From Thirty for Thirty Podcasts. Brian Patter, senior defensive lineman from Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with Tabaki.
This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest. We had to kill our monsters.
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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. You guys know I'm going to Las Vegas. Hell yeah, I'm going. Clink Kubiak.
And what he can bring is the hope that he is the young up-and-coming coordinator on the offensive side of the ball who they can attach to a quarterback of the future. Today's guests: Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson, Basketball Hall of Famer, Chris Weber, NFL Network Insider, Tom Pellisero. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, our number one of Day four since Super Bowl 60, right here on the Rich Eisen Show, live on ESPN once again for the first two hours on ESPN 2 and hour number 2. That's when Tom Pellisero, my buddy from NFL Network and the NFL Media Group, is going to be joining us to start turning the page to what we'll be talking about over the next several months while we wait for football to be played again.
What's going on with the Vegas Raiders and Max Crosby? The quarterback carousel is going to start to spin in earnest. We've got the combine coming up two weeks from today. Will be the first day of onfield drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. And so Tom's going to get us started on that.
Piece of business. We've got a pro football hall of famer on this show, Rod Woodson. And then we also have a basketball. Big time guy on this program, and that's when I'm gonna bust this out later on. Uh, my celebrity wheel, I'm sorry, that was yesterday with Dwight Howard.
Wow, I didn't kick Chris Weber's behind in uh Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. But see what will be on this program. Later on in the show. You'd feel bad about it, right?
Well, of course, because he's a Michigan Wolverine. And we'll talk about the current Michigan Wolverine surviving Northwestern last night to maintain a two-game lead in the. Uh, big 10 regular season, but obviously, there's other things going on in the world of basketball. Chris Weber will be joining us in hour number two. He's one of our favorites.
There's you at 844-204-Rich Number to Doll. Did I tell you I won in Celebrity Wheel of Fortune a couple of months ago? Did I?
Okay, good to see you over there, Christopher. How are you, Chris Brock? Hey, man, how's it going? DJ Mikey D is in D's nuts in his spot. What's up, Mike?
Good morning, Richard. Are you multitasking right now? That's a problem. No, because you can task. We can.
I just looked over to the okay. Good to see you. How are you? What's up, TJ Jefferson? Good to see you.
Look at you all flanneled out over there. I'll tell you what's up. Earlier, you said my friend Tom Pellisero, right? Yes, yeah.
Well, I was just thinking, like, since you're here and we're here, doesn't that make Tom like our friend?
Okay, Mr. Hans. Very good.
Okay, very good. Nice. Good to see you over there. We don't have an in-studio guest. Normally, you dress very nicely when somebody of a certain standard comes into this studio.
You're looking very good. You just decided to come on Michael's dating.
Okay, good. Oh man, heartbreak kid. Good to see you over there. We got ESPN. You know, there's people out there that are seeing this.
Okay, good. That's right. Hey, what's up, ESPN? We're back. How are you guys doing?
Hey. The Biggie. Hey. Hey, what?
Okay. Uh guys, keep it down. Because if There's a lot of hungover people all the way up the Pacific Northwest right now. You know, we don't wanna they were getting in there, they were getting in. They were dick hammered.
At the parade yesterday. Can you say that?
Well, I just did. They were hammered. They were all sorts of having fun. And why not? The Seattle Seahawks champions of the National Football League.
And nobody saw that one coming. Have we found anybody in the national media or anywhere preseasons like Seattle's winning the Super Bowl? Have we found anybody saying that? I didn't see anyone. Only one person that I saw even said the Patriots might be the Super Bowl.
That was Chris Long's buddy Nate on the Green Light Pod. Green Light Pod? Yeah. Is he a Patriot fan? No, no, no.
No kidding. He just kind of was digging. He was digging Vray Bowl and May, but I haven't heard anyone outside of your Seattle diehard person.
