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Luke's kick is on the way. Luke missed it! Live from the Rich Eisen Show Studio in Los Angeles. On today's show, Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen. Full NFL Playoffs Breakdown.
Your phone calls, latest news, and more. 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, ESPN Radio Sirius XM Channel 80, and more. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial right here on this Monday program. The National Football League regular season is in the books. The playoffs beckon Liam Cohen of the 13-win AFC South, winning eight in a row. Trevor Lawrence is a real deal MVP candidate.
Jacksonville Jaguars is going to be joining us in less than 20 minutes' time as we find out one hour after another which coach in the National Football League is now on the coaching carousel out the door. An hour before we went on the air, the Las Vegas Raiders informed the great Pete Carroll that his services are no longer required. And during the open of this program, literally less than a minute ago, my coordinating producer, the great Mike Hoskins, gets in my ear to tell me Jonathan Gannon has been let go as the head coach of the Arizona. Arizona Cardinals last night. Raheem Morris let go in Atlanta.
And then earlier this morning, Kevin Stefansky's six-year two-time coach of the year during that six-year run as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns is all over.
So there's lots to get to on all of those fronts. The wild card weekend is set. Good to see you over there, Christopher Brockman, on this Monday morning. Man, oh, man, great to see you, Rich. How are you?
Or Monday afternoon, wherever you may be. Good to see you. Jason Feller, how are you? On my clean slate Raiders set. DJ Jefferson, good to see you over there.
The candle does appear to be lit. It's lit. Wild card weekend for a wild season. Thank you, sir. No doubt about that.
Way to put it: a wild card weekend for a wild National Football League season. I have been fortunate enough. to do what uh i do for a living For my gosh, it's coming up on my 30-year anniversary in March doing my first ever sports center.
Now, here I am on a show with my own mug, still showing coffee-stained mug, I might add. And then for the last 23 years, My goodness, coming up on 23 years for NFL Network, I can't recall a more wide open National Football League season for the postseason. I can't recall a wilder regular season as well. I seem like to set a record in terms of our 11-year history this show of coming on the air over the last six weeks saying that was the game of the year. No, that was the game of the year.
No, this was the game of the year. And it only makes sense because the stakes rise as the regular season dwindles. And the way the regular season began with the Ravens. on a Sunday night. After a Philadelphia Eagles win over the Cowboys in a Chargers went over the Chiefs.
Uh to start the Season on a Thursday and on a Friday, and then on a Sunday night, the Ravens go into western New York and seem to have the Bills dead to rights until they didn't. The Ravens on the final Sunday night of the year seem to have the Steelers dead to rights. That's what happens when you line up your steady rookie kicker from forty plus yards away with no time left. to win a football game and then The Most unpredictable season I can recall. Wildest season I can recall.
Season chock full of games of the year that I can recall. Ends with a wide right to send the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs as the AFC North champions and the Baltimore Ravens home. In a season in which the Ravens entered as a Surefire Super Bowl. Candidate And the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the season of Well, let's see what Aaron Rodgers at age 41 turning 42 can do. And what we saw last night in the fourth quarter.
was game of the year type stuff. because this was the first playoff game of the year.
Well, going for the one seed or not is always fascinating. The NFC South was up for grabs on Saturday night for the Panthers, and it wasn't for the Bucs if they won. Which they did because they had to wait for Atlanta to spit their last breath with Raheem Morris as their head coach at. Chipa in order for the Panthers to survive. This was the first playoff game of the year.
And what we saw in that fourth quarter after Chris Boswell gave the Steelers the lead. with 428 to go in the third quarter. was something To behold from Lamar Jackson turning into the Lamar Jackson of last year and the previous MVP years that we were waiting for Lamar Jackson to turn into this year finally hit. Escaping A couple of Pittsburgh Steelers to step through and find Zay Flowers for a 50-yard Bomb to explode In Pittsburgh, in the end zone, was a holy ass type moment. And just when you thought that would be a wrap, because the Steelers' offense couldn't do a darn thing through the first.
