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Blacko floats one high into the air, left side. Chase! Live from the Rich Eisen Show studios in London, England. I think it's great for all the ogre, you know? Super Bowl champion Tori Holt.
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark. NFL Network Insider Tom Pellicero. And now, it's Rich Isen.
Well, hey everybody, and that everybody is Disney Plus, the ESPN app everywhere and ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. We say hello to you from London, England. Second day of our two-day residency of the Rich Oshin Show here at the ABC News Studios in central London. We're excited to be here for the Rams and the Jaguars coming up on Sunday on NFL Network. I'll be doing that game with yesterday's guests, Kurt Warner and Sarah Walsh.
We'll be there. First, up for all of you in the glorious four windows of football that will end up with a Sunday night game between the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers. Before there's a double header on Monday night football on the ABC, ESPN, Disney families of networks. We've got a top five list of other games that I'm looking forward to seeing now that we've already gotten one game under our belt from week number seven. And then, of course, there's a what's more likely.
My two compadres are sitting here right next to me, Chris Brockman. Good to see you. Jisen, what's up, my friend? TJ Jefferson. How are you, sir?
I was going to do it, but you guys are in the shame. No, you're an international superstar. You can do whatever you want. Hello. Hello, Mike.
Oh, my God. Oh, gosh. No, okay. Even Kai Ritchie is cursing you out right now. We should all actually be doing Joe Flacco accents today.
Well, I mean, it kind of sounds like it. It kind of sounds like it. Ryan Clark of ESPN is kind enough to be zooming into this show from Bristol, Connecticut, or New York. I don't know where he is. Probably New York.
But Ryan's going to be joining us at the top of the second hour, Tom Pelicero, and hour number three. Torrey Big Game Holt is here. And when I say here, he's in the studio with his lovely family, waiting to show up here on our set, as he will, as our first guest, right in the middle of this hour. But we start the show with. the Thursday Night Football Contest.
In week seven, in Cincinnati, Ohio. But before we start in Cincinnati, Ohio, we've got to start in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. What were the Steelers going to? Cincinnati to play the Bengals last night. Um and uh and Mike Tomlin.
Was first up this week with one of the sound bites of the year. Showing up. and showing out And then f Firing a verbal grenade in the direction of Berea, Ohio, where the Cleveland Browns have their front offices, where once upon a time, Uh I do believe he Andrew Berry, the general manager, got a phone call from The Cincinnati Bengals saying, hey, you just benched Joe Flacco. You just had him standing there with earbuds. Uh if we had clipboards anymore in the NFL, he'd be holding one.
He's standing there in London. and watching Dylan Gabriel play football. And so, long story short, you want to trade Joe Flacco over here? Because, you know, our backup quarterback and Jake Browning is doing something to the bed here. Despite the best efforts of Rich Eisen trying to get out of the business.
Despite the best efforts of Rich Eisen trying to talk Jake Browne's game up. And we could use Joe Flacco here. I know he's your week one starter, but he's no longer your starter. I know we're in division, but. Maybe just maybe you could check this box and we could, you know.
Hang out some? And Andrew Barry goes, sure. You train him, chicken. And Mike Tomlin was, what's the way to describe how he felt about this guy? Yes.
Yeah, not happy. This is what he had to say earlier this week. You know, to be honest, it was shocking to me. Andrew Barry must be a lot smarter than me or us. Um Because it doesn't make sense to me.
to trade a quarterback. that you think enough of to make your opening day starter. uh to a division opponent that's hurting in that area. But that's just my personal feelings. From Cincinnati's perspective, did it make sense for them to?
It certainly made sense from Cincinnati's perspective.
So it's almost as if Mike Tomlin saw Joe Flacco becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to have 300 or more passing yards, three or four. more passing touchdowns and no interceptions in the game after turning 40 years old. Joining Tom Brady, Brett Farvin, Drew Brees in that regard. It's almost as if. He saw Joe Flacco becoming the first Bengals quarterback.
To have three or more passing touchdowns or zero intercepts, and zero interceptions the same game against the Pittsburgh Steelers since Carson Palmer in 2005. It's almost as if. He saw Joe Flacco tying a franchise record for Cincinnati with five passing touchdowns in his first two games as a bangle. It's almost as if. He saw Joe Flacco improve upon his first start.
