This episode is presented by State Farm. Having insurance isn't the same as having state farms. It's like needing the protection of an offensive guard on the football field, but getting an elementary school crossing guard. Sure, they're both guards. but you can only trust one to keep your quarterback safe when the game is on the line.
So don't settle for just any insurance when there's state farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Abercrombie Kids is bringing the cheer all holiday season and the gifts too. No matter how long their wish list is, there's always room for just one more. Whether it's a new winter coat, an extra pair of jeans, or cozy matching sweatsets, get gifting with looks they've been waiting for all year.
Shop Abercrombie Kids in the app, online, and in stores. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck.
You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part: our YouTube channel.
Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. This is the Rich Eisen Show. We're gonna kick you in the teeth. They give it to Jameer.
He's gone, baby. We're gonna buy the kneecap off. And intercepted by the Lions TJ Reed. Today's guests: NFL Network insider Tom Pellisero, Super Bowl-winning head coach Bruce Arians, Academy Award-nominated actor Andy Garcia. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live on Disney Plus, the ESPN app and ESPN radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. It's good to have everybody in our neighborhood today. 844-204-Rich being the number to dial. Bruce Arians is going to be on this program, and Tom Pellisero is going to be on this program, and we are fired up. 'Cause we're all fans of the show Landman on Paramount Plus.
Yes, sir. Andy Garcia is going to come in studio. He's been here once, I think years ago. Eight, nine years ago. And he's a die-hard Miami Dolphin fan.
And so we'll tell them about our higher register. Like, I don't know, this team could actually do some damage by the end of the season. Anyway, Andy Garcia is coming in studio in hour number three. And our usual Friday fun. What's more likely?
I'll tell you what's at stake for the rest of a massive week 14 that kicked off last night. And I'll tell you some other games that I'm looking forward to seeing. LeBron James did not score a double-digit number of points for the first time since basically he was born. And the Lakers still won a basketball game last night because he passed the ball to Rui Hachimura to beat the Atlanta. Hawks in the final buzzer, and all Los Angeles basketball fans are waiting to see.
Um Certainly, this happening in Atlanta. Did the Lakers cut an all-time great in the middle of the night? We'll see if that's going down between now and the end of the show. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you?
Rich, it's spectacular.
Well, I'm a little lighter in the wallet after last night, but I'm doing great nonetheless. Jason Feller, how are you, sir? Good to see you. What's up, Rich? T.J.
Jefferson, I know it's that time of year. Uh where your Dallas Cowboys played uh on fire and you're not terribly happy about a result, but uh All it's not lost. That's my way of just saying hello to you on this Friday. How are you, sir? Cowboys!
TG, I'm going to send you a Venmo request for what I lost last night. Man. We'll talk about it on this program, but we start with the team that won. To kick off week number 14, the Detroit Lions. coming into the game last night up and down.
Quite literally. Having spent The entire last two months of this National Football League campaign alternating wins and losses. As a matter of fact, After they won their fourth in a row to go 4-1, they lost, and then... Up and down, up and down, up and down, up and down. And the question was: could they somehow get back up from a Thanksgiving?
loss to Green Bay and losing Amon Ra St. Brown in the process with him getting bageled because he got injured and was knocked out for the entirety of the game. Amon Ross A. Brown comes back. The Lions do in fact win because they Pushed the pedal to the medal on their offense at Ford Field.
Again, got enough defensive plays from Aiden Hutchinson. And they do in fact win this must-have football game. Coming in this game at 7-5, and the Bears and the Packers playing one another in an historic matchup between the two. And I'll put a pin in that and tell you how rare that Bears-Packers matchup. for the right to be in first place entering week 15 is.
But at the end of the day, Lions fans, at least you had overnight to be. overjoyed about what happened. before having a potential sense of dread land again. Despite the celebration that we're showing on the screen right here, Brian Branch. their outstanding defensive Player.
A linchpin for this team. Is out for the season with an Achilles engine. that they Based on all reports. There's s there's just Suspicions that number 32, when he went down in this game, would not be able to get back up for this season. has been confirmed based on all reports.
Tom Pelisser is going to join us in fifteen minutes' time. But Lions fans, once again. are watching a mass unit be made out of their defensive Secondary, or in the case of last year, Aiden Hutchinson, as we all know, went down due to his season-ending injury, and they won 15 games regardless. And once again, Lions fans are going to have to. Trust Dan Campbell's ability to coach the team up.
and trust this room's ability to pull together. And win football games and bring. Hope And heaven forbid, a trophy and a parade to Detroit, Michigan. And if that happens. Hope.
Let's just take the hope part first. For Lions fans to Look. For any hope. All they gotta do. Is look to number zero on their team, who is.
