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Now. On with the show. Live from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, it's the Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show. NFL Network Insider Ian Rappaport.
Coming up. Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt. Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy. ESPN NFL draft hosts Reese Davis and Mike Greenberg.
And now, it's Rich Eisen. What a great hour. Number two, we're about to have right here on the program. Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson making his way to our set here in downtown Pittsburgh, mere steps from the confluence, across the rivers, plural, from the draft hall, right in the shadows of Acroshire Stadium. And then Mike McCarthy, the native son of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the head coach, will be joining us on the program.
But look who kicks off hour number three, my buddy from Fox Sports Center. Let's go. Hanging out with him again tonight on NFL Network's draft coverage. It's huge. I was with you again last night.
It was a great day. It was a great night. It is great. It is great. And I just, first question I got to ask, though: the Omar Cooper touchdown against how many lozenges did Gus need after all that.
Walking through that final drive, the post moment. Because we keep showing that touchdown for good reason. It was the catch of the year. It was the culmination of Fernando Mendoza on the road doing a Brady-like thing, to be very honest with you. And it was a great catch.
And that call is so they had not played well that day. Right. It was one of their worst performances. They didn't run the football very well. Penn State had an interim head coach.
You know, they had fired James Franklin at the time, and this was kind of their Super Bowl. You know, it's like we're going to go out. They had Drew Aller was injured by that point. And so this was their moment at home to kind of prove that they were better than what they had played during the course of the year. And Kurt Signetti before the game was adamant.
He was like, Joel. This will be our toughest game. It's going to be a dogfight till the very end. He was adamant. He was like, I don't care that their backup quarterback is in.
They're going to play well. They're going to run the ball well. Elijah Surratt is banged up. Our offensive line is banged up. We're missing a starter up there.
He's like, this is going to come down to the last possession. And I was kind of like, Kurt, I mean, like, you've played so well. What do you mean? And he was dead accurate. And then what people don't remember, and this happened at Oregon and Iowa.
But Mendoza made mistakes before those late series. He threw a bad interception, allowed Penn State to score and take the lead. And then they took a sack on the first down of the drive. The first play of that last drive, they took a sack. It's like second and 16.
They're backed up inside their own 20. And I've done a lot of games in Penn State. That was the loudest I've ever heard the crowd at Penn State. They were going. And then I Dennis Sutton, who will probably hear his name called maybe tonight, certainly tomorrow.
He was on the edge and rushing hard. And I thought to myself in the booth, I was like, this is it. Like, they're not. It's a wrap. This is over.
And I'll remember, yes, the Cooper catch was amazing. But the second down throw to get the drive started was like. It was one of those moments that you're like, okay, this guy's got something to him because the rush is bearing down in his face. And he hits Riley Nowakowski, their little H-back, right down the seam on the right seam. And just Mendoza gets blasted in the face and delivers a dime.
And now all of a sudden, the drive has started. He hits Cooper down the seam, Noakowski down the seam. He hits Charlie Becker on the sideline.
Now he's just rolling. It's the first time all day that they've gotten rolling. And then they get inside the 10 and it stalls out a little bit. And I'll always remember he got a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage. And this is right before the Cooper play.
And the safety, and forgive me, I can't remember exactly which safety it was for Penn State. Oh, good. He slips.
So he's going for this tipped ball, and he kind of his foot slips, and he misses it by a fingertip. And that's when I thought to myself, Mendoza's going to kill him right here. Like, you can't, that was their opportunity to win the game. And sure enough, he finds Cooper in the back of the end zone.
So then, I know it's a long story to get to the specific play that you're talking about. I've worked with Gus now 11 seasons. This will be our 12th year together in the booth. I've never looked over and been like, is he okay? But that was it.
That was the one moment. And that weekend, he was struggling a little bit with a cold. And you heard that when it came out. But man, and then, like a nerd, because from my angle, guys, there was no chance his foot was inbounds. Because I'm up in the booth, I'm looking over to my left.
And the way that the play happens and the way his body is contorted and leaning towards the out of bounds, when the official put his arms up, I was like, no way in my mind. Then both feet got into it. And so that's why my first comment was just like. Did he get his foot down? You know, like bringing it back.
Oh, my gosh. But that was a great moment. And I'll always remember it. And in particular, with the way that their season finished, he ends up winning the Heisman Trophy on the back of Gus's call. Give him the Heisman Trophy now.
