This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere.
Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel.
Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Is Drake May under pressure for the Super Bowl? Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Yeah, he's been terrible in the playoffs.
Okay. May back the throw again. And it's intercepted in the end zone. Earlier on the show. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Coming up. Prime Video TNF analyst Andrew Whitworth. And now, it's Rich Eisen. And Hour number three of the Rich Hodgson Show is on the air.
Andrew Whitworth of Prime Video is going to be joining us shortly on the program. And we'll ask him what we asked Kurt Warner and Jay Rice in hours number one and two is uh How crazy is it that Bill Belichick's not a first ballot Hall of Famer? I mean, that's a very slanted way of asking the question, but that's just the way I kind of feel asking the question. What's the name of the show? You know what I mean?
What the? And I dare I said the Rich Eisen show. You can go at about it differently, and you'll be like, Was there any surprises? From this Hall of Fame, or just like see if he brings it up himself generally. What do you think of it?
Yeah, you don't have to leave the witness. It's a report, by the way. It's if Don Van Netta and Seth Wickersham have it. It's happened. What's stopping the hall?
This is just a report, nothing official. What's stopping the hall from saying, hey, voters, let's reconvene and get this right? Because the hall's not in charge of who gets in and who isn't. They can tell the voters to revote. No, they can't.
Why? They will never do that. They hand off the voting to a group of voters. Baseball's Hall of Fame never tells anybody, vote again. You know, no Hall of Fame does that.
There's 39 others who now look at that.
Now that's a different story, but. A vote is a vote and that Is that And as a coach might say, it is what it is moving on to 2027. I've been told not to trust votes these days.
Okay. But I'm outside of That lane, Chris, back in this one. They're never the Hall of Fame is never is not going to do it. They're just not going to do it. They aren't.
It makes them look bad, too. I understand.
Well again, it shouldn't. It's not them. It's not them. Again, the Hall of Fame die-hard keepers of a flame. Which also is important for local commerce.
I mean, Stark County, Ohio, they are awesome. I totally encourage everybody to take the time. Certainly, if somebody gets in who you care deeply about, Go. It is amazing. The Hall of Fame Museum is amazing.
You've been there as well. Everybody here in this room has been there. I love it. All right, so. It's not them.
be in charge of who are the voters. You know. That's it. And at some point when the vote is over. And we know who next Thursday night at NFL Honors is in, and I guess all voters are now able to discuss it publicly if they so wish.
Um Maybe you say something. Am I reading the chart? But that's the way we all looked at that at that headline that was in the palm of our hands unless we saw it and online as opposed to on a on a hard line computer screen as opposed to a an app. That is stunning though. Tom Brady, what show is he on?
Was he on? Oh! Our boy Brock Heward. Brock Hewitt, Brock and Salk in the Pacific Northwest, having Tom Brady on and Tom had this to say when asked about it. I don't understand it.
I mean, I was with him every day. If he's not a first battle hall family, there's really no coach. That should ever be a first battle Hall of Famer, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it. He's he He's incredible. There's no coach I'd ever want to play.
I'd rather play for. If I'm picking one coach to go out there to win a Super Bowl, Give me one season, I'm taking Bill Belichick.
So that's enough said. There's nothing. Outside of that, again, when it comes down to votes and Yeah. Popularity and all that, like, you know, then welcome to the world of voting. And you may as well go, you know, try out for the Oscars or whatever.
you know, get a big panel to tell you if you're good or not. I mean Goes without saying. And The thing that I, again, I don't understand is just make sure he's not a first ballot Hall of Famer. Is that what was talked about in that voting room? Like.
That's the punishment. that we nobody thought necessary or coming. Honestly, if Belichick was on that stage next Thursday night as a member of the 2026 Canton class, would there be anybody out there saying, This guy doesn't deserve it? Honestly. Yeah, 11 people.
Maybe. Maybe, but hopefully I just wish it was 9, not 11. Because then we wouldn't be hearing anything over there Grinding axe. You know what I mean? It's just Silly.
At best. And just one last thing too. I understand there are some Hall of Fame voters that are part of this group of 50. And I I just wish they had been on the set. Of the NFL 100 show that I was so honored to have hosted.
In Mount Laurel, New Jersey, in the studio at the home of NFL Films with Chris Collinsworth, who's calling the Super Bowl with Terico in a couple of Sundays. And one after another after another. the Hall of Famers who are part of the 100 team. The 100th anniversary team. One by one, and every goat.
