This message is brought to you by AppleCard. Shave ice by the beach. A trip to the state fair. and a throwback flick at the local drive-in. They're more than just items to check off the summer bucket list.
They're also opportunities to earn 2% daily cash back when you use your Apple Card with Apple Pay. Apply for Apple Card now and use InMinutes with Apple Pay. Subject to credit approval, Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch, Terms and More at AppleCard.com. Morning decisions. How about a creamy mocha frappuccino drink?
Or a sweet vanilla? Smooth caramel maybe? Or a white chocolate mocha? Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries.
This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere.
Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel.
Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. How about the cowboys? This is the Rich Eisen Show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show, quarterback consultant Jordan Palmer.
Coming up, Titans head coach Robert Sala. ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Hodison shows on the air. Todd Archer with the Cowboys latest.
They signed Von Miller. Great signing. Talked about it earlier in this show. Talked about it on Overreaction Monday. That's sitting there in your RSS feed to listen to or our YouTube channel, youtube.com/slash Rich Eisen Show, our first show of the year, reacting to actual games and actual results and actual this and actual that.
Can't wait for actual real-life football counts in the standings games. We're just a month away from that. College football sooner than that. 844-204-Rich sooner than that. For you to dial to have a conversation with us on the show.
Robert Sala. Chris, you and I, big fans of him. Big, big fan. Because he hires only bald people. That's right.
And so, like, the baldest staff in the league.
So it's discriminatory. Oh, my gosh. He's back on the Titan sideline. They're revamped uniforms. Make everyone look like Aldel Greco or Warren Moon.
Depends on the position they play. It's awesome. He's joining us in hour number three of this show. Took all of about three minutes for the Jackson-Dart concussion conversation to rear its head in 2026. On the field, for something that happens on the field, because that's all we were talking about.
Dart was talking about it. Throughout this calendar year, when he was done with the season and basically saying, I play the way I play. John Harboff showed up and then all of a sudden he sounds like I'm gonna play it a little smarter. I get it. I understand.
My best Ability is my availability, yada, yada, yada. And then he winds up in the blue tent again against the Minnesota Vikings.
Now, you could sit here, and the all-22 tape heads will say he plays a part in this because somebody comes free. Doesn't see him. He's looking left at his receiver.
Somebody comes from his right. Unblocked. Not his fault? Unless he had something to do with the protection and all that sort of business. Again, I'm not a tape head.
All I know is he wound up in the blue tent. And he was pissed about it. He's right there around midfield. And he he sat there motionless for a s for a hot second. He got smashed.
And then he gets up and he's taken to the blue tent. You can see he is muttering himself, and he is angry. and had this to say about The protocol after the game. As far as the blue tent, like, I really respect. the rules and the thought behind young The NFL has of keeping players healthy and reviewing things.
But at the same time, I'm still puzzled by it just feeling like every time that I get hit, you know, I just find my way in there. Which at times I still try to wrap my head around. But that's all that I'm going to say about that situation. You know, I'm really happy with how the drive ended.
Okay. Listen.
Okay. Uh if he is implying That He's got a target, like the independent neurologists have a target on him. Um That's um I would say Out of the realm of what sounds. Credulous? One could say incredulous.
Let's hear from John Harbaugh before I chime in a little bit more. I I'm sure it's frustrating, you know. I mean, he was he got I guess he may have maybe got the wind knocked out of him a little bit, but I, you know, I I'm not going to be critical of the league. Or whoever's doing that upstairs, I mean, they do their job and they want to protect the players. I'm sure there's.
I'm sure history or whatever they might remember maybe that comes into play. I don't know. If a similar situation, the other quarterback would have been called in the 10 or not. There's no way for us to know that. Just nothing we can worry about.
I saw Jackson's comments. It doesn't sound like he's too worried about it. We just keep playing football and And we'll just try to do a better job of protecting him. And there's no way he should have been hit there. I mean, it just shouldn't have happened.
