Ex-Bear Patrick Mannelly joins Score midday team

Patrick Mannelly

Patrick Mannelly

It’s official: “The Spiegel and Mannelly Show” starts Tuesday on the Score.

Patrick Mannelly, who recently retired after 16 seasons with the Bears, has signed to join Matt Spiegel as midday co-host on CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670. The show will air from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Mannelly, 39, replaces Dan McNeil, who chose not to renew his contract after five years on the Score. McNeil, who celebrated his 53rd birthday Wednesday, has been off the air since his contract expired in mid-June.

“For Mannelly to join our team just a couple months removed from playing for the Bears and the NFL is what makes this work so well,” Mitch Rosen, program director of the Score, said in a statement. “His insight, opinions and energy will make this a terrific Chicago sports radio show. Spiegel and Mannelly bring a great mix of intelligent sports content and insider knowledge to our team.”

An Atlanta native and graduate of Duke University, Mannelly joined the Bears in 1998 and spent his entire career with the team as a long snapper. On June 20, he retired as the longest tenured player in Bears history.

Although obviously well versed in football, which he showed as a fill-in host, Mannelly said he won’t be limited in scope: “I can’t wait to talk about all Chicago sports with the Score family,” adding: “I look forward to building a great show together [with Spiegel] and entertaining the Score listeners.”

Along with another former Bear, Jim Miller, Mannelly was reported to have been among the top choices of Score bosses for the position.