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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Rivers backs to throw. It's an easy call for the culture. Live from the Rich Eisen Studios in New York City, today's guest is WWE Superstar Gunther.
Steelers defensive tackle Cam Hayward. Emmy Award-winning actor Hanka Zaria. Actor Paul Rudd. And now, it's Rich ISEM. All right, everybody.
Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live from New York City at the ESPN and Disney Studios. The Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Once again, here from my hometown, Rich Eisen, along with Chris Brockman and TJ Jefferson, and DJ Mikey Diaz and D's Nuts are all here today. We've got four guests, one on a Zoom. Cam Hayward is going to join us, and we're going to ask the Walter Payton Man of the Year, point blank.
Uh did Josh Allen really need you in the stomach? I know you probably he might want to talk about Ohio State meet Michigan all over the place in the big house. But that'll be later on. Obviously, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a bigger fish to fry than either of the two things I just mentioned, as they are now leading the American Football Conference Northern Division going into week 15, a Monday nighter on ESPN to wrap up that week 15. He's going to join us, and then three in-studio guests, TJ Jefferson, you're going to be on the clock first up because Gunther is here, WWE superstar.
He's getting set to spoil John Cena's farewell. Is that basically what he's doing? He's set to put him out to dry, is what he's getting raised. All right. He will be joining us in studio here, and so will Hank Azaria, one of our longtime friends, one of my longtime buddies, one of the first people I met when I moved to Los Angeles 23 years ago.
He's going to be joining us here in studio, and you'll be on the clock with him as well, so you can cry in your Edwin Diaz soup together. You met fans. You love that, don't you? I don't love it. I think I did a poor job of picking sports teams when you're looking at it right now.
Understood, Clippers, Matt's, maybe you want to go back in the DeLorean at some point in time and figure that thing out. But anyway, Hank will be here. And then Paul Rudd, one of our favorite guests, he's going to be here in support of Anaconda. He and Jack Black in that interview later on this month in theaters near you. 844204 Rich, as always, is the number to dial.
Whether you're watching us on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, or listening to us on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance, or listening to us on SiriusXM Channel 80. We also obviously have podcast listeners listening whenever you want. It is your right to do so. We appreciate that. You can't call us, but long story short, is you can still always listen to us all three hours, however, you get your podcasts every single day.
As I mentioned, 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. I get asked frequently, and as a matter of fact, I did get asked this question. One of the many things that I've been doing here in New York other than this, or hanging with you and getting in a food como after dinner last night for the group at Arthur's and Sons, to enthusiastic thumbs up if you're ever in town here. And Mike Del Tufo, you will you You don't just throw her own manhole covers when you're talking about how I took home the doggy bag. Yes, you did.
At any rate, guilty as charged. The reason why I bring that up is one of the things I did is I recorded an episode of Kelly and Mark. Mark Consuela is a Rich Eisen show guest, and Kelly Rippa, his wife, they are shooting their show in this complex here, just like Good Morning America. First Take is next door. This is the Get Upset anyway.
And Kelly asked me at one point, what I do get asked frequently is: do you on your show talk about reality television? And I said, the only thing that popped into my head is I do every day, it's called sports. Yes. And there is no greater reality show, as we know, than the National Football League. The ultimate, you can't make this up.
Whether it's on the field, Jalen Hurts turning the ball over twice on the same possession, for instance, a game like Monday Nights. Or the story that hit everybody's Feeds just yesterday and shocked everybody on Monday night. as well when it first came out. that Philip Rivers is coming out of retirement at age 44. And my first reaction was why?
We know why the Colts would knock on his door because Daniel Jones is done for the year. And also Anthony Richardson is on injured reserve. Who knows when he's coming back? Riley Leonard, their rookie quarterback from Notre Dame, thrust into action last week. He may not be ready.
One wouldn't be surprised if he's not ready for, say, The Seattle Seahawks, who the Colts are going to visit, And the Seahawks have been tearing everybody limb from limb, essentially, figuratively, although sometimes it looks literally when they're doing that to opposing quarterbacks like Max Brosmer last time. Seahawks Hosted a game, we saw a quarterback who was not ready, a third-string quarterback who was not ready for action. And if Riley Leonard's not ready for action and the Colts are eight and five, and they have a Um a division to win and a playoff race to finish. and make the playoffs after going eight and two.
