After making 'Pivot' in podcasting world, voices of three former NFL players are growing stronger

NEW YORK – It’s almost showtime, but with a few minutes to kill, the trio of football players-turned-podcasters slip into their favorite pastime. Like brothers, they needle each other humorously, ruthlessly, and always unfiltered.

Seated in the lobby of the VaynerMedia headquarters lobby at 10 Hudson Yards, Ryan Clark attempted to explain the dynamic of this unholy trinity, but things drifted off track.

“So, I’m more-so the facilitator,” the former safety and current ESPN analyst says, then nods in the direction of Fred Taylor, who ranks 17th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. “Fred’s the wise one. The sexy one.”

“What do you mean, the sexy one?” says former linebacker Channing Crowder.

“Well, it’s not you. Because everyone knows you’re ugly,” Clark says. Taylor co-signs, “Yeah, you’re definitely ugly.”

Crowder, who was with the Miami Dolphins from 2005-10, may be the least-known of the three, but he doesn’t lack confidence and probably belongs on a comedy circuit. He declares, “I’m a good-looking (expletive). And my personality is stellar!”

“Bro,” Clark says, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “Nobody would walk up to you in a mall or airport and think you were sexy. Do you look at the comments? Nobody sends you heart eyes like they do Freddie! Nobody!”

This is the brotherhood behind "The Pivot" – one of the fastest-growing and most compelling athlete-driven podcasts in the country.

“We’re very professional, as you can see,” Clark says. “We’re just ourselves, free-flowing.”

Minutes later, Clark, Taylor, Crowder and their support staff receive the green light to head back to a 12-foot-by-15-foot room that has become the set for the latest "Pivot" podcast episode, which will feature Gary Vaynerchuk.

The highly successful entrepreneur, author, sports agency owner, motivational speaker and internet content creator, better known as Gary Vee, enters a short time later.

“Can I just say how awesome it is what you guys are doing?” Vaynerchuk asks upon meeting the trio for the first time. “I’m so very proud of you guys. This is a legit show. You have a real show that brings real value. People out there are watching and listening like they are because of that.”

The hosts and guest dive into a conversation that centers on Vaynerchuk’s journey from Belarus to the United States at the age of 3 and how life as an immigrant shaped him and fueled his success. The men talk life, drive, sports and the parallels of the business world. They discuss big dreams, technology, risks and rewards.

As Taylor later explains, "The Pivot" – which launched six months ago – is “a platform to learn and educate. Teaching, transparency and learning.”

With the hosts discussing race, culture, sports, success and failure, family, mental health, sexuality and everything in between, "The Pivot" has featured a horde of prominent guests, including Floyd Mayweather, Shaquille O’Neal, Caitlyn Jenner, Charles Barkley and Alex Rodriguez.

The rise of "The Pivot" comes at a time when athletes' voices are becoming stronger and more influential, in part thanks to the unique perspectives that the stars offer and the diverse backgrounds from which they hail.

The show has rapidly grown in popularity, garnering more than 345,000 YouTube subscribers and 29 million views while its 41 episodes have averaged 50,000 downloads a week on audio platforms.

Podcasting isn’t new to Taylor and Crowder. For nearly two years, they shared the mic with former NFL wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Chad Johnson on the "I Am Athlete" podcast. The Miami-area neighbors started the podcast in April 2020 just to have something to do while the COVID-19 pandemic shut the country down. The candid conversations, which provided a glimpse into the locker-room dynamic and minds of NFL players, made "I Am Athlete" a must-listen. But late last year, disagreements with Marshall – owner of the "I Am Athlete" name and brand as an extension of his House of Athlete athletic clubs – over contracts caused the group to split.

“The business side wasn’t buttoned up,” Taylor said. “There was talk of revenue sharing but not equity, and you have to know there’s a difference there.”

Crowder explained, “When you know someone doesn’t respect you as far as ability and common goal, then you know you don’t want to go deeper with them. But if we see Marshall in South Beach, it’s ‘What up, bruh, all success to you.’ But it’ll never be like it was.”

Marshall didn’t respond to a message from USA TODAY Sports requesting comment.

Taylor and Crowder, who share a big brother/little brother relationship because they each played at the University of Florida, wanted to launch their own show but needed a third member. Enter Clark, who has worked as a regular contributor on ESPN for the better part of the last decade.

Initially, however, Clark had concerns about whether Taylor and Crowder – often overshadowed on "I Am Athlete" by the two receivers – could carry a show.

“My reservations were, ‘One guy (Marshall) talks a lot, the other guy (Johnson) was the most successful from a popularity standpoint and personality, and the other two, Fred and Channing – to me, they weren’t used to the best of their abilities.’ But when we started doing 'The Pivot,' I asked them, ‘Did y’all talk this much on the other show?' Because I feel like what Fred says is so powerful, and Channing is always going viral. So, I didn’t expect this. I can’t say I was confident it would go this well because they weren’t used in this way.”

Crowder and Taylor never worried, however.

