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What do you think we are? Gangsters? Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Can I interrupt? I'll address the Keon situation.
Today's guests. Five-time Pro Bowler Teron Armstead. ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate. Senior writer for the MMQP, Albert Breer. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
That's a fact. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, everybody, the Thursday before Championship Sunday edition of the show. 844-204-Rich, number to dial. Whether you're watching us on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, or listening to us on ESPN Radio or SiriusXM Channel 80. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman.
How are you? Hey, Rich. What's up, man? DJ Mikey J. Morning, Rich.
Good to see Mike Deltufo, TJ Jefferson. Candles lit over there, huh? Candles lit. What's up, people?
Okay. Woo. I'll tell you what's up. Good. It's a um A growing legend.
Is what's happening right now. Oh man, this could go anywhere. Anyway, well. It starts this show on the Last day of 2023, December 31st, 2023. The Patriots had just beaten the Denver Broncos.
On a Christmas Eve, not happy that day. Chad Ryland split the uprights. Russell Wilson in the Broncos offense struggled. I was there calling the game. Bill Belichick.
won the football game, wound up being his last win. of his um Hall of Fame career and it will be I believe Officially made a Hall of Fame career two weeks from tonight at NFL Honors in San Francisco, California. And um It was on uh on That night, I guess, Sean Payton decided We're done with Russ. And to that point. I need to keep my options open.
Think we're going to draft one? Um last thing I need is Russ to get hurt and And now we're on the hook for his salary.
So we're going to start Jared Stiddam the next game. Jared Stiddam started that day on December 31st of 2023. Against the Los Angeles Chargers. Who had already fired their head coach weeks before because of what had happened against the Las Vegas Raiders? Yeah.
The Chargers were starting Easton Stick, and they were being coached by. You remember um Remember good old coach Giff, don't call me Coach Jiff Smith. Remember him? Nope. I don't.
You remember him? No, no chance. He's now the run game coordinator in. For the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Giff is going to be on the sideline in Seattle.
But that day, Serves. to be the only day Jared Stidham. In his professional football career, started and won a football game. That's it. There it is.
There's the visual proof. Hey. There he's throwing it. That's great. Yep.
Okay. So there's that. And on Sunday after that game he started against the Raiders, a former team of his, who once upon a time started him twice because they were doing to their quarterback and Derek Carr what Sean Payton was doing to the guy in front of stit him on the death chart in Russell Wilson, which is like we're done now. Stidham lost to the Vegas Raiders. They finished the 2023 season.
They drafted Bo Nicks. And yada yada yada. When Stidham starts on Championship Sunday for the injured Bo Nicks, he will not have attempted a single pass since. That Season ending loss to the Raiders. 749 days.
We'll have. Past. In between professionally attempted in a live game pass. S by Jared stood him. And I could go on and on and on here.
But I I just will just Give you this one. In that time frame of not having attempted a single pass. 141 players. According to NFL Network Research, have attempted a pass in the regular or postseason since Stidham's last pass attempt. 92 quarterbacks, 26 receivers, 11 punters, 7 running backs, 3 tight ends, 1 defensive back, and 1 kicker.
Have all attempted a single pass in the span of time. Between Jared Stiddam's attempted passes. I think I've set it all up, have I not? Thought you were going to cap it off with a partridge in a pear tree there. unbelievable what we are about to see.
on Sunday. It's mind-blowing. that it is in fact the case. Man stead em stepped to the podium yesterday. and was asked if he's ready.
How ready do you feel for this moment? Yeah, look, I mean, I think every week I've always going back to when I was backing up Russ, I've prepared the same every single week like I am the starter. Just hasn't obviously been that way minus two weeks.
So my preparation hasn't changed one bit and. Yeah, that's just kind of how I view it. Right? A guy who's beaten only Easton Stick in his attempts is now got to beat Drake May. and the Patriots.
Coming into his house. But of course he's not alone. And everybody's beginning to believe in him with each passing moment. And that includes the guys in the Quarterback room with him. This is not about myself.
