This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.
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Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. The Rich Eisen Show. Happy birthday, ****. Earlier on the show, ESPN Senior NBA Writer Brian Wintorse. Coming up, five-time Pro Bowl tackle Terron Armstead. Co-host of No Contest Wrestling Podcast, O'Shea Jackson Jr. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
That's right. Our number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Terron Armstead recently retired from the National Football League after 12 seasons with the Dolphins and the Saints. He is in our green room right now. He just showed up, so we'll bring him out in about 20 minutes time and shop it up with him. And then O'Shea Jackson Jr. is going to come in studio, and I don't know what he wants to talk about, but he's got something on his mind. He says he has things to get off his chest. He didn't give you any idea as to why he wants to... He's asked for equal time or fair time.
Equal time to what? I don't know what he's... I don't know.
Well, here's a... He always excuses me of creating a hostile working for him. That's true.
He does. I kind of feel like maybe it's this. It's your birthday. Maybe he's going to bring you a grill. It is that.
Maybe that's your birthday present. It is... Oh, my teeth. Yeah. That's the grill. No, the grill. I was about to say a little barbecue.
No, see, that's why I have to be in this seat. No, Rich. Not a grill, but a grill. Understood. Yeah. Like Paul Wall. Oh, okay. Yeah, I understand. Ah, Paul Wall. Now I get it.
Not a meat grill. Thank you. That's an hour number three.
It's a what's more likely... Pardon me, an overreaction Monday on a Tuesday. Overreaction Monday pod is out there for you to check out. We recorded it on Saturday at Fanatics Fest. Same day that No Contest Wrestling recorded their podcast that you're dropping later in the week. Is that what you're doing or when are you dropping that one? Well, we dropped it yesterday.
Oh, you did. Fantastic. Yeah, we had a little power outage situation in El Segundo, so it kind of... We had to call an audible, so Ray Mysterio is out now. It's live everywhere. Fantastic.
Get it wherever you get your podcasts. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. Alfred in Kentucky, let's chop it up with Alfred. What's going on, sir?
Hey, what's up, Rich? How are you, Alfred? Alfred. Oh, I'm doing all right. Alfred, yeah. My cousins call me Alfie, but I had to beat him up to get my name right.
But it don't matter about that. The women call me Poppy, because I am a Chicano, and I am from Los Angeles, California. I was born in East L.A., Huntington Park.
But my Social Security starts with a five. What's up, P.J.? What's up, big dog? What's cracking? What's up, P.J., my big dog, where you at? What's cracking? Oh, what's going on, man?
What we gonna do about this bubble? Because you just play us games, but let me tell you something. I'm not gonna pick on Chris real fast. He's gonna get on to you, T.J. Look, I'm a New York Yankees fan. Okay, all right. My son wore a number two on baseball, football, and basketball. If they wore numbers in wrestling, he wore a number two, because of Derek Jeter. Okay.
And that's a fact. So you can lay down on them mitts and be a little buddy. Well, I have no idea, Alfred. That's my dog.
Alfred, I don't know, or Alfie. I don't know. I'll trade on it. Your woman might call me Poppy. Okay.
That's what I'm gonna get to. All right, Poppy. I think you want to replace Chris with your wife. Because Stephen B. Smith, all about them nasal eyes. The general hospital.
Alfred in Kentucky, ladies and gentlemen. It's like he's having his birthday today. He just came out and shot out of a cannon. He basically said, I want Susie to take your job, Chris.
I mean, Susie's got a job. There was a lot going on. There was a lot going on there. Let's go to Terzo in Iowa. We'll go back to an Old Faithful. What's going on, Terzo? I don't know how I'm gonna be able to follow that one. Go for it, buddy. Good luck, Terzo. Happy birthday, Rich. Thanks, pal. I hope you enjoy the day, man. Always a pleasure getting to wish you a happy birthday.
Thank you, sir. What's going on? Hey, got a couple things for you. Do you guys know when the Family Feud is going to air your guys' episodes? I saw during the NBA Finals Game 7, they have set a date for the premiere of Celebrity Family Feud, July 10th. So I don't think we're on the initial episode. But as soon as it comes out, we will let you know. All right. Well, I just want to make sure that I get it on the Roku and get it recorded.
Fantastic. We will do it. So, Rich, I just kind of wanted to comment on what you were talking about earlier about super teams in the NBA. It just kind of feels like in the recent past, injuries have really played a major role in hampering any of these teams going on extended runs for several years. You know, it looked like with the Nuggets, Milwaukee, you know, now with the Celtics.
I just I just don't know if if that's playing a bigger factor than the apron that the wind horse was talking about. Yeah, I mean, we're listen. And thanks to the Calters. Oh, I appreciate it, brother. Appreciate you guys.
You got it. It's like I saw Wilbon on one of the many shows on ESPN that he appears pointing out that you're just an Achilles injury or a locker room problem. Or trade demand out of nowhere away from being a dynastic team. Knocked down to a second round exit.
