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Now, on with the show. Ha ha ha. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Sam Darnold is one of the best stories we've seen entering a Super Bowl week in quite some time. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
I'm happy to be a part of this team, man. You know, I'm really happy to be here. Today's guests, ESPN analyst Marcus Spears, three-time Super Bowl champion, Mark Schlareth. Over Reaction Monday on a Tuesday. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show: 844-204-Rich, number to dial. Whether you're watching us on Disney Plus and the SPN app, or listening to us on ESPN Radio Serious XM Channel 80, if you're listening to us in our podcast, you could call that number. I don't know who's going to answer it. It depends on when you listen. And I could keep going on and on about our inner workings.
But I just hope you listen to our podcast and you keep on doing so and you hop into our RSS feed and you might see some overreaction Monday, some no contest wrestling, part of the Rich Eisen Show podcast world. Again, 844-204 Rich is always the number to dial. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? I'm great, Rich.
What's up, man? DJ Mikey D. isn't morning. Knotts is in his chair. Same thing.
TJ Jefferson, good to see you. Candles lit over there, huh? How's everybody doing today? We're doing well. We're doing well.
We're paying attention to the spinning coaching carousel. Um and on that carousel Kevin Stefansky went from Cleveland. All around the dial finally lands in Atlanta. And that's where he's going to see his BFF Baker Mayfield twice a year. He's about to be introduced as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
And then Mike McCarthy over the weekend. Um, hopped onto that carousel again and gets a third bite at the apple on a A third Blue blood, all-time great. NFL franchise. For him to say, I'm the coach of the Packers, I'm the coach of the Cowboys, I'm the coach of the Steelers. I don't know who's ever going to pull off that trifecta.
Mike McCarthy's going to be introduced today. He's one-on-one. That is correct. We're one and one-on-one. And then we have somebody who.
Has now been named a head coach, or at least reported to be named, about to be named as a head coach. And once that stuff gets out, Uh we take it as fact. And I think it's going to happen. And it appears That the Buffalo Bills have elevated Their offensive coordinator Joe Brady. To be a first-time head coach, not just in the National Football League.
but just flat out in general. The former Um Offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills is now the new head coach. of the Buffalo Bills. And Here's, let's unpack it this way. Let's start with what we do know.
About Joe Brady. I just mentioned he's the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills. He's also 36 years of age. Nice young buck. He is a former wide receiver by trade.
Air Force and William and Mary is where he played his college ball. And after playing his college ball, he hopped into coaching at William Mary, spent a couple years as a graduate assistant at. Your spot in Penn State, TJ? And then Sean Payton got a wind of him. And he winds up.
as an offensive assistant on the Saints' staff. And then Maybe the first time you've heard of Joe Brady. He was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. For LSU in the Joe Burrow era.
So he's in charge of a passing game. that wound up with a quarterback throwing Sixty touchdown passes. And a wide receiver rule. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
With Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase, just to name two, within it.
Okay. Feels like Del Tufo could have done that job. I don't know about that. All I know is that he had a. If you want to call it a lump of clay.
Alright? Yeah, he turned it into uh You know, the most famous pottery since Ghost. Molly, you in danger, girl. And if you remember, Joe Brady coming off of that year in 2019 was the hottest. Assistant Coach Higher.
Like the NFL was falling over themselves, saying, All right. We see what you did in LSU. Uh we don't care that you're barely 30 years old. And the team that kind of won the Joe Brady lottery. Was the Carolina Panthers.
Matt Ruhl hired him. To be the offensive coordinator for him.
Now that didn't work out. The whole Matt Rule era didn't work out.
So that means, was he the offensive coordinator b for both Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold? When he was there from 2021, 2020 to 2021? Yeah, probably. And uh off of that The Buffalo Bills Say, you know what, we need With Brian Dable heading to the uh New York. Giants to be their head coach.
We need somebody to pair up with Ken Dorsey to be the quarterback coach. of Josh Allen. and they decide to hire. Joe Brady for that role. in 2022.
And in 2023, With Joe Brady being the one, along with Ken Dorsey, in. The meeting rooms and in the helmet of Josh Allen. Sean McDermott. In 2023, who had just parted ways with his longtime defensive coordinator, or is about to, Leslie Frazier. Bounces Ken Dorsey.