Well, Chris Long's BFF then is the exact opposite of Rich Eisen's show viewer and listener Dustin in Arkansas, who called in the middle of the summer to say that the Patriots are going 0-17 and are win-loss. Yeah. So at any rate, a great fun day for Seahawks fans, Lumen Field, then a parade. Then they're all having fun. They're all going out to eat.
They're all partying. It's all a good time in that neighborhood. And so many things happened in that parade. that we decided to start today's program. With the top five stars of the Seattle Seahawks parade presented by Hyundai.
Love it. Hit it. High five. One, two, three, four, and five. Riches, top five.
All right, so I've got. Uh this top five and and and this kind of like Jeopardy there there there's photos and there's videos and You know, there's a lot of clues, there's a lot of... You know, answers in the form of a question. There were some moments of jeopardy, one would think. Certainly, when Ernest Jones was speaking.
So, um,. We start Number five with Sam Darnold.
Okay, now normally a quarterback would be at the top of the list of a parade and things like that, but this guy is just so unassuming. He is just like straight, even keel. And he's just He's just Sam Darnold, man, and I couldn't be happier for him. And so Sam Darnold was uh one of the first To Mike, turn the music down a little bit, please, because we're about to start using some sound bites. I'm just giving you a heads up.
How this thing's going to go here. Sam Darnold stepped up to the podium, and again, it didn't light many fires, but he's a quarterback, so he's a star of a parade, period. Yeah! Yeah, I just want to say I've talked a lot this last week about belief. A lot of people You know, it didn't believe in me, but it didn't matter because the ones that are close believed in me, including y'all.
I appreciate y'all so much. That short list also includes Jody Allen. John Schneider, Mike McDonald, man. I appreciate the belief y'all had in me for signing me this past year. Um and last but certainly not least, these players, man.
For believing in me. You know, I wouldn't be here without these guys. Yeah, and so, you know, he's just so unassuming. He's so. Uh again Apparently, externally motivated, so it was kind of weird for him to actually talk about outside noise and who believed in him and who didn't believe in him, right there, you know?
And so, you know. It At the end of the day, You know, he's one to root for. And boy, when he thanks the owner and the general manager and the coach for believing in him. Did he? Give them uh Return on their investment in their belief in him, or what, right?
So good for him. And again, Just so everybody knows. Um his um grandfather was once upon a time The Marlborough Man. And his grandfather's name Yeah. Dick Hammer.
Yeah, that's right.
So that comes out of the world of Marlborough. Not boogeynights. But, and no, and Sam Darnold showed it, he was a bright shining star at the end of the day. Um, so give it up to the strength coach, uh, Mark Phillip, and the NFL uh tweeted out this video right here. He showed up with a here to lay down the hammer t-shirt.
Where Sam Darnold is The Marlborough Man. Lighten up. It's pretty cool stuff. You know, pretty cool stuff. Number four on the list is the offensive player of the year and the head coach.
Jackson Smith and Jigba and Mike McDonald. um combining for for this star of the parade moment. See! Oh. See.
See we're the best in the world. Sam Darnold Mike McDonald, it don't matter. Best defense in the world. Hey, we have one goal. And that was to bring this home.
And that's what we did to the best fans in the world. This is for y'all. Long. Put some respect on that man's name. Yeah, and so everybody believes what Mike McDonald said: put some respect on that man's name.
is in reference to uh Druski. from NFL Honors Night. who either could not pronounce Jackson Smith and Jigba's name properly. or would not because he thought he was being funny. Even though Jackson Smith in Jigba has that name because apparently His grandfather, when he arrived in this country, Realized people had a problem pronouncing the name in Jigba.
and then said, just call me Smith. And Jackson Smith and Jigba is like, I'm going to. Make sure this name is known and renowned and heard.
So Druski, your joke. Stonk. On ice. And, you know, maybe NFL honors should wind up putting NFL fans on the stage who know how to pronounce the name of the offensive player of the year. Yeah.
At any rate. Um, I've been sitting on that one for a few days, like for a week, actually. Um so Let's turn to Mike McDonald himself. He had this to say when he had a moment at the bring people together. That's why football is the best sport in the world.