First of all, I want to Obviously, my thoughts and prayers have been with Bo since Saturday night. I mean, it's. It's crushing. Because he's one of my best friends. And Sam and I were talking about this.
Like, Sam and I probably spend more time with him than his wife does right now. And that's just the nature of the business that we're in. You know, when training camp starts, that's just how it is. Like, I see Bo more than I see my kids.
So it's just one of those things. You spend so much time with someone, you see how hard they work, how good of a teammate they are. Um, and then that happens, and you just you feel crushed, you know, for him and everything.
So, um, Yeah, I just, my, my, obviously, my prayers and stuff have been with him.
Well, he's referring to Sam Ellinger, who is now the backup quarterback. For the Denver Broncos, and Sam better have his head on a swivel because if facing The quarterback with the fewest career starts by any quarterback prior to starting in a conference championship game isn't the most Patriots-lucky break ever. taking on the third string quarterback, I think we'll surpass that.
Okay. But the Patriots, including Brockman, doesn't want to hear any of this conversation because it's something that the Broncos don't want to countenance either. Because This is a you never know. League. Our first guest yesterday.
Still has a magic carpet probably hanging in his closet next to his gold jacket.
Okay. And Kurt Warner. And Sean Payton Echoes What he said at the podium after the AFC championship game: watch out, watch for this kid. All right. They did sign him.
In free agency on the first day, like he's a starting quarterback. In that 2023 season and haven't given up on him for this exact moment. Everybody in the locker room says he's going to be ready. We heard Jordan Palmer say he's going to be ready. And here was Sean Payton talking about prepping them up.
How do you just convey to Jerry, like, hey, go out and be yourself and play football? Do you have. That's his personality. He's going to. Um he's gonna rip it, you know?
Um And that that'll be our approach. I mean, hey. Um Yeah. He's got this calm demeanor that I think suits him well. He's played in big games, college.
Um And You know, I said this at the start of the season. I felt like our two. Um was inside the best 32. And I think everyone feels that way, but that's why that sign was important. You don't know when it like.
when it's happening. Mm-hmm. You know, but um I'm glad it happened. I'm glad that that acquisition took place. I'm going to predict this by the time Tom each ball.
On Sunday. Jared Siddham's going to be in the Hall of Fame? That's correct. Oh, my God. Like, geez.
I mean,. We're inching up to Sunday night season's over. Monday night, hang on a second. Tuesday, don't sleep on them. Wednesday.
Boy, he looks and sounds like a starting quarterback in the NFL, and he's been waiting his entire life for this moment, and all he needs is two wins. in a row Albeit. Against a Patriots team that is on fire, and then whoever's coming out of the NFC West. NFC Championship game. And then suddenly We're going to be talking about this two-game stretch.
In a Disney movie theater near you. And then by Friday, it'll be...
Something tomorrow's show, Chris, you'll start talking about how Vegas thinks this, that, the other thing. It's now a total coin flip game. Saturday, we'll just hear something about. Yeah. Stidham that we never knew before.
And then Sunday morning shows will all be about what Stiddam told the team or Sean Payton told the team last night. And by the time Toe meets Ball, He'll have a gold jacket. And then the game will hit. Oops. And then we will see if Sean Payton rips it with him.
I mean, Kurt was talking about that on Wednesday's show as well. Like, what's gonna happen? Is he gonna just like see what's up, manage the game? Or is he just going to come out and open the playbook? Because if he does that, then we will find out potentially.
The biggest difference between Stidhim and Nix Because Nick's is sack averse. That guy does not like taking sacks. He can avoid sacks. He will throw the ball away. It's been a long time since he's put the ball in danger to avoid a sack.
He's also very elusive. And we'll see if Stidham takes more sacks and gets them off schedule more, leading to more issues on long downs. You know how the ripple effect of taking a sack can go. Or the offensive line, despite having two first-team all-pro people. Have to block differently for this guy, leads to a holding penalty here and takes you off schedule there.