“When Peyton (Manning) left Indy, was he worried about Denver?” Crowder asked. “When (Tom) Brady left New England, was he worried about Tampa? Without Brady, New England wouldn’t have been what they were. And I feel like without me and Fred, the prior engagement of ("I Am Athlete") wouldn’t have been what it was. The people make the podcast.

"I tell people all the time, when they ask, ‘How do y’all do it?’ I say, ‘We have a great production team.’ Our production is stupid talented. Our media team is stupid. But the actual making of the podcast is the actual personality of the people sitting there talking. So, we knew, to use a sports analogy, that we were All-Pros at this. So, we said, ‘Let’s go watch our own thing grow. Let’s make an expansion team.’”

Crowder and Taylor weren’t the only individuals with something to prove.

Despite his success as an analyst on ESPN, Clark found himself frustrated by the network’s unwillingness to allow him to expand his role.

“They don’t let me host,” he said. “I told people a long time ago that when (network and radio mainstay Mike Greenberg) isn’t there, they should let me host 'Get Up.' ‘Y’all don’t think I can read a damn teleprompter? I can read a prompter. You think I can’t facilitate a conversation?’ But I don’t get to do it. Why? Because I played football. I’ve got a journalism degree, too. I graduated from (LSU’s) Manship School of Mass Communications. But they don’t perceive me like that. But here, they get to watch me do this and realize I can do all of those things.”

None of the three ever played on the same team, but you would never know watching them and listening to them. The chemistry, respect and shared vision allows them to interact effortlessly, each taking turns setting each other up to ask their subjects meaningful questions while also sharing their own strong opinions.

“We are egoless,” Taylor said. “Ryan is going to set us up, and then he’s going to text on the side and say, ‘Do you want some of this?’ I don’t always have to jump in.”

Added Crowder, “Then, there’s times Fred throws me the alley-oop. It’s a team.”

In the six months since its launch, "The Pivot" has taken the show on the road, splitting time between hosting guests in thehosts' home base of Miami and flying to major cities to interview subjects too busy to travel to them.

Meanwhile, the episodes released thus far have featured no shortage of meaningful discussions, several of which have been moving or even controversial.

Crowder went viral and took heat for describing Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson a “square.” O’Neal opened up about his divorce and fallout with Kobe Bryant. Jenner provided insight on her transition and shared her opinion on the topic of transgender athletes in competitive sports. UFC president Dana White defended his loyalty to former President Donald Trump. Gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross discussed her 2008 abortion, which took place one day before she flew to Beijing for the Olympics. Former No. 2 NBA draft pick Michael Beasley offered tearful revelations about his struggles with mental health and loneliness.

“These guys have a platform that has open and honest, and very direct discussions -- sometimes funny, but always real,” boxing great Floyd Mayweather said in a text message to USA TODAY Sports. “They ask the tough questions but in comfortable settings. I think they are and can continue to be a great influence for younger athletes, particularly for African Americans, who hear these stories of success, adversity, and perseverance -- conversations which are important and which they can learn from.”

For the first four months of the podcast, Taylor, Crowder and Clark entirely financed the entire operation, including travel, support staff and travel.As they started to land sponsors, the show began to generate revenue. But although Crowder and Taylor left "I Am Athlete" over financial disputes, money-making was never the main goal behind "The Pivot," the trio insists.

“A lot of people’s goal is money. ‘Let’s monetize this and get a check,’” Crowder said. “We never talked about money. … The reason we knew we needed to keep doing something is because we knew we were touching people. We’d be walking in the airport getting stopped in public from 7 years old to 70, people stopping us and telling us, ‘This episode did this,’ or ‘This episode made me call my dad, who I hadn’t spoken to in 10 years.’ That’s what started me and Freddie’s conversations that made us say, ‘We have to keep doing this.”

That common goal will continue to fuel the success of "The Pivot," those close to its hosts say.

“Everyone is trying to do something for themselves. It’s human nature. Some things, though, come along where I can just genuinely sense an intent to help others,” Vaynerchuk told USA TODAY Sports. “This is a platform where I actually believe them in a world where people say it but don’t do it. … I think subconsciously, if not consciously, they actually care about the 7- to 14-year-old versions of themselves listening to this and being put on. It’s not like they’re just trying to be a nice guy and want the bag. They actually are trying to do good.”

"The Pivot" trio wants to grow in reach and impact, but beyond that, the goals remain undefined.

“I want consistency,” Taylor said. “I want us to be the same as far as the substance. All of us get better in our own right, but what remains the same, is consistency in who we are and how we grow. Maybe a sponsor or two to help us fly to anywhere to get the A-list guests. But beyond that?”

Crowder agrees.

“For people to be able to see the locker room connection and environment, that’s what people love,” Crowder said. “It’s three male lions, men who rule their worlds. Out in the jungle, male lions don’t hang out. They have their territories. ‘Don’t come in mine and I won’t come in yours.’ But us, we can all come and sit down within 10 feet of each other and we can debate and argue and disagree. It doesn’t have to be a fight. We don’t have to hate each other. We can bring another lion in and you can sit with these lions and communicate. It’s something that as Black males, people don’t see and realize we can articulate. And that’s all we want.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'The Pivot' podcast helps three former NFL standouts grow their voices