Mike Francesa addresses Max Kellerman’s falsehoods and explains why their communication ended.

Mike Francesca Responds to Max Kellerman’s Claims

Another figure in the sports world is pushing back against Max Kellerman’s assertions.

Recently, after Stephen A. Smith stepped away from his partnership with Kellerman, Mike Francesca took to the airwaves to deny Kellerman’s statements about his own exit from Mike and the Mad Dog. Francesca found himself in a new role at WFAN following that split.

Kellerman had previously indicated in an interview with Bill Simmons that there was a “plan” to pair him with Chris Russo. He suggested that Francesca chose to go solo after realizing he could manage without a partner.

During his podcast recording on Tuesday, Francesca vehemently disagreed with Kellerman, describing his account as a significant misrepresentation of reality.

“That’s completely false,” the well-known New York sports radio figure said. “These statements just aren’t true. When Dog left, WFAN’s program director, Mark Chernoff, asked me to meet with as many people as I could. We got tons of calls, many from folks I didn’t even know.”

Interestingly, Francesca recounted that the very first person he contacted about joining him in New York was Bill Simmons—the same individual interviewing Kellerman.

Francesca noted that although Simmons received a call, he swiftly decided against the move due to his established presence in Los Angeles and the loyalty of Boston fans.

“Believe it or not, the first person I ever spoke to was Bill Simmons. I called him and said, ‘Bill, I’ve got an idea.’ He responded, ‘I’m not interested.’ He didn’t want to pursue that type of work, and I respect that—there was no discussion after that. He might not even recall, but I certainly do.”

Francesca disclosed that he also reached out to Smith, Kellerman’s ex-colleague and notable adversary. They had a brief lunch before things shifted to a more contentious dinner involving Kellerman.

Francesca shared that he was taken aback when news of his meeting with Kellerman leaked, leading to a complete halt in communication between them.

“We attempted to accommodate those within the company seeking chances, but no one was genuinely qualified,” Francesca expressed. “The first person I lunched with was Stephen A., accompanied by Chernoff. While I appreciated Max and wanted to converse with him, I didn’t think hiring someone was even an option.”

“I had dinner with Max near my place, but by the time I arrived home, word had already spread about our meeting. Communication ended there. Absolutely no one got a second interview; there was no follow-up for anyone. Discussions about roles or opportunities didn’t occur at all.”

Despite not reaching the same heights alone as he did with Russo, Francesca remains a prominent figure in New York sports media and even enjoyed a brief stint on Fox Sports 1.