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| Rich Shertenlieb, Ken Laird and Ted Johnson |
WEEI announced Monday that Rich Shertenlieb will co-host the station’s new afternoon drive show alongside former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson and Ken Laird.
The program, titled “Rich and Ken With Ted Johnson,” marks a significant shakeup for WEEI as it tries to challenge rival 98.5 The Sports Hub’s dominant afternoon ratings.
Audacy’s senior vice president of programming and sports format vice president Mike Thomas, who first paired Shertenlieb with Fred Toucher in morning drive at The Sports Hub in 2009, called Shertenlieb “one of the most dynamic and entertaining voices in Boston media.”
“Paired with Ted’s championship pedigree and insight, and Ken’s deep understanding of the station and its audience, this show brings together a unique combination of credibility, energy and perspective that will resonate with Boston sports fans,” Thomas said in a statement.
The move comes after WEEI’s previous afternoon show, hosted by Andy Hart and Nick “Fitzy” Stevens with Johnson, finished 14th in the Nielsen Audio winter ratings with a 2.7 share. Hart and Stevens were let go last Wednesday.
Shertenlieb, who arrived in Boston in 2006, previously worked with Johnson at both The Sports Hub and later at WZLX, where Shertenlieb hosted a short-lived morning show that ended in November 2024 after iHeartRadio budget cuts.
“I’m thrilled to be at WEEI and reunite with my buddy and one of my favorite colleagues, Ted Johnson, and work with Ken to see what we can build together,” Shertenlieb said. “The station’s connection to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund makes this deeply personal, given the role those organizations have played in saving my wife’s life.”
- 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET: “Greg Hill Morning Show”
- 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET: “Jones & Keefe”
- 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET: “Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson”
- 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET: Christian Arcand
Laird launched his radio career at WEEI in 2002. He later returned to Pittsburgh, joining ESPN Radio 1250 as a producer before becoming the station’s Steelers beat reporter and night host through 2011. From 2011 to 2015, he hosted and reported for TribLIVE Radio, covering Pittsburgh’s major teams and Pitt athletics. He rejoined WEEI in 2015 as a morning show producer and weekend host, rising to Operations Manager in 2022 and Brand Manager in 2023. Laird will retain his Operations Manager role.
Johnson is a retired NFL linebacker who was a second-round NFL Draft pick. He played ten seasons with the New England Patriots, winning three Super Bowls. He was named the Patriots team captain for the 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2004 seasons, Captain of defense, and the signal caller each year of his playing career. Johnson joined WEEI in 2025 after previous media stops with WZLX, 98.5 The Sports Hub, Sports Radio 610 Houston, and CBS Radio. He is also currently a contributor with NBC Sports Boston.