For the Bengals in Green Bay just five days later to come up with a 100-passer rating in the two games combined. After having a passer rating of 60.3 in weeks one through four for Cleveland worst in the NFL. It's almost as if Mike Tomlin. Saw Flacco have two passing touchdowns and six interception in his first four games as a Brown, and having three just last night. against his Steelers, it's almost as if Tomitz saw it all.
Yeah. Nostratomlin. Nostratomlin. It's almost as if Mike saw it coming. And sure enough.
It wasn't Jake Browning against the Steelers last night. It was Joe. Flacco? Doing Joe Flacco, comeback player of the year with the Cleveland Browns things, and Joe Flacco, MVP of the Super Bowl for the Ravens things. For the Bengals Every team but the Steelers.
In the AFC North. He's touching them all And last night. He also Had the um The idea of just winging it. Whenever he needed to. This is the crazy thing.
For Flacco to do what he did on Thursday night football. against the Steelers and again Um It is uh Quite a night for him. And Joe Flacco. The numbers. 342 passing yards on 31 of 47 attempts.
Jeez. He almost had as many attempts as he's had years on earth. Yet more so. It's too old. Pass a rating of 108.6.
He was hot. He had a fever. And that feedback. Was it Cal Bell?
Well, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary. Yeah. As he was baptizing him all night long. It's amazing because. This sound bite says it all.
He was kinda winging it 'cause he doesn't know the playbook fully yet. Joe Flacco talking about last night, sometimes he was having trouble hearing the play calls. Hit it.
Some of these words are so new to me, and when you don't get a chance, like I honestly felt like this week was probably a little bit harder than last week, just because it's such a short week. You're still putting in a full game plan, you don't get to hear the play as much.
So there were certain things with, like, and I can picture everything, but there's certain things with formations and things like that that you're hearing for the first couple times. And even though you've read the play a million times, like when you hear it. It just wasn't hitting my brain right.
So there were a few of those, and we were joking on the sideline. Like, anytime that happened, and we broke the play, and we broke the huddle, and it was like, I don't know if we're right here. I mean, that play hit.
So like we so we got we got lucky tonight in that sense. Tarmin's not laughing. It's like he saw it coming. You know who's laughing? No, Sha Thomas.
Zach Taylor's laughing. Oh yeah. Yeah, he loses one Joe and another one shows up. Hey, yeah. Because the Browns are like, take our Joe.
You lost your Joe. I'm laughing because he's off the hot side. Take ours. What a nice roll it. Outstanding.
Outstanding. Outstanding. Yeah, Joe, I mean, it was outstanding, really. I mean, we're. I mean we we how many drives we scored on what like six of the last seven drives maybe seven of the last eight so what seven of eight okay so um and really early on we had some some drops and some quirky stuff happen.
That prevented a score there.
So just thought his performance was outstanding, very, very calm, collected. He's got 18 years of experience playing these games. I mean, we're in a short week playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. in a game that we needed to have. And He's just like...
it's easy for him, you know, and and it's not, 'cause he's putting in the work. It's just, he's so experienced in this situation. Um you gain a lot of confidence from that because it goes out there it's not too big I have to enunciate my formations better because some of them were hearing them for the first time. And so I gotta do a better job enunciating. I think it's my Oklahoma accent, got them a couple times.
Um but uh I thought he did a great job managing the game. Diction. He needs to work on his diction now. Which, by the way, of all the things that Zach Taylor said that he needed to work on with his team over the last month, where do you think diction ranked now? This is what happens.
This is what happens when you acquire Joe Flacco. And you stick them in. And Well, Flanco's playing like it's 2023.
Well, I'll just tell you this. And again, I'm not an all-22 guy. Um Grinding tape, like say Kurt Warner. Right. I don't have a YouTube channel.
I mean, I have a YouTube channel. With a million subscribers. Hey now. I don't have one dedicated to all 22, so you'll have to excuse me if I'm a little out of my lane here. Sure, sure.
But The offense. is easy to pick up. when you can throw it to Jamar Chase. Simple. When it's done, there's five.
There's two number one receivers. There's 30 and 30. Which is why it was just like, hey, Jake Browning, like, bro. What's up? Like, you know, how does Chase and and and and Higgins sound to you.
And then Chase Brown having over 100 yards rushing on top of it, that helps. But Flacco was getting the ball out quickly. He was not like the iron deer on the front lawn. But Jamar Chase, I wrote it down here. He had a record 1 million targets last night.
That's really incredible. He had as many targets as we have YouTube subscribers. Oh, man. That's really what you're doing. Amazing.