In the middle of the season, after they lose to Russell Wilson on Monday night football in a very frustrating game, Sean McDermott, after having already. parted ways with Leslie Frazier. Decides to bounce Ken Dorsey. I remember, if you remember at that time, Marshall Falk. Came on the show.
It was either with me or with Suze when he was sitting in this chair saying Sean McDermott is running out of coaches to blame. There's only him left. When you bounce all these coordinators and change coordinators, You're the only one left for ownership. to put in the sights if you don't perform. And sure enough, who was in the sights just a few weeks ago?
But Shawn McDermott. And who is now His successor. Joe Brady. And that's what we know. That's what we know.
Clearly a trusted voice for Josh Allen. That's what we know. He's been in his ear since the twenty twenty two season He clearly knows what to do with a passing game. He clearly knows what to do when you give him top-flight wide receivers, which. Buffalo arguably does not have Okay.
Yeah. And that's that's what we know. We we also are assuming This wasn't a power play because we heard the owner. Hmm. doesn't countenance such things.
We do know that they kicked the tires on many other coaching candidates, including Phillip Rivers.
Okay. And that's what we know. We know the Buffalo offense. has blossomed. Or at least performed better with Joe Brady calling the plays than what Ken Dorsey was doing.
We know that. Although Ken Dorsey was the offensive coordinator for a playoff game in which the. Bills scored thirty-six points with Gabe Davis scoring four touchdowns. in a very famous divisional round loss to Kansas City. We know that.
Which brings us to what we don't know. How will Joe Brady handle having a Three-point lead with 13 seconds to go in a playoff game. How will he handle a situation where they're forced to settle for a field goal only to have it missed? By A kicker. Just a a guy named Bass, for instance.
Like, how will these things manifest itself? How will he stand up for Buffalo? in a manner that the owner can appreciate. Or Focus on to say that's my coach. We don't know that.
That we don't know. You know. I I I the thirteen second thing is is lingering also this week. I don't know if you saw former Buffalo Bill Jerry Hughes hopped onto the socials in responding to a couple of I guess Bill's fans laying that at the feet. of Sean McDermott or approaching that.
Hughes, if the coach can manage to lose a football game in thirteen seconds after the QB put together phenomenal play after phenomenal play, that coach should be fired. Seems like someone was on borrowed time in reference to Sean McDermott. And then somebody asked if he left because of that. Once Sean screwed up the 13 seconds with his calls, prevent defense on every single play, I knew he wasn't serious. Whoa.
Now, again, I'm bringing up a former player who might be axe grinding and things of that nature. But clearly, at the end of the day, the owner of the Buffalo Bills and Terry Pagula thought the same thing about Sean McDermott. And we What does that mean? Can Joe Brady Somehow Get this team over. The um And with him now elevated to the role of head coach.
in these meetings with apparently Josh Allen and some of them. Obviously, Brandon Bean is in there and him giving the check mark. Did he at some point say to Brandon, hey, listen, I've got my thoughts on the roster? Has he even had the. Time or platform or moment to have already voiced that to.
been throughout the years as the offensive coordinator. Has he pounded a table in the draft room? Did he want King On Coleman? I want to know. Was he part of the staff?
Tiger wish it could. I don't know. Or do we just all put everything that I've just mentioned into the McDermott box, lock it up, throw it away? and say the floor is yours, Joe Brady. I don't I don't think I've Minced any words here.
Guy can dial it up. Guy has dialed it up at two different levels. Right?
Now he's the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Along with Jeff Hafley in Miami, Aaron Glenn with the. Jets And the guy that they're all going to be chasing for One would think years to come. Mike Vrabel going to the Super Bowl. By the way.
The aforementioned Leslie Frazier, you know where he's going this year? The Super Bowl. He's on the Seattle stat. Right.
So you might catch a glimpse of him. Bills fans might have caught a little glimpse of him every now and then on the sideline from Mike McDonald.
So he's going to the Super Bowl along with Sam Darnold before Josh Allen. More bitter pills for the Bills fans to swallow. But maybe, just maybe, at the end of the day, this is the guy. Who is going to be The brash. Bold Head coach.
Of the Buffalo Bills for a long time to come. Maybe they've made the hire. That Steelers fans wish they made With the young guy on the offensive side of the ball, as opposed to the young guy on the defensive side of the ball, that they've always had, or. The current O. G.
type coach. that they're hoping can rekindle things. in Pittsburgh, but just up the road We'll see. Everybody, as you know, is trying to still. Nine years later get the next Sean McVay.