Having a football team is just the best thing going, man. All these guys from different backgrounds, different histories, different stories, all coming together towards a common goal. Shows you the power as 12 is one. I just want to say we love the 12s. You guys are the best in the world.
And now we're the best football team in the world, world champs. I love the guy. Obviously, I'm biased. Coming from the Harbaugh staffs at Michigan and Baltimore. Number three: the stars of the Seahawks parade.
Is the man who put this whole thing together, the general manager, John Schneider? Who had this banger of a line with Kenneth Walker III, his free agent MVP, Super Bowl MVP running back, standing behind him? It's Ken Walker being the MVP. Let's go! Woo!
He tried negotiating with me five minutes ago. It was really weird. I mean, what's in that Soho cup, right? Yeah. Mm.
I love that guy. He is truly one of the best of the best, and the only general manager in the history of the NFL. to win a Super Bowl twice. with a different coach, quarterback, an entirely different roster. from one Super Bowl to the next.
Nobody's ever done that. He deserves all the kudos. If you remember, after Pete Carroll was let go, Pete in a press conference turned to John Schneider and they came in together to Seattle all those years ago and said, It's all you know, it's now up to you or it's your show, Johnny. You know. And boy, is he put on the show?
Good for him. I'm glad he's got something going on. And Kenneth Walker, fill up the bag. He didn't speak. Again, he's a very unassuming guy.
This is a big platform for him, and he's turning down a few opportunities to talk and. Let's hope the money talks. That's for sure. Number two on this list. is another guy I'm partial to.
He's a Michigan Wolverine. And AJ Barner showed up and showed out. I mean, was he wearing mink? Was this a mink situation? Like, what was he wearing?
Perhaps. I mean, he was the first. A touchdown scorer of Super Bowl 60. And he spiked the football with his words and his garb as the number two star of the parade for the Seahawks. And I got a few things for y'all.
First. We did not care. Suck it. We still don't care. Yeah.
One more! One more! Third. The Super Bowl Hawks live here! Yeah.
All right, so he's got the Bud Light chain, he's got that here to lay down the hammer t-shirt, right? He's got that working. He's got the shades. He's got the lid. He's got the coat.
And he's got the first touchdown in Super Bowl 60. That's called living your best life right there. No doubt. Number one on the list of the star of the Seahawks prey. Everybody knows who it is.
Mike, you could take the music down here because this is a whole big to-do. It started in week 11 with Ernest Jones IV. This is after Sam Darnold threw four interceptions in a loss to the Rams. And Ernest Jones took to the podium. And said this.
Sam's been balling, like, if we want to try to define Sam by this game or what man Sam's been had us in every Yeah.
So, for him to sit there and say, oh, that's my fault. No, it's not. It was plays that defensively we could have made plays. There were opportunities where we could have got better stops. Yeah, I mean, like, it's football, man.
He's our quarterback. We got his back, and. You got anything to say, quite frankly. No, that's a t-shirt, quite frankly, FU, right? But that wasn't the t-shirt he had made up for the parade.
As a matter of fact, Ernest Jones was on this program on Tuesday. Um and we asked him about uh the parade and and how he was preparing for it. You got gear, you got something picked out.
Something I do. I'm hoping I got a shirt made. Hopefully, it comes through. I won't spill it right now, but hopefully, I can get this shirt made in time for tomorrow. Does it say Pook is a goofy ass on the front?
Is that what it says? That is so great. It does have something to do with my quarterback, though.
Okay. Does it have to do with the sound bite that we played earlier? You may be working on something.
Okay. So that was a hint. And his package clearly had arrived in time for the parade. Because you see in the parade route, We digitized it. It's uh Sam Darnold.
Showing everybody that he's number one. I love that. And I think you can figure it out. On all this, and clearly he had multiple made because. Many of his teammates were wearing that shirt.
And um Ernest Jones Um You know. has to have his shirt digitized out when he gave his speech. Which occasionally sounded like a truck backing up. The number one star of the Seattle parade. For the Seahawks, Ernest Jones IV.
