NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Some NFL players travel the world during the offseason. Former Tennessee Titans linebacker Will Compton and current left tackle Taylor Lewan decided to do something different. They got on a bus and started a podcast. Their podcast -- called "Bussin' with the Boys" -- is literally recorded on a bus.
Why a bus? Lewan wanted it after he spotted it sitting outside the production company's office. He bought the old bus covered in Budweiser logos for $2,000 and teamed with his interior designer to convert it into a studio.
It's not often that an NFL team's most prominent personality belongs to an offensive lineman, but that's precisely the case with the Titans and Lewan, who bonded with Compton after the veteran linebacker signed with the Titans last year. Doing a podcast together is something that Compton contemplated during the season.
"I've always wanted to do a podcast, personally," Compton told ESPN. "Around December, I did a radio show, and I was like, 'I am going to do it. I'm pulling the trigger.' Taylor [Lewan] was like, 'Yo, let's go all-in on this.' He's an awesome dude, and we wanted to find an avenue to use our personalities. I was fired up because there's a part of you that's nervous to do something like this on your own."
Encouragement from teammates Logan Ryan and Derrick Morgan cemented Compton's commitment to the show. Lewan and Compton did their first podcast in May. The show already has seen some success, having moved up to the No. 10 spot among Sports and Recreation podcasts on iTunes.
"Bussin' with the Boys" gives Compton and Lewan an opportunity for unfiltered talk with guests who have ranged from Titans head coach Mike Vrabel to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. Guests of the show come on the bus and sit on a couch with nearby access to a bottle of Tennessee's finest whiskey if they'd like to pour a drink. That loosens things up for what has become one of the funniest podcasts available.
The podcast is hosted on its own platform which allows "The Boys" to ask the most off-the-wall questions without worrying about pushback. Lewan asking Coach Vrabel if he would cut off a particular body part in exchange for a Titans Super Bowl win is a good example.
With training camp around the corner, all of Lewan's focus will return to his day job as a Pro Bowl left tackle. Compton is a free agent and staying ready in case he gets a call to report to a team. That doesn't mean there won't be more episodes of "Bussin' with the Boys." They're putting extra hours in on the bus to get as many episodes recorded as possible so the show can go on through the regular season.