Tom Pelissero joins Netflix and The Ringer after ESPN layoff
Tom Pelissero is off the market. Less than a month after ESPN laid him off, the veteran NFL insider has landed at Netflix as a sideline reporter and NFL insider for the streamer's five-game 2026 season package, while also joining The Ringer NFL Show as a co-host. The dual deal was announced Monday, August 17.
Key Takeaways
- Tom Pelissero joins Netflix as an NFL sideline reporter and insider for all five of the streamer's 2026 NFL games.
- He will also co-host The Ringer NFL Show and make weekly appearances on The Bill Simmons Podcast, both available on Netflix.
- Pelissero was part of the ESPN/NFL Network talent purge that also included Ryan Clark, Cam Newton, Bart Scott, and Stephania Bell.
- He had multiple suitors, including Prime Video's Thursday Night Football package, before choosing Netflix.
- His debut will be the NFL's first-ever regular-season game in Australia — Rams vs. 49ers in Melbourne, Week 1.
Where exactly will Tom Pelissero appear on Netflix?
Pelissero will serve as a sideline reporter and NFL insider across all five Netflix NFL games this season. His broadcast partners include play-by-play caller Noah Eagle, color commentator Luke Kuechly, and sideline reporter MJ Acosta-Ruiz. For the Week 1 Australia game, he'll also share the studio desk with host Elle Duncan, Michael Irvin, Nick Foles, and Clay Matthews III.
Beyond game days, Pelissero becomes a co-host of The Ringer NFL Show and a weekly contributor to The Bill Simmons Podcast. Netflix and Spotify-owned The Ringer have a licensing deal that makes video versions of select podcasts available exclusively on the platform — giving Pelissero a high-profile, multi-format presence from day one.
Why was Tom Pelissero let go by ESPN in the first place?
Pelissero spent nine years as a prominent insider at NFL Network, regularly appearing on The Insiders alongside Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. ESPN acquired NFL Network roughly six months before the layoffs, as part of a deal that saw the NFL take a 10 percent equity stake in ESPN. The acquisition triggered a sweeping on-air talent cut that removed Pelissero along with several other well-known faces including Ryan Clark, Cam Newton, Bart Scott, Karl Ravech, and Stephania Bell.
What does this mean for Netflix's growing sports ambitions?
Netflix has been aggressively building out its live sports footprint, and the Pelissero signing is its latest move to bring credible sports journalism talent to the platform. The streamer previously hired ESPN host Elle Duncan as its tentpole events host. With a five-game NFL slate that includes Thanksgiving and a Christmas Day doubleheader, Netflix is positioning itself as a serious destination for premium NFL coverage — not just a streaming novelty. For more on how streaming giants are reshaping sports media, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
Pelissero's full Netflix NFL schedule includes the Week 1 Rams vs. 49ers game in Australia (Sept. 10), a Week 12 Rams vs. Packers Thanksgiving Eve matchup (Nov. 25), a Christmas Day Bears vs. Packers game, a Christmas Day Bills vs. Broncos game, and a Week 18 contest on January 9, 2027.