Well, it makes sense. Let's see if Philip Rivers is around. And my first reaction after was the why was, Um you know. Is he kissing his family goodbye? Because again, he's forty-four and the teams that the Indianapolis Colts have to face the rest of the way, you tell me if there's any Wallflowers at Seattle, home for San Francisco, home for Jacksonville and at Houston.
Josh Hines Allen never thought I'm going to be gunning for Phillip Rivers. No. Will Anderson Jr., Deliel Hunter. Seattle, DeMarcus. Lawrence.
and Leonard Williams and Yada, yada, yada. I mean, you're 44 and you weren't moving around very well when we last saw you at 39. What's going on?
So I'm like, all right, he's signed to the practice squad. There's no way he's gonna start on Sunday at Seattle. Where He's probably sitting at home in Alabama watching the Colts. If he was watching, watching Daniel Jones go down. Not thinking, oh.
Daniel Jones going down. Not only am I going to get a phone call. But I'm going to start next week for the Colts in Seattle. Wearing Daniel Jones' number.
So that's legit. Sure enough. Yeah. I mean, that's insane. They're giving him 17.
17 is what Phillip Rivers wore back in the day, and this is apparently what Phillip Rivers is going to wear. With Daniel Jones on injured reserve, you are allowed in the rule books to take that player's number and give it to whoever you want. Wow. cold reality In a reality sport known as the National Football League. And sure enough, Shane Steichen stepped to the microphone today and had this to say about Philip Rivers' readiness right now.
You know, Sunday after the game, you know, when Daniel went down and then we found out about Riley's knee, we were kind of like, hey, what are we going to do? And uh me and Chris were talking and we're like, hey, let's let's call Philip, see what he says. Called them Sunday night. We said, hey, what do you think? He said, heck yeah, I'm interested, heck yeah.
And so he slept on it, said sleep on it. And then Monday, called him back Monday morning. He said, I need to get up there. I need to get up there and throw, get in that building, start moving around.
So he came in here, threw, he didn't forget how to throw a football.
So we did that Monday, and then Tuesday, he was in the hotel thinking it over. He called us. Me and Chris were in the office. Said, what do you think? He said, daggumit, let's freaking go.
And so we said, let's do it. And so we're excited for his opportunity. Like I said, he's one of the. Most passionate players I've ever been around. The obsession for the game is off the charts.
If Rally's healthy, we'll be starting. We'll see how the week goes. We'll get to the end of the week and make that decision. Get to the end of the week and make that decision. Who's better for us to start in Seattle?
A rookie quarterback. whose knee isn't a hundred percent In his first career start, and it's on the road in Seattle. Who's better? That. Or a 44-year-old Hall of Future Hall of Fame quarterback who hasn't played since 2020.
Who says, Dad gummet, let's give it a try. Yeah. Which is the better option?
Now they're going to eyeball him because on the practice squad, he can practice. That's the point of a practice squad. And um yeah. This is real. Philip Rivers might start Sunday in Seattle.
Holy riding a bike for him. Yeah, I can get right back on that. Kind of, but. Yeah. That's a heck of a bike, man.
I mean, the bike is trying to kill you. Yeah. It's like one of those complex but they don't do this unless they plan on Philip playing.
Well, let's throw it in this direction. That they will have to see it. You can't just assume, oh, he says, Dad, come and I'll try it. And he hasn't forgotten to throw out a football. The ball is fine out of his hands.
That's true. There's a difference between moving around and being ready. And trusting the process if Riley Leonard could go do it. But every you you These games are all precious for everyone involved, including Phillip Rivers, who probably never thought in the last five years this could even be possible. He's sitting at home, and all of a sudden, boom.
Phone's ringing and it's his old Coordinator from back in the Chargers days, and it's Chris Ballard saying, What do you think? And he turns to his wife and his kids, and what do you think? Suddenly, he's on a plane of Indianapolis. The kids all have a vote, you think? That's like a Cheryl.
Well, I guess he gets the sensory. Just to bring this all full circle, do you cover reality television? It was the Rivers Tribal Council. Nice. I guess.
You know, you write it all down on a piece of paper.
So, did the wife have the court type? There you go, Rick. Oh, Philip Rivers is spoken, bad gummet. Let's hear from Philly Red. It's been a whirlwind for 48 hours, I'll say.
