After Hours with Amy Lawrence PODCAST: Hour 2

We got a crank pot on my Twitter. The sound is bad enough without you mimicking it.

Oh please. You wouldn't have even heard the sound if I didn't point it out. Knock it off. You're the get off my lawn guy aren't you Eric?

I can't. I mean you could turn the channel and listen to a different radio station, but I just do what I do. And actually I'm loud whether there's extra audio and extra sound anyway. I'm not one of those hosts that drones on at night and allows you to sleep peacefully. I've actually had a few people over the course of the last 10 years tell me that I'm too loud for the nighttime because at night you're supposed to be calm. You're supposed to be even keel so that people can sleep as if that's my job to put you to sleep. No actually I would say that my job is the opposite. My job is to not allow you to sleep.

But I did get this actually fun tweet that I responded to earlier on Wednesday. Hi Amy love your show. This will probably sound crazy but when I fall asleep listening to the show and start dreaming you somehow end up in the dream.

You didn't know that we had lunch together a couple nights ago and no I don't know what you ordered haha. I mean that does sound slightly crazy but I appreciate you listening Maisie and also my motto. Seriously this is my motto. Find people in life who are you're kind of crazy baby. That way you don't have to worry about it because you surround yourself with people who speak your language.

They smell what you're stepping in. So I like that. And then speaking of sleep Drew found me on Twitter and said I live in Atlanta and I have trouble sleeping. When I'm up I listen to sports radio. I want to thank you for keeping me company over the years. Have a wonderful day.

And then he goes on and on about his favorite teams. Well I feel Drew's pain because I have sleep trouble myself. I actually blame my mom.

She has the worst sleep issues but I have some pretty steep sleep challenges myself. We are happy to keep you company Drew and here's the thing. I won't be offended if the show puts you to sleep but I'm not going to try to help you fall asleep. That's not something I even have in my repertoire. I can't be boring and even keel nor do I have an inside voice. None of those things are in my arsenal if you will.

So no. Loud. With lots of exclamations.

Lots of crazy laughs. It's just what I do. It's who I am.

The good news is you have options. Get off my lawn guy. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence here on CBS Sports Radio.

One of my favorite yells in the history of sports. We are live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios. When you need an expert to help navigate the home loan process, Rocket can. So on Twitter if you too would like to register your complaint, our show Twitter is After HoursCBS. producer Jay will be happy to field the suggestion box. And then also on our Facebook page After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Our YouTube channel as well named after the show. And then we have a podcast that's updated every weekday morning.

I've already had someone ask me about the on demand option. Even before the show started I tweeted that former NFL general manager Randy Mueller will be joining us. In fact he's going to join us from the west coast, well Pacific time zone not necessarily the west coast. Pacific time zone coming up in not even 15 minutes here on CBS Sports Radio. And so when I tweeted that before the show someone responded with do you have an on demand option?

Yes, yes we do. So you can check it out every weekday morning. Jay will have the podcast posted within minutes of us getting off the air. After Hours Amy Lawrence dot com. We are a full service operation. Phone number 855-212-4227.

That's 855-212-4CBS. Before we get back to sports, I have a confession to make. But before I make my confession, Jay has a complaint to register about what's already on the shelves at the grocery store. What did you see in the last couple of days that sent you into a mini orbit? Still bothering me, I can't believe it. I see what I mean, I can see it. Like his body language just changed. Where's that obnoxious noise, the music behind Cal Quantro? The injuries and this or that.

That's a team that's hung in the playoff race and we're playing really good baseball against teams like that. That's important. That's what was going on in your head when you discovered what was on the shelves already at the, was this a grocery store or was this a CVS, where was this? This was a CVS actually. That's right, Jay does all of his shopping at CVS. Usually a Rite Aid guy, but CVS was open.

Okay, cause he waits until the last second. Anyway, go ahead, what was on the shelves that annoyed you? So this was what, two days ago.

So that means it was like the 21st, 22nd, something like that, 23rd and August, we're talking about August, this is August. I'm going down the aisle to go pick up just some regular toiletries. And what do I see staring me in the face down the entire aisle? A spider! Yes, it was a spider because the Halloween candy is out. The Halloween candy, it's all, it's 20 something. You're never going to hear Jay yell?

