NFL veterans Taylor Lewan and Will Compton woke up after election night to an unexpected jolt of visibility: during Donald J. Trump’s televised acceptance speech, Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White thanked their podcast, Bussin’ With the Boys, alongside other entertainers for helping connect the president-elect with audiences. The shout-out grouped them with figures such as Joe Rogan, comedian Theo Von, and streamer Adin Ross.
Lewan and Compton had interviewed Trump weeks earlier and went to bed confident as vote tallies pointed to a comfortable win. Still, seeing their show name-checked onstage stunned them. “Centuries from now, if there’s a museum and clips are playing, ‘Bussin’ With the Boys’ was mentioned in a presidential victory speech,” Compton said. “How crazy is that?”
The moment caps a notable climb for the hosts. When they launched the podcast in 2019, neither was a household name. Compton was a backup linebacker most recently with the Tennessee Titans, and Lewan, a starting offensive lineman for the team, was as famous for chugging beers at hockey games as for his on-field play. Their show’s candid, high-energy conversations—at times pushing boundaries, including an episode in which their NFL coach said he would probably sacrifice his genitals for a Super Bowl title—have helped them cultivate a large following of young male listeners.
Additional comment
– The onstage acknowledgment underscores how athlete-led podcasts have become influential gateways to sizable, loyal audiences. It also illustrates a broader shift: campaigns and cultural figures increasingly seek out nontraditional media where conversations feel unscripted and personal, making those platforms powerful conduits for attention and engagement.
– Being singled out in a victory speech is a signal of the growing political relevance of sports and entertainment podcasts. While not overtly political themselves, shows like Bussin’ With the Boys can shape public discourse simply by hosting high-profile guests in a relaxed setting.
Hopeful note
– For athletes, this is a reminder that post-playing careers can thrive in media, where authenticity and community matter as much as star power. For listeners, it shows that constructive conversations—whether about sports or civic life—can happen outside traditional newsrooms.
Summary
– Dana White thanked Bussin’ With the Boys during Trump’s acceptance speech, placing the podcast among a small group of influential entertainers.
– Lewan and Compton had interviewed Trump weeks earlier and were surprised to see their show recognized nationally.
– Launched in 2019, the podcast grew despite the hosts’ modest name recognition, building a young male audience through blunt, high-energy interviews and sports talk.