Yes. But each minute that goes by, I feel. More and more confident, I really do. I think for me, the decision wasn't easy. And because of all the things that you all can imagine, there's human nature to have a little doubt.
And I think for me, working through that was, well, that's normal. That's normal to have a little doubt. Who wouldn't have doubt after five years? But is that doubt real or not? And it's like, well, that's, again, like I go back to our first answer.
The only way you can find out is to go. He's to go. I'm with it, man. How are you feeling right now? Like, fired up?
Because he's one of the all-time faves, right? And it's four men who are over 40. I personally. How old are you? I know.
Over 40. I'm way over 40. Right at that moment, I just said to myself, man, I hope this works out. Here's how I know he's playing. And he's going to start on Vegas odds, folks.
There are no props currently for Riley Leonard. Wow. You can bet on any prop you want for Phillip Rivers. That's not mean. Seriously.
There's somebody in Vegas that are not sitting here in Indianapolis. They know. They know, right? What a gambler thing to say. They know.
You and I. Seriously, it's immediately what I thought of. Are there props available on Phillip Rivers? They know. Yes.
And you and I, that's not how we do it. They don't know there if he's going to on Thursday tweak this, that, the other thing, or on Friday there's a step back, or Riley Leonard takes a step forward and they have to sit there and go, Philip, I know we took you out of Alabama this week, but. You know, you sh where we think Riley does give us the best chance to win. I don't know. I mean, That said, that said, that said.
Seattle has been winning games by halftime. Yeah. They have been tearing quarterbacks. Apart. defensively.
And I think All Philip Rivers has to do Is move around to the point where they feel he can protect himself.
Okay. And one of the Muscles that he will use to protect himself is what's between the temples, which is why he is automatically right now a better. chance to start and win for the Colts than Riley Leonard because the amount of football that Philip has played, the amount of football that Philip has yet to forget, the amount of football that Philip has now dreamt that he's never thought he could play again and will And um also the sense That he might give to the rest of that locker room. We're winning today. The whole sense that we're all feeling a jolt here of excitement.
For the Colts and for all of us as football fans, that could permeate. The locker room. Those are all reasons why there might not be a prop bet. On Riley Leonard right now. Not like there's somebody in Indianapolis who calls a pal of Mo Green's right now and says, Hey, I got something for you.
Don't waste your time putting up props online for Brockman to put his money on. Can I interest you in Philip Rivers' first quarter passing error? Oh, God. Oh, God. No, but it really is: can he move around?
Will he be such an iron deer? on the front lawn that Seattle has curated to the point where it looks like Miles Garrett's front lawn on Halloween. You know what I mean? Last thing you want is for him just to get slaughtered. Oh, my God.
And his family, too. Like, but. You could see Just like this is a Disney movie. This is just like, okay. It really is.
How weird is that we're here for this? Let's tell it.
So let's just end this segment with this. All right. 'Cause it is all what we're alluding to. Where would would it rank? For Philip Rivers to save the season for the Colts, get them to the playoffs.
And make it to the Super Bowl. Oh, my God. I mean, where would that rank Tom going to Tampa and winning sports or just a Kurt Warner's magic carpet ride coming out of nowhere? With yeah, I mean, just Rabbi going to Tampa and winning again? I don't even think that's not the same.
No, this is just sitting at home. With your fam, or whatever you're doing on a Sunday, having no idea. Was he watching the Colts play the Jaguars? I doubt it. No.
Hey. You know, Philip. We're down a quarterback three. He's even potentially not ready to go. We need somebody.
We can't sign it. And if we're going to sign anyone off the street, we might as well get a future Hall of Famer who knows Shaden Steichen and his playbook, and Shane knows him. And you know the organization, you know us, we know you. You know, the only thing we don't know is how interested you are and how physically able you are because we know mentally you're ready. Um And where would it rank?
I don't even know if there's a. I'm racking my brain. There's nothing like that. It would be like the movie The Rookie if they won the World Series. If they went and he saved the World Series.
Exactly. I still think one of the greatest physical feats of all time is George Foreman winning a heavyweight title. There you go. 45 years ago. That's not a bad act.
And there you go. Taking a decade off. But to me, there's nothing tougher than that. You have two men who are just going at it one-on-one with no protection. But if he were to take them to the Super Bowl, you'd have to slide this into TJ's personal number two.