That was going to be in the Hall of Fame. Went to Belichick first, and not a single one of them turned their back to him, saying, This guy's going to just sully our room. when he joins us. Not one of them. This is him with Ray Lewis.
And there were some Ravens Patriots battles. Who was there ever? Right? Ray was just talking his ear off, and he was talking Ray's ear off. Ed Reed.
And Bill. They were like BFFs. Bill wanted to coach.
Okay, and if you're thinking the. Spygate, the flake gate stuff, all that stuff was happening when Ed was trying to win. He wasn't sitting there for a single second thinking anything but I can't get enough of this guy. And as a matter of fact, Bill Had a segment during each of these shows where we turn to him. For the Black and white film era players that were in the NFL 100.
You know, the long since past, and somebody needed to give voice as to why these people from generations before deserved. to be in the hall and Bill had film sessions. And there was only one guy. who came through And there were some greats, man. There were some greats.
that came through. There's only one who came through. Who Bill's like, I want you to join me in these film sessions and talk about it. Because I'm just going to use you as an example. Was Ed Reed?
It was Ed Reid. And in terms of Bill's respect. For the hall. This was, I think, the first time. There were Multiple, like dozens of busts loaned out from the bust room.
Elsewhere? And we had busts, actual Hall of Fame busts. On the set, and I took this picture. The bill didn't know is snapping it. It's a great shot.
He's walking up there. He spent. Damn near 10 minutes by himself looking at all of these busts. And And he was into it, man. He knew the history.
He respected the history. He loved the history. And It's just crazy that the people whose job it is to put more busts in the room. looked and f saw this guy and all they thought was someone to punish. Rather than someone to enshrine.
I I again, I still just can't wrap my up. My head around it. I remember you also would tell us about like. Bill would almost ask you if he could jump ahead of you and ask questions to people. Oh, yeah.
He was so hyped, and he was so happy and curious, and wanted to know. And he just made it seem like when you were just like how he was like a little kid on the bottom. Right. And obviously he's got. a reputation of being gruff and keeping people at arm's length and not being a fun guy.
And this doesn't matter. I mean, it's Hall of Fame. Credentials speak for itself, but I'll never forget where he did say at one point. Can I ask the first question of me and Joe Green? That's what it was.
Yeah. Coming out of a commercial break. And you told him no. He's right. No, I'm like, you know, the floor is yours, man.
And all I kept thinking to myself is, what's he going to ask about what Chuck Knowles said or this moment about rushing this quarterback or what scheme or what offensive line did he have to face? And the only thing he asked me and Joe Green, like, here we go, 3-2-1, and we're back. And Mean Joe Green is here, along with some of the other greats. that we had on the set for the defensive line and front seven group. Um and um Bill.
asked me and Joe Green this question.
So on the set of that You know. Coke commercial. How many takes did you did you have? Like how many how many sodas were you drinking that day? And I thought to myself, holy crap, that's what the modern day Lombardi is asking his guy?
Mm-hmm. It was great. It was unbelievable. And then, just again, just his being around everybody. I mean, obviously, Lawrence Taylor on the set with Bill was something I will never forget.
He would just tell stories about LT and LT's respect for him and love for him, even though he was kind of a hard ass on LT for a while, to the point where he reached out to Parcells and he's like, You told this story on that set. And it's one of my favorite moments in the NFL 100, where he told Bill, Parcells. You know, LT, I have a problem here because LT's late for meetings. What do I do? And Parcels told Belichick: what are you doing starting the meeting without him?
Wait for 'em. And again, these are just This is not the reason why he's a Hall of Famer. Or should be I'm just giving you points about the touch points for this man alone. Come on. It's just hilarious that Bill Belichick, a guy so divisive, everyone feels a certain way about him.
He has been a uniter. Of everybody coming together on this topic, it's really interesting, except for 11 people, apparently. What if I told you 11 men? One women, there's some ladies on that. Just everyone, look at the list.
I looked at the list last night, and I'm like, who's most likely to have said no? Yeah, let's guess. Put them on black. I mean, it's some of them are obvious. Austin in Indiana has been hanging on for two hours.
What's up, Austin? You there? Hey, how you doing, sir? What's up, Austin? What's up, man?
Hey, just kind of wanted to call in. And as a Jets fan my whole life, you know, seeing Sam Darnold succeed now in Seattle makes me super happy one, but it's also that giant kick in the nard you're always talking about. Kind of thinking about it, you know, if he went to Super Bowl and Alan and Lamar don't, does he go down as the best pick out of that class? I guess you're going to have to, at the end of the day, see if Darnold gets back there. Right, um, how sustainable is it with Seattle?
