PointsBet announced the addition Wednesday of former San Diego Chargers quarterback and ESPN football analyst Ryan Leaf to its roster of on-air talent, which will broadcast from the company’s new Manhattan studio.
Beginning Thursday, Leaf, who spent just three abysmal seasons in the NFL after being selected No. 2 in the 1998 draft behind Peyton Manning, will host The Straight Line With Ryan Leaf. The podcast, according to a press release, will feature college and pro football betting analysis from a variety of angles.
Leaf’s new show will air on various podcasting platforms and PointsBet social channels four times a week. Its name may strike some as ironic, in that the ex-Washington State Cougar’s post-playing days have seen him struggle with opioid abuse and related crimes, for which he’s served some time in prison. But, admirably, Leaf has gotten sober, been outspoken about his recovery from addiction, and proven himself to be a confident, incisive football analyst since ESPN hired him in 2019.
Welcome to the team, @RyanDLeaf!
Ryan will be hosting a new PointsBet show 4x per week 👀 pic.twitter.com/AQoCV1mYMB
— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) September 7, 2022
“I’m thrilled to join the PointsBet team as we work together to produce premium football content during this upcoming football season,” Leaf said in the press release. “With PointsBet’s market-leading emphasis on live betting options and their best-in-class user experience, it was an easy decision. I’m eager to use my knowledge of the game in a new and exciting way that connects me to sports fans and bettors on a regular basis.”
“Bettors are increasingly looking to sportsbooks to provide them with high-quality entertaining and informative content, and with the unveiling of the PointsBet Studio, we’re able to produce and curate content in house that is tailored to the PointsBet user,” added PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken. “And we couldn’t be more excited to be kicking off the NFL season with content produced alongside our newest brand ambassador, Ryan Leaf.”