And those are the residual effects of New England getting better field position and better points on the scoreboard. And they do go to the Super Bowl, even though Stidham didn't throw an interception. Or does Sid him just rip it and then rip sit? Rips it up. And we're talking about On Monday morning.
Everyone that said watch out for him is right. Yeah, to your point about the sacks, Bo Nix in two years has taken 46 sacks. Drake made just this season alone 47. He's saccaverse.
Well. And that is something that doesn't really show up on a stat sheet. Except, you get better downs and distances, you get better opportunities for field goals, you get better opportunities to put your defense back on the field. With the other team backed up. You know, like these are the things that are the hidden parts of.
of a game That do wind up on the scoreboard at the end of the day without us the next day chopping it up with a topic bar or a split screen or a conversation with a pundit. or a phone call from a fan. That might be a difference. In this I can't wait to see it. I think Sean Payton's going to rip it.
He says we can rip it, and I think he's just going to say, all right, kid. We've been talking about it forever. You know, if you're ever in a game. This is now the moment. We talked about it forever and a day this week.
This is the playbook. These are the first 15 scripted. He might already be having it presented. Um and that's it. And we'll see.
But I can't wait. By the time. This is kicked off. Again. He'll be in Kenton.
Well, they announced MVP finalists today, right? With Stephen Amelia. It's too late. Jordan Palmer said he's just as good as Drake May. It's too late.
All I know is I'm looking forward to the movie starring Stephen the Mill as Jared Smith. Is that who it is? Yeah, I think so.
Well, it won't be his brother because his brother is the one with the throwing motion that he's very upset about. Stephen and Robbie's been on the show. Yeah. Well, they both have vehemently complaining. They both have.
But also, Rich, doesn't it make it even sadder? The fact that you say Bo. Averse to getting sacked. Correct. He got hurt in the way that he did.
Like, seemingly, something so simple. Right. You know, it just kind of makes me feel like we still don't know when or how it happened, right? That's not been confirmed by anyone. I don't know.
You can just see the pain. This is not passing the smell test to me. What do you mean? You think he's not really hurting? No, it's just something like, why haven't they t come out and talked about it?
Why hadn't he? I mean, he. They did that night. He put. That night he said it was the second-to-last play.
Sean Payton said that. Has Bo Nix said when he got hurt? I don't think Bo Nix has spoken because he's just coming out of the OR. Yeah. On two, they said that was part of yesterday's conversation with the media: everything.
I don't know what you mean by fishy. What does that mean? Conspiracy theory. It's weird. This has been weird.
Well, it's weird that After the game, a coach will come up and say, Oh, um You know This just happened, and I'm not gonna play cat and mouse game. He's got surgery, it's over. I'm getting it, but it's Thursday, and we still don't have any more information about this. The fact is, you're complaining about something weird that's benefiting your squad. Oh, well, that's but that's the least weird thing: it benefits of all squads, his.
Oh, of course. And I, so, I mean, I'm really mad about it. You should dare somehow the Pats get all the breaks. They do. Like, there wasn't a league-wide conspiracy against the best player of all.
Yeah, but your argument right now makes it seem as though I'd just be like, cool. There's no argument. I'm just saying, why don't we have any more information about this? I don't know if anybody did ask um Because he also delivered it. Like it was the second and last play.
You can watch him roll to his left. But I also watched him field after the game looking fine.
Well, you can watch him roll to his left. He goes down. He comes out limping. His next throw is like some air balloon all the way down the field, where it did look like. It wasn't his best throw of the game.
Then comes a kneel down. where even that was awkward. Then they show him on the sideline wincing. You know, I don't know. And then Sean Payton says after the game, like You know, what's the matter?
Somebody probably he walked through all that actually. Um the next day, but At any rate. You got Jared Stidham. starting for the Broncos, and then you got uh The NFC Championship game that we're about to talk about with Terran Armstead as well. Uh on this program.
Josh Pate's going to return. To wrap up the college football season as well as the portal. The portal's done. Last. We chatted with him.