Three quarters except kick field goals. And overtake a Ravens team that fell asleep offensively after their first drive all the way to the fourth quarter. Aaron Rodgers marches down the field. And despite having problems with his helmet and needing to fire off every darn near last time out they've got at their disposal to avoid delay of game penalties 'cause they don't want to settle for another field goal down four. after they didn't settle for a field goal with one second left on the clock in the first half, deciding to go for it rather than kick a field goal, only to get stopped and come away with zero points at the end of the first half.
They're going to go for it. And they did, and Kenneth Gainwell dashes into the end zone for a two-yard run to take the lead again, only to have Lamar a minute and 25 seconds later. Find Zay Flowers behind the defense. Again, because he comes through the wash, and somehow, some way, the Steelers' defense doesn't pick up on the. most dangerous threat.
the Ravens have at the receiver position. For a 64-yard score. Only to give it back to Aaron Rodgers. And have him Come up with the go-ahead score. to Calvin Austin because The Ravens slip.
On the Turf in Acrocher, where the turf is never accrachure for anybody, from defenders to Pass blockers to pass rushers to as we eventually would find out. It's never a sure thing in AcroSure when you're kicking. And the Ravens march down the field with a fourth and seven at midfield. Lamar finding of all people. Isaiah likely to grab a catch to set them up.
for a game-winning field goal, the same guy Who Ravens fans thought had the Steelers beat. In their first game this year in the end zone, only to have. A what looked like a touchdown grab knocked away before he got his third football act foot down. Same guy. is now got the Steelers on the precipice.
Again, only to have Tyler Luke come out. And miss the game-winning field goal with no time left. And that's the way. The season ended. For the Baltimore Ravens, and the regular season ended for all of us.
Exhausted, felt like we did our cardio unit. be livable, leaving Lamar Jackson stunned. that this season wound up A losing season. not just in terms of their overall record. But in terms of this winner-go-home game, by the way, the first ever of its kind in the history of the AFC North, did you know that?
There's never been a winner-take-all Final regular season game in the history of this. Stout black and blue, if you will, division. This is what Lamar had to say afterwards. Yeah. You know what's the motion, Jeremy, sir?
Like this. We did all that man of Come up short, bro, you know? That was Dayton. Mm. Yeah.
Furious, all type of I don't know. I'm everywhere with it right now. I mean after you completed that last pass, it looked like this thing is, I mean it's not over until it's over. But are you just like just still stunned right now? Oh fuck it.
Definitely. Definitely stunned, man. I thought we had it in the back. I thought we had it in the back, man. I don't know what else we can do.
Well, what else can you do except try and find the words? When you come up with a loss, and you're the first quarterback in the history of the National Football League. to throw multiple go-ahead fourth quarter Passing touchdowns of 50 or more yards. and lose. That's what Lamar Jackson was.
Last night. And He and Zay Flowers We're the first quarterback receiving duo in NFL history to connect on two go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdowns of 50 or more yards in a single game. That's a first. And Derrick Henry ran for 126 yards, his thirty seventh career game with over one hundred and twenty five such rushing yards, including the playoffs, breaking a tie for fifth most such games in NFL history. With Emmett Smith trailing only Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, Walter Payton, and Eric Dickerson.
And if I told you all of that stuff would happen and the Steelers would win the game, you would have told me you're out of your mind. But The Pittsburgh Steelers. have some old war horses. like Cam Hayward, That dude is playing at the top of his game with gray in his beard. TJ Watt holding on to the side of his surgically repaired lung.
During this game, only to have a ball batted in his direction and him have the presence of mind in the middle of the wash of trying to sack Lamar Jackson to grab the ball out of the air and come up with The interception. And Joining Julius Peppers is the only player since 82 with nine career interceptions and 100 or more career sacks coming after that three-game absence due to a collapsed lung. That guy was out there with Highsmith and the rest of that defense in support of a run game that has Kenneth Gainwell grabbing a team high, eight catches for 64 yards, and Jalen Warren coming up with 4.7 yards. A clip. And then, of course.