That's a basic protection. Should have been protected. And we expect him to be in that situation to be protected in the future. I mean, it's not like he's going to be never hit. never tackled, never sacked.
But it shouldn't have been in that one. It shouldn't have been that easy to get to him. No doubt. That is a fact.
So John Harbaugh handling that the way you know, head coach should in the way that he, you know, I would expect him to. Because, listen, if Dart is even implying that. The rules Are too strict. Then He definitely needs a history lesson. Hmm.
And I get he why he'd be frustrated. that it took all of like three seconds for him to wind up in that tent again. After him talking all summer. I mean, all summer long, all spring long, all winter long, hearing all last December long and November long that he's. Too risky.
With his own health. And him basically hearing that over and over again, I guess he's probably like. Damn. I'm I'm not protected. I'm hit.
I get the wind knocked out of me, and now I got to go in the tent. I guess the thing that's better is that John Harbaugh didn't peek in there and say, Are we done yet? Hey, we move this thing along here. We gotta kill you. Can we put the prompto in the protocol?
Let's go. Didn't do that. Uh which lent more attention on to everything that happened last year with Dart. But the rules are in place for a reason, and the reason why the neurologists are independent is for a reason. Because back in the day, the neurologists used to be on the team side of things and they were like, here's an aspirin, rub some dirt on it and get back in there.
Complain. Which is why there's now new rules. Because if there are no rules, like it sounds like darts, like, I respect the rules, but I don't understand why I'm constantly back in the tent. Part of it, Jackson, is because you've earned that reputation based on your play last year. And unfortunately, that's what you got to get through.
And unfortunately, you were in that tent, not because of any of your doing, from what it seems. But the rules are in place for a reason, because if they weren't in place, Yeah. Jackson's Union would be up the you know what. With uh With a bunch of uh lawyers. Liability.
A lot of L's, as long as it doesn't take an L on the scoreboard. And then, of course, one in his own MRI tube. Let's keep him out of that. It's kind of crazy how this thing happened like boom Hmm. Do you think like the independent neurologists are like, oh, as soon as Dart's breathed on, we're throwing his ass in the tent.
Like, come on now. Like, no, if somebody gets blown up and the helmet hits the ground and then the quarterback doesn't move right away, you're going to the blue tent in the National Football League and pretty much doesn't matter when or where or how. I hope that helps. Doesn't help him. No, there's no favorites.
They're not playing favorites. There's no discriminating. But I understand. He's young and he's pissed, and he's like, I can't believe I'm back. Honestly, could you imagine?
He's just looking around. I'm like, It feels it's like a time ten. Yeah, same ten. Should he set up like a TV in there or something? Don't they have like a PlayStation?
Yeah, you know, make it his own. You can't watch it again. You know what I mean? Personalize it a little bit if he's going to be in there that much. Like they have the coffee he likes in there.
I don't want to be flippant about it, even though I just was. Scott in Missouri, you're here on the Rich Eisen Show. What's up, Scott? What's going on? I'm three, Mike.
Yeah, I got it. Hey, want to play the win-loss game? For who? Kansas City Chiefs. All right.
Hey, did you see Kelsey running around? Thoroughly turning around and undressing one of his teammates on his route. Did you see that one? See that video? Yeah.
Oh, baby. Oh, yeah. I can't wait. Chris, they're under the radar, right? The Chiefs.
What is wrong with me? What's wrong with me? I almost called them a sleeper team. The favorites to win the West. They're not under the radar.
They're not. Nobody believes in Mahomes or Kelsey anymore. They think that the roster's all sorts of hot garbage. You know?
Well, the betters do not. Are you ready, Scott, in Missouri? I'm ready. Here we go. What happens on the Monday night opener against the Denver Broncos, man?
That's a win. Whoo, that was very confident. Wow. Then we got the Colts coming in. That's also a win.