Without question. One of the most special players. I have seen suit up in a National Football League uniform in the 23-plus years. that I've been covering this with NFL Network and then also this show. Jameer Gibbs is out of control absurd.
amazing, ridiculous. And just again.
So repeat what we've been talking about. For the last few weeks, because this stat showed up on the NFL network research stat packet. about a month ago and I Credit are crack NFL network research team for Seeing this forming. To see somebody this young dominate this league. Like Jameer Gibbs is rare for at this position.
ball dependent position obviously and A position that requires you to be tough and of course have a body to take the beating. It was about a month ago we started talking about how many touchdowns he has scored. before the age of twenty four. With his three Last night. He is now tied, Barry Sanders.
For the most touchdowns prior to the age of 20. I think this is running updated. When we first started this, he was behind Jim Brown at 40.
Now he's got 47 touchdowns and he's tied Barry Sanders. And again,. Jameer Gibbs turns 24 after there's a new league year.
Next March. The NFL will be a year older before. Jameer Gibbs's.
So all he needs is one more of these. Over the rest of the regular season, and he becomes the most dynamic touchdown maker. This young In the history of the NFL. It's absurd. What he is doing.
in a town that seemed very Sander isn't obviously mister Simms before him This is the way through. This kid. And of course there's a tremendous team around him. Jarrett Goff with three hundred nine yards passing last night. In his first ten seasons of the National Football League.
Um In the National Football League. Jared Goff now has 45 300-yard passing games. That's tied with Matt Ryan for the second most all time. Five behind Patrick Mahomes. Who has fifty?
such games. That's how good Goff is. Amon Ra comes back. Did it look like he wasn't at full speed? Man.
Even though that was enough? Right? There were times where it's just like. He's just got a little hitch on his giddy ass. Yeah, but I'll take that hitch.
92 receiving yards. Six catches. He passed Michael Thomas for the most receptions by a player in their first five seasons in NFL history. Are you picking up what I'm putting down about how. Historically terrific in their own individual rights, these players are on this Detroit offense.
And then, of course, um Knuckles scored two. David Montgomery. Had a rushing touchdown in this game that was crucial. It was, I believe, the first touchdown of the game. As both Defense is bent.
While the field goal kickers broke the scoreboard. for the first time. David Montgomery and Jameer Gibbs have now scored 15 times. In the same game from scrimmage. And that's the most in the history of the Super Bowl era.
The only ba ones better are Lenny Moore and Alan Amichi of Baltimore. And Frank Gifford and Alex Webster of the old New York Football Giants did it 20 times. We're seeing, again, this is the way through for the Lions. And of course, Aiden Hutchinson. Getting 10 quarterback pressures on Dak Prescott last night himself, which was one more than the entire Cowboys team had on Jared Goff.
That's so that these are. I'm kind of giving you the Honolulu blue and silver dome lining here with Brian Branch being down. And the Lions fans have got to be again. And the Lions, too, got to be like, do we need to have a seance? What do we got to do here?
How many times are we going to have defensive players that we need? Go down. For the season. But first things first. Eight and five.
And as I mentioned yesterday, their chances of making the playoffs now have improved to 55%. And they are You know I guess hoping the Packers win. I mean, the division's gonna be tough for him because even if the Packers win and make it. A nine and four Bears team, just a game behind. The Lions would be behind the Bears, who they've already beaten, and play one more time.
That's the way through, is somehow, some way, the Packers. Remove themselves from being in between the Bears and the Lions because the Packers have swept the Lions, and the Lions can somehow tie the Bears at the end of the season, sweep them, and win the division. Uh I don't I I I don't have enough, you know. Mental gymnastics to try and figure that out live on our simulcast right now, but that's the way through in terms of winning the division, in terms of getting to the playoffs. That's a big win because the Niners are on a bye.
They're now a game behind them. And the Packers and Bears play each other and the Seahawks are now Potentially, after they go to Atlanta, going to stay two in front of the Lions. How to have it? They got it. And once again, number zero to the rescue.
This kid is outrageously good. Dan Campbell talking about how they're seeing what's happening in front of them and adding yet more to his plate In the passing game. The more we give him and the more we work with him, Uh in practice, we just continue to Try to you know Open his horizons and give him a little bit more. Man, he just grows. He gets better and better, and then he gets in the game, and the routes get crisper and crisper.
He just... He just keeps going, man. There's just not a cap on this dude yet. Second player in NFL history, joining Sean Alexander as the only. Player with 75 or more receiving yards and three rushing touchdowns in a primetime game.