There's Aaron Rodgers. To whom? One must Give it up. Coming into this season. There was a ton of skepticism, and rightfully so.
Certainly, coming off of two years in New York, one completely lost due to an Achilles, another year completely lost due to it being. him coming off of the Achilles and the Jets being the Jets. putting it all together. He was what appeared to be a Hail Mary attempt for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who, as we all know, waited quite a long time. for Rogers to clear himself.
Of his mind, his body, and of course, whatever was going on in his life. To join the Steelers to the point where The guy who he strode off the field with, with Mike Tomlin every single year. Remember, Cam Hayward was like, hey, You don't want to join the Steelers. Basically, pound sand. Remember, he said something like that?
He didn't like the characterization of it, posted. And so Rogers finally does join. makes every start except the one that you pretty much think prior to The season, he would say, That's the one game I don't want to miss outside of the Packers, would be at the Bears.
Okay. He. makes every start, has them in position. After the Ravens went on a five-game win streak to beat the Ravens, go on a three-game win streak of their own, and Overcome the loss of DK Metcalf in the final two games of the year because DK Metcalf loses his composure and mind with a blue-haired. Lion's fan.
Who he knew when he approached him had it in for DK. And I don't want to say any more because I fear litigation. And on top of all of that, On top of all of that, Comes the responsibility of being a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback in the era where Steelers fans have. Yeah. Maybe, I don't want to say collectively, but a large share of them, maybe the majority of them.
But it feels like whenever I cape for this man, a majority of you don't like when I cape for Mike Tomlin. You're ready for the. Action of the Rooney family that you have been waiting for because it's just not going to work. And at the end of the day, Who are the champs of the AFC North? Who is coming?
Into the playoffs. Off of his ninth division title of his first ballot Hall of Fame career, who is making the 12th playoff appearance of his first ballot Hall of Fame career tied with Favre and, yes, Big Ben behind only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady all time. That would be Aaron Rodgers. And the reason why you go get him. is exactly What we saw In the fourth quarter, and exactly what nobody thought we would see again in the fourth quarter of a winner-go-home game.
From Aaron Rodgers. That is to go 11 for 14 for 133 passing yards, a touchdown, and a passer rating of 130.1 with the season on the line. The 133 fourth quarter yards, by the way, the most for Rodgers in any quarter this season. He saved it. For the last moment and for that play to Calvin Austin.
This is him breaking it down. You tell me how many quarterbacks can break it down quite like this. Multiple times in the huddle I'm asking them on various plays, what do you want on the back side? What do you want on the back side? and he he wouldn't give me a straight answer.
And on this on this particular Uh huddle conversation. I said, what do you want, Cal? He said, I just And somebody to my right, I don't know if it was McCormick or or Pat. said something about like, man, just go cook them or something.
So I said, all right, Cal, you run the hitch and go back there. And I was, you know, I was really thinking the front side three-man combination that we worked and had success with most of the night. Was kind of my first thought, but I just peeked back to the left and saw number three slip. And you know, it's a gimme, gimme touchdown, but I'm proud of Calvin. And the line really gave me a lot of time all day.
They played really well. That's Aaron Rodgers breaking it down. That's why you go ahead and get him. which is what Tomlins said after the game. And That is how the Steelers Head into the playoffs, and I understand.
I'm sure I know what you're thinking, maybe potentially what everybody's thinking. The kid from the Ravens should have made the kick. But at the end of the day They were the ones that needed to come from behind to win it. Because the Steelers took the lead. Late.
in a game. Yeah, yeah. That a lot of people were skeptical could period happen at all. And they are going into the playoffs against a stout. Houston Texans team.
Coming into their house on Monday night football. I cannot wait. for all of that. But got to give it up. Pittsburgh Steelers get it done in a game of the year.