13th career game with 125 or more yards and at least a receiving touchdown. Um Tied for fourth most in his first five seasons. The only ones who have more. Are his college teammate Justin Jefferson? How stupid was that?
roster. At LSU. I mean, we got Ryan Clark an hour, too. I'm sure he'll remind us. They had Kayshawn Booty, too, doing it for New England.
With the first Joe that started for the Bengals this year, Randy Moss had 14 and Lance Allworth, Bambi. Randy Moss. Uh sixteen.
So the Bengals one hundred percent kept their season afloat. Yep. At the end of the year, we'll wonder if this is when they save their season. And that's a fact. Trey Hendrickson wasn't in this game.
Aaron Rodgers. Looked Sue herb. He looked. Like old school Rogers, where he's moving around, he's sliding around, he's sacheting around, he's got eyes in the back of his head, dropping dimes. The first dime he dropped the DK Metcalf on the night.
You know, in the bucket, right on his sideline. He's finding every tight end that he's got for a touchdown. I've got a did you know on that to end the first hour, by the way. And he's showing up and showing out to the point where it set a record for most combined passing touchdowns by 40-year-old quarterbacks. in a head-to-head meeting.
Of all time, seven of them had seven touchdowns last night as Rodgers had four, Flacco had three. And the three previous matchups were all Brady versus Breeze. And so, on a night where Rodgers is showing up, on a night where Rogers is showing up, scoring a touchdown against that Bengals defense to Pat Fryermuth on a wide-open shot at the end of the game to shock the world and give the ball back to Flacco to say, try and win it, Joe. Yada, yada, yada. He did.
But for him to do that, and by the way. Rogers was set up. And you want to talk about how terrific he looks? Um He threw another perfect Hail Mary shot for a chance to win it. And that's how the Bengals survived the night.
Because Joe Flacco was doing what he had to do to find. His wide receivers over and over and over again. To the tune of 300-plus yards and three touchdowns. And Jamar Chase having an incredible season to continue right now on a night where he had. 23 targets.
23 targets. Uh Higgins had ten.
So That's what you need to have happen when you've got two stud receivers that you pay to stay put for Joe Burrow, who goes down. In other words, The person who he's gotta um thank. All of them. There. In Cincinnati.
Is Andrew Berry, the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Rich, the way you described that earlier about the call was almost like when you were in school and you got this note. Do you want Joe? Yes, no, maybe. Check the box.
Maybe check the box. It's like a sixth-grade note. Check the box, man.
So, well done on all fronts, everybody, from Cincinnati to Joe Flacco's household. I'm sure he's living out, he's lit, he's living out of a suitcase. Sure. He's living an itinerant lifestyle. Again, He does indeed.
You go from being benched in Britain to hailed in Cincinnati because you beaten the Steelers on a short week. is unbelievable. The latest you can't make this stuff up. And Mike Talmud saw it coming. He knew it was going to be tougher.
He just didn't know that, you know, Jalen Ramsey would be. Toasted as much as he appeared to be last night every now and then. Like Tom on now, two and ten on Thursday night football on the road. 2-7 on Thursday night at a division opponent.
So, but the Steelers are still, we'll talk more about them later on in this program. But I want to get to our in-studio guests to kick off our number one of this show, our final day here in London. On the Rich Isand Show, Tori Big Game Holt, who is calling the game on Westwood One Radio and is obviously Rams royalty in the house. He is next in person. This is the Rich Island Show on a busy Friday.
As many of you know, supporting pediatric cancer research is something I care deeply about. That's why I'm proud to share what Hyundai's doing through Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 27 years, with every Hyundai sold, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research. Alongside over 850 dealers, they've raised more than $277 million, helping over 25,000 kids and supporting more than 1,400 research grants at 175 institutions nationwide. This year alone, they've committed another $27 million in honor of the 27th anniversary of the program.
And they're proud to have national youth ambassadors like Jackson Trin and Emmy Cole who bring hope to kids across the country by sharing their stories. Because at Hyundai, hope is our greatest feature. And it comes standard. Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Radio, we're back here on the Rich Eisen Show Radio Network. I'm sitting here on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance, one of the best to ever do it. I've written it down here.
Okay, I've got the stats. 13,382 receiving yards. That's 17th all-time. 920 reception. That's 26th all-time.
And is 77.4 yards per game. It's top 10, 10th all-time. Torrey Big Game Holt, right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Yes, sir. Am I?
Am I? Did I get it? Absolutely. That's right. That sounds about right, man.
You know, 11-year career.