You know, like. He's not wrong. The contract. I mean, you take a look at the Celtics dynastic team in the making second round exit where their number zero pops his Achilles, one of the three in the playoffs with Lillard and Halliburton being the other two.
And and now the team's being broken up because of the apron, because the contract. So I you know, I just don't know, but I'm glad Windhorst came on and made us smarter on that front. 844-204-rich is the number to dial. I want to thank my buddy Pat McAfee for giving us on this day some football news. And I will take that as a birthday present from Pat. Yeah, you should thank him. I just did.
Send him a text. Thanks for the early birthday. Thanks for the early birthday present to give us some fresh new NFL news on the last Tuesday of June. That's when Aaron Rodgers appeared on Pat's show for the first time since signing with the Steelers and gave everybody a sense of how he views this season and his career finishing in Pittsburgh.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is it. You know, that's why we just did a one year deal. Steelers didn't need to put any extra years on that or anything. So, you know, this was really about finishing with a lot of love and fun and peace for the career that I've had. I mean, I played 20 freaking years. It's been a long run.
I've enjoyed it. And what better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL with Mike Tomlin and a great group of leadership and great guys in the city that, you know, expects you to win. So put a pin in that. Let's just say the Steelers are nine and one right through the first 10 games and Rodgers looks like an MVP candidate. Will we hear again from him that maybe this isn't it?
Maybe. I know he's laughing over there because he doesn't think the Steelers are going to go nine and one. Or Will Howard is starting in week 11. I would be stunned, Chris, if he's starting in week 11 because Rodgers is ineffective. He's starting in week 11 potentially because Rodgers is hurt.
Now, now, now it's possible. But I think if Rodgers is out for a week or two, that would be Mason Rudolph country. Will Howard only starts in Pittsburgh this year if an absolute disaster happens. Like it did in Rodgers' first year with the Jets.
You know, and I'm not going to go down that road about what happened with the Jets. But it does absolutely color the sense of how this is going to work in Pittsburgh that, all right, who's better? D.K. Metcalf or Garrett Wilson? Slash Devante Adams. Who's better? Jalen Warren, the rookie out of out of the nation's heartland, out of Terzo State of Iowa? Or Breece Hall?
Who would you rather have offensively? Last year didn't work out for Rodgers and the Jets. So this year shouldn't work out except for the fact that you will not have the head coach fired after week five. You will not have an offensive coordinator chosen by Rodgers who clearly couldn't figure out how to make it work.
Didn't get the time to make it work. You won't have a threat of being benched from Art Rooney before firing Mike Tomlin, as we learned. I mean, everything that happened last year, not just Rodgers' fingerprints on it.
And, you know, I don't know who was it, Jerry Dulac with somebody else saying that this is different for Rodgers. If he's saying he's going there with peace and love and happiness and, you know, the language that causes the four time Super Bowl champ from their past to tell him to go chew on bark and stuff like that. But him basically saying, I'm going to the Cornerstone franchise of the Steelers to finish my career with Mike Tomlin. And, you know, it's different than with the Jets, where he is the center of the universe, the cult of personality to come in and please change. Well, just come and change our culture.
Come and, you know, show us how it's done. We just had some rookie here who didn't meet the moment in years two and three and we're done with him. And we're finished with him. Or come here and teach him the ropes because he doesn't have to play here now. Well, maybe you're here for a year or two and we reset with Zach Wilson.
That was that. Don't forget, that's how he arrived and he set things up the way he wanted it set up with the Jets from his handpicked play caller to, you know, even though he swore there wasn't a list of people that he wanted that he gave to the Jets, there's certainly a lot of his former teammates just started showing up on the roster. Haven't seen that happen yet in Pittsburgh. So if he's going there and saying, I'm part of your system, I'm out of the business of, you know, roster choices and I'm out of this business. It's a totally different set of circumstances walking into Pittsburgh than when he walked into New York that clearly didn't work out. And won't be causing any headwinds to occur in his face.
And he's also a year removed from his Achilles. I'm giving you obviously a rosier approach than what a lot of others, including, you know, obviously you, Chris, are looking at this as. But just hearing that, if that is in fact his mindset, and then he gets on the same page with Arthur Smith, who we send our condolences to, his dad, Fred, passed away this week. We send our best to him and his family that once the grieving process is over, he's back at the football work with Rogers. They figure out a way on making Rogers comfortable and the system doing what Tomlin brought Smith in to do. And Tomlin's kind of sitting there shepherding that process.
I mean, this could work. Now, what does it look like? Another 10 and 7 season that we're wondering if Rogers is the right guy in January. On the road in Kansas City. On the road in Buffalo. On the road in Baltimore. You know, who the Steelers, as we all know, played three times last year.