This is like the only time Jay ever yells. I love Halloween candy. I love candy, I'm happy it's out. The more candy that's out there for me to buy, fine, the better.

His teeth are going to fall out before he's 40. I don't need spiders and Frankenstein and pumpkins when it's August. There's two plus months until Halloween and we gotta have the candy out there already. Agree with you, I mean does it matter though because you buy candy regardless. Right, but I'll take the Halloween themed candy. You just don't want it to be Halloween themed candy. Right, it's just too soon, it's too soon, it ruins the entire fun of returning October and then oh look, the Halloween candy's out, like now it's candy season officially. I mean we don't actually have time for Halloween in October, you know that right?

Oh yeah, I'm aware but I guess that's why they're trying to give it to me in August so I can really get the fix. Did you buy any is the question? I did. No, no I'm kidding, I didn't, I didn't buy any Halloween candy. On principle he refuses to buy Halloween candy. There's no way I'm buying the Halloween candy in August. I'll buy M&M's, I'll buy the Skittles, I'm not buying the Monster M&M's or the Vampire Skittles in October. What kind of candy do you currently have in your possession in the double, in the behind the double pane glass in studio? Actually not much on me, I just have a little bit of chocolate. Oh wait, that's actually a lie, I have an entire bag of gummy Haribo, whatever they're called, I don't know, ribbons or. I knew it.

I knew it. Always something. Always something. Here is Jay complaining about Halloween candy, the man who eats more candy than anyone I know, any adult I know. There's a lot of kids I know that eat candy, you eat more candy than any adult I know. I love candy, no doubt. Just wait until your teeth fall out, that's all I'm saying. Yeah. At some point, this happens to everyone Jay, your metabolism slows down at a certain point and all of a sudden you can't eat all the candy that you want.

I will cross that bridge. When I was in, I'm trying to think where, what age I was. I think it was in my late 20s and I started to realize that I couldn't drink as much soda as I wanted anymore and I just, I was nervous about drinking as much soda as I was drinking, but that was my source of caffeine. So instead I had to figure out how to drink coffee. So I did not drink coffee until I was 30 and then I realized I didn't like it hot, I could only drink iced coffee.

But even beyond that, got to be about 33ish or so. So it's coming and this is for someone who played five different sports and has always been extremely active, never had to worry a day about what I would eat. All of a sudden metabolism starts to slow down and it goes on a hell of a lot quicker than it comes off, is all I'm saying.

Just wait, it happens to the best of us. I've been told. Yeah, I'm sure. It's funny enough though that Jay refuses to eat any fruits and vegetables and he's got vegetarians in his family. Yes, it is a little, makes dinner time eventful sometimes. I actually have asked Jay before about his family utopia and what do they ever argue about and food is what he told me. Food. Food, that's what you guys argue about? Yeah. You don't know how good you have it.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. Alright, the reason I asked Jay about the candy Halloween style that annoyed the crap out of him enough that he had to text me about it while he was at the store is because I have a confession to make. This year, I am that girl. It's not the candy though. I can't help it. I saw it in the refrigeration section at the grocery store on Tuesday morning and I could not resist for a couple of reasons. Number one, I love orange. Anything that's orange immediately catches my attention.

It's my favorite color. I love pumpkin or pumpkin if you touch the pumpkin if you insist. I do love to touch the pumpkin. In this case, I loved to touch the bright orange pumpkin creamer. I can't help it.

I know, I know August is way too early, but I couldn't resist. And actually, if you must know, it's pumpkin munchkin from Dunkin Donuts. It's actually Dunkin Donuts creamer and it's pumpkin munchkin.

That's what it's called. Those babies are delish. I can't wait till they come out. I did see that they're already offering some type of pumpkin cold brew, which I've not had.

I generally make my coffee at home, but I now have in my refrigerator, actually opened it tonight and put it in my coffee. Pumpkin munchkin creamer from Dunkin Donuts. So the pumpkin munchkin creamer. I'm that girl this year. I do think. Are you mad at me?