I I gotta be honest with you, man. Because the opposing quarterbacks in Seattle have been going one-on-one with no protection, also, it seems. And this is a rough spot, man. This is a rough spot. Through Max Prosmer as Michael Moore.
Yeah, I was starting to feel bad for that game, man. But I had Seattle's defensive fantasy that game, so. What a story. It's pretty cool. And it's playing out in Indianapolis as we speak.
I love it. All right. Let's take a break. Are you ready for Gunther? I'm a little nervous, man.
Why? Because he's the Gunther. He's a big dude. He just wanted to ask him about wrestling. I want to ask him about weight loss.
I want to ask him about that, man. Because if he doesn't like my question, I could get chopped. I don't want to get chopped. Oh, yeah. You know what I mean?
I have a feeling you won't get chopped. Let's hope not. Except are you in the guillotine league? I'm the gun commercial. All right.
Mike Azari and Paul Rudd will also be here in you at 844-204-Rich. Number to dial. WWE's. Gunther, the superstar, is coming in before he tries to ruin the ending of John Cena's career. That's next.
This is the Rich Eisen Show, live from New York. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. We are back, and we have WWE superstar Gunther here in studio. We've just been chopping it up. Your goal is to submit John Cena.
I want to go a little bit further back, okay? When did you want to start wrestling? When did that happen for you? When I was a kid, actually. In Austria.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. My parents told me, I always told them. I want to be a wrestler at some point so I don't have to get up early in the morning. I tell you, that backfired big time.
So you thought the way to not having to get up early in the morning was becoming a professional wrestler? Yeah, because they work at night. That wasn't my logic. Who was waking you up in the morning? School, or what was waking you up in the morning?
Oh, yeah, school.
Okay, very good. All right, and then how did you pursue that? How does one come from Austria to become WWE superstar girls? Yeah, it's like in Austria, we had our own wrestling culture, more or less. Tommy was always presented as like.
More sports, more about the competition. And the model back then was you go to a city and you have a tournament there.
So in Vienna it was every summer, I think every August it was, it was like 30, 40 days in a row there would be wrestling matches every day. And my parents would take me there to watch it. It was like my first time I was in touch with it. And yeah, later on when I stopped playing football, I uh Yeah, I switched over when I was seventeen and I started training in Vienna and Step by step, stuck with it, kept wrestling. There's a wrestling scene in Europe as well.
It's just that it's known over here. Right. Yeah, the business developed, I developed myself, and then I ended up here.
Well, we'll get to that part in a second. But football, obviously, you're talking about your version of football. The real football, yeah. The real football. That's all right.
We're submitting. I'm not sure. We're submitting. We're submitting. I've been there.
I've been overseas and seen what football is and totally understand it. That it is, that's the worldwide view of football, and appropriately so. But what did you play? What did you play? I was a goalkeeper.
You damn right you were. I was always until I was five f 15, I think. I was. No, okay. Perfect.
I never thought I'd be asking. Gunther, this question. Are you guessing on like a penalty kick? You're just flying in a certain direction? Is that how does that work?
Or do you study your opponent? Yeah, what do you do? No, so when you're youth and stuff, it's not that it's like you can See where he shoots.
Okay. But with the professionals, as a goalkeeper, you have to upfront pick. You gotta pick pick a side away you go because there's not enough time. You wait for him to shoot and see where it goes, and then you jump. See you later.
It's over. Yeah, it's over. Did you have visions of trying to do that at one point of your life, like to become an actual professional keeper? Oh, yeah, I wanted to do that, but that's a. I don't know, I think it's the deciding stage at w uh at which age it's like get it decides if you go to professional career is so young.
Like I myself didn't have the Like when I was that young, I didn't have the mental capacity yet to be like, okay, that's what I want to do, that's what I have to do for it and so.
So it just fizzled out.
Okay. Well, I mean, you know, and this may be just also giving you a window of my knowledge of football. Yes. You have the hair for it. Oh, yeah.
Like you look like you got the soccer hair thing. These guys have hair energy too. Yeah, we do. Yeah, we have hair energy. Very much hair.
This looks like you could be a professional football. Oh, thank you. I like that aesthetics. Yeah, you got this working. And how much weight did you lose in your life?
Oh, a lot, actually. I dropped, I don't know, I forgot 50 pounds, maybe 60 pounds. 60 pounds at one stage. I always liked the. See, that's the other thing.