And trust me, we're going to between Now and next Sunday, and I've got eight and a half hours on NFL game day morning Sunday alone. There will be a conversation of which team is more likely to have a sustainable Super Bowl run. New England or Seattle. And I I no, I I bet you people would choose New England just because of Drake May automatically hitting in two years being the third overall pick, as opposed to a third overall pick on his fifth team. You know, finding magic with a group that got thrown together with a coach that's been in it for just two years as opposed to Vrabel.
I bet you if you put that question, New England would win it. Really? Yeah. I I think so too, Rich. I think you're spot on the start.
I think the sustainability with Brable there and you know, I mean, May's only in a second year, but Hey, Darnold, the conversation is going to start coming up more and more with Stevens like this, that he's going to be in an elite category soon. Thanks for the call, Austin, in Indiana. And if our line producer Luke Lasso's out there watching this show, I'm sure he just took a note. Like, that's not a bad. What was it?
LL block? LL block. Nice. Because you're going to go A through Z in the blocks, and then when you're an hour, 19 million, you got to double the letters. You like John Schneider as a team builder over Elliot Wilson.
Oh, I'm just saying if you threw it out to a poll question. You wanna do it? Yeah, sure, why not? How am I wording this? Which Super Bowl 60 team is more likely to go on a multiple a dynastic run.
All right. And I bet you people would choose New England before Seattle. East Coast bias. Drake May's 23. Darnold's 28.
Drake May's already hit. Took a while for Darnold to hit. The Rables are already a coach of the year. Mike McDonald's just getting his bones. 12s have a powerful online presence.
I'm aware of it. I'm not saying this is Science. Or what are you? What did Vrabel say about being on EEI? Does it get Mirandized or something like that?
Mirandized breakfast shots. You know what I mean? Yeah. I'm just worried if people who vote here, you know, if we do this two weeks from now, are they going to remember how they voted? Good one.
Nice shot at Bill Polly and Alan Dallas. What's up, Al? Couple couple things. Number one, uh Regarding the Hall of Fame voting, the senior voting, if Roger Craig gets into the Hall of Fame, Tiki Barbie better pray Ronde is on the senior committee. And I'm not ad and I'm not advocating for tiki.
This senior committee thing is a little little suspect. I don't know, Al. I mean, you gotta have somebody. Look at the stats, Rich. You gotta I mean, Roger you don't think Roger Craig's deserving to get in?
Look at the stats. He was a great player, won three Super Bowls. I get it, but that's not the reason why I called, but I just wanted to throw it out there, and that's more FAN, you know, late-night radio talk. Hey, we're on in New York. No, no, no, it's not FAN, it's ESPN in New York, Al.
Let's, you know, let's.
Sorry, Richard, I forgot. I'm sorry. I forgot. It's okay, man. I've been so long.
I can't. There may be an Ion Rich and Eisen, but there isn't one in ESPN, and I'm a team team. Oh, I know you are. You're a number one team guy. I get that.
Thank you. The thing I haven't heard about the Belichick thing, and I'm not advocating for it again.
Okay, I love Bill Belichick, I love the guy, okay. Is that if these guys didn't want to vote him in? Couldn't they just say Hey, listen. We're not sure if he's going to come back. And coach?
So we're gonna with like wouldn't that be the first thing that comes out of your mouth? Like, I'm not sure if he's coming back because if he comes back. Right. Don't they have to wait a little bit on these coaches? No, they changed the rules.
Tom was a great example. Al, they changed the rule. Oh, they did. They changed the rule recently where a coach does not have to wait five years anymore. Yeah, but what happens if he gets elected?
And goes back to work. That happened. Joe Gibbs. Joe Gibbs actually did that once. And guess what?
The NFL survived. In basketball, there's lots of these college coaches that are already in the business. I don't understand why that would be so bad. We put a patch on them. Make a patch on him.
Baltrick belongs in. I mean, belongs in first Battle Hall of Famer. There's no first Battle Hall of Famer. There is whatever. But I would have at least said, hey, maybe I don't feel comfortable.
I mean, Bill Polly, is he kidding? He's kidding, right? I don't know how. Should be taken off the committee just for that. It's a bad look.
But again, it isn't just so we're all on the same page here. It's not what the voters have said. It's two outstanding reporters and Don Van Natta and Seth Wickersham catching wind of Bill not getting in. The article says Bill got a call from the Hall of Fame to let him know. How did that call go?
