California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will start a podcast with retired NFL star Marshawn Lynch and his agent, iHeartMedia announced Wednesday.
The launch of the show, called “Politickin’,” comes as Newsom is among those floated to replace President Biden on the 2024 ticket should Biden choose to end his campaign.
iHeartMedia described the pairing as “unexpected,” though the governor has been close friends with Lynch’s agent, Doug Hendrickson, for decades.
Promising “the conversations that need to be had,” the show will air weekly starting July 15. Newsom’s team has worked on organizing the show for more than six months, NFL insider Adam Schefter reported.
Lynch, nicknamed “Beast Mode,” was one of the NFL’s most successful and beloved running backs in the 2010s. An Oakland native, his career with the Seattle Seahawks was best remembered by his powerful running style and unabashed demeanor.
He famously attended a press conference before Super Bowl XLIX and answered every question with, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.” The star has since served as a spokesperson to Skittles and remained in sports media as a football commentator.
It’s not the first time Newsom and Lynch have crossed paths. Newsom served as a character witness for Lynch after he was under investigation by the NFL following a DUI arrest in 2013.
Newsom has previously hosted a Current TV talk show while he served as lieutenant governor, and he has in recent months sought out prominent TV appearances on Fox News among other networks, including a debate against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).