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Switch to Apple Cash. Apple Cash services are provided by Greenbot Bank member FDIC. 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. There's a lot of unknowns going into this offseason now. Peter King. Aaron Rodgers has three years left on his contract. Ryan Gudekins is just going to say, hey, listen, let's give this a month.
Everybody, just calm down. Today's guests: Buccaneers head coach, Bruce Arians, Chargers head coach, Brandon Staley, from NBC Sports, Michelle Tafoya, plus actor Aldous Hodge. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody. Welcome to this edition of The Rich Eisen Show here on the.
Tuesday after championship Sunday, we're going to be going. Crazy waiting for this Super Bowl 55 game. My name is Rich Eisen. That's the name of the program. Good to see you, Christopher Brockman over there.
How are you, brother? Hey, buddy. And Mike Del Tufo, good to see you in your position. And TJ Jefferson settling himself into the chair after dead solid perfect putt to start our program. Hey, Rich, I'd just like to let everyone know that I'm announcing my entry into the 2021 WWE Royal Rumble.
So that's cool. There you go. Is that part of the Peacock synergy that the WWE is now part of the Peacock? Yeah, and so I figure, you know, if everyone's just announcing they're in the Royal Rumble, I'm going to be in the Royal Rumble. Oh, is that for you?
I'll be honest with you. You know, is that what's happening right now? Should I know this sort of thing?
Next week, it's happening. No, but is everybody even making that announcement right now?
Well, I mean, you have to be someone who feels like you have a chance to win it.
Okay. You know, and otherwise, don't waste everyone's time. Thank you very much. By the way, happy birthday, Sasha Banks. See, you didn't know that one TV.
Okay, look at you guys. To the boss. Happy birthday to the boss. I'm going to take control of this show over again, if that's all right. Is that okay, guys?
I'm at it, Rich. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, everybody. LeBron James, that's what I wanted to talk about to start. Because Aaron Rodgers is still a member of the Green Bay Packers. Let's just start the program.
He's there. Deshaun Watson's still in Houston, and we're waiting for the exit visas of Matthew Stafford. And we're waiting for the Super Bowl.
So while that's all going down, you know, I'd like to start with LeBron. And because we're we're Rightfully fetting Tom Brady in the world of football. At age 43, what he is doing is insane, and the way that Brady's doing it. And the way that he did it yesterday is one of the Reasons why, as I pointed out on yesterday's show, That there's such hard feelings for Aaron Rodgers that Brady comes into his house. With his new team in his new situation at age 43 after 20 years of doing it the same way and he deciding, you know what, before my window of opportunity closes, I'm going to go somewhere else and I'm going to start fresh and I'm going to get a whole bunch of players around me that I'm all in on and the team is clearly all in on me because they're getting all these players around me.
And Aaron Rodgers is seeing Brady doing it the way that he's doing it and probably thinking to himself. Maybe I need to start thinking about doing it. A different way also. And Brady is just at the top of his game, age 43, and Rogers is probably sitting there watching that, maybe a bit of wanderlust. that he's not going to be able to take advantage of right now because of his contractual status.
The Green Bay Packers have already chimed in on it, and Mark Murphy, the president of the team. Saying that Rogers is their guy. He's going to be their quarterback next year. Quote unquote, we're not stupid. is what he said.
Hey.
So, the reason why I bring all that up is Rogers is looking at Brady and thinking all about all these things. And also, he's, you know. Based on the way Brady's doing it, and Rogers could, you know, have an AR-12 system, I'm sure. He's got six more years to go.
So He could find a new spot and have a lot of good years still to go right there. But it is still rare to see somebody play that long. And Drew Brees at age 41 clearly being. on the verge of retirement. shows you how the windows of opportunities can open and close.
But what LeBron James is doing at age 36 right now. having just won the championship last year. At age 35, he turned 36 in December. What he's doing right now is off the charts. Amazing.
It truly is amazing what he's doing. And sure, we are talking about his 46-point Performance last night in Cleveland, his only stop of his in his hometown being a Western Conference. Player now. And how it's special for him to be there, and it's very special for him to play well there and show up and show out. And normally it would be for the fans, and obviously.
That's Not full arena he's playing in front of now because of the pandemic. But age 36 to put up 46, including 21 in the fourth quarter, going nine of 10 from the floor with two steals and two assists and two blocks, outscoring the Cavaliers personally in the fourth quarter. 21-19 to close out a plucky team that did, in fact. As we all know, on that very floor last week. defeat the Nets in their first game with Durant, Hardin and Kyrie on the floor.