Holy crap. Because Bill's like, hey, so and like he's sees a canton number on his phone and he gets a phone call and it's just like, hey, I'm so-and-so from the Hall of Fame. And he's probably thinking, is this the knock? You know, and instead it's you know, it's a knockout. You know, and he, and that had to be a terrible phone call to make.
It's probably the president of the Hall of Fame doing that. And, and, um, and So it was the reporting of what was said in the room. which is supposed to stay private.
So I don't think anybody in the room is like, you know, we vote him and he's going to go maybe back to coaching. That's a problem. How is that a problem if the rules have been changed to have somebody not wait five years? Clearly, that's going to happen. And with these new rules, it may happen.
Somebody might put Tomlin in the hopper for next year. But there is also, Al, as you know, a backlog of people like Coughlin for your Giants, Shanahan, Mike Shanahan. I mean, what's going on here? Holmgren. There are so many others that have been waiting for a shot, and now they're going to have to wait another year because I assume Belichick's penance is just a one-year sit-down.
You know, it's crazy. And by the way, if you don't hear what I'm doing in the background, I'm actually chopping up snow and ice on my front stoop. I live in Dallas, Texas, Richard, and we've been snowed in. For five days.
Well, I send my best to you and everybody there in the Metroplex. Alan Dallas here. Let's take a break. Andrew Whitworth of Prime Video is going to join us. That's next.
This is the Rich Eisen Show. 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. This year alone, they've committed another $27 million in honor of the 27th anniversary of the program. And they're proud to have national youth ambassadors like Jackson Trin and Emmy Cole who bring hope to kids across the country by sharing their stories. because at Hyundai, hope is our greatest feature. And it comes standard.
Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. Save money and get a better view of the road when you replace your worn-out wiper blades at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Right now, save $10 on a pair of Rainex Latitude Wiper Blades. They feature beam blade technology to improve windshield contact for maximum visibility. The professional parts people will even install your new wiper blades for free.
Choose Rainx Latitude Wiper Blades at your local O'Reilly Auto Parts store or online at O'ReillyAuto.com. 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. They're there to help you keep things running smoothly.
Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Granger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRANGER, clickgranger.com, or just stop by. Let's just jump into the big topic today, Andrew, that Bill Belichick is not a first ballot Hall of Famer. You're already shaking your head.
I'll give you the floor on the subject matter. It's just disappointing, Rich. I mean, I think you look at it over the years. I think it's one of the things that, you know, I was really excited. You look at our Protector of the Year award this year to have something where you have former players, even some current guys that are involved, and trying to help make that selection to where it's really coming from a place of people that have been there, done that, and been a part of this game for a really long time.
I mean, you know, I think everybody that played it, coached it, has been around the NFL sees Bill Belichick as the standard. And his greatness and who he is as a football coach and what he was able to accomplish over his time in New England. You know, I even think of the impact he had on guys like Nick Sabin and others, and now even Mike Rabel, who's sitting there coaching the Super Bowl right now. Man, it's just you all look up and you're all so inspired by him to see him not be somebody who I think we all sit there and talk about, man, this guy's a first ballot Hall of Famer and those kind of things. As a coach, you think of this guy as he is on the first ballot of all Hall of Famers.
And to not be somebody who's going to go in the first time, I think a lot of guys are just discouraged. And I think it's a bad look. For people that vote in this, because it just shows you that a lot of this stuff comes down to bias because there is no argument. You can like him, you can hate him, you can hate how some of them are won or have an argument about that kind of stuff. But to argue whether he is the first Ballot Hall of Famer, there is no question he is one of the greatest coaches that's ever coached the sport.
Yeah, you know, I've been chopping this up for two and a half hours now. And, you know, what you just said kind of is a new angle to talking about it, which is. The uh debate should have been amongst us as observers. Uh and fans not just handled By the committee, that just he's a first ballot hall of famer, no matter what you think. Right, and then leave it up to us as to where he ranks based on You know, the warts, right?
Like, that's, I would have preferred it that way, quite frankly. Yeah, those are those are conversations for coffee shops and talk shows and everything else. Like, hey, that's great. But the conversation of whether he's a first ballot Hall of Famer, there is none. He is.
Without question, deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. The very first chance you could put him in there, you put him at the top of it with some of the greatest coaches ever in the history of this game. And, you know, when you said a lot of guys are discouraged or disappointed, are you talking about your. your colleagues in the media, or you're talking about former players that you text with, talk with? Like, can you give me a general sense of your man on the street, if you will, from your perspective?
