Michael Felger is the voice that either makes your afternoon commute bearable or sends you reaching for the dial. The Milwaukee native turned Boston sports radio king has spent over 15 years alongside Tony Massarotti on “Felger and Mazz,” delivering the kind of blunt sports commentary that keeps listeners either nodding in agreement or shouting at their radios. Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him. And that’s exactly how he likes it.
Biography
Michael Alan Felger was born on August 6, 1969, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now 56, he grew up in the heart of Midwest sports culture, where Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Milwaukee Brewers debates were standard dinner table conversation. His father, Rocky, played a massive role in shaping his broadcasting style. Rocky was, in Michael’s words, “a crusty old sports fan who was always bitching at the TV and complaining about the Packers coach.” Those dinner table arguments about coaches’ decisions and team strategies became Michael’s training ground for the provocative commentary.
Rocky Felger passed away in February 2025. When Michael returned to air, he provided what colleagues described as a moving reflection, crediting his father with instilling both his love of sports and his willingness to speak critically about local teams.
At 18, in 1987, Michael headed east to Boston University. He graduated in 1992 from the College of Communication with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Career
Michael’s journalism career actually began in 1989, not upon graduation. On his first day as a sophomore, his professor Norman Moyes referred him to the Boston Herald for an internship. He started at the bottom, answering phones and typing box scores, but quickly proved his worth. His first professional assignment came in 1995 covering the New England Revolution.
From 1997 to 1999, he served as the lead reporter for the Boston Bruins. He left that beat after calling owner Jeremy Jacobs a “thief,” a move that tells you everything about Felger’s willingness to burn bridges for his convictions.
In 1999, Michael switched to covering the New England Patriots as their beat columnist, a role he held until 2008. This period coincided with the Belichick-Brady dynasty years, giving him a front-row seat to one of sports’ greatest runs. His columns resonated with Boston sports enthusiasts, winning both praise and criticism in equal measure.
In 2006, he authored “Tales from the Patriots Sideline: A Collection of the Greatest Stories of the Team’s First 40 Years,” published by Sports Publishing LLC with a foreword by Steve Grogan and afterword by Bill Belichick. An updated edition appeared in 2017.
While still at the Herald, Michael expanded into radio. From 2000 to 2005, he co-hosted “The Big Show” on WEEI with Glenn Ordway. Between 2005 and 2008, he hosted his own programme, “The Mike Felger Show,” on 890 ESPN during afternoon drive time (3 to 6 PM).
In 2008, Michael left his radio show at the end of his contract. He moved to writing online columns and served as a fill-in host for WEEI while continuing television work with Comcast SportsNet New England.
“Felger and Mazz”
On August 13, 2009, Michael launched “Felger and Mazz” on 98.5 FM The Sports Hub alongside Tony Massarotti. The 2 to 6 PM weekday show quickly became essential listening for Boston sports fans. The programme has been the number one rated afternoon show in Boston among men aged 25 to 54 for 47 consecutive quarters since summer 2012, regularly earning Nielsen ratings above a 25 share whilst crushing competitor WEEI by margins of five to one or even eight to one.
Recent data shows some softening from peak numbers. The show recorded a 25.0 share in autumn 2022, dropping to 19.8 in winter 2024, then 17.6 in autumn 2024, and 15.7 in winter 2025. Despite the decline, “Felger and Mazz” remains dominant. ESPN’s Colin Cowherd praised it in August 2024 as “the best local show I’ve ever heard.”
The show’s success has earned impressive recognition. In 2019, Felger won the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year from the National Association of Broadcasters. He’s also won Barrett Sports Media’s award for Top Major Market Afternoon Show four times (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024). In 2022, Mike Francesa presented him with the inaugural Mike and the Mad Dog Award.
In January 2018, Michael signed a multi-year contract extension with Beasley Media Group following the station’s sale from CBS Sports Radio. At The Sports Hub’s 15th anniversary celebration in August 2024, he remarked he feels like he “will do this forever.”
Television Work
Since around 2007, Michael has worked for NBC Sports Boston as a studio host and analyst, providing pre and post-game coverage. However, January 2025 brought significant changes. His schedule was cut from five nights per week to three. He no longer hosts “Sports Sunday” or Monday programming, though he continues co-hosting “Boston Sports Tonight” with Michael Holley and Bruins pre and post-game coverage with Tony Amonte.
When asked about the reduction on air, Michael was candid. “Not all my call,” he said, elaborating via email to media reporters: “After working weekends and Sundays in the autumn for pretty much 35 years, starting as an intern there at the Herald in 1989, I was ready to give that shift a rest. But it doesn’t sound like it was going to be my choice anyway. They’ve been great. Challenging times for the business.”