So. Um in that span, man, I was You know, I was hitting it, you know, from the time I got drafted to the time I left.
Well, you had 99 was your first year. 99 was my first year.
Okay, and then the odds hit. You're looking, by the way, at the all-time record holder for most receiving yards by an individual in a single decade. And he oughts 12,594 receiving yards. Nobody had more than you. And there's a lot of people in the Hall of Fame that don't have that record.
I'm going to keep making references like that, Tori. Don't worry. You don't have to say anything. I will do all the talking here. We keep for you here.
Yeah, we're here. We are exactly that. What was it like to be on that team as a rookie? And then the whole business with Kurt. coming in and Sean going down, you know, and all of that happening.
Unbelievable, Rich. Unbelievable, guys. Unbelievable. You know, um, you know, to this day, that Trent going down, pardon me. Yeah, that that to this day, that football team, um, our football team, we're still close to this day.
And that's how it was when we played. We had built a brotherhood, a bond. That coach Vermill was, you know, he orchestrated. You know, he was really adamant about us getting to know one another on a personal level. But you're fresh out of college, right?
Fresh out of college.
Okay, Vermill's as old school as they come. Old school as hardcore old school. Right? Whereas to the point where we're practicing in training camp, and at the end of practice, We have two minute drills live. We have Um, time gassers lie full-padded.
Yes, so it was it was hardcore, but. But he got us ready for the big game. And all of that blood, sweat, and tears, and those grind, those grinded-out days. In that Super Bowl, when we had to grind out a drive and had to grind out stopping them. Those days that he put us through got us to the point where we were champions.
And again, your first taste of the NFL. And there's a massive quarterback change. that upends everything.
Now you're having to learn with Kurt Warner, learn who he is, and learn all of that stuff. What was that like for you in the very beginning of your career?
Well, you know, as a rookie, you know, you're just doing what you're told to do. Sure. You know, I didn't know what I didn't know. And right. Kurt was uh You know, once he got his opportunity, he was ready.
And his style of play being coming from the arena league, and then his, you know, his story of getting to the point where he was at in St. Louis. He was ready, man. And then he was also with guys. myself Isaac.
Mm-hmm. Marshall, Orlando. He was with so many Hall of Fame caliber players. We didn't realize it was Hall of Fame caliber players at the time, but we were really good football players that. all wanted the same thing and that was to be good and really hone in on our individual skills as our individual position.
And Kirk carried it on from the quarterback position. You know how critical. and important that position is. He, man, he hit the ground running. And he was ready.
He was prepared. I would say, you know, watching Kurt. And practice, watching Curtin in the film room, getting ready and prepared for the situation. It was phenomenal. And then when he went out on the football field and we practiced, there were days.
Now he can tell you this. And I've been saying this a couple few times since I've been here in London. There were days where the ball didn't touch the ground. It was phenomenal. Our practices What beat teams Games on Sunday.
That's how good we were. And A lot of it stemmed from Kurt's preparation, our preparation, and then Coach March was just so. Good at drawing up and scheming us and putting us in positions that highlighted our skill sets. And he did that with Kurt. Kurt would hit that back foot.
And if we were running digs, which was 22, 25 yards down the field, That ball had to be two yards inside the numbers. Kurt hit that back foot. He can close his eyes and he'd throw it two yards inside the numbers. He was awesome. And, you know.
Before we move on to the present day, um one of my favorite people. And easily The smartest football guy I've ever been around. Marshall? Yes. Yes, you could finish second.
And in terms of Marshall Falk, the guy to your right, Chris Brockman, was his segment producer on NFL Game Day Morning a couple of years as well. I see, you know. And so, you know. He he would be able to Call an interception, watching football games with him, saying, Oh, this is gonna be an interception based on the way everyone was lining up. What was he like for you as a rookie?
Or somebody starting out. I was super excited because I grew up watching Marshall on Thursday nights at San Diego State.
So I was at the middle of the night. My parents, my pops, we lived in an apartment, small apartment, and we were downstairs and we would have the game on. You know, we have it up because we wanted to hear the commentating and them talking about Marshall. And I just remember watching this kid. I think, who was this black kid?
And it's all black. Killing everybody. No one was talking, like on the East Coast, no one was talking about him. But we, as football fans, we knew who he was and we loved him.
So when I finally got a chance to play with him, he got into camp. I found myself just At times, just watching him do his thing. And Coach El Sanders would tell me, Hey, you got to get into play. You got a job to do. I'm like, I am.
