Unvarnished Football
Former NFL executive Upton Bell provides the best football insights with co-host Michael Jackson. No gimmicks. No gossip. Just football.
Upton Bell was Director of Player Personnel for the Baltimore Colts under head coach Don Shula in the 1960s. Held same role when the Colts won Super Bowl V. He next became General Manager of the New England Patriots and changed the team’s name from the Boston Patriots to New England Patriots. His father, Bert Bell, founded the Philadelphia Eagles and was later NFL commissioner. Bert Bell invented the NFL Draft, the two-
minute warning, and overtime. Upton also was a pro football team owner, owning the World Football League’s Charlotte Hornets. His broadcasting credits including hosting New England Patriots pregame and postgame shows, and the long-running television show, “Sports Beat” on WSBK-TV in Boston. He is regularly quoted in many national media outlets including the New York Times and Washington Post.
Michael Jackson is an author, oral historian, and show host. His oral history book, The Game Before the Money was published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2014 and included interviews with NFL legends like Frank Gifford, Bart Starr, and Don Maynard. He writes TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com and hosts The Game Before the Money Podcast. Other past projects include directing a film documentary featuring the 1970s Luv Ya Blue Oilers, an oral history of HBCU
football, and two more published football books. As a host, he hosted a weekly national program on the SportsMap Radio Network, weekly live high school football postgame shows and high school football play-by-play on multiple radio stations in the Austin/San Antonio market area.
Unvarnished Football is protected under copyright. All rights reserved. Under no circumstances is AI data collection or mining (including modeling, generative, and the like) allowed from the content on the podcast.
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Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Upton Bell, a former Colts and Patriots NFL executive, discusses Aaron Rodgers and other NFL QBs with long careers with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. Is Aaron Rodgers playing too long?
Thursday May 14, 2026
Thursday May 14, 2026
Former NFL executive Upton Bell, son of NFL commissioner Bert Bell, compares the NFL schedule making of today with his father creating schedules at home. Co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money points out how the NFL sensationalizes the release of the schedule to help garner publicity as the two hosts examine how the NFL continues marketing toward the casual fan rather than the dyed-in-the-wool fan who prefers competition over storylines.
Thursday May 07, 2026
Thursday May 07, 2026
Upton Bell, owner of the World Football League's Charlotte Hornets, tells us what it's really like to own a pro football team. He also shares memories of deals he made with Ted Turner and John Sterling as owner of the Hornets in the mid-70s. Co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money also asks about Bell's father, who founded the Philadelphia Eagles and briefly co-owned the Pittsburgh Steelers with Art Rooney.
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
Thursday Apr 30, 2026
How much does the NFL Draft help teams win? Former NFL executive Upton Bell talks about his experiences building championship teams with Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. Michael also cites statistics from recent drafts to support Bell's claims.
Thursday Apr 23, 2026
Thursday Apr 23, 2026
Former NFL executive Upton Bell previews the 2026 NFL Draft with Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. The two also discuss how college football salaries might affect future NFL Drafts and look back on how Upton's father, Bert Bell, invented and implemented the NFL Draft in 1936.
Monday Apr 13, 2026
Monday Apr 13, 2026
Former NFL executive Upton Bell, son of former NFL commissioner Bert Bell, discusses his father's experiences with NFL Antitrust cases and what to expect in the current NFL investigation, with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money.
The two also discuss Fernando Mendoza's decision to not attend the NFL Draft, Bell's memories of anchoring the first televised NFL Draft in the 1960s, and what the draft was like during the AFL/NFL war.
Thursday Apr 09, 2026
Thursday Apr 09, 2026
Former Colts head scout Upton Bell shares about the evolution of scouting from his time in the 1960s working for Don Shula with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. The pair also discusses a recent Harvard CTE study finding that former NFL players are four times more likely to develop CTE, sharing stories of players they've known who were diagnosed with CTE.
Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Thursday Apr 02, 2026
Former NFL General Manager Upton Bell discusses the changing role of the GM in today's NFL with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. The pair also talk about the Raiders signing QB Kirk Cousins.
Hear all episodes at UnvarnishedFootball.com.
Thursday Mar 26, 2026
Thursday Mar 26, 2026
Former NFL executive Upton Bell discusses the NFL's new coaching hires and the NFL scheduling games on Wednesday and in Australia with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. The two have an unvarnished discussion about African American head coaches and how many NFL teams truly upgraded with their new coaching hires.
Unvarnished Football: No Fluff. No Filler. JUST FOOTBALL.
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
Thursday Mar 19, 2026
Former NFL executive Upton Bell discusses how fans and players might be affected by the NFL's plans for a potential 18-game season and at least one international game per team each season with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. Upton Bell worked for the Colts and Patriots as Director of Player Personnel and as General Manager. His father, Bert Bell, founded the Philadelphia Eagles and was later the NFL's commissioner.