Are Craig Carton and WFAN headed towards a reunion?

It would seem that Craig Carton and local sports radio station WFAN could be working together again.

Boomer & Carton with Mike Nichols (Photo by Jeff Auger – Double G Media)

According to reports by Andrew Marchand, WFAN is close to offering Craig Carton a deal to host an afternoon drive talk show. This is something that has been rumored since the announcement of the Craig Carton HBO documentary Wild Card: The Downfall of a Radio Loudmouth.

Carton, 51, has been off of WFAN for three years ever since he was charged and ultimately convicted of fraud in a scheme in which he misallocated loans to payoff gambling debts. Carton was released this summer from federal prison after serving a year for what is being termed good behavior.

Since his release from prison, Carton has been silent on social media.

Despite the industry-wide feeling it will happen, Carton to the afternoons on WFAN is not a sure thing just yet.  He has a legitimate offer to host mornings in Philadelphia at 97.5 The Fanatic, which The Post has previously reported.

WFAN is also determining whom to pair Carton with if he goes head-to-head with the “Michael Kay Show.” An ex-athlete may be the preferred choice, as Carton worked with Boomer Esiason for a decade.

WFAN should consider expanding off that idea, as the last time the station put an athlete in the afternoon drive, it was Bart Scott who was a co-host of the short lived and unsuccessful CMB along with Chris Carlin and Maggie Gray.

WFAN’s most successful show was Mike and the Mad Dog, the reason why that show resonated with so many listeners was due to the fact that it was hosted by two New Yorkers. Where WFAN failed was with the hiring of Bart Scott, a former athlete who was not a New Yorker and couldn’t fool any listeners into thinking he knew anything about baseball.

If WFAN decides to not go the athlete root, they would be wise to pursue notorious New York personalities such as Frank Isola or Adam Schein. Isola most known for covering the Knicks was a frequent guest on Boomer and Carton, while Adam Schein who used to host Loud Mouths on SNY in New York is someone who Carton frequently impersonated on the show.

Say WFAN decided to go outside the box, perhaps MLB Network’s and Cinephile podcast host Adnan Virk who did a ton of radio work with ESPN or comedian and former host of HQ Trivia Scott Rogowsky would be good choices. Both Virk and Rogowsky a native New Yorker and huge New York Mets fan used to host ChangeUp on DAZN and have a large social media following, which would be something WFAN should look to capitalize on.

Whoever WFAN decides to pair with Craig Carton will be crucial to the shows success. Who would you like to see Carton co-host afternoon drive with? Let us know on twitter @InTheZoneIO.