But the most important statistic for me for LeBron James that he's got going for him right now. He's 18 for 18. in games played. Look, I'm paying a little bit more attention to it, admittedly, because we have our fantasy league, right? This year, the Rich Eisen Show Fantasy League.
Absolutely. We've got a whole bunch of all of us. Mine is still Tufo on the air is in this league. I won't mention where everyone is on the standings just out of respect for you, TJ, even though I guess just did kind of mention it. Wow.
DFL TJ sitting in the corner right there. Every single show on NBC Sports on Peacock. Has some form of representation. McLovin for Dan Patrick Show, Holly and Smith of Brother from Another, which we'll take you to. Every day here?
We even reached out to Florio. And I say that not because Florio is not worthy of being reached out to, but you don't associate basketball with him. Exactly. Football guy. And I think he has his son operating the team.
Correct. He's handed it off to his son. Operating his team. And his son, I think, is handing things off to the basketball fantasy version of Jack Easterby because it's just there's a lot of questions going on with his team as well. Hi, Mike.
But the reason why I bring all this up is I'm a lot more attuned to the rest of the league and who is playing and who's not. Because I'm not only paying attention to this league, and I'm not only pensioned to pay attention to the league as a whole, because that's my job to do it. But my two sons are in fantasy leagues. I'm noticing who's playing and who's not, and the number of superstars on his level. who have played every game who have not had the The the tweak back.
or the tweaked knee or the foot. or the shoulder or all of that that is Potentially something that these players are dealing with and getting nicked up. Or just load management dressed up in other Clothing. Because you can't load manage anymore based on the NBA. We're seeing a heck of a lot of guys, including Joe LMB.
Last night. Making a great case for his MVP run this year by not playing. You could see they're a different team without him. Because they do play tonight, do they not? The Philadelphia 76ers.
You're seeing front ends, back ends sitting down. LeBron is answering the bell every single day. Single. Time. And he's playing every possible minute he can play, and he's not.
At all showing a single Moment of wear and tear. None. He's getting stronger. It's amazing what he's doing. And he's answering the bell, and it's not like, well, for the fans, this, that, the other thing that are in the stands.
That he's LeBron James. He's got to play. He's playing every game. Leads the team in minutes play. You know, it's one thing for Harold to play all 18 games and Kuzmin to play all the 18 games, which they're doing.
But LeBron's playing all 18 games. He's 18 for 18 in games played this year. in a pandemic. Without a bubble. And to that I say that that to me is the most impressive.
The most impressive. And he's also doing it in a way Where It's a pride thing. It's a pride thing. We've seen the video. You've seen the video on your Twitter feed.
You've seen the video either on Sports Center or wherever you take in your. Your highlights. You see the video of him missing the shot at the buzzer at the third quarter last night, and him just sort of looking over his shoulder as he's walking down the court. And he looks at somebody, kind of gives them a look and he nods his head like, Okay. Apparently, that was a team executive.
for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Who has since been identified as Jason Hillman? Who is the Cavs basketball chief of staff? Uh-oh. The Ronald Klain of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Not many athletes. these days will take anything as the old Jordan slight. Not many athletes will take anybody as the yes. I will mention his name for the first of many times here. Today?
Kobe Bryant's like The old mamba mentality And LeBron was clearly thinking of Kobe last night. as he in his fourth quarter dominance. Made a three from the corner and hopped on one leg as it was in the air and goes through the net. Just like Kobe did. It was last night one year To the day?
That LeBron passed Kobe Bride. On the all-time scoring list to become the third all-time leading scorer in NBA history. That was the one-year anniversary of that last night. Which means it is Many of us know. Today is a one-year anniversary of Kobe's death.
and his beautiful daughter Gianna. It was one year ago today on this crisp, clear. Cold. Los Angeles Day. It's in the high forties, low fifties, which For all of us here.
Might as well be the Arctic Circle. It's cold.
Okay, so it was one year ago today. I woke up. to go to the airport. to fly off to South Florida for Super Bowl 54. And um I remember looking out the window and I could not see more than truly twenty feet outside my window.
