After 28 years of service, Tolbert has been unexpectedly let go.
Key Takeaways
- Tom Tolbert has been let go from his position at KNBR.
- While the reason has not been disclosed, it is likely due to cost-cutting and restructuring within the station.
American sports broadcaster and former NBA player Tom Tolbert has reportedly been fired from KNBR after twenty-eight years of working for the San Francisco radio station.
Barrett Media broke the story on November 13, 2024, which Tolbert later confirmed in a statement to SFGATE.
Tolbert joined KNBR in 1996 and quickly became a major voice in Bay Area sports broadcasting.
Big news out of San Francisco. @KNBR has parted ways with @byronjr23. This story is in progress.https://t.co/bE7METShEI
— Barrett Media (@Barrett_Media) November 13, 2024
When Tolbert first joined KNBR, the show was named “The Razor and Mr. T” and was hosted alongside longtime Bay Area sports radio host Ralph Barbieri.
Following Ralph Barbieri’s departure from KNBR in the summer of 2012, the show’s title was changed to “The Mr. T Show.”
In 2014, the show was renamed “Mr. T & Ratto” when former San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ray Ratto joined as a co-host.
Beginning in 2019, Tolbert hosted the “Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks Show.”
On February 25, 2022, Larry Kreuger and Rod Brooks were removed from the show.
We held Tom Tolbert against his will and demanded he give us his favorite Warriors moment as a broadcaster pic.twitter.com/dHwe57mcTL
— KNBR (@KNBR) June 5, 2024
Tolbert’s recent departure is likely part of a broader restructuring within KNBR, which has recently seen the exit of other notable hosts.
In November 2023, the station ended its nightly sports call-in show after a 51-year run, leading to significant personnel changes.
Notable hosts who were let go include Paul McCaffrey, co-host of the “Murph and Mac Show,” and F.P. Santangelo, the host of the evening show “KNBR Tonight.”
Additionally, some behind-the-scenes staff, including producer Erik Engle and former program director Lee Hammer, were also affected by the layoffs.
Tom Tolbert being let go by KNBR is shocking, but not surprising, if that makes sense. Local sports talk radio hosts with big salaries have been a dying breed for years. Props to Tommy for lasting this long. Bay Area broadcasting legend. 🫡
— LOLKNBR (@LOLKNBR) November 13, 2024
As of now, specific details regarding the reasons for Tolbert’s departure have not been publicly disclosed.
Fans expressed their frustrations on Reddit. One said,
What a sh*t show KNBR has become. Irony is sport talk is going the way of “sports bet talk” and Tolbert was the resident gambler at KNBR.
Via REDDIT
Another reminisced,
I could listen to him playingly torment Ray Ratto all day. When they kept playing that one song he hated and Ray was literally screaming, I almost crashed laughing.
Via REDDIT
His exit marks the end of an era for KNBR and its listeners, who have come to appreciate his insightful commentary and engaging presence on the airwaves.
🥳 Happy Birthday, Tom Tolbert! #BearDown pic.twitter.com/Mh9gabNoyP
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) October 16, 2020
After playing collegiate basketball at the University of California, Irvine, Cerritos College, and the University of Arizona, Tolbert was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the second round and 34th overall in the 1988 NBA draft.
His NBA career spanned seven seasons, from 1988 to 1995.
During this time, he played for several teams, including the Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Clippers.
By the end of his NBA stint, Tolbert averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game over 312 regular-season games.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Tolbert played college basketball at the University of Arizona under coach Lute Olson. He was a teammate of Steve Kerr, who later became a five-time NBA champion and head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
- He was born Thomas Byron Tolbert Jr. on October 16, 1965, making him 59 years old as of 2024.
