When Terrence Mayrose threw a High Noon can at a coworker in January 2022, the video spread across social media within hours. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy suspended him for a month, required anger management therapy, and set a zero tolerance policy for future incidents.
But here’s what most people scrolling past the clips didn’t know: Mayrose wasn’t just another sports media personality losing his temper. He’s an active New York City firefighter who responds to emergencies in Staten Island between recording podcasts about college football betting.
Table of Contents
A Firefighter Who Talks Sports for Millions
Mayrose works for the Fire Department of New York while maintaining his role as Rico Bosco, a regular face on Barstool Sports programming. FDNY salary records show he earned $68,210 in 2020 and $65,674 in 2022. Those figures represent his public service income. His media work adds another revenue stream that isn’t publicly disclosed.
The Barstool audience knows him for hot takes on Pick Em, Picks Central, and House Call with Jerry and Terry. He appears alongside Dave Portnoy and Dan Katz, giving opinions on college football games, sports betting lines, and whatever controversy happens to be trending that week.
His social media reach extends to more than 191,000 followers on X and 61,000 on Instagram. The Rico Bosco persona delivers unfiltered commentary that either entertains fans or annoys them. There’s rarely a middle ground.
The Football Years at Nichols College
Before the firehouse and before Barstool, Mayrose played defensive back for Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. He wore number 3 for the Bisons from 2006 through 2008.
The Nichols athletics records list his measurements:
- Height: 6 feet
- Weight: 175 pounds
- Position: Defensive Back
- Final season: 2008 (Senior)
He played his last college game on November 8, 2008, when Nichols honored him and nine other seniors before their final appearance. The team competed in Division III, where players balance academics with athletics and almost none go professional.
Mayrose was listed as a junior in 2007 and senior in 2008, indicating he joined the program in 2006 as a sophomore. His three years on the roster ended with that senior day ceremony in November 2008.
Growing Up in the Shadow of September 11
Mayrose attended Xaverian High School in Brooklyn after growing up in Staten Island. He started there in September 2001, the same month terrorists attacked the World Trade Center.
His father, Eddie Mayrose, worked on Wall Street and survived the attacks. The family’s connection to that day shaped decisions that came later. On November 6, 2001, Mayrose’s brother Timothy was born. The parents named him after FDNY Captain Timothy Stackpole, who died responding to the towers.
At Xaverian, Mayrose played on the school’s only City Championship basketball team. His father later wrote that Terrence stood 5’2″ and weighed 95 pounds as a high school freshman. By the time he reached Nichols College, he’d grown to 6 feet and filled out enough to play defensive back.
The decision to join FDNY after college football ended wasn’t random. It connected directly to September 11 and the first responders his family had honored by naming his brother.
From Staten Island Streets to Barstool Studios
Mayrose serves the same Staten Island community where he grew up. The FDNY assignment keeps him in the borough, responding to fires, medical emergencies, and whatever else comes through the station.
Somewhere along the way, he started appearing on Barstool content. The exact timeline of when he became Rico Bosco isn’t documented in official channels, but he’s been a recurring presence for several years. By 2020, he was already established enough to have regular spots on multiple shows.
The Barstool role gives him a platform that most firefighters never experience. He records podcasts, appears in videos, and engages with an audience that follows college football betting closely. The shows air weekly during football season, with additional content for bowl games and playoffs.
His opinions land strong, whether he’s right or wrong. Fans either agree with his takes or argue against them in comment sections. That’s the point. Barstool doesn’t hire people to give measured, balanced analysis. They want personalities who generate reactions.
The High Noon Incident
January 11, 2022 marked the day Mayrose’s temper became a bigger story than his sports predictions. During a dispute with Connor Knapp, known on Barstool as Big T, Mayrose threw a full can of High Noon hard seltzer. The can hit Knapp’s desk, leaving visible dents.
Video footage captured the confrontation. Knapp later described the moment: “Did I know that he was going to turn around like Randy Johnson and whip a full High Noon can at me? No. It’s insane behavior.”
Portnoy announced the punishment that same day:
Suspension Terms:
- One month away from all Barstool programming
- Mandatory anger management therapy
- Public apology to Big T required
- Any future violence means immediate termination
Portnoy recorded his announcement on a plane to Florida. “We can laugh because Rico’s a psycho, but we can’t have that in the office,” he said. The founder made clear that the incident crossed a line that couldn’t be excused for entertainment value.
Mayrose returned to Barstool in February 2022 after serving the suspension. He’s remained active on the shows since then, including recent appearances in January 2026 where he negotiated his contract terms with Portnoy on air.
Life Outside the Camera and Firehouse
Mayrose married Nikki Ruane on June 9, 2018. The couple got engaged in May 2017 and registered their wedding through The Knot. Their photographer, C&C Productions, posted images from the ceremony on Facebook five days after the event.
Ruane works as a Special Education Teacher at Bridge Preparatory Charter School in Staten Island. She’s held that position since August 2023. Like her husband, she maintains privacy around her personal life despite his public profile.
The couple has two children. Their daughter was born in 2020, followed by a son in 2022. Mayrose rarely mentions his family during Barstool appearances or on social media. He keeps those boundaries firm between his Rico Bosco character and his role as a father and husband.
That separation makes sense for someone whose job involves both running into burning buildings and giving controversial sports opinions to hundreds of thousands of followers.
Still Active on Both Fronts
As of January 2026, Mayrose continues working for FDNY while appearing regularly on Barstool programming. Recent episodes show him on Pick Em discussing college football playoff matchups and bowl game predictions. He recorded a contract negotiation segment with Portnoy that aired earlier this month.
The combination remains unusual. Most firefighters don’t have secondary careers as sports media personalities. Most sports commentators don’t spend their days responding to emergencies in New York City.
Terrence Mayrose does both. The Xaverian graduate who played defensive back at Nichols College now serves Staten Island as a firefighter while entertaining sports fans as Rico Bosco. The suspension in 2022 didn’t end either career. He came back from the anger management requirement and kept going on both tracks.
For anyone trying to understand who Terrence Mayrose actually is, that’s the answer. He’s the guy who puts on the FDNY uniform and the guy who records sports podcasts. He’s the Staten Island native whose brother was named after a fallen firefighter and the Barstool personality who once threw a seltzer can at a coworker.
The life doesn’t fit a standard template. Then again, most people don’t live in two completely different professional worlds at the same time.
