Since 2019, Taylor Lewan and Will Compton have hosted the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. Both athletes began doing the shows as NFL players, and the show has grown to being included as a part of Barstool Sports in 2020. Each man has undergone their own journey from hosting to where they love to get to show the audience both of their personalities.
Lewan and Compton were guests on The Pivot podcast with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder. Lewan mentioned that when he first began doing the podcast, he was worried people would not think he was taking football seriously. Now, he enjoys doing the podcast because of the way people get to see his personality shine through.
“When we first started this podcast, I just signed my contract with the Titans (my second contract). I was very worried about exposing myself too much to this. As you are able to zoom out more, when people come and watch our show or they watch this, they are going to see this is who Will and I are.
“I don’t ever get worried about people viewing me the wrong way anymore. I think at one point for sure when I was really in it with football, it was I hope people think I’m still focused on football and they know it’s the main thing, but I’m also doing this. For me, I think this is an even better space for people to see our personalities. I enjoy that people are noticing me more from a podcast standpoint than a football standpoint because people like me for my personality. What better compliment is that? I love it.”
While Lewan did worry about how doing the podcast would affect the Titans at first, it was a memorable guest that he had on one episode that somewhat alleviated the feeling.
“I worried about the team at first then Mike Vrabel came on and said he’d cut off his d**k for a Super Bowl and I thought at that point, we are solid,” Lewan explained. “Vrabel has very specific rules about you don’t talk about scheme; you don’t talk about injuries. In the back of your head when you are talking ball, you don’t want to step on toes. There probably was some negative that happened starting in 2018. The Titans stopped posting me as much because I think in their mind, [it was], ‘He has a social media presence in another place. We don’t need to publicize him at all here.'”
For Compton on his journey from going as an undrafted NFL player to a podcast host, he always tried to find a great balance while also demonstrating his authenticity.
“As we’ve gone on this journey and the whole process of it all, I think it’s always been important for me to figure out that balance because you’ve been around me in the locker room,” Compton said. ” I like to be very prepared; I like to also be very serious [and] I like to listen to a lot of things, but I also like to have a lot of fun. Knowing that my niche in the locker room was being like a locker room guy; being a camaraderie guy, I’ve always thought, ‘How can I essentially do the same thing in this world with podcasting?’ Any time we are going anywhere, it’s just trying to bring that authenticity to it.
“I try to have perspective and gratitude with it all time. It’s been a hell of a ride with the whole undrafted route. To be able to put my personality out there because you do battle a lot of insecurities. Year seven, when I was balancing both, there was a part of me that was afraid I was going to play myself out of the league by being too out there. I can be noisy even though all of that stuff can be taken out of context. I’m a bottom half of the roster type guy. Somebody else like Taylor, they can afford to say a lot more things.”
Even as the show gains more popularity, Compton thinks it’s very important for them to not be too serious, but they realize that what they say carries a lot of weight and responsibility.
“As we get bigger and you start to realize you influence a lot of people,” Compton said. “Once people started identifying me as a podcaster, you know you carry a little more weight and responsibility. That’s why it’s so important that I keep that fun and all that stuff going so people understand that I have all of that. I can lead with all of that stuff so that way I never trap myself or box myself in to feel like I’ve got to take myself too serious now because we do carry a lot more weight with all that influence. Ultimately, for myself, it’s important that I want to be the guy that doesn’t take himself too seriously.”