The reduction coincided with NBC Sports Boston not renewing John Tomase’s contract, suggesting broader cost-cutting measures at the regional sports network.
Career Controversies
Michael’s willingness to make pointed criticism regardless of consequences has sparked several significant controversies.
On October 12, 2011, during coverage of the Red Sox collapse and Terry Francona’s firing, Felger raised unverified rumours about NESN reporter Heidi Watney’s personal life. Watney called his remarks “unprofessional” and appeared on a rival station to criticise his conduct. Whilst he later called the comments “regrettable,” he faced no formal discipline.
The same day delivered another legendary moment. Red Sox owner John Henry, outraged by allegations he’d leaked defamatory information about Francona to the Boston Globe, arrived unannounced at the studio during the live broadcast for a tense exchange lasting over an hour. It’s now considered iconic in Boston sports radio history.
The most serious incident occurred on November 8, 2017, the day after pitcher Roy Halladay died in a plane crash. Michael called him a “moron” and “idiot” in a ten-minute rant, mocking dangerous flying behaviour with sound effects: “Wheee! Wheee! And you die! Splat!” NBC Sports Boston suspended him for three days. He apologised the following day, calling his comments “over the top” and “insensitive.”
In February 2023, whilst Michael broadcast remotely from New Orleans, co-host Tony Massarotti made racially insensitive comments about two Black men visible behind Felger on camera. Massarotti was suspended without pay for the week, and all Beasley Boston on-air personalities underwent sensitivity training. Felger expressed regret for not correcting the comments in the moment.
Most recently, in October 2024, Massarotti used an anti-Asian slur on air, claiming ignorance of its meaning. He apologised and withdrew from teaching a Boston University course, though no suspension was announced.
Personal Life
Michael met Sara Underwood, then a WBZ-TV news anchor, on a television set in 2000. Their second date was to Nantucket, an island that would become central to their family life. They married in a private ceremony on October 19, 2002, attended by close friends and family.
Sara, a UCLA graduate and Emmy Award winner for breaking news, anchored for Boston 25 News until stepping down from her full-time role in August 2021. She briefly returned in March 2023 for a one-month fill-in stint.
Their marriage has occasionally weathered public scrutiny. In December 2010, Michael stirred controversy when he asked his listeners to vote for Sara in a Barstool Sports “hot Boston reporter edition” poll. His on-air comments, “I need help because I don’t need the Wood killed. I’m asking you to marry her or [expletive] her,” drew criticism from Maureen Gallagher at Jane Doe Inc., a Boston non-profit. She suggested Felger disrespected his wife. Sara never publicly commented. She probably handled it privately as couples do.
Children and Family Life
Michael and Sara have two daughters. Emma was born in 2004 and is now in college. Tess was born in 2011 and is currently in high school. Whilst Michael and Sara keep their children away from the media spotlight, Sara occasionally shares key moments on social media.
The family maintains residences in Boston’s Seaport District and on Nantucket. Michael has vacationed on Nantucket since 1993, initially through a college roommate who had “a little shack out in Wauwinet.” Initially, they rented a home for summer getaways, but in April 2010 (not 2008 as some sources report), they purchased property at 25 Autopscot Circle from James Sullivan for £685,000.
For Michael and Sara, a perfect day involves lounging at the beach with their daughters, unwinding with friends, and enjoying quality time together. The family participates annually in the Daffodil Festival antique car parade, driving a cherry red 1975 Volkswagen “Thing.”
On August 9, 2025, Michael had a frightening accident on Nantucket. He was riding his bike on Saturday night, fell, and cracked his neck on the handlebars. He initially went home and slept, but woke Sunday with neck pain. At his daughter’s urging, he went to Nantucket Cottage Hospital, where a CT scan showed air pockets “in places they shouldn’t have been,” potentially indicating a torn oesophagus or windpipe.
He was airlifted via Boston MedFlight to Massachusetts General Hospital. After 12 to 18 hours of testing, doctors found no damage requiring surgery. Michael returned to air Tuesday, August 12, calling himself “a dope” and “big dummy” whilst thanking medical staff. “Oh my God, am I lucky,” he said.
Net Worth
Financial information about Michael remains largely private. Net worth estimates at $1 million. Industry sources suggest top performers at dominant stations typically earn high six figures to low seven figures annually.
His income sources include the radio show, NBC Sports Boston appearances, book royalties, and limited endorsements. Specific contract terms from his January 2018 multi-year extension with Beasley Media Group weren’t disclosed.