Doing it all. Unreal. 13th career game with multiple touchdowns scored. Fourth game in his career with three or more touchdowns scored. He's tied for the most games with multiple touchdowns in the first three seasons of a career in a Super Bowl era.
The only one who's gotten more. In the history of the National Football League, I don't know if you've got the old gen stat ready. But uh this is an old genstat. Oh no! Old Jan Stats The only one with more in the history of the National Football League in the first three seasons of multiple touchdown games in the first three seasons of her career, Speck Sanders had 14.
with the New York Yankees of the AAAFC. There you go. What? Yeah, yeah. Those are letters and words that are on this piece of paper.
Good old spec. Spec Sanders, everybody. That's the way through. Jameer Gibbs and more Jameer Gibbs, and this is not a fantasy thing. This is not.
I mean, I'm sure he's winning people fantasy games and everything like that.
Okay, that sounds like that's one of you right there, TJ. It's not a fantasy thing. This is the realistic aspect. The Lions have lost too many times right now. Uh entering week 15 for them.
to be thinking we're going to win the division again.
Well, they can think it or to pull it off. And they've lost too many games to be. in a playoff spot entering week 15. That's the problem for them. But Jameer Gibbs is the way through.
And just to remind everybody once again here, because I can't quit things. You know, I think the word solid is an insult. There are better superlatives. Jameer Gibbs, you know what? He had a solid game last night.
See what I mean? Yeah, see, it works. No, it doesn't work. Amon Ross St. Brown's solid in returning.
You know what? That Gibbs was more than solid, though. You know what? I think you didn't. The Lions, the Lions.
Are 100% still alive. Despite everything that's going on. Because in part They've got a terrific coaching staff and a Terrific quarterback. But an absolutely Above Average times 10 Times solid, times outstanding, times remarkable. Times.
Unprecedentedly terrific. Offensive player in Jameer Gibbs. Who everybody was wondering back in the day Why are they drafting him? They traded up. Oh, yeah, what are they doing?
Kind of early for him. That's kind of a running back. No, he's a running back and a receiver. And 100%, you've got to throw him in the mix of Offensive Player of the Year right now, too. He's doing I mean well And the number of people that I meet who are like, that's my favorite, that's my favorite player in the NFL, because he runs away from people.
He's unbelievable. Very elusive in the open field. You flint. And just like think. It's like he's there, and then he does a spin.
But they also run him inside, too. They can tenderize that defensive line with him as well. Tenderness. He's unreal. What did we say yesterday he was like 20 to 1 for Offensive Player of the Earth?
Where's he now? He's now 10 to 1.
Well, I mean, that's what happens when you come up with. Yeah. A three touchdown performance. With seven catches for 77 yards and 12 touches for 43 yards. And three touchdowns on the ground.
Also, Spec Sanders was nice. Oh yeah. Yeah, he did two great years. His real name is Orban. Ah!
Very good. Which is why I went by spec. He wore glasses, obviously, too. Oh, I like it. Probably so.
All right, let's take a break. By the way, I'm putting myself on the back right here. I didn't even start this show about the Dallas Cowboys potentially being in the toilet now. Which is what you're supposed to do when you have a show like this. But we might not be.
That's true. You say there's still a chance. Part and parcel, part and parcel of last night's game. was the Cowboys coming in red hot, and it's the Lions who came up with the must-have win. and the Cowboys are the ones behind the eight ball with four games to go.
We'll talk about that later on. Tom Pellisero is going to join us next year on this program. And we want to know all about who's in, who's out, what's up. Yada, yada, yada. Tommy P, when we come back here, his usual Friday spot.
Uh Rich Eisen here, and we're brought to you by Sonos. The holidays sound better with Sonos speakers. Whether it's a movie night that feels larger than life or the roar of the crowd as your team takes the field, Sonos helps create the moments you'll remember. Beautiful design, incredible sound, and effortless control mean you can focus on what matters most, enjoying the season. I love Sonos, and so will you.
Discover how easy it is to bring every room to life with incredible sound. Explore Sonos speakers, soundbars, and more at Sonos.com. 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 is 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. Let's talk about OOOORI Auto Parts people. They're in the business of keeping your car on the road. They offer friendly, helpful service and the parts knowledge you need for all your maintenance and repairs. They've got thousands of parts, accessories in stock, either in store or online, so you never have to worry if you're in a jam.
The team at O'Reilly Auto Parts, too, can test your battery for free in or out of your car. And if it needs to be replaced, they'll help you find just the right battery for your vehicle. Need your windshield wipers replaced, a brake light fixed, or a quick service? They'll help you find the right part or point you to the nearest local repair shop for help. That's how helpful they are.
