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Learn more at AmericanExpress.com/slash explore dash platinum. Terms apply. I'll tell you what, man. This is the Rich Eisen Show. I really don't know what's next for me, says Aaron Rodgers.
Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Yeah. There's a lot of unknowns going into this offseason now. Peter King. Aaron Rodgers had three years left on his contract.
Brian Goudekant is just going to say, hey, listen, let's give this a month. Everybody just calm down. Earlier on the show, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. Coming up. Chargers head coach Brendan Staley.
From NBC Sports, Michelle Tafoya. Plus, actor Aldous Hodge. And now, it's. Mr. Rich Eisen.
Our number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. We're going to have Brandon Staley, the head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers. He's been making the rounds. We're pleased to have us part of his rounds. Thanks too.
As we're on the uh Mightier 1090 in Southern California, we've been on there uh on the Rich Hisen Show Terrestrial Radio Affiliate Network for several months and Bolt up. I'm assuming I'm talking. You know, obviously, it's throughout Southern California, all the way up, way north of here, too. Um I am suing that I'm Chargers fans feeling you all the way down in San Diego. I don't know how many fans there are.
of the Chargers down in San Diego still, or they're just like Forgotten and out of here. But react to me. Oh my God. Good old hacksaw, right? Yeah.
Oh my gosh. I'll never forget driving here in Southern California and Hacksaw was on, I guess, the. The mighty 1090 back in the day, right? And I was listening to him on the way home from NFL Network, and we had. It was me, Mike Del Tufo, and 10 other people, I think, that launched that network in 2003.
But you, Mike, were just barely paying attention to what we were saying and just pushing buttons and moving things like that. No, I hate that. No, no, no. You don't have to say that.
Okay. But we had a news. It was our news operation. We were literally, if I'm not mistaken, in 2003, I don't know how to look this up. There is Google for it.
But I do believe Google News had just been created. Oh, wow. Google News. It was a newfangled thing. The Google news.
So we would, before leaving. The office, we would Google news like the NFL. We would just put NFL and hit Google news and see what came up. There was no. That's so far.
Fantastic as it is right now. News operation, news gap, news desk. with all sorts of different reporters across the country, you know. We didn't have, this was pre-Shafter. Shafter didn't join us till like year one, year two.
Like, we didn't have a news person. Google a little bit to reach out. It's really what it was. We Google news the NFL and hoped that we didn't miss anything on the and so we would tape NFL total access. We would do it live at 5 o'clock Pacific time, 8 o'clock at night.
is when it first started, and then we would go home. Yeah, we would actually tape. That's it. We didn't have anybody news updating or anything like that. It was just, and we would re-air it.
And hope it Stuck. Was Evergrim? Lived. And I remember driving home. I'd put on hacksaw and I would hear him, you know, and everything for him was like a newsmaker line or like Dateline Miami Dolphins.
Stay tuned. And I would white-knuckle the steering wheel thinking, do I have to go back home? Do I have to call Susie and say I'm not coming home? And it would invariably be, you know, like newsmaker line, the Miami Dolphins have hired a new assistant general manager. Like he would be announcing who the Costanza was of the Dolphin staff, and I'd have to keep going on.
Like, I would be so nervous.
Now look at us. We're getting ready to move into a new place. I think total. I think game day morning, that was our last one there, Chris. Wow.
That was our last one.
Next year, we're going to be in the new home of the Rams and the Chargers.
So I'll tell Brandon Staley: look, my parking spot's mine. Yours is yours. Let's just be fine with it.
Now because you have tenure... Do you get Brandon Staley? And Sean McVay, do you get a closer spot than these guys? Yeah, he's right next to Crocky. It's richer than crocking.
I mean, great question. Yeah, I think that's work that up the flagpole. Great question. You know, because. Think about it.
Dude, we're looking at almost 20 years. You know what this reminds me of? This is what we're. I'll tell this story too at the beginning of ESPN, okay? Have I told this story on here?
I definitely have told you this story before. about when I first started at ESPN in in 1996.
Okay, I'm 26 years old.
Okay. And I go and I saw the person who was in charge of the schedules.
Okay. Okay. The person in charge of the schedules of all the on-air Sports center anchors, of which there was about probably at the time only about 20. Not like now, or there's tons of people that are doing it. But at any rate, I walked in, I went in there and I told her, like, look, I know I've not, I've just walked in the door.
But I do have, you know, like a vacation that I've already scheduled. I didn't know I was going to have this job. And I paid for it. And I, you know, I just came from Reading. I was truly making $8 an hour doing my job.
And I'm like, I can't cancel. I've got to go. I've spent the money. And it's kind of crazy, I've got my dream job, and I'm asking for a week off within two months of me arriving. But I have to do this.
It's bolt cotton.