You know, I mean, it was great. And it was just a magical ride, obviously, for Indiana and you and Gus on big noon, as well as the Big Ten championship game. It had a front row seat to it. And then last night, you were referring to a graphic frequently when Mendoza came up. And it's a great graphic where you had all of the collegiate starts and yards and average yards and things of that nature compiled for Super Bowl quarterbacks.
That's right. And Mendoza's numbers matched them from a collegiate record. And then when you think about this, okay, if I asked you guys to name me four young quarterbacks in the NFL drafted high, who hit it, right? Um you'd say Jaden Daniels. Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, C.J.
Stroud would be four of them, right? I just named you four players in the last five seasons who have had 40 or more passing touchdowns or fewer than seven interceptions, okay, in a season over the last five seasons. The fifth is Fernando Mendoza.
So he matches in the pros. All those guys had a lot of experience in college as well. Right. A lot of starts under their belt. And that leads and.
So what Rich is referring to is this graphic. On average, in this century, so 25 Super Bowl winners at quarterback, the average number of starts in college for all those guys is 34, 1,100 passing attempts, 70 touchdown passes. Mendoza is 35, 1,000, and 71. It is identical. And so that's why I think that he's going to come in and have some success in this league.
But that's also what leads directly to the question about Ty Simpson, who doesn't have that. And he has one year as a starter at Alabama. And yet, you know, I think the most surprising pick of the first round going to the Rams. Let's talk about that. Joe Clatt here on the Rich Eisen Show.
What did you make of Ty Simpson being chosen 13th overall?
So his talent suggests he's a first-round player. Like, I'm fully on board with the evaluation of Ty Simpson. When you watch him throw, he doesn't look like a one-year starter. And what I love about him is that he's an anticipatory thrower. And in that regard, not many college guys.
Guys do that. They're what I would call see throws. They've got to see the opening, and then they're going to pull the trigger. And this guy pulls the trigger just based on defensive schematics and anticipating where the windows are going to be. And he throws with great accuracy down the field.
So the film suggests that he should be taken in this moment. There's questions about his stature because he's not a huge guy, and then the number of starts. And the concern that I have, before we get to the Rams, I would just say the concern that I have is: yes, you would want him to sit and develop. But that's what he did at Alabama.
So think about this. Guys His last year in high school was, what, 2021? Then he sits for three years, has one bit of play when Nick Sabin threw him out there against South Florida in a game that Bama struggled in Nick's last year. Then he goes back to the bench, and then he gets his 15 starts. Let's say he sits for two years, and that might even be optimistic because Matt Stafford just played as well as anybody has ever played in a season.
Let's say he sits for two years, and we're going to see him start in 2028. You're telling me in seven years 21 to 28. He's got 15 starts. That's concerning. That's a lot of sitting and developing.
And you're banking on the fact that he's the son of a coach, grew up in the locker room, and can get better by not playing on the field.
So, what about the Rams choosing him and using the pick 13th overall? Um rather than Tripling, quadrupling down for their MVP quarterback. And His um thirty-eighth year on planet Earth. I think Sean and Les. Look at those matchups with the Seahawks.
And they say to themselves, Our problem was not on offense. Our problem was on defense, and they addressed that in free agency and accumulating talent in the back end. Trent McDuffie being one of those, which I know you've been talking about. Yeah, I mean, they drafted Trent McDuffie 20, and he's a proven commodity, and he can come in and help them. And I think they view that as that will get us over the hump, not only in our own division, but in the NFC and potentially for a Super Bowl.
And at that point, if you feel like your house is in order, you might as well get the vacation house. You know, so it's it's uh it's rich people problems. I know someone already said that, so I'm echoing that sentiment. And only time will tell. We're not going to be able to grade this pick next year.
Although, if they don't get over the hump and they don't beat Seattle, and let's just say it comes down to an offensive series, and let's say Devontae doesn't play healthy and they've got injuries in the wide receiver room. A lot of people will say to themselves, Hey, you had a chance at Makai Lemon, who fits your scheme. He's right in your backyard. He's got great spatial awareness over the middle of the field. That's something that Stafford has had great success with over his career.
I think a Cooper Cup in that regard. And they'll say to themselves, You know, you had a chance to put the chips in the middle of the table for a Super Bowl and didn't. And I'm sure that there's a lot of frustration for Matt at this point because he probably wanted that weapon. I bet that Joel Klatt here on the Rich Eisen show, we have, I guess, put the graphic up on the screen, Mike Hoskins. There it is: the first-round quarterbacks in the last 10 years with the fewest college starts.