I think when you when you look at players' reactions, you To former coaches' reactions, the reaction is not one of like, man, we want to go critique. You know, obviously, there's a lot made about the voting systems of a lot of the different things, Pro Bowls, you name it. But it's not that. It's that, man, there's not really any debate on the impact that Bill Belichick on a game of football and the level of excellence.
So it's those kind of things that now we create all kinds of questions, and you're making the voting process look really bad when a guy who has done something that very few have ever been having the opportunity to even go to a game, he's been a part of that many and won it. It's just you start to create all this, you know, really turmoil around the subject. And now everything's going to get dissected and looked at. And I look at it like, Rich, you know, a lot of these things come out with college football and where we are today with NNIL and all those things. Do you know why we're here, Rich?
Because years ago, when we had a system ran by the NCAA, we went into things that was none of their business for them to govern and overlook. And critique, and then you know what? People had to sue him and go after them and take away all their power. And now we live in this world where we live in now with college football.
So, if we want to have systems and things like these things that aren't debatable, like they've got to go a certain way, and you can't put your emotion and feelings into whether you like Bill Belichick or not as a voter without question, he's the most accomplished and deserves to be at the very top of the Hall of Fame and what he's accomplished as a head coach. To not get in the first time you have a chance to vote them, you make people question, you make people come after you, you make people say, All right, I want to know exactly who votes, how they vote, and what's their names.
So, when you're five years down the road and you're like, Man, why is it like this now?
Well, these are the kind of moments that lead from that, right? That's the reality. I'll never forget, I always stick this out. I play with AJ Green, one of the greatest athletes, coolest dudes, greatest human beings I ever played with. Like to think he missed college football games.
We talked about the NCA, he missed college football games because somebody paid him a couple football hundred bucks for one of his jerseys 20 years ago. Look at where we are now. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's crazy to think that's how the NCA got to where they're at. And now, when we look at this voting system and you're a voter and you want to know why people are about to come after you and want to get into this and figure out what's going on, it's because you do things like this that are silly and they make no sense.
It's ridiculous that we even have to all have to talk about this for the next couple of days because it just shouldn't be something that exists. Andrew Whitworth here on the Rich Eisen Show, the Fitz and Whitney. Pod, all part of the prime video world that WIT is part of on Thursday nights throughout the regular season.
So, um, Your I guess postpartum with the Rams season, watching them in the NFC Championship game is what? What's your oh man, it's tough. It's one of those things that, man, you know, obviously, I played there and I got a lot of great relationships in that building and still feel part of it and love those guys. But you know, it's the tough part of this business, Rich, and that the reality is Is you know, we say it's cliche all the time, but there's only one team that ends the season happy. Um, but that is the truth, and guys feel like, man, you play in the NFC Championship, you've done all these great things all season long, you've had an unbelievable year.
But when things don't end the way you want them to, I don't care if it's next week's game or this NFC Championship, AFC Championship weekend, you feel like you did nothing. That's what you feel like, you know, and that's just the first emotion. It'll take some time for them to sit back and think back of all the great things they did, all the appreciation they should have for their season. And Denver's in the same boat right now. But, you know, at first, that first emotion is like it feels like it was all for nothing, you know, and that's just the truth.
And I loved hearing Matthew Stafford, you know, share some perspective this week about, you know, people shouldn't feel sorry for him. And, you know, and hey, look, he's disappointed, but he's also disappointed for Devontae Adams, who's now 0-5 in the NFC Championships. He feels, you know, bad for the guys that he feels like around him that deserve this opportunity. To go to a Super Bowl and play for one. And, you know, he's had an unbelievable year.
I thought it's been a really full year, in my opinion, to watch a guy who I think is going to be our MVP in a week's time. I just believe it. The season Matthew Stafford had, he without question played as an MVP and even showed it more in these playoffs. But the human being and how he handles things and the perspective he carries in this league, I think he I I think he's been a great steward of our game and really being able to him and Kelly, letting people see into their family and him and those girls before every pregame and what it means to him. And then to go home and tuck them in their beds after losing the NFC Championship in your most distraught moment in your career.
I just think he's been such a great example for all our people, young people that want to play this game. They're a part of this game and what it's all about, man. And making it just, you know, about something that's bigger than just you. And I think that's been really cool, man.
So I'm happy for him. I'm happy for his season. And I know Sean and him are very disappointed, but they had a hell of a year, Rich.