So I did that. And they were like, cool with it. I'm like, no, no problem.
So I had the week off. Amazing. Correct. They're like, is there anything else that we need to know? And I'm like, sure.
Like, um. Let me, do you like for the Jewish holidays? Like, is it time for me to do this right now? And she's like, absolutely, let's figure it out.
So, we looked up when Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur were, and we looked at it. And I could not get Yom Kippur off because, again, it was a smaller group of sports center anchors. There are like uh We can't give the day off to more than just two of you.
So they couldn't give me off the highest of holidays. And I'm like, okay, well, who's? I thought Steve Levy and Linda Cohn, like, who else? I'm going to my house. Charleston.
I'm like, Charlie, like, you know, I get it. And she told me, no, the two people were, I think it was Steve Levy and Jack Edwards. Edwards. And I'm like, Jack Edwards? He's a Gentile.
Jack Edwards is. taking off young people.
Well, he he you know, he married into the faith. And I was taking the day off. And this is the conversation I had. I had. Have I never told you this story?
I don't think I've heard it. I don't know if I've ever heard of it. This is the conversation I had. Again, I'm 26. I just asked for a vacation.
All right. But. And was granted, but I just felt I had to do this. And I'm like, Jack Edwards, they explained to me that he's converted and this is important to him, and he's taken the day off. And I'm like...
But can I get it? And it's like, no, he's got. Tenure He's been here a long time. You just walked in the door. And I'm like, yes, but I'm more tenured as a Jew.
Does that count? By the way, great argument. That's a great argument. Great argument. If we're talking about tenure here at the company, I lose.
If we're talking about tenure as a Jewish person, I win, like, this is like 80 to nothing. Yeah, right. You know, like, look at the scoreboard. Right. You know how it was at Bar Mitchford?
13 years ago, which I was 26, like. It was summarily rejected. Black balloon, yeah. And as it turned out, like when it came to it, they just gave me the day off anyway. But that was the conversation when it first would have been laughing.
Yeah. And that's what this whole thing reminds me of here. Yeah, I mean. Who would you even go to? Is that a...
Roger situation, or is that what's the parking lot? I mean, because again, like, I know that owns the building. I know I'm more tenured because Staley was the defensive coordinator for the Rams. They're more tenured than I am at that facility. True, they've been there.
But I'm more tenured as an NFL person. Right. Right, right, right. All-encompassing. Oh, I absolutely have got to go to the commissioner for it.
And there's no question about it.
Next time he comes on this program, I will absolutely use the real estate to ask the commissioner to help me get the parking spot, get the new spot. Closer. To the building, than the two head coaches of the team. Rich, Brockman only wants to know so he can use your spot for the game when we go to the games. Yeah, you could charge it.
I would just slip you a guy. I think, yeah. Yeah, I could slip you for the little parking pass, a little something, something. Because I mean, I already have a parking VIP spot. You know what?
I might have to consider that for the two of you guys, but when you flip your tickets to somebody else, they don't get it. No idea. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So do I bring this up with S with Staley?
Right now? Yeah, ask him where his spot is. Yeah, where does he park? I'm curious.
Okay. I mean, this is Los Angeles. I got to think parking is premium here. Just talking to somebody because, you know, they turned Dodger Stadium into from a testing site into also a vaccine site. And somebody told me that they went there, and I'm like, so do you have to go inside the stadium?
They're like, no, you stay in your car. I'm like, just like every time you go to Dodger Stadium, you don't ever get out of your car. You sit there for hours. Does Frank McCourt still get a cut of vaccine? 10% of Moderna?
Yeah. Well, Pfizer stock.
Okay, do you have your news update over here? I got a few. Let's say in a few minutes here. Chris Brockman with a news update here on the Rich Eisen Show. Go ahead.
Uh And now, with a report of the day's news from the world of sports and entertainment, someone who is not a journalist or newsman by any definition of the word whatsoever, it's Chris Brockman. All right, Chris, we've got to get through this in the next few minutes because I can't tell Brandon Staley we were late for him because I was telling the story about Jack Edwards getting Yom Kippur over me in 1996.
Okay. Can't say I went down a high holiday wormhole.
Okay. High holiday wormhole. That's a great one. Very good. That's a good fantasy.
Okay. Saw this this morning. We've been talking a lot about Aaron Rodgers for the last day or two. And his post-game comments looked pretty dejected. Questioned his future with the team.
So, CEO, Packer CEO Mark Murphy. Was on something called the fifth quarter show on WNFL and Green Bay. There you go. Talked about Rogers' comments, and I quote. We're not idiots.
Aaron Rodgers will be back. He's our leader.
