Steve Palazzolo on his new NFL podcast with The 33rd Team and his former life as a minor league pitcher

It was a surprise last month when Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson left Pro Football Focus to join The 33rd Team . Palazzolo and Monson still offer insights and analysis with their Check the Mic podcast. They both played significant roles in building PFF into a leading resource for football analytics. Now, they’re bringing their expertise and energy to a new challenge.

The 33rd Team has hired some prominent names , including Bill Belichick as a strategic advisor and former NFL head coaches Matt Patricia and Adam Gase. We recently caught up with Palazzolo to discuss the podcast, his thoughts on the NFL season, and his career as a minor-league baseball player .

Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Awful Announcing: What makes your podcast different?

Steve Palazzolo : “Hopefully, we bring a more nuanced reaction and opinion to what’s going on and not completely overreact to every little thing out there. I know we get good feedback from people who work in the league, general managers, people in front offices, and coaching staffs, who like to keep up with the entire NFL when they can’t necessarily because they’re so focused on their team. They don’t necessarily get to watch all the games on a Sunday. We’ll cover every game from a preview standpoint. I think it’s an in-depth view of the NFL from top to bottom without the hot takes that are becoming more prevalent.”

How would you describe Check the Mic ?

“ Check the Mic is similar to what we started at PFF. Using the data to help tell the story. Sometimes it backs up exactly what you see. Sometimes it highlights something that maybe you don’t see with the naked eye. I think through that lens, that’s how Sam and I started working together over 10 years ago on the podcast. That was the idea, to hopefully tell the story of what’s happened on the field using data.”

Who has surprised you the most so far?

“It’s the Saints. Even coming off that loss, I thought a lot of what they had done in the offseason. I had questions about the offensive line, which was outstanding for two weeks. I know they have an injury there with Eric McCoy at center. The Saints have rejuvenated their offense and are back to their feisty ways on defense in the secondary. They’ve impressed. They’re close to being 3-0.”

Who has been the biggest disappointment?

“It’s a tie between the Bengals and the Jaguars. The Bengals always have a slow start. I still saw them as a Super Bowl contender. Joe Burrow is playing fine. The defense let them down on Monday Night Football. Cincinnati, they can still come out of it. I still think when you have that type of quarterback play and the weapons they have, they shouldn’t be as bad as they looked on Monday. On defense, they should be a little bit better there. They can still come out of this, but Cincinnati being 0-3 is probably the biggest disappointment.”

Are the Kansas City OK because they could easily be 0-3?

“I think two things are true. They’re probably a little lucky to be 3-0. They’re certainly not playing to their capability. The offense is very inconsistent right now. They’re relying on their defense again to make key stops, much like last year. With the Chiefs, there’s enough of a baseline that you expect them to get better. They’re probably not playing as well as a 3-0 team, but I would expect them to get better. They’ll lose a few games here and there. It’s tough to forget last season when they weren’t great during the regular season, had the worst offense of the (Patrick) Mahomes’ era, and then went on to the table again in the playoffs.”

Are the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen this good, or have they just played an easy schedule?

“I like how the Bills are playing. They lost Stefon Diggs and decided to replace him with an amalgamation of mostly slot receivers and guys who can play outside. I like the way they transformed their team, so I think they’re legit. They’ve transformed their team to Josh Allen being a distributor who can pull out those big-time throws and go on 3rd-and-8 runs where you pick up 9. They’re doing a nice job of getting players in space and creating after the catch. They have difficult playmakers to cover. No matter who is on the defensive side of the ball with all their turnover, they play good, fundamental defense. Von Miller looks like he’s got his step back that he may have lost, so I think the Bills are for real.”

Who are some defensive players who are playing great?

“Aidan Hutchinson has been unblockable for three weeks. The sample size is small, and he’s faced some backups. But I think a good pass rusher should be able to take over games, and he has. He’s been outstanding. Fred Warner has been unbelievable. I know the Niners are 1-2, but he almost single-handedly kept that game in hand against Minnesota. T.J. Watt is doing his usual. And then Dexter Lawrence, I always want to tout what he is doing with the Giants because he’s still playing mostly nose tackle. He rushes the passer at a rate that nose tackles aren’t supposed to do.”

Who are the big names to watch out for when the trade deadline comes up in November?

“If Cincinnati continues to struggle, instead of letting Tee Higgins walk, do they trade him? Maybe. Davante Adams’ name is always bandied about, especially if Mike Williams doesn’t stay healthy with the Jets. Is there a reunion with Aaron Rodgers to be had there?”

How does a former minor-league pitcher become a football expert?

“I was very analytically driven, even as a player. Toward the end of my career, almost as a way to take my mind off the grind of playing every day, I studied football. I was using PFF as a fan at the time. When they turned their free product into a subscription product, I was a poor minor leaguer. I didn’t have $100 to spend. So, I asked them if they needed help charting the games. They said yes. I was good at it the first year. I just stuck with it. I retired from baseball and transitioned into football. So, right place, right time. My passion for football helped me stumble into PFF.”

What’s the most money you made in the minors?

“In a season? Probably $12,000 across the five-month season. On the bright side, I was 30 and still living with my parents because I was away for half the year. You have to make smarter decisions when you’re on a limited budget. I would do pitching lessons and teach baseball in the offseason, so I made money in other ways. Minor leagues are a grind. It’s a grind and a passion. Everybody loves playing but it is a difficult road, especially to get to the majors.”

Do you have any fun memories?

“I grew up in New England as a Red Sox fan. Mark Bellhorn was a part of their 2004 World Series championship team. By the time I was playing in Triple-A, he was at the tail end of his career. I struck him out. That was fun. Similar was Carl Everett, who was a top hitter on the Red Sox for a few years and then was finishing his career. I think I got him as well. That stands out. And then, pitching to Buster Posey as my catcher. He had a half a year with us in Triple-A with the Giants before he got called up. I threw about 16 straight scoreless innings to him, which was great. He probably doesn’t even remember me. But I had a good little run with him.”

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