Hi. I’m Tom. I have a newsletter now.
Actually, I should say, we have a newsletter.
For 23 years, I’ve spent practically every waking second pursuing, breaking, discussing, and writing about NFL news. What I haven’t done is share that news so directly with people who want it. Until now.
For those who just stumbled across this, a little about me: I grew up in Minnesota as an avid sports fan (and a not-so-impressive athlete). I lasted about 10 seconds as a finance major at Boston College before deciding to pursue a career in sports media instead. I graduated with a degree in communications (I know—it’s a phony major!) and no real plan. So I took a part-time job covering the Vikings at KFAN radio in Minneapolis for $8 an hour.
I’ll never forget that at my graduation party, I excitedly described the job to my Great Uncle Larry, an attorney, who scrunched up his face and responded slowly, “And … people … care about this?”
Yes, Uncle Larry. And thank God they do.
That job got me to the Leader-Telegram newspaper in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which took me to the Packers beat at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, and then back to the Vikings beat (and six radio shows a week) at 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. I started to break more and bigger NFL news, leading to an opportunity in 2013 at USA Today, and four years later I moved on to an insider role at NFL Network. Whether it’s been a blockbuster trade, a coaching change, behind-the-scenes drama, a crazy story, NFL memos or the nuances of contracts, the salary cap, and labor relations, I’ve made it my goal to be the most trusted source for telling you not only what happened, but how and why.
Now we enter a new phase, and I couldn’t be more excited.
For those who already know me and what I do: Yes, I’ll still be breaking news on X. I’ll host The Ringer NFL Show every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’ll be on Bill Simmons’s podcast every Thursday. You’ll also see me on the sideline and delivering news across Netflix’s five-game slate, beginning this week in Melbourne.
But here is where I’ll take you beyond the headlines and behind the scenes. Every week, I’ll give you details you haven’t seen anywhere else about all the biggest news. And I’ll turn you on to the stories you should be thinking about next. This will also be the new home of my annual staples: a deep dive on each NFL draft’s top quarterbacks through the eyes of coaches and scouts, a comprehensive primer on the young coaches you should know before hiring season in January, and an early poll of NFL executives for MVP and other awards.
I want you to be the smartest NFL fan at the bar, or the water cooler, or your kid’s flag football practice. I’ll be publishing a weekly notebook that will cover everything I’m hearing around the league. The top of it will be free for all subscribers, and when it lands in your inbox, you’ll be the first to know what really matters. Paid subscribers will get my full notebooks, and also have even more access to me and the community we’re building here, with bonus columns, live chats, mailbags, and, I’m sure, some really cool stuff I haven’t even considered yet.
I want this to be our thing. Want more of something? Let me know. Hate something I’m doing? Let me know that, too.
It all starts by subscribing right now.
Welcome to The Sweep.