Michele Tafoya, who stepped down from her longtime role as the sideline reporter for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” in February and is a former KQRS Minneapolis morning show co-host, joins the Salem Podcast Network to host “Sideline Sanity.” The podcast, which will publish four episodes a week beginning Monday, May 23, will focus on life, politics, and world news.
“I’m thrilled to launch my first podcast with the Salem Podcast Network,” Tafoya said in a release. “It’s exciting to join the chorus of talented Salem voices discussing the historic issues facing America and the world.”
After retiring from NBC Sports, Tafoya took on the role of Co-Chair for Republican candidate Kendal Qualls’ campaign for governor of Minnesota. Tafoya spent four years as Tom Barnard’s co-host at Cumulus Media classic rock KQRS Minneapolis (92.5), exiting the program in March 2020. Before KQRS, she hosted “The Michele Tafoya Show” on Audacy crosstown news/talk WCCO (830).
“I cannot wait for the rest of the country to get to know Minnesota’s own Michele Tafoya beyond her successful years of reporting from the sidelines,” Salem Twin Cities GM Nic Anderson added. “She’s full of insight, passionate about her platform and she’s ready to speak her mind. And Salem Media-Twin Cities is eager to help as we produce her podcast for a national audience and look forward to working with her locally as opportunities arise.”
The Salem Podcast network launched in January 2021 and is already ranked as the 11th most listened to podcast network on the Triton Digital platform, with 17 million average downloads per month.