No, I was going to say that that does sound delicious and I would try that now. Even though on principle, no one should be having anything to do with Halloween or the fall in August. You see, Halloween is like a fall. I wouldn't necessarily say that that's Halloween. So it gets a little early, but after Labor Day, if you want to start pushing the pumpkin spice or whatever, that's fine.

I can be okay with that. I haven't even had my summer vacation yet. It's definitely early to get the pumpkin, but I mean, you saw it and I don't know, decided to get it.

You know why I'm nervous? Because of what happened with Twinkie creamer. I did not realize.

Well, I don't know about that, but I did not realize it was limited edition. And so I this is a true story. Jay has had over the course of the spring, searched all over in grocery stores and convenience stores near his house for over a month unavailable to find Twinkie creamer. And this is the International Delight version.

I'm not joking. It tasted like Twinkies. And so my brother introduced it to me.

We were in Wisconsin for my grandmother's one hundredth birthday. I thought it was nuts. And then I had some of my coffee and I was addicted. And I know many of you went out and found Twinkie creamer after we talked about it here on the air, because a bunch of you sent me photos and told me about it. So I got Jay hooked on it and I was at the store in late June, maybe. And there were a bunch of Twinkie creamers. And so I bought him one because I'm a great host to my producers, if I do say so myself. So I bought him a Twinkie creamer.

But I thought, you know what? I still have a little bit left in mind in my fridge. I won't buy one this time around.

I'll wait till next week. Never saw it again. Come to find out it's a limited edition creamer. And I am so broken hearted because I love Twinkie creamer, although it's probably better for my diet. So this is why I bought the pumpkin munchkin now this week in August, because I don't know what if it sells out and I never see it on the shelves again.

We'll probably get like candy cane flavored in two weeks for Christmas. So actually, there's this guy that I, well, he runs the tech for me on Sunday mornings when I teach kiddos at my church. He has a countdown on his phone. And this past Sunday, he pops it up in my face.

125 days until Christmas. That's aggressive. You think? Oh, it's extra aggressive. It for sure. Just ew.

I'm not there yet. However, I am looking forward to Halloween this year. Not because I'm a Halloween person, but I do love pumpkins.

I do love orange, but clearly I don't need it to be Halloween to enjoy those things. This year I'm seeing Jaws for the first time. I've never seen Jaws.

I know. I'm seeing it on the big screen while the Newark, not Newark, sorry, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra plays the John Williams score. While the movie's airing, I'll be listening to the music, the soundtrack live. I cannot wait.

I've never, I've never seen the movie. I love anything to do with John Williams and soundtracks and movie scores and live symphony music. I'm all about it. So yeah, if anybody wants to go with me, let me know.

Actually, there was a suggestion in our newsroom. I think it was Andrew Bogusz, who's with The Morning Show, told me that I should put it out there as a show contest, maybe a charitable type of a thing, auction off the opportunity to go with me to see the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra play Jaws on Halloween weekend because I have two tickets and right now there's just one of me. I don't really need two seats, so I have to find a date or someone to go with me. It doesn't have to be a date.

So I need to find someone to go with me, but I'm all about it. I never do Halloween stuff. In fact, I am the ogre that, if I'm home, shuts all of the lights off and takes a nap when Halloween kids are walking around the neighborhood. I buy candy for me. I'm not giving you free candy just because you knock on my door. That makes me a terrible person, I know. But I do love orange stuff and so there is still a love for Halloween.

All right. That had nothing to do with sports, but I just wanted to fess up. It was burning a hole in my pocket. I had to fess up that I've already purchased some pumpkin munchkin coffee creamer.

What's the verdict? It's delicious. Would you like some? I got you started on Twinkie creamer. Now I'm going to get you started on pumpkin munchkin. I would try it. So good. Well there's a shocker. You'll try anything that's sweet. It's very true. Including how are those oatmeal apricot bars I made.

Incredible, of course. You don't even like fruit. You put them somehow when you bake something, I tend to like it. I didn't think I liked coconut until you made the island cookies and now all of a sudden I like coconut. You told me those were your favorites.