Again, Rogers doing what he did in the fourth quarter, overcoming, may I repeat again, a future first ballot Hall of Fame running back doing what he did In Derrick Henry to the tune of 126 yards, and Lamar Jackson finding his MVP form. Just in time to throw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter of fifty or more yards and becoming the first quarterback in history to do it to lose. That's what's going on. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial. I just said what I said about the Houston Texans.
They're on the road because they did not win the division. The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South with thirteen. National Football League wins, reversing their 4-13 record from last year. And their bona fide Surefire Coach of the Year candidate is about to join us right here on the Rich Eisen Show, getting set. To host a playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, Liam Cohen, the man of the hour in Jacksonville, along with the rest of the team, coming up next.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. 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.
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Where we played really well in all three phases. I think that was something that when we won that game, it really looked at our team looked at it like, okay, we have an opportunity to continue to elevate and raise the standards. We've done some good things, but that was a really quality, I think, team win. Which gave our guys a ton of confidence to continue to move forward to say, okay, we can go on the road against Denver and we can compete with a really good football team. And we've had some quality wins, but playing your best football later in the season, as you guys know, December and January, is really what matters.
Absolutely. And again, I. You're an honest guy. I am as well. I will just shoot you straight that when I was on that flight home from London.
And again, you were stressing prior to that game, we're making too many mistakes as a team. Your Wednesday segment, where you show a game breaker, right, to your team. You said you shared with us that you showed the Jacksonville Jaguars logo to your team. Like, you basically were shooting your team straight up. We're breaking ourselves here.
And then you had the same mistakes against the Rams. I thought. This team is in trouble. And now I'm talking to you as a bona fide surefire coach of the year candidate. Your quarterback is a bona fide MVP candidate.
Your defensive coordinator is a bona fide assistant coach of the year candidate. You got winners all over the lot here. And I'm wondering if there's a secret sauce that you can share with the audience here. I try to pinpoint an actual game moment, but is there a secret sauce here that you can share? Rich, I've been very fortunate to be around some really quality coaches along the way, right?
Whether you're coaching at Brown University or you're coaching for the Los Angeles Rams with guys like Sean McVay, and you learn so much along the process, along your journey. I grew up in a football household. My dad was a college and high school football coach for my entire life, and that's all I've ever known. And so you get to learn from experience. You get to learn from others' experience and figure out, okay, when you're in that situation, and this is how I'm going to maybe handle it.
And, you know, we hired a very quality staff, as you mentioned. I think a lot of hungry, young football coaches that relate very well to this group, and the players have taken to it.
So, look, this is a talented group. This is a talented team. Team. It's a very fun group to be around because they allow us to keep coaching every single week. Where we've won a lot over the last couple weeks, but they allow us to keep coaching them hard.
They're open to it. These guys practice their tails off. We don't have Prima Donna's walking around like, nah, I'm not doing that, or I can't do this because I've played, or I've been there and done that. We don't have that going on. This is a group that's hungry and, you know, a lot of work getting started for us right now.
And, you know, I don't want to say you unlocked Trevor Lawrence because he has had 4,000-yard seasons beforehand. His 29 touchdown passes are a career best. And obviously, he set a record for the franchise in terms of touchdowns accounted for. It just. From my perspective, again, I know I'm not in the film room, I'm not in your building.
It just feels different with him. It feels like he is a confident dude and he's seeing it and he's firing. And he knows when to take off. He's not making mistakes that we've seen him make. I'm wondering what you see from your perspective, Coach.
That's a great point, Rich. He's taking care of the football, but also playing aggressive. And He's throwing the ball on time and in rhythm and accurately, but also using his legs as a weapon and being able to extend football plays, make plays outside of the pocket, which forces the defense to defend every blade of grass, right? There's nothing more frustrating to a defense that you can't get to him when he's in the pocket, then he escapes. He's a threat to run, but also keeps his eyes down the field and makes throws.
