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Now, on with the show. One quarterback competition is settled. This is the Rich Eisen Show. And then in Cleveland. I'm just thankful to practice.
Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I just love the way Shador Sanders handles himself. Today's guests. NFL Network Insider Ian Rappaport. Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas.
Emmy-nominated actor Carolina Weedra. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show Live on Disney Plus, the ESPN F ESPN Radio Series XM Channel 80, live here in Los Angeles, California. Ian Rappaport's first up. My buddy from NFL Network, he's going to be telling us everything that he knows.
And I won't let him off until he does. I mean, it's just kind of that simple. Thurman Thomas, I'll basically take Ian's helmet. Tharman's joining us in hour number two, Hall of Famer. What?
Is that soon? I'm saying that because our courting producer, Mike Hoskins, the big Buffalo Bills honk. Is rarely. It's a rare day. He's out of the chair today.
He's actually taking. Personal time. Oh, well, PTO. Oh, I show you. I'm a very beneficent.
Uh, host of this program. I said, sure, go ahead.
So, Don Bowie's in the chair, big Saints fan.
So, a full half-hour breakdown on Juwan Johnson's greatness suddenly came out of nowhere. I just took Shuck in the best ball. Did you really? I did. Yeah, great.
Don't bring that up right now. Oh, here, here, go. No, no, no, no, no. Let's not throw releasing the program with a fantasy league. We'll get to it, though.
We'll get to it. Um Anyway, Thurman Thomas on the program at hour number two. And I love the show Pluribus. I can't wait for it to come back. For whatever reason, Vince Gilligan takes nine years to go through the riders' room for another season.
But Pluribus has been nominated a gajillion times over, including the actress who plays Zoja on this program. And she's going to stop by hour number three. Carolina Widra is going to be stopping on this program as we'll go down another Vince Gilligan wormhole in a way that we did yesterday with Chris Hardwick talking about breaking bad. At any rate, 844-204-Rich number. It's the Steelers four Downs Day.
The Steelers are in Green Bay tonight. That's the first of two games on NFL Network this evening. I will be, I've got a two-a-day today. I will be hosting that coverage this evening. Nice.
And then Titans and 49ers as well. Very good. Love it. That'll be all on NFL Network tonight. It is preseason football time.
I believe six games tonight, three for the night. Friday, including Jets and the Bucks, that I'll be in the chair for that one in the studio for NFL Network on Friday night as well. And then Saturday is the rest of your preseason action. Good to see you over there, Chris Brock and what's going on. Rich, I'm great.
Colts, Patriots, Lions, Bengals, Packers, Steelers, you mentioned, Cardinals, Raiders, Chargers, Texans, Titans for you. Be all over that tonight. I mean, I'm assuming Fernando Mendoza is going to get his first actions. I would imagine so, yes. And good to see you, DJ Mike.
Good morning, Rich. That's Mike Del Tufo. Good to see you, TJ Jefferson. That candle's lit, is it not? Candle's lit.
So basically, all your free time is done for the year. I don't know. You never know. Could be wide open. I have no idea.
I'm saying your second job's got football's starting, so you're going to be busy on Sundays and this every day? In theory, yes, sir. That's coming up later on. This month, 844-204-Rich is the number to dial right here on the program. Listen.
I told J.J. McCarthy. Um One way's long. Runway is very long. Just, you know.
When you see Jared Goff. Twice a A year when you see Baker Mayfield. Again, you look at the Viking schedule and it's chock full. of teams. That at the end of the day are being quarterbacked.
By people, I mean, there's Jordan Love, who's who had to wait three years before he got his role. Right? Obviously, Caleb came straight out of the box. Tampa with Uh Baker Mayfield. Miami.
With None other than Malik Willis finally getting his shot a few years in. Tyler Schuck in New Orleans, I know, you know, it didn't take long for him to get his shot. In his rookie season, but just take a look at how many colleges he bounced around. Mm-hmm. Because he was injured and there were changes, and he basically had a pro career already in terms of that before coming in.
J.J. McCarthy had just two years at Michigan, won a national championship. By the way. Then they're going to see Indianapolis in week seven. There's Daniel Jones, the aforementioned.
Jared Goff in week eight, Brock Purdy in week 11. Two, maybe in week 12, Bryce Young, who got benched in Carolina, only to now still be the man there. You know? I'll stop with my analogies with Drake May next on that. Week 14.