Dialing it up. Young guy who can run the org run run the uh organization on behalf of a Front office that is Untouched? and appreciated by ownership. And that is The structure that I just laid out, what the bills are doing, owner. Appreciates and strengthens the role of the general manager and hires a young offensive mind for Josh Allen.
and the cat bird seat Head coach opening. with the Reigning MVP for at least What? Nine more days, Josh Allen. Is although he is in the mix. As a finalist.
Um It would be a surprise if it's not Drake Mayer or Sir Matthew Stafford. But uh that that seat belongs to Joe Brady. And the Ravens went with a young defensive guy. And Jesse Minter. And Though it's my two cents.
I see what they're doing. I understand and appreciate the continuity with Josh Allen. If he says I pref like, hey, all things being equal. Terry Pagula. Let's go with the guy who I know and I like, and you know, and you like, and you know Brandon Bean and like.
All things being equal, let's go with him. But at the end of the day, everything that Terry Pagula was pissed off about in that press conference. That kind of shocked everybody. Can Joe Brady avoid it? Get the Bills over the hump to the Super Bowl.
We shall see. You guys have any two cents on it before we throw it a break and get Marcus Spears on here? It's a great unknown when you hire someone with zero experience. You just have no idea. You're trusting the infrastructure, the leadership, the front office.
I mean, a lot of pressure on Brandon Bean now to really supply Josh Allen with the necessary weapons to get over the hump. Clearly, James Cook got it right. Boom. Nailed it. Paying that guy.
Led the league in rushing this year. But, you know, Khalil Shakir and Kian Coleman et al. is not getting it done.
So you're kind of You kind of like saying that you don't believe that these quarterbacks feel pressure, right? Like me and Brockman say, like, this guy is under pressure, and you say, no. Do you think Josh Allen now Of course, listen, everybody's under pressure to win playoff games. Certainly, you know, Josh Allen internalizes a lot. Does he You know, I mean, and and a coach gets fired.
You know, that that's that's never any good. For anybody. But when I say about pressure, I'm like: the pressure is: will you get another chance? Matthew Stafford is sitting at home right now hanging with his Little babies, right? And he might be like, this is the greatest thing.
Yeah. Why and you know what? I want to eat that. Slice a keg. I'm serious.
Like, we don't know what's going through his mind. We're just assuming 100%. He is coming back. Did you see that throw? Do you see how he's playing?
Do you see how good his team is? Do you see how close they were? Why wouldn't he want to do it? Because he wants to hang with his wife and his babies and look at the Malibu sunset. Maybe he's going to enjoy the drop off line.
Maybe he's going to enjoy that for a month and go, I got to get back to football. I don't know. We have no idea. But that, to me, is the pressure. That's the pressure is like, are you going to be home for your kids?
as opposed to going back one more year And then when you go back one more year, This is it. Like, that's pressure. Like, that to me is Josh Allen's got roadway in front of him. Lamar's got roadway in front of him. Anybody who's got roadway in front of him, yeah, like this pressure to win.
Lamar doesn't want to hear, see the topic bars at the bottom of the screen, see this, that, the other thing. Our friend Marcus Spears is about to join us, one of the many folks like us who are on camera having takes every day. He doesn't want to hear any of that stuff. I understand he wants to be known as a Super Bowl champion. Everybody does.
There's only one, though, who can be that every year, and it's either Drake May or Sam Darnold at the quarterback position this year.
So that's to me when you talk about what pressure is, just to remind everybody, that's my two cents. Like, if. Stafford goes into a game saying this could be my last playoff game. That's pressure. to me.
Rogers, this is that's pressure. I might not be able to do it any more. I might not want to do it any more. I might not have an opportunity to do it any more. That to me is pressure.
So, yeah, Josh Allen wants to win. He doesn't want to see a coach who I'm sure he really likes, I'm assuming, getting fired. Nobody does. Is Drake May under pressure for the Super Bowl? Yeah, he's been terrible in the playoffs.
Okay. Well, I mean, that's a fan speaking, but he's 23. He's 23.
Okay, so if it, does he want to get there and win it? Of course. If he doesn't, He goes home to, you know. What is it? Her name's Anne May.
Ann May May? Is that what it is? For sure.
Okay. So he goes home to his wife and she bakes himself. They've been together for years. You know what I mean? Like, I see all those wonderful pictures of them now that we're learning more about these players.