Then you're at the Dolphins. Come on, that's a winch. Oh, then you're at the Raiders. The Raiders. That's also a winch.
Now you're 4-0 welcoming Jim Harbaugh's Chargers into your house.
Okay. Is that after the buy? Uh it is indeed, sir. Andy Reid does really good after a bye and at the wind. That's 5-0 at the Seahawks.
That's a lost. Five and one at the Broncos. We're going to lose that one, too. That's two in a row now when the Jets come to town. Hey.
What's up? What's with the chuckle?
Sorry, Richard. Look at you, man. Homecoming. Six and two at the Falcons. That's a win.
Seven and two home for the Cardinals. That's also a win. Eight and two at the Bills. On Thanksgiving night. They usually take us during the season.
That's a loss. All right. You're now 8-3 at the Rams a week later on a Thursday. Yeah, we're going to lose that. They'll have Aaron Dawson.
Another two-game losing streak. Eight and four at the Bengals. That's a win. 9 and 4 are home for the Patriots on a Monday night. Yeah, I think they're going to take us on that one.
10 and 4.
So that's a 10 and 4? Oh, it's a loss?
Okay. All right, pardon me. All right, that's 9 and 5. Home for the Niners. I have to win.
Ten and five at the Chargers. We're gonna take them. 11 and that's a sweep. 11 and 5. Home for the Raiders.
I think we're going to take a win and we're going to win our division. Scott in Missouri. 12 and 5. Thank you, sir. I don't think that's out of the realm at all.
At all. That's realistic. Twelve and five. Why isn't that? That's the hardest division in football.
Losses at Seattle, at Denver, at Buffalo, at the Rams. And their lone home loss would be to your Patriots. He's got them losing to some teams out there. That's not out of the realm right there. Yeah.
And and who would surprise them? They have a third place schedule, right? Looks like it.
Alright, I mean it's yeah. AFC West versus NFTs. Their win total is 10.5.
So, yeah, I mean, AFC West versus NFC West this year. How great is that going to be? Good for us. How much fun is that? Good for us.
I know. Really good for us. When you say good for quality football or the retail market, that is not what they achieve. Correct. I'm going this year to three games at least.
Oh, three. Who's house? He's not going because I'm selling those. Are you aware? Yeah.
I just get this prop. Let me get this number right because I need to know this because you keep saying this over and over and over again here. I have the schedule too. I can look. Hold on a minute.
I got to, man. I got to get my paperwork in order. I can't find these things in order anymore. Rich, if you're going to bust my chops, you better be ready. Look at you.
That's true. Look at you. He's prepared over here. How many? I mean, one Rams home game is in Australia.
Can't go there. I mean, I got offered to possibly do that game, and I did. No, you didn't. Yes, I did. Of course, he did.
First two home games for the Rams are Monday night. Giants and hold on a minute. He got one. Two, three, four. five, six, seven Eight.
Home games. You're going to three. Congratulations. Yeah. Isn't that great?
Guess what? Where are the other games? Is Del Tufo Italian for StubHub? Those are where the other games are, but don't worry for seats. I'm going to make some money good games.
You put the geek in seats. You know how much I pay? I pay $7,500 for my ticket. Oh, my God. I'm going to ask you this.
I'll tell you, I don't care. I've got dropped. That's a lot of money. I got to make some cash back. Yeah.
This guy. That's a lot of money. Meanwhile, Die Hard Rams fan wearing a Rams hat right there. Yeah. He's got to make his money back.
So who cares if Stafford's got to go silent? Diehard Rams fans. He doesn't care. Except for TJ's going to. Are you going to go to the Cowboys game on his seats?
You know, I'm not. No, those guys. I'm not. You know, I'm not. Rich, you know that he offered multiple times without me even asking.
And then we get to the point where he's like, well, you know, I'm selling those things. This is like I got a couple games I can make. This guy over there, hey, man, those boats don't fill up with gas themselves. They're selling one. One boat's gone, Rich.