Only Trubisky, Anthony Richardson, and the late Dwayne Haskins have had fewer than they. Ty Simpsons 15. I guess, again, we forget he also won a college football playoff game this year, too. He did, which is undone. One of the evaluation points.
He apparently did it, you know, not fully healthy, not at full weight. Correct, correct. And on the road, which had not happened in the college football playoff in the previous season. I know Miami went on the road and beat Texas AM, but against that defense that Oklahoma had, Oklahoma was one of the best defenses in college football, one of the three best defenses in college football. And on the road, he leads them back after a rough start.
And by the way, and I know. It's tough to say this, and Bama fans don't want to hear this, but he did not have a lot of help. That was not a very good Bama team. They weren't great up front, even though Caden Proctor got selected in the first round. They could not run the football, which was a huge problem.
They had problems on the outside. Ryan Williams was supposed to be the second-best wide receiver in college football, did not have a great year. And so they had to rely on Jeremy Bernard, which, by the way, I brought this up. I think the Rams will address wide receiver and potentially slot wide receiver tonight. Maybe a Jeremy Bernard, he was Ty Simpson's teammate at Alabama, really good player, has been with Kaylin DeBoer at a couple of different locations.
Maybe even Zachariah Branch from Georgia, who is an electric player on the inside as well. Yeah, so I'm only laughing when you're hearing you say that. It's like, oh, that's right. The Rams do have more draft choices than that. The draft isn't over.
And they do, again, have a general manager who has turned a fifth-round. Picks into big-time receivers. Just name one in particular, obviously, with Puka Nakua. Exactly. I've got the first round list right there if you want to refresh your memory as I ask you your other picks that you're interested that you think stood out from last night.
Well, I can't come on this show and not talk about the Giants. Yes, Joel. I have been, this has been like an annual deal. I come on, I'm like, what are the Giants doing? I don't like this pick.
Hey, New York football Giants, I thought you nailed it on night one.
So there you go. I thought that they did a really nice job in the first round. Getting R. Vill Reese at five for John Harbaugh. Like, that's a ceiling pick.
John's going to be creative with him. They're going to invent the position where he can be impactful. He's very much in the Micah Parsons mold, at least in my estimation. I really like that selection. And to me, there was value there because most people thought he wouldn't be there at five.
Correct. Then Maui Noah, same thing. You get him as the second tackle off the board. Many thought, including me, that he would be the first tackle off the board.
So the opportunity to get Reese and Maui Noah in the top 10. Maui Noah is widely considered the best offensive lineman in this draft. I think he can move down to guard and be like an exceptional player, but he can play tackle as well.
So I really liked what the Giants were able to do, and then I loved what the Jets were able to do because they need talent everywhere. They need speed. They need explosiveness. Their entire roster needed a revamp, and they were able to do that.
So getting David Bailey, that's immediate juice on your defense, which they need. And maybe a pass rusher is going to help them defend the pass and maybe even lead to a few interceptions. Yeah, we all had more than an actual interception. Yeah, collectively, all four of us. I've been a huge fan of Kenyon Sadiq.
I think he is. The prototypical perfect modern tight end because he gives you a ton of versatility. You don't just flex him out, you don't just put him in line. And so he's got the ability to be a great blocker and help your run game. And you can flex him out, and he's got.
I mean, outrageous athleticism. I know in the last hour you were listing all the guys that he performed better than in certain exercises at the combine, and that list is astounding. And then to jump back in and get Omar Cooper Jr., I'm a huge fan of Omar Cooper. He's been resilient. He began his career at Indiana.
A lot of people think that Kurt Signetti did this with just transfer players, but he inherited Omar Cooper, who worked himself into a first-round player. And I really like what the Jets did. I like what the Giants did. It's just a New York state of mind here. Look at you, man.
And by the way, Signetti is going to, this is not a flash in the pen, right? I don't think so. I don't think so either because, I mean, whatever cash that they did get to get the players in was well spent. Yes. And if Cuban and others get return on investment like we just saw, the coffers will still be open.
And he's just a fantastic coach. Oh, he's a great coach. I mean, you know. He's a great coach. You know, when he said that.
The kid from TCU that's coming, Hoover. Josh Hoover. Josh Hoover. That he's met his, you know, who had a lot of interception problems. And he pointed out how Sonny Dyke's kind of had a little bit of a jab.