Whether you're a car aficionado or an auto novice, you'll find the employees at O'Reilly Auto Parts knowledgeable, helpful, and best of all, friendly. The professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts are your one-stop shop for all things auto, do-it-yourself. And you can find what you need in store or online. Stop by O'Reilly Auto Parts today or visit us at o'reillyauto.com slash Eisen. That's o'reillyauto.com slash Eisen.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rich Eisen show on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. Tom Pellicero is back here on the program. Good to see you, Tommy P. How are you, sir?
Doing great, Rich. What's up to my boys in the studio? Topic. Hey, Tom. Top.
Hey, look at that. I heard you talking about Jameer Gibbs, and it is one of my favorite draft stories. Because one thing that I try to do every year is just talk to coaches, GM, scouts, and go through a bunch of different positions. Obviously, I focus in heavily on the quarterbacks, but just to kind of get a feel: who are those guys that everybody loves or the ones that are in every mock draft and teams don't actually like them? Jameer Gibbs was the number one guy when I talked to coaches going into that draft.
Everyone was like, oh, he's unbelievable. Like, that's the guy that I would want. The Lions take him after trading down from number six to number 12 in that draft. And people lost their minds of why are you taking a running back at number 12? I was told the next morning they were going to take him at six.
If they hadn't traded down, they were just going to stand in and take him at six. I reported that. And if you go back to that tweet and the responses to it, the world was mocking the Lions for making that pick. Fair to say, they were not alone in valuing Jameer Gibbs that high. And every time that he takes the field, he shows you why they regarded him the way they did.
Well, and I just heard coming out of that draft that 12 was almost not high enough. For him. That that seems ready to jump the line. for the Lions. for Jameer Gibbs, including the Jets who had Brees Hall.
Coming off of his rookie season. I heard that too, Tom.
Well, and one thing that the Lions have done, and in the great days of the Patriots, they were good at this as well, was essentially you don't grade players and draft them off what the grade is for the league. You figure out what is this guy going to do for us? Just like Jack Campbell, who a lot of people had as a second-round pick because, oh, he's an Iowa linebacker. He doesn't run all that great. What are you going to do with him on third downs?
The Lions go, he's a perfect fit for what we want to do. We don't care where you have him graded. I think they took him at like 18. We're just going to stand in and take the guy. You know, there's obviously there's risk factors involved with that because over time, you know, there are teams that place such an emphasis on the value that you're constantly, all right, we need additional bites at the apple.
And that's why you trade down and you get guys. But the Lions have been very consistent with, that's our guy. We're going to go and do what it takes to get him. They did it with Jamison Williams, too, trading up with the Vikings in that draft. And while J-Mo has had.
A bumpy career to this point. You'll watch him on a good night and you see the freaky things he can do, and you know exactly why they felt that he was a perfect fit for what they wanted to do as well. But Brian Branch is out for the season, right? We determined that? Yeah.
Yeah, Brian Branch, torn Achilles. He's going to undergo surgery out for the season. You would hope. That by the start of the 2026 season, he's back. That is, you know, I mean, the start of trading camp is, you know, eight months or so away.
So he's probably going to be limited. You'd hope by the early portion of next season he's back. But that's another big blow, Rich. You know, as much as this was a huge win for the Lions, they were the most injured team last year. And you look at them right now, especially in the secondary.
And once again, they're kind of, you know, a series of spare parts. They had just gotten DJ Reid back. They lose Terryon Arnold, who had tried to play through that shoulder injury. I mean, he was told two months ago this is probably season ending, got a second opinion, decided to push it. It just got to a point where he had to have shoulder surgery that if it hasn't already happened, it's happening in the next couple of days here.
Kirby Joseph hasn't played since week six because of a knee injury. And now Brian Branch, who's one of the versatile pieces in the secondary of any NFL team, is out for the season as well. That's a lot to take on. I mean, we're past the trade deadline here. There aren't just players available that you can go get.
So once again, Kelvin Shepard and that staff in Detroit is just going to have to go, all right. You know, as much as next man up becomes a cliche, that's very much what it is at this time of year. And we'll see whether some of those other younger players are able to sustain this thing for a Lions team that's right in the playoff mix. And then amazing how things can turn in the NFL. I mean, we see it every single year.
We see it every single week. Dallas is now 6'6-1 with four games to go, and it's going to be a very. steep hill for them to climb now after their first loss in a month. And George Pickens goes from the Cowboys have no choice but to re-sign him. And then Richard Sherman giving voice on the post-game show last night to what a lot of people were observing.
uh during the game is and what maybe some people in Pittsburgh were sort of Rick Dalton from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, jiffing, like pointing at the screen that's right there. He didn't try for a ball that could have lost in the lights, or he wasn't running crisp routes. Richard Sherman was pointing out that Pickens Was giving the Cowboys maybe or should thoughts about why would we want to give them 40 million a year? What are you hearing? uh coming out of the Cowboys loss about that or anything else?