But the bottom line is. Just because you didn't get the starting gig now. Doesn't mean you're never going to get a starting gig at all. Or, in the case of just like Bryce Young being a perfect example in Carolina, right there. He was benched year two, Game Tube, new coach coming in.
Now look at them. Yeah. Waiting for a long-term deal. But long long story short is he's got the starting gig and he's trending upwards. This is not a slight to Bryce Young, but we never mentioned the fact that the reason he got his job back was: remember Andy Dalton?
But it's not because he got his job. True. He got his job back because opportunity knocked. Yeah, true. And he took advantage.
And he took advantage. Which could happen. At any point Between now And the moment opportunity is going to knock for J.J. McCarthy, he's 23, to sit here and think opportunity is not going to knock for him ever again is absurd. But as a 23-year-old, you could sit there and go, This is the end of the line.
or the end of the world. But he's always back. He's the guy who, if you remember, drew a smiley face on his hand when he was at Michigan because he got so down on himself as a high schooler he had to. Do that to help him mentally remind himself life's going to be just fine.
Okay.
So it's no surprise that he took this approach when he met with the media yesterday and talking about. How he uh took the news that he's not the starting quarterback. in Minnesota. For 2026 to start. A decision was made that was out of my control and obviously every competitor wants to play.
But moving forward, it's just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my numbers called. What were your initial thoughts when you found out the decision had been made? Obviously disappointed. You know, I'm a competitor, but at the end of the day, you know, it's in the past and I'm moving on to the next practice, the next rep, the same mindset I had going into it and focusing on the Giants this week. It's tough.
You know, he's going to be walking around that building knowing he's not the starter. All he wants to do is lead. He wants to be a leader. And the best way to lead is to be the lead guy on a depth chart. I mean, that's just the way it works in the National Football League.
But he can also lead by showing that he's. Taking this in stride and is staying ready because they know. At some point Okay. It's entirely possible the understudy is going to have to get out there and perform. And it's going to be the bright lights.
And he knows that too. And I understand everything he does. Gets thrown back in his lap. And him basically saying this is a decision out of his control. It's going to get thrown back in his lap.
Because he could control it if he played better. Yeah, that's what. You know? Yeah. He could control it if.
in the same way, right, that Notre Dame's Saying going into the season is leave no doubt. If he left no doubt with his play, Kyler Murray would. Maybe be on another team. You might be in Atlanta. Instead of two.
You know? And if Kyler Murray played any better, he might you know, be the handpicked chosen starter of Mike LaFlore. You know, there's reasons why everybody is where they are. Um Okay. But Is he referring to it being out of his control and the fact that The minute Kyler showed up, And he's that inexpensive.
There is a thumb on the scale for him. Maybe uh That's for another day. Does he think his career is over? His future is over now in Minnesota. Do you think you have a future with the with the Vikings as a starter?
Like I said before, you know, this is a place I want to be. And I love every single person in this building. I love this state. I love the fan base. And I'm going to continue to just do whatever I can for this team and this organization.
All right, let's give them the family feud, guys. Good answer. Good answer. Good answer. What else do you want him to say?
No. Behind the scenes, I'd hope he'd be saying other things, but like what? I think you should want out. Why? To go somewhere else where he's not going to start.
But it's It's August 13. It's August 13th. Could you imagine if he demands a trade for the Minnesota Vikings right now, what that would be? How we would be talking about it, how he would be talking about it, how everyone else would be talking about it. If he's like, I'm out.
You didn't choose me I'm gone. Could you imagine the way that would be Awful. Handled by the media, let alone internally maybe by the Vikings? Because the bottom line is You pointed it out just yesterday. Kyler Murray doesn't answer the bell every single time.
He's not like, he's not on some Farvian type start streak, some Eli Manning type start streak. He's one snap away. Allow me to rephrase, he shouldn't want out.
Some of these other teams should be calling Minnesota.
Now, that's a different story. And you know what Minnesota should be saying to those people? Pound salt. Yeah. It's like you always say, Chris, how many backups play you need to have a solid backup?
But Carson Wentz is right there, who's probably a better quarterback than DJ McCarthy. Who? Did you say the words Carson and Wentz together? He did. Really?
You turned me into an owl. The guy who was MVP of the league for 16 weeks. How long ago? What was you telling me this morning how long ago something was? I'm sick and tired of the J.J.
McCarthy slander. The Wolverine's coming out on me right now. The kid is a winner. Who is in a spot? That we want to talk about out of his control, his knee gives way.