It was a very foggy day. And I thought to myself, I need to go online and see is my flight taken off? Should I go to the airport even? Is my flight delayed? Because I don't know how the hell my plane's gonna take off in this pea soup.
Literally was my first thought when I looked out the window. Go to the airport because everything is in fact. Ready to go for the flight. It is not delayed, it is not canceled. I get to the airport.
Getting ready to board. And every single person That's in the terminal near the gate. Looks at their phone. Truly, almost all at the same time. There were a lot of buzzes, a lot of beeps, a lot of something.
And I thought to myself, what's going on? And it was a text for me from a member of NFL Network. It's our buddy Charlie Yook, who is the. As he calls himself, the king of spring, he's in charge of all of the programming that. has to do with The non-playing season like the Combine and the draft that's coming up.
At any rate. He's like Kobe oh no. The rest of the terminal starts looking down at their phones and then gets on the phone to call a loved one. To see if it's true, turn on the T V. Is it possible?
Could TMZ be wrong? All the 21st century stuff that you think of when you get news that just Is so horrifying to see on your phone or learn about and hope is not true. It was one year ago today that we lost. Colby Bryan. And I remember all week long in South Florida, Chris, you remember you were there, all of us were there for our week-long.
Coverage of the Super Bowl. Yeah, absolutely. Between the Chiefs and Niners. Nobody, I mean, nobody could believe it. Nobody could believe that somebody who.
would look down any type of adversity, any type of Sneak attack on his.
well-being or way of living. And stare it down, he would stare it down and beat it. that he could be taken so quickly, and with his daughter, too. With his daughter, too. Then you sit there and you just think to yourself about The seconds, the final.
I'm honestly, it's all just coming back to me right now. You think about how. his daughter's there and other people and children are in there in that ho in that helicopter that he was taking to Go coach his daughter's basketball team. It's just so unfair, so awful, so dreadful. And There's no doubt in my mind that was in LeBron's mind last night.
And I just, you know. Can't believe it's been a year. It's been a full year. Honestly, sometimes I think I just sometimes think we're going to see a Kobe tweet about. You know, hey, congratulating the Lakers on winning the championship or.
Talking about Something that is going on with The NBA or obviously. What he was doing at the time, building a company To Be an entertainment extension of his brand. It's just unbelievable. that he's gone. I just think about The twenty fifth, the day before, was kind of the last normal day, I think.
Especially for me. Pre-pandemic and everything like that. Yeah, because there's no COVID. It's not really a thing in the United States yet. We had just got to Miami for the Super Bowl.
We're looking forward to what an amazing week that was going to be. Two new teams in that game that we haven't seen in a while: the Chiefs and the 49ers. And I think about my son being a month away from being born. And None of the political stuff, none of the social unrest. It was just a Saturday and TJ and I went and had dinner.
We're talking about how great the week is going to be. And then the next day we have our tech rehearsal on our amazing set down in Miami for our Super Bowl week, our last with ATT. And An audience. And we're just walking to go get our credentials. And then you found out.
And then we found out. And then everything since then, in the last year, has just been. Upside down. It's been upside down.
Well I guess just the one thing I want to say here, because we will talk about. Kobe with Michelle Tafoya, who has a podcast where she does a deep dive on. A single subject, and in advance of today's one-year anniversary, she spoke to a bunch of people in Kobe's life. She'll join us. Um I just want to say here to everybody, carpe diem, right?
Live. And sees the day. Absolutely. Seize the day and tell everyone in your life that you love. Love you.
Check on people that you haven't checked on in a while if you can. That's just a First thought I had today when I woke up. And I'm like, wow, I'm going to talk about Kobe today. We're going to talk about Kobe today and think about it. And in terms of, you know, living the moment.
We do have the Super Bowl coming up. And it's in Tampa, Florida. And the coach of the first team to make the Super Bowl in their home stadium is going to be joining us in a few minutes' time. Longtime friend of the program, Bruce Arians. He's on a podcast once upon a time, and I want to ask him about that.
On our podcast, he told us the story about how he got hired by the Indianapolis Colts after the Steelers said he was retired. Yeah. Put him out there. He was driving with his wife down to Florida with all a lot of their belongings, and the phone rang, and it was Chuck Pagano. And I can't believe that now that phone call has led to this moment.
