Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Fans of Move the Sticks rejoice.
Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL podcast has returned. It officially relaunched on Sept. 3 with a new episode featuring Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. The podcast is a collaboration between ESPN and Omaha Productions.
The original Move the Sticks paired Jeremiah with fellow analyst Bucky Brooks for more than a decade. In August, confusion arose about the old Move the Sticks when two AI-sounding episodes appeared on the dormant feed that Jeremiah said he was no longer affiliated with — a genuinely bizarre few weeks where the show’s own feed was putting out content its host had never heard, let alone recorded.
But rest assured, Move the Sticks is back, and Jeremiah explained to Awful Announcing what happened. We recently caught up with Jeremiah, who is also a radio analyst for the L.A. Chargers, to discuss his revamped podcast, the AI-episode saga, and where his read on the NFL stands heading into the 2026 season.
Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Could you explain the reasons for the new version of your podcast?
Daniel Jeremiah: “At that time, when I sent out the tweet announcing that the current version of it on NFL Media was going to come to an end, I knew I wanted to keep going with a podcast, so that was kind of a closing of one chapter. And a lot of it was wrapped up in the (ESPN-NFL Network) merger, where the digital side stayed on the NFL side, and the TV side went under this new ESPN umbrella. So, when I learned about that and where things were going, it was like, OK, well, that’s going to make me a podcasting free agent because I’m going under the ESPN umbrella for the TV side of things.”
How is this version of Move the Sticks different from the original?
“The first obvious one is that Bucky’s staying with the NFL. We did that show together for over 10 years, so it’s going to be different just from the fact that I’ll be kind of by myself on episodes. I’ll have a lot of guests coming in, so we’ll have at least one episode a week with a guest joining me. So, it’ll just be different from that standpoint of doing something a little new. And then the other thing is just being able to tap into a whole new set of resources, with the connection to ESPN now and to Omaha as well. I can tap into some old friends that I’ve had to bring on, but then also open up some avenues to reach out to some new people.”
What has the partnership with ESPN and Omaha Productions been like?
“It’s been great so far. For anything I’ve requested or looked for, including any support, they’ve been overwhelmingly positive and eager to help, so it’s been a great start. They’ve also brought a lot of fresh ideas, which has been fun for me to get new ideas about where you can take it in different segments and what we can do within the show. They’ve been a great partner so far, and I’m excited to learn and grow with them as we’re all getting together for the first time.”
What types of guests do you hope to have?
“In the first episode, Howie Roseman joined me from the Eagles. It was a great chance to catch up with him. I’ve known him for a long time and have worked with him. It was great to talk with him not only about all things Eagles but also, as I want to do with this podcast, more about the team-building side of it, roster construction, and how you become a championship-caliber organization. So, a great conversation with him. On Monday, the second episode, I’ve got both GMs at the L.A. teams. Les Snead is coming on on the heels of this Aaron Donald news, the Myles Garrett trade, and the signing of Trent McDuffie. Nobody had a louder offseason than the Rams. And then Joe Hortiz with the Chargers. This will be my ninth year calling Chargers games. It’s my little side gig. I’m pretty close with that organization and how they do things.”
Do you know what’s going to happen with the old feed?
“As far as I know, they have new content going on that feed, but they’ve rebranded it, which is totally their right to do so. They’ve been very communicative with me about that. I hope it does great. I’m excited for them, as they’ve brought in some new talent to continue what they’re doing. I was fortunate to keep the Move the Sticks name going forward. It’s a new show; it’s starting over with a brand-new feed.”
Did you learn anything during the preseason?
“I’ve always said preseason is a liar, so I don’t want to stray too far from that core belief. You don’t want to draw any sweeping conclusions. Look, you’d rather look good than bad. But at the end of the day, I don’t think it really means a whole heck of a lot. You find out, maybe, who some of the deeper teams are, just because you’re playing a lot of the backups. You see that, and the roster claims people are picking up the guys who could make your roster. That says something. I think the Eagles had a decent number of guys who got claimed. But I’ve made the mistake. I’ve slipped on that banana peel in the past. I vowed never to do it again.”
What’s the worst assumption you’ve made based on the preseason?
“I think the one that died for me was, I’m almost positive, the (2008) Lions when they went winless. I believe they went undefeated this preseason. I remember thinking that’s unbelievable. That’s going to kill the vibe if anybody’s trying to make any broad claims coming off preseason games. So that was the one that did it for me. And I always go back to when you had the Ryan Leaf-Peyton Manning draft, and then Ryan Leaf- that was preseason hype, like through the roof at that point in time. You always got to be a little bit careful there.”
Which rookies are best positioned to make an immediate impact?
“I’ve seen De’Zhaun Stribling, the wide receiver with the 49ers, in the preseason when they played the Chargers. I thought he was impressive and just kind of the perfect fit in that offense. For what Shanahan likes: his physicality, toughness, run after the catch. He’s intelligent. I think he’s going to be an instant impact player for them. Vega Ioane, the guard for the Ravens, is plug-and-play. You look at Rueben Bain with the Bucs; I think he is a perfect fit for how they play…
“Jaishawn Barham with the Cowboys is a third-round pick who is a very similar player to Zack Baun. Christian Parker, their D.C., had been with Zack Baun in Philly. So it’s like they have the blueprint for how to use a player like that. KC Concepcion with Cleveland. When you got a head coach who had Zay Flowers, OK, a similar type of player. They know exactly how to use them.”
Which new coach do you think is best positioned to succeed?
“John Harbaugh, just because of the success he had previously, I think walked in with instant credibility. I think they’ve got a chance to have a really good pass rush, a really good defensive line, and a really good front seven. If they can have Jaxson Dart take the next step, you could see them as a team with a chance to go from where they were to being in the mix for a playoff spot. That’s going to be a fun team to watch.”
Turning to college, which NFL prospects are you going to watch closely?
“Arch Manning is going to be the one that everybody’s most intrigued by. What excites me about him is that he was trending north the whole season. He got better and better and better and overcame the scrutiny and pressure after the Ohio State game early in the year, when he wasn’t playing great, which is to be expected.
“Another quarterback I’ll be intrigued by is LaNorris Sellers at South Carolina. I really liked him coming into last season. Now, the year did not go the way he or the team wanted, and it went down quickly. I’ve always believed in his ability, and I think there’s an opportunity. He takes a massive step. So excited to see what he looks like. And then I’ll give you one more: Cam Coleman going from Auburn to Texas to play with Arch. He’s made the Internet Hall of Fame and training camp because of some of the catches he’s made in practice. But Jeremiah Smith got a lot of the attention as the top guy. Cam Coleman is going to be fun to watch.”