But Hoover's now, they're going to work on that, and he's done a good job working on that. But he's met his. Did you see the sound button? He said, he's met his two new best friends, a defense and a running game. And then he winked at the reporter.
I'm like, look out, man. This guy is so good. He's. He's quickly become one of the two or three best coaches in college football. I'm glad that he stayed at Indiana.
I'm glad they're committed to him. I firmly believe. There's a lot of problems in college football. We all know that, right? And is it sustainable, this current model?
Probably not.
However, However, I am adamant. College football has never been better. Never been better. The parody is incredible. We've got Alabama struggling.
We've got Indiana going 16-0 and winning a national championship. Um I think that the dispersion of talent across the country has impacted the game in a really positive way. And the same two or three programs can't just stockpile talent anymore. And now it's going all over the country and And how about, I mean, last night for a conference that I cover, what a night for the Big Ten. This is the first time in like, what, 10 or.
Fifteen years that A conference other than the SEC had the most first-round draft picks.
So, Big Ten with 10 first-round draft picks is a big night for that conference. No doubt. And then, just before I let you go, the line that you used last night about NIL money and second and third-round picks that we're seeing get drafted tonight. Go ahead and say it.
Well, I mean, we're entering that portion of the draft where every player. That gets their name selected is taking a pay cut. That's just wild. Wild. It is.
Great to see you, man. You as well. I look forward to another night with you, bud. Yeah, anytime. That's Joel Cloud of Fox Sports right here on the Rich Eisen Show.
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The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrive Ent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind.
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Alrighty. Auto pop. Bye. Rich Eisen here. Every time I travel for a major sports moment, whether it's a playoff run or a huge prime-time matchup, I see firsthand what happens to a city.
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You're not changing your routine. You're not committing to anything year-round. You're simply making the most of a moment when your city is in the global spotlight. I know when I'm on the road for a huge event, having a comfortable home base makes all the difference. And that's what fans will be searching for.
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Calvin Johnson here on the Rich Eisen Show. The ESPN radio audience has just rejoined us here on Disney Plus and the ESPN app. Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic is back for its fourth annual year. It's taking place right in the middle of June, June 15th at the Cardinal at St.
John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. CalvinJohnson Jr.foundation.com, the purchase of Forsim or sponsor. How much you play? How much are you playing? Man, last year I got back to playing a lot because my four-year-old went to school, so that opened up some time every day for me to get out without, you know, you know, ticking off the wife.
Now, you know, I didn't help myself this year. You know, I got a dog now.
So now I got a new baby, so that's going to cut into my time a little bit. But, you know, I'm feeling good about everything. I'm feeling good about my swing right now. And, you know, I got to get out.
So, wife, she's going to be mad at me. I love you, though. See, it's amazing. I finally found how I'm like Calvin Johnson. Yeah, of course.
Blaming my poor golf game on my wife, children, and dog. That's exactly. Calvin's just like us. No idea. What's the best you've ever shot?
80. Yeah, I never broke. 80. Okay. I'm close.
Are you 6'5, 6'6?
Sorry, that's not easy. 6'5 golf swings, not easy. You got to get some lessons. You know, I remember five years ago. Ago, I really got some lessons, and it really, you know, I had to throw away all the bad stuff I taught myself, and I still had to fight that stuff off at times, just swinging with my arms and not letting my body do the work.
But man, if I can, you know, when I get into a groove, you know, I can play well.
Okay, who's the most famous person you've played golf with, Calvin Johnson? Most famous person I played golf with is Mark Wahlberg.
Okay, oh, he's got, I mean, he's really, really good. Yeah, yeah, he's solid. He plays speed golf. Yeah, well, he, right? That's right.
Yeah, he plays, he plays golf like it's polo because he never really even gets out of the carts, right? He's just hitting it. 100%. He'll run to the next ball. Yeah, crazy.
Oh, okay. All right, very good.
So, what advice would you have for, say, Carnell Tate? Fourth overall pick. You know, he's going to a town that is hungry for wins. You did the same thing back in the day. What would your message to the first receiver drafted last night be?
Yeah, I mean You know, obviously, find a pro that you think is doing it, that you see that's doing it the right way, putting the work in, and just find a way to endear yourself to the fans. And the way to do that is by working your tail off, you know, really focusing on what you're good at, what you're bad at, you know, making that list, you know, and going through that list and putting work into each of those different attributes each and every day. I mean, more so the things that you really need to improve upon.