And then somebody whose career is just beginning as a head coach in the league, right up the road here, where the next Super Bowl is going to be, Brandon Staley, the head coach of the Chargers, is going to join us. Michelle Tafoya, top of hour number three, and the actor Aldous Hodge, who's playing Jim Brown in this dynamite new movie on Amazon called One Night in Miami with a ton of Oscar buzz. And you at 844-204-RICH. When we come back, BA of TB coming up. This episode brought to you by Progressive Insurance.
Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? shifting a little money here, a little there, and hoping it all works out.
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Not available in all states. Getting the song out of the side. John always listens to his truck.
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We're here on the Rich Eisen Show Radio Network back here now. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. Chris, you've got a poll question over there. Let's sit on that for the moment. It's out, but we'll wait.
Okay, what is it? What is it? What is it? What are you doing? Oh, well, you open the show with LeBron.
Yeah. We're going to talk to Bruce Arians in a minute. We've all seen what Tom Brady has done.
Okay. Who? Who are you? More impressed with who's more impressive doing what they're doing at their age?
Okay. Tom Brady. Yes. LeBron James. There you go.
Straight up. Just straight up. Look at you with just a two-person. Normally, you like filling it out. I like filling it out, but I mean, who else would really fit the criteria?
I know I love Tiger, but he's, you know, it's been a year since he's one of those people. It's been a while, and he's out.
Okay. For a couple of months. I think it just the. Let's just go for it. The recency buys.
Yeah, let's just go for it. Wins the day at Rich Eisen Show. I'll hit it with a retweet once I'm done talking to Bruce Arians. Is he on the phone? Is he on the phone, Christopher?
He is. He is the head coach of the home team in Super Bowl 55. He is none other than Bruce Arians. Is this the coach of the NFC Champion Buccaneers here on The Rich Eisen Show? How you doing, Rich?
How are you, Bruce? How's life? Yeah. Where'd you pick that one up? Where'd that one come from?
I love that love. Way, way back. Way, way back. Now, obviously, there's another game to go here, so I'll front load my line of questioning to start off this conversation with. Understood that there's one more piece for you to add to this run here.
But what does it mean for you to. uh be in this Super Bowl, Bruce Arians. Oh, gosh, it's it's a dream come true. When you start putting football teams together, And I can't say enough about Jason Light and the job he's done. But when we start putting this thing together, You know We thought we had a chance.
And then, you know, no spring practice, no OTAs, and Uh to get to get here It's been an incredible job by a bunch of good coaches and great staff and really, really good players.
Well, in terms of that staff, last time I saw you in person in this studio is when you were a broadcaster with CBS in the booth, and you were toying with the idea of coming back. And you said that you would not go back to coaching without somebody that you trusted as a play caller because of the health concerns, that the stress that it would add to you to coach and call plays.
So let's pound the table for Byron Lefwitch here and what he's done with this offense that. The last time we did speak, we were wondering when Things might get to a level of comfort that clearly hit in the last quarter of the season. Yeah, I can't say enough about the job he's done. I mean, it's just remarkable. Tom is such a great, great player, but having left that system after twenty years, and ours is a lot different, how we do things.
And Byron's been the middle guy that's just done all the work. And I mean People give me way too much credit because I don't do really. He does it all. And he calls the plays, and I'm really, really upset he didn't get a head coaching interview. Yeah, let's get into that a little bit.
Why why why do Both offensive coordinators in this game, you could say that for, couldn't you? Bruce.
Well, Eric's got his interviews. You know, once you get the interview, it's your job to get the job. But Byron didn't even get a call. And uh and I think People give Tom Brady and Bruce Arians way too much credit and not enough credit for Byron Uffich.
Well, I guess I brought Eric into this because he's been still searching for a job despite being the defending champion offensive coordinator. Obviously, yeah, he has gotten those interviews. Is there something about this with Byron and Eric and other people of color, do you think? Uh on this subject? Coach.
Yeah, I think the opportunities have to you have to be able to get in front of people to get a job. Ty Bowles, rightly so, had his share this year. But Byron did not, and I was a little bit upset about that.
Okay. Well, now you're in the Super Bowl with him, right? When did things click? Because again, last time you were on this call, you called this show, Coach, and I said, when do you think things are going to be comfortable for Brady in this offense? And you.
Kind of joked in a way, spring, next spring. But it seemed that after your bye week, things really began to click in. Is that when it when it happened? Was there earlier in the season when you're like, okay, even though the wins haven't really come with regularity yet, this is on the straight and narrow? Anything like that?
