After making multiple changes to their lineup this past spring, the one show that remained unaffected on Sports Radio 610 in Houston was their afternoon program Triple Threat. That will change today, Friday August 3rd, after The Houston Chronicle’s David Barron reports it will be afternoon co-host Ted Johnson’s last day with the station.
On Thursday, KILT 610’s program director Ryan McCredden informed The Chronicle Johnson would be leaving the afternoon show and the city of Houston, returning to Boston to be near his children. A former NFL linebacker, Johnson played for the New England Patriots from 1995-2004.
“While we will miss Ted tremendously, as he has been a great part of SportsRadio 610 over the last six years, we definitely support family first and understand how he came to this decision,” McCredden said.
Triple Threat will continue with co-hosts Sean Pendergast and Rich Lord along with a rotation of former players and analysts joining the afternoon show as contributors.
Johnson took to Twitter to acknowledge all of his fans, listeners and well-wishers stating, “You guys are the best..thank you for your support and words of encouragement. Honestly, I’m blown away thank you….”
While Johnson prioritized his family, making that his ultimate reason for leaving KILT 610, David Barron of the Houston Chronicle pointed to a 2013 interview in which Johnson expressed the importance of sports radio in his life. Johnson suffered multiple concussions during his career, which continue to affect him today, leading the three-time Super Bowl Champion to donate his brain to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Bedford, MA.
Johnson was diagnosed with having mild cognitive impairment, which represents an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In a 2013 interview, Johnson called out sports radio as helping him deal with MCI.
“Sports talk radio is huge for me. It engages me cognitively all the time,” Johnson said. “And I have to stay engaged in life. Any type of sedentary life is not good. I work out every day. I eat right, sleep right and stay active professionally, which is the best thing I can do.”
Although Johnson won’t be heard on the airwaves in Houston anymore, don’t be surprised if he remains an active member of the sports media. Johnson joined Sports Radio 610 in 2013 and became co-host of their afternoon drive show a year later.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