Now that you're not working on, you know, our good attributes, just for example, you know, my footwork needs to get better.
So every day, you know, I would go out before practice and I'll put an emphasis in the footwork drills in practice or in just drill work that we did. I would do the top of my routes in my drill work. I would find a way to incorporate those things so that I'm constantly working on it, constantly getting better. Not just footwork, my hands. You know, I work on seeing the ball into my hands a little bit longer when I catch the ball just to make sure I see it, see it into the tuck.
And just working on those little things over time, you know, all those attributes will start to level up. And it's all about making the goal. Doing a diagnosis, an analysis of yourself, creating a goal for where. You want to be at, and then you know, once you create that goal, your mind instantly starts to go from: okay, how do I connect A to B? And of course, get yourself an all-world quarterback.
And Cam War hopefully is that for him. Get yourself a great quarterback. Cam War seems like he can be that guy potentially in the future. And I mean, a great quarterback. I mean, obviously, I had Matt Stafford.
That was going to be my question: is when Matthew Stafford showed up, how fast did you realize that he was special? Instantly. Instantly, he was, you know. Blowing my hands up instantly.
So I'm just like, you know, just with a flick of the wrist, you know, when the ball's coming in, just pop your hands. You know, you just got to be a little stronger in that thing. But what I learned that with that, I was like, okay, well, yeah, he throws the ball hard. I played baseball. I could see it.
I can, you know, I could diagnose that. I can catch that. But, you know, what I was like, oh, shoot, that dude can get me the ball anywhere on the field. He could. He still can.
He can't. I mean, but he just did too, right?
So easy. It was so easy. It did. And he just has a way of. Fitting a football in that few human beings can do.
Yeah, he's great. What do you think he's thinking right now? Um age thirty-eight, he's the MVP. Again, you know, Ty Simpson's not beating him out. That's not going to happen.
And the Rams have no intention of playing him until Stafford, I guess, gives the high sign that he's done. But what do you think he is thinking out there? on the left coast. I mean, I don't think Matthew is stressing about that. I think Matthew understands how these things work.
You know, obviously there is life, you know, there's football Matthew Stafford. You know, so he understands that the organization has to put themselves in a situation, and I think he can be a great mentor for whoever they bring in there. You know, I think y'all were talking about Ty Simpson earlier on the screen, however many starts he had. You know, I think that if there's anybody that can help out with that, you know, kind of curb and give him a dump it dump experience into him and help him, you know, Matthew could be that guy.
So hopefully, you know, they set themselves up, you know, for a situation like the Green Bay Packers did, you know, all those years. With love and waiting for, well, Rogers was generally happy about it, but that's a different story. Rogers was there for, you know, 18 some odd years, 16 years when something like that happened. What's your favorite Stafford moment? that you were on the field with him.
When we were playing the Dallas Cowboys, not so many, but we were playing the Dallas Cowboys, and I had 329 that game or something. He started shaking your head right away. I walked to you. I honestly, TJ, I was not going in that direction.
So, last drive of the game, going down the field, my boy KD, Durham caught one on the left side of the field, long one like 40-yard pass. I caught like a 20-30-yard pass down to the one-yard line, got popped. And I'm still trying to get myself together. He's just trying to get up to the line and scrimmage. I had no idea.
I don't know if this came in through the thing, through the mic. I don't know if Coach told him to do it, but I say it was all Matthew. But he snapped the ball. Everybody's always just going to spike the ball because the clock was running down. He snapped the ball and threw that thing over the top.
And I was just like. I didn't know what's happening. That was the greatest moment. One of the greater moments. That was a tough fall game, and we needed to win that one with the stats we put up.
Did you know how many yards you had in the middle of that game? No, I didn't. I mean, I knew we were going. I mean, once I hit the first one for like 80-plus yards, I'm like, okay, this is a 200-yard game. I knew that.
I knew that. 300 never would have thought that. When did you know you had that many years? I don't know. Probably when they made it announce something or show the graphic, probably on the screen.
So it wasn't like you go back in the locker room and you found out, oh, wow, I had 320 to change. And then they probably told me, that's when I probably found out, oh, yeah, you had 329, you were the second most in history of the league. And I was like, dang, that's who's first? You need to get back out there. Do you miss it?
I don't miss the grind. I miss the camaraderie. You know, you miss hanging out with your guys. That's why, you know, I do my, that's not why I do my, you know, my golf outing, my scholarship thing, but the big, a big reason, a big part of it is to bring the guys back together. You know, that is to bring the guys back together, you know, get that camaraderie back going that we had.