So I. Andrew Whitworth, we have reached the portion of our conversation, seems annual, where I ask you to speak on behalf of Matthew Stafford. What do you think? You just talk about him like he's retired. I'll be honest with you.
What do you think? No, no, I don't think that. I think that at my age and at his age that he's at now, I was the same way after every year. People tried to retire me every season when I was 38, 37, 39. I mean, that's how we got the at the end of the day, we're all going to die comment from me up in the Super Bowl in 18.
So, right. Listen. Here's the reality. I think for him, there's a lot of things in his life that are really important to him. Those girls and Kelly, most importantly, their family.
And I think that right now, you're still in that stage of the disappointment. And everything you've put into this year. Let's not forget, Rich. I mean, you know, it wasn't just last August that he's sitting around with a back where he couldn't even get out there and practice with his team. You know, he's disappointed in that, and he's frustrated.
And then he. Finally, it turns the corner and has an MVP season. Um, so I think for him, it's it's getting over some of this this week. Uh, I was one of those guys, Rich, I tried to quit after every season. My agent would tell you every year I called him, I said, That was it, this is it, I'm done.
You know, six years later, I'm still playing and signing extensions.
So, it's like one of those things where that's I was that kind of guy. I quit after every last game.
So, you know, that's the emotions coming out sometimes. I always say this, Rich. A lot of times, these guys are like, you know, if you were a fan of the X-Men, they're like the Wolverine.
Okay, they get injured a little bit, there's a little bit of a lash out and upset about they got injured, but the truth is they're gonna heal. And once they heal and they get back to feeling like that superhero again, everything's gonna be fine. But right now, they got some wounds, it's gonna be a lot of screaming and yelling and hollering internally, and then they're gonna sit there on their couch two weeks from now and they're gonna go, you know what? we were freaking one play, fourth and four, from being in the Super Bowl and having a chance to go win it. I want to do that again.
And so I don't know what Matthew will decide and what his priorities will be this time around. I think every year it's a little different and it shifts as you get older. But I'm excited to see what he does because I think the way he played this year. He should go back out there, give it one more try. And you know what?
He's had some pretty good success with playing in so far in a Super Bowl.
So if he gets out Opportunity again. I think this next year could be a special one for the Rams. Yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you, Witt. You know, and I.
I'm wondering if you'll take a a bite at this one. I know that's a big wind-up. Stafford will never talk about what he does to s to maintain his. Physical greatness, right? Like he'll never talk about that.
And I think it's crazy to think whatever he was dealing with with his back in August, he just got through. And it was just fine the rest of the 20 weeks after that. But what does he do that you're willing to share, that you know of? To stay ahead of whatever might have been biting at his back. And I think, because that might give a general insight as to why he's not immediately jumping in and saying, of course I want to play with McVay and Puka and Devontae and play for the Super Bowl and so fi, you know?
Well, that's the thing. I mean, a lot of people think about the Sundays they get to watch in that three and a half hour window that they see these guys play. But the truth is, you know, for Matthew Stafford, a guy like that at that age and really just when you're dealing with things as a quarterback, everything it takes to know that position and play it at the level he plays it plus his body. I mean, it's countless hours of not just when he's at work, but at home, you know, and it's like, hey, I'd rather be sitting on the couch playing with my girls, but I got to be on a table and I got to be doing therapy and, you know, I got to watch this tape and I got to study. You know, he's got some young running receiver or, you know, a young running back.
I got to go over some things with them. Like there's so. Much that pulls you away all the time. And that's why I think when you see these guys with families that have played for a really long time that accomplished a whole lot. It's really, there's a lot to process in that week or two of whether I'm going to do this again because they're thinking through.
Who, man, there's probably some moments that I kind of wish I was at, you know, with my family and other things. And how much do I want to do this again? And how much do I want to give to this again? And that's really where their mental process is at because with somebody like him with that back and everything else, it's a lot. And I know how much he takes care of his body.
Matthew is one of those guys that lives it every day, man. He is about. Being successful and being great at what he's asked to do every single day, and he gives the same amount of energy to it all the time. But he also gives all that energy being a good father and a good husband.
So it's exhausting to sit here and think, I'm going to do that again. Right. You know, so that's what he's going through right now. And he'll get through that and make that decision for him and his family and what's best. And I'll be shocked, though.
I'll be shocked if he's not back out there next September.
Okay. Before I let you go, take your swing at Super Bowl 60, your first blush preview. What do you think it comes down to? What do you think of the matchup? Go forward, if you don't mind.