Like in Europe where we grew up, our main guy in Austria was Otto Vance. Former AWA champion. Yes. He paid actually to have that title. He was a smart marker.
He wasn't the only one who did that. But he was like a very. Big guy. Yeah, he was a big dude. And all the heavyweights back then, and then I like Japanese wrestling and stuff.
All those heavyweights were just big dudes that looked like the next door butcher or somebody. Like believable tough guys.
So I always felt like I'm a heavyweight wrestler. I never minded my look. I was always athletic. I always felt good. I was a good stamina.
Right. And stuff like that. But at some point before I came to the main roster, I was like, okay. It's time to adapt a little bit. Adapt.
I weighed 60 pounds. That's more than adapting. Bring the best version of myself to national television. And yeah, I gained a little bit again since then, and I think I found my sweet spot now.
Okay. When you did that, because you were bigger and using power moves and very intimidating, when you lost the weight, did that change your philosophy on wrestling at all? Did you decide to maybe change up a little bit of the repertoire because you didn't have that extra size? Yeah, a little bit. It's like so, first of all, the upsides where I felt way lighter and I moved even better and stuff.
But then, yes, certain things you do that you did with much more weight on. And I did it when I was lighter. I was like, ooh, there's something's missing here. Maybe I can't do that anymore. But yeah, that's live and learn.
Okay. All right. Yeah, and your style is just, you know, in the days wrestling where a lot of people are doing flips and a bunch of acrobatic stuff, you just stay simple, you stay grounded, and you just beat the crap out of everybody. And Rich, I know you're going to love this because you liked it when I mentioned him. I'm friends with this actor, Ashton Kutcher, if you know him.
And he randomly, about three weeks ago, out of nowhere, just sends me this text. We weren't even talking about this. He just goes: The thing I like about Gunther is that it's so underplayed and simple. No effort to be cool, just violent power. I appreciate it.
And so he's someone who is getting more into wrestling because I'm doing this podcast. But you stood out to him. And I feel like. Man, you are the type of guy that Phil guys hate getting in the ring with, man. I hope so.
I would say, but uh no, it's like um I don't know, to me it has always been I think if when there's like a certain level of physical physical intensity, the drama just automatically develops with it. And I always felt, uh, yeah, that's a very fitting style for me. When did you find out you were going to be the one facing Cena in his last night? Uh yeah, well officially since then officially.
Well, how did it hit you when you when that it it finally dawned on you that you were going to be that guy? Oh yeah, it's a great opportunity always obviously and uh it's gonna be an evening I think. As I said, John Cena is the greatest sports entertainer of all time. Like the Not just the eyes of the wrestling world will be on it, but I think the eyes of the world in general. And I'm in the unique position to be able to.
Yeah, really destroy that party that day. Really it was like break a few hearts and that's the most that's the most that I can take out of that scenario. If I'm able to yeah, make John Cena give up, everybody else will be heartbroken, but I'll be cheering. Walk me through exactly how you see that moment happening. On Saturday night, if you could choose it.
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm not a. I don't have that much fantasy.
I'm just gonna see. see myself wrap my arms around his neck. And pull really hard, and then I'm just gonna look down. I'm gonna see his hand. Yeah.
Right. Give up. You know, you're in this unique opportunity. You retired Goldberg at Saturday night's main event in July, and now you get the chance to retire Cena. Like, is there some kind of.
I don't know where like thing you get about like Making the fans sad and then putting these legends out the pastures? What does that do for you? Yeah, like I said, it's like I'm. Yeah, I'm I'm at I'm there to rile people up. That's my role.
That's my job. And wherever there's a chance, I take advantage of that. And I think similar then with the Goldberg situation, it's something where when you have a legend that has been in the business for such a long time, so many people have memories with them. They want them to go out on the yeah, with a big Fanfare, basically. Yeah, it doesn't always work out like that.
We're going to make sure it does.
Sometimes the bad guy wins. Yes, it's just what it is.
Well, speaking as a Michigan Wolverine fan, when we retired Nick Sabin, it was definitely Well, we didn't know at the time we were retiring Nick Saban. We found out later on that we were retired Nick Saban. But ask Carolina fan how they enjoyed retiring Coach Kay, right? I mean, I think you brought that up because you know I like Duke. I'm just spitting facts, TK.
