Longtime Pro Football Focus staffers Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson announced Thursday they are leaving and launching a new podcast with The 33rd Team.
Palazzolo and Monson were instrumental in building PFF into a leading resource for NFL analytics. Their departure marks a significant loss for the company, which has relied on their expertise to provide advanced stats, data, and player grading. PFF’s data and insights have become a staple for NFL teams, players, and fans alike, with NBC’s Cris Collinsworth serving as the company’s majority owner.
With their combined 30 years at PFF, Palazzolo and Monson played pivotal roles in establishing the company’s reputation for in-depth football analysis.
They both announced their departures via X.
Monson, in his farewell message, acknowledged the pride he felt in helping PFF grow from a “virtually nothing” venture to a trusted resource for all 32 NFL teams and countless others. Palazzolo echoed the sentiment, highlighting the privilege of witnessing PFF’s transformation into a “football powerhouse.”
“I’m incredibly proud of what we built at PFF,” Monson posted. “I was lucky enough to be one of the first people in the door and it went from virtually nothing to a resource used by all 32 NFL teams, all FBS football programs, and countless other places as well.
“It’s a bittersweet day as I’ve been privileged to see PFF grow from a hobby to a football powerhouse that is used by every major pro and college football team,” Palazzolo posted.
Their new podcast, Check the Mic, will be available on YouTube and other podcast locations.
Excited for this new opportunity, hope you’ll join us! https://t.co/n91pUPXePY
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 8, 2024
Personnel movements happen all the time in the sports media industry, but there have been some notable departures at PFF in recent months. PFF reportedly ‘quietly fired’ exec George Chahrouri amid staff discontent earlier this year. Brad Spielberger, salary cap analyst and former head of research and development at PFF left for another job.
It remains to be seen how PFF will respond to these challenges. Replacing Palazzolo and Monson’s expertise and knowledge will be no easy task, and the company will need to work diligently to maintain its position as a leader in the NFL analysis space.
In any event, Trevor Sikkema has become one of the faces — if not the face — and will undoubtedly have a larger role in PFF’s NFL content this coming season and potentially beyond.