Chad Withrow always knew he wanted to work in sports. He grew up playing basketball and baseball for Mount Juliet High School and eventually went on to earn a degree in Sports Management and Business Administration from the University of Tennessee. When his post-college internship with the Houston Astros unexpectedly fell through, it set him up for what came next – a successful 20+ year career in sports talk radio.
Through a family connection, Withrow began working with George Plaster, a well-known voice in local sports radio. Withrow was eventually hired onto the station as a producer where he was heavily involved in creating content surrounding high school football and eventually moved into hosting his own midday talk show.
In 2021, he faced a tough decision. Withrow knew he could stay with 104.5 The Zone and be happy but he wanted to challenge himself. He moved to OutKick Hot Mic which is a national and completely digital program. This gave him an opportunity to reach a bigger and broader audience, through streaming, without the constrictions of radio such as timed commercial breaks and censorship. Withrow currently appears live Monday – Friday at 3 pm on outkick.com/watch. While the streaming platform is his main bit, he says radio will always be part of his life. In fact, he can be heard locally each Friday at 5 pm on 102.5 The Game.
Working for a national sports program has given Withrow some chances that he wouldn’t otherwise have experienced. Not only has he been able to attend events like the Super Bowl and PGA Masters, he’s been able to meet and interview celebrities like Liam Hemsworth and Adam Sandler. Withrow says he also appreciates the connections he’s made with his fan base, some of whom have become great friends.
Despite being a national talk show host, Withrow is still very much a local guy at heart. He volunteers his time as a coach at the same baseball fields he grew up on as a kid. Withrow praises the growth of his hometown and says it’s been amazing to watch over the years. He and his wife, Angie, enjoy taking their girls to local eateries like Leon’s Famous Deli or Jeremiah’s Ice Cream and love watching them ride their bikes along the greenway at Charlie Daniels Park. Withrow shares, “I love the Mount Juliet I grew up in with cow pastures, but now it has everything. I have been able to experience the best of both worlds.”