Didn't work out. So how's that going to look? Must see TV every single time. We're going to have a front row seat, as we said. That's why the schedule makers put the Steelers at the Jets first off. They saw it coming.
You know, Ireland against Minnesota, Green Bay. I mean, all that. We're going to have a front row seat to it. An early buy. Figure stuff out if they need it.
Early reset. I hear that and it's just like, OK, if that is, in fact, his approach, I know we just took one soundbite. All with the fact that he knows this is his last rodeo. And he's just going to tee it up, let it fly. Get his mind right.
Go to work. And the Steelers know he's he's a bridge quarterback. He knows that he's there's nobody right there. He's not looking over his shoulder. Oh, wait a minute. I mean, it's kind of all set up in a way. Yeah. He's there for a good time.
Not a long time. An offensive line that I think is better than the one that was in front of him last year. A running game and a running approach.
I mean, we had Schlereth on the show right earlier saying this last week that he when he when he chatted with Rogers. In a pre broadcast conversation prior to him torching the Jaguars. Late last year, you know, the run game was a mess. The running schemes were a mess.
That won't be a problem in Pittsburgh. A lot of things that were problems for him. Achilles injury and coming back from the Achilles injury and ownership coming out of nowhere reportedly to say bench him after four weeks, firing the coach after five, replacing the offensive coordinator. He handpicked in the middle of all of it. Run scheme off the charts.
Listen, he had some poor Rogers play on top. And I'm not saying that he had nothing to do with the disaster that unfolded last year and year two for New York. But a lot of the circumstances will not be in Pittsburgh. And the way he's being brought into Pittsburgh is completely different than the way he's brought into New York. The culture is already established there. It's not like, hey, Rod, Aaron, show us how to do it.
Like that. I mean, you remember the Hard Knocks? Hard Knocks was basically a commercial for Rogers's greatness and the love that the fan base had for him. Hey, Rogers is here. Hey, Rod, you know, right? I know you're skeptical.
It was well edited. Yeah, I'm very skeptical. I don't think this is going to work. I mean, Jeff Ulbricht was pointing out, remember the defensive coordinator in his film session going, look at this throw from the right hash all the way to the left corner. That's all that's that's what we're getting right now. The quarterback position.
All we got to do is just only give up two touchdowns. Here we go. I mean, that's not that's not the approach here. It's just welcome to the program. This is the way it's done. Your last year of your Hall of Fame career, first ballot Hall of Fame career is in our care. And I think he trusts the process.
Sounds like it, doesn't it? And then what? I know. And then you got to play the football. No, but I mean, for 2026, then what?
Ronald Howard doesn't play this year. We're right back where we started with Pittsburgh. Unless you like another quarterback in the draft. You can go take that kid.
But in your world, their draft pick isn't good enough to get one of these top quarterbacks coming out next year. I don't know. Never know.
People drop. You can actually trade to move up. I don't know. I don't know.
Or you like Will Howard enough. It's just he's got a redshirt year watching Aaron Rodgers get it done. I don't know.
Then you hand things off to him. 2026 is a different year. What were they going to do? Didn't they try for Sam Darnold?
Right. They tried apparently. I'm sure they knocked on the door for Stafford like everyone else.
I don't know. They certainly weren't going to run it back or hand Justin Fields 20 million a year like the Jets did and the starter's job. They weren't, for whatever reason, weren't interested in doing that.
They probably should have looked into that. Well, that's yet another pearl right there in the week one oyster. Justin Field's first start as a Jet, as the surefire quarterback of a team for the first time in, what, two, three years, right? Taking on the Steelers who let him go and walk to the Jets, starting the former Jet quarterback in Aaron Rodgers' first game as a Steeler.
That's why they didn't wait a second to put that on a stake plate for us. 844-204 Rich, number to dial. Tron Armstead, let's bring him out.
Very large man is going to be joining us, protecting our blindside hopefully for the next 20 minutes. That's next on the Rich Eisen Show. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it, so your dollar goes a long way. Visit Progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates.
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See the store or sleepnumber.com for details. Back here on the Roku Sports Channel, and this is the first of two shows that this man has been on this channel because he just came straight from Good Morning Football. Prior to a radio audience rejoining us, Terron Armstead is here on the Rachael show. Good to see you.
The shirt matches the shoes. Excellent job. I appreciate that.
Details. I got it. First thing first, happy birthday. Thank you. I appreciate that. My great man.
Happy birthday. And I know you didn't bring me anything, but I said your presence is my present. That's a bar. I know I rap a little bit, too. Do you really? Yeah. Obviously, you do as well.
Well, I mean, that's a different type of rap that I have. He drops bars all day, team. That's right, TJ. I drop bars.
16 bars ain't nothing for dicky eyes from Staten Island. That's what I did. Straight island. I got you. What do you have? I don't know yet, but I got you. You got me.