He said there were 10,000 kids in the portal and just a little bit less than 4,000 in FBS. He's got the final numbers. We're going to find out how many just got trapped in the portal, like what? General Zod? It's like the Phantom Zone.
So Star Trek this week. Oh, that's Superman. It's okay. When did that movie come out? Understood.
By the way, does Kevin James play Sean Payton again? In the movie? Why not? He reprised his role? Sure.
That's where my mind's at now.
Okay, good. And then Breer, Albert Breer, and our number three here on the program. Terran Armstead. Let's bring him out. He's in our green room.
Let's bring him on out and talk to Terran when we come back. Uh The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rich Eisen here. The tax deadline will be here before you know it. And you just want to know your taxes are actually being handled.
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And you spent all those years in New Orleans with Sean Payton as your head coach. Um and so what is your Best guess as to how Peyton's going to approach it, first 15 scripted. What do you think here against the Patriots on Sunday? A fast start is vital. I think for For Stitti's confidence, for the confidence and belief of the offense, a fast start, that can be just simple completions.
Me knowing Sean are gonna they're gonna take some shots early. But it's very important for them to get the run game going. If the run game is effective this game, particularly this game, it opens up the play action pass, which They they're calling Stadia a gunslinger. Will Lutz said, he told me on my show, Sean Payton has talked about. Um Stitti's arm talent.
Mm-hmm. He's going to take some shots. He's going to dial up ways. To create points or give opportunity to create points. You know, they're going to have to score to beat this team.
The Broncos' defense is incredible. But Drake May and company, they're doing it. They're hot, the momentum.
So they're going to score. And the Broncos will have to Put up 21 around that to, you know. It may have to be more than that. I mean, you saw Josh Allen with four turnovers. Put up 30 anyway.
And one of the things that I think Josh Allen was so in his head about. after the game is Like a wide open Dawson Knox. If he hits him, that thing's a wrap. It's over. And we're not even talking about.
What we've talked about over the first five minutes of our conversation, right? We're talking about the Bills going to New England for an AFC championship game right now.
So, what's going on, do you think, in Vance Joseph's room? It's matchups, Rich. That Buffalo Bills offense presented different challenges for Denver. That I can't say the pitchers have that ability. What do you got?
That O-line. Buffalo's O line is incredible. They're fire. They were having their way with Denver early. If it wasn't for the fumble to James Cook, Alex Engleton making a great game-changing play.
Yes, sir. That game had a chance to get ugly. They were running the ball that wheel.
So and to be able to protect it the way that they can on the edges one on one. Even though Josh had some moments where he was hit by Nick Benito, but those weren't losses from Deion Dawkins or Spencer. This situation for the Broncos D-line. Yes. This is the X factor to me, people.
This is what can determine the game. Not the quarterback situation for the Broncos. They were D-line has the potential. to make this game look like the Eagles Chiefs Super Bowl last year. It's possible.
That's the way Broncos win this game, in my opinion. And Siddhim doesn't turn it over and allows the defense to do Um what it can do that you just said to dominate the the line of scrimmage. And that's the way that they get through the Super Bowl 60. Stidham's not going to. And this is this is Sean Payton thing.
From the quarterback position. Your job. Is to take care of the ball first and foremost, not splash plays, not 40-yard completions, not. Your job is to take care of the ball.
So, Stibman is not going to have a situation where he's. Putting the ball at risk much. A sack fumble might, you know what I mean, might happen is football. But he's not going to be having a lot of risky throws.
Well, aren't you seeing a Patriots defense that's come on over the last two weeks? Fire. You know, um. in the uh aftermath of Um The wild card win, you know, the all-22 set says Herbert did have his shots downfield, but he really didn't take them. He couldn't complete them, didn't see them, or what have you.
But part of that might be because he was wearing the New England defense. That's a fact. Okay, because that O-line just, as we know, banged up at the end of the day, ran out of gas. And then last week. I guess the first thing that FM Sean picked, I'm showing Jared Siddham, even or he knows this.
Hey, if the Patriots are on you, don't like. C.J. Stroud throw a grenade in the middle of the. Let's not draw it. You know what I mean?
