Football Takes Podcast | NFL, Draft, College
Three NFL media veterans debate and speculate on the NFL, the draft, and college football, with a focus on deep analysis and creative hypotheticals.
This is a roundtable discussion show where three experienced sports media personalities dissect NFL news. They go beyond headlines to analyze team-building logic, salary cap implications, and draft strategy. The show often features structured, passionate "takes" from one host, followed by a group debate and analysis.
“The show's unique edge comes from combining Thor Nystrom's granular, data-driven draft analysis with the broader sports-talk and beat reporting experience of Phil Mackey and Judd Zulgad. Creative segments, like a mock draft of potential NFL expansion cities, also set it apart from typical news-reaction podcasts.”
Who hosts this show
Football Takes is a podcast from the SKOR North network featuring longtime NFL media figures Thor Nystrom, Judd Zulgad, and Phil Mackey. The hosts engage in what they call "Reckless Speculation" about the NFL, the NFL Draft, and college football, offering an in-depth, multi-day-per-week analysis of the sport.
Credentials & credits
- Thor Nystrom: College Football/NFL Draft Analyst for Fantasy Life
- Thor Nystrom: 2018 FSWA College Sports Writer of the Year
- Judd Zulgad: Former Minnesota Vikings beat writer for the Star Tribune
- Phil Mackey: Former Minnesota Twins beat writer
- Phil Mackey: Director of Digital Content Development for Hubbard Radio
- Judd Zulgad: Co-host at SKOR North
Other ventures
- Mackey & Judd (flagship SKOR North show)
- Purple Daily (Vikings podcast)
- Judd's Hockey Show
- Flagrant Howls (Timberwolves podcast)
- Fantasy Life (Thor Nystrom)
- SKOR North (media network)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Best NFL fits for Brendan SorsbyJun 17, 2026 · 40 min
- 02NFL Expansion City snake draft!Jun 8, 2026 · 36 min
- 03What the LA Rams trade for Myles Garret means for Ty SimpsonJun 3, 2026 · 31 min
- 04NFL insider culture changing for the better?May 27, 2026 · 26 min
- 05Should NFL schedule have flex BLOCKING?May 20, 2026 · 36 min
- 06NFL Draft process rankings!May 11, 2026 · 50 min
- 07UDFA rankings for ALL AFC teamsMay 6, 2026 · 53 min
- 08UDFA rankings for ALL NFC teamsMay 4, 2026 · 57 min
Notable episodes
- 01NFL Expansion City snake draft!
Showcases the show's creative format, moving beyond typical news analysis to engage in imaginative, speculative debates about the league's future.
- 02What the LA Rams trade for Myles Garret means for Ty Simpson
Highlights the show's focus on deep, logical analysis of team-building strategy and the consequences of roster moves.
- 03Best NFL fits for Brendan Sorsby
Demonstrates their granular approach to player and draft prospect analysis, with one host delivering a detailed breakdown for debate.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a co-hosted panel show that does not feature guest interviews. The format relies on the interplay and debate between the main hosts.
This is a multi-host roundtable discussion, not an interview show. One host often presents a structured, multi-part 'take' on a topic, which then serves as the foundation for group debate. Segments are often framed by the show's title, "Football Takes!", and feature sound effects for transitions.
Signature segments
- · "Reckless Speculation"
- · "Football Takes!" (show/segment title)
- · Snake Drafts (of non-player items like cities)
- · Structured 'Takes' on a topic
- · "Tank-a-thon" discussions
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Based on the evidence, sponsors are a mix of local (MGM Wine & Spirits, North American Banking Company) and national (Dickey's Barbecue Pit) brands. The ideal sponsor is looking to reach a dedicated, regional, and knowledgeable male-skewing sports audience.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Football Takes?
- The primary hosts are Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad, and Thor Nystrom, with producer Declan Goff also frequently contributing.
- Is this an interview podcast?
- No, it is a roundtable discussion and debate show featuring the main hosts. It does not have a guest interview format.
- What is SKOR North?
- SKOR North is a Minnesota-based sports media brand from Hubbard Broadcasting that evolved from the KSTP AM radio station into a digital-first network focusing on podcasts and YouTube content.
- What makes this show different from other NFL podcasts?
- The show combines deep-dive draft analysis from Thor Nystrom with the sports radio background of Mackey and Zulgad, and often features creative, speculative segments alongside reactions to current news.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube and major podcast platforms as part of the SKOR North network.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Thor Nystrom - About Methornystrom.com
- [02]SKOR North | Minnesota Sports Entertainment - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]Judd Zulgad - Journalist Profile - Intelligent Relationsintelligentrelations.com
- [04]How Phil Mackey Digitally Evolved Sports Radio Into SKOR North - Barrett Mediabarrettsportsmedia.com
- [05]SKOR North - Hubbard Broadcastinghubbardbroadcasting.com
- [06]Thor Nystrom's Profile | FantasyPros, NBC Sports Journalist | Muck Rackmuckrack.com
- [07]Judd Zulgad, Author at Minnesota Hockey Magazineminnesotahockeymagazine.com
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