So I think that shuts the door on him. I mean, he's got three years. Again, they've got three years left on the contract. And he, you know, I. And it's it's crazy how Day two of the news cycle.
is now blowing back on on Aaron Rodgers. There were two possessions. They went three and out after they picked off Brady. That was before the fourth and eight that he wasn't allowed to take the snap for. And, you know, they got the two picks and how in three and out both times.
And how come all season long, it was just like no big deal about the drafting of Jordan Love, and then they lose, and all of a sudden it's a big deal. But it's not like he made it a big deal. He just chuckled when he said, including me, with talking about the future. And he doesn't know what his future holds. You know what I'm saying?
So He'll be back at 2021, but clearly everything is seen through the prism of. Not going as all in for him, roster and everything as was for Brady and anybody. You're seeing also coming out of. Green Bay. A lot of table pounding for Guta Kundst actually putting pieces together for Rogers, that that's a false narrative, that he's done nothing for him.
Although the best pieces of real estate a general manager could use to improve a team is a first and second round draft choice, I would say. Best QB uh best wide receiver draft. In a long time last year, didn't take a single one.
Next news cycle comes when Aaron Rodgers decides to speak again. Yeah. What else you got to wear them? Whatever that may be. And we're going to talk to Chargers head coach Brandon Staley in a second.
Yes, sir. He's a defensive guy, been the Rams D.C. for a while. Although, former quarterback of the Dayton Flyers. How about that?
Yes, sir. He hired an O.C. It's Joe Lombardi. Yes. Former Lions O.C.
He's with the Saints for a long time as their QB coach. Joe Lombardi is going to be tasked with. Nurturing Justin Herbert into a superstar. And you know where Joe Lombardi comes from on the Brandon Staley radar screen? Brandon Staley was a quarterback at the University of Dayton for two years, and then for his final year of eligibility, I've never heard have you ever heard of Mercyhurst University?
In Erie, Pennsylvania. Have you ever heard of that? No.
Okay, he was a quarterback there. Do you know who his offense is? You have heard of that? Have you heard of that?
Okay, so you have heard of that, correct?
Okay. I should have turned to the Kieran Stater when I was one year old.
Well, you know who his play caller was in his senior year? Joel and Barney. How about them? Isn't it crazy how jobs are acquired and whatever? And so, I guess he's been around Sean Payton and Drew Bees.
Breeze, here you go. He gets a Justin Herbert golden ticket. Rock on. And you know how I've been having my fun that Daryl Bevel got the golden ticket next to Urban Meyer.
Next to Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence. Apparently, Beville's departure is what caused Stafford to say, I'm out of here. That's the reporting out of Detroit, but he wanted Beville to stay. When Beville's gone, he's just like, okay. That's that.
I'm out. That was before the kneecap biting and the hunk taken and all that stuff, yes. With no teeth, right? They got their teeth. I can't keep track of it, man.
And that's how they're taking it. I'm not a dentist, I'm a host. Chris Some Super Bowl injury news. Super Bowl injury news as we're still less than two weeks away. Yes, sir.
Looks like Le'on Bell and Sammy Watkins are going to be okay to go for the Chiefs. Antonio Brown should be okay as Antoine Winfield Jr. That's a big one. That's a biggie. They're going to need him.
Isn't it amazing? He's going to be ready, according to Diana Rossini. I guess, you know, you're like, you know what? I don't mind seeing Brady and Gronk in a Super Bowl because they won you so much.
So much. I wonder, Steelers fans, what do you think of Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell being in this game? And Bruce Arians. What do you think? 844-204-RICH is the number to dial.
That's a way for you to. Mm-hmm. As a Jet fan, I'm pissed seeing L'éveon Bell in the Super Bowl. I wonder what a Steeler fan would think. And it would have been Paul Newman's birthday today.
Oh, man. 1925. Wow. All right, I want to talk about that a little later. How does that sound?
I like it. 84420 Full Rich number to dial because we need to be on time for Brandon Staley, baby. The Los Angeles Charger. head coach has no idea. I'm going to talk parking with him.
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This is the Rich Eisen Show. We're back here on The Rich Eisen Show, 844-204, Rich. Number to dial. We'll take your phone calls in a moment. But the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers is on the phone line.
His name is Brandon Staley. How are you, coach? Thanks so much for having me, Rich. Doing great. Excellent.
Excellent. Thank you for being here on the program.
Okay, let's get right into it here. When did you first know that you could that you were winding up on the Chargers radar screen? Coach, what did that first come about for you? Three. Rich, I think later in the season, I think towards the back half of it, you kind of become aware that you may have a chance to compete, you know that you're a name that you know, is on people's radars, but uh you know, I think we were just we were in the thick of that.
So, I didn't know if that interest was serious or not, but I knew that we were having a great run. I knew that there was a potential possibility that maybe I could get some interviews, but I didn't know if I didn't have a strong sense at that point whether or not it could become a reality. And now here it is a reality, and um Part of the job, obviously, the large responsibility is to help Justin Herbert continue rolling on the manner in which he rolled on. The funny thing is, I'm sure you would attest.