And flip the moment of the entire thing. Let's not draw that one. Because New England, I mean, Milton Williams is showing. He's earning. his free agent dollars, certainly the last two weeks.
What do you think of that end of things? It's a you take that and you learn from it, of course, but in all honesty, and it's nothing against the Patriots defense, those were the worst two offenses in the tournament. The injuries to the front line of the Chargers, what they had, and a lot of inconsistencies from other players. And then the Texans offense have been that. We've had showings of that.
Same outfit. several times this year.
So This will be a different situation.
Okay, so you're saying the Patriots facing the two worst offenses in the tournament in back-to-back weeks, and then they face a back-up quarterback in the AFC championship game. And you won't go on the record and say the Patriots get the most breaks in the National Football League? Toronto Armstead is the first time. They do. They do.
The Patriots are the NFL's baby. No question about it. No question about it. They just, they got to deal. They got to deal with a game plan.
Effectually, you're bigger than I am, so I don't want to fight, bro. I don't want to fight. I don't want to get you in trouble anymore. Teron Armstrong here on the Rich Hodgson Show: your assessment of the NFC Championship game is what? I love it.
I love this matchup. round three of this heavyweight about The regular season split one and one. Both games could have gone either way. I've said this before the playoffs, Rich. Mm-hmm.
The Rams are the only team in the NFC that can beat the Seahawks. Before the playoffs started, if the Rams get there, they're the only team that can threaten them. Why do you feel that way? The way that the Seaharks are built, the way that this roster has been constructed. That defense is dominant.
They are relentless. They fly around. They have. Just weapons and Rams match up perfectly because they have weapons in the same spot across the ball.
So the corners that they got in Seattle. The receivers they got in And with uh with the Rams. Same for Matt Stafford. In the MVP season he's put together. He's.
the guy that can go toe to toe with this defense. And the same for their offense, too. Seattle offense don't get as much love. Sam Darno don't get as much love. He's playing well.
Kenneth Walker is one of the best in the league. He's underrated to me. But the Rams defense, they come up with timely turnovers. They create problems. Jerry Verse and the boys up front.
I love this matchup. So you think the Rams emerge? Ah, it's it's close. It's tough. Um Give me your thoughts first.
Oh, by the way, I like Teron Armstead very much. And the reason why I like you, Terran, is you have gotten so much better than the first time you've appeared on this program in terms of your your pundertry, your your acumen of delivering your thoughts. You've dropped the fact that you have your own show multiple times. I picked up on that. I can pick that up off the floor for you and say that's called The Set with T-Stead.
Hey, let's go now. I appreciate that. I heard you sneak that in a couple times.
Well done. And then instead of you answering a very pointed question as the guest, You flipped it on me, which is really impressive. And I have been at this much longer than you, so I'm not going to answer that question and say to you. This is what a guest does: answer the question from a host. Hey, listen, I don't know.
Unless you just, you know. I mean, I'm kind of trying a swim movie, right? Yeah, no, which is what. I understand you've got your set, and you're trying to protect whatever you're trying to protect, which is. A very difficult opinion to express.
Look at me. Look at you. You're not. Look at us. You're not.
Yeah. Do you want to answer the question? I got you. I got you. Out of respect, really.
Okay. You are. Oh, are you saving it for your own show? No, no.
Okay. I'll share.
Okay. I have. The Rams in an upset.
Okay. Have the ramps in an upset. I do. I think um Matt Stafford and company gets it done. I think a big day from Devontae Adams.
You do. The last time they played, it was a big day from Puka. It wasn't no Devontae Adams. Correct. A lot of attention will go to Puka.
Devontae is hungry for that. His moment to step his career, which has already been solidified for him. Yes. But just those, you know, these postseason accolades, it's where legacies are made in the postseason.
So I think Devontae Z is ready to stamp his career. Sean McVay does not get enough credit as a coach. He's he's elite, one of the elites. Nothing against Seattle. They have been phenomenal.