I'm gonna keep it a buck. I'm probably the last person they should have gave a mic to. But we finna turn up, man. First time? I want to say shout out to Jody Allen.
Shout out to John Snyder. For making this all possible, man. Shout out to Coach Mike McDonald for helping us get to this point. Man, but also, shout out to these badass. Who play this game the right win?
Ah, okay.
Okay. Not only do we have the best defense in the world. We got the best team in the world. And quite frankly, If you got anything in the shape of my quarterback, you got anything in the shape of my defense. You got anything to say for my hulan?
And you got anything to say about the city of Seattle? I got two words for you. F you. Thought he was going to go DX there. Normally, I like to have the brow a little higher.
But you gotta you gotta you gotta give it away.
Sometimes the brow can be off up. I don't know by the way, I don't know if you noticed throughout many of the speeches that we've shown people? You've had to digitize because a lot of his teammates were holding up the shirt. That's when Sam was talking. Interestingly enough, I don't think you could see over Sam's left shoulder, but on the right side of the screen, I don't think Leslie Frazier was wearing that shirt.
Yeah, there he is with the sunglasses. I think Le Lesl Leslie just wore the the hat.
Okay. Okay. Give me the one more, Mikey. I got one more. Thank you very much.
There's not much to be said about his play, other than he's awesome. Leonard Williams makes this list because he goes Wolf of Wall Street. And hey, we not done. We coming back next year. Damn.
I'm not finging leaving. Championship belt on? Yeah, just yet another former Jet celebrating a championship elsewhere. Um but hey Mm-hmm. That is Always part of the parade, somebody saying.
Oh, yeah. We're repeating. We're coming back next year. And isn't that where Pat Riley threw that out once upon a time on the Lakers. Saying we're gonna do it again next year and then he turned everybody like And that was like a big stunning moment.
Now, in this day and age, people are saying F you, and we're like, hey, that's very good. Hey, what up? You're right, F you. Different sensibilities about what shocks people or not. F me.
And that's the top five parade Seahawks parade moments. Again, presented by our friends at Hyundai. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial. Phone lines are lit. We're here on ESPN.
We're here on Disney Plus and the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 80. When we come back. Pro Football Hall of Famer. Rod Woodson. I said that very Gus Johnson style.
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Bumble. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rod Woodson here on the Rich Eisen Show. Our radio audience has returned on ESPN Radio, as well as Sirius XM Channel 80, breaking down Super Bowl 60 with one of the greats of all time, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Rod Woodson. And I figured you are a perfect person to ask.
this question because if I'm not mistaken When you first arrived from Purdue, there were still some steel curtain guys in that Steeler locker room when you first walked in there. There was, right?
Well, I mean, not on the defensive side. I mean, me and Joe Green was coaching the defensive line. Stallworth was still there. Mike Webby was still there on the offensive side. Donnie Schell on the back end was there.
Blunt was gone. Blunt was gone at that time? Mel? Oh, yeah. Blunt was gone at that time.
But getting a meeting, I think he's the best corner ever playing in National Football League's history.
So I can call him a friend.
Well, Chuck Noll obviously was the head coach.
So you I'm kind of saying you're bridging the steel curtain era to the Era in which you were still maintaining the Steelers' defense, and then obviously part of that Ravens team that won it all with a defensive standout performance from beginning to end. Folks are saying the Seattle defense is in those leagues, Rod. Would you agree with that? No, I think they had a great game. I know we had our thread going with my Baltimore guys.
that we play with making s we want to see what We were like rooting for New England to score, score a touchdown, right? We're like, come on, score, score, score. Because we're technically, we didn't give up the touchdown, right? And it was kick return. But they give it to the defense.
So they say it was, you know. But if you look at it from our perspective, we're like, we're the. In the modern football, where the team had the first shutout in Super Bowl history, I know they had a kick return, but. Um you know, so we were rooting, we were texting each other back and forth, and then when they scored, we're like, Yeah, we're the best. That is amazing.
