The Best NFL YouTube Channels
The NFL is growing bigger and bigger around the world. This year, the organization reported on its website that 62.5 million people around the world turned on their TVs to catch the NFL Super Bowl LVIII clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. That’s an increase of 10% on 2023.
In the US itself, the event triggered an average of 123.7 million viewers across TV and streaming platforms, an increase of 7% on the 2023 final between the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Note here the inclusion of streaming, as fans access the NFL on different platforms today, not just on traditional media. One platform is YouTube, and the NFL is a popular focus of channels on there. Below is a look at some of the biggest NFL-related channels on the platform
NFL
For a long time, the NFL was reluctant to allow its content onto the popular streaming platform. In 2015, however, the league launched its official YouTube channel, just a few days before the New England Patriots marched to a 28-24 victory against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL’s flagship event.
Today, the channel has 12.9 million followers and offers NFL news, highlights, fantasy football advice, analysis, previews, recaps and more, and is a good place to check the NFL standings. When it first launched, the channel wouldn’t allow users to embed its videos, but now anyone wishing to share NFL videos will find an embed code on videos. Given the initial organization’s reluctance, however, users should think carefully before embedding content into blogs or websites.
NFL on ESPN
It would be remiss of one of the world’s biggest sports media networks not to have its own channel on YouTube. The broader channel, ESPN, launched on YouTube in October 2005 and has 12.1 million subscribers, whereas NFL on ESPN joined in July 2021 and has a following of around 451,000 subscribers. The platform contains a mix of professional commentary, interviews, news and debate and also offers podcasts and live videos.
NFL Throwback
NFL Throwback came to YouTube in June 2018, has 958,000 subscribers and is a channel for more nostalgic NFL fans. The channel focuses on classic NFL moments and stories and gives you facts, footage and highlights from seasons gone by. It’s a chance to relive some of the NFL’s greatest games, enjoy some of its most captivating and thrilling stories, and laugh at ridiculous moments that have occurred in the league.
The Pat McAfee Show
The Pat McAfee Show joined YouTube in August 2017, has 2.58 million subscribers and has made waves in the media. McAfee used to be a punter in the NFL and played for the Indianapolis Colts, experience which allows him to offer unique, creative insight on his channel. The channel features analysis of current events in the NFL, plus lively conversations, interviews and game predictions. It’s one of the more humorous and refreshing channels in the NFL world on YouTube and averages an audience of around 1.4 million per show.
McAfee is a somewhat controversial figure, having once revealed he paid New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers more than $1 million annually to come on to the show and talk not just about football, but also about conspiracy theories. No one is denying, however that McAfee represents part of the changing face of sports media that has made coverage not purely about informing audiences, but also entertaining them.
NFL Films
This branch of the NFL came to YouTube in October 2015 and has 1.28 million subscribers. The channel produces high-quality documentaries, feature films and series about the NFL, the league’s history and its players. As a result, you can expect candid interviews and revealing behind the scenes footage. Some of the most notable productions include the “A Football Life” and “The Timeline” documentary series. If you’re looking for deep insight into the history and the channel, NFL Films is for you.
Pro Football Focus
The PPF channel is a major analytics provider for American Football and joined YouTube as a channel in July 2011. Today, the channel has 195,00 subscribers and the nature of the service to the NFL means the channel is very data focused, so if you like to dive deep into stats and the intricacies of the game, PFF is the channel for you. On it, you’ll find comprehensive player analysis, draft breakdowns, player rankings and strategy discussions. The experts on the show back their opinions up with in-house data, making this an essential channel for football fans, especially if you like the analytics and metrics of the sport.
The above channels are all indispensable media to follow events in the NFL and learn more about the league and its teams, players and history. If you’re already following these and are still hungry for more, you can also try the Brett Kollman channel, which offers detailed, intellectual analysis of the NFL, or, if you’re a Green Bay Packers fan the Tom Grossi channel, which focuses on the Wisconsin team but also covers wider NFL news and events.