This guy's talking about multiple boats and he's 7,500. That's a lot of money. That's what I mean. Not to you. $7,500 is a lot of money to anybody.
What is happening? Not to the guys rich. What is happening over there? Three night games. I have no excuse not to go.
I'm going to the preseason game this Saturday. Had a boy. Look at you. I'm giving Dom Bui my tip. Look at you over there, man.
I am a Saints fan. Awesome. Bad. Can still answer your question, Rich. I don't know if I'm going to the Cowboy game yet.
I'm still effing. Why? What is the matter with you? Effering. He's going to get.
September 20th. Let's go. Effering. He's got Todd. I could be at the crib for Christmas.
I don't know yet. Let's take a break. Todd Archer is joining us from what does appear to look like beautiful Oxnard, California sky above him, if I'm not mistaken. Love it. Oxnard.
Awesome. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial right here on the program. We'll talk about Dallas Cowboys signing Von Miller and so much more about your Dallas Cowboys. But when it comes to your home, before we take a break, Pella Windows and Doors want to let you know, or I'm happy to let you know that they are the experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them.
And that means working with a company that builds and installs a quality product with real pricing, real simple, really beautiful. And when a trusted name like Pella chooses to partner with the Rich Eisen show, that says a lot. Zero percent financing options are available. Certain restrictions apply. Find your local Pella Windows and Doors showroom today at Pella.com/slash Eisen for details.
Make life brighter with Pella Windows and Doors. We take a break. Todd Archer will be joining us next to talk about them cowboys in a moment. 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. Call an Audible on your debt today at sofi.com/slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank NA, member FDIC. Terms and Conditions Apply, NMLS 696891.
Fast Funds Terms Apply at SoFi.com/slash DebtPlay. Rich Eisen here for Gusto. On my shows, we talk a lot about what happens in the spotlight, the games, the highlights, and the moments that get replayed and debated. But in any successful operation, what happens behind the scenes matters just as much. Small businesses are no different.
Payroll, hiring, onboarding, benefits, and all the details that keep things moving may not be the most visible part of the job, but they still have to be handled right. That's where Gusto comes in. Gusto is online payroll. And benefits software built for small businesses. It's all-in-one, remote-friendly, and incredibly easy to use.
So you can pay, hire, onboard, and support your team from anywhere. Automatic payroll tax filing, simple direct deposits, health benefits, commuter benefits, workers' comp, 401k, you name it. Gusto makes it simple and has options for nearly every budget. And it's all built to save you time with built-in automated tools for offer letters, onboarding docs, direct deposit, and more. Plus, you get unlimited payroll runs for one monthly price.
No hidden fees, no surprises. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/slash rich and get three months free when you run your first payroll. That's three months of free payroll at gusto.com/slash rich. One more time, gusto.com slash rich. Rich Eisen here.
Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge? Finding that person without sorting through resumes. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in.
It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com/slash Eisen. Terms and conditions apply.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. The radio audience has returned. Todd Archer of ESPN is going to rejoin us. We're working on a couple of issues, technical issues, and But before we were just talking radio audience with him on the TV side of things, he said. That George Pickens is the best player in train camp.
It's not CD Lamb. Or Jack? Hm. Or Quinnen Williams, or Rashawn Gary, or Kenny Clark, or Caleb Downs, or any of those guys.
So we're drafted. or acquired George Pickens. Hmm. It's interesting. Interesting.
How excited would you be if he's even better than last year somehow, some way? Would he be better? But what are we gauging this by? Because you know his numbers were slanted a little bit because C D was gone those games. But you watch the tape, he's There were games where he was totally dominant, and I don't see that changing.
You know, it's the best of both worlds right there. It's like having, you know, Harper and Irvin again back in. Except, I think that George, with all due respect to Alvin Harper, I think George's might be a little bit. I was about to say. But Alvin Harper's got things that George's doesn't have.