Yeah, I mean, I'm really excited. I mean, you know, obviously, I think it's really cool to see Mark Drable and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Drake May, I mean, showed some glimpses last year he'd be special, and this year he removed all doubt. He's going to be a really special quarterback for a long time. I don't think it's been the best playoffs.
It's been a little rough for them offensively in the playoffs. I'm happy for my guy, Will Campbell. Young guy. It's tough to play in these playoffs, be in these competitions. 318, baby.
You know, hometown representing. I'm happy for him, but hey, don't take it for granted, man. When you get in these opportunities as a rookie, sometimes that ruins the whole rest of your career because you think it's easy to get there. But, you know, I'm happy for those guys. But I still think, Rich, in my mind, you know, all respect to the New England Patriots.
I still think that I watched the two best teams in the NFL play the other night in Seattle.
So I still think Seattle and LA are the two best teams in the league. I think objectively, if you look at it, they really have been that this whole year. And I think it's exciting how good this New England Patriots defense is really rose to the occasion in the playoffs. But Seattle's tough, man. When we talk about Seattle's defense, we talk about how elite they are and how unbelievable they are.
The reality is that offense has been really good this year, too. And Sam Darnold hasn't turned the ball over in the playoffs. He's only seen it get better and better as the games have gotten bigger, which has always been a critique for him throughout his career. You know, as people, can he play big in these big moments now that we've seen this resurgence in him? And he's shown he can.
And so I think Seattle is a very complete football team. And I think they beat the team last week that they had to beat to win this Super Bowl.
So I think they go out and handle business. Look at you, man. You're going on like just I'm just listening to you just rattle off your thoughts and just be awesome. And I just remember that guy who sat.
next to me on the set of NFL network after retiring. You know, for the top 100 show. And who was your first ever host on TV, Andy Whitworth? Richard, that's him, baby. Look at you, man.
I'll never forget leaning over to you. Look at you. Do I never forget leaning over to you in the commercial break and saying, Hey, Rich, you know, I've never done this before, right? You're like, wait, done what? TV.
I have no idea what I'm doing. That is literally to be with you. He's like, you know, I've never done this before. I'm like, get out of here. Oh, my God.
Do I see you next week? You mentioned the Protector Award. Obviously, Walter Payton Man of the Year is given out you had honors. Do I see you next week? I'll be there, baby.
I'll be there. I'm going to be there all week. Can't wait. Awesome. I'll see you then, bud.
You'll be well. I just don't want to see Sherman celebrating. That's it. Okay. So I got it.
I just don't have to see Richard celebrating. We're all right.
Well, you just predicted you're going to. Yeah, be a man and take my patrons. I'm not going to watch it. I'm not going to watch it. Okay, look away.
Look away. I'm going to look away when he celebrates. I'll see you up there. See you, man. All right, brother.
That's Andrew Whitworth, everybody. Big Whit, one of our favorites. Love that guy. Nobody picking New England. Got it.
I don't know. I don't know. We're over. Cooper is pointing that out all the time already. And I told Coop What I told you on Overreaction Monday when we recorded, everybody check it out wherever you get your pods on our YouTube channel as well.
Um, I I told him. Once upon a time, there was a New England team that was supposed to get blown out by an NFC West juggernaut. And that didn't happen. I have thirteen point dogs that year. And I'll Mikey Yep.
Saint Louis used to be in the West. The gateway to the west city. No, no, no, no. It's because they were the Rams, and then they moved to the gateway to the West City, and that's not why they were still in the West City. Atlanta.
Was in the West for I don't get that one. That one I never understood. But we never looked to the NFL for geography lessons, did we? Nope. We just looked at them to, you know, snub an all-time great head coach.
Still can't believe that. Jeez. All right. As Larry would say, I parked my car two weeks ago. Man, I forgot.
Okay. We'll take a break. 844-204-Rich. Number to dial here on this wild Wednesday. Uh The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast.
Our radio audience has returned. Hiring for your small business can feel like a full-time job, so it's important you hire right. The first time. LinkedIn Jobs AI Assistant takes the heavy lifting straight out of everything. It filters applicants based on the criteria you set.
Then it suggests 25 Great Fit candidates every day, daily, so you can invite them to apply and keep things moving. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com/slash Eisen. That's LinkedIn.com/slash Eisen to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Bill Belichick's not a first Ballet Hall of Famer, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Absolutely disgusting. You feel that way? Yeah, it's gross. It's like. It's a crime.