I'm watching one of the guys, I'm watching 2A, one of the guys that I grew up watching and admired and loved the way that he played the game. And then when I actually got in the meeting rooms with him and got in the huddle with him and understood his smarts and his intellect. I knew right then that we could be really, really special if we stayed healthy, if we stayed together. We had a incredible bat. Not only was Marshall good running the football, as we all know, catching it.
He can catch it. Every position on the field, bro. He knew every position on the field. Knew every position on the field and that position assignment. But he was a really good route runner too.
I mean he could run the whole entire route tree. I mean this dude was phenomenal. Phenomenal athlete. Doesn't look like much. He's not, meaning he's not caught up and jacked up like a Derrick Henry or someone.
Right. But As Isaac used to say, when he put that cape on, he was one of the best to ever do it, certainly. Torrey Holt is here on the Rich Isen Show.
So, news breaking that looks like Pook is not playing on Sunday. And so. Who is the best receiver in the NFL today? Is he in that conversation? Do you have?
Sure. You got to put him in that conversation.
Okay, who else is that? But my guy's Chase.
Okay. Jamar Chase is prolific. size, strength, speed, routes, hands. understanding the game, understanding the position, awareness. Jamar Chase is the guy.
We saw that last night. Yeah. I mean, he's a guy, he can catch 10-plus balls a game. One, because he has the physical makeup. And then he has the ability to run routes and He's savvy and he's smooth.
I mean, he's my tier one. But Puka Nicole, you certainly got to put him in the mix. And not only is Puka good. catching in terms of catching the football. particularly on third downs.
He is really good and active in the run game. And I know what people say, oh, he's a receiver, what does that have to do? No, it. His ability to be so effective in the run game helped set up things for him in the passing game, as well as the entire team. But Puka does a little bit of everything for this football club.
He's certainly one of the top receivers in the league. Yeah, I mean, Sean McVay, in our pre-broadcast meeting on Thursday, said that Puka. is obviously a top wide receiver. And in the run game, it's like having the top tight end on the field as well. For the run game, it's the top tight end.
And for the Passing game, he's the top wide receiver. This is somebody with, you know, on the. on the same field as Devontae Adams now. And Adams said that he is way ahead in terms of the nuances of the game, knowing body positioning, knowing the playbook, knowing everything than when in year three, than when Adams was in his third year. And you know what Adams said about him.
And I love that about Devontae that he is so forthcoming with the guys about. Where he was in the earlier parts of his career, yes, Devontae worked to get to the point to where he's at.
So I thought. I really feel like that is very good for that receiver room that he's so forthcoming like that. to his guys. But Puka man Just, I will say this. Puka learned from Cooper Cup.
Mm-hmm. And Cooper Cup was the is the ultimate pro. I mean, he did everything for the Rams. And so for Puka to be able to learn from. from from Cooper Cup in that way.
Yes. Now he's going out and he's Getting an opportunity to show his worth. But I like Puka. He's a great kid, great energy, great spirit about him, and he loves. football.
Justin Jefferson in this conversation as well, obviously. Yes. Who's the one that reminds you of you? I would say, right now, in terms of how they move and the way they approach the game, I like Tay Adams. I like Devontae Adams.
Devontae is so deceptively smooth. He's not. The fastest of guys, but he understands coverage, he understands leverage, he's slippery, he can catch the football in traffic, he can catch the ball, and he can run routes, he can run pretty much every route on the route tree, and he's exceptional at getting off the line of scrimmage.
So, Tay Adams, Chase, and some of the things that he does with his route running. He's won Jefferson, as you mentioned.
So, I mean, I can go on, but those two guys, I would say, Chase and Jefferson, I mean, Chase and Tay Adams, by the way that they move and how they play, kind of. Reminds me of some things that I did when I was on the field. Adam seems to have enjoyed being in the role of not being the guy every snap. Mm-hmm. That said, this Sunday, he's going to be the guy every snap.
He's going to be in the role that essentially has gotten him to the Hall of Fame. By the way, he's only. He's now not, he and Mike Evans, as they catch touchdown passes, are going to pass each other in the top 10 of the all-time touchdown reception, receiving touchdown category. But he's going to be in that role, and Jacksonville is going to 100%. take all their coverage and throw it in the direction of Devontae Adams.
Absolutely. Then it's just going to be on the run game and the tight end groups and see what the Rams can affect against the Jaguar team that just coming off their first game all season without a takeaway. They've been awesome. They've been great. They've been great.
