Cumulus employees were told in a memo that Murphy was “leaving … to focus on other things.” Murphy said he does have other interests and activities to pursue but that the decision to end the show rested with Cumulus.

“I have some other things I can do, so I’m not in a cramp,” he said. “I enjoyed it. It’s their decision. I always have something else ready to do. I’m going to be at the station and on special assignments, and I am pleased with that.”

Murphy, who hosted the show with KFNC program director Dave Tepper and Julie Takahashi, joined KFNC in July 2007. KFNC rarely polled above 1 percent of the listening audience for men 25-54 in afternoon drive and was generally in fourth place among the four Houston sports stations.

With Murphy’s departure, Fred Faour and Matt Dean now will host from 1 to 4 p.m. Carl Dukes will host solo from 4 to 5 p.m. and with Tepper and Takahashi from 5 to 7 p.m.