So many people are like, well, why are you hiring a defensive coordinator when you've got to have Justin Herbert? But you're a quarterback, first and foremost, are you not, sir? Correct? Yes, sir. Yeah, that that's what I played and and I feel like that's how I coach.
I coached, you know, through the eyes of that position and I feel like that's been the you know, kind of the hallmark of my defensive coaching career for sure. And I think what I'm so excited about, Rich, is now being able to Um you know help all three phases of the game, but specifically our quarterback, who, as everyone knows, is really, really unique and really special. Yeah, I mean to go from James Madison to John Carroll to the Bears to the Broncos to the Rams to the Chargers. I mean, you've had a lot of different uniforms that you've worn over the last couple of years. What do you make of this journey, Brandon?
Do you sit back and wonder about how you've ascended so quickly in the coaching profession? Mm-hmm. You know, Rich, I think I think there's there's I think what it represents for me is just a purpose that I've tried to be that I've tried to To compete with really my whole life, but just trying to. you know, earn as many opportunities that are going to help my game overall and where I can become the best version of myself. That's been something that I've been really intentional about since I was a little kid.
And I think You know, you never know what your path's going to be. You just got to be ready for the path, and that's what I've tried to do, is take advantage of the opportunities. That I've been given, and you know, just try and really work at my game.
So, hopefully, when you do get an opportunity like this one, that you're ready for it, you know, and I think. you know, my path may not make sense. to people on the outside, but I think To me and the people that are close to me, it makes perfect sense. How does it make perfect sense to you and everyone close to you? Walk me through that.
What do you mean by that? Yeah, I I just think that, you know, all the the experiences I had working, you know, really just as a kid all the way up and you know, a lot of personal stuff and then just the professional side of things. I was able to have a global lens of the game, you know, coaching every position on defense, being a former quarterback, having access to the NFL where you're in college, but you kind of have this double education going. And I felt so close to the NFL my whole career. It's not like I just started learning about the NFL four years ago.
I mean, it's been a, you know, You know, a dream of mine to coach in this league for a long time. And I was working at it so that, you know, if I did get an opportunity, I would be ready for it. And I think along the way, all those Experiences at those schools that you mentioned, they helped shape me as a leader, as a coach. And, you know, I think that when I got to the NFL right away, I knew, hey, you know, I have the stuff to be able to take it a long way here and do it at a high level. Brandon Staley, L.A.
Chargers head coach, new head coach here on the Rich Eisen Show. How did you first get on Vic Fangio's radar screen? How did that happen? Yeah, so a good friend of mine, Dave Ragone, who just got the offensive coordinator job with Atlanta. Dave was a quarterback for the Houston Texans when Vic was the D coordinator.
So their relationship went back a ways. Then they hooked up together in Chicago when Dave was the quarterback coach. And Vic was looking for a young outside linebacker coach. That he could kind of groom. You know, that's the position that he coached.
And Dave and I are Cleveland guys. You know, we're both from the same neck of the woods, and you know, one of our best friends. was my head coach at John Carroll, and he knew that the defense that we had been running Um, you know, I patterned a lot of it after Vick's defenses in San Francisco. you know, a lot of our teach tape, a lot of the, you know, the Stuff that I had, you know, try to incorporate was from Vic. I just had so much respect from afar, and you know, Dave knew that, and he felt like.
you know, th it could be a really good fit. And when I was able to get in front of Vic, Um you know, just certainly an opportunity of a lifetime. You know, he means so much to me. And, you know, in your second year there in Chicago. Out of the sky comes Khalil Mack, then you follow Vic to Denver, and there's Von Miller, and then you go to.
The Rams, and there's Aaron Donald, and now you're here, and there's Joey Bosa. You know, that doesn't happen, right? Usually, that we're yeah, one of my favorite people is Ed Donatelle, and he reminds me of that often. He reminds me of that often, and he stays with it. He doesn't ever let me forget it.
So, yeah, you know, you're. you know, the great fortune you have and and at the same time, You know, Rich, as you also know, you have great responsibility when you're coaching guys like that. You know, so. I think that that's been such a blessing for me is to be around guys like that because I've learned a lot more from them than they've probably learned from me.
So, you know, and then interesting, part of the reason why I want to find out about how you wound up on Fangio's radar screen is, you know, I was looking up because, you know, coach, this might be our first conversation. I am a lead pipe wielding professional, so I like to be prepared. You know, I found out Joe Lombardi and you go way back. I'll be honest with you, I've not heard of Mercy Hearst before I hit the Google machine. But is that where you guys, is that where you know him from?