And he's executing third downs and red zone at a high level. And throughout the whole season, he's honestly done a great job, I think, in two-minute situations, whether it's end of half or end of game. And, you know, these quarterbacks are judged by those moments, right? By two-minute, by third downs, by red zone. And ultimately, does your team win?
Do you elevate the team and the players around you to lead? And that's what he's done. He has complete ownership of the offense right now. He's making audibles, checks, cans, alerts. He's doing everything that you want a franchise quarterback to do, and he's doing it at a high level right now.
And how does that change your daily conversations with him based on maybe even the first month of the season? How does that change for you? Yeah, it's a lot more, you know, less, I guess you could say, like coaching and more just conversational and allows me to listen and hear him out of things that he's seeing when he's preparing, when he's watching tape. As we're going through the week, little slight tweaks and adjustments that we make, we make together. I think Grant Yudinski, Spencer Whipple, has done a phenomenal job working with him on a day-to-day basis, and it's been a collaborative effort.
But he's earned the right to have those conversations. He's seeing it at a really high level, throwing it at a really high level, and the players all trust him. They know his preparation. They know what he puts into it each and every week. And there's not a lot of things on Sunday that are confusing him or surprising him.
And that's credit to his preparation. And in terms of your offense as well, before we move to the defense and then and obviously this week, I've got Liam Cohen here from the Jacksonville Jaguars on the Rich Eisen Show. Again, when you lost Travis Hunter, in the middle of all of the transition from What the team was, I guess, 1.0 this year, if it's fair to say, to what it is now. Normally, when you lose your second overall pick that place two to I can't even say there's nothing normal about him. Normally, when you just use your second overall pick and don't get any production due to injury, it really hamstrings the team out.
How much did that lead you guys to go get Jacoby Myers and how is he? helped you guys continue being that chunk play down the field aggressive offense. Coach. Yeah, it was challenging losing Travis, especially at the time that we did. He had come off the end of that Rams game in London where he ended up having 100 yards.
Trevor and he started to build some chemistry and continuity there, and then unfortunately gets hurt on the bye. And so we had to adjust, right? We had to have players step up, which we have, and then it gave us an opportunity to go get Jacoby, which has really spearheaded our offense, and especially in the intermediate parts of the field. He's a tough, physical, smart football player that. Trevor Trusts.
I mean, there was an immediate connection between those guys when he came getting ready for that Houston week. We ended up losing that game to Houston, but you just felt a little bit of a chemistry that was going to build. And what Jacoby's done in the middle of the field in some of those tough areas has allowed Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Brenton Strange, to go be themselves and to do what they do really well and attack the areas of the field that they are comfortable and have success doing so.
So it's allowed our offense to kind of unlock in some ways, especially in the intermediate middle of the field. And he blocks his tail off. Jacoby's a pros pro. And now let's talk your defense and I guess turn it to this upcoming week. You got the league's leading rusher of 2025, James Cook coming in your house, but you do have.
A defense that's the only third team since 2000, they're not allowed an opposing rusher to hit 75 yards in a game. The Jacksonville defense under Anthony Campanelli is 85.6 yards per game. That's the NFL's best in rush defense. What has this coach done on that side of the ball and getting you ready for a game like this this weekend? Coach?
Yeah, Campi deserves a lot of credit and with the defensive staff. I've known Anthony for a long time. Um, I was at Maine, and he was at Boston College, and I was watching him coach. And I'm like, if I ever get an opportunity to hire somebody, I want to hire him. And that has been so much fun to work with him, to see his personality.
Show in this defense and the way that they play their effort, the physicality, the toughness. You know, the pillars of our defense are stopping the run and taking the football away. And we've done it at a high level. These guys have bought into it. These guys detail and coach the heck out of run fits, gap integrity, physicality, strain, and also ball disruption.
And it's what they've done at a high level to not allow a 75-yard rusher. Is pretty impressive. I mean, to play Jonathan Taylor twice, Chris McCaffrey, some of those really darn good players in this league. And look, it's a group effort. Campi's a huge part of it.