Well, certainly. I mean, George Pickens is a very rare talent physically, but there's a reason that he wasn't even a first-round pick. And it was the same things at Georgia that you saw in parts in Pittsburgh. And that, you know, perhaps, and I'm not, you know, inside that locker room in Dallas, but perhaps you saw some of those parts come up yesterday in terms of some of the mistakes that are made on the field. I've got no question that George Pickens is going to get a boatload of money.
It might come in the form of a franchise tag in 2026. But you're right. I mean, people can look at the Steelers and go, well, why'd they give that guy away for a third-round pick?
Well, number one, they had just acquired DK Metcalf, and you were probably not going to have those two guys together in the same receiver room. Number two, Aaron Rodgers really values guys who he knows exactly where they're going to be on the field. Picking style, his play style may not be a great fit with Rodgers. And then the other part of it is, this is kind of how the Steelers, Rich, have operated for a long time. Wide receiver.
And Mike Tomlin deserves a lot of credit for the way that he has, let's say, managed different personalities over the years at that position. But think of the number of Steelers wide receivers who they have traded away through the years, whether that was going into a second contract or while on a second contract. It's Antonio Brown. It's Martavis Bryant. It is Chase Claypool.
It's Deontay Johnson. There's a long history of them taking on various personalities, getting everything they can out of them, and then moving on from them before they actually have to make a large commitment or another large commitment in terms of the contract. Again, George Pickens is going to be fine. He is too talented. This is not a wide receiver group in free agency that anybody's looking at and licking their chops to go out and pay some of these other guys $35 million per year.
But it certainly is going to weigh into the broader calculus here of what's the commitment level. It's always seemed like the most logical outcome of this is a franchise tag for George Pickens, but we'll find out in February, March exactly what direction. Tom Pilicero here on The Rich Eisen Show. Tommy P, Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh. Things are happening that we.
You know. Let's just say it's reached a pitch that we've rarely seen. In Pittsburgh, certainly when it comes to Mike Tomlin, despite a lot of voices. from the fan base. It feels different.
It just does with a month to go. What are you hearing? About that. Situation, if you will, going into the first of two big-time games against the Ravens between these two teams.
Well, start right there. They're tied for first place in the AFC North. I know they've lost, what, five of their last seven, but they still got two matchups with the team that they're tied with. Let's see how these next five weeks go before thinking about what the broader picture is going to be. But to that extent, there's a lot of different things that go into this with Mike Commlin.
And frankly, I would say this is five Decembers in a row that we've had some level of whether it's reports or speculation. We haven't had the fire Tomlin chance and things like that. But certainly the impressions and the feelings about Mike Common in Pittsburgh seem like they have always been. You know, not aligned with the views of Mike Tomlin nationally. I mean, he's obviously got the streak of never finishing below 500.
He's also a guy who hasn't won a playoff game since the Obama administration. I certainly understand where that plays into some of the frustration. You look at the number of different swings. I mean, think of the number of different quarterbacks that have started a game for Pittsburgh since Ben Rothesberger's retirement. They took their swing on Kenny Pickett.
That was not a strong draft class. If there was one guy who they were going to take, it was Pickett. For a variety of reasons, it didn't work out. And then you've got Mason Rudolph that's in there. And you take your shot last year with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
And now it's Aaron Rodgers. You're trying different things, but you haven't used that high, high type of draft capital. To go and get a quarterback, nor does, and it's not for lack of trying, nor have they swung a big trade to acquire someone like they could have if, you know, ultimately, for instance, the Rams had decided to move on for Matthew Stafford in the last offseason. What I would tell you, Rich, is based on everything I know. And this is in part from a conversation I had last year, last summer, with Art Rooney, where I asked him, you know, what goes into deciding to stick with a head coach for as long as the Steelers have, not just with Mike Tomlin, but in prior cases as well.
And Art's philosophy on this is as long as you believe in the coach and the coach still has the locker room, there's not a reason to make a change. I don't see signs right now that Mike Tomlin has lost the locker room in Pittsburgh. I don't see any reason to believe that Art Rooney is going to do something that the Steelers never do and fire Mike Tomlin. In terms of whether there could be, for instance, a trade. Whether Mike Tomlin could want to go someplace else, that's a conversation that Mike would have to initiate with the organization.
He's one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL. He's got two years left on his deal. There were certainly teams last year, including the Bears, who would have had some level of interest. It just didn't line up. I mean, what job out there is Mike Tomlin going to look at and say it can be better than what he's got in Pittsburgh?
