Dave Portnoy Praises Pizza Hut’s NFL-Season Rebranding as ‘Brilliant’

Barstool Sports founder and viral "One Bite" pizza critic Dave Portnoy has thrown his weight behind a bold new marketing campaign from Yum! Brands, declaring Pizza Hut’s decision to temporarily drop "Pizza" from its name a "brilliant" strategy.

During a Friday appearance on "Varney & Co.," Portnoy discussed the move, which sees the iconic chain rebranding as simply "Hut" for the duration of the 2026 NFL season. While he admitted he was initially skeptical of the pivot, the entrepreneur eventually grew to admire the logic behind the change.

"At first, I didn’t really get it. But I’ll say this, Stuart. We do business with Pizza Hut," Portnoy told host Stuart Varney. "They’re thinking smart. It’s football season. There it is, the football with the ‘Hut.’ Whoever came up with that, I like it."

The rebranding, which will last for 25 weeks, is designed to capitalize on the heightened appetite for pizza during professional football games. Pizza Hut, headquartered in Plano, Texas, has already begun rolling out the change, including replacing its storefront signage with a football graphic that covers the word "Pizza." The company’s social media profiles have also been updated to reflect the streamlined "Hut" branding.

Seizing the opportunity to leverage his own platform, the Barstool Sports founder didn’t miss the chance to pitch the executives behind the campaign. He suggested that as the brand looks to solidify its association with the gridiron, they should consider shifting more of their marketing budget toward his media empire.

"They gotta find some new media vehicles that cover football," Portnoy noted, "and maybe do a little bit of an ad spend to let people know what’s going on so they don’t get confused."

When Varney suggested that Barstool Sports was "ideally situated to pick up a little pizza business," Portnoy quipped, "You don’t say!"

The endorsement from one of the internet’s most influential food critics comes as the restaurant industry continues to search for creative ways to maintain engagement with younger, sports-focused demographics. As the company pushes forward with its "Hut" initiative, observers are watching closely to see if Portnoy’s high praise translates into the tangible advertising partnership he pitched.

To see the full discussion regarding the Pizza Hut rebrand and its broader implications for sports media, viewers can catch the latest segments on Varney & Co.