None of us miss, I don't miss running, you know, three to six miles a day. You know, we don't miss pushing all that weight. I mean, some of us like still pushing weight and whatnot, but nobody misses that kind of grind, you know, what it does to the body. You know, but we do miss, you know, being in each other's presence. And catching touchdowns.
I mean there's something to that, you know, when I mean being in four field, catching a touchdown, even just being there when, you know, Jameer Gibbs goes off and f you know, pops a big one, it still just gives you chills because, you know, you've been there, done that, you know what that feels like. Did the Lions ever call you to come back? Come back for what? For play. No.
That never happened? No. Try one more time? Come back? Man, I got too many grades.
I'm raising these kids. I'm trying to keep up with these kids, man. I got a business to run. You know, I got so many things that, you know, I accomplished the goals that I set forth for myself on the field. I think that's a key thing for guys: God willing, you don't get injured, but you got to set some goals for yourself.
Give you something to drive for. I never really shared my goals with the media, even though they asked me every year, but I knew exactly what I was trying to accomplish when I came into the league. Did I play as long as I wanted to play? No, not really, but my body was telling me something different. Did I accomplish all the other goals I wanted to accomplish?
Yeah.
So Calvin Johnson Jr.foundation.com, purchase a Foresome, become a sponsor, or just learn more about the mission. Do you want to give you the floor on the mission? Yeah, man. We're really just striving to bring literacy to children, really just to protect our youth, just bring them up to be productive members of society. What we're doing, we're just trying to give scholarships to those that start deserving youth that are really putting back in their community, that are deserving by showing their grades, and that really can use the financial impact.
So we put everybody do that gauntlet. We really try to measure what we're doing so that we can change the impact or change the trajectory of the youth. I think the conference that we do every year, really by bringing people that have had success in different areas and people that look like these guys, like these gentlemen that are getting these scholarships, can really breathe success into them. I just think back to the time that really, one of the moments that really breathe success into me or just confidence really, which is my college. School coach, he told me, you know, hey, you really know.
He said, he sat me down, you know, one day in his office. He was just like, you know, you really could be one of the best that ever has ever done this. And I'm not goofy, ain't even really got it to my body. I'm in 11th grade, starting to get letters from all the schools and stuff like that. I'm just like, You know, I ain't even thinking about college so much.
I'm having fun. You know, I'm trying to be prom king and all that stuff. You know, I ain't thinking about that. And he tells me that, and it kind of changes my mindset. You know, from high school to like, okay, what's next?
You know, my mom always talked about, you know, what's next, what's your goals. You know, you hear it from somebody else, and it's like, okay, dang it, she knew what she was talking about. You know, so then just, I was always goal-oriented, and you know, that kind of confidence built. It was the start, you know, of a snowball effect, I guess I could say.
Well, I'm just glad that your confidence wasn't burst by the fact that Sean McVay, who was the player of the year over year. He wasn't even BS. That's BS because he wasn't even the same year as me. That's just not a story. That's not a true story.
Not any true story. Just like somebody who gave me cleat said that combine. Yeah.
Calvin, if I could ask you about another guy, right? We spoke about this years ago on the show, but now with our new home here on Disney, plus in ESPN, they might not know. You played at Georgia Tech with a man named Joe Anawai, who now most of the world knows is Roman Reigns, just became World Heavyweight Champion. What do you remember about Joe from your man to be reckoned with? If Joe is a healthy man, like, he will wreck a defense.
He'll come off the edge, he'll come off the middle. You couldn't stop him. You know, like some more blood, like some more blood. That dude was a beast in there. And as you see, like, you know, he made it to the NFL.
You know, he had his cancer battle. You know, God willing, he was able to overcome that. And, you know, just that just wasn't his path. But he's found his path. He's had success.
He's doing well for his family.
So it's awesome just to think back. I was just talking to Reggie Ball, our quarterback in the days, you know, when we're in college. And, you know, we'll go see Joe when he's in town or if he has a show and stuff like that. But, you know, just we had the captain's picture, like Reggie, myself, and then Joe in the back. And we all had like these mirror advisors.
And it was so cold. Like, it was. We had a great crew. A lot of us made it to the league. And, you know, Joe's story is an awesome story.