And we've got players buying in and doing their jobs at a high level. It's been really fun to watch, and it's a huge reason why we've had success this year. Yeah, and then obviously Josh Allen's coming into your house, coach. The challenge that that represents first blush is what? Yeah, huge, huge respect for Josh and really for the whole Buffalo Bills.
I mean, they've won at so many different levels and have won a lot of critical football games over the past few years. He's a man. I mean, he's just a total freak that plays. Plays the game. He's a football player that also happens to play quarterback, right?
He's extremely talented, can run it, can throw it. Can improvise, can do so many good things. I really respect that the way they run the football, the way that they run things there. You know, extremely creative. Joe Brady does a great job.
Aaron Cromer, their offensive line coach, does a phenomenal job. And we're going to have a huge test for us this week. I mean, when you've got one of the best run offenses coming into town, we've got a good run defense. I mean, that's what you hope for. You hope for those matchups, and you've got two great quarterbacks going head to head.
Brother, do me this favor. And I know that's odd to say that to a head coach who actually is doing me a favor to join me on the week of his first career playoff game as a head coach. But at some point this week, you will be asked the same questions I just asked you. When you refer to the bills, can you do me a favor and say, not bad for a small market team? Will you please do that for me?
Refer to the bills. Why would you do that to him, Richard? Come on, now. Just do me that favor. We're just not going to hear that, man.
There's no doubt. No doubt. I'm not giving him any of that, man. We were in 2022. We played him in a home opener in L.A., and we were on the silent count at home.
I remember that. No, I remember. That was a hell of a game, man. That was a game where Allen was going off. But again, listen, that's what I do for a living: just kind of subtly throw something aside without making a big deal of it.
That was next level, coach. By the way, did you notice that Sean Payton even caught wind of that and gave you a sort of a. A tip of the cap? Did you? He's one of the best at understanding what you have to do to kind of motivate your teams, right?
I mean, I I went down and watched Sean Payton coach in 2016. I learned a lot of football from him.
So you learn everything from everybody and you try to take something from everybody. That's the beauty of this profession.
Well, in the couple minutes I have left for you, again, I know this is not your lane, but I'm going to throw it your way anyway. There's going to be a lot of. first-time head coaching candidates. applying for gigs now. The carousel's spinning.
What advice would you give them based on your experience of getting this job in Jacksonville and making the most of it in a first year? What advice do you give them when they're sitting in front of ownership to try and pound the table for themselves? What would you do? Yeah, the same advice that Sean McVay gave me was to go be yourself. I mean, really, at the end of the day, this is, you only get so many of these opportunities.
And I know that this was a dream opportunity for me. I've been wanting to be a head football coach since I can remember wanting to be anything. I wanted to be my dad. That was who my dad was and is. And so to truly be yourself throughout the process, when it comes to on the Zooms, with the owners, with the GMs, whoever it is that's involved in the process.
And then when you get in front of them, you know, let your personality be who you are. And when you get in the building, try to do the same because I think that's when things can get a little sideways. You try to maybe be, if I were to try to be Sean or Kevin O'Connell or Zach Taylor and things like that, it just, I don't know if it always works, right? I think players see through that. And they're the ones that ultimately truly matter when it comes to this: the relationships with the players.
When you're yourself, I think they can respect that either way. And then, you know, again, the last one for you here is: you got to be there for so many people, man, in your own personal life, obviously, your professional life. This is a big week. The cons put their faith in you, and you have delivered for a regular season. Obviously, there's not going to be a banner raise to kick off Sunday, you know what I mean?
So, that said, what is it going to? Are you going to take it in? Just look around in that stadium where, yeah, you got a 13-win championship team out there, the quarterback. Is absolutely an MVP candidate. I know you don't toot your own horn.
You're a coach of the year candidate, as I mentioned. What's that going to be like for you right before kickoff, do you think? Man, you're proud to be a part of it, right? I mean, you're proud to have the opportunity presented by Mr. Khan and by his family and by this organization for entrusting you to go and lead this team.