I really saw it starting in the second half against Kansas City, and then the open date things really solidified. Um then we got on that run. And um Yeah um My wife made a comment. This team really reminds me of the Steelers when we went to Su to Detroit in the Super Bowl, they're so close. And then there's so many similarities, it's really remarkable uh seven and five have to win them all and then go on the road and win 'em all and uh that that team was probably the closest group of guys I've ever been a part of until this group.
Well, obviously, your wife's been along for the ride for quite some time. What did she see in it? What did she see that here, your Super Bowl 55, Super Bowl X? Champions with the bus, and you at the OC controls there. What did she see?
This year, that you agree with? The camaraderie on the sidelines. You know how this team pulls for each other. And each offense might pull out the defense special teams might pull out. Everybody, defense pulls out the offense.
Everybody just. Um having so much fun doing it, but being really, really close. And now here you are in the Super Bowl. Let's, if you don't mind, get into a little bit of the NFC Championship game. Walk me through the process of sending Tom Brady back on the field for a fourth and three conversion at the end of the first half.
How did that all come about?
Well, I had to calm myself down from being so pissed that we didn't make the first down. And so I just hollered punt I hollered the punt team. And then as I started thinking about it, we cannot come out of this drive this guy get this turnover and not get points.
So just um Went through a couple of colour timeout, went through a couple of scenarios. I think at the worst, If if if it just they might get three points out of this. But we still have the lead, and it's worth the risk to go after the points.
So now you went after the first down first, and then the play that actually led to the points. Honestly, I'm sitting there at home. I'm thinking, okay, just maybe a quick pass here gets suck up a little bit closer, and you got yourself a touchdown lead. Going into halftime, wh where where did where did going for the whole damn shooting match come from? Bruce, where was that one?
Because. I thought Byron had a great, great idea. That's exactly what they're thinking. And that they would be sitting in the short stick area. Uh field goal range and uh let's just let's go for the touchdown.
And is that the conversation? Brady's in that huddle too, and you all look at each other and said, Let's do it. Is that how that worked? Or he was already out there? He was already on the field.
He was out on the field. He did a great job of completing that ball to Leonard. And then Neil Barrett and I just looked at each other. He said, How about this? I said, Love it, man.
I love it. You know what? I'm sitting there. I'm thinking to myself, we know, Bruce Arians, your phrase of no risk it, no biscuit, and we've heard it for so long. And we've seen you put it into practice, but never, I think this is it.
Like, if anybody's wondering, what does that phrase mean? Why does he come up with that? How has he ever put it into practice? That play call, that execution at that moment in time to give you an 11-point lead and send the home team to their locker room with a soul-crushing touchdown that they gave up. That has to be it, right?
That's the personification of your phrase. Bruce, would you agree with that? Yeah, I think, yeah, that's how we live life, brother. And you actually put it in the end zone. And Brady must love it, right?
I mean, what was that like in the locker room after that? What was that like? Oh, he was he was yeah, half time locker and was was, you know everybody was beaming as, hey, whoa, we got we got thirty more minutes to go and uh You know, let's let in the moment not just not get ahead of ourselves.
So, uh, it was, but it was great. Yeah, I think, I think. Yo Tom is Byron's personality mission. We're all just getting on the same page. It was just attack, attack, attack.
And now let's smash cut Coach Bruce Ahrens of the NFC champion Buccaneers here on the Rich Eyes Hill. Let's smash cut now to a fourth and eight. Late in the game, you have an eight-point lead, and you see the Green Bay Packers field goal unit trot onto the field and Aaron Rodgers come off. What did you think? I actually thought it was a good call by Matt.
I really did. With three timeouts and the two minute warning, Um You could put all the pressure back on us to make those first downs. and they would have good field position to get a touchdown So I don't think it was as bad a call as everybody's making it out. Third and nine from the nine fourth and nine from the nine, or fourth and eight from the eighth. That's not the easiest call in the world to make.
Uh So I think I thought Strategically, with all those timeouts, it was a good move. But then you sent Tom Brady out on the field, Bruce. You know, you see what I'm saying? I mean, yeah, I mean, you know, Tyler Johnson makes a great catch. That was that pitch and catch, that pitch and catch.