He was your coach when you were the quarterback there? Is that it? Yeah, I. You know, I played four years at Dayton, Rich. Uh, you know, started there and was captain.
And then, um, after our mom passed away, you know, I have a twin brother who played at Mercyhurst. And we just kind of said, Hey, we're gonna join up for, you know, our fifth year and play play together, you know.
So I went to Mercyhurst and I d I didn't know who Joe was at that time, but he was my offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. That really started an amazing relationship. I learned so much from him that year, and then just when he went to the NFL, just always stayed in touch and You know, that was a way that I stayed connected to the NFL. And I felt like I was learning the game through the eyes of Drew Brees, you know, as a young guy. And, you know, I'm just so thankful for him.
You know, and now we get the team up together. It's it's it's really special. It is. I mean, it's crazy. He's your offensive coordinator, your head coach in the NFL in Southern California.
which didn't even, you know, was wasn't even on the Charger's radar screen, let alone maybe the NFL's when you were going through their your first experience with trailer. It's unbelievable, Brandon. That's crazy. Yeah, you know, it it is. It's like I said, you know, I think I'm hopefully an example that dreams come true and that Hopefully, if you surround yourself with good people, you know, everyone says that, but if you do that, And you do it with the right way with a lot of purpose and a lot of care that that good things can happen.
Okay. Brandon Staley, LA Chargers, head coach here on the Rich Eisen Show.
So is it safe to Than say that what we saw, the offense of Sean Payton's, and obviously what Joe Lombardi is able to put together. Is what you are putting into place here in Los Angeles for one of the most talented rookie quarterbacks we've ever seen. Is that a safe assumption? Yeah. Well, what you know, I think certainly our foundation With the way we want to play is New Orleans.
You know, I think that what we're going to do, and why I'm so excited to team up with Joe, is that he just has a really large inventory to work with to shape this offense around Justin. You know, I think that that was so, what was special about interviewing Joe for this role was just, you know, the. Knowing how they shaped that offense, you know, Sean and Pete Carmichael, for Drew, you know, and making it uniquely Drew's.
now we have this opportunity to shape a new offense around Justin Herbert, because Justin and Drew are very different players. Drew's First ballot hall of famer, one of the best quarterbacks to ever throw a football and lead a team. But Justin is different than he is. And so our offense has to look different. And I think that that's what we're so excited about is being able to shape it around him, but also knowing that, hey, you know, one of the premium offenses in the NFL over the last fifteen years You know, that's going to be our starting point.
So, you know, just I'm excited for Joe and Justin to connect, and we're going to put a fantastic staff around him. And as you know, it's a team game. It's us being able to put a team together in all three phases. And I think that, you know, as you said, Justin Herbert is an awfully good place to start. And I'm excited for him and Joe to team up.
And Los Angelinos had a front row seat to your defense this year and how shut down it was. and how remarkable it was. And now is that the type of defense and the scheme that we're expecting to see? You hired Ronaldo Hill from the Broncos staff, who I'm ass assuming you you knew from your days there. How can we draw a through line based on what we saw here in Los Angeles for the co-tenants of your same home?
Yeah, absolutely, Rich. You know, I'm so excited to team up with R. Hill, as you know, tenure vet, and was a tremendous player. In the league, a former seventh-round pick that played over a decade in the NFL, and his experience, his knowledge, and then. having that foundation in our scheme with Vic.
I'm excited to team up with him and our other coaches. We've got a uh really special staff that we're forming here and i you know Certainly the foundation rich will be those tenants that you saw, but again, You know, that team that we had with the Rams. You know, it's going to be, you know, it it's different than the one that we have here with the Chargers.
So but I think those staples, those foundational pieces will definitely be there. And that's why I think, you know, Rich, when you look at it from a total team perspective, the way we play on offense and the way we play on defense, they match up. And I think that, that's so important, the teams that stand the test of time you know, they align in all three phases and and that was really important to me in this process.
Well, Brandon, I don't think I'm telling any tales out of school with you since you were also right here in Los Angeles and you might be an observer of this, but I have to ask this question on behalf of all Chargers fans. I don't know if you've noticed, but a lot of Chargers games end weirdly. They're kind of weird. They kind of go sideways. And a lot of those times are because sometimes they're Their coaches have some clock management issues or decisions that are made in the final two minutes.
It's your first head coaching rodeo. How do you plan to game plan for stuff like that? Like, what's your preparation that you can put out on the table here that can maybe ease some of the Chargers fans' jangled nerves when the clock hits two minutes in a tight game? For them. Yeah, yeah, Chris, I think that You know, Rich, I think it's such a great point.