I think they are. I mean, I can't really criticize Jay for eating too many sweets when I'm the one that feeds him half of his sweets. You're the one who's exacerbating the problem here. Oh, what a word. Nice.

Touche. All right. On Twitter, A Law Radio, also on our Facebook page. Coming up, Randy Mueller, longtime NFL GM and front office executive is going to join us from the Pacific time zone and we're going to talk about these the last couple days before preseason is done, his cuts have to be made and some of his top storylines. Plus, what does he call The Rock?

Oh, you'll understand. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio. You are listening to the After Hours podcast. This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Oh, that music.

That should get you all juiced up. We're literally just over two weeks away from the NFL season kicking off. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. You can find me on Twitter, A Law Radio, our Facebook page too, our YouTube channel. For now though, you're going to have to step aside or for your listening pleasure, the insights of a longtime NFL GM and front office executive. In fact, he was the 2000 NFL executive of the year. Joining us from Idaho, though, will soon be in Seattle.

Randy Mueller, good to have him back here on the show. All right, Randy, this is the last bit of training camp and preseason. We've got the final preseason schedule of games just ahead of us. When you think about the timing now, whether it's front offices and coaches, they're collaborating, trying to figure out how to trim the number of guys they've got left down to their final rosters. How difficult is the process when you get down to this last week, these last preseason games?

It actually is a struggle, but it's something you've kind of been going through daily now for the last three weeks. I think the things that have changed really, the construction of rosters now are helped, and that's always been the case. So you always got to look at where your team is, who's healthy, who's not.

But I think you've actually got more opportunities to really get it right now with all these joint practices that everybody's having. Really, and I've talked to GMs and coaches, they'd rather have these joint practices than play preseason games. I think the preseason games are still a necessity because you've got to watch young guys play football. That means tackle and hit and be physical and all that. But you're veteran players who really don't need a ton of that. A little bit of tackling, sure, but they can accomplish more in these joint practices now and not have to share the film with the rest of the world.

They can script things, they can somewhat strategically plan them to kind of be ready for everything. Those seem to be kind of the new thing, right? Everybody's doing them.

In fact, I would go this far. If you're not doing them as an NFL team, you're probably doing your team a disservice. How much do you show your hand in joint practices, considering that you still have people who are observing who are not part of your own team? Well, you can't have scouts there, though.

There's no opposing teams per se. Yeah, you have to obviously at some point you have to bear your hand. If you're going to get the work in, you've got to do what you're ready that you've got to get prepared for the season.

So you're going to have to show some things, no doubt about it. But I think the thing is the joint practices give you is you can do it all without people hitting the ground without there being a ton of contact. It's the speed of a game without the physicality of it so much. But as you see around the league, these these joint practices end up being more than a little skirmish, a little dust up.

Yeah, I think people want to play football and that tends to leak out before the day's over. That's for sure. So then the value is that you are facing a defense or an offense, either one that has no idea what your playbook is or has very little knowledge of your playbook. So you're not facing a unit that already knows what's coming.

No doubt. You still get the element of surprise and you script it out. The coaches get together ahead of time and almost kind of compare and say, hey, I want to see this against that, that against this. And yeah, it gives you a really a large array of really things that you can kind of plan out to a point, but the players don't know. So it is it's the human element that you still get the the surprise attacks, you get all the bells and whistles without the physicality of of injuries.

So that's the big thing. Well, and you reference the skirmishes teams that are really intense. Of course, they're protecting their guys that they feel like the other team is taking too many liberties when it comes to their quarterback or other position players. What was your perspective when you saw fights breaking out in preseason training camp or even something like this where there's a joint practice?

Yeah, I just we never liked it. Again, it comes down to the coaches and kind of their messaging of this. I've been with some coaches that, you know, Mike Holmerton in Seattle, he would threaten our guys.

I mean, he wanted no part of this. For one thing, you've got to work on your own discipline. You got to have self-discipline plus injuries happen in these skirmishes too. I mean, it's silly.