And their lives? Darnold?
Well, we talk about who's under the most pressure. I guarantee you that's going to be a topic bar over the next 12 days until. Oh meets ball. But at the end of the day the ultimate pressure Okay. The ultimate pressure is somebody who may not do it again.
But Allen, yeah, it would be great for him to get to the Super Bowl. It would be great for Joe Brady. The question is: is he going to. Yeah. Avoid all the pitfalls that Pagula mentioned one by one in the press conference.
Um Throwing Keon Coleman under the bus. Is that the first call that Jill Brady makes after calling Allen? All right, we take a break. 844-TIP 204-RICH.
Now, that guy's under pressure. He might not get another snap in Buffalo if that's where he wants to stay. Kevin Spansky's talking. Marcus Spears is zooming. That's next here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Yeah. 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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Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seats. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. Marcus Spears of our Friends and every other show on ESPN, and of course, Monday Night Countdown back here on the program. Good to see you, Marcus. How are you, sir?
Maritz, what's up, brother? How are you doing, man? Brother to see you. Better to see you here.
So let's hit you on the news of the day since you're the man with the twirling magnetic LSU helmet over your left shoulder. I love that. I do. I can't get enough of it. The guy who helped dial up a passing game for Coach O to the tune of 60, Joe Burrow touchdowns to Justin Jefferson, and Jamar Chase just got named the new head coach of the Buffalo Bills.
And Joe Burdier is about to. Your two cents on that hire, Marcus. I like it from what I know about Joe Brady Rich. It's a daunting job because, you know, I said a couple of days ago with Sean McDermott being fired, the only. Way you consider success for this next head coach is to reach a Super Bowl.
So, Joe Brady understands what he's walking into. The good thing is, he's been in the organization. Know a lot of people there. I'm sure him and Bean has a relationship throughout this process, but even prior to. And it feels like something, obviously, that Josh had to not necessarily sign off on, but had to.
Make right. For this decision to be made, especially with a guy in the building. On the Joe Brady, I was asking a question. A year ago. Like, why is Joe Brady not getting more consideration?
For a head coaching job, it was just one of those perplexing things to me from the job that he had done as an offensive mind. And that tended to be the trend that we were seeing. With guys having that much success from an offensive play calling standpoint. The natural progression you felt like was To become a head coach. But I think this is good for Buffalo.
Now, I got to say this with a little bit of caveat. Um I love Joe Brady.
So Whether the job is going to be done at a high level or not. from where I sit and what I've known about him since he's been at LSU, which is why I asked the question a number of times about why is he not one of these hot names in the head coaching candidacy. From what I know, this team has got a real dude. One that can connect with players, one that probably needed a little more time than I was ready to give to become a head coach. And I'm assuming through these Interviews and what they knew about him in the building already, that it was comfortable enough for Brandon Bean.
And and um Ownership to make this decision.
Now, here's the thing, Rich. Mm-hmm. They got to make a decision about how this Keon Coleman situation is going to get fixed. Because when Pagula came out and said that A natural reaction for me as if I was Keon's agent would have been like, I got to get this player the hell out of here. And I'm not sure if that's the progression that they want to take after naming this higher this the new head coach.
But there's a progression in this offseason, and there's matters at hand that need to be attended to. And I think that's the foremost, most impressing, most pressing issue right now. Based on what I felt like was a disrespectful statement from the owner of the Buffalo Bills.
So now that you got Joe Brady in place. Other business has to be handled in the way of trying to get this team to a championship.
Well, the Keon Coleman thing, let's hash that up a little bit here, Marcus. When I heard that, okay, when I heard that. Um my first thought was other players in the organization. You know, again, Keon's a young player, and young players can be knuckleheads, or young players need time to mature on the field as well. Right.
And I don't know what's going on behind the scenes. It was a big, you know, head scratch, healthy scratch situation for me. You know, right. And so. I thought.
Rich, I'm sorry. I got these allergies, man. It's all good, Marcus. I'm with you.
So, with all of that. I was sitting there thinking, are there other players in the building who are far more down the line in their careers and also more crucial to the wins and losses and success? Of the Buffalo Bills sitting there saying, What's the owner thinking about my play? And am I next about being mentioned publicly as Whose fault it was that I'm here, right? Like that, that to me is a bigger.
question than Keon Coleman. Yeah, I understand. Like, I understand that, but Keon's name was used. Sure. Right.