You have to surround yourself with a team of teams on your staff. You have to have a line of communication that connects all three phases of the game, and then you have to have. You know, you have to tie in your analytics. and your coaching staff together. I think that what this movement in the last five to seven years has kind of expressed is that it's really about decision making.
and not that you're going to make a perfect decision, but that you can live with your decision making process. And there's so many decisions that happen quickly that you can actually be ahead of if you've prepared for them during the week. You can kind of uh You know those things and And I think that that's where the NFL has really changed in the last five to seven years. And I think us just having a very consistent and streamlined way of communicating on game day is a great place to start. And I think that our staff and our setup will represent that.
And as my first time as a head coach, Rich, you know that you don't do it alone. And that's why leaning on the experiences of our coordinators, of our analytics personnel department, we just have to put together a really sharp setup and one that You know, it doesn't just show up on game day, Rich. It's a part of every day, every day with the Chargers. it's set up like that.
So these things that happen aren't happening for the first time when it's live.
Well, I guess, you know, i i in that respect, like do you do you game out analytics to the point where like let's just say it's um let's say it's fourth in goal from the eight yard line and uh you're down eight. And you choose to kick a field goal instead of allowing your quarterback to go for it on fourth and eight against Tom Brady. I'm just throwing these things out there. Do you make that decision to kick the field goal or do you go for it? Brandon Staley, what do you do?
Well, number one, I love the creativity of it. You just kind of imagine that situation, you know. I'm just plucking things out of the air. You know what I mean? I'm just plucking things.
So, and I and I can sense that maybe there's a rhetorical nature to that. No, how about this, though? No, but how about this, though? How about this, though? Because if I'm not mistaken, if I'm not mistaken, didn't Sean McVay against Tom Brady and the Bucs turn it over to your defense to close it out?
This year? Didn't that happen this year? If I'm not mistaken? He did. And we did close it out.
Yes, you did. And I remember thinking to myself, I'm like, oh my gosh, this is actually happening. It's so rare to see that. But uh that's so I guess You would leave it to your defense then. No, I think uh, listen, I think that number one, As you know, there's just so much respect for people around the league, right?
You're never going to. You know, judge or the high the sort of the advantage of hindsight, as we all know, but. I think that In that circumstance, even if you've studied in the last couple of days the actual analytics of that decision. it wasn't like it was like a no brainer. Oh, if you really study what the people have, you know, at least what I've read, it's not like it was like a no-brainer decision.
Either way, I think it was a tight one and I think it just kind of depends on probably what your your position is. Um you know, I think that uh you know, in that moment, you know, with Chester and Herbert, You know, you'd love to give him a chance to compete. And then, if it doesn't go down, you got three timeouts in the two minutes. They got 92 yards to go. It probably.
extra aggressiveness because of their field position. And then hopefully you can get the ball back. with good go position and a chance Uh to finish it. Before I let you go, Brandon Staley, as you know, it's a full house there in SoFi. You went from the Rams to the Chargers.
I don't know if you're aware, but NFL Network is coming there in 2021.
So I have to ask you, and I know that this is precious real estate with a head coach in the NFL, but it's important to me. How's the park in there? How's the park in there? Is it good? Parking situation?
I've got to be totally transparent. I took the bus down there every single day, did not drive down there. Come on. I have no ability to assess that question. Ah.
Zero. Zero. I just know that it's an awesome venue.
Okay. So you know that. But in terms of you can't assess the parking situation, does that mean I'm I can. No, and I can't assess the traffic, pandemic, no clue about like real LA traffic. You know, I can't.
Comment on that either.
So I'm I'm I'm a poor resource when it comes to that.
Okay, so who gets the spot next to the stadium? You or McVeigh? I mean, let's be honest now. What do you think? Who gets that spot?
Well Maybe we can shoot some free throws for it this summer. Oh, are you a good free throw shooter, too? Is that what you're saying, coach? Is that what you're saying? I mean, I'm just saying there's maybe there's ways we could figure it out.
Okay. Well, always competing. Always competing. I understand. But if you see my spot, if you see my car there, just understand.
You know, I've been around the NFL about 18 years.
So. Yeah, well, I got to tell you this, Rich, too. My twin brother is like. besides you is like one of the biggest Michigan fans in the world.
So Growing up in Ohio? Growing up in Ohio? Yeah, so our high school coach played at Michigan for Bo, though.
So our high school. know, fights on with the victors, like so, um Do you feel it's I'm liking you even more, Brandon. My brother wanted me to give the big shout out in the Go Blue. Right back at him. Thanks for the call, Coach.
Appreciate it. I hope this is the first of many times. Appreciate the call. Yeah, thank you so much, Richard. You got it.
That's Brandon Staley. Does not know about the parking situation in SoFi. What gives, man? Took the bus.
Well, I'm sure they just, you know, they got up there in Thousand Oaks where the Rams facilities and just, you know, brought them in. And then you take the bus and you go back. Wow. You know Chris Brockman. Del Tufo as well.