And he loses his first year in the business. And it just takes time for some people. I just gave you the full example of people at age 28, 29 that are not only in better spots. but are better quarterbacks than they were. I wish he came out of the box looking like the McCarthy that played like he did in in Ann Arbor.
But it just didn't happen. It didn't work out for him like that, man. You think it would be better off for the Vikings just to send a 23-year-old away? And a 23-year-old should want to stay with Kevin O'Connell. The 49ers literally did the exact same thing with Trey Lance.
They gave him an opportunity. He wasn't good. And they cut bait. and got a draft pick back from Dallas.
Okay.
I'll continue on with this thread that you've thrown out there. I'll keep pulling at it. Um They cut bait on Lance after it was obvious Purdy could handle it. Don't you think you gotta see if Kyler's he's already made it. Kyler Murray has a pedigree of success in this league and being a high-level player.
You're ready to just basically say we clearly won the job in camp before any preseason game was played.
So they've already told you what they think of Murray compared to McCarthy. Right. And now it's year three and this kid still isn't ready to be your number one quarterback. Go get a third round pick for this guy from Pittsburgh or any of these other teams that have older quarterbacks near the end of the line. And I think it's still pr too premature for it.
Okay.
Food for thought right here. By the way, he's gonna get out there in preseason. We're going to see it. We'll see it. We'll see.
But I totally understand what you're saying, and I totally understand. Why Kevin O'Connell would just basically say. Reps Let's get it. In Kyla Murray's Practices right now. I got it.
But at the end of the day The Minnesota Vikings 2026 season just got that much more interesting because a long stone, long, long-asked question finally got an answer. Even though I I I think we knew the answer from the beginning. Because he's that inexpensive and they want to give it a whirl. And they got J.J. McCarthy under contract for at least another Couple years.
So they could get Kyler in there, see if he's the right guy or not.
Now if Kyler has a great season and takes him to the playoffs, now what you're saying makes sense. Or they let him walk and he goes to win the Super Bowl somewhere else.
Now, they won't be doing that again. And that's what is informing a lot of these decisions. Let's take a break. Ian Rappaport will ask him uh all of these questions. Uh Rapsheet's going to join us.
Thurman Thomas is going to join us. And then uh a Emmy nominated actress from Pluribus. Carolina Weedra is going to join us in hour number three. We'll go down a fun wormhole on a terrific television show. Susie will join us at the end of the program in support of Women's Sports Now, which returns to the ESPN family of networks at 6 o'clock Eastern Time tonight.
So she'll she'll be You know what? The two of us are going to be competing against each other. On the Disney family of apps. Wow. Yeah.
How's that split going to go in your house? Good question. Good question. Question is: Will Coop be using the TV for MLB the show? Oh, wow.
Uh-oh. He's back from camp, baby, and the Red Sox have happened. Yes, go back. Go back. Yes, go back.
The boy's back. The Red Sox can't win a game anymore. It's great. What is happening? I love it.
I love my son, and I love the Yankees, and everything's great. 844-204 Rich number to dial. Your phone call is still to come as well. Wrap sheet in wrap report when we come back. Bump.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an Audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast.
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You could really just have me go pick a random one and see what sporting event it was going to. I'm sure you have other things to talk about, but I'm just saying. That's how we'll end the conversation.
Okay.
And for our radio audience, the conversation has just begun with Ian Rappaport joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show from his home office, where beyond his left shoulder, there is a coat rack. On which he has hung every credential he's ever amassed in his career, covering college and professional football. And there are some places, like when I go to the Steelers and they give me a credential for a training camp, they're like, Can you give it back? And I'm like, oh. I'm the same way.
Back. For what? What? Trying to recycle. Do you reuse credentials?
Try to save the product. The paper ones. The paper ones. Yeah, he's right. Have Steelers asked for their credentials back?
They sure. A lot of teams do. What? Ravens do as well. They reuse credentials, yeah.
It's not like my name's on it. I'm just getting it, then you bring it. Yeah, I don't know. I guess that's how you can pay Lamar Jackson. I don't know.
Save money under credentials. All right. Why did Kevin O'Connell make the decision he made at quarterback, Ian?
So Let me start off with this. Kyler Murray is the best option to be the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. That is number one. And I think most of us have known this. Even though when I was there, everyone was like, you know, it's a good competition.