It always permeates in the locker room when things are happening like that. There's obviously 52 other guys when I'm talking about a game day roster. And this is not to absolve Keon Coleman of being late and having to have disciplinary action. But to your point, young players, I've been a veteran in the locker room, I've been a young player. I know that dynamic.
And I think a lot of times you would prefer to keep those things within the realm of just us and let us handle it, let the coaching staff handle it. And if it gets to a point where the GM got to step in and make a decision about someone's future, you do that. But ultimately, I don't think it's ever right. To mention a specific player and then attribute.
Well, this wasn't my decision. You know, we had that with Shadur Sanders in Cleveland. That's right. You mean the Pro Bolt? You mean the Pro Board?
The Pro Board. What are these owners thinking, saying that bull crap? Like, even if you feel that way. What possibly do you think can be positively taken out of that? By you making that statement.
Because one, you've pitted. People against each other, whoever made the decision, whoever wasn't for the decision. But I know this is about Joe Brady. We'll get to that another day, Rich. Maybe when I see you down in San Francisco, we can talk all things.
Sounds good. I'm happy about the Joe Brady hire. Right.
And it is going to be part and parcel. I was just saying last hour, I mean, last segment, earlier in the hour, that after obviously chatting with. Josh Allen, hey, I got the gig. Keon Coleman's got to be his next call. To talk with him about it.
And I'm sure he had a front row seat to whatever was happening with the healthy scratches, and he knows how to handle that, hopefully, for the Bills fans. Marcus Spears here on The Rich Eisen Show. What is it like for a defensive player to watch a coach go forward on fourth down rather than getting points for you to defend? Marcus? It's very difficult reaching.
It's very difficult. Listen, man, while my nose runs from allergies, I listen to, and Rich, we've all had to. Come around on analytics, right? And I understand that this is the new wave. of the NFAO.
But I'm so glad you asked this question because to me, as a defender, three points still means a lot to me. It means a lot. It still means. that you have to that the off the opposing offense has pressure. To get points.
I think when you introduce that element. It becomes, especially at an AFC championship game, what you referencing. It there is a added pressure. to we at least have to make enough plays to get downfield.
Now with that with that thought. You may try to make a tight window throw that you wouldn't make if it's an even game. You may play a little bit more aggressively, which sometimes leads. Into obviously success for the offense, but it leads sometimes to success for the defense. I don't care what Sean Payton says.
If you go back, he'd probably take the three points. Oh, yeah. And the other thing that had me tripping. Mm-hmm. is The people, Rich.
You play it with Jerry Stenham. It's It's a premium for every score and drive. For you to get points on the board because you don't know what the difference is going to be.
Now, to add fuel to the fire, the fact that that game ended up 10-7, got the drive. Him crazy all offseason. Yep. Because you don't know what would have happened after that. But ultimately, man, like I get it, man.
Like, this going for fourth down. I watched Dan Campbell do it early in the season. I was like, damn, at some point, bro, kick the field goal.
So, yeah, I went through Mina Kambs's. my sister and one of the one of my uh One of my castmates on NFL Live OESPN. And When the analytics part first started getting introduced, I was... I was so opposed because. My view was only Well, in that situation, if Tom Brady are quarterbacks, to hell with the analytics, you let Tom Brady go out and make a play.
Yep. So there's always that element. For me, it's still about this game, it is still about people. and players making plays in certain situations. And the more as a coach based on decision making that you can help them or put the other team in a more critical situation, I think you should.
Now, people will say, well, Swag.
Well, if they score, it's more of a critical situation. I know, but what if they don't? And I would take those analytics and odds for kicking a field goal in that particular situation. Not all are the same either, Rich. Like, if Bo Knicks was the quarterback, I don't think I would be as critical as the decision.
If Lamar Jackson my quarterback or Josh Allen my quarterback, Or Matthew Stafford. Is my quarterback. A lot of guys, I don't think I make that decision. But a guy that ain't played in damn near two years, you want to put him in a fourth and one situation. Against New England's defense who has only given up eight points a game in the playoffs, I just don't think that was smart.
And Sean makes a lot of smart decisions, but that was dumb. Marcus Spears here on The Rich Eisen Show. Your first blush preview. for us for Super Bowl 60. What's your first blush thoughts?