Parking situation in the NFL network? Oh boy. I had a spot though that I used to get up on the top. Oh, yeah. You got a spot at the top, huh?
I'm a top deck. I used to have a guy to camp. Look at Brockman's face. How the hell did he get a spot in the top? Unless you worked like the 3 a.m.
shift, you couldn't get a spot. I knew Terry. I had a guy.
So basically, they had to blow up a casino in order to get good spots for us. I'm assuming can't suss out the parking situation. Racetrack. All right, when we come back, your phone call is 844-204-RICH. And yes, in advance of Michelle Tefoya joining us about her podcast.
on Kobe Bryant and the one year anniversary of his passing. We recall the day that we sat down with Kobe. A couple years ago. And if you don't know what we're talking about, it's a pretty special sound bike. 844-204-RICH, number to dial here on this busy edition of the Rich Isid Show.
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844-204-Rich, number to Don. We'll take your calls in a second. Chris Brockman, do you have the news? I mean, pardon me, the update on our poll question over there. Do you have that poll?
I do. I do. So we're looking at Brady and LeBron, just comparing these two still playing, still active GOATs. Who's more impressive doing what they're doing at their age? Tom, Brady, LeBron, James.
68% TB12.
Okay. Guys in the Super Bowl. It's 10th. I mean, it's insane. 18% of all Super Bowls feature Tom Brady.
Tom Brady. Right. And what is it about? I'm just saying off the top of my head, I'm sure I'm wrong. Thirty two of them or thirty four of them were played before he played in any of them.
Well, 36. Which one was first? 35? 36. 36.
36. That's right. 35 were played. 35 were played before he played in. 36 is his first.
And he's an 18% of them. Yeah. Of all. Of all. Unreal.
Unreal. Let's go to Nathan in LA. We'll take your phone call. What's up, Nathan? Hey, good to talk to you again.
Thanks for calling. Absolutely. I couldn't help but think, and I've thought this since they became Super Bowl content participants. Yes. Can you think of two more kindred spirit individuals as coaches than Bruce Arians and Andy Reid.
You know what? Again, they're definitely from a similar age group. Arians is about six years older than Andy Reid, but they are two guys that have been there, done that, obviously, and have been a head coach before, but Arians. Uh Decided he was done. In Arizona, Andy Reid got fired in Philadelphia, and both of them are out of the proverbial, you know, what's to give.
You know, so they're all out of those to give, essentially. And they're basically no risket, no biscuit, non-stop, going forward on fourth down wherever they are. They've got weapons all over the place and two terrific offensive coordinators at their sides helping dial up the plays and figure out what the playbook is. And thanks to the call, Nathan. I think that's not a bad comparison.
And you're going to hear these comparisons all next week, too. But Aaron's never won one. And Reed's trying to get his second in a row, by the way. Belichick's the last coach to do it before that was Mike Shanahan. That's it.
That's it in the last quarter century of football. It could be read. Belichick Shanahan. That's it. You think Mike gets in eventually?
I don't know why he's not even on that list just yet. Yeah. Oh yeah. 'Cause, you know, he was part of the Bill Walsh. Right.
Then he got that shot with the Raiders way too soon, I guess. I guess. Oh, my gosh. Two.
So back in 2018, we, you know. Reached out to Kobe Bryant, said we'd love to.
Well, when we first came on the year 2014, we wanted Kobe on. He called in every now and then, but I got the chance to sit down with him. in twenty eighteen in advance of 824. 2018. LeBron had just arrived in Los Angeles that summer.
He had just arrived in in Los Angeles the month before. If you remember, it was a July day when he infrared. I think it was the 4th of July. He showed up in a private jet. Everything and it was just a release.
They didn't do anything uh On that day, big. It was just a press release. He's coming, he's here. And then the conversation was all over the place about how in the world is he going to be a real Laker, right? How in the world can this guy was a Cav, then a Heath, then a Cav, now he's a Laker.
We know he's coming here for his. Movie and television businesses, anyway. How's he going to actually win here? And does he need to win here? And how quickly does he need to win here?
And all that business. And there was a red-hot rumor. That Kobe Might even think for two seconds, come out of retirement, right? Come back. All that was the backdrop when I went down to Orange County and he's like, Let's, he said, yes, come on in, had a camera crew.
set up, it was in his offices of his production company. Which had just As you know, with his dear basketball letter, Won an Oscar. No big deal.
Okay. That was your backdrop to me sitting down with Kobe Bryant. When I spoke to Jeannie, she said that she would have you do anything you'd like for the Lakers franchise. Has she communicated that to you?
Okay, she has. Even a rumor that you might consider even maybe coming out of retirement. To play. One more time for the Lakers. Right.