Can you share with me who's on that text chain? It's you, Ray. We got to look at everybody. No, no, come on now. Grab your phone.
Grab your phone. I need names here. I need names. Who is on the Ravens defensive text chain during the Super Bowl saying we want to be the 72 Dolphins of the Super Bowl defense? of all time.
I got Starks. Starks is on there. Yeah. I don't know. I'm on there.
Oh, one of the coaches. I'm not going to say the coaches' names.
Okay. Well, I know it's not Billock. We got a couple of defensive coaches, no offensive coaches. I said, okay. This is all defense.
So, a couple defensive coaches on there. But I mean, it's always fun. It's fun to kind of. put us in the category of like, hey, how do we fit? And how do they, you know, teams.
And it's really an honor if you think about it, Rich, because people talk about our defense of 2000, and then they're starting to mention us. Instead of the 85 bears, right? And I think. It's always an honor, and as Dick LeBeau used to say, I'd rather be a has-been than a never was. Um, and so it's an honor to put those comparisons to today's game and the guys that are playing today.
And so, I mean, but you look at this defense from start to finish and what they did this year. And then you see what they did in the Super Bowl. I mean, the word I used the other day was marauded that line, and six sacks, 11 quarterback hits, eight tackles for loss. three takeaways including a pick six for a score. And folks are talking about this being, I guess, the Legion of Boom 2.0.
And then in the realm of a defense like yours. And obviously like the ones that you played for as well, which is why I took a swing at that. with you. You know what's so f you know what is really great about it is that When we talk about modern-day football with the day's rule changes, we don't normally talk about defenses that play this physical. in this fast.
But they do. Like they don't let The refs throwing a flag here or there, dictate how they're gonna play and how fast they're gonna play. And it was really fun to watch those guys kind of come to their own. and Mike McDonald. I got to see him in Baltimore, caught on the game for the Ravens.
And seeing him put that twist on what they try to accomplish. And I tell you, they got guys that can rush the passer from the front to the linebackers to the secondary. I mean, we saw Witherspoon, and we always say, you know, he made that offensive lineman, you know, he looked for that space, and then you always use that space to your advantage because DB should be quicker than offensive lineman. And he got inside and made that sack in the Super Bowl.
So that's an amazing play. All right. I'm fluent in Rod Woodson, guys.
So this is his way because he's too nice of a guy to. Did I get that right?
Well, I can say this. I say that we are the best defense in one given year in the history of pro football. That's a fact. I mean, the numbers the numbers bear it out. I think we only had we only gave up 18 touchdowns.
17, 18 touches, 19 touches, 17 in a whole year. Rich, we win five games of our offensive score touchdown. We won three of them. Yeah. I mean this is deep, but you couldn't run against this.
You know, we had Tony Saragusa and Sam Adams. Up front, Ray came into his own with the other young linebackers and Jamie Sharper and Peter Bower. And in the back end, we had two young corners in Dwayne Starks and Chris McAllister. Me as a veteran player at the safety position, but then we had Chris Heron and Corey Harris at the other safety spot. I mean, we played fast, we played physical, and Marvin Lewis did a great job that year of game playing week in and week out.
And that's one of the main reasons he got a job over at Cincinnati as being the head coach. And he's on the text chain, right? Marvin's on the tech chain? He's on the text chain. I'm not going to say coaches.
They're all defensive coaches, right? They're all defensive coaches that are on it. At one point, Rod, there was a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season. You guys gave up 33 points and lost all three games combined. Wow.
Yes. And still won the whole darn thing. Yeah, and I mean I mean we and we gave up. I can't remember the total. We gave, I think, 35 points.
Week three against Jacksonville? Or it's like 35 or 30 through 35. 36. It was 39, 36. And I mean so and that was our After we gave up that many points, we knew we were going to be a good team, but we just had to make sure that we do everything the right way.
And that we did our own game planning as players. We definitely challenged each other daily in practice in the meeting room. And then we had fun going to play football. Football was fun.