You may not like the facts, but what do you want out of your career after this? I know you say you strike me as a guy. It's like I'm not fantasizing about this, that, the other thing, but you're a kid from Austria who wanted to chase a dream. You're now living it. Yes.
Building a legendary career. You got Ashton Kutchard texting out of the blue to his friend about you. Although Ashton doesn't know what he's talking about. But what's on your mind for that sort of thing? Yeah, what what would this one mean for your career?
Yeah, I mean you you kind of like gave the answer. I don't really have like a checklist or something like that. I kind of like see what I get and then make the best out of that. And I think if I manage what I just talked about here, the last moments, Yeah, then I will have solidified myself even more. And then I think there will be many possibilities after that.
But on that we focus after Saturday.
Well, I mean, we make dreams come true around here. I mean, we we try. Um you ever meet Schwarzenegger? I never met Alex Watson, you know? Really?
I saw him once, actually. I was in Venice at Goldstym, and he was there, too, but I didn't speak to him. You didn't? No, I didn't speak to him. Why not?
I don't want to bother people. Bother him, man. The guy just comes to a workout. Let him have his workout. All you got to do is open your mouth.
He knows you're one of him. He might feel more American, though. Who knows? I think he could still recognize someone from the old country. Oh, yeah, he will.
That's what I'm saying. I'm pretty sure. Maybe I'll bump into him at some point. You should. He came on our show last year, and we have these seats that we use for every guest.
And he came out and he looked at him. He's like, that's a baby chair. And so he moved it, and he took Chris's rolling, and he just rolled it and stuck it in front of him. And guess what? Guess what?
We let him. Of course. We let him do it. Yeah, of course. Because he's Arnold.
All right. Well, listen, thanks for coming on here, brother. No, thanks for having me. Hey, you got it. No contest wrestling.
He and O. Shea Jackson Jr. do that show.
So. Maybe you retire Cena and then Pop on their pod. And we can talk all about it. We would love to have it. Let me get the work done first.
I got a feeling. I got a feeling that you're going to be showered with booze on Saturday, and I apologize in advance for the people who are going to be mad at you. That's okay. They're not that important. Ladies and gentlemen, WWE superstar Gunther here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Again, Saturday at 8 Eastern 5 Pacific on Peacock, Saturday night's main event streaming, and Gunther trying to send John Cena out into the world. of his retirement tapping Three times. There would be no peace made. That's exactly right. Great to see you here, sir.
Thank you. Awesome. Gunther, right here. That's a very large handshake. I can confirm that.
Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-RICH, number to dial live from New York City. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. ESPN Radio is presented by Progressive Insurance: Insurance for Motorcycles, Boats, and RVs. For protection on the road and on the water, see how much you can save at 1-800PROGRESIVE and Progressive.com.
So off Gunther goes to D.C. and Kenye in D.C. leads us off with our phone calls at 844-204-Rich. Number to dial. What's up, sir?
Hey Rich, how you doing?
Well, did I? I did pronounce your name right, right? You there? Yes, you did. Yeah, you pronounced it right.
Welcome back to the East Coast. I know it's cold. I hope TJ's freezing. You know, the blood's thinned out a little bit. You don't want to walk anywhere, but it's all good.
You know, it's all good. What's on your mind?
Well, first off, I want to thank you for all the work that y'all have done with the Jimmy B Foundation. I lost my uncle in 2019 to pancreatic cancer. And he was also a cowboy fan. I have donated to the foundation. And um I grew up on you, Stewart.
and Van Pelt in the 90s. And since I no longer have my uncle as a cowboy pain to refute, I appoint T J as my cowboy nemesis. I'll accept that, Kenya. I got a few Washington football team nemesis. Is it nemesis?
I'm a MC. I don't know about Watson too much. Oh, oh.
Okay, so look at that. We'll definitely. I do not appreciate Team Jay's disrespect of the positivity rabbit. Yesterday's broadcast, he couldn't keep my eagles out of his mouth.
So big deal. But this is us Eagles Nation leaving the door open for y'all cowgirls. And if y'all are man enough, walk through the door and come get this division.
Well, that is quite the gauntlet thrown. Kenye, I love the energy. The energy has been great. Thank you for the call to help kick off this conversation involving the Super Bowl teams from last year. Chris, you asked me last week.