And I'll definitely try to take a couple minutes. You haven't had much time to self-reflect and to go through how special this year has been. I told our team this a couple nights, really last week, how special this group is. Guys, think about it. Take a little time, but I haven't had the opportunity to have many of those moments.
And hopefully at Sunday before kickoff, I'll maybe take a moment there in pregame. You don't play the Why Not Us card anymore, do you? You play that? Or home underdogs, so I think we got something.
Okay. Yes. There it is.
Okay. You're taking notice. I like it, man. Congrats on the regular season. I appreciate the time here.
And it's just been awesome. Awesome for me to be able to have a front row seat. You're kind enough to come on after you got hired. We chatted during the season when you were trying to get your team in the direction, the right direction, and it's been nothing but straight up.
So I won't take full credit for that. But all said and done, congrats on everything to this point in time, and thanks for the time this week. Good luck. I appreciate it, Rich. Thanks for your support.
You bet. That's Liam Cohen, everybody, here on the Rich Eisen Show: the Jacksonville Jaguars. Have completely flipped the script from the middle of the season, and they are hosting the small market Buffalo Bills. I'll keep doing it. That was awesome.
A lot of fun right there. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial. Jaguars and the Bills kicking off a wild card Sunday triple. Header. As we are all set and going in the direction of this commercial break on the other side, the coaching carousel is spinning off its axis already.
The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event extended until today and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong. Because right now, you can get a great deal on our most popular models, including our Adventure Ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Santa Fe hybrid models. There's also our bold and stylish Elantra packed with all the latest tech, or go all-electric with the IONIC 5 or IONIC 6. The Hyundai Getaway Sales Event extended until today, January 5th.
Visit HyundaiUSA.com for details. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. We're here on the Rich Eisen Show on a very busy Monday, always a busy Monday after a regular season ends. We're taking in the way the regular season ended. We're taking in the way that the wildcard weekend is now slated to begin.
And of course, coaches are beginning to find out they've been pink-slipped. Only one found out Sunday night that was Raheem Morris, Jonathan Gannon, Kevin Stefansky, and Pete Carroll finding out today. I will just say this about Pete Carroll, the one who I've actually gotten to know and meet. This is just a damn shame. That an otherwise Hall of Fame career, which I believe Pete has.
uh put together Certainly, in terms of professional and collegiate football, just a football life. that this man gets one more shot at it. And um the Raiders fall completely apart. And I'm sure, again, I don't know what happened in the building. I'm sure Pete.
Would point to a couple things that he couldn't control, a couple things that he did control and didn't go his way, or things that he couldn't affect. which I'm sure drives him completely crazy. Um at the end of the day I thought Geno Smith would be a guy that would lead the way and steady the ship at quarterback for a Raiders team that's been churning through it. Instead, He had a dreadful professional season himself. Chip Kelly getting fired in the middle of the season.
The offense was. Awful. Ashton Genty, we were talking about the way he stands in the backfield and how that needed to be changed, and they went back to it. It was just a frustrating season all around. Max Crosby, defensive player of the year type guy, in my mind, an all-pro.
He's still had a terrific season. He couldn't affect wins and losses. Unbelievable that at the end of the day, the reason why the Patriots are playing and Week one of the playoffs, as opposed to being off in the wild card round, is because they lost. To the Raiders in week one. One of the most mystifying results of the entire season, and the Broncos.
beat the Raiders twice. I wish it were different for Pete Carroll. 100%. Um think that we should Focus not on the way things ended, but I understand that's the way people always look at. aspects of people's careers.
And just wanted to say all of that. And um The Raiders are going to hit a reset, not a full reset. John Spytek, the general manager, was part of with Brady hiring. Pete Carroll is going to lead the search with Tom Brady. Brady's name was mentioned in the Raiders' release announcing the.
firing of a Pete Carroll. Um who deserve better. deserved a better fate. Again, I might be biased, but just wanted to say all that. That said, now that The Raiders have let go of Pete Carroll.
