Carl Banks has resigned from his role on WFAN’s midday show with Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata after a Kayvon Thibodeaux segment got contentious last week.
The hosts criticized Thibodeaux for his motor, while Banks chided them that they had an “unhealthy obsession” as fans in finding flaws with players.
“If it’s not your job to find out what the kid does right, then it should not be your job to call him a bust,” Banks said.
At that point, 20 minutes into the conversation, Licata said that he had “heard enough” and ended the call.
A source told The Post that WFAN management tried to smooth things over with Banks but that his mind was made up.
Licata and Tierney addressed Banks’ resignation on the air Wednesday.
“Usually in this spot, we have Carl Banks on. Last week we had a testy debate with Carl. Right on the air afterwards, I came on and apologized for the way that it ended, kind of cutting the call short there after 20 minutes,” Licata said.
“I also called him during the week, and also apologized. He said all was good. But Carl just doesn’t want to do the spot anymore, so we move on.”
Tierney, who has known Banks for more than a decade as he covers St. John’s basketball games and Banks is a huge fan of the program, chimed in.
“Yeah, we move on,” Tierney said.
“Listen, things are gonna happen in this medium, when you bring a lot of passion to a topic, as certainly we did that day, and hopefully every day. And Carl did that day. When things go awry, as they sometimes do, you gotta own it. And I think we did. And I think Carl did as well.”
Tierney also said he called Banks on Tuesday.
“I had a great talk with him yesterday,” the host said.
“I was sitting at home. We chatted for about 15 minutes. I wanted to reiterate that I’ve known him for a long time. I don’t like the perception, certainly for me as a person, us as a show, that we’re ever in the business of doing good people wrong. That’s not our M.O. Carl’s a great guy. He’s been a part of the station for a long time. It’s not gonna continue for us, and we respect that.”
Longtime New York sports reporter Gary Myers tweeted Wednesday night that Banks resigned because he was “completely disrespected” by the program.
Banks was a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants.
He is the Giants’ color commentator on their radio broadcasts; away from football, he has brought the Starter apparel brand back from the ashes.