PFT Commenter

Sollenberger began to use the PFT Commenter alias as a commenter on ProFootballTalk.com{{cite news | title = A Hard-Hitting, No Nonsense Interview with PFT Commenter | work = Impose Magazine | first = Pete | last = Cavanaugh | date = June 30, 2014 | url = http://www.imposemagazine.com/bytes/sports/a-hard-hitting-no-nonsense-interview-with-pft-commenter | accessdate = January 3, 2015 }} before starting the @PFTCommenter Twitter account in 2012, and eventually becoming a contributor for SBNation, Kissing Suzy Kolber and Football Savages.

In September 2015, PFT Commenter made an appearance on Mike Florio's PFT Live radio program.{{cite web|title='PFT Commenter' visits PFT on Thursday|first=Mike|last=Florio|authorlink=Mike Florio|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/03/pft-commenter-visits-pft-on-thursday/|publisher=Profootballtalk.com|date=September 3, 2015|accessdate=September 29, 2015}} Also in 2015, PFT Commenter began commenting on the 2016 United States presidential election and appeared on camera several times, albeit in the background, during the television coverage of the Republican Party presidential debates.{{Cite web |last=Brawley |first=Eddie |date=2015-09-28 |title=Donald Trump, PFT Commenter, and Political Satire on the Internet |url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/09/donald-trump-pft-commenter-and-political-satire-on-the-internet.html |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}} PFT Commenter also asked then-presidential candidate Ben Carson if he would travel back in time to abort an unborn Adolf Hitler, an exchange covered by the national media, leading to an article headlined "Ben Carson would not abort Baby Hitler" appearing on CNN.com.{{Cite news |last=Bradner |first=Eric |date=2015-11-11 |title=Ben Carson would not abort baby Hitler {{!}} CNN Politics |language=en |work=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/politics/ben-carson-would-not-abort-baby-hitler/index.html |access-date=2023-03-29}}{{Citation |title=Would Ben Carson kill baby Hitler? | date=November 10, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29s6fS7Y5dY |access-date=2023-03-29 |language=en}}

PFT Commenter moved to Barstool Sports in March 2016 and started the podcast Pardon My Take along with co-host Dan Katz.{{cite news|title=PFT Commenter joins Barstool Sports, tweets about their podcast passing Serial|url=http://awfulannouncing.com/2016/pft-commenter-joins-barstool-sports-tweets-about-their-podcast-passing-serial.html|publisher=Awful Announcing|first=Andrew|last=Bucholtz|date=March 3, 2016|accessdate=February 17, 2017}} The podcast, which is often satirical in nature, has grown to a top ranking on iTunes' "Sports and Recreation" list.{{cite news|url=http://thebiglead.com/2017/01/25/the-30-most-powerful-talents-in-sports-media-today/|title=The 30 Most Powerful Talents in Sports Media Today|publisher=The Big Lead|first=Ryan|last=Glasspiegel|date=January 25, 2017|accessdate=February 17, 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.medialifemagazine.com/top-sports-podcasts-fox-sports-scores/|title=Top sports podcasts: Fox Sports scores|date=December 12, 2016|accessdate=February 17, 2017|publisher=Media Life Magazine}}{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/tech-media/2016/12/22/sports-illustrated-media-awards-best-worst-2016|publisher=Sports Illustrated|first=Richard|last=Deitsch|date=December 22, 2016|title=Sports Illustrated Media Awards: The best and worst of 2016|accessdate=February 17, 2017}} In May 2016, PFT Commenter accompanied three other co-workers on a so-called "Grit Week," starting in Buffalo and ending in Indianapolis for the Indianapolis 500.{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2016/06/05/media-circus-fox-sports-1-jay-onrait-dan-otoole-mma-ariel-helwani|publisher=Sports Illustrated|first=Richard|last=Deitsch|date=June 5, 2016|accessdate=February 17, 2017|title=Media Circus: The future for FS1's Onrait, O'Toole; UFC pulls credentials}} He and Katz also made an appearance on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt on February 8, 2017.{{cite web|title=The Pardon My Take Boys Casually Hop On SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt|url=http://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/the-pardon-my-take-boys-casually-hop-on-sportscenter-with-scott-van-pelt/|accessdate=February 17, 2017|publisher=Barstool Sports|date=February 8, 2017|first=Keith|last=Markovich}}{{Citation |title=Barstool's Big Cat Makes His Long-Awaited Trip To ESPN's Cafeteria {{!}} SC With SVP {{!}} February 8, 2017 | date=February 8, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2En5jxsLkU4 |access-date=2023-03-29 |language=en}}

