It has become a tradition for the lights of New York City’s iconic Empire State Building to flash the colors of teams that win major sporting events. This past Sunday, the building showed the Seattle Seahawks‘ colors and the New England Patriots‘ colors.
But for one New York City radio host, the decision “irked the hell out of him.”
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It was WFAN’s Craig Carton who sounded off on the Empire State Building for having the audacity to acknowledge the AFC Champions. On Monday’s edition of The Craig Carton Show, he complained that a New York icon should not ever acknowledge the colors of a team from Boston.
“I hate the fact, I hate it with the passion of a thousand suns, that the Empire State Building is lit up in Patriot colors after the mere fact that a team that we hate, a team that has dominated us, a team that has owned us, a team that mocks us as New Yorkers, and we have no putback to that,” Carton said. “That we would still light up the Empire State Building in Patriot colors irks the hell out of me. And I know it’s done six months in advance. And I have to tell you, it still bothers the hell out of me.”
Carton is a longtime, long-suffering New York Jets fan, which only makes it sting more.
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The Back-and-Forth
Carton’s co-host Chris McMonigle echoed his thoughts, pointing out that just because the lights are paid for well in advance, it doesn’t make it good that the Empire State Building does it. Last year the lights represented the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Kelly Green colors, which certainly hurt the feelings of New York Giants fans.
“I’m with you,” McMonigle said. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t know why we do it.”
“I think they pay for it, the NFL,” Carton responded. “The Eagles won the Super Bowl, the Empire State Building is Kelly Green. And we’re like, look, not all money is good money. You have to say no sometimes.”
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 17: Moderator Craig Carton speaks on stage during Diageo “Decisions” Virtual Reality Premiere Event at Samsung 837 on November 17, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Diageo)
“You are the shining example of New York City, and you’re celebrating its biggest rival,” McMonigle added.
“You at some point have to say to the NFL, ‘We’re going to give you your money back,’” Carton said. “Because in good conscience, we can’t light up the Empire State Building in Phillies red, and Eagles green, and Patriots whatever the hell it is.”
Do you agree?
This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.