And you know, I everybody knows I hate everything, Boston. It is it brings me joy for Boston to be sad. But this is wrong. is wrong and it's not It's a joke. It's a straight joke and it it it there it's cahoots.
Cahoots. Shenanigans, I say.
Okay. Yeah, man. They couldn't beat him when it's 11 versus 11, but 11v1, they took him down.
Well, that's interesting. 11, no votes. Did you do that on purpose? Come on, man. I've been working at the Rich Isaac show for a second.
Okay, good enough. By the way, you didn't do it on purpose, did you? Yeah. Okay, thanks. Gentlemen, oh, shots.
Come on, man. I'll listen on the drive here. I love it. Okay, okay. Are you ready?
Jeffrey in Richmond, Virginia. Jeffrey, you there? Line three. You there, Jeffrey? Yep, I'm here.
All right, you've got the floor. Hey, thanks, Ben. Listen. Deep breath. I thought I think he's a Hall of Fame coach.
But he's not a first-time Hall of Fame coach. Oh, boy. Why? No, he won the Super Bowls. I get it.
But coaching had nothing to do with not handing it off to Marshawn. Coaching had nothing to do with throwing the ball a hundred Times in the second half, and you're up 28 to 3. Hold on a minute. Let me handle this. Jeffrey, the reason why Marshawn.
You know, didn't get the ball, maybe. Belichick was standing there letting time tick down. Belichick was definitely part of adding pressure to a situation in which the wrong play call came in. And let me also say this, too. And I appreciate you, you know, what you just said, and I think you're giving voice to a lot of people.
So let me handle it from there. Um Belichick, if anybody's out there saying he just rolled the footballs out and Tom Brady took him to where he got. Even if you believe that. Let's just say you believe that.
Somebody had to tell Drew bled so And his hundred million dollar contract, you are not. Starting after you came back from internal bleeding. You're dying. Yeah. Okay.
Like you came back from all of that, and we're still going with the second year kid. That took brass. And that is another reason why. You know, it all started from there. Jeffrey.
Oh, did I lose him?
Okay, there he goes. I thought I'd give him a chance to respond. No, no, hey, okay, yeah. Go ahead. You there?
Yeah. Remember, Bill Walsh? Yeah. Remember his coaching tree? Yeah.
How many Super Bowls did his coaching tree win? Do you think? No, I get it. And George Seifert also inherited a hell of a team, and I'm not denigrating his coaching tree, but I know who's on it, too. Holmgren, Shanahan.
No, I get it. I get it. I understand.
These Super Bowls were won by Hoodie's tree. I think that you're not making the argument that you think you're making. The coaching tree only enhances how great Bill was at actually coaching. No, no, the problem. If all of your understudies are out here winning Super Bowls, how great of a head coach were actually you?
Nobody else won Super Bowls afterwards. No, and Jeffrey, we're up against it, and I appreciate the call. Call back. Call back again tomorrow if you want to have this conversation. We're unfortunately up against the end of the hour.
I just think Belichick's coaching tree Isn't as successful. Even though Nick Sabin's on it, let's not Forget What Nick's been up to? But the reason why it might not be as successful as other coaching trees is. Bill's way of doing things. You need to win first.
before you do it the way Bill would do it in a building. in a locker room. And a lot of the guys just came in and say, this is the way it's done. And it just ruffled too many feathers. And they went to terrible situations.
And it's not as great. I get it. I get it. But it's crazy, man. That's what we've been chopping up all day here.
Yes, rightfully so. I mean, it it just to go back to the the coaching tree thing, if you're if just in basketball terms, if somebody who learn under Popovich, goes to the Raptors and starts drilling people the way Popovich does without having the hardware or history behind it. It's not going to work the same. Bingo. I think that's a great analogy.
Thank you. And I'm not just saying that because you gave me props moments ago. It helped. Yes, but you did that. What a nice day.
Who's on No Contest Wrestling? What do we got? Ethan Page. He's an upcoming superstar, and the dude has charisma through the roof, somebody I truly believe in, so I'm very excited. Can we promote who's on the show for Super Bowl week, or that's not available to do that?
Can we do that, TJ? I think let's hold it. I'd say hold it. Hold it. Hold it.
Hold it. Alexey. Hold it. He's one of the best.
Well, he's been a guest before. He's one of the best on the earth.
Okay, I like what you're doing. Even I'm picking up what you're putting down. And that's Earth with an F. Earth.
Okay. Great show to everybody. Great show. We're back to Wrap It on Disney Plus and the ESPN app for ESPN Radio. We'll chat Thursday.
Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast. You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