The Georgia Institute of Technology, as it's officially known, then he goes and he hooks up with a Georgia Bulldog in the professional ranks. How about that? And now the Georgia Bulldog is coached by Sean McVay, who did not, just to repeat, did not beat this man out for Player of the Year in high school. 20,000. Because that's a story going around.
What I heard. I mean, I just don't know. Good to see you. All right. Thanks for having me.
That is Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson. Again, CalvinJohnsonJuniorFoundation.com to learn more about the great golf tournament in Plymouth, Michigan on June 15th, and of course, the foundation itself. We're going to take a break, and when we come back, we have got Mike McCarthy of the Pittsburgh Steelers joining us here on a draft day in Pittsburgh. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Rich Eisen here.
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Mike McCarthy is here on the Rich Eisen Show, the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. And just again, personally, for you, are you pinching yourself every now and then? Obviously, you've got tunnel vision, your coach. You've got to figure this out, you've got to figure that out. You've got practice schedules, you got culture to establish.
But, you know, like looking down, you know, looking down on your chest right there, there's this Steelers logo. Do you have a pinch yourself moment every now and then, Mike? Oh, definitely all the time. I mean, it's been surreal, you know, since the really since the interview. Then the press conference and to look out your office window and see your neighborhood across the river.
So, you know, the drive into work is on the streets that I grew up on.
So personally, it's just been incredible. But, you know, it's year one, loving the grind of it, you know, putting together a staff and putting together the playbooks and all the stuff that football. Coaches, we love to do. It's been incredible having the players here the last two and a half weeks.
So it's football. We're back into it.
Now we'll get to draft here in Pittsburgh.
So the energy and the vibe of the Pittsburgh Steelers has always been so unique. And I'm enjoying every minute of it.
So your 21st overall selection last night that you tackle out of Arizona State, Maxie Honachore. What do you like about him? What does he bring to the equation for you?
Well, number one, we just love his play style. I mean, obviously, his physical gifts are that of such with a high ceiling. Just his feet. One thing I've always looked for, I look for particularly in offensive lineman, the ability to strike and sustain. And he does that.
I mean, you see when he strikes, he sticks on blocks, he finishes, does a great job against second and third reaction.
So there's just a lot there, and I think he's an incredible fit for our offensive line group, which I'm very high on already, just having a chance to work with Ogusta guys the last couple of weeks. They've been here, and we've been able to look at different things that all first-year staffs in normal process are going through.
So Max is a great, great fit for us. Yeah, and then obviously Broderick Jones and what's going on with him. What can you tell me on that front? And did it influence who you chose last night?
Well, I mean, Broderick's, you know, he's he's going through a medical situation that's his You know, it's a normal process that he's coming back.
So I think I'm personally of the opinion that you can't have enough. You know, big men in your building.
So, you know, but Project's, you know, he's doing well. He's, you know, going through the rehab process. And, you know, but it's going to be a minute for him. And then last night, the story of the drafting of the kid that you did draft and how you were keeping your options open just a pick before trying to reach Makai Lemon on the phone. Is there any, from your perspective, have you ever had a situation where you're trying to talk to a kid you're thinking of drafting and And somebody else is breaking in on call waiting?
Is that the first time that happened with you, Mike? For me personally, but I think the norm. But I've been experienced, my experience has served me is, you know, when you get down to these picks, particularly when you're down in the 20s, you know, you usually have a pot of players, which was our case, you know, and Lemon was definitely part of that. He's a fine player, and obviously ended up in Philadelphia.
So I think the good Lord always works and works his magic. And Max is with us.
So I feel great about the way it ended up. Like I said, Lemon will do, he'll do great there over there in Philadelphia, but we're right where we need to be for good reason.
Well, and again, just I'll ask you, since fans ask me all the time, this is clearly not your first draft rodeo, it's your umpteenth. Why do coaches and general managers and teams want to call the player? Like, what is the purpose of actually contacting? the player that you're thinking of drafting or you're about to draft. From your perspective?
You know, Rich, that's a great question. I think so much of what we do, whether it's training camp and every organization is a little different. And there are traditions and mechanics of how you operate that carry over. But that's a great question. And I think really the excitement of bringing an individual into your building, I mean, I did his part of the draft aid process.
So, you know, so I don't think it's out of the norm, but it's definitely not out of the norm to go the direction that it went. I hear you. Mike McCarthy, a few minutes left with the Steelers head coach here on the Rich Eisen Show. I think I have shown remarkable restraint, if you don't mind, but I haven't brought Aaron Rodgers up to you yet. I thought it was almost a clean getaway.