It's, it's, you know, pretty even. It's a good competition. It's like, I hear you. Definitely hear you. But they signed Kylo Murray to be the starting quarterback.
He was the top free agent quarterback on the market. They were the top team that he wanted.
So they found each other. And the finances are great. He's making no money from the Vikings. The Cardinals are paying almost all of it. But He's been a legitimate starting quarterback.
He's not old. He's coming off an injury, yes, but he's more than fully healthy. He's had plenty of time. It ran its course in Arizona, but not because he wasn't a good player. And so.
You know, it makes sense.
Now, as far as why now. Here are a couple factors I would say. One, if it becomes obvious and you know, you should just make the decision and let him get all the reps. I think that will help. Two, you know, you had media judging every practice.
It was like Kyler versus JJ, some up, some down. But it's like Kyler's superpowers, not practice. Like, I've talked to people in Arizona who will say to me, like, Just so you know, like he's not the greatest practice player of all time. But when he gets in games, that's when it's magic. And so I think by Kevin O'Connell saying, you know what, we're done, it kind of takes the evaluation part off of it.
Um And then I just think like you just want to move forward with a starter when you know.
So those are sort of the factors that went into it.
Okay.
And so um and then there's the inexpensiveness of of Kyler's contract and the amount of time that they have to actually See what's what or There's nothing to do with that. This is truly a straight-up evaluation. Contracts don't have anything to do with it. JJ McCarthy can can handle it. Like, is any part of that?
Well, I don't believe that Kyler's contract had any part of it.
Now, there is a question of like, if JJ beat him out, like, how happy would he be as a backup? Like, That's a question we're never going to know the answer, hopefully. But You know, that would be a question, but I don't believe contract-wise really matters because I could make the argument both ways. I could say, Well, yeah, Kyler's cheap now, and then if he's good, you could re-up him after the year, pay him like a real franchise guy, and then he's your quarterback for the next five years.
Okay.
But then if JJ McCarthy had come out and win it outright, you're like, cool. Like, I got a quarterback on a rookie contract. He's also not making a lot of money. I could re-up him after the season and move forward.
So I could make the same contract argument on both sides. I just think. You know, most of us probably knew from the beginning that it was Kyler, and it sounds like he solidified that. All right, so who's next to go here?
Now, now we can focus on. let the kid that got hurt Just like J.J. McCarthy did. Um that JJ beat in the national championship.
Now in Atlanta. You know, battling another guy, another veteran that's on a one-year inexpensive deal. Like, what? Wh what are we at right now in Atlanta?
So, we have two quarterback competitions. We'll get to Atlanta first. I don't view that as a quarterback competition. And I know we're talking about whether or not Michael Pennix is going to be the starter. Like, in my mind, based on what I know, Tua Tagavailo is going to start the season.
For the Atlanta Falcons, Michael Pettings has not been cleared. He has not done team reps, he has not, he's participated in training camp. But not at all, the amount of reps that Tua has.
So until Pendix gets fully cleared from another ACL tear on the same knee. Then I don't view this as a competition at all.
Now, like, When Tua starts week one, which again, I believe is going to happen. It's based on my understanding there. If he struggles, if it's not good, like could Pennex take over? Sure. You know, Petix could also find himself on the, you know, he could.
Be sidelined for the first four games. If he's not fully ready, like there's plenty of options. The team is not going to rush him. But I see Tua starting the season there. It's really a matter of like.
Who finishes the season and who plays the bulk of the snaps? And, you know, if Pennex is healthy and he's the guy who does that and he plays well, like, that's a great scenario for Atlanta.
Okay.
And then Cleveland. It that that seems like One of the more, I would say, typical quarterback competitions, and the fact that there's been no decision made yet. except who's starting which preseason game and That pushes things down the line a little bit. What's going on? In Cleveland.
Yeah, so for the Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson's going to start preseason game one. And Shador will start game two. And, like, there's a lot of data points for how the Browns are going to make this decision. Like, there's the spring and mini camp and OTAs, there's training camp. There's team reps, there's live reps.
Um The preseason games matter. And like, you know, it's not like Um, Todd Munkin and the crew there in Cleveland are going to make decisions only on the preseason games, but like they matter when the lights come on, how players play matters. And I think for Both of these guys, and Deshaun has not played in a while. Um now when he's played in Preseason sounds like there's been some good, some bad. But he's had moments when he's fully healthy in regular seasons where you're like, This guy's a starting quarterback.