So it was Ron Dixon. for the kickoff returned by the Giants. that ruin the whole darn thing for you. That's that's that's okay. That's a shame that It counts against us.
The defense, but I get it, you know. But we have our own way of saying, hey, listen, we. We didn't give up a touchdown. Right. We didn't even let him get close enough to kick a field goal.
And we said so when I think it was that Monday prior to after they beat the Minnesota Vikings, Ray and I got into the meeting room and we were watching film. Probably half-time, probably about midway through the watching the film, we were like, we looked at each other and said, man. If they get across to 50, we're going to take our uniform off. We're going to quit. Come on.
Come on. Come on. I'm dead serious. I mean. I mean, they played the perfect game against Minnesota.
You know, Minnesota had an outstanding offense there. Right. And I mean, I was a little nervous about playing Minnesota. because they had so many weapons and I'm like you know I don't know Can we handle it? I don't really know, but they were putting up points against any defense and then.
When the Giants dismantled them, we were like, what the heck happened? And we looked at the film and me and Ray are like, oh, no. These digital tried to run the ball against us. That's not going to happen. If they're going to try to throw, they're going to get sacked.
Yeah, the only player to score in the playoffs against you guys on offense was Eddie George. Eddie George, the first drive. First drive, open the game. And I remember that game where they go right down the field and they score. And Brian Billock is like frantic, and he's coming over to us to get ready to give us this pep talk.
And Ray Lewis looked at him and said, Don't. I got this. And he came over and we talked, and we shut, we played outstanding after that, and we got the victory. Man, Eddie and Ray used to go at it. That was some of my favorite Moments Because you guys were still playing each other twice a year when NFL Network started.
And Rich, I wish this one hit. If the show wasn't PG, if this wasn't on. ESPN and Disney. Yes. I can tell you some of the things that Ray used to say to Eddie.
It was some crazy stuff.
Next time I see you in person.
Okay. All right. We'll take notes and I'll pass it along. I'll put it through this safe for work meter and filter and deliver it to you, Rod Woodson here on the Rich Eisen Show. But that said, what voice can you give knowing McDonald coming from the Ravens and what he did and what this team was able to do?
to New England that also shows this this is This is a team that can be even on the rise next year too. Yeah, I mean I am I am surprised he did it so fast. I thought Mike was a really good defensive coach. I wasn't in a locker room, so I didn't really get to see him. Interact with the players on a daily basis, but talking to the guys, they all loved them in Baltimore.
And I think he keeps it real. He's always on their side, but he holds them accountable to the things they do and they don't do. And I think Players can respect that. And when you have a coach like that, And that attitude and that mindset. Um it's easy to play great football for them.
All right, now let's turn the page to the Ravens and the Steelers before I let you go, Rod. Were you surprised, John Harbaugh? Was fired? By Steve Baschoti. Did that surprise you?
Yeah, um, was surprised. I mean, you know, the rumor is that um Mr Bushardi wanted him there. Sure. Fire or get rid of a couple coaches, and John is very loyal. to his guys And he basically said no, and Steve just decided to go in a different direction, which is his prerogative, right?
But. Yeah. When he when it did happen, I was shocked. I texted a couple people that was in the building and was like, what had just happened? And that's unfortunate for them, but hopefully You know, Jesse comes in with that same vigor.
as a young John Harvall. And in holds everybody accountable on both sides of the ball. uh make some work puts a good staff together for For the players, Because coaching matters. In the National Football League. And people don't think it really does, but having coaches that hold you accountable, that makes you build a great foundation per position, and then you can do it collectively as a unit, Those are how you get.
Great teams and great defenses and great offenses put together.
So I hope he does that. The one thing I do understand is that if he puts a good staff together, I think all the pieces are there. Not knowing what's going to happen with Matabike. Um you know they they're going to probably have to get an interior pass rusher And some edge guys who can sit there on a daily basis, kind of similar to what Seattle did. And get after quarterbacks on the opposite side.