He's got a lot of authority. I'll just jump in. Giants, you got Jackson Dart, you got that front seven, you got Malik Neighbors, you got Cam Scataboo, you got a fan base that's dying for him. Truly every Giant fan I know. And I know this is stirring it up.
This is speculation because you're right. No, but there's two big fat Steeler Ravens games that can change all of this. The tenor can change, but you can also read some tea leaves. You can also see, use your own two eyes as to what this team's going to do if they have the ability to. You know, to get something going, anything can happen, clearly.
But Giants. And honestly, and if I'm any head coach, forget just Tomlin. And I feel like my situation is not that great. College. or pros.
That's not a bad job. Right there. Tom. I agree. The Giants job has plenty of things going for it, but you're also.
I mean, Mike Tomlin has. Seemingly infinite job security in Pittsburgh. He has a lot of authority over the roster. He's out in the scouting process involved in those things. He's got a pretty good setup in Pittsburgh.
So, again, this is not, I don't anticipate, and you never say never, but I don't anticipate Art Rooney is going to come to a conclusion that the Mike Tomlin era has run its course. If Mike Tomlin comes to the conclusion that the Mike Tomlin era has run its course in Pittsburgh, now it would be interesting to see exactly how this would play out. There's not a lot of occasions in recent NFL history of executing a trade. Even the Sean Payton trade was different because it was a year later and they already had a head coach in Dennis Allen. Sean wasn't going to try to come back and get that job back.
He wanted to be traded, but it's far different than the timeline even in terms of trading a head coach after the season and then potentially putting yourself behind in terms of the interview process. It's not impossible, but that's a decision and a path. That Mike Tomlin would have to want to go down for the Steelers to go down it. I've got Tom Pellisero here on The Rich Eisen Show. Jacoby Brissette is going to be starting for the Arizona Cardinals against the Rams this weekend and for the Arizona Cardinals for the rest of the season as Jonathan Gannon.
prior to you uh stepping into uh our zoom room Stepped to the podium and said that the injury for Murray is, quote unquote, not progressing where it's going to make sense that he can go and rule him out for the rest of the season. Is he done in Arizona, Tom? I think it's a fair question to ask, certainly based on his cryptic comment about potentially not being around when the new facilities open up in two years. That caused a lot of eyebrows to raise before he got hurt. What do you got for me on that front, Tom?
Well, the Cardinals have a lot of things that they've got to figure out. They've lost, I believe, nine of their last 10 games. You know, you're in year three of the program. You'd like to think by this point you've learned to win more than the Cardinals seem to have learned how to win. They're in every game.
Jonathan Gannon and his staff, they're all a bunch of young guys. They're bright coaches who all have big futures in this league. This has been a bumpy season for a lot of reasons. They've had a ton of injuries. And Kyler Murray, quite frankly, was never their quarterback.
Now, when Jonathan Gannon got there, he threw everything he had behind Kyler Murray and has been a big backer of him. And Drew Petson and the offensive staff, same thing. They also didn't have a choice. Kyler Murray's contract, which, of course, at the time was a heavy focus of media members and fans because of the infamous homework clause that, once that was revealed, ended up getting stripped out. It's also a remarkable document.
In terms of how long out the guarantees have flowed, he still has, in 2026, almost $40 million fully guaranteed, and another almost $20 million becomes fully guaranteed if Kyler is still on the roster as of March 15th. It would be unlike Arizona to simply say we're going to eat $40 million cash and release him. Is it possible that they could pay it down prior to that additional $20 million investing for somebody who wants Kyler Murray as a bridge quarterback? Would another team be willing to take on? $60 million of guaranteed money for Kyler Murray.
Those are some of the moving parts, all of which is a way of saying, I think, by any logical measure here, Rich, you'd say Kyler Murray is probably going to be someplace else in 2026. Again, it would be assuming that things remain static there with Jonathan Gannon and Monty Austin for it, which I'm not assuming because, again, there's a lot of decisions that have to be made. But if they are, you'd like to think, all right, this is going to be the opportunity to go and get your quarterback. Maybe that's Jacoby Prissette, who leads in every category, it seems like, since he took over as a backup quarterback, while, by the way, playing with a you know, fourth and fifth string running backs, Marvin Harrison Jr. has been in and out of the lineup, they've had other injuries at wide receiver.
I mean, there's been a lot of different challenges that they've had here. But the contract is going to be a piece of this, just like it is with Tuatonga Vailoa in Miami. It's kind of a similar type of a calculus here, which is: all right, can we pay it down and trade him to somebody who needs a bridge quarterback? All right, but then if you pay it down for the bridge quarterback, now you've got to. Pay to get your own bridge quarterback in.