I think I feel like you should put on some ice for the B-Day, but. I agree. What is your, what is your? This T-Sted chain, you know what I mean? T-Sted, I don't know.
Rhymes with rich, some way. That, you know, that's your necklace. It would probably be my belt. You know what I mean? You can make it work. You can make it work, but that's, I can't, I can't take your, your. I'll, I'll send you something. Okay. You got my word. I will accept it. You got my word.
But that, that is nice. Appreciate it. How long you had that? Years, man.
Probably 10 years. Was that one of the first things you bought when you were a pro? Not one of the first.
Okay. What was the first thing you bought with your new contract? Chrysler 300. My first, you know, my rookie year. Nice. I bought a Chrysler 300C.
I got the C on that thing. Okay. Yeah. A little special. Okay. Yeah. Do you like that Chris? Brand new.
I do. Those things were hot for a minute. They look like Rolls Royce. Right, Chris? Well, I mean, they look like it in the front.
If you want to ask. Ask Jay. Jay drives it. Jay drives the best car of anybody here. What you got, Jay?
Just a Maserati or two. This man, a five time Pro Bowler, a Walter Pate Man of the Year nominee. Won the Ed Block Courage Award as well on the top 100 list for the NFL network for three years drafted in 2013. Joining us here back on The Rich Eyes and show fresh as a retiree is Terron Armstead. Good to see you, sir. How are you? I'm doing well. I'm doing really well. How are you doing? I'm doing great. Yeah.
You don't, you don't look retired right now. I am. I am. I'm fully. You are? Yeah. I'm fully transitioned over. Meaning what?
Terron? I don't think retiring means letting yourself go. You used to transition, you know, going on to new chapters, new adventures, a new journey.
And yeah, I'm here. There's no more cheat. There's no extra cheat days now? No extra cheat days.
No, we were minimizing cheat days. So we're coming down. Okay. Yeah. So I lost about 30, 35 pounds. Wow.
You lost the weight. Yeah, for sure. Okay.
Because you don't have to, you don't have to keep the weight up. Right. Stop a bull rush and all that stuff. You don't have to deal with that anymore. Yeah.
You don't have to deal with a bull rush and target, that's a bad situation. Something is going really wrong. I don't know. I don't know.
Have you seen YouTube lately? You, Walmart. Definitely a Walmart. You never know.
After Thanksgiving, you know, when you're one of the first ones in the store. And don't go into a waffle house, you know what goes down in there, man. So. Oh, for sure.
You never know. The skill sets, you got to keep sharp with those skill sets. I'm fleeing. Why did you decide, why did you decide, why did you decide now's the time to retire?
Yeah. Man, I've had an amazing career. So many beautiful moments.
Being a part of great teams, great moments, times in history. I did what I set out to do. And then it comes with father time and the limitations of your physical wellbeing. You began to sense it. You began to feel it.
That's what you're saying. It's really hard. It's really hard for me to be able to play on Sunday. So the process from Sunday to Sunday was a grind, man, a mental grind, a physical grind as well, especially dealing with my right knee, being bone on bone. So trying to take weight off of it, unload so much throughout the week, so much extra work outside of the building, flying NPTs and massage guys and everything.
All those components to be prepared to play Sunday. It was time. Yeah. So you just decided like, listen, that grind was just something you just didn't want to do anymore. It's just that simple, right? But the camaraderie, the playing on Sundays, that's what I hear so many times from guys who spend as much time in the league as you, is you'd play for free, you get paid for getting ready for the games.
Pretty much. I wasn't playing for free though. I get what you're saying though.
I get exactly what you're saying. You would play for free is the sense. I wouldn't. Okay. Nope.
Nope. Won't go there for you. Hold on. Let me scratch that one out. Don't go there for you.
Richie don't just get those chains that he got. Yeah. Yeah. Look, if you're really good at something, you get paid for it. You don't apologize for that. Well, I'm the one who sets the salaries around here. So thanks for coming on because he's got his own business.
I don't pay. I drive an 86 Pacer like Cole from Martin. So that's classic. So now, but the tug was that you loved playing and you wanted to be around the guys and things like that. For sure. For sure.
Even towards the end. I'm pretty sure physically, it's just the mental part of stepping away or being away from football for the first time in 28 years is just, it's an unknown to me. So I still went through the process of, could you do it again? Are you ready to make that commitment to go all in and try to go out and be the best you again?
And I just don't think it's possible physically. Terron Armstead here on the Rich Eisen show after a terrific 12 year career. Now in the book Saints and Dolphins, so you saying Tua reminds you of Breeze or as good as Breeze raised a few eyebrows over the last couple of weeks.
What did you exactly say now that I have a Rich Eisen show microphone in front of you Terron? Yeah, I made that comparison. I see similarities. I'm not saying that they're the same player or same person.