One of my favorite things to do with Michael Irvin. Yeah, let's win a playoff. Let's do is bring up Alvin Harper to him. He Alvin Harper. He didn't want to hear anything about Alvin Harper.
Alvin Harper is very underrated. I know that. Michael Irvin's underrated when it comes. When you hear about the greatest wide receivers of all time, for some reason his name doesn't get mentioned, and it should.
So, yeah, having George being the best player in California, third in yards, eighth in receptions last year. He's third in yards last year, wasn't he? Dude, this offense, which is why, if the defense can just tighten the bolts. Yep. It's real.
Hey, I was telling you it was real a few weeks ago and months ago, but the, the, you know. To meet Spa, they're going to have to actually do it. They're going to actually have to do it.
So. We'll see. It's never been a regular season discussion, right? It's always about the postseason. Sure.
Again, not going to get too worked up over that win. But they look they look good. Week one, though. All right, let's take a phone call while we're waiting for Todd Archer to connect back in here. Let's go to Dustin in Arkansas wants to chime in.
What's up, Dustin? How are you, man? What up, dude? Hey, I'm good, Mr. Eisen.
It's good to have you. You guys on the radio today. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. What's going on in your mind?
Well, not much. When you guys were at the Hall of Fame, I've got a chance to maybe go and visit next year, but I've got a 14-year-old who despises football. Like, cannot stand it, hates it, she's the cocky girl.
Okay. Well so I was wondering, is there anything in the Football Hall of Fame that I can exhibit or something I could take her to where she might not love football, but she might think, oh, this sport isn't so bad. Yeah, there's my cooler. There's an exhibit there of a fan, diehard fan of a team that called into a radio show to say they're 0-17. Oh.
There's that. Oh, wait a minute. And then they went to the Super Bowl. And then they went to the Super Bowl. Yeah.
Would you know about that exhibit, Dustin? Yeah. TJ, do you want me to call in and pretend to be a Cowboys fan? No, but in all seriousness, the bust gallery, Dustin. That'll do.
That bust gallery is just awesome because you could tell stories and just say this person did this, that person did that. She may not be interested in the sport in that respect, but there's just an awesomeness to it. There's a gravity to the room that you feel. Um and just seeing the busts too, they're so unique. In so many different ways, and I imagine that there is even her fandom might not be up to.
You know what one would think is the fan that would walk in the room. Or coming with a love of the sport, but there might be a certain understanding of the history. Uh having walked in that room.
So I'd give that one a whirl. Dustin. That's great. My girlfriend Raven said there's a hologram exhibit because she watches the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader show. There is that TV.
There is a hologram exhibit as well.
So there's a lot of neat stuff.
So let me know if you go ahead and. Do something like that. That's Dustin and ours. Oh, do you have a great day, guys? Here goes Dustin.
Once upon a time, called into the show and. Said the Patriots are going to go 0-17. And meant it. And meant it. Yeah.
Said he was a fan of the team, then said Owen's 17 and then. And what? They won 14 games with 13 games and went to the Super Bowl. Oh, okay, very good. Take your heart pills and buckle up for sure.
So, yeah, we've got to figure out. Put Todd Archer. He's sitting outside, man. Is that what's going on? Yeah, he's outside.
Oxnard, it's up there. I got it. It's up there. It's in there. It's out there.
Yeah. Um Did you see that there's a conversation that J.J. McCarthy's fighting to be number two over Carson Wentz, which means I know you said that this they should trade J.J. Right and put Carson Wentz at number two behind? Kyler Murray.
See what you can get? Just doesn't hurt to ask. I mean, for him to drop down to three. That would be tough. Yeah, that'd be tough.
But Wentz came in and again These preseason games, you just got to sit there and go, wow, they look good, that looks good, but then you have to understand the comp, and that's the issue here. Yeah. That's the issue here. I guess it's an annual conversation, but when you're evaluating quarterbacks, And you're saying, you know, hey, This is the most important time. For these quarterbacks to be evaluated, Will Howard, Drew Aller, J.J.
