So, Netflix is gonna stream podcasts now. Yeah, you heard that right. Not just host them, not just distribute them, but actually air them on the main streaming service, starting this month. And who are the big names they’re rolling out with? None other than Pete Davidson and, get this, NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. Seriously. Pete Davidson and “The Playmaker.” My first thought was, “Is this a joke I missed?” But nope, it’s real. And frankly, it’s kinda wild.

What Even Is This Combo?

Look, if you told me five years ago that one of the biggest streaming giants on the planet would be betting on a podcast hosted by the dude who dated Kim K and a former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, I’d have laughed you right out of my newsroom. But here we are. It’s a move that makes you scratch your head and then, if you’re like me, immediately start thinking about all the angles.

Pete Davidson, bless his heart, is everywhere these days. From SNL to his semi-autobiographical series “Bupkis” (which, let’s be honest, was kinda underrated), he’s got this whole slacker-charmer thing down. People either love him or love to hate-watch him. He’s a walking headline, a paparazzi magnet, and he brings a certain… chaotic energy. His show, “Rodeo Star,” is apparently gonna be a chat show with guests. Which, okay, fine. Pete Davidson doing interviews? I can see that. It’s on brand for a guy who basically lives his life in public.

But then you’ve got Michael Irvin. The Playmaker. A legend on the field, a firebrand in the studio. His podcast, “Coach Prime’s Bussin’ With The Boys,” is about… well, football, obviously. Deion Sanders is involved. It’s gonna be all about the gridiron, locker room stories, probably a lot of impassioned speeches. And I get it. Sports content is gold right now. Every platform wants a piece of that pie. You see what Amazon’s doing with Thursday Night Football, right? Everybody wants that live, loyal audience. But on Netflix? For a podcast?

Is This Netflix’s Backdoor Play?

Here’s the thing about Netflix and sports- they’ve been circling it for a while. They’ve done some incredible sports docs – “Drive to Survive,” “Full Swing,” “Quarterback” – all massive hits. They even tried that “The Netflix Cup” golf tournament, which was, let’s just say, a thing that happened. They clearly want to get into the live-ish, unscripted content space that sports provides, but they haven’t quite cracked the code for actual live games. This, with Irvin, feels like a calculated, slightly cheaper way to dip their toes in the water again. Test the appetite. See if sports fans will actually fire up Netflix for something that isn’t a scripted drama or a cooking show.

So, Are We Actually Going to Watch a Podcast?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Because let’s be real, a podcast is usually an audio-first experience. You listen in the car, on a walk, while you’re doing dishes. But Netflix is calling these “video podcasts.” Which basically just means they filmed the podcast. So, it’s a talk show. A really low-budget talk show, probably. You’re gonna sit down, open Netflix, scroll past “Stranger Things” and “The Crown” to watch two guys chat in a studio? I mean, maybe. If the conversation is compelling enough. If Pete Davidson says something truly insane or Michael Irvin gives a sermon worthy of a Super Bowl halftime show.

“It feels like Netflix is throwing spaghetti at the wall again, hoping something sticks in a world where everyone’s got a podcast and three streaming subscriptions.”

And let’s not pretend this is groundbreaking. YouTube has been the home of video podcasts for years. Every podcaster worth their salt has a YouTube channel where they upload the video version of their show. Spotify has been pushing video podcasts hard too, integrating them directly into their app. So, Netflix isn’t innovating here; they’re playing catch-up. They’re looking at what’s working elsewhere and trying to bring it into their walled garden. Which, honestly, is what all these streamers do eventually. They see a trend, and they jump on it, sometimes a little late to the party.

The Real Play Here

I think what this actually means is Netflix is desperate for content that isn’t astronomically expensive to produce and that can generate consistent buzz. Scripted shows are a gamble. They cost a fortune, and half of them get canceled after one season. Podcasts, especially video podcasts, are relatively cheap. You need a studio, some mics, a few cameras, and some charismatic hosts. Boom. You’ve got content.

And the choice of hosts? It’s smart, even if it feels random. Pete Davidson brings a younger, pop-culture-obsessed crowd. He’s got a built-in audience of people who follow his every move. Michael Irvin brings the sports fanatics, a notoriously loyal and engaged demographic. It’s a dual-pronged attack, trying to hook two very different segments of the market. It’s not about making a groundbreaking podcast; it’s about audience aggregation. It’s about giving people another reason to open the Netflix app, even if it’s just to see what kind of shenanigans Pete is up to this week.

It’s also about owning the content. Instead of just licensing shows, Netflix wants to own more of the stuff people are talking about. And podcasts, well, they’re talk. They’re opinion. They’re personality. And personality, if it’s big enough, can be a huge draw. Think about Joe Rogan. Think about Call Her Daddy. People tune in for the host as much as, if not more than, the topic.

What This Actually Means

Ultimately, this isn’t about Netflix becoming a podcast platform in the traditional sense. It’s about them broadening their definition of “entertainment” and “content.” They’re blurring the lines between talk shows, reality TV, and traditional podcasts. They’re trying to figure out what else they can squeeze into that monthly subscription fee to make it feel even more indispensable. Will it work? I dunno. I really don’t. I have my doubts about how many people will actively watch a podcast on Netflix, especially when there are so many free options on YouTube. But then again, I never thought “Tiger King” would be a global phenomenon, so what do I know?

It’s a gamble, for sure. A relatively low-stakes one, given the cost of podcasts compared to a big-budget series. But it shows that even the biggest players are still figuring out what the hell they’re doing in this ever-shifting streaming world. And for now, that means giving Pete Davidson and a football legend a camera and a mic and seeing what happens. You know, just another Tuesday in the entertainment industry…