No, no two people are. What's similar? The anticipation, the accuracy, timing of throws, the ability to, to knock a wing off a fly repeatedly, those, those guys throw darts. They don't, they don't throw to areas.
They are very precise. And that's an elite talent. It's elite, elite trait. Very few people possess he's, he's one of them and Drew Breeze another. So what's missing do you think just his ability to be available? Is that essentially the piece that's missing?
I would say, Rich, a time on task. Yeah. Is, is, uh, having more experience, having more, getting more reps, getting more snaps. Um, I don't, I don't know where exactly where Drew Breeze was going into his sixth year.
Sure. I know he had a shoulder that had to get reconstructed when he signed to New Orleans and, and really turned his career, even pushed his career even further to be the hall of fame player that he, that he was. And that shoulder, by the way, uh, kept him from playing in Miami because if you remember, they shied away from getting him when Phillip Rivers was in San Diego and Breeze, despite having a terrific first start of his career there, Phillip Rivers goes there, Breeze is going to go and instead of going to Miami, he shows up in New Orleans and the rest is in fact history. So you know, the, the concept though of Tua being an elite quarterback, few people ascribe that to him because we haven't seen playoff wins and we just sometimes see him not being able to answer the bell and it's not because of protection problems like from you and your, your teammates. It's with him taking unnecessary risks and not knowing when the play is over consistently enough where he's still talking about that, needing to get that timing down right now, Terron.
Yeah. He has, he has narratives in front of him that that has to be answered. Not necessarily by me or an interview forum, it's from him and his play and getting the job done. It's any, any quarterback or any team that don't host that trophy at the end of the year, you have, you have questions, you have narratives, you have challenges, you've got adversity, you have things to answer.
Only team right now that don't really have that is Philly. Everybody else got it. They have their questions going into the season.
Tua has his questions and it's up to him to, to answer these questions. Not me. Do I believe he can? I do.
Do I believe he will? I do. Now, did you ever have a conversation with him about the timing in his head or you never approached him on this front? No, no, not really.
Not really. Did you know if the coach has, have you, I assume Mike McDaniel has had this conversation. I'm sure, I'm sure they have. I'm sure they have went, discussed it in detail at length, but I haven't. Okay.
Did you ever think of doing something like that? Because I mean, listen, that your team was not the same without him. For sure. You know?
For sure. Yeah. Um, he, the, the thing about Tua, he plays the game with such, such love for the game. Right.
He's such a fierce competitor. He is willing to put his body on the line in any situation, but he has to understand and I think that he's starting to understand his value is deeper than any one play or any one game. Him being out of the lineup changes the franchise.
It does. It changes the identity of the offense. It changes the franchise. So he, I believe that he has to play the game with that in mind opposed to let me just do whatever I need to do to get this first down. That first down is not nearly as valuable as him being in there the next series.
I think you're referring to the last one where, you know, one of the last big hits that he's taken. You know, you guys were down by two scores. He'd already thrown some interceptions.
I think in his mind he was taking, uh, you know, taking on himself after that game, uh, Terron Armstead here on the Rich Eisen show. So, um, the best pass rusher you ever had to block in your 12 year career is, it's hard to say, man. It, it, it depends on like, it's so many of those guys from Von Miller, Robert Quinn, Miles Garrett.
Um, I can, I can, I can pick either one and not, not miss a beat. Is there one that made you think about playing him all week long, more than anybody else in preparation? Um, I would say the hardest person to study was Von.
Why? Von Miller was the hardest to study because in my breakdown, I always look for my, my ends, like my entry, what's his weak point. And a lot of guys false step, a lot of guys will give away their move pre-snap, tilts, alignments, stance changes.
So I can process and I, I can almost guarantee what's coming. Not the case with Von. So he, he didn't give any tails pre-snap.
And then once the ball is snapped, his get off his elite, his power is elite, his bend on the edge is elite, his spin inside is elite. So he can beat you every way. So with Von, it's just, you got to go dance. You got to go dance. It's not really like I'm going to take away the inside move, good luck.
I'm going to take away the speed outside, good luck. You have to go, you got to go, go battle. And so who's the future? I think, I think I know who you might say, cause I did read some of your, your quotes over the past few weeks here.
Right. Who's the future of the league? Future of the league, Aiden Hutchinson. I think he has everything. He's incredible. He's healthy. He's back to form that we saw glimpses of last year. I saw his rookie year when we played them in Detroit, I think Aiden Hutchinson, Jerry verse.
Jerry verse. I'm very, very loud about what I believe he will be able to do. The boy is strong. It's different, different level of strength.
It is. I don't know exactly what it, cause he's not the biggest. He's not the, I played James Harrison and Justin Smith and very strong humans. Jerry verse has something different with his, with his power.
Sort of like the way a home run hitter has a different sound to the crack of the bat. Is that what you're saying? I would say so. I would say that. I would say that. The mixed metaphors here. Yeah.
