Overview
- Netflix announced Monday that Tom Pelissero has a multiyear deal to serve as a sideline reporter and NFL insider for its 2026 game slate, with his first assignment the Sept. 10 Rams‑49ers game in Melbourne.
- The agreement also places Pelissero at Spotify’s The Ringer where he will co‑host The Ringer NFL Show, contribute to Ringer podcasts, and appear weekly on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
- Pelissero was among on‑air talent cut by ESPN in July after the company folded NFL Network into its operations, and multiple outlets report he still had about a year left on his NFL Network contract before the new hire.
- Reporting says Prime Video separately hired James Palmer as its Thursday Night Football insider after pursuing Pelissero, underscoring a broader redistribution of top NFL reporters across platforms this month.
- The moves highlight a strategic push by streamers to buy credibility and breaking‑news ability for game coverage, a trend that could change how broadcasts prize scoop‑driven reporting while broadcasters such as CBS opt not to add dedicated insiders.