Athlete Podcasters Draw Praise and Ire Over DualRoles
Dhani Jones thought he was in trouble.
In 2008, the former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker was waiting in line for lunch at Paycor Stadium (then Paul Brown Stadium) before a team practice when he received a tap on the shoulder from Bengals owner Mike Brown. I was like, Oh boy, here it comes,'" Jones said.
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For Jones, it was reasonable to assume that since he had been spending his time away from the field hosting a global adventure TV series that aired on the Travel Channel that he was about to be reprimanded for his misplaced priorities.
But he wasn't in trouble; it was quite the opposite. My wife makes me watch your TV show every Monday night" Brown said with a smile. Jones couldn't believe it. I was so excited," he said. That made me want to play harder."
Brown's vote of confidence was refreshing for Jones, as he had previously heard whispers from naysayers outside the organization questioning his commitment to football, since he was joining TV upfronts and participating in media ventures related to his show during the season. Do I think other teams would've responded the same way? There's some I would say yes and there's some that I would say no," he said.
Jones' experience from nearly two decades ago is a situation pro athletes face more than ever today as they leverage their personalized media channels to give fans a glimpse into their personalities while diversifying their income. It's one of the reasons that athlete-driven podcasts have exploded as jocks morph into content creators, bypassing traditional forms of media to control their narratives on their own social platforms.
But this growing trend-a product of the ongoing wave of athlete empowerment-hasn't arrived without resistance. In uber-competitive pro sports leagues, driven by passionate fan bases, it has become a regular occurrence for fanatics to begin to question the priorities of podcasters who play on their favorite teams, especially when the losses start piling up.
Just ask NBA star Paul George.
The Philadelphia 76ers forward, who co-hosts the show Podcast P with Paul George (before it went on pause last month), was openly criticized by Philly fans for podcasting after he signed a four-year deal worth $211 million last offseason. A disappointing first half of the season by the 76ers only intensified the vitriol of his detractors. George, who will be out the remainder of the season as he recovers from injury, says he isn't sweating the pushback that he gets.
When I started my podcast, I knew there was going to be some backlash," he said at a youth basketball event in New York last week. I knew there were going to be people that had things to say about it: He's an athlete. He should be in the gym 24 hours out of the day.' But to be honest, it's therapeutic. It's a chance for me to talk about things that go on in sports that I probably [otherwise] would hold onto."
George may be one of the more notable athletes to receive criticism for in-season podcasting, but he's far from alone.
Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet, an Illinois native and host of The Eighty Five with Cole Kmet podcast, had his fair share of critics during the Bears' 5-12 campaign last season. So did Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead, who hosts the Third and Long podcast on the Tidal League network. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award recipient, who helped the San Francisco 49ers reach the Super Bowl in 2024, saw the temperature change with fans when he continued to host the podcast as a member of the 13-loss Jaguars this past season.
He was fully committed [to the podcast] and didn't want to stop even though there was so much negativity," Tidal League CEO Kurt Benson said in a phone interview. I commend Arik for that ... but ultimately, it was just so toxic. The podcast suffered; viewership went down. When you go from one big market to a small one, that will naturally happen. But with the team not playing well, it was brutal."
Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons, who hosts The Edge podcast, also felt the criticisms after his team turned in a disappointing 2024 season. It wasn't only fans who came after him, even his former teammate DeMarcus Lawrence did earlier this month. The defensive end suggested that the Cowboys could've been more successful if Parsons was less focused on his media endeavors. Those comments came after arguably the greatest linebacker of all-time Lawrence Taylor said on an Outkick sports show that Parsons should play more football and less podcasts."
Parsons, a four-time Pro Bowler who is represented by NFL powerhouse agency Athletes First, has defended his podcasting journey stating that he's playing at a high level and that the game tape shows that. Athletes First CEO Brian Murphy says his agency fully supports clients who want to launch a podcast since it strengthens their entrepreneurship muscles while teaching them the importance of time management.
We also want to teach our players how to be owners and how to run a business," Murphy said in a phone interview. Those are valuable lessons. When football is all said and done, a lot of them will have enough money to where they don't need to work again, but they do need a purpose."
For decades, since the days when star pro athletes worked second jobs, there has been outside criticism about where their commitments lie outside of their athletic careers. The debate has been revisited in recent years with the advent of new trendy hobbies like streaming and e-sports that allow players to engage with their fans outside of training camp autograph signings or meet-and-greet events.
But podcasts, especially in-season episodes, have garnered more pushback in leagues such as the NFL where coaches and general managers express worry behind the scenes about a player potentially leaking info about private locker conversations or trade secrets that place them at a competitive disadvantage.
The guys who are doing podcast are very intelligent people," Murphy said. They're not going to give out plays. But I understand the [concern]."
In today's creator economy, it's almost impossible to expect a pro athlete to not explore other interests away from their craft, whether it's fashion, fishing or podcasting. For some, podcasting is a jumpstart for those with bigger media career ambitions potentially landing a gig in TV or broadcasting. But not all front offices will appreciate their highly paid employee publicly brushing up on other skills while they're under contract during a season.
Jones, who has carved out a life as an investor and businessman since retiring from the NFL in 2011, says that's the beauty of free agency and aligning with an organization that finds dabbling in other ventures mutually beneficial.
You got to find someone who appreciates you for you."
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