Seeing a Patriots team come off of two, four-win seasons going on a run for the lifetime? And the Seattle Seahawks with Sam Darnold just getting stronger every week with a wagon of a defense and a. And a stellar wide receiver in JSN, just a Top 10. Rich, I want to ask you a question first. I'm here for you.
You've done so many of these Super Bowls and been around these Super Bowls. Very fortunate, yes. I am absolutely refreshed, and I would like to know your thoughts that we have this Super Bowl. that we have Drake May with his story And obviously, Sam Dornal with his story. And look, I love greatness, and greatness should go as long as it possibly can.
I'm not one of those ones that gets tired of people winning. I think when you win, you win all the time. But just the story of a guy that's been on Sam Dorner case, been on five teams. won 14 games with another team. Had a bad end of the year game, and they decided that they wanted to move in a direction, and they fell absolutely off a cliff.
And then you look at Drake May, who was Not the darling of the dance, but still considered a really good quarterback. And culturally, you see things change around him and they find themselves in the Super Bowl. I just think it's such a cool story, bro. And yes, it's great to see Mahomes and Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson and you know Matthew Stafford and all of these guys that we we know play at a very high level consistently be in a Super Bowl and have opportunities to win and we'll talk about it but ain't this cool Like It's Ain't this like one of the cool? This is one of the coolest Super Bowls I think I've been a part of since I've been covering.
The NFL at ESPN. I'd like to know your thoughts on that.
Okay, so. Not to answer a question with a question, but do you want me to answer that professionally or thoroughly unprofessionally? Marcus. Thoroughly unprofessional.
Okay, so I'll go with that one first. Buckle up, Marcus. Go ahead. Get ready. I grew up a Jet fan, Marcus.
So watching Sam Darnold.
Okay. Watching Sam Darnold become the first ex-jet to ever quarterback. a Super Bowl for someone else's team. To do that against the New England Patriots. whose ascension to the Super Bowl with a Seemingly dynastic setup coming again.
Only to have that Super Bowl birth. come off of two four lost seasons in a row. In drafts. in which they preceded the Jets. only to zoom past them in the diamond lane of the National Football League to the Super Bowl.
and have that ascension celebrated By my hometown's Empire State Building being lit up in Patriots' colors. Get out of here with that nonsense. My God. How's that for an unprofessional? Thoroughly unprofessional.
I like that. I like that because I live on the unprofessional side more than the. Yeah, so that resonates with me. All right, that's fine.
Now, give me that professional side. You're right. This is an incredible, cool Super Bowl. Because. It is the avatar.
of you never know and all it takes is some smart coaching. and some smart roster building A little bit of luck. Of course. But some terrific teamwork where everybody comes together and says, you know what? I don't care.
That nobody believes in us. We believe in ourselves. We follow our coach named Mike. We follow our quarterbacks that say Follow us. We love our team defense, every hat to the football.
We're smarter than you situationally. And at the end of the day, We're going to the Super Bowl. I love it. How is that? I gave you my professional and thoroughly unprofessional answers.
That's why you, Rich Island, bro. That was beautiful. That was beautiful. Thank you. Y'all clip that and put that over the Super Bowl entry when they play it.
Here's what I love about this, Rich. Yes, sir. This is what I love about this. I've been a. I've been a fan of Mike Raybull for a very long time, even as a player.
But. I still don't understand what Tennessee was thinking when they let it walk, which now has to be. You're a Jets fan, and I know it's bad, but imagine being a Tennessee Titans fan. I'm with you.
That one I don't understand. And I am going to spend the next week plus diving in when I have information men and women here. What happened in Tennessee? I can gather why Minnesota decided to not sign Darnold to a Tua or Trevor Lawrence contract if that's what he was looking for, even though he signed for less in Seattle, obviously. I understand when you go and you trade draft capital to get a kid that you believe in, and you do need to start that process at some point.
I get it. I understand why Darnold didn't want to stay there. I understand how they lost to Detroit and the Rams and. And it didn't look great. But I still do want to know if they did kick a tire on Donald or not.
But the Titans thing. That one uh I I don't get it. That one is just get out of here. Wow. And the other thing is, Derrick Henry has ran for 4,000 yards since he left.
But again, this is not for us to beat on Tennessee, but I do need you to put on your. your your connection had to find out what the hell happened. With the Tennessee Titans.