Shador is interesting because Not as consistent, doesn't know the operation, and like doesn't have the experience. but make some plays where Browns people are kinda like Definitely got something. Like, definitely, something is there. And that manifests itself in games. And so that one to me feels like it's going to go.
You know, through the preseason, and we'll see after both of them get some get some real reps. Ian Rapperport here on The Rich Eisen Show. Where's the contracts for Other quarterbacks are up for it. The running backs were taken care of, or. Yep.
Or, you know, is something going on with McCaffrey in San Francisco with tightness? Could that be? Could that be Um Something on that lines, Ian? I would be surprised if that was contract-related. I feel like it's more tightness-related.
Okay.
I haven't heard any momentum toward a Christian McCaffrey contract. I'm not saying it can't happen. I just have not heard any momentum toward it.
So it feels to me. Like the running backs are done. The corners are still an open question. Like, will Devin Witherspoon get done? Question.
Christian Gonzalez, you know, that to me feels like it's farther off. That one. you know we'll see if that one gets done this training camp it might not Um, and then if it doesn't, you know, you can do deals during the season, but it's It's a little more of a challenge. And so I would say. That's where that kind of stands.
Looking at my board behind me, we were able to actually cross off a lot of contract extensions while I was away. I got, I haven't been back in this office in a while. We got a lot of guys we're going to erase, which is great. Um But then, you know, you still got some, you still got some other guys who are going to compete. You mentioned Lamar.
Could that happen? I don't believe Baker's getting done. Stroud? Stroud is still an open question. I know they've had some conversations.
Don't know if that one is going to come to fruition, but we will see. We're going to keep. Keep keeping her eye on that one. You know, the tires that have been kicked on the Lamar conversation on this show over the last couple of weeks. um you know uh reading between the lines, it seems like You know, the Ravens are more eager than Lamar to get something done.
Is that fair? To sing last one? Yeah? Again, I'm not saying nothing's gonna get done before the season, but like This isn't a question of like, do the Ravens want to make him, to pay him and make him the highest paid quarterback in the NFL? Like, duh.
You know, like first of all, first of all, You know, not that there was any question about what kind of player person he is, but it sounds like his camp has been unbelievable. Full buy-in. Which I said somewhere. And people are like, oh, well, you're saying he was in Botan before. It's like.
Just because you complement one thing doesn't mean you're ripping another thing. It's not like Omar was like, you know, sitting in the back of meetings with his feet up. It's just sometimes. Change is necessary, and sounds like he's been really engaged with this new coaching staff. Um, especially uh, Jesse Minter.
I think that relationship is going really well.
So, the Ravens do want to pay Lamar. Doesn't mean a deal is going to get done, but like. At least there is the want to in Baltimore.
Okay, a few questions, more questions. I mean, my gosh, I can go a bunch of different places. Ian Rappaport here on the Rich Eisen Show. You were just in case. We got to go visit my mom after this, so we can't go so, so long.
That's all good. Esther is waiting, Rich. Esther's waiting. Esther Rappaport. Yes, Esther.
Esther. E-St-A. Esta. Esther. Oh, again, that's the way my New York City mother would pronounce Esther.
So I just okay, very good. Um she's a big fan. She says hi to Esther. Rap a port for me, please. Um You were just in Kansas City.
Give me what you picked up from Holmes' readiness to everything else. I mean, I was with Baldy, and like, if you ever watch a practice with Baldy, it is unbelievably fun. Because first of all, he's looking at things that You're not like I'm not. Um Just like You know, how efficient something is. We're at practice, and Baldu goes, listen.
I'm like, for what? He goes, just listen. What do you hear? And all I heard was Mahomes's voice. Full silence on the field, except for Patrick Mahomes calling signals and directing players.
And he's like, You can go around to the NFL and you won't hear that.
Some, yes, like. Pittsburgh, you hear Aaron Rodgers' voice, right? I mean, it's like the, you know, these starting quarterback leaders. Joe Burrow, you know, I mean, there's, I'm not going to go through them. Stafford, there's a lot of them.
But it's not all. And like Mahomes was in charge, and that was a cool practice to see. He looked so good. I mean, I can't overstate how how normal he looked. And like, you know, you come off the field talking to Chiefs people.
And there were plenty of topics to get to. Like we talked about Kelsey and the offensive line being rebuilt and what they like of this, these new defensive pieces as they remake their defense and the draft picks. There's a lot to like. But everybody was like, How about Mahomes? And I'm like, How about him?