So, and you felt it like when, when he, I saw it on film. Okay. So I'm preparing.
Yeah. I'm preparing for that. We're preparing for the rounds. We're preparing for it too, cause we kind of going through a rough patch in the season and the Rams were heating up as they made their playoff push. And I'm watching the film and he is running people over.
Not just knocking people back here. He's running them over on his way to the quarterback. So the first series against the Rams, I'm like, I'm excited to see, like, I need to see what's the, what's this power about. So the first series did it, we did a bull, he did a bull rush, um, we passed the ball at the first down and I'm laughing because it was like, yo, that's funny that he pushed me back like that. That was funny. So it was, it was interesting to see like this is different. I see, I've seen it on film.
So the rest of the game, I'm trying to get on them quick. I don't want to let them get started, but his, uh, he has a, he has a pop that is, is just his difference. Hard to explain. So you'll see more of it this year. So defensive rookie of the year to a potential defensive player of the year.
I feel that strongly. I feel as he continues to craft his game, to get more off the bull rush, some, some hand swipes, things that look like bull rush all the way up into the, to the end. And he, he avoided to go around, um, his get off wasn't good. Wasn't that good. You know what I mean?
So he, it's still so many things for him to build into his game. I can see him being defensive player of the year. How about that?
Terron Armstead here on the Rich Dises Show. If I'm not mistaken, you won that game, right? Didn't you win the game against the Rams? We needed that W, right. And that's when I think people were wondering, you know, if the Rams had any real deal in them. And we did find out at the end of the day, they gave the Eagles their best shot.
And they were the closest to knocking the Eagles off in the playoffs last year of any of anybody else. So what would you, now that you're removed, or do you want to be part of the paparazzi? Is that what you're interested in right now in your career?
I wouldn't necessarily label it that way, but I do feel like I have a space in the media. Okay. Yeah. Is that what you are you looking to get into? Yeah.
That sort of thing? Yeah, I'm actively doing so. I just launched my YouTube channel. Okay.
On the 17th. All right. I want to be able to be a voice in the face of what's happening in the trenches, to be an educator. Sure. Show people the technique, fundamentals that's being had, the assignments as well.
So we don't blame the offensive lineman for guys running free, if it's not necessarily our assignment. I want the common fan to kind of grow with me and we talk through it and learn more about what's actually happening in the trenches and why these guys on the back end are able to be successful. All right. Let me give you a media question then. Okay.
What you got for me? Now that you're part of, now that I've established this is what you want to do. Yeah. Because this is the way that you would separate yourself, is talking about the teams that you've been on. And you just talked about two a little bit. What would you say the Dolphins need to do differently this year to get them into the playoffs, over the hump, and start winning playoff games in South Florida again?
What do they need to do differently to Ron Armstead? Yeah. You'll be surprised at my answer, Rich, because it's not much different. It's not. It's not big changes.
I think the path and the foundation is there. It is. It's the details.
It's the small things. One, obviously the quarterback. Two, being available. He's being healthy.
And then your great players playing great. Tyreek Hill having a season that I think he's poised to have this year. Jalen Waddle. Devon A. Chan. Jalen Wright. Janu Smith.
The weapons are in place. The offensive line, we added some guards to the unit, I think, would help significantly. Then on the defensive side, a healthy Bradley Chubb and Jalen Phillips changes the dynamic of the whole defense. So the pieces are in the building.
I strongly believe that. And it's the details. It's the situational football. It's the third and one in the fourth quarter. It's the two minute drill down three. It's those moments that we can talk about all day, but they have to go out and do.
That's the difference. Well, what about the concept that third and one, when it's 20 degrees outside, having a quick game doesn't help, but you got to smash mouth it, which isn't supposedly, conventionally, the Dolphins way of doing things. I mean, it's a track meet, which works when it's 75 degrees out and you're sitting there in hard rock. But if you've got to go on the road in the playoffs to someplace like Kansas City or Baltimore or Buffalo, and it's third and one. And your coach is outstanding with the details.
You want to talk? I mean, he's the king of a crease here, all you got to do is, but you got to make sure that the blocking's here or the ball is there. Get the open space and then home runs, man, happen. But when it's 20 degrees outside, you got to- I don't think the weather mattered. It doesn't.
I don't think it matters at all. Because you know that's what's being discussed about the team. It's the narrative. We've lost games in cold weather. We've lost games against really good teams. It just happened to be at the same time, really good teams in cold weather. So we didn't beat Buffalo in Buffalo. Buffalo beat us in Miami. So we beat warm weather, cold weather.
It's those big games, good teams. That's the narrative. That's the issue. Not the weather. I don't see that being a- You don't.
I don't. I don't see the weather playing a part at all. You're running.