McCarthy, Shadur Sanders, Fernando Mendoza. Just to name five off the top of my head, right? And then it's just like, you know, Tua, hey, Tua, looked like hot garbage.
Okay. Hot Garbage is the only two words to describe the way the Falcons looked in those two drives with Tua in there. But The issue is two is in there. Pitts was in there. I don't know if London was there.
I definitely didn't see Bijan. At all. whatsoever. And um We're supposed to evaluate what Tua looks like as Jonathan Cooper. And Nick Benito.
come crashing in off the edges. Right. You know?
Yeah, but John got no, sorry, Brian Robinson got the various. You know what I mean? It's just. Yeah. What to make of it?
We'll talk about that in a matter of moments. But Todd Archer, I think we've got this whole thing worked out. You there, Todd? I'm here.
Sorry about that. I'm making a good first impression. Look at you, man. Todd, Todd. All right, thanks.
Okay, all right. It's all good. It's all good. All right. So how long have the Cowboys been circling around Von Miller, Todd?
Yeah, it was something they talked about before training camp, but it never really Got Really going until training camp started. It's funny, I just got off the phone with Demarcus Ware a little bit ago and. He was telling me in his conversations with Vaughn, he said the only team that has really reached out to him in this process is the Cowboys. And, you know, he was kind of willing into existence here. By posting pictures of him on social media and stuff like that.
And yesterday it finally came down. It always felt like, just from talking to people in the organization, it was going to be a when it was going to happen, not an if. And now he's going to be coming out here today, probably won't do anything tomorrow in practice, obviously, against the Saints. But he's a guy that the Cowboys really help need to help their pass rush, for sure.
Well, I mean, his nine sacks with Washington last year would have led the Cowboys in 2025.
So clearly, Dallas needs to get that pass rush even more stout. Despite having acquired Gary and making their other moves that they've made on defense, walk me through where you think this leaves last year's. DFL, most yards given up, defense.
Now that all the pieces of. The additions and new play caller These pieces have landed and have settled, Todd. Yeah, it's it's funny to hear a lot of people say, man, if the Cowboys just finished twentieth in defense, what a team they're going to have. I I think the defensive guys get kind of insulted by that.
Now that would be a massive improvement, obviously, from last in the league and just about everything a year ago. But you talk to Christian Parker, you feel his confidence, you talk to the players a full year of Quinnen Williams, a full year of Kenny Clark. You got Donovan Ezra Rocker, the second-round pick, who's healthy. Siobhan Revell, the third-round pick from a year ago, healthy. The additions that they've made, Caleb Downs, they feel like they can have a better than the 20th defense in the NFL for sure.
And what this does is, and look, you're not asking Von Miller to be the Denver Von Miller, right? But you said it that nine sacks would have led the Cowboys. They want him to be a situational pass rusher at this point and help the guys already in the room. And be a guy that a good sounding board for the guys as they try and learn what's going on. But there's a lot of confidence in what the Cowboys' defense.
Did in that first game and what they've done in practice. There have been times where Dak has looked really uncomfortable. And that's because of the defense and not obviously because of the offense.
So walk me through Christian Parker's scheme and how it fits, what they've done roster wise, because it is Something he's never done before, coordinating a defense that needs to improve significantly for a team to have a chance to win at all. Todd. Yeah, you're talking a 34-year-old guy who seems like he's been around forever. And it is funny that you say, you know, he's never called a defense in a game. It just doesn't seem foreign to him.
And talking to people that were on the sidelines at the game in Seattle, even Keel the entire time, didn't ride any highs and lows of what they were doing. That's a positive sign for a 34-year-old guy. And I think what he's done, you know, you think, okay, he was with Vic Fangio. That's the defense that you're going to see stylistically. I think on the back end, that is going to be what you're going to see a lot from the Cowboys defense this year.