I mean, these are two of the top defenses. Defenses in the National Football League, Jacksonville and the Rams. And to your point, Tay Adams will have to step up even more in this game. They'll roll coverage to him, but he can beat double coverage. That's not a problem for him.
It's not a problem for him being the number one guy, the focal point. That's not a problem. Wouldn't think To to Atwell, Ferguson, Higgabee. Williams Quorum, those guys are now will have to raise up a level, being that Puka is now out of the lineup because Puka. Draws so much attention and he brings so much production to that offense.
Where do you get it from now outside of Tay Adams? And I think those guys are who I'll be focusing on this weekend in this matchup. And then to me, Jacksonville is vulnerable on the back end. You know, I think Newsom just came over from Cleveland, and they in Seattle hit him on a 61-yard bomb.
So I'm sure the Rams. They should test that secondary of the Jacksonville Jaguars to see how, you know, to see if they have made any adjustments from last week's game. But. Two of the best two defenses in the league. Really good coach in minds, and Coach Sean McVay, and Lynn, Liam Cohen, who's the head coach for Jacksonville.
What what Lim has, he was once in Los Angeles with Sean McVay, so he understands. the preparation and how the Rams will be ready for this game. What I like with Jacksonville, they're getting an opportunity now because Lamb had spent some time. In Los Angeles, they're now getting an understanding, getting an opportunity to understand what it takes to prepare from a detailed standpoint to be really good. I listened to Lamb Cohen last week in the loss that they had, and he talked about.
details, not beating themselves. Stand focused, handling their jobs and their responsibilities. A lot of what Sean McVay says to his ball club. I just had a broadcast meeting with Liam Cohen about three hours ago before coming here. Um He talked about how he used an acronym for FAST.
F-A-S-T stands for something. Each letter stands for something. And he read it off and he said, I stole that from Sean McClay. You know, it's what he said. And in terms of the details that you're referring to, Josh Hines-Allen.
said that this is the most professional practices he's ever been a part of since he came off the the Campus at Kentucky seven years ago.
So that kind of all tracks with what you're saying. Absolutely. To bring the McVay world to Jacksonville. And in terms of not beating yourselves, I'll tell this quick story also. Liam Cohen says that each week on a Wednesday, They have a film session or a slide session about game wreckers.
And Each week, he puts up the game records of the opponent to watch out for, to make sure you don't let these guys wreck the game. He said this week, coming off of 10 penalties last week and losing that game. The game record he put up was the Jacksonville Jaguars logo. To basically say. We're beating ourselves.
And I'm like. How did they take you basically say? The records of our game is Us. How did they take that? He goes, well, I didn't exactly put it that way.
I'm like, well, he kind of did by throwing the logo up there. And he said they took it really well. He thinks that they, you know, and Trevor Lawrence came on right after that part of the Zoom and mentioned the same thing: we're beating ourselves. He's absolutely selling stuff that's being bought there. No doubt.
And as players, you sit in that seat, and coach pulls up something like that. It eats you up. Because you're letting the team down. You're hurting the team. Correct.
So you do whatever you can, it's play as quickly as possible to correct that. And I gotta believe in this game against the Rams. That'll be corrected. And the Rams have some of the similar issues as well against the Ravens. They have some offsides penalties.
They had some penalties on special teams.
So there's been some times where they've hurt themselves.
So there's some conversations with them about them not hurting and killing themselves in games.
So two teams on the collision course, echo both coaches, both coaches echoing the same thing. They're getting the same kind of tutelage, the same type of preparation. I expect for this to be a pretty, pretty decent game. Do you have to the end of the hour? Do I have you?
Can I have you for 10?
Okay, let's you okay with it, babe? I just want to make with the balls. I had to check with the boss. You okay with it, babe? Oh, because last yesterday, Kurt was like, I got to go.
I'm going to, he was going to a live. Did we find out? I found out what it is.
Okay, good. Just check it. I found out what it is.
It was because his wife's Brenda's in town. Brenda's in town. He's like, Brenda got tickets for something. I'm like, what are you going to go see? He goes, I don't know.
Good man. He's got to get there and show up.
So some things change, but some things don't. Right. The more they change, the more they stay the same. I've got Tori Big Game Holt right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Don't go anywhere.
We're back with more talking with one of our favorites in a sec. Ryan Clark's gonna change his act. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Difference that sets the tone for a football club. A young rookie receiver says, Hey, Trevor, let's stay after practice so we can get it right.