You see guys swinging and try who would punch a guy with the helmet on that's the dumbest thing I've ever seen. So those kind of things come out and and yeah, you want to be up for these things. You want to emotions are part of the game. We all know that but controlling emotions are also part of the game. So I think it comes down to the to the coaches and the way they message it and the leadership on each team to a football is a game where your players police their own selves more than anything else. We're always excited to spend a few minutes with Randy Mueller, a former NFL executive of the year, a general manager and part of multiple front offices in the league and now has the football GM podcast for the athletic.

It's after hours here on CBS Sports Radio. When you have to sit down against someone who's so desperately trying to make a team where you have to deliver that news that he's among the last cuts. How hard is that? Yeah, it's really the hardest part of the job. I'll be honest with you sending people out the door that realize their dreams may have come to an end. You know, it's it's not easy. I think you have to show compassion.

You also have to point out the positives as well when you do that. I always tried to, you know, give them the good and the bad news and in this day and age, you never know when you're going to see these people again. This guy might be you might be calling them back a week later or two weeks later. Don't forget when when teams cut their roster to 53, they're going to then add 16 guys to each practice squad. So there's a mad dash for practice squad bodies for developmental type guys. So you may be sending them out the door one day and depending on what happens, bringing them back a couple days later. So it's a revolving door this time of year. And even when the rosters are set, they're really not set depending on who else becomes available around the league. So it's a crazy time. It definitely is emotional and it's it's I think one of the hardest parts of the job for sure is really delivering the news to these players that hey, this is not going to be your day and maybe another day is I think you got to be honest with them though and and just give them the facts. I think there's no sugarcoating bad news at this point.

So both of them understand that it's a business. I don't think many people realize or most people realize that the average NFL career doesn't even last four years. For the most part, the turnover is drastic in the NFL.

No doubt. And it happens, you know, really throughout your roster and I think on any given year, you're probably looking at a third of your roster flipping over every year no matter what no matter if you're rebuilding building retooling at least a third of your roster changes every year. So seems like the only thing that's for sure is that there's change coming but hey change presents opportunity to some players to produce produces options for some players. There's a lot of good things that come with change too.

So I always tried to spin it in that way. The last time that we spoke we were talking about when it comes to the roster shaping and worrying about injuries that might get you in preseason and I think about what the Niners are facing right now where they've got a young stud QB. They don't really want to have Jimmy Garoppolo out there on the field if they do something's horribly wrong, but they haven't been able to find a trade partner. If you're the Niners, what do you do? Do you keep him or do you cut him loose and let some other team get him for nothing?

Well, I've said from day one and I've kind of been on an island on this one Amy. I would not let Jimmy G go anywhere. I would want to have him. I think the leap of faith they're taking by turning over the keys to a playoff car to an unproven young but talented player is risky and I think you're hedging your bet and and just doing your locker room and your your whole really organization a favor by keeping Jimmy G around if you can make the cap work now, they've had months that to kind of work through any cap gymnastics. They needed to do to be able to keep him. I would I would have kept him from day one. I would have found a way he's he's not going to be a problem. He's not the starter.

He's a professional in every way. I just think it's insurance and I just don't like to see good players walk out the door if I'm the GM. So if I'm John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan, I have no problem keeping Jimmy G. Yeah, I don't think you're going to get much for him if anything anyway, because nobody else can take on that 22 million dollar sour either. I would rather have him finish with us and then sign somewhere as a free agent if you're going to let him go and then you'll get a compensatory pick the following year.

So I think you stand to gain more in the long run anyway. I appreciate that you say that though because Jimmy Garoppolo compared to some of the other high drama situations around the league this offseason. We haven't heard a peep from him. He obviously wants to play. He obviously wants to start. He believes in himself.

He continues to take care of his business and yet he does not make waves. To me, that's so valuable. Oh, there's no doubt about it. He's the perfect kind of guy for this role.

Let's face it. He was a backup to Tom Brady for several years. Yes, he gets it and he doesn't want to be a backup, but he's a pro. I think he's making himself money. He's making himself look good in the eyes of all other teams that are looking for quarterback, but it may not happen till a year from now. So I think it's right.