And there are now six job openings. I'm wondering who's going to take. the opportunity and I would. Certainly, if I'm the owner, if I'm Mark Davis, by the way, I think I'd look great with his haircut, don't you think? If I'm Mark Davis.
The first person I call, and I understand this would be um. Uh out of The ordinary. And I understand I might be stirring something up that doesn't exist. But I want to find out. Can I guess?
I'm just going to say it, if you don't mind. Please do. I'm going to say I find out The phone number of Kurt Signetti. And I call him up. And I say, listen, I don't mean to disturb you.
That's the first way I would say. Excuse me, sir. But I've Googled you. I have Googled your work. I've done this you asked.
Google me. I don't know if you're aware. But We hold the first overall pick in the draft. Really? And you've got a Heisman Doza quarterback that we're kind of interested in.
And I don't know if you're interested in this pro game. Don't mean to disturb you at all. Did I mention I don't mean to disturb you at all? Let's make that clear. Because I know the way you can look at people.
I don't want you looking at me that way. He's never smiled. But. Do you want to move to Las Vegas, Nevada? And be Still coaching your superb individual human being and quarterback in Fernando Mendoza.
Do you want to do that? And if so. Check this box.
Okay. Just pass them out. And then we are tight-lipped here. We're going to keep our coaching search going. And we will speak to you on January 20th after you win it all.
And you just want to know: should we save a spot in our rotation? And if I'm the coach Um Um Thinking I gotta listen? Yeah. I don't know because he seems to have figured out this portal in NIL thing in a way that nobody ever thought somebody who coaches Indiana football can. Um but again, I don't mean to disturb you, coach.
I don't want you looking at me that way. But if also, if I am. The marrows and the tissues. I'm calling him already. I have had the jump.
I've had the opportunity to call anybody I damn well please. Because I've had a job opening. And every Giant fan I know is looking for a culture changer. That is an organizational genius. to be their next head coach.
And if he's got an offensive side of the ball, type meant, you know, pedigree, we learned from our Friday guest, Philip Rivers. Last week? That His uh final quarterback coach? At uh North Carolina State. Football was Kurt Signetti.
Somebody with a Saban upbringing.
Somebody that can put on that headset in East Rutherford, New Jersey. and channel up a little bit of Bill Parcells. That guy Giants fans would say, please. Do you want to move to New Jersey? Coach Signetti.
Now, this again. may not even be entering his mind. And he loves it where he is, is rightful rightful he should. And I just don't know if he wants to get ready for Oregon dealing with roster retention and player retention and NALs and portals. And we'd rather go to the NFL and figure it out.
He'll never be hotter. There'll never be a hotter candidate. I would kick the tires and find out. And if the answer is no. I moved on with my life.
And just say to Coach Signetti, sorry to disturb you. We don't mean to disturb you. Honestly, you're Cleveland? You're looking for the next guy. I mean, do you?
How do you think? Listen, all Ohio State fans think that he should quit Indiana and go coach them. Because they're so great. And they have got greater you know, resources in Indiana. He's perfect for the state of Ohio, too.
That guy with that mentality That ability to coach people up and organize. Holy crap, and guess what? You're in an organization in a league. Where They'd choose your schedule. They tell you when free agents are available.
Yeah. Yeah. There's a salary cap. Which Cleveland fans know exists for sure because there's been a quarterback that's been roosting on top of it for a few years that doesn't play. Roosting.
So listen. I would shoot my shot. If I'm an owner of the National Football League right now, due diligence, right? Due diligence. That's all I'm doing, Coach.
I Googled you, and I'm doing my due diligence not to disturb you or anything. Yeah. But we figured we'd pay you the respect of kicking your tire. That's for damn sure. Makes sense.
Oh, thank you. I like making sense sitting here in this chair. That wraps up our number one here on our radio show. Back as a simulcast in a moment. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Mm-hmm.