He looked. Really, really, really good.
Well, who's he throwing to? Yeah. You know, he's got, I mean, first of all, Kelsey looked good too, I thought. And I, you know, spent some time with Kelsey after. It is interesting, you know, he's got like a separate sort of celebrity life, I guess.
It is interesting how much he well, like, no, well, no, because he's obviously married to someone very famous. But, like, they probably still like sit at nine o'clock at night and watch Netflix. Oh, no, they're like a normal couple. But I mean, you know, the pod and everything else, I sure for sure can throw somebody off of just any equilibrium. But he does seem to have it all down patch.
You know, he likes. He loves being at St. Joe's. He likes the training camp. He likes the.
You know, eating with buddies and living in dorms. And like, I was just. I wasn't ready for how much he would like it. And I thought that was kind of cool. Like, this is like a little bit of his sanctuary.
And so you could see. Why does a guy who doesn't need to play, who has plenty of money, who has nothing left to prove, has won titles, keeps playing because he just likes the environment so much? Um but anyway, like you know you got Rashi Rice, who I thought looked pretty good. Um you know you got taekwondo um You got some other, you know, some other receivers who probably we don't know yet, but we're going to. You got Ken Walker, who is going to be used in the past game more than we've seen in the past.
Okay.
They've got guys. They've got some guys. No, I mean, they got Xavier Worthy, who, you know, this season got blown up. Yeah, and he got blown up in a friendly fire, unfortunately, in just the first series of last season, where things just immediately started going south for the Chiefs. In Brazil, Um, but you're saying everyone's engaged, everyone feels good, like this is.
You you left Chiefs' camp saying thinking what? Essentially. You know? I mean, first of all, it was a really hard camp. You know, like, hold on.
Somebody, I'll look for this as I keep talking. Because somebody there texted me an interesting little nugget about their practice. Please.
So it was. Eight long full-padded practices the last 10 days. Damn. And so I came out there, and like, you could imagine they look sluggish. Are they highly efficient, energized, organized, and really good?
And so, like. You know, it's tough to know how good a team is going to be because some of that is like health and randomness and schedule and all the things. But like, I left there being like they are going to be really, really good. Did you go to Chicago? Did you visit the Bears any?
No, Chicago. Missed Chicago, missed the Packers, missed a couple of good ones.
Well, the one about the Bears that, you know, obviously outside, real quick, what do you know about the stadium? Are they really going to be known as the Indiana Bears? Is that really happening? No. Okay.
What do you got for me? I mean, I shouldn't say no. They're not. First of all, no.
Okay.
But. Yeah. My understanding is there's nothing coming today.
Now, like, George McCasky is, I believe, talking to media.
So, like, he's probably going to say something. Right. But, like, sometimes the internet goes crazy and comes out with something. And I'm always like, You know, and I'll check on everything, which is generally annoying, but also my job. Really sums up a lot of my job, but um.
you know i was like debating last night as i was racing through the kansas city airport Um like should I put out something that says like Hey, by the way, nothing is coming, but that's sort of like a weird news to post.
So I just left it alone. Right. But, like, no, like, Nothing is coming. And the word is, though, is that what would have been coming is part of the deal is the Bears have to put the word Indiana in their. In their name, you know, like.
That one I find hard to believe, Ian. I have not confirmed that. No one in the know has told me that. I'll be straight up. I just, no one has told me that.
Straight up, the whole point that you hear from some of the bears brass when they talk about it. is that you know, the spot in Indiana is technically still part of Chicagoland. and could be even easier to get to. from Chicago than the Arlington Heights site. You know, and so why would they go ahead and just Say, not only are we moving out of Chicago proper, we're just going to call ourselves the Indiana Bears, which would just be.
Out of You know, my branding skull. I can't even think about that right now. But so you're saying nothing's coming today, based you can tell, and that's not what's on your radar screen. I mean, look, uh as far as the indanate bears, like I've been surprised before in this business. um you know getting the call that miles garrett's about to be traded like you know there's been some there's been some times that i've been like you know sauce gardener trade last year Like holy cow.
I would do a holy cow if they were the Indiana Bears.
Okay now, could could move there. for sure could move there. I think that is very, very possible. Um especially if Indiana Don't sort of step up and emerge with what everyone is waiting on. Right.
But I would be surprised if that was the name.