You never want to burn any bridges and I don't think Jimmy's anything close to that. So I think it's a positive all the way around. Plus, he's in the same meeting room every day with Trey Lance.

Why is that bad? I think that's value in itself right there. He's a former NFL executive of the year. Our friend Randy Mueller. We're always happy to have you with us and I need you to hang on. Quick break and update, but of course we have to dive into the Deshaun Watson situation, what this means for the NFL as well as for the Cleveland Browns. So hang on. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence.

You are listening to the After Hours podcast. I've always stood on my innocence and always said that I've never assaulted anyone or disrespected anyone and I'm continuing to stand on that. But at the same time, I have to continue to push forward my life and my career.

And for us to be able to move forward, you know, I have to be able to take steps and put pride to the side and I'm going to continue to stand on my innocence and keep pushing forward. This is After Hours with Amy Lawrence. Deshaun Watson is going to continue pushing his innocence and moving forward, but only after he serves an 11 game suspension and pays a sizable hefty fine for this part of his settlement that the NFLPA and the NFL agreed to before the appeal could be heard.

It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence on CBS Sports Radio. We're spending a few more minutes with longtime NFL front office executive and GM Randy Mueller, who's joining us from Idaho, actually. So, Randy, when you think about the settlement, are you surprised that the league decided to go ahead with that before any type of a ruling could come down on the appeal?

No, not really. I thought that they would drop another hammer. I thought it would be heavier than it did actually, but understanding that every one of these cases goes to an arbitrator of some kind. So there's always some kind of negotiation involved that maybe the NFL thought this was as good as they could get. I'm sure the $5 million fine makes it a little easier to swallow the 11 game suspension, but I still have the same feeling, Amy, I did when it all started. I just had a feeling of sadness. It's just not good in any way. I understand and respect leaders in Cleveland.

I understand what they're doing. I could have never done that. There's a lot of ways to build your team.

I could not build it this way. I just think it's a career defining move for Andrew Berry, GM or Kevin Stefanski, the coach. I think it's a career defining move that I just think will always be there. And I don't know how they'll ever clear that up. You can say, well, if they win a Super Bowl, they might, but still, I just think there's so many things that have driven negative in this whole case that I just, I wouldn't want it as a, as a big black cloud over my franchise.

So I know they're desperate. I know everybody wants a quarterback and, and I hear a mixed mixed bag of messages that came from the Browns when the suspension came out, you know, that Deshaun was taking no accountability. Then he apologized.

Then he said, he's sticking by his innocence. You have one side of ownership saying he's a heck of a quarterback. The other, the owner's wife saying, well, counseling takes a long time.

The messages are just all over the place. So that tells me that it's, it's not a solid ground decision and everybody is really still, you know, kind of up in arms over it. I don't know that it's ever going to go away, but I just couldn't have done it to my franchise. I had to pick the different route and found a way to build my team. You say career defining for Andrew Berry.

What does it say about him as a GM? Well, again, I wouldn't want any part of it. I could not do it.

And, and again, I'm trying to be as honest and upfront as I can. I said it at the time I couldn't do it. Plus you didn't guarantee a hundred, a $230 million contract to, to, to this person who has all these cases pending. I couldn't have done that.

And I know there's 31 other franchises that are still ticked over the fact that he got a fully guaranteed deal and now they have to answer that question every time a negotiation comes up. So just a lot of bad vibes with the whole decision to do this. I just, I didn't, I didn't like it. I thought it kind of shed bad light on everybody involved.

And it's just one of those things that I wish it would go away, but it's obviously not. Right. When it comes to the Cleveland Browns, they've made this investment in the longterm. What's at stake for Baker Mayfield now, the former number one pick, he essentially gets traded for almost nothing. In fact, the Browns seemingly are paying the Panthers to take him.

He does get named the starter. So what's at stake for him as he goes into this final year of his deal? Well, I think it was a really good move for the Panthers to get him.

I think it made sense. They really, like you said, gave up nothing to get him, including salary wise. I think his salary to them is like $3 million on a one year deal. Baker's going to be on his best behavior.