When was the last time neither Super Bowl participants. Made it to the playoffs the following year. Yes. Yeah. When was the last time both teams from a Super Bowl missed the playoffs the year after they played each other in the Super Bowl?
I'm going to say it's. In the 70s. Incorrect, sir. It's Super Bowl 60 this year, correct? Correct.
Last time there was a Super Bowl played in Santa Clara was Super Bowl 50. 50 between the Broncos and Panthers, who missed the playoffs the next year. Oh, okay. Interesting. Prior to that, there was a span of five years from 1999 to 2003 that had happened three times.
Wow. The Bucs and Raiders missed the year after they played in 03. The Patriots and Rams missed the year after they played in 01. Wow. And the Broncos and Falcons both missed it the year after they played the Super Bowl.
In '99.
So it's happened. And the question is: will it happen again this year? And we'll start with the Eagles, Kenya's team. Eagles. I keep telling everybody to relax.
In Philadelphia. This just didn't. They're not listening. They are not listening to comments on uh all videos. that were created off of my show open here in New York City.
Reiterating to Eagles fans, hey, it doesn't look good. But all you got to do is get that ticket to the playoffs, and they are in 2023 going from 10 and 1. To a road trip to Tampa and getting one and done. Um didn't Prove that all you need is a ticket punch to the playoffs to go ahead and win it all. And you're all afraid that it's going to happen again.
And my response is You this year, if you make the playoffs, will have a home game. You're going to win your division. The only way The Eagles do not win the division. is if the Cowboys are two games better than them the rest of the way. Meaning Oh Philadelphia needs to do.
is when One game against the Raiders this week. And one of the two games against the Washington Commanders in the last three weeks. And Hope. that the Dallas Cowboys do not win out. That's it.
The Cowboys have got to win out. and have Philadelphia Lose twice. There is a game at Buffalo. That is dicey. But I will just use my crystal ball that's not here in front of me and say that's going to be a game where we'll all wonder if the Eagles, having won the previous two against the Raiders and Commanders.
Do you really have what it takes as a measuring stick game? That's the way we're going to take a look at that game. Yes. Now I may be wrong. Because Philadelphia fans aren't listening to me.
Nope. And I think that includes the radio hosts and WIP, isn't that what it is? WIP? Asking The head coach. If He's considering benching Jalen Hurts.
Is there a possibility later this season, if he continues to struggle, that you can make a change at the quarterback spot? No, I think that's ridiculous. You win together as a team, you lose together as a team. It's never just one thing. I kind of said that last week or the week before with With Kevin, the same deal.
And so I know every time I step, you know, every time I walk on that field and Jalen Hurts, Is a starting quarterback. I have so much confidence that we can win every game in any game that we play and that we're in.
Alright, so they're not listening to me. Benching hurts, really? What are they doing? I would need more positivity than just an inflatable rabbit to say Tanner McKee is going to save the season after you bench your Super Bowl MVP quarterback. Yeah.
I'm trying to rationalize this, and sometimes I do this when I know the answer, but I know that people are asking it.
So I'm sure somebody has said that to him, and he's just maybe. You know, letting the fan base know that he hears them. I don't know if I think of any other reason. I don't know. And it is just part and parcel of everybody trying to search for an answer here.
And it's a quarterback-driven league, but I keep. The number of throws that Hertz did make. on Monday night. that could have led to points. Had they been caught.
Um You know, I mentioned two of them to A.J. Brown alone. These guys are writing overreactions for me. Bench changes. I don't know.
Let me just jot that down real quick. Again, just to reiterate. All you gotta do is win twice. Unless you think the Cowboys are winning out. Against Minnesota at home, the Chargers at home, at Washington, at the Giants.
I mean, that's not. That's a winnable streak. Yeah, they can do it. Yeah. Jayden Daniels just got rolled out this week.
But they have to so it's Marcus Mariota. Mario Tai. Mario Tu is the first season. He's back under Centaur. For washing ton.
Commanders. I'm going to stop now. I'm rich. But no, no, so maybe win three? Your sweet Mariota?
And you take care of the Raiders, and it doesn't matter what you do against the Bills. But Dallas is, you know. Didn't play mistake-free football in Detroit. Look what happened.
Now, you got to play Mistake Free football against Harbaugh. Oh, yeah. So We'll see. I understand why people are nervous in Philadelphia. I'm just telling you to relax.