I see you're laughing. There's nothing to that, right? There's about a 0% chance that I come back and play.
So, not even like a? Nothing. Zero. your toast. You're finished.
Done. As a player. That's it. Did last year at any point with you going through your first season not playing basketball? Never.
Not once did you think about it? Never. Here's the thing: for us athletes, it's really hard to transition from that. And I was really personal about it when I wrote Deer Basketball. But that is the true challenge.
of finding what comes next and finding something that you love to do every bit as much as you love your first passion. That is a challenge for us. And I think, unfortunately for us athletes, we've been pigeonholed into thinking that we can only be one thing. And so when I'm retiring, everybody is saying, okay, he's too competitive. He's not going to know what to do with himself.
He's going to have to come back. I took that as a personal challenge. of them thinking I'm this one-dimensional person. All I know is how to dribble the ball, shoot the ball, and play basketball and compete at that level. And so I took that as a personal challenge.
I will never come back to the game. Ever. I'm here to show people that we can do much more than that. And creating this business, winning an Oscar, winning the I mean the Annie, those are things that are showing other athletes that come after, no, no. There's more to this thing.
Right. So I would never, it's not even a Not even a thought.
So the goal was an e-got, you want the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar? The challenge became how do I take the lessons that I learned through the game of basketball and translate them into building? The studio. What are the things that I can take from that? The discipline, the commitment?
the team and community. How do you get the best out of each other? How do I take those lessons and move those here? That is the challenge. How do we do great work, uncompromising great work?
You're not looking at the bottom line. You're focused on the product first. Is this the best thing that we can possibly make no matter what? And having that sharp focus is something that I got from the game of basketball. You know, and he was saying, too, as we're remembering the day that he and his daughter Gianna.
passed away with seven others on that helicopter. He was talking about how he had everything set up too. That he knew that the next thing was coming out, I believe he mentioned was a podcast. And we do have the Mamba mentality coffee table book, Susie. got it 'cause she's You know.
She's uh known Kobe a lot longer than I did, actually. I mean, I first met Kobe on that Sports Center commercial set.
Well you came in and Stuart Scott and I were in a break room and we were watching him. take chip you know, buy chips from a um a machine, a vending machine, and we were all talking about how he was doing everything like Michael. You know, that was the That was the the the gag and You know, I just met him that day, but Susie was covering him. My wife was covering him. out here in Los Angeles when he and Shaq and Phil were going through their Three-ring circus, as Jeff Perlman has called it in his Excellent book on those days.
And um Saw Kobe two days before I got married. in New York City, ran into him in New York City and Susie's like, hey, do you want to come to the wedding? He's like, I would, but I got to leave tomorrow. Oof.
So, Michael Irvin was the one at the wedding in the blue, the electric blue tuxedo because Susie invited him. I didn't know him at the time either. But the reason why I bring all this up is that, you know, he. He had it all mapped out. He had it all ready to go and mapped out.
that the podcast and the coffee table book and then there was going to be other productions in the hopper. He said he had it mapped out two, three years down the road. Like when he said that he had a plan and he wanted to bring a plan, like the basketball world to his studio is referred to it. Like it was all ready to go. And, you know, that's why when Um you know, later on in In 2019, you know, we want to have him on again.
And it's just like, well, we just did you in 2018. We'll have you on for X, Y, and Z when it comes out. Like he had everything mapped out. He had all his appearances mapped out. He had his whole business plan mapped out.
He had all of the different products he wanted to have associated with his brand and his production company all mapped out. Ripped away from us. All of us. What a shame. No other way to put it.
And then, of course, who his daughter was becoming. everyone who knew her and knew what Kobe was pouring into her as uh a girl dad. And how terrific she was becoming at the sport and all of that. Yeah. Just rips you, it just literally rips my guts out every time I think about it.
One year ago today. It really was, I think, right about now when I was in the airport. Because my flight was taking off at 2 Eastern 11 in the morning Pacific. It was right around now. that my phone started going off.
I called Susie up and I told her, and she's like, she couldn't believe it. We all thought it has to be, let's hope it's false or. you know that there is going to be some sort of Miracle survival rate, or what have you. But then we looked out, I looked out the window, and I just saw it was the. There was fog everywhere.
I couldn't believe my flight was taking off to the Super Bowl that day. Oh, my word. Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show, right here on the Rich Eisen Show Terrestrial Radio Network and Sirius XM Channel 211 NBC Sports Audio on the NBC Sports on Peacock app. If you want to see us, that's how you can see us. Michelle Tafoya of NBC Sports has her podcast goes in a deep dive on a single subject.
And Kobe Bryant is her latest podcast, my favorite Kobe story on Sports Uncovered, with Michelle Tofoyo, who's our next guest, before the actor Aldous Hodge joins us in a moment.