Despite the National Football League removing press credentials for Barstool Sports,{{cite web|url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/31/nfl-pulls-credentials-from-barstool-sports/|publisher=ProFootballTalk|first=Michael David|last=Smith|title=NFL pulls credentials from Barstool Sports|date=January 31, 2017|accessdate=February 17, 2017}} PFT Commenter snuck into "Opening Night" for Super Bowl LI in Houston and was able to ask questions to players and coaches.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2017/02/04/road-to-super-bowl-paved-with-bad-intentions-arthur.html|newspaper=Toronto Star|first=Bruce|last=Arthur|title=Road to Super Bowl paved with bad intentions: Arthur|date=February 4, 2017|accessdate=February 17, 2017}}

PFT Commenter makes regular call-in appearances on Bomani Jones' ESPN radio show, The Right Time.{{cite news|title=Some Bomani Jones Listeners Don't Get PFT Commenter|url=http://thebiglead.com/2016/12/08/some-bomani-jones-listeners-dont-get-pft-commenter/|first=Ryan|last=Glasspiegel|publisher=The Big Lead|date=December 8, 2016|accessdate=February 17, 2017}}

In January 2020, in advance of the XFL's 2020 revival season, PFT Commenter tried-out as a placekicker for the XFL's DC Defenders, after being trained by Jeff Fisher and Morten Andersen, in response to former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson announcing that he was trying out for the XFL as a kicker (before quickly cancelling).{{Cite web|url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/1653455/i-am-seriously-trying-out-today-for-the-xfl-with-the-assistance-of-hofer-morten-andersen-and-jeff-fisher|title = I Am Seriously Trying Out Today for the XFL with the Assistance of HOFer Morten Andersen and Jeff Fisher}} During his tryout, PFT Commenter's signature sunglasses were replaced with tinted goggles and his helmet bore a single bar face mask, which has long been disallowed for use in professional and college football. He was ultimately not selected by the Defenders; instead, Tyler Rausa, who was at the same tryout, won the kicking position.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/1709490/hard-knocks-xfl-my-tryout-for-the-d-c-defenders|title = Hard Knocks: XFL- My Tryout for the D.C. Defenders}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.idahopress.com/blueturfsports/football/former-boise-state-kicker-tyler-rausa-has-a-dream-come/article_c864196b-a4ed-5952-bfba-5599432694a8.html|title=Former Boise State kicker Tyler Rausa has a 'dream come true' in XFL opener|first=B.J.|last=Rains|date=February 10, 2020|website=Idaho Press|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=February 22, 2020}}

On the November 18, 2023, edition of College GameDay, PFT Commenter was the celebrity guest picker for his alma mater, James Madison University.

Despite his popularity, PFT did not originally publicly reveal his identity. He told Awful Announcing in 2017 that he wore sunglasses on camera to avoid identification and the staff at Barstool Sports referred to him as "PFT", as only half knew his real name. He later said that his identity had become an "open secret" and that it would be found out eventually.{{cite news|last=Maese|first=Rick|title=PFT Commenter rose from an Internet 'cesspool' to podcasting glory. And no one knows who he is. The only distinguishing feature that was common knowledge about mister commenter was his listed height of 5'5". It was later uncovered that Mr. Sollenberger is officially 5'3".|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/pft-commenter-rose-from-an-internet-cesspool-to-podcasting-glory-and-no-one-knows-who-he-is/2018/05/21/16077f24-5910-11e8-b656-a5f8c2a9295d_story.html?noredirect=on|newspaper=The Washington Post|accessdate=May 22, 2018}}

As PFT Commenter, Sollenberger wrote the self-published{{cite news | title = Football's funniest Twitter parody has an ebook you should be reading | url = http://www.dailydot.com/lol/pftcommenter-ebook-q-and-a/ | work = The Daily Dot | date = May 24, 2014 | first = Chase | last= Hoffberger | accessdate = January 3, 2015 }} e-book, Goodell vs. Obama: The Battle for the Future of the NFL, which imagines a dystopian future in which President Barack Obama attempts to turn the Dallas Cowboys into a soccer team in Kenya, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fights him in a boxing match to stop him.{{cite news| title = The Triangle Sports Book Club: PFT Commenter's 'Goodell vs. Obama: The Battle for the Future of the NFL' | url = http://grantland.com/the-triangle/sports-book-club-pft-commenter-goodell-vs-obama-the-battle-for-the-future-of-the-nfl/|first=Matt|last=Borcast|date=June 3, 2014|work=Grantland| accessdate = January 3, 2015}}

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