Okay.
And so you just mentioned Miles Garrett.
So before I let you go, let's talk a little bit of Rams. Certainly for our. Uh, ESP and LA radio audience here. Uh, we play, we have a fun, uh, fun segment that uh we came up with just spitballing, which is what we do here on the program about 10 days ago. Go ahead and is he back yet?
Where is AAR right now? All right, is he back yet? Why was McCaffrey there? You could pop it up again, Don, if you don't mind. Sean Mitchell, Rich Eisen Show, Los Angeles Sports.
Honk put a scared Darnold and a disappointed McCaffrey as part of this. And the reason why Del Tufo and Brockman are there is they are season ticket holders and they're smiling because their resale value is going to go up.
Well, it will go to games. No. No, maybe one or two. Oh, Mike works for Fox, so he's got to do this and that. I'm going to three this year.
Okay, three. Are you counting the Cowboy games?
So, two-thirds of your tickets are available. Great. I go to the games. Good. I don't know if you're going.
I digress.
Sorry. Is he back yet? He is not back yet.
Now he could be back. Could be back. Here, Coach. He could make a decision soon. Um or we could not and You know, he could not, it's real.
No, I mean, I got all those credentials. But, like, so people are expecting a decision tomorrow, yes, possible. Or he could just not make a decision tomorrow and go, you know what? I want to wait. There's no timeline.
As far as anyone is concerned, because let's say Aaron Donald does come back tomorrow.
Okay, fine. It's not going to play in the preseason. He might not even play week one or week two or week three or week four. He needs to get ready. He needs to be able to bounce back.
He needs to know his body can do that. He's not signing up for week one, he's signing up for week. 19 or whatever. 20. Right.
Trying to do the math there. 21, 22. Anyway, So, I mean, could he decide, sure. Uh might he wait? Sure.
It's really just kind of, and this is how the Rams are taking it. Just whatever he wants to do. And there's still some discussions, like he's on the books for 30 million. Maybe they pay him that. Maybe they alter the contract.
Um I don't know. But it's really just like: does he want to play yes or no? That's the first decision. 30 million? Is that what it would be?
Yeah. Which like was crazy money then, but like that's what the great defensive tackles make now. No, I know. No, but I mean like I'll I'll I'll play with Miles Garrett for thirty million dollars. I know I don't have the same effect as Aaron Donald, but um not not quite.
Not quite at all. Uh is there any problem with Puka's groin, man? Like what's going on and and is he in danger of missing games because of a suspension? As well? What are you hearing about on that front?
Groin should be okay. That was more precautionary. Got it. The disciplinary stuff is I don't believe anything has been decided there. At least if it has, I don't know about.
Now, he's had. quite an eventful offseason and You know, when you have those kinds of things, I believe, you know. There can be some disciplinary result. Obviously, some of that has been in the public going to rehab, the biting, allegedly. Um apparently ran into a glass door at Michael Rubin's thingy.
Um there's a lot lot going on. Hopefully he is in a better place. But as far as all that, I don't believe anything's been decided. I hope he didn't do that at Michael Rubin's thingy, because. He came out.
Tough to get out of that white suit. Damn. All right, so let's before I send you to go see your mom, go ahead, please get grab a credential. Off the coat rack. Every credential he's ever gotten.
It's totally random. We have music. Go pull a letter in. I would ask for music for it, but don't worry about it. He's already pulled it.
What do you got? Intro. I got. This is a Miami baseball, NCAA baseball regional. Mississippi State played Miami in 2005.
Yes. I spent most of my time hanging out in Coconut Grove. Nice. I was working for the Jackson Clarion Ledger. They I believe they won one game and lost two.
Anybody that made the show? From that game? Ooh. Ooh, there were a couple good Miami players. They had like three players drafted.
I'd have to go back and look.
Okay.
The Mississippi State had a player named Brad Corley who was drafted in the second round by the Pirates, but didn't end up making it. But I think on that Miami team, there were a couple of good ones who made it. All right. There you go. Anytime you come on in your office, this is what we have to do now.
This is a new game. I like it. I like it. Ian, you're the best. Thanks again, pal.
Say hi to your mother for me. Hello. You can wrap for it, everybody. Speaking of which, Mark Wahlberg is on our docket for the first week of September. Let's go.
Oh, yeah. We should have him talk to the animals when he's here. I mean that? The sound of your life, Ben. All right, we'll take a break.