Your blood get going. It don't matter what the weather is. Or maybe that's just me, bro, but I don't think weather matters at all. I mean, again, that- The Kansas City game, playoffs- Well, that was unnaturally cool. Historical. Yeah, that was different. That was different. It's like you probably were playing inside a freezer. It was different, for sure. Couldn't feel your fingers, feet. It was different. You know what I mean?
Go out and play the best you can. No, I would throw that one out. And there was a snow game on a Saturday night on NFL Network in Buffalo where you guys almost took that game. Yeah. No, I understand that. But just the general sense is the way the team is built, the way that the football game is played in cold weather just don't mix.
But you don't think that's the issue? I don't think it's the weather. No, we lost to Baltimore in Baltimore in the cold. Lost to Philly in the cold. These are just good teams. Home or away, these are just good teams. Gotta be good teams. That's it.
I don't think the weather plays a part at all. Well, I'm thrilled to have you back here again. If you want to come on during the season, chop it up, get some more reps for yourself. Absolutely. I'll write my name on this seat.
Are you living out here or no? No, no. I'm not going that far. Okay, very good. He told you. He said on the seats. Under the seat.
Under the seat. Okay. But on our Zoom or whatever, we'll have you on. I'll come back in person, Zoom, whatever. Rich Eisen. I'm here.
I appreciate you saying that. He retired to Del Boca Vista down in Florida. Down in Florida? Yeah. Is that where you're stationed? No, I'm actually living in Dallas.
I'm in North Dallas. Okay. Yeah. All right. So tax free no matter what. Tax free.
Businessman. I got you. I understand.
That's the way, you know, when you save your tax money, you get the ice. I got it. Taran Armstead, what a pleasure. Congrats on a great career. Thank you, sir. Although, and Marshall Faulk hated that whenever I would say congratulations to him after he retired. He goes, on what?
I'm like, you had a great career. You're good. And Marshall Faulk is different. Different mind. Different mind. He is that. Different mind. I know. He has a different mind.
There's no doubt about it. Congrats again anyway on a great career, and let's have you back, and whatever you want to chop it up, we'll get you back on the program. Let's do it. What's the most pissed off you made Nick Saban ever? Oh, when I took the sack, the second and 26th in the national championship. You mean the one that you immediately made up for with an amazing play that put you on the map? Yes, sir. That sack? Yeah.
Okay. That was the second. So, walk me through how that, what he said to you, if you can, in a certain way on a live radio and TV broadcast. I mean, I could only see it on camera, you know, how mad he was. That was probably the most pissed off, though.
I think he's ever been. I mean, he was squeezing his headset so hard, and then, you know, it was hard because the emotion was so mad to so happy, so fast for him, and we got into the locker room when everything settled down. I mean, he was still the same coach, you know, he put me to the side. Like, what were you thinking, you know? So, after you won the game, and you've taken confetti out of your hair, he still took a moment in that moment to revisit that sack. Yeah. Being who he is, I mean, you know, he put me to the side, he said, you know, why did you take the sack?
Right. You know, and I thought it was a good time to joke with him, you know, so I, I mean, we won the national championship, so I told him, I told him, well, you know, we needed more room to throw the ball, coach, you know, and, like, he looked at me, and, like, I was laughing. He's like, that's not funny. So, I mean, I didn't know what else to do in that situation.
I was like, okay, I'm sorry, coach, so I shook his hand, and he just moved on. I was like, oh, yeah. Like, oh, man. That's amazing.
I love that story. Yeah. That made my favorite story the whole week, so you just figured, yeah, hey. I was like, oh, maybe.
We just won it? Yeah. I thought it was a good time to joke, but it wasn't. No.
It's never a good time, I guess, in that respect. To him at the Super Bowl in Miami, shortly before he was drafted there, right here on the Rich Eisen Show on our archives, on our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show, for all of that good stuff. Yeah. He's going into his sixth year, and I thought it was ironic that Taron Armstead compared him to Drew Brees.
Drew Brees, in his sixth year, was his first year in New Orleans. Yeah. And the rest is history. Yeah. For sure.
Don't forget. I mean, I believe the Dolphins went with Dante Culpepper and his knee over Drew Brees and his surgically repaired shoulder. Correct. And the same- Ultimate sliding door moment for not only NFL, but college football, too.
What a big save-in. Because Nick Saban went back to Alabama, I mean, went back to college, went to LSU off of that, right? Yeah. Or he went from LSU to Miami, and then he went to Alabama off of Miami. After saying, I'm not going to be the Alabama coach.
Right. And then sliding door for Sean Payton, too. Sean Payton. Arrived with Brees in New Orleans, turned out to be one of the greatest coach-quarterback combinations ever, right? So- Wild. But Tua's just got a chip on his shoulder because everybody's saying that, you know, he can't stay healthy.
It's a pretty big season for him coming up. You know what he needs to take to a- Hope wife. Spite Zempic. Works for Luca. Here it comes. Just inject some spite in there and all the weight comes off.
