Amy, thank you for taking the time to join us.
Well, thank you for inviting me to do so. And we are truly coast to coast. Hey, we're everywhere from Georgia to California.
We got everything and everybody in the middle. But Amy, let's take a stop in Vegas with the Raiders somewhere that you're very familiar with. We just talked about what the Ravens or what the Raiders did to the Ravens. Raiders have a new coach, new regime in Tom Tolesco.
They're trying to figure things out. What are your thoughts on Antonio Pierce and the job he's done up until now? He has the Raiders playing like Raiders. And there's just a zest and a passion. We saw what Max Crosby did when he went to the sideline and he pumped Gardner Minsho up and said, we've got your back.
We've got you. And we see the passion on the field. I like what I see him doing with the team. I said that after he took over as the interim head coach last year and the team rises up and plays for him.
Absolutely. And Amy, we know about your relationship with the Raiders and Al Davis and helping to run a franchise. Antonio also had some words on Tua Tonga Veloa, basically encouraging him to retire a few weeks ago.
Based on being at the top of the totem pole and having an understanding that there's so many people you have to look out for. What are your thoughts on how Tua is and has been evaluated to continue his career? Well, first and foremost, the decision is Tua's. If and when he is medically cleared to play again, he's got a big decision to make. So, you know, let me back up in the way I said that first and foremost, he has to go through all of the medical protocols. And if he is cleared to play again, he then needs to make some decisions. The team also has to make decisions as to if and to what extent they are comfortable putting him in possibly harm's way again.
These aren't easy situations. And, you know, I do like what Tua's coach has said, which is, let's all step back and give him a chance to take a breath and make some decisions before other people weigh in with respect to what he should do. CBS Sports Analyst Amy Trask is here with us on the JR Sport Brief Show. You know, with Tua down for at minimum a month, we saw the New York Jets win last night.
We know the Buffalo Bills should still be a good team. Based on what we've seen so far over the last year and change with Aaron Rodgers with the Jets, what are your thoughts on his leadership style? There was certainly a little moment last night. He's kind of shoving Robert Salah away. What are your thoughts on on Rodgers as a leader?
Well, I could not tell from what I saw and then what I subsequently read, whether he was pushing him away or as he later said, he was something him to send the message about, you know, the two scores. So I don't want to weigh in as to whether Aaron did that in sort of a moment of camaraderie to send a message about touchdowns or whether he was shoving him away. Look, Aaron's leadership skills are very, very different than what we're used to in many regards.
And it really doesn't matter what any of us think about it. It matters what the men in that locker room think about Aaron. And we're going to see that unfold as the season goes on.
Amy, you talk about interesting or individual leadership skills. We have a head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who is now taking over in Los Angeles, known to be quirky all throughout his time, whether it's in college or the NFL. But the charges certainly off on a good foot here.
Unfortunately, Justin Herbert is dealing with an ankle slash foot injury. What are your thoughts on the charges and what Jim Harbaugh brings back to the NFL? Well, I think very, very highly of Jim. He was with us in Oakland for a brief period of time before he chose to go back to college.
And there's a little funny story associated with that. Jim was terrific to work with. I loved working with Jim. Al loved having Jim. I mean, Jim was just a really good teammate, if you will. And when he shared with Al that, you know, he wanted to make this move and go back to college, a lot of people thought Al would be angry.
And he was not. He wanted Jim to pursue his dreams. But there was a very funny line when Jim said, you know, I'm going to go back to college, just as in your career, you went back to college. And Al looked at him and said, I went to USC, you're going to USD.
And it was just a funny moment. But Al wished him well, I think very highly of Jim. I think it's a tremendous, tremendous hire by the Chargers. I think Jim was, you know, the the gem out there last year, when all the teams that were looking for new head coaches were looking, you know, if I were with a team that was looking for a head coach at the time, and I said this at the time, I would have pulled up a tent on Jim's lawn, and I would have stayed there and done anything I could to attract him as a head coach.
I think he has that team playing very, very well. But you're right, you just mentioned Justin Herbert's ankle. And the way we referred to it during my years in the NFL wasn't simply high ankle sprain, it was a dread high ankle sprain.
I don't know if Justin's will linger, but they can linger. Amy Trask is here with us on the JR Sport Brief show. You talk about coaches with Harbaugh and how he was top of the line for people to get hired. We see all of the media that Bill Belichick is doing. Are you surprised that he's not currently employed in the league right now? You know, on a scale of one to 10, 10 being the most surprised I could be.
I'm north of a five, I'm not near a 10. I wouldn't be surprised to see him head back in at some point. I don't know if teams were concerned about his last few years in New England. I don't think they should be. I think he is a tremendous, tremendous head coach, and he could make a lot of teams better. I don't know if teams are concerned that he's older than many young head coaches. So am I surprised somewhat? Am I top of the line surprised?
No. No, Amy, we know that Bill Belichick, he's on every media platform possible. We need to talk on CBS Sports Network. I know you guys just celebrated an anniversary in the current climate in the world that we live in today. Talk about the importance of even reaching that milestone. It is a very significant milestone. You know, as we know, well, it is the 10th anniversary and the show will air on CBS tomorrow. And, you know, 10 years nowadays is a long time.
We're in a moment in history where things last a nanosecond. So for the show to be celebrating 10 years is a very significant moment. Thank you for raising that. And I'll just add this, and I shared this yesterday on a We Need to Talk podcast. Whenever a woman is hired in a job, I get the immediate phone call, am I excited?
And my answer is always, sure. But what's going to truly be exciting is when these moments are no longer newsworthy, when people are hired without regard to race or gender or ethnicity or any other individuality, which has absolutely no bearing on whether one can do a job. That's what will truly excite me when these moments are no longer newsworthy moments. Well, Amy, a final question for you before you go unrelated to football, but we certainly see the impact that someone that Kaitlyn Clark has had on the media and the sports landscape. What's your interpretation of how she's been received and how she'll be received in the future? I don't know about the future. She has been received in some respects well.
In other respects, it has started confrontations is not the word, dialogues that are misplaced. Kaitlyn should be evaluated as should every NBA player. I'm sorry, W, NBA player, although I'll say this for the NBA as well, based on skill, based on what she brings to the court, based on how she interacts with her teammates. She certainly is attracting attention.
But I hope that she and then others throughout the NBA, that the discussion is on are they adding to their teams? Absolutely. Well, Amy, thank you so much for the valuable time. Time is the most valuable commodity we all have. Where can people follow you and keep up with your tweets, your words, your shows and everything? Well, I agree with you as to time.
Time is our most precious commodity. And I thank you so much for the invitation to share this time with you. I am on X at Amy Trask, and I'm relatively new to Instagram. And I think I'm official Amy Trask there because I don't know, someone made me do that.
I really should change it just to Princess of Darkness. I am on X and I'm on threads and I'm on Instagram, official Amy Trask on Instagram and at Amy Trask on X. Amy, always a pleasure. Thank you so much. You enjoy the weekend and have a wonderful afternoon and evening. Okay. And you as well. Thank you.