Okay.
All over the map. The great Ian Rap affort. There you go. Back with more in a moment. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE Certified Master Technicians. Ask for an O'Reilly Veriscan to day. Yada, yada, yada. Back on the Rich Eisen show, we just showed a clip on our TV side of me having an argument in the 2024 Halloween with a Dodger fan. And I went back at him because the Yankees had more championships recently than the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have won the Subsequently, The next two World Series.
So I can't have that conversation. Yeah, don't have much of a leg to stand on. But you arguing in the banana suit. But the first of those two World Series came at the expense of the Yankees. That's funny.
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844204 Rich is the number to dial. One of the many reasons why I love doing this show is I get to talk with people. And people get to talk with us. You're a people person. I don't know if you want to hear from this guy, though.
Is he an Eagle? Oh, yeah. Kellen in Austin, Texas. You're on the Rich Isaac Show. What's up, Kellen?
Hey, how's it going? What's up, Callan? What's up, Callan? What's up, Kellen? Not much.
Well, I'm a Cowboys fan.
Okay.
And I'm a really devoted sorry, go ahead. No, go ahead. Mike, just let him talk, man. Don't talk over the guests. Callers.
Well, I'm a devoted Cowboys fan, but that doesn't mean I'm not realistic. And I am really struggling. not to drink the Kool-Aid. Because I'm hearing everybody starting to sing praises about this team. I'm seeing the footage from them in practice with the Rams.
And then I tune into my favorite show. On ESPN, The Rich Eisen Show. Thank you for yesterday. And I see your power rankings, and you have them at four. Are you kidding me?
Yeah, no, I'm not. Why? I just don't want to be hurt again, Rich. Callan, Callan, Callan, Callan, Callan, Callan, Callan. It's called fandom, okay?
You get hurt, you gotta bounce back. You gotta be a fanatic, okay? You gotta focus, you gotta know at some point, hopefully, in your lifetime. It sounds like you're man in what, your 20s, early 30s, Kellen? I'm in my early 30s.
Okay, very good. Listen, hopefully, in your lifetime, you're going to see the Cowboys finally deliver what you want them to deliver. And in order for that to happen, you've got to have. Uh an elite quarterback? Is Dak Prescott an elite quarterback?
I believe so. Absolutely. I mean, just look at his numbers. Look at his ability to lead. I understand that, you know.
When push comes to shove and winner go home time, we haven't seen it. But You got that. Do you have elite receivers? Do you have elite receivers? Do you have elite receivers?
Do you have a run game that can have Rashawn Gary on, and I'm sitting here listening to him, and I'm like, I've never been more confident that we have a great team culture now. Like, you've got to, what a leader, what a great, what a great guy. Right. You've got to be able to sack the quarterback. You've got to be able to take the top of the defense off with your quarterback.
You've got to be able to run the ball. You also have to be able to defend on the back end. You got to have good young talent. And a coach that that is emotionally intelligent enough to plug himself in and sell what everybody else is buying. I just described the Cowboys going in the 2026 season.
I mean, that's just the honest truth. And that's why they're in my top five. I mean I understand they were 7-9-1 last year. I understand that no team's ever gone from giving up the most points on defense in one season and then the next winning the Super Bowl. I get all of that.
But Kellen, do you need do you need a do you need a hug? Is that what you need? You want to fame? I did last year. When Parsons was traded, my wife came home from work to find me curled up in bed holding my Micah Parsons jersey.
Now you're curled up with Kenny Clark next to Rashawn Gary next to Quentin Williams and Ezaraku with over showing behind him. My guy Barham is there. You got Bland on the back end. You got this kid Caleb Downs. You got Caleb Downs.
You got TJ Jefferson. Tell him to believe in the few seconds we have left. Let's tell him to believe. Listen, Kellen, we always have to temper our expectations. You know, as Cowboys fans, they're going to hate us no matter what we do.
But you know what? I feel good, brother. I feel good. I'm not saying we're going to win the Super Bowl. Say it.
Yet, but feel good, baby. Say it, have a great season this year, man. Let's go, Kellen. All right. I can't.
Come on, T. I don't want him curling up on the ball. Hold on a minute. Quick hug, quick hug. Here we go.
Hug, tap, tap, and then we just separate. That's Kellen and Austin. Call back, Kellen. Throughout the season. Boy, he's got scars, man.
Wow. What do you cowboys do to you people? You people? 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.