I mean, Brady threw it in a window that was basically the size of Tyler's shin, right? And that was a hell of a grab. That he had in that one. Yeah, he goes, tha that kid's got an unbelievable future. Uh and then, you know, then the past I everybody bitch is about that call, but I mean, it was great Charles can make that call.
So, okay, so, but what is it like to send Bruce Arians? What is it like to send Brady out on the field, though? You know what I'm saying? Like, okay, you got the ball back, but that's got to be a sensation. You're, you know, you know, you've had some incredible quarterbacks you've sent out on the field to call that you've called plays for.
But now you're the HC of TB12, right? Yes, it's it's a very, very comforting feeling. Very, very comforting. All right, let's get to now on the few minutes I have left with you the Super Bowl, Super Bowl 55. Last time you met Kansas City and you said that you got a sense, certainly in that game that the offense got on track, but we all know Tyree Kill had the first quarter of the ages.
Um how are you approaching the rematch here? Bruce.
Yes, I mean, we learn a lot of things from that game. what not to do, what to do, and uh I think, you know, we're very excited about playing. We know the challenge of trying to stop that three-headed monster they got of Kelsey and. Hill and and Pat Patrick But um I like where our football team is now. compared to then.
And uh We've learned, we'll learn a lot from that ball game, and unlike the Packer game before, the Saints games before, this one doesn't matter. And um how what's your relationship with Andy Reid? Um again, I know you're from different coaching trees, but uh how far back do you go with him or any relationship at all with uh with Andy? Bruce? Yeah, great, great respect.
Great respect. And, you know, we were never we never really crossed paths coaching much other than being across from each other and just total mutual respect. I love what he does. I think he's one of the most innovative people to ever play coaching this game. All right.
And much is being made and rightfully so that you are the first team to ever play in your own stadium for the Super Bowl. How does this work? I imagine if there wasn't a pandemic, that everybody could stay at home. Is that the way it is still going to go? Are you gonna hotel up, bubble up?
What's the situation for you over the next couple of days here? Coach. We're we're gonna we're gonna stay like like a normal home game and uh and treat it like a home game until uh You know, 48 hours before the ball game.
So it's just like any old regular week. It's just, you know, the Lombardi trophy's on the line, is basically what you're saying. At the end of the day. Yeah, come get tested, go to work and go home. Go back to work, go home.
Monumental. Advantage or help, let's put it that way, instead of using the word advantage, just a comfort level for you to be able to do that. I think it would have been had both teams had to come in on Monday, but you know, Chiefs get to stay home until Saturday night. This isn't away game for them, they get their normal routine.
So that part of it isn't as big of an advantage other than if we don't have to get on an airplane.
Okay. So, I guess to wrap this up, Coach, and again, I appreciate the time, the two Tuesdays before the Super Bowl. You know, while we're on the subject that you mentioned before of your wife, Christine, one of the first times I ever interviewed you when you were on my podcast darn near 10 years ago, it seemed. Is when you said that you and your wife were packed up, heading home from Pittsburgh after your retirement, and I'll put that in air quotes here. Um and and uh the phone rang, right?
Isn't that correct? The phone rang from who was that calling you up that day? Was Chuck Pagano calling you up? That was Chuck. Chuck Pagano.
Yeah, Chuck gave us that call, and she looked at me and goes, Oh, You're gonna do this again. And you did go and be the offensive coordinator for Chuck Pagano in Indianapolis and wound up winning Coach of the Year there, and then again in Arizona. What if I had told you when you answered that phone that You and I would be having this conversation today, and you're the NFC champion, head coach. Getting set to coach Tom Brady in a home Super Bowl for the Tampa Buccaneers. You would have told me what on that day, Bruce.
What are you smoking, bro? Give me something. Yeah. Yeah. So you are driving then is what you're saying.
That car, right? No, I was I was a I was a passenger at that time.
Okay, good. It's amazing life, isn't it, Bruce? Life is amazing, isn't it? Journeys and things like that. It's really crazy.
It's really crazy, brother. I mean, it uh And we're so blessed in uh Every day is an adventure. Coach, there you go. Carpe Diem, right? Congrats on the win.
Congrats on the Super Bowl appearance. And I look forward to seeing you again soon. And I hope nothing but the best for you. Appreciate it. Appreciate it, man.
Thanks, brother. Right back at you. That's the one and only BA, as people refer to him. Bruce Arians of the NFC champion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here on the Rich Island Show. Good stuff right there.
