In a candid admission that’s turning heads, legendary New York sports radio host Mike Francesa conceded that red state cities are now more attractive to NFL coaches than New York City.
Speaking on his show, amid reports that John Harbaugh is poised to become the next head coach of the New York Giants, Francesa argued that red-state, no- or low-tax cities offer a superior quality of life, safety, and financial incentives compared to New York.
Francesa, long known as the “Sports Pope” for his passionate advocacy of all things New York sports, painted a stark picture of the city’s decline.
“New York doesn’t offer what it once did. You’ve got crazies like me who can’t even think of not living here. It’s ingrained in me. But our lifestyle, our quality of life, is not what it used to be in New York,” he said.
“Let’s be honest. A lot of people look down on it now. They look at places with no state income tax, beautiful neighborhoods, safer neighborhoods, better schools, better roads. The point is, New York is not the attraction it was 50 years ago.”
New Yawk isn’t New Yawk anymoah pic.twitter.com/bXB5bqY7iY
— Big Action Bill (@BigActionBill) January 15, 2026
Mike Francesa: Red State Cities Now More Attractive to Coaches Than New York
Let’s face it, New York is a nearly uninhabitable left-wing cesspool. His comments are being kind. Why? Because he clearly loves the city. He held back.
In reality, to paraphrase Bret Hart, if you had to give the United States an enema, you’d start by putting the hose right in the heart of NYC. But even beyond that, Francesa is praising red state or city policies that improve the living experience for players and coaches.
Francesa specifically highlighted growing Sun Belt hotspots as more desirable alternatives: Nashville, Austin, and various cities in Florida. He emphasized the tax advantage, noting that for a high-earning coach or player making $15 million annually, avoiding New York’s combined state and city taxes could save around $1.5 to $2.2 million—a sum “nobody sneezes at.”
“Nashville is a hot town. No state income tax, growing town, just like Austin. Parts of Florida are hot because there’s no state income tax. You know what that saves you,” he said. “If you’re making $15 million a year, that’s $1.5 million. Nobody sneezes at $1.5 million you don’t have to give to the government.”
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We’ve Seen This Effect Before
We’ve seen this point actually play out in the sporting world before. A few years ago, Shohei Ohtani, largely considered the best baseball player to ever appear on the diamond, was a free agent. One team trying to entice him to help their ball club was the San Francisco Giants.
Giants co-owner Buster Posey previously stated that his team may have lost out on the Ohtani sweepstakes to the Los Angeles Dodgers due to crime in the city.
“There’s been a bit of uneasiness with the city itself as far as the state of the city with crime and drugs,” Posey told the Atlantic.
San Francisco crime, drugs hurt Giants’ Shohei Ohtani pursuit: Buster Posey https://t.co/9bzcibyejY pic.twitter.com/cOEfnCVueV
— New York Post (@nypost) December 13, 2023
Posey added that his team has difficulty signing other free agents for the very same reason.
“What I heard from Buster Posey is what I have heard from large employers and what I have heard from businesses that San Francisco needs to do a better job at progress on its public safety challenges,” San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey said.
It’s not exactly enticing. If you get signed by a blue city you’re immediately taking a massive tax cut, then have to be terrified about going out in public in the city you play for for fear of being robbed.
Even die-hard New Yorkers like Francesa can see what is happening.