Brand

NFL Partners With Deestroying, Zach King, Dhar Mann for 2026-2027 Season Creator Slate

Published on September 10, 2026

The NFL is expanding its creator partnerships for the 2026-2027 season, lining up dozens of creators, including Deestroying, Zach King, and Dhar Mann across its Kickoff game, international slate, and returning YouTube program, per TheWrap.

Deestroying, who has 6.5 million YouTube subscribers, and Zach King, who has 43.4 million, covered the Kickoff game rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. More than 100 creators will travel to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for September 10’s San Francisco 49ers-Los Angeles Rams game, the league’s first regular-season matchup in Australia, including Claire Kittle, Kristin Juszczyk, Jay Mendoza and Mr. Chuy.

With nine international games this season, the most in league history, the NFL is building creator coverage around each one. The Sept. 27 game in Rio de Janeiro between the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens will feature Brazilian and American creators with a combined following of more than 200 million, including Gabriela Moura, Josh Richards and Tini Younger.

“For us, it’s really a combination of global and local relevance,” said Ian Trombetta, the NFL’s SVP of Global Social, Creator and Content Marketing. “There are also emerging creators within each of our international markets who have a deep knowledge of the local culture and have the ability to provide a new perspective on their experience with the league.”

The push builds on the NFL’s creator strategy from the 2025 season, when the league gave YouTube its first exclusive NFL game stream, the Kansas City Chiefs versus Los Angeles Chargers from São Paulo. That broadcast placed Deestroying on the sideline alongside NFL Network’s Stacey Dales and added iShowSpeed to a ‘Watch With’ commentary stream. NFL content drew more than 350 million viewing hours on YouTube in 2024.

YouTube’s “Creator of the Week” program, which generated more than 86 million views last year, according to TheWrap, is returning with 12 creators receiving behind-the-scenes access across the season. Zach King opens the program in Seattle, followed by Jack Mancuso for the Detroit Lions-Buffalo Bills game on Sept. 17 and Receba for the Rio game. Dhar Mann, The Golden Balance and Morgan Riddle will also contribute shorts to the program.

“Initiatives like ‘Creator of the Week’ and our flag football games, which most recently drew over 14 million live views, demonstrate the massive reach of creator-led storytelling,” said Angela Courtin, YouTube’s VP of Sports and Entertainment Marketing.

The NFL is also continuing its “Snapchat Creator” program, spotlighting two global creators who will appear at an international game and Super Bowl LXI, and expanding partnerships with female creators including Riddle and Allie Anthony. The league’s “Celebrity Photographer Series” returned as well, with Joel McHale credentialed for September 9’s Kickoff game and Olympian Scotty James and actor Sam Corlett covering the Melbourne matchup.