That was awesome. Hey, you know, later on this week. I will give you this what I did for our Peacock audience. This is our first Super Bowl rodeo. on NBC Sports on Peacock.
Um each of the previous six years that we've covered the Super Bowl. I give you the top 10 storylines that you will hear. For the Super Bowl week. I love this. I front load it.
I front load it. Uh You know, some, however, continue as the same. And the head coaches are going to be a storyline. And Andy Reid, we went through all the storylines last year. And what Andy Reid's storyline this year is going to be, I'll just let you know.
Hall of Fame is on the line for him. In many people's minds. I think he's made it already personally. Like, if he didn't coach another game, but that's on the line: that when a coach wins two of them, That puts them in line for it. And I know there are some people out there who go, Oh, yeah, well, then what about Tom Coughlin?
How come it took so damn long? For Tom Flores to get a call.
Okay. It's valid. You know. Put it all together, you'll hear about read. Yeah.
Bruce Arian's football life is just absolutely, you know, dynamite, right? You know? Bruce Arian's football life is something else, and we'll take a break and I'll come back and get to it. Blackhawks and Predators, by the way, Wednesday night hockey on NBCSN, 7:30 Eastern Time. Check it all out on NBCSN.
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So I just can't say enough about Bruce Ahrens, and we're going to hear quite a bit about him next week and his football life. There is a football life that was done on him by NFL Network and NFL Films because he is a football. Lifer? Football lifer. Man who's uh coached at Temple.
Part of the Bear Bryant coaching tree? Like His roots go back to Bear Bryant? That's crazy.
So there's that. And then The coordinator for Peyton Manning. in Indianapolis. The coordinator for Big Ben. In Super Bowl XX.
And there will be and The Steelers organization. Should buckle up. He's not going to make a big deal of it. He didn't right there. I mean, he could absolutely spike a football.
But after that run in Pittsburgh. The initial run with Roethlisberger in that Super Bowl, right? And you know He was retired. He was retired. Ken Wisenhunt.
took over and they made the Super Bowl. You know? But He was retired by the Steelers. They said he was retiring. If you remember that, right?
I'm so crazy. And um That was that. He was retired and No longer wanting to coach football anymore until on his drive home he gets a call from Chuck Pagano saying, How'd you like to go? Um Be my offensive coordinator. And he was Andrew Lux guy.
And then Pagano got sick. And Bruce Arians has the rare line on his coaching resume. Won coach of the year as an interim head coach. That happened. Unreal.
Right.
So again, Aryans Was the coordinator calling the plays for the championship Steelers? If I'm not mistaken, in Tampa, in the building. Against Wisenhunt, who was the coach of the. Cardinals on that night. And then he was retired.
Kind of crazy, man. And he took that phone call on the way home. And now here he is, the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in that building. as the first head coach. to coach a Super Bowl team.
In their home building. Can't make it up. Arian storyline is going to be quite a bit. And then there's another storyline. Again, I'm going to put it all out there.
Are we doing this tomorrow? I don't know.
Sometime later this week. Usually it's the end of the week before the Super Bowl.
Okay. But one I want to hit you on right now, Christopher. Mm-hmm. The same way that the Steelers organization is going to have to buckle up. Again, Aaron's not going to make a big deal of it, but it will be brought up.
Interesting how he was retired. And there will be some member of the media in a Zoom from overseas that will probably Google the fact that he was retired. or retiring. and even ask him a question point blank. Hey.
What made you want to keep coaching after you retired? And Aryans might assume that it was mentioned retirement after he retired from the head coach of Arizona Carter's. No, when you retired from the Steelers, someone will see that language in a story and bring it up to Aryans and he'll make fun of it. I guarantee that will happen next week. If this was a regular media day where there were a thousand people coming in and all you needed to do is essentially fog up a mirror and not have it on a rest rap sheet, you get a you get into the media night, right?
Aryans would be asked that question at some point. God, that would be a fun night too with this group. Right.
But at any rate, um That'll be brought up at some point, but you know who needs to buckle up next week. Yes, sir, you and the rest of Patriot Nation. Yeah. You and the rest of Patriot Nation, that Brady's back in it with Gronk. I haven't asked you about this yet.
We've got a little bit of real estate. Not to turn all Dr. Melfie on you, Christopher. Right now? How's it hitting you?
In New England, New England fandom. How's it hitting you that Brady's as good as ever? Again. And that He's With Gronk. Yeah.