Now they got a new coach and they're trying to move forward, so we're going to allow Tennessee to move forward. Here's what I'll say, man. Mike Vrabel and the job that they've done In New England, and we were there a few weeks ago for the Houston game. And you could sense that this wasn't necessarily the old Patriot way, but it was still some of that lingering foundation that made them what they were when Vrabel was a part of that franchise. I think he won three Super Bowls with him himself, right?
Um but there was an enthusiasm. That just was permeating throughout this football team. It was a confidence in the plan that they had, that they were ready to execute. And, you know, we all got. My NFL live crew, we make these picks, and people think we like care about making these picks.
Talk about that, like we live and die by it, which I don't.
Sometimes I don't, I don't even look at it. I tell the producer, pick a game, pick the game and the score. If people really understood how much I actually don't care about who wins unless it's Dallas, they never tweet me or hit me on X about anything because they'd be like, bro, you don't even love your job. No, I love my job. I don't get paid to pick games.
Because if I knew who was going to win every game, I'd just live in Vegas and be richer than all y'all. But here's the thing: here's the thing, man. They are. They are as well prepared, which you expect that from Mike Rabel. But they are also young and vibrant and new energy.
It's not that, you know, Bill obviously had the Patriot way, and it was everybody, you know, kind of act like you've been there before. Man, Raybo at the door after the game, hugging dudes. They got their personal handshakes. They're going crazy on the sideline. Like they've been a fun team to be around.
And then you go on the other side with Seattle. Mike McDonald, phenomenal job as a defense coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, gets hired. Sam Darnold comes over. This Seattle Seahawks team is still the reason why we keep talking about the Legion of Boom, because the truth is they are led by their defense. And it's very eerily similar to what they've done before.
And then you get a rematch of a catastrophic ending for the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl. Like, there is enough here, Rich. For us to be okay with it not being Mahomes and Kelsey and Josh and Matthew. Like, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. This has been one of my favorite NFL seasons because it's been so predictable, unpredictable, and the variables of football has shown itself.
Time after time after time. But I'm excited about this Super Bowl, man. I'm really happy for both of these organizations and franchises. But I'm more happy. If I would say there's like one thing that I'm crazy happy about.
It's the fact that when Sam Donald writes this book. to to to youth and Up and coming, inspiring quarterbacks and All of these things, whether he wins it or not. This is the legit like, don't ever quit. I'm with you.
I'm not sure. I'm saying it in real terms. I'm with you.
Marcus, thanks for the time. Can we get this man at Claritin, please? I'm getting me some allegory. That's the only thing that's good. Very good.
Very good. And thanks for the time. I agree with you on everything, but we're going to have to light the friggin' Empire State building up, okay? You know what I mean? Take care of yourself, Marcus.
We'll chat again. All right, brothers. Y'all take care of yourself. We're up against it. We've got to hit the road.
We're back with more in a second. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery.
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Because at Hyundai, Hope isn't optional, it comes standard. The play that Drake May apparently didn't tell his offensive lineman: hey, I'm going to bootleg and I'm going to win this game in the snow. The one that sealed the deal. The Broncos were out of timeouts. force the patriots to punt and have enough time for any it was over okay According to the Boston Globe.
Um Josh McDaniels was in on it. Did you see this? No. A Patriots Colts coach um told the Boston Globe that Josh McDaniels in May called the bootleg on the sideline and purposely kept the rest of the offense out of the loop in order to better sell the fake. Love it.
Wow. Quote, we called it from the sideline and told him not to tell anyone else. and he did not tell them in the huddle, Make it as real as we could. Yeah, genius. Remember when Peyton Manning used to do stuff like this?
He'd be on the goal line, and all of a sudden he'd be naked boot, and then he'd just walk into the end zone. It's obviously not the play call. No one's gonna have Peyton Manning running for anything. But Peyton also. How do I put this artfully?
Doesn't have the same giddy up. As maybe a 23-year-old young bucket made it even more ridiculous. But you would think, in the elements like that, you'd just smash it up the middle and punt and play deep. Here's what we're going to do with the season on the line. I mean, just roll the dot.
I mean, I roll the dice.
So, even if they didn't get it, if this thing blew up in their face, the defender had a shot to tackle it. Let's just say if that happened, they're still punting the ball away with like a minute and change to go, right? And they couldn't move it anyway. It's a worthy, it's a worthy risk. For sure.
You know? It's a worthy risk, but I Church Belsian type one, that's for sure. Jeez. Stuff that makes you wonder if it's the Patriots year. Hour two coming up.
The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