Not to pat myself on the back here, but there is an I and Rich and Eisen, you know.
So where where did things stand with Aaron right now? Mike. Constant, consistent communication. And so, I mean, he's going through his process. But, you know, we're just continuing to keep working.
You know, our focus is on the draft, and hopefully, we'll have a decision in their future. Right. And in terms of the, so in the meantime, you're getting reps in for the guys who are there. You know, I had Cam Hayward on the show the other day, and he complained to me that I got him into trouble because I only talked about Will Howard with him and not Mason Rudolph with him the other day. And apparently, Mason pissed.
So where do this talk about the quarterbacks that you do have, the guys that are there and you're a secret? Yes, definitely. I mean, Mason and Will have been there the whole time. And frankly, and I've even discussed this with Aaron because it was no different when he was younger. I prefer for the veteran not to be here at this particular time because it gives us the opportunity to be fully focused on our two younger quarterbacks.
So Will and Mason have done a great job. And we had. A chance to get on the field Monday and Tuesday in our veteran minicamp. And it was great work. This time of year, frankly, is a chance for your younger players to get those reps.
And our young guys are doing a great job taking advantage of that.
Okay, and so with Will, what have you seen? What's your assessment of the kid? Mike? I'm very athletic. You know, it's something that I think a lot of you know, past experiences, you you never really know until you get in there and you know work directly with your athletes.
And but the quarterback school drills, I mean, I thought he did I thought he did a hell of a job the first time out.
So the ability to throw the ball around and put some concepts in.
So he's off to an excellent start.
So if I had told you, since you just pointed out there that you've told Aaron, like, hey, back in the day, helps, I guess it helps when Favre was kind of wondering what's up. and you're getting reps for Rogers. Just the fact that Does it marvel you at all that this situation, you're in a way waiting on an answer from Aaron Rodgers in the same way you were? On Favre back in the day, and the kid that you're bringing along is a guy named Rogers, who's now the guy you're waiting for for the Steelers, which is the team you beat in the Super Bowl in Dallas, where you wound up coaching anyway. Like, have you.
This is, you can't make this. Did I miss anything, Mike, with you? No, that's plenty, Red Shamba. Yeah, it's hard to believe everything you just said is actually true. But yeah, it's.
It's been an incredible ride, and I just can't tell you how grateful I am to be here. And enjoying every minute of it.
So, but you know, the experience with Aaron and Brett is. It serves me well. I think it gives me peace in these types of moments. Yeah, I mean, this man, by the way, this is nothing compared to back then. Like, this is a walk in the park.
comp on a day like today compared to back then. Mike. Well, I'm working with Pro. I'm working with the Pro. You know, I mean, you make it so easy.
I fucking like you. I can hit up. I'm not talking about the media. I'm talking about the media. Just keep feeding it.
Well, listen, thanks for the time. I'm not even going to ask you about tonight, right? I mean, what would you allow? What are you willing to at least say about your plan for this evening without tipping anything, Mike?
Well, second round, third round is always exciting. I think you look at the history with what happens in the second round, and particularly watching what happened at the end of the first round.
So, people jumping up in there and getting what they feel like they need. And I think that's always helpful to these second and third round picks.
So, obviously, we have four picks coming up, and I'm just excited to add a huge draft class to this football team.
So, yeah, we're just looking at all the options right now. But the city's buzzing, it's a great atmosphere. But I really love the job that our personnel department's done, and we just got to trust the board. Mike, I appreciate the time, man. Congrats again.
I haven't spoken to you since you got the gig in your hometown for the hometown team. You're a good man, Mike. And I'm psyched for you, and I appreciate everything that you've done so far. Yeah.
All right, Rich, all the best. Always appreciate you. Thank you. You got it. That's Mike McCarthy, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, right here on the Rich Eisen show, everybody.
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All right. Hey. Let's take a break. Because the radio heart out, as they say, is about to come. What's with the two people that stood behind me and just turned around and showed their Kirk Cousins eight jerseys?
Oh, I totally. I think they went to take a picture of it. I hope they felt better. I think they're taking a picture of the meme. They see, it's the Rich Eisen show.
Yeah, you know what? This is what happens when you've got this beautiful vista behind you. You have to, baby. Reese and Greene next on the Rich Eisen Show to kick off hour three on a What's More Likely Friday. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Mm-hmm.