Arizona has that answered, hypothetically, because Jacoby Brissette's under contract for 2026. But this is part of what's going to be, I believe, Rich, a really, really busy and fascinating quarterback carousel as we get not even into March, but these things tend to start rolling out as we get through January and towards Super Bowl week. Before I let you go, open the notebook on who's in, who's out injury-wise. Starting with T. Higgins, what do you got for me here?
Is he going to be available for Joe Burrow come Sunday in West Johnson? T. Higgins is back for Cincinnati, cleared the concussion protocol. They're still two games back. They still have a winning record in the division.
They're not completely out of it here. And this will be the first time that we've seen Joe Burrow with his full complements of receivers since the very beginning of this season.
So that's big for them. You know, the commanders at this point are essentially buried in terms of the playoff calculation. But Dan Quinn, right before we came on air, announced Jaden Daniels has. Cleared. You know, he'd been cleared by doctors for contact with that dislocated left elbow.
So he's going to be out there on Sunday. The commanders are not waving the white flag just yet. They're going to go up against the Minnesota team that we don't have a formal announcement yet from Kevin O'Connell, but I fully anticipate J.J. McCarthy is going to be out there and starting for the Vikings on Sunday, which again, when we're talking about all these moving parts in the offseason, the Vikings are a team that's got big time decisions to make in terms of the quarterback position as well. Justin Herbert seems to be trending the correct direction, was limited in practice yesterday.
The big thing, you know, was four days ago that he had surgery on his left hand to stabilize a fracture. But it seems like his full intention is just they got to get the swelling out. That's the biggest thing. He wore the glove on it after the injury occurred last week. But, you know, if anybody's going to play with that type of an injury, it's a guy who also had a high ankle sprain.
I think it was last year, had about five rolls of tape on it and somehow was out there playing through it. That's just Justin. And Herbert's mentality. It's one of the many reasons that Jim Harbaugh loves him.
So, I know this is more than maybe a minute and a half, but that's all I've got. Is Lamar. healthy. What's going on? He's not practicing fully all week.
We know that that might be the way for the rest of the season. Is there something up? We don't know because he just hasn't looked the same since coming back. Short answer is: no, he's not healthy. He's been on the injury report virtually the entire season.
It was a hamstring that sidelined him for several games. He didn't come back quite as quickly as they were hoping on that. Then he pops up on the report with a knee injury, and then the following week gets an ankle. The reason he didn't practice yesterday, from my understanding, and I know Ian Rappaport put this out earlier, is he got stepped on. It was not like a major type of a thing, but you watch him play, and I'm not, you know, going to profess to be an expert of the quarterback position, but he doesn't look quite the same.
You know, there was a next-gen stat that came out that Lamar has forced zero tackles, zero missed tackles on designed runs this season. What's Lamar Jackson's calling card? It's the runability, and it's not just the design stuff, but the scrambling stuff. You know, we all know some of those stats about he's the you know has the highest passer rating or one of the highest passer ratings of anybody. In NFL history, a big part of that is driven by he sees different looks on the back end because everyone is scared of him running.
When you lose the Lamar run threat, even though he's still a threat, but if you lose that absolute elite elusiveness, it has a trickle-down effect on how defenses play him here. We'll see, can he get healthier as this season goes on? There have been a bunch of seasons where we've seen Lamar kind of get, you know, worn down a little bit here. I've got no question that he's, you know, pending the final injury report, that he's going to be raring to go. He was back on the practice field today.
But, you know, both the injury report and my eyes would tell me this is not quite 100% Lamar Jackson as they get set to go up against a Steelers defense that's got pretty much everything on the line this week. You the man, brother. I'll see you Sunday, game day morning.
Sounds great. I'll be there. It's Tom Pelocero, everybody, in his usual Friday spot right here on the Rich Eyes. Hey, buddy. Got to run.
Let's take a break. Come back. 844204 Rich. Number to dial. What's more likely?
Bruce Arians, Andy Garcia, and Studio. All still to come. Um Meet the computer you can talk to. With Copilot on Windows, working, creating, and collaborating is as easy as talking. Got Writer's Block?
Share your screen with Copilot Vision to help spark inspiration. And use Copilot Voice to have a conversation and brainstorm ideas. Or maybe you need some tech help. With Copilot Vision, Copilot sees what you see. Let Copilot talk you through step-by-step guidance so you can master new apps, games, and skills faster.
Try now at windows.com slash Copilot. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here, wishing you a very happy half-off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price.
