Popular NFL Podcast Overhauled as Hosts Depart

One of the NFL’s most popular podcasts has been reworked ahead of the 2024 season.

What was formerly known as Around the NFL will relaunch as NFL Daily beginning on Tuesday, with shows coming out five days a week. Gregg Rosenthal will anchor the program, joined by other NFL Media talent and experts from outside the company. His former Around the NFL co-hosts—Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler—are no longer working for the league in the latest changes to the NFL’s lineup.

“We are excited about the new direction of ‘NFL Daily’ and our entire podcast lineup, and look forward to what Gregg and all our unique and talented voices will bring fans this season and beyond,” the league said in a statement given to Sportico.

Rosenthal confirmed online Sunday that Around the NFL wouldn’t be returning. Hanzus and Sessler could not be reached for comment.

The usually thrice weekly Around the NFL podcast, which dates back to 2013, hadn’t aired an episode since May 21. At that time, the program was ninth on Apple Podcasts’ popularity ranking among pro football shows in America. Earlier this spring, the show was a nominee for iHeartMedia’s Best Sports Podcast (a prize New Heights ultimately won). During the season, it ranked within Chartable’s top 10 sports podcasts for reach in the US.

In May, NFL Network canceled NFL Total Access after 21 years on the air, while the league has reportedly moved on from on-air talent including Michael Irvin, Andrew Siciliano and James Palmer this offseason. The company’s Good Morning Football program, meanwhile, has been moved from New York to Los Angeles, potentially triggering more personnel changes. 

“As is normal course of business this time of year, we are evaluating our talent roster for the upcoming 2024 season and beyond,” NFL Network spokesperson Alex Riethmiller told The Athletic in April. “That process results in renewals, non-renewals and additions to our talent lineup depending on programming needs. To those departing talent, we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions to NFL Media.”

Reports have indicated the NFL and Disney have discussed a potential deal that would see ESPN take over NFL Media properties, including the TV network and digital programs. In 2021, the NFL announced a multiyear partnership with iHeartMedia that would see the audio company distribute the league’s existing portfolio while promising to create 24 new shows. 

NFL Network’s Patrick Claybon and The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue will appear on the first episode of NFL Daily. ESPN’s Mina Kimes will join for an episode later this week. Other voices expected to contribute to the project include NFL Network’s Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche and Nick Shook.

Around the NFL found a particularly passionate audience overseas, ranking as a top-five football show in Ireland and New Zealand, among other countries. More than 25,000 members have joined an unofficial Reddit community dedicated to the show, with several of them committing to listening to the show’s 1,700-episode back catalog.