They will be phenomenal Sunday. I'd nick the ramp to get it done in a close one. I agree. Why you can do that first though? That's crazy.
That's crazy. You know, I know. I wanted to know what you thought first. Yeah. You know what I mean?
You can listen, you can do it. When you have your own cup.
Well, you have your own mummy. You don't have wait, there's no swag for the set with. I don't have the merch yet. But you've got the bling. I've seen the t-stead.
We have that photograph that we presented going to break of you with your shirt. And no shirt underneath the shirt. You know, I couldn't pull that off. If I had RIs, you know, as a bling and no shirt underneath, people would be like, I don't want to see that. That is a layer.
Like that right there. I can't pull that off. Look at you. That's a man right there. Damn.
You enjoying what you're doing now? I'm enjoying it. I'm enjoying it, man. I'm having fun, getting my football fixed, talking about the game openly, sharing my thoughts and opinion. Try to educate on the way, especially O-line D-line play.
Mm-hmm. But it's been great. It's been great. Inspired by guys like you, Richard. Please.
For sure. I'm just here talking ball. And you do it at a high level. I've been doing it for a long time. I have been doing it for a while.
Yeah, I used to have hair. And not just on my chest, like you.
So let me put you in this position. What happened in Miami? You surprised? I was sh I was shocked at the timing of Mike's Departure. On a Thursday?
In the middle of having a conversation with Darren Waller? That was crazy. That was crazy. I was shocked at that. I'm sure he was too, as Waller.
Yeah, he's doing exit interviews. Exit interviews. Coaches' exit interviews. That's usually somebody that's preparing for the offseason.
So. That that was shocking. Um I see the move. I see the direction that they're going. John Eric Sullivan, he found his guy, and Jeff Hafley.
They have that history together, it's chemistry I'm sure. Um, the style of team that he's trying to build, from just from listening to John Eric Sullivan to physical, relentless. Halfly, his defense displayed that. He has head coach experience. in college, but he has head head coach and experience.
But he's moved up the NFL ranks pretty quickly, and and now it's it's interesting. I have no idea what direction they go at quarterback. Work with Tua, rebuild that situation, or if Balique Willis. is a God. Or they do it in the draft.
I'm not sure. But I'll be closely watching. Yeah, me too. Interesting.
Wellis is a that's that's a good choice. I think he's got nothing but upside. Obviously, what Matt LaFleur's done. Over the last couple years. with him, for him, um has been nothing short of impressive.
I kind of feel like they have to stick wi the the the The uh price tag. Of cutting tour, yeah, because I don't think anybody's going to acquire him with that contract. Is so massive, they may have no choice but to stick with him this year. But I'm wondering what the coach's plan is, because I'm sure that was discussed with him in his PowerPoints, in his meetings, certainly with Aikman potentially, apparently in the room. Um and I'm sure Troy has calling his calling to his games as his very Specific opinions on Tua's viability as a starter in this league, as a consistent starter?
Yeah. Do you got any guests on that front? Just knowing what you know or hearing what you're hearing at all? I'm with you for sure on the contractual obligations. Yes.
It makes it difficult to maneuver. It's almost nine figures, Teron, if they cut him. That's a lot of money on Rich. That's over a span of two years. I love it.
Yeah. With the contract the way it is, it does make it. None of this is. It's simple. It's not it's not checking a box.
I believe in Tua as a person, as a player. I believe in him. Wherever he is, in Miami or elsewhere, to get himself back to form and play the style of football that he feels proud of. Last year wasn't that, it was a bad year. He didn't play a good brain of football.
For the for the Dolphins. Man, they they This quarterback position is everything. That's the pilot of the franchise.
So it's vital on what they do, the direction they go. I talked to Tua. Personally, he told me a lot about his experience this past year and the challenges it presented. Most that I would never share, for sure. But there is tea within that conversation.
It might be a little to be spilled.
Okay. I won't spill it.
Okay. I won't spill it.
I'm not asking you to. Yeah. I don't want you to betray any personality. Right, all right, no, for sure. But um I like Malik Willis a lot.