So, That means Half day. Yeah. Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of $45 for three months, plan equivalent to $15 per month required. New customer offer for first three months only.
Speed flow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy. Taxes and fees extra. See MittMobile.com. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on the Rich Eyes and Show, 844-204-RICH is the number to dial right here on the program.
We're going to take your phone calls in a quick second right here. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance. Not only does Progressive let you bundle your insurance, they also give you round-the-clock protection. Quote today at progressive.com.
Okay, everybody. LeBron passed the ball.
Well, he's an all-time great assist, man. He is indeed. I don't think that's passed the ball when he had only sounded like Ron Artes now. Hey, during that presser, Kobe passed me the ball. No, he had eight points.
I know. Was it 12 over 1,200 games? He scored at least 10 points in a row. He ought to know. Oh.
LeBron strikes me as someone very much notes what he did. And he found Ruby for the triple. That's the thing about LeBron, right? He's always going to make the best basketball play. I think that's nothing you can argue about.
If you recall negative early in his career, back in the day, bingo. Yeah, people. Shoot! And it was on the line. It was attributed to him.
He didn't want to have the blame. The blame that was too big for him. He didn't want to blame if he missed.
So the fact that that man who living his life like this every day. He ends up being scoring the most points ever when, in the beginning of his life. He's not taking the shot. Take the shot. Take the shot.
Give me the shot. Did you see who's top 10 now in the history of the Lakers in 40-point games? I saw it. Luca. Luca.
Rakers popped that out on Instagram the other night. I'm like, that's got to be a misprint. He's played like 13 games for him.
Well, he scores a lot. He scores a lot. He scores a lot. God, that would be so great if the Lakers just go on some big fat run. Great for who.
Great for who? What are you talking about, LeBron? It would be awful. Why would it be awful? Because people like O'Shea will come in here and then just like a True Lake Celtic fan over there.
What's your problem? I am a True Celter fan. I know that. I know that. And then the stupid-ass car flags that start showing up.
Yeah, we don't. We don't need any of that. Excuse me, sir. Dodgers won, Rich. We don't need the Lakers winning.
You live in this community. What's the matter with you?
So? Everyone always says that. Oh, you live there. Why don't you go? No, no, no, no, no.
You have to root for it. No, no, I'm not saying that. Why would I do that? I'm not saying that, but. You got nothing to say over there, do you?
Oh, I sold those flags. One of those seats. I got a good deal on them, and I was out. Who wants flag? You know, Feller has always got some type of racket.
We bought like a hundred of them and we're just walking down the street selling cars.
So, like, sometimes if I was, say, trying to, you know, inch my way into a parking lot at the old Staples years ago. I set up at Home Depot.
Okay, so you would set up in a parking lot of the Home Depot? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Oh my God.
Always a businessman. By the way. A different meaning of that these days. Sure. But so you would be there like selling Laker CarFlex?
I did it one season. It was a long time ago and. Got a good deal. I'm not doing last week. Chase got a deal.
I'll do it pretty much. I'll start as soon as we get there again.
Okay. Why I'm saying, listen, come on, man. I would rather see like Fill-in-the-Blank, terrible organization than root for the Lakers. No, stop it. LeBron, at the end of his career, is he staying?
Is he not? All of that stuff against, say, the Oklahoma City Thunder in a Western Conference semi or final. You don't think that would be awesome? Of course it would be. And I would root for Oklahoma City.
J.J. Reddick, it's great for business. Hell yeah. That's what I'm referring to. For me personally and him?
If he could speak for him, it would be great. Oh, my God. Cliffer and Celtic fans. I got to talk to O'Shea Jackson Jr. a lot, Rich.
You know how annoying that would be? It's great. You, Nick, fan, should not want the Lakers to ever be good. You know what? I am talking about as the host of the Rich Eisen show right now.
That's secondary to your fandom. I don't think it is. What are you talking about? Come on, man. You should put your fingers in the middle of the black.
You're the king of, you know what? It's better to when fill in the blank is better for the NFL. Why? What do you care? Isn't it better?
You know what? When you hear it's better for the NFL, it's better if the Lakers. The Jets being better would be great for the NFL. It would not. No one cares about the Jets.
It's why I'm. I'm talking about the host of the Rich Eisen Show, and sometimes I'll veer into the personal. We're not a basketball-centric program. Guess what we are? I mean, offseason New York.
I saw us being aggregated by ESPN's various basketball. Yeah. Brian Windhorse was up there. Don't sell us as anything other than a terrific program where you can talk all sports and pop culture. Yeah.
How dare you? TV, movies, everything. How dare you? Pro wrestling. How do we get from selling car flags to that?
I'm just saying it would be great if the Lakers got that good and they are. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
