(Black PR Wire) Atlanta, GA – NFL icon Takeo Spikes created the podcast as an expansion of his book, “Takeo Spikes Presents: Behind The Mask,” a collection of intimate short stories and photographs depicting some of the greatest linebackers to ever play in the NFL including Mike Singletary, Derrick Brooks, and the late Chuck Bednarik.

The award-winning podcast, Behind The Mask, is now in its fourth season and has created a big buzz, gaining a massive following on social media platforms with a total of 37M podcast views and 437K downloads. They have currently produced over 100 episodes, delivering unscripted content where guests remain the authors of their autobiographies. 

The show takes you literally “Behind The Mask” and brings you inside their intimate and authentic conversations with iconic pro athletes and celebrities. In 2020, BTM won Best Sports Podcast Award from the Black Podcasting Awards. 

Some of the past show topics include “Perception vs Reality of Athletes and the Dumb Jock Stereotype,” “How NFL Players Deal With the Pressure of Failure,” “Racism in Sports,” and “Using the N-word in the NFL Locker Room.” A part of the “Are Athletes Above the Law” episode was actually featured on the Dr. Phil show which received over 2.1M views.    

Well-known names have been on the show such as Lawrence Taylor, Charles Barkley, Clinton Portis, The Dream, Dominique Wilkins, John Abraham, and many more.

Co-host Tutan Reyes is a 10-year NFL veteran, President of Beyond the Boroughs National Scholarship Fund, and a business consultant. In 1996, Tutan earned the SEC All-Academic Honor Roll Choice, and again in 1999, along with the All-SEC Honors On The Field. He graduated with a degree in Business Management from the University of Mississippi and an MBA from the University of Miami. Tutan was drafted in the NFL’s fifth round by the New Orleans Saints. From the Saints, he went on to play with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Giants. He finally retired in 2010 with the Houston Texans. 

Founder and co-host Takeo was known to excel on the gridiron. Remarkably, he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection as well as a First-Team All-Pro. He was named a team captain in 13 of his 15 seasons and only one of seven linebackers in NFL history to start in more than 200 games. Takeo received his Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts at Auburn and his MBA from the University of Miami. Currently, Takeo is an ESPN and SEC Network college football studio analyst, where he brings a bold, engaging, and dramatic perspective to the game. 

Takeo was recently inducted to the inaugural class of the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame and received his jacket on-air during his live broadcast on the SEC ESPN Network.  

The 2023 NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame class marks the fourth time Takeo has been nominated. When reflecting on his nomination, Takeo states, “I am extremely honored to be in the conversation amongst the greats. It's a true testament of my faith and the dedication I made at an early age to my craft. I didn't realize the magnitude of what could happen from sacrificing things that appeared to be so common amongst my peers, but today brings the highest validation of what focus and commitment will bring when you are devoted.” 

The list of nominees will be cut to 25 semifinalists in November; 15 finalists to be revealed in early January.

The podcast can be viewed on:

YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

Follow BTM on:

Instagram thebtmpodcast 

Website: https://www.thebtmpodcast.com