Again, they made that video. You pointed out to me that they made the same video as the last time they were back. I know what the Diddy song. I think for me personally, I mean, I don't want to speak for Sully and Fitz and those guys, but I just think for me personally. It's cool.
I like I I like Tom. And so, and I and I like Gronk. Gronk, the way he kind of left, was a little bit of a bummer because he did it kind of after free agency, so they couldn't really replace the position. And then you kind of saw how that. Trickle down to the rest of the path skill position, guys.
in the years after. Especially in 2019, like Tom didn't really have any great player. You know, nobody great outside of Edelman to really throw to, but. Um It's cool. It's amazing.
He's the greatest of all time. And it's cool to kind of see him. play well with great players. In a weird way, I kind of side with Bill on this point. They really sold out the years before to try to win Super Bowls.
And holy smokes, they won three of them. Like, they had a second dynasty with the same guy, which will never happen again.
So, you know, it was over. You get kind of bummed because Tom wanted to stay. They couldn't come up with a few extra million bucks. Like, that's a little disappointing. You think he really wanted to stay?
Because I really think it was. I think if they could have got the guys, if they could have traded for Larry Fitzgerald or like just some good, made the Antonio Brown thing work out. You know, Gronk might have taken a year off and came back to New England. If there were the guys around. And Tom looked at Tampa and said.
Hey, Pro Bowler, Pro Bowler, Pro Bowler, of course. You got one, you got one. Yeah, I'm going to go there. And a coach that I kind of dig. And a coach that's just going to, you know, let me kind of do my thing.
Where is We all know in New England, Tom's just another guy, according to Bill. Because, again, the storyline we're going to hear, too. And by the way, these conversations I'm also using to sort of.
Sound out my top 10 storylines later on. You're going to hear the whole Brady Belichick thing and who's, but it lasted 20 years. You got two decades. You got two decades, all those yachts from it. And I'm wondering if that softens the landing or the fact, or the fact again that they're doing it again.
And it could have been for you. But there were circumstances and the roster wasn't the same. It's not really apples to apples, but it is still happening. It's still happening. And one thing I'm already seeing right now, too, is there are a lot of people rooting for Brady.
Yeah. Because because they still can't stand Bill. Which is an unfair, it's an unfair, and you're one of them over there, John. I love you, you know, Giants fans, and everybody who still can't stand Belichick, that they're like Brady, that they're rooting for him, even though he's the one who's beating their brains in. And that's the thing, too, that I can't believe we're seeing again.
All right. is all these people That he's beaten in his career. I saw a list of it, all the quarterbacks he's beaten in his career. in the postseason. Do you know which quarterback he's beaten the most in his postseason career?
Yeah, I saw this list too the other day. Philip Rivers. He beat Phil three times. He's beaten a handful twice, and then he's gotten he's been an equal opportunity abuser. The first quarterback he got was Gannon, who Albert Breer pointed out is 30 years older than Mahomes, who is the latest one he's going to be playing against.
That's how long Brady's been at it. But that's the thing, too, is the number, and you see that list of everybody, all his pelts on the wall, the people who he's prevented. from going and getting theirs.
Well, he continues to get more of his. That's why I said yesterday his legacy is too much is never enough. It's like playing hoops in the Jordan era. Like all those great Hall of Famers in the 90s never got a chance because Mike was in the way. And all the people that Tiger stood in the way of, you know, Chris DeMarco could have gotten one.
Give him one shot.
So, you know, right.
So put it all together, and the fact that he's doing it again.
Okay. That in his Latest run. You can't even say it's his final one, right? At age 43. His latest run, he's retired, Breeze, and he's put Rodgers.
In a in such a funk. that the Packers are wondering what the hell their future is all of a sudden. And it's obviously a team effort, but is Brady doing it again? And if he wins his seventh, I can't believe I'm saying these words. If he wins his seventh, he'll have gone through Brees, Rogers, and Mahomes.
What better three can you send his direction this year? And if you want to throw a Taylor Heineke on top of it, throw him two. Why not? The Heineken on top of this Sunday. Yeah, why not?
Can't believe it. We're seeing it again. That's why I'm asking you if you can't. That's why I just kind of want to enjoy it instead of being angry. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Hour number two for our radio audience, this man, Brandon Staley, the new HC of the LAC, coming up.
