Jarrett Payton Leaves WGN Television After Decade to Join 104.3 The Score

After more than a decade at WGN Television, Jarrett Payton is moving on to join 104.3 The Score as a co-host.

In July, Payton announced his exit from WGN. He had spent well over a decade developing his identity on Chicago sports television, where he became a recognizable presence to millions of viewers. His next move is into radio, joining David Haugh in the mornings at The Score.

From Walter Payton to Jarrett Payton

Chicago has long honored the Payton legacy. Walter Payton suited up for the Bears over 13 seasons, a striking, theatrical presence who commanded games and was given the nickname “Sweetness.”. His son Jarrett pursued a comparable route, even as his own career diverged from his father’s.

Before Jarrett Payton made it into the NFL, he found his calling in broadcasting. He started out hosting his own internet radio show, then moved up to afternoon drive at the FM sports talk station 87.7 The Game. His career took off in 2015, when WGN Television brought him on board as a sports reporter and host.

Family First

The focus of Payton’s life has always been his children. He claims that the last two years spent at WGN were what drove him toward a change.

“Everyone in that profession talks about how much they miss with their families,” he explained. “It puts a strain on all your relationships, even with your own kids. I didn’t see them at all. I told myself I can’t keep doing this because I’m missing out on way too much.”

Payton says the chance arrived at the ideal time in his life, and he points to his children as the reason behind it.

The Score Decision

Payton did not begin his career with television. He spent time building connections with players, personnel and executives, and became a respected voice for Chicago sports fans. The balance he wanted between work and family, however, demanded a new challenge.

He says the decision took less than two weeks for his family to make together. “It was just trying to figure out if this was really going to happen. Does it fit well with what we’re going to do as a family?” he said. “It was a decision that all four of us made together.”

He has been able to eat at home every evening for the first time in ten years because of the revised timetable. The new arrangement also lets him show up for more coaching sessions and family gatherings.

The Morning Show Debut

Mulligan’s exit from the morning show created a stir, and Payton’s first day co-hosting mornings with David Haugh arrived amid it. Mulligan had anchored the daypart for nearly two decades, and his departure drew loud and widespread reaction across social media.

“Mike Mulligan is a legend when it comes to sports in general in Chicago,” Payton said. “I know how much he’s loved because I listened. It’s always tough when someone loses their job. It’s even tougher when you’re a part of that combination.”

The most difficult part, according to Payton, was respecting Mulligan, whose reputation in the Chicago market is enormous. Payton has no control over Mulligan’s circumstances, but he controls his own.

A Career Full Circle

Before landing at The Score, Payton endured a rough stretch during his earlier work in sports radio. That run concluded with 87.7 The Game, though Payton insists he has no lingering regret about how it ended.

He attributes his current radio style to the time he spent working alongside former Chicago sports radio hosts Harry Teinowitz and Spike Manton.

His first tailgate at a Chicago Bears game in Week 2, against the Minnesota Vikings, brought the validation home. Fans in the parking lots at Soldier Field gave him early feedback on the new program with Haugh.

Payton says the conversations with the team at the station, especially with Haugh, prepared him for the challenge. “We talked a lot. His door is always open, and he told me that. So, we talked through it. Everything that we talked about, it’s starting to happen now. We knew we had to fight through that first week, then we’ll start hitting our groove. It’s all happened.”

Before the 2006 NFL season, Payton was let go by the Tennessee Titans following a second chance with the team. Someday, he would like to reach out to Mulligan and talk with him about Payton’s standing in the Chicago market.

Each stage of Payton’s career rested upon the one before it, and the comparison traces that upward motion across platforms.

See the video the story is built around at Yahoo Sports.

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