Meanwhile, Kansas City Chiefs. I gave you scenarios for playoff clinching scenarios for week 15, and the Chiefs are, as you know, not among them. Normally, they are. Last year, they had already clinched the division by this point. Yeah.
And we were just talking about what about the one seed? There are playoff elimination scenarios for three AFC teams this week. Cincinnati's eliminated from a playoff loss if they just lose to a playoff contention with a loss to Baltimore, period. The Dolphins have an elimination scenario. They'll know when they take the field in Pittsburgh on Monday night.
If Buffalo beats New England and Houston beats Arizona, They lose, they're out. Wow. The Kansas City Chiefs, sir. Two. There's a playoff-eliminating scenario for them.
Wow. Wow. If they lose to the Chargers, Buffalo beats New England, Jacksonville beats the Jets, and Houston beats Arizona. Oh. They are eliminated.
That is very possible. They are done playing meaningful football. for the final three weeks of the season. How about that? That would be crazy.
But let's. be a bit more of a positivity. rabbit situation. And let's go rabbit hunting. Because there is a scenario in which the Chiefs make the playoffs.
Rabbit, Rich. And I am going to lay it out for you all in advance of Paul Rudd joining us in hour number three. And here it is. The Kansas City Chiefs. All I gotta do is win out.
Okay. Have the Chargers lose two of their last three because part of the winning out would be beating the Chargers this week. Two of their last three, and one of those losses the Chargers have to have is losing at Denver in week 18. The other two games are at Dallas and home for Houston. That's possible.
They gotta have the Colts and Phillip Rivers or Riley Leonard lose twice. Oh. and then have neither the Ravens nor the Dolphins win out.
Okay. And if that happens, your seven seed Potentially visiting either Denver or New England in wild card would be game. We can't have that. Would be the Kansas City Chiefs. Woo!
Let me tell you what you don't want. That's that that Now you don't want that. Is this a what's more likely Wednesday right now? What's more likely? The Chiefs get eliminated this week.
This elimination scenario. Or this happens. They get eliminated this week. I'm with Chris. Why?
Because you think the Chargers don't lose three of their last four? No, because you can't sit here and say the Ravens and the Dolphins are winning out, right? Ravens and the Dolphins are not winning out, right? Right? No.
Let's take it one piece at a time. Are the Colts winning three of their last four with Phillip Rivers? Probably not.
Okay. But I don't think. Hold on a second. You don't think the Chiefs are winning out? Right.
That's the thing.
Well, the Kansas City Chiefs have the rest of the way the Chargers at home.
Okay. Then they are at Tennessee. Then they have Denver at home. And they're at Vegas. Which one of them gets him in Arrowhead?
On Sunday. Because they're not losing on the road. On Sunday. You think the Chargers go in, sweep the Chiefs, potentially end their season? Yeah, the Chargers are a better team than Kansas City.
A better team doesn't always win. I'm just saying this is more than a dumb and dumber. You're saying I've got a chance here. Going to narrow it.
Now, the problem is, again, they've lost four of their last five and have not looked like a team that can rip off four in a row because they can't string together two, three clean drives. That's the problem. Two, three clean quarters right now. And every single mistake is getting magnified, whether it's a Mahomes pick or a misconnection or dropped pass.
Now, that's a different story. You know, if Justin Herbert can't go or get knocked out. The Chargers, I think, have the most. The Chargers and the Bears have the most difficult final four games of anybody that I'm sitting here and seeing. I mean, the Bears' final four games are.
Home for Cleveland, okay, but still. At Green Bay, a home for Green Bay at San Francisco and Detroit, but the Chargers are for. Mm-hmm. Gauntlet runs here, man. As I mentioned, the Chargers have A visit to Kansas City, a visit to Dallas, home for Houston, and a visit to Denver.
Woof. And if they lose Three of their last four. And one of them is to Denver. And the Colts lose 20%. twice.
And neither the Ravens nor the Dolphins Went out. The Chiefs went out and they're in the playoffs. That's the sixteen percent from the old next gen stack generator.
So What's gonna happen? For the Kansas City Chiefs, whose record is in fact this, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're like going to be good, as I would say. That's the setup, guys. This is what's so cool about the NFL this year: there's not that team that we know is going to win. Unless it's the Rams most Sundays right now.
Yeah, that's true too. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