So if that was the direction that they were going, I think I have seen enough for him to be to get a chance as a starter.
Well, the new head coach had a front row seat. He did. He did. And that's probably the most inexpensive path you can take. I'd agree.
Especially with tourist situation. Mm-hmm. Before I let you go, two weeks from tonight, Drew Brees is going to be a Hall of Famer. I'm not spilling any tea here. They're letting that guy in?
They are going to let him in. He's going to lead the way, pretty much. Obviously, quarterbacks do. Larry Fitzgerald, we're going to hear his name. We'll see Belichick.
Robert Kraft's name is probably. going to be that night quite the class no doubt Um When you think of Drew Brees, the Hall of Famer, you got a good story for me? Anything that leaps to mind, Toronto? Drew was. Rich, Drew was just.
He was such a pro. Like legitimately just a Hall of Fame. Professional. Everything that he did was so Cliche. But it was so like Real you know, first one in the building, last one to leave.
The The routine, the process. Game plan in. Don't matter if we've seen the Bucks three times this year, the Panthers two times already. Like, it didn't matter. Mm-hmm.
The hours spent, the detail. the demand of others Mike Thomas, I need you to be right here. At this moment, you got to be right there, not a foot. Less or more. Mm-hmm.
Brandon Cooks, the motion has to be six inches more. He was just so deep and to see that. approach and demand every single day for so many years, Greatest of all time, in my opinion.
Well, I mean, you certainly had, again, just to use a phrase, a front row seat to watching all of it. You got your favorite in the huddle moment. Game on the line, or it doesn't have to be game on the line, or you had something where. I'll give you I'll give you a couple, please. One that was a low life for me, my first start.
I was in Carolina. We were fighting for the division. And I came from Arkansas Pine Bluff. Probably played in front of 2,000 people.
So we get to Carolina, and we didn't have noise simulators at practice.
So, this is my first time with crowd noise. Drew Brees is talking another language. Mandarin. I don't know. But he's calling these plays so fast.
I'm like yelling back at him. Drew, what did you say? I can't hear you. He said, you just got to know it. And the first half of that game was terrible.
I got him sacked twice. I went the wrong way. It was bad. But I made the adjustment, he came to me at halftime, we talked, I made the adjustment. and smooth sailing for nine years.
Another Drew Brief's story in a huddle, and this is how he was. Um, late in the game, we're down. Three. Mm-hmm. And Two-minute drill, we're going, we can't get much going.
Drew pretty much told us. Listen. Y'all block the four now. And they got Four down in Keekly. What's the play?
Nothing else. On one. Four down and Keekly on one for four plays in a row. He threw the ball to Marcus Coston. They didn't make a call.
I don't know if it was a signal or what. It's just, y'all get to the ball, just move. Blocked them four blocked them five guys. And they just orchestrated, bro. He saw the game differently.
He didn't call a play. He just told you who to block. Forty eight nega. And Colson He didn't tell him what route to run. Bro, they just, we just marched down the field.
Just them two. Every ball went the coast. Yeah. He was special. I love stories like that.
I just do. And I will never forget how he got there, what happened in 2009, obviously, but 2006 and how he got there with Sean and Katrina and the punt block and Um You know, the statue that's out there of Steve Gleason. For sure. And how three years later, you know, the. The Super Bowl happens, it hits, and then you show up.
And I just think it's kind of neat. He came up to you at halftime. of your first game in which you were completely lost. and said what? Yeah.
Just really just giving some confidence.
So he wasn't angry. He came up to you. This is probably another note that I'll give about Drew Brees. Sure. As demanding as he was.
Of excellence, of guys doing their job. He never went at an O-lineman. Never. I'm talking about you can get up, he'll get smacked. And I've got his world rocked before him.
Drew, I'm sorry. But he would never go at O-Liman. He always considered the mental battle of playing O-line and how difficult the job is. You block a guy 50 times, he gets you on a 51st snap. Receivers, tight ends, running about a different story.