Well, I mean, they hired a guy who was on the staff with Mike McDonald. With John Harbaugh, who then went with Jim Harbaugh, won a national championship at Michigan, and you've seen what. Jesse Minter's defenses have done with the Chargers.
So that's kind of in the family, if you will. It's the offense, right? He hired a 29-year-old assistant. from the Ben Johnson staff.
So maybe taking some of what what Ben Johnson's cooking up in Chicago and in Detroit. and bring that to you know, Baltimore outside of the Roman Todd Monken uh coordinated system might be the jolt Of what Lamar and the rest of this offense needs, Rod? Is that the roadmap here? Do you think? As long as he highlights Lamar's gifts, right, his natural talent.
And Lamar has gotten so much better over the years with throwing the football. The intermediate passes are he's always been really good. But the deep ball was inconsistent at the very beginning when he first started. And over the last couple years, it's gotten better and better and better, and every year he's I mean, two years ago when Josh Allen got the MVP, I thought. Lamar Jackson should have won the MVP.
Um but you know having him Derrick Henry a running game There's going to be a new offensive line coach because two years ago the offensive line played outstanding. Offensive line coach Coach D passes away. They get a new offensive line coach that comes in and then the offensive line doesn't play well. the following year.
So I said coaching does matter. I'm not going to blame that all on the alpha line coach. But it's a combination of both, so I think. Bringing in those coaches who hold the players accountable because I think they have the talent on the roster. And if they can do that, Jesse does that, and hopefully.
You know, the coordinator highlights Lamar's skill set because he is very talented. But you want to also hold Lamar accountable for Him not having good footwork at times, him maybe holding on to the ball too long.
So I think if you can do that and find the best version of Lamar Jackson, Uh in 2026 Ooh. the the Baltimore Ravens can have a good football team. And then if I had told you the Super Bowl in Dallas between the Packers and the Steelers that one day Mike McCarthy would succeed Mike Tomlin as head coach in Pittsburgh in 2026, you'd have said what to me, Ron. Get the heck out of here. I mean, think about it.
Think about it. Chuck No Young. Bill Coward Young. Mike Tomman Young. Uh Mike McCarthy, uh not so young.
So it's a little surprise, a little surprising. I know he has some ties there. You know, and he's going to be given time. But at the end of the day, no matter who was going to be the coach, even if Mike came back. The question was still going to be, who's your quarterback?
Who's a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Who's your future franchise quarterback? for the Pittsburgh Steele's and since Ben left That's what they've been looking for. And it looks like it could be Rogers again. Rod.
I mean, it could be. You know, obviously. He can run around, move around, not like he did when he was younger. He could still throw the football. I I think at the end of the day I think they can score some points, but I'm curious of what the defense is going to look like.
And how they're going to perform. Because that old Dick LeBeau defense. I haven't seen that in several years from the Pittsburgh Steelers. All right, last one for you, Rod. Were you how did it hit you the news that Bill Belichick wasn't voted in first shot to join you in that bus gallery, Rod?
I mean, I was shocked. I mean, okay, I get. Two issues with two different Super Bowls, right? Two different. Um things that they said that they didn't do right.
He still wants four more. Yeah. Like, what the heck?
So, I think. Listen, I think Mr. Porter, who's the CEO of the Hall of Fame, they have to really revisit. Who's voting? and making sure they don't hold grudges.
in these votes. Um why they're having them because For him not to be in there as a first battle is just to me is just nuts, man. I mean, one of the best coaches A guy, if you talk to him about football, he knows where the refs look, he knows where the refs. Eyes go, I mean he knows everything about football. And for him not to be in that initial class in his first time around is just to me is just nuts.
Rod, thanks for the time. Thanks for reaffirming I'm your favorite Rich. Thanks for joining here. No, listen, it means a lot to me. And let's, you know, look for more of my calls.
I miss you. Always. Miss your brother. Right back at you. Tell the fan message hello.
