Mike Francesa and Chris Russo Will Reunite on 'First Take'

Mike Francesa and Chris Russo will be reunited on Feb. 1 when they share the First Take stage, ESPN confirmed to The Big Lead. Russo let the cat out of the bag on his radio show Thursday afternoon, per Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina.

Getting the Mike and the Mad Dog band back together has reportedly been in the works for some time. The New York Post's Andrew Marchand wrote last month that ESPN was seeking to revise previous talks about pairing the two on the network's top debate show. Russo's emergence as a Wednesday staple on First Take was one of the biggest sports media stories in 2022. Per Marchand, there were initial talks to have Francesa surprise his longtime partner on-air last March that failed to reach the finish line.

Once clear the Russo addition worked, the smart money was always on Francesa eventually finding himself at the Seaport studios as well to rekindle some nostalgia. The last Mike and the Mad Dog show aired in 2008 and though the two have appeared together several time since, they've been few and far between.

Russo's reveal that they'll be sharing the desk for two hours is enough to get the content juices flowing. There should be some fireworks and memorable moments, even if this is a one-off.