He he's on he's on their ass. But he never, for whatever reason, And I think it's that mental battle. He never got on the alignment.
So it was always a. a border of confidence.
So two Sundays from now, you believe the Rams are playing in Super Bowl 60 against, do you think New England does pull it out? No. You do not. No, I don't. Just when I thought we were getting along.
Yeah. That's all right. We'll be friends with Denver and the Rams. I think Sean's at it. And then uh you and you uh No doubt Saints fans should get ready to see, you know, McVay versus Payton video of the no-pass interference that's coming.
Let's not even go there. No, I know. I mean, that's the way we spend time, you know, getting bored in the media waiting for football. We talk about it. That taking me to a dark place.
Sorry about that. Yeah, let's not do that. But so you think it'll be Sean Payton versus Sean McVay dialing it up against each other's defenses in Super Bowl 60? I think Sean Payton gets it done in an ugly one. Muddy's game.
Muddies it up. Muddies it. Muddies it up. Because Vrabel knows how to do that, pal. For sure.
You know. I love Rabel, man. I love Rabel. Who doesn't? Love him.
He's unbelievable. He is. He may be coach of the year two weeks from tonight, too. Yeah. Okay.
All right. Hey, it's great to see you. You've got a spot here anytime. If you need me as a guest, You hear that? Yeah, no, I'm happy to appear on the show and just know when that happens, when you ask me a tough question, I will say, What do you think?
No, no, and see how you like it. And I'm going to bracket that thing right back because I showed you what to do in that respect. And everything else, you could just be yourself and do what you want to do. How does that sound? Hey, I love you, Rich.
You got it. Everybody, check out the set with T-Stead, one of the fastest-growing athlete-led shows on YouTube, wherever you get your podcasts on YouTube. Back on The Rich Hods and Show in a sec. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is something I've been talking about for quite some time.
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So You know, I've been having my fun with Brockman over there about the Patriots, this, Patriots, that. And if the Patriots make it to face Sam Darnold, in other words, the opposite of what Teron Armstead just said, that's going to be tough for Jets fans to swallow. Patriots in it. Back again after they were behind the Jets in some draft choices, or in front of them, pardon me. The Jets were behind them for some draft choices, and then they zoomed past them again to look dynastic again.
Um facing Sam Darnold. Um but either way Regardless, unfortunately. Niners fans. Are going to have to deal with the fact that either the Seahawks or the Rams are going to be playing for the Super Bowl on their home field. That's tough.
When they had an opportunity to just beat the Seahawks one time, one night, one night only, and they would have home field throughout. It's not as if Seattle nor The Rams would have had an opportunity. Wouldn't have had an opportunity, even with the Niners being the one seed. But at any rate, it's not going to be easy. And that said, you know, the Niners had a terrific season.
Um They had a terrific season.
Well. Ahead of what anybody thought they would have going in, and then during it, when they lost both. Bosa and Warner. They lost a bunch of people on offense. And at the end of the day, it all fell apart, certainly without Brandon Ayuk there from Jump at all.
I mean, before the season, it's just like, well, he'll come back midseason and then look out. He never played. And As John Lynch and Kyle Shanham were describing at their exit interviews with the media. On Wednesday, he gone. What is the plan for Brandon Ayuk, and do you envision a scenario in which he's on this team next year?
If so, what would that look like? Yeah. The plan in terms of the transaction, that will come in due time. I think it's safe to say that he's played his last snap with the Niners. It's unfortunate.
You know, um situation that just went awry and uh You know, we I will look long and hard at what could have been done differently, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. And I think that this was this was a case where that happened. And Kyle then chimed in that he's never seen anything like it in his 20-plus years of coaching.
So I don't know what happened there. At all. But I'm not concerned about the future for the San Francisco 49ers. Anybody in this room? They got the right owner, general manager, coach, quarterback.
and run him back. who got knob the only you know The only person more nominated than him for for honors on On uh on Thursday was the movie Sinners, Ryan Koogler. You know what I mean? It's quite something what the Niners did this year. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Mm-hmm.