But I think he's going to mix things up. He said in his first press conference with us, it's not going to be Vic Fangio's defense. It's going to be the Dallas Cowboys' defense. And you've seen Quinnen Williams sign the extension. Really had an excellent practice against the Rams, blowing up a couple runs.
They believe he's going to be much better in his first full season with the Cowboys.
So there's a lot of optimism coming from this defense. But what's going to happen that first game against the Giants, the third game against Baltimore in Brazil, when it doesn't go well for him? That's where this team, you're going to see this defense. Do they truly trust it, or is it just something that we all feel good about here in Oxnard in August? Todd Archer here on the Rich Eisen Show.
He's chiming in from Oxnard, California, Cowboys camp for one more week, and then they're back at it in the Metroplex.
So you mentioned Pickens has been the best player of training camp. Why? Give me your opinion on that and what this means moving forward. I would go comfort level. And not only comfort level for the coaches and what they know, what George can do after what he did last season, but comfort level for him.
He was asked, why has it been so much better here for you in Dallas than it was in Pittsburgh? And he kept coming back to, I feel comfortable with the coaches, I feel comfortable with my teammates. It seems like everybody gets them. And I think there's an element, Rich, of. This is the Cowboys.
They've been around. These situations before where not everything turns into a big deal. And everything becomes national well, it does become national news, but it doesn't become some earth-breaking thing. But I think everybody's kind of accepted George. He's accepted them.
And you're seeing a guy. Really excel, and he knows. Look, if he gets the contract from the Cowboys, which is what he wants, sure. And I think the Cowboys ultimately would like to do that too. But he's also showing out for all the other teams, too, that might want to see, okay, he did it once, can he do it again, and can be a model citizen?
I think. From the Cowboys' perspective, that's a good place. Derry Jones has talked about, that's a good place for them to want to be. Yeah, we had Rashawn Gary here last week, Todd, and he was talking about. Because I brought up the way that the joint practice with the Rams Ended the other day where they all ran sprints afterwards, and the Rams were like making fun of them, it seemed like a little bit.
And Pickens is like, move on. Like, do you know? This is none of your business. And Gary said that the players are the ones who are instituting these runs after practices, that they're the ones who are taking it into their own hands. And I found that one interesting.
Yeah, absolutely. And it wasn't the first time. That happened on Family Day here in Oxnard when Shoddy had them all line up on the end line and he called them all up.
Okay, yep, we're going to go to the beach. Everybody's family, meet us there. And the player's like, no, no, no, we want to run.
So that's actually the second time that it's actually happened where the players have kind of led those post-practice sprints. And if you're a coach, that's what you love to hear, right? That's what you love to see that these guys are taking ownership. And he's really talked about this leadership council that he's added, 11 players, offense, defense, special teams. I think for so long, Dak has been the voice.
Around this team, and he's kinda He's been like the Mikey in the life serial commercial. Like, hey, let Dak do it. He'll try anything.
Now he has other guys more than willing to stand up and be leaders and be accountable and tell people when it's not good enough. And I think that's what you've seen so far in Training Camp. Where's the weakness on this team, Todd? I understand I'm mentioning a team that finished in last and second last or last adjacent in so many categories last year, but where Is it the O-line? Like what what what keeps uh the Joneses and uh Schottenheimer up a little bit?
Right. I know we've talked about Vaughn Miller. To me, it is still the pass rush. And until Vaughn, we see Vaughn practice, I'll continue to say the pass rush. They feel confident.
that they've got enough guys. But It's one thing to say, oh, we've got four, five, six guys that can get you five, six, seven sacks. I I don't know. I it's still, you know. when the Cowboys have been really good defensively in the last Well, heck, since I've been covering him, I guess you've had Micah, you've had DeMarcus Ware, you've had these double-digit sack guys.
I don't know if they have that on this defense, but if again, if you