I think he will do everything he can as a team leader and, and as a face of that franchise, I think it's a good bet. If I'm them to make at this point, I don't know what it says for Sam Donald has been there two years and now Baker beats him out really three weeks, four weeks of play. And Sam has 20 some million on his contract as well.

So who knows how that'll play out. But I think for Baker and for the Panthers, it's a good marriage. I'm surprised there wasn't more of a market for Baker because as it turned out, the money really wasn't a detriment. The Browns paid a big hunk of it and, and Baker took less to go. So I think it's a win-win for the Panthers. Randy Mueller with us here after hours on CBS sports radio. We look around the rest of the league.

There's so many questions. Of course, I know hope Springs eternal everywhere, but maybe a couple of teams that you've watched over the course of the off season, Randy, that you're impressed with the moves they made and you think they actually could make some noise once the season kicks off. Well, it's hard not to be impressed with what Philly has done and they've gotten a lot of media and attention and, and I understand that and I'm with it. I think I think the Eagles are are primed to win that division. I think a lot of people believe that it's all on Jalen hurts. I think it's a little bit on her to the no question, but it's also on Nick Sirianni and his ability to advance that passing game. They've got to be better. And I think that's the number one thing they've got a better roster than they've had. It's a matter of bringing them together now and then advancing that dropback passing game so that they can compete at the highest level.

And I would keep it right in Pennsylvania because in the ASC, I like the Steelers. I think you talked about off. Wow. I know. I love the fact that they got mild Jack. I love the fact that they upgraded their offensive line.

I love the young kids. They've got it receiver now. And whether it's Mitch Trubisky, you know, or, or the rookie Kenny picket either one of those guys, I think makes them a little better than they've been, you know, no pun intended with Ben the last year or so. So I just think it's a, I think it's a better team than people are giving them credit for in a division where, and this is just my opinion, Cincinnati had all the stars lineup for last year.

They had every break. They got a lot of good things going. We just talked about the chaos in Cleveland and how that's going. Who knows what's going to happen in Baltimore. They have obviously a good team, a good roster, but who knows with Lamar where that contract flies. So I think Pittsburgh likes it, but they're kind of hanging around under the radar and it wouldn't surprise me if they won 10 or 11 games and got in the playoffs.

I love those answers. I got to tell you though, Randy, I am so excited to see what plays out in the wild, wild West in both of the AFC and NFC West divisions. We know the NFC has got what we talked about the Niners, but they've also got the Superbowl champions there. In addition, we saw last year, how competitive the Arizona started out hot and faded, but now they've paid their quarterback. And then you think about the AFC West and the number of not just offensive guys like a Russell Wilson, a Devontae Adams, but how about the number of defensive guys that have changed teams and landed in the AFC West? So those two divisions feel like they could be dogfights. I think you might be right.

They may be a dogfight, but I'm betting on the chalk in both of them until somebody beats Kansas city and tell somebody beats the Rams. I'm not going to buy it. I'm I'll be honest. This is just me. I'm not drinking the Arizona Kool-Aid. I've just seen this happen so many times, you know, and I respect what they do the first half of the year. They've got to find a way to keep it going in the second half and whether that's Kyler's, you know, help whether it's Cliff having to make changes and adjustments in the second half of the season for whatever reason, it hasn't happened. And I just haven't seen Trey Lance enough to say, Hey, I'm going to hitch my wagon to him. So I think Seattle is clearly the fourth team in the NFC West in the AFC.

You're right. The defensive acumen of the coaches and of the people that are involved there. I think that's going to be the fun division for me to watch. I think the Raiders can beat anybody. I think the Chargers are going to be able to beat anybody and we all know what Kansas city has done in the past.

They've got to be a little more efficient now. They don't have Tyreek Hill. I think Pat Mahomes has to be more of a processor, not just winging it deep and hoping Tyreek runs under it.

That's not going to happen anymore. And you know, I'm a Seattle guy, so I've seen the good and bad of Russell Wilson and now Denver is going to get Russell, but I'm wondering what Russell they're going to get. So I have some questions there, but I'm still with the chalk Kansas city and the Rams and in both those Western divisions. What are the emotions that you remember as the season gets close?

