The NFL coaching carousel is officially underway — and Deals & Deadlines is breaking down the sports business, coaching interviews, front office hiring, and NIL money driving the biggest decisions in football right now. Matt Chernoff and sports agent Hadley Engelhardt cover the latest on NFL head coach openings, GM job searches, the real behind-the-scenes interview process, the Rooney Rule, and why John Harbaugh unexpectedly hitting the market changes everything. Plus: the Falcons’ use of consultants, the buzz around Matt Ryan as President of Football Operations, the wild west of NIL and the transfer portal, and major uncertainty in sports TV rights that could impact teams like the Atlanta Braves. If you follow the Atlanta Falcons coaching search, the NFL head coach hiring cycle, college football NIL, or the future of regional sports networks (RSNs) — this episode is for you. ✅ Topics in this episode include: NFL coaching carousel 2026: Falcons, Giants, Titans, Browns, Raiders, Cardinals openings John Harbaugh firing fallout and why teams pivot their shortlists How agents schedule interviews, manage optics, and prep candidates (Zoom vs in-person) Rooney Rule explained + what “real” interviews look like Falcons hiring consultants: how search firms vet candidates + potential conflicts Matt Ryan Falcons front office role: why trust + branding matter in ownership decisions NIL valuations: QB $3.5M high-end, WR $1M–$2M, edge rushers $1M+ and more Transfer portal chaos: leverage, re-entering portal, “pay-for-play” reality Braves TV rights risk: FanDuel/Main Street Sports issues & what it means for payroll ESPN/Disney lawsuit & carriage disputes (Dish vs Disney) Ratings: CFP numbers, brand power, and why the NFL keeps setting records ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Deals & Deadlines (2026 kickoff) 00:43 – NFL coaching carousel: job openings + surprise Ravens move 01:03 – Agent perspective: HC vs GM interviews & preparation 01:32 – Rooney Rule explained + what “real” interviews look like 02:50 – Who calls who? How interview requests actually happen 03:28 – Choosing the right job: fit, roster, ownership, resources 04:33 – Zoom interviews vs in-person finals: what teams evaluate 05:48 – Why teams hire consultants for GM/HC searches (how it works) 06:14 – Consulting fees + “CYA” factor + hidden agenda risk 07:36 – Falcons front office: Matt Ryan as President of Football Ops? 08:22 – Trust vs experience + branding/optics for ownership 09:30 – Can a former player lead football ops? Learning on the job 11:19 – College football business: transfer portal & NIL market explodes 12:05 – NIL pricing tiers: QB market, WR market, OL/DL, defensive positions 13:40 – “Pay for play” reality + why there’s no loyalty in the portal 15:52 – Braves TV rights uncertainty: FanDuel/Main Street Sports payment issues 18:14 – RSNs, payroll pressure, free agency, and work stoppage worries 19:32 – Dish vs Disney: ESPN leverage, carriage disputes, market power 22:05 – CFP ratings: brand power vs storylines (will numbers drop?) 25:12 – NFL ratings: CBS best season ever + playoff viewership outlook 26:22 – Subscribe + where to watch/listen (new episodes every Friday)

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On this episode of Deals & Deadlines, Matt Chernoff and sports business insider Hadley Engelhardt break down the biggest money, media, and power stories shaping sports today — from college football to the NFL and beyond. Topics include: Why College Football Playoff ticket prices vary so dramatically The reality behind NIL money, quarterback leverage, and Arch Manning’s earning power How fans decide which CFP games are worth the cost Joe Burrow’s emotional comments and why they spark Andrew Luck comparisons Patrick Mahomes’ injury fallout and why star power matters to Amazon, Netflix, and the NFL Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua on Netflix — and why it’s an entertainment business play The Dodgers owing over $1 billion in deferred contracts and why they’re comfortable with it Nick Saban’s next chapter as a sports owner Taylor Swift’s $2 billion tour and why rewarding staff is smart business Shaquille O’Neal’s philanthropy and how legacy matters off the field This is the business side of sports — explained through money, leverage, media rights, and decision-making at the highest level. 🎧 New episodes of Deals & Deadlines drop every Friday 📺 Watch on the 680 The Fan YouTube channel 🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts #SportsBusiness #CollegeFootball #CFP #NIL #NFL #JoeBurrow #PatrickMahomes #JakePaul #NetflixSports #Dodgers #NickSaban #TaylorSwift #Shaq #SportsMedia #DealsAndDeadlines

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On this extended edition of Deals & Deadlines, Matt Chernoff and sports agent/lawyer Hadley Engelhardt connect the biggest sports business stories across college football, baseball, and the NFL — all through the lens of money, leverage, media rights, and power. The show opens with a deep dive into the College Football Playoff business model, including the $4 million payout per team and how conferences like the SEC and Big Ten are stacking massive revenue advantages. The conversation expands into playoff expansion, Notre Dame’s exclusion, Group of Five access, TV windows competing with the NFL, and whether the current system actually delivers the best teams — or just the most profitable ones. From there, Matt and Hadley examine the future of bowl games, opt-outs, ESPN’s potential revenue losses, legal exposure, and why the postseason exhibition model may be nearing its breaking point. The discussion then turns to a landmark moment in college athletics: private equity officially entering the space, highlighted by Utah’s reported equity partnership that could reach $500 million. What does shared ownership mean for control, branding, NIL, Olympic sports, and the long-term soul of college athletics? On the baseball side, the show covers MLB Winter Meetings, where Scott Boras has become a full-scale celebrity power broker, securing over $1.2 billion in contracts while reshaping how agents create leverage. The episode also explores how a looming MLB CBA expiration is shortening contracts and pushing teams toward less risk, plus ESPN’s shift away from Sunday Night Baseball toward a fractured, streaming-first model. Finally, the show wraps with the NFL and global sports media: – Philip Rivers potentially returning at age 44 and what that conversation looks like from an agent’s perspective – The sudden drop in Taylor Swift’s NFL TV exposure and whether it’s a branding reset – And World Cup format changes, hydration breaks, and why “player safety” may really mean more ad inventory Smart, candid, and brutally honest — this is Deals & Deadlines at its most comprehensive. #DealsAndDeadlines #SportsBusiness #CollegeFootballPlayoff #CFPExpansion #MediaRights #BusinessOfSports #PrivateEquity #NIL #CollegeAthletics #MLBWinterMeetings #ScottBoras #MLBContracts #NFLBusiness #PhilipRivers #TaylorSwift #SportsMedia #StreamingSports #WorldCup2026 #FIFA #SportsLaw #ESPN #TVRatings #FootballBusiness #BaseballBusiness #sportseconomics

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