Rod Woodson, you bet right back at you. Rod Woodson, member of the greatest defense of all time. Don't even mention anybody else in the same breath right here on the Rich Eisen Show. All right, we're up against it. Let's take a break right here on ESPN, the ESPN app, Disney Plus, ESPN Radio, SiriusXM, and you.
The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. ESPN Radio, along with our feed on ESPN. Cable, always excited to be here. Let's take some phone calls right here on ESPN. Disney Plus and everybody else.
Bo in Washington, D.C., first in, first up. I think he's along the same lines of thinking with you, TJ. What's up, Bo? We can hear you. What's up?
Sorry about yesterday. I got into an elevator and dropped my phone. I was not cool under pressure like Drake May. Jeez. Oh, well, I like that one.
That's, I mean, Chris, I know you don't appreciate the analogy, but it's vivid. Was someone like sacking you while you were getting in the elevator? Look at that. Were you running for your life? Yeah, well, I don't know.
I just didn't get good reception. Yeah, your blind side was having a bad day. What's a good one? Campbell Campbell. He just didn't get the job done.
All terms were too short. This is Bo just coming in hot. What's on your mind, sir? All right, don't want to waste too much of your time. But watching the Eagles the past few seasons is like watching The Girl I Love go to prom with my bully.
So if the Cowboys tag pickings, Take that secondary. Can we win the division? Division. I mean Listen, man, Bo, the Cowboys need to have us. Sets higher than the division.
Like, let's be honest here. Like, it's been too damn long. I mean, Demarcus Lawrence. being told by Dallas, we're done here. And thanks for the call, Bo.
I mean. Just think about it, Demarcus Lawrence being told you're done here. And He then goes and wins a Super Bowl on the spot. And all Dallas does after not signing Demarcus Lawrence is. have Jerry uh create A situation.
So I'm sure Jerry and the Cowboys would push back and say Micah had something to do with creating the situation. But the two of them having their relationship, as Micah said at the Super Bowl when he was there for the Pro Bowl, that their relationship falled to S. Mm. And All they could use all year long was somebody like, oh, DeMarcus Lawrence, because that's what I would think. The Cowboys are missing.
You take a look at this team that won their division and won their conference and won their league by winning it all. How far off is Dallas from From Seattle. And you could sit here and say Career-wise, Dak is Exactly what you want. Certainly, if Sam Darnold's winning the Super Bowl, Dak can. All right, with all due respect to the offensive player of the year.
Um and Cooper Cup. CD Lamb and and George Pickens are in their class. For sure. To say the least. Right?
The run game that Brian Schottenheimer brought to the equation this year, I thought was going to be a massive minus for them. Not so much. You take a look at what Kenneth Walker did. Could Javante Williams be that guy in the Super Bowl? Easily.
Exactly. You know what I mean? Like. Tight ends. Comparable.
Not too far off, okay? Say Ferguson is probably better. You could make this. I'm laying it all out here. And then you go to the defensive side of the ball.
Yeah, that's the ball.
Well, Hicker, we can compete.
Well, no doubt. By the way, Joe, I know you're not joking. I'm not joking. Nor should you be. Brandon Aubrey's incredible.
He could do in the Super Bowl what Jason Myers did. Absolutely.
Okay. Easily. All right. The Punter, maybe not so much. If you really want to.
Now get down a nitty-gritty here. Defensively, It's just not in the same world, but There are some pieces there. And you draft some more people like John Schneider did. And then get a pass rusher like say What's his name again? The guy that you had for a decade.
Pass rush. Here's the thing that gotta hit that pass rush hard. There's a name you mentioned there, right? That is the most important name of them all. That's John Schneider.
As the GM, okay? You see, we are. Respectfully, sort of lacking in that we don't have a Brett Veach or a Howie or a John Schneider. Settle down just a little bit.
So I don't know all these things sound good. And yeah, offensively, we're there. But that defensive Void is oh man, it's large. And I don't know if I I'm convinced our GM will fix it. Very large.
Hour two coming up. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
