts. While Greenberg is now focused on his own projects, Golic left the door open for a potential reunion, joking that “you never know” how schedules might align.

For a broadcaster who spent more than two decades on four‑hour morning shows, a two‑hour midday slot feels like “a breeze.” Golic hopes this chapter will be the final one, but he’s ready to step aside if listener engagement drops. He sees a satisfying end to his career by finishing where it began, alongside his son, in the familiar sound of live sports radio.

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily columnist, bringing over two decades of broadcast experience to the coverage of talent moves like Golic’s historic return.