You become healthier. Kyle in Michigan. Let's take his phone call. What's up, Kyle? Hey, Rich, happy birthday. Thank you, sir.
Greatly appreciate it. We're in the great state of Michigan. Do you, are you calling in from?
The Jackson area. I think I'm pointing to just to the left of my thumb, right? Is that what I'm doing right now?
Is that where you are in Jackson? Yes. Okay.
Yes. You know that, guys? I do know that. You hold up your right hand to figure out where you live in Michigan. I would point to that. I was always wondering- Oh, yeah.
I know that. I was so- Unless you're a you-per. Well, then you got to use your other arm. I was so confused my first year at Michigan when people were like, oh, I'm from here, holding up their hands. I'm like, what the hell are you doing?
I'm not swearing you in. What's happening? Rich, I got that from wrestlers, the Motor City Machine Guns.
They'd always come to the ring for years. I was like, what's that mean? What's on your mind, Kyle? I called in around this time last year and did the win-loss game with the Lions, and I wanted to take another swing at it. Okay, here we go. I got two minutes left in this hour, so Kyle, here we go. I got two minutes for you. You're the first one to do the Detroit Lions win-loss game in 2025 at the Packers to open things up.
What happens? We'll win a close game there. Oh. Home for the Chicago Bears, the Packers and Bears, what do you got? Lions will take a win there.
All right. 2-0 at the Ravens on a Monday night. That's a win.
Win. 3-0, home for the Browns. We'll win that one with you. 4-0 at the Bengals. We'll win a shoot out there. Yes, you will, because Aiden Hutchinson doesn't lose in Ohio.
At the Kansas City Chiefs. We'll win there. We'll win that one.
Wow. 6-0, home for the Bucks on a Monday night. We'll say Hutch has another five-step game. We'll win that. 8-0 out of the by, home for the Vikings.
That's a win. 8-0 at the commanders. We'll get our revenge and win a blast. 9-0 at the champions, Philadelphia Eagles. We'll take that one. Oh my God, 10-0 home for the Giants. Another blowout pair.
We'll take that one. 11-0, home for the Packers on Thanksgiving. We'll finally win a game on Thanksgiving. 12-0 against the Cowboys. We'll win another blowout. 13-0, reporting is eligible at the Rams. We'll win that one. 14-0. Let's go. Home for the Steelers.
We'll send Rogers into retirement early. We'll take that one. 15-0 at the Vikings on a Thursday night.
Amazon Prime is stinking history. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. We'll win that one. 15-0 at the Vikings on a Thursday night.
Amazon Prime is stinking history. We'll win that one. 16-0 at the Bears.
Kyle in Michigan. Do it. Do it. Do it.
Well, it depends. If Campbell starts the starters or not, but we'll win that one. 17-0. Kyle in Michigan has done it. He said it with his chest.
He has done it. Kyle in Michigan. 16-0. What are you on right now?
TJ+. Happy birthday to you. Oh my God. Happy birthday to you. I don't know if we can sing this whole song.
How we not like to change the words. Rich eyes and eat some pizza. Wow. Vito's pizza with candles on it. Charlie and Joe.
They know the way to my heart and stomach. Ready? I'll make a wish. And. I did it.
Nice. Oh no. O'Shea just dropped. Uh oh. What happened?
O'Shea just dropped? What happened? Thank you Kyle in Michigan. There he goes. All right. Wow.
Happy birthday. Pizza for everyone. We got a lot. We got pizza. We got all kinds of delicious treats. Okay.
It's crazy. Awesome. We got the wishes treats. So let's eat in the brick. Oh my word.
Vito's pizza here in Los Angeles, California. One of one. Your first birthday slice. Here we go. Oh gosh. Yeah. I mean we were just in New York. It's from home.
No, no. Vito as you know is from Bayonne. You've got some Staten Island roots too. Yeah I get it.
Our hometown is connected by a bridge. You know? Wow. Okay.
What else? Boom. I thought you were singing happy birthday because Kyle in Michigan just gave us the first 17. Is it the first 17 and 0? Well no.
The Miz did the Browns for 17 and 0. Yeah but I think Kyle in Michigan believes it. Probably. Dan Campbell hot seat.
By the way. You know what? Just got to be smoking something over there. What you smoking on?
Give me something bro. 16 and 0. 16 and 0 man. There's no way that Dan Campbell is the resting star.
No of course not. Against Ben Johnson. Dan Campbell won't take a field goal. Let alone pass him a chance to go in the field.
Yeah against Ben Johnson. Come on. Can the top of the hour hit so I can finish this slice? Finish it now. Go ahead. We got 20 seconds.
I'm not talking with my mouth on there. Thank you Charlie and everyone at Roku. It's going fine. Love you guys and everybody at Roku. Roku Joe. Really appreciate that.
Very thoughtful. Alright everybody grab a slice. Let's go. You know we will. Now I know why O'Shea came in.
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