Get it right. If I'm on that team, I'm like, Yo, as a veteran, I'm checking myself. Like, he's helping to bring the level of play and concentration and details and want to. He's bringing that level up for that club. Truck talking with Travis Hunter with Tori Big Game Holt, who's here in studio.
Our radio audience is back on ESPN Radio. And I want to talk to you just a brief bit about Hyundai Hope on Wheels before we get back to our conversation with Tori here. For over 27 years, Every Hyundai sold has helped fund life-saving pediatric cancer research. Together with over 850 dealers nationwide, they have raised more than $275 million, supporting over 25,000 kids in their fight against cancer. At Hyundai, Hope isn't optional, it comes standard.
Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. The best team in the National Football League is... Tori Holt, finish the sentence. Woo! Best team in the national football team.
Entering the rest of week seven. Entering the rest of week seven. Oh man, that's a good question, Rich. I only ask those Tories. Do you do?
And there's so much, to me right now, there's so much parody right now in this league. I don't think there's no one right now that's saying I'm the number one team right now. I mean, it certainly with the Eagles and Bills having dropped two in a row. They dropped two in a row. Colts and the Bucs are five and one.
Colts and the Bucs, you can say. And if I had to pick between those two, I would say the Bucs. And here's why I think Baker Mayfield in the level that he's playing at is pretty outstanding. He's raising the Mike Thomas, but Mike Evans, who's one of my favorites. You mentioned wide receivers.
He's one of my favorites. He's out. Obviously, Godwin is out, but the guys that he's playing with, Omeka, Buka, and other guys, their level of players rising. And I think a large part of that is because of Baker Mayfield and his leadership. He's been unbelievable.
Yeah, yeah, he's. And they're Ty Bulls in their defense. You know, they're going to compete and get after you. But Baker Mayfield is right now. It's top now.
The Bucs are atop my PAL rankings at one. I don't know if that word's gotten around London about my PAL rankings. But I still can't quit the Lions, man. Yeah, I can't quit. And I love it.
I know that they just lost. I get it to the Chiefs who are turning a corner. You know, and the Chiefs becoming more of the Chiefs. And Mahomes is having an MVP-type season for himself. Just can't quit the Lions right now.
Yeah, the Lions, man, you know, watching the Lions is, you know, I like watching them guys because offensively, they're so good. What do you think of Amon Ra? We didn't mention him. And he's one of the top wide receivers in the National Football League. Every week I do on my social media on Instagram, I do a big game ballers.
And he's appeared on that big game ballers list quite a bit. Yes. Because of his. Yeah. to nation's attitude.
Run after the cats. His speed in which he plays is most glaring to me. Amron Say Brown plays football really fast, and for a receiver, for corners. Corners and secondaries that have to deal with that. It's tough because it's the same look every single time.
You don't know when he's getting it or when he's not getting it because he plays at such a speed. That's pretty, that's most, like I said, that's most glaring. But his run after the catch, his toughness, he helps to set the tone with that run game. He helps to set the tone for that Lions offense.
Well, I mean, you'd know. And team. You know what you're talking about. Two more NFL records that I did not mention before that you still hold to this day: consecutive seasons of 1,300 or more yards, six. Woo!
Uh Consecutive seasons of 90 or more receptions, also six. Those are not records in this passing league. that is still standing today.
So, I'm just going to say this point blank. You should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The fact that you are not. is Outrageous. Um Again, I know you don't want to say anything and you shouldn't because it's one of those, it's like Fight Club.
You don't want to talk about it. But you deserve to be in, and you should be in. Who's pounding the table for you? Is there somebody who's pounding the table for you in that room? Yeah, so my presenter, Howard Barzer, okay, goes to bat every year for me.
Because he goes back to the St. Louis days, correct? Yeah, he goes back to the St. Louis days. Howard Barzer.
And I've been a finalist now six straight years.
So it's been six straight years that he's had to go in and argue my case. Correct.
And from what I'm told, and then talking with him, he does a heck of a job of going in and making a case for me every single year.
So I'm back in the runnings again this year. It's a tremendous honor to be mentioned amongst The league's great. And look, I enjoy playing the game, Rich. I mean, you know, you know that. I mean, you've been around me.
I enjoy playing. I enjoy, I took pride in playing the game at a very high level. My goal from when I was drafted to St. Louis is I wanted to play for one team and one team only. And I was close to doing that.
I played with the Rams for 10 years, and then I played one year in Jacksonville.
So, and then being a part of a Super Bowl team, bringing a Super Bowl to a city, bringing conference championships, breaking numbers of records. My work's done, man, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. And again, I did it at a high level, and I did it amongst other great wide receivers that we often talk about. I was right in the mix from a production standpoint.
I was right in the mix with those guys.
So I couldn't be any more pleased with how my career has ended out.
Now, the haul would be obviously icing on the cake and great validation for my pro football career. Yes. But the respect that I get from the guys that I played against and played with, that means all the world to me.
Well, and you get them. You get it. And, you know, this year is going to be tough again because Larry Fitzgerald, who I've done yesterday, he's second on the all-time receiver list. It's his first time up. But I also spoke to him about Angquan Bolden, who's also waiting just like you.
Sure. Deserving to get it. And all I will just say is this, is just, you know, you are such a. a delightful human. And you sh just don't get down about it.
You know what I mean? Thank you. I appreciate it. I will tell you this off the air also. I remember Harry Carson.
He once told the hall: take my name out of consideration. I'm sick and tired of waiting, and I'm sick and tired of being on pins and needles and not hearing my name. And one year, one year he got in, he said, screw it. On the day of the announcement, he went to Hawaii. And he got off the plane.
He turns his phone back on and he's like, you have 50 messages. And he got in. And to this day, I see him there in Canton, Ohio, and a guy who was so pissed at the circumstances. And was famous for that. Um goes back every year.
Happy-go-lucky, hunky-doory, all that weight only just makes it that much sweeter. Yeah. Because you will get in. Your numbers support it. You're.
person Your personage and your personality, of course. No doubt. All of it. All of it. Appreciate that.
No, I'm welcome. I haven't gotten to the point yet where I called the haul and said, hey, take my name. I'm just putting you. But you're just the extreme example. Totally.
Somebody who walks around with a jacket and a bust. Totally with you. And I've ridden every emotional wave that you can ride on this journey. I've ridden every emotional wave. And uh but I still have hope.
I still, every single year, when it comes back up, I still feel like I'm going to get voted in that year. Yeah. Every single year.
So, to your point, at some point, Hopefully the voters will see it that way. I'll be getting a call and saying, hey, you. You're the next. You're next in terms of being in the Hall of Fame. Right, and then everyone that you played with, you know.
We'll be there. Marshall, Nias, Kurt. Orlando, they're all from your team. Yeah, yeah. And Ramil, Dick Vermill, Dick Coach Vermil, you know, all the guys that I went to war with, all the guys that I battled with and practiced and, you know, and worked, and we all loved and had a passion for what we did.
Again, I think. Being inducted into the pro football all the famous we all know Really validates what you are as a football player. And I'm just waiting my turn. You're in the NC State Hall of Fame. I'm in the NC State Hall of Fame.
I'm in the College Football Hall of Fame. I'm in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. I'm in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. I'm in the Rich Eisen Sports Hall. I'm in the Rich Eisen Sports Hall of Fame.
That's the most important one of all. I mean, I know what you talk about, Ken.
So, Ken, whatever, Ken. Let's just check yourself right here. Victoria, you said you thought about it. Do you ever sit and think, like, this is the reason I'm not in? Do you ever just kind of question and kind of?
Just think about it. Initially, I would say the first three years I did that, it even had me to the point, my wife can attest it as well, even had me to the point. questioning myself like I know. Like, no, I'm really. You know what I'm saying?
Like, you know, I'm like. No, no, you weren't good? What was I not?
So now I'm to the point now, it's like. Hey. You look at all the statistics and you look at everything and how it all stacks up. I'm like, yeah, I belong. I belong.
But this is part of the process. This is part of the process. And I'm learning to embrace it and try to find joy in it and accept it. It's never easy. It's always exciting getting to the point and when the haul comes back around.
And then when they call out the names, it's like, it's like a gut punch. And then you deal with those emotions. And then after a month or two, and then you. They go away and then you get back to your normal life. Uh but it's It can be nerve-wracking, having to deal with it.
For me, it's more when I watch my wife and my kids, my grandmother, who's still alive, and my pops who's still around. They want it so bad, because they want to be the There when it actually happened.
So I feel bad for them a lot of times. But, you know. I I quickly just Try to get rid of it, get away from it, and then, you know, and get back to life.
Well, you are the man, and thank you for coming on here. Thanks for having me, man. Thank you. Absolutely. That's Tori Holt here, Ryan Clark of ESPN, joining us next on the Rich Eisen Show in Hour Two.
Got a couple more minutes left. Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