Now we're talking about just a couple weeks away from the real deal. I think you're always emotional that time of year. I know as a GM and as a head coach, you're still nervous about health. I'll be honest, Amy, I was never happy with my team. That was just me, right? That was my personality. I never thought we had enough guys. I never thought we were deep enough. I was always grinding that last few, four or five roster spots.

Just trying to make sure what if we plan B came alive, plan C, whatever. That's just my makeup. So I never was relaxed and felt great about it. That's for sure. But I will say this, the opening game, whether it's that Thursday game, which this year I think is phenomenal with the bills and the Rams that we played in that one time when I was in Miami, we played against the Steelers who was a defending Superbowl chance in Pittsburgh. That game is special. That Thursday night game is something to look forward to. And I remember getting goosebumps during warmups of those first season opening games.

So that feeling is a good feeling. I'll say that. Did you ever sleep during the season? I had no problem sleeping.

I'll be honest with you. I worked so hard. Everybody worked so hard. Sleeping was not a problem for me. Even with all of that stress.

Okay. Good to know that Randy wasn't losing sleep. This is why he won the NFL executive of the year award in 2000. And you've got a brand new venture now you're working with the reboot of the XFL. How much excitement does this kind of give you to be in the game a little bit? A little different, but still putting together rosters. It's a great project for me. You know, when you do what I've done my whole life and that's build teams, this is a chance to build a team from scratch and you don't get that chance often.

I've always had that box in the back of my head that I wanted to check. You know, when you take over an NFL team, you might get the change. Like we said, a third, maybe a half of a roster and you have to live with really the mistakes from a prior regime. Well, in these cases, these spring leagues you build from scratch.

So you can build it exactly what your vision tells you with your coaches. And in this case, yeah, I'm going to be with the Seattle XFL team on the Seattle guy. So it's a home game for me. Jim Hazlitt is our head coach.

June Jones is going to run the offense. So it's as much about the people I'm with, you know, and so it's going to be a fun venture. The rock has been awesome as far as the ownership goes. It is a great group of people and hey, I'm having fun doing it. We're building our team throughout the fall.

We'll play in January and I think a lot of people will enjoy it and it's a fun product and we kind of showed that last time around in the XFL that these spring leagues can be fun. Okay, come on Dish. What's it like to be on a Zoom caller in a meeting with the rock? Well, I have been in a few off green rooms with him so far. I don't know if I've been in any Zoom calls with him, but he's very engaged. I'll say that.

Very much in the middle of everything that goes on and wanting to be very passionate about most of the ideas and the kind of revision of football. So it's been fun to hear it and obviously he's a marketing genius. So he's a fun guy to kind of hitch on and go for a ride with. What do you call him? Do you call him Dwayne? Do you call him sir? Do you call him the rock?

I think DJ is the safest acronym to throw out there, DJ. That's fantastic. I love these behind the scenes stories.

This is why we, one of the reasons why we love to have Randy on the show. He's a former NFL executive of the year. He's a general manager with the Saints and Dolphins and worked in other front offices as well. Now part of the reboot of the XFL in 2023. He's got the football GM pod on the athletic.

The man never takes a breath really, but he sleeps great, which is good to know. You can find him on Twitter at Randy Mueller, M-U-E-L-L-E-R underscore. And my friend, it is always good to catch up with you. Happy football season to you. Thanks. Same to you, Amy. I look forward to chatting down the road. Love it.

Absolutely love it. He calls the rock DJ? DJ?

That's what he prefers? Mr. Rock. That's Mr. Rock to you. I'd go with Mr. Rock.

Could you imagine how cool is that? Randy instantly gained all kinds of street cred in my eyes. Not that he didn't already have it, but that was really cool. And I love that he always, always, always gives me a fresh perspective that I've not heard anywhere else. So make sure you check out his pod on the athletic, along with Mike Sando, who's a long time reporter covering the NFL and the NFC West specifically. That brings us to the midway point of the show. That's crazy. This week is flying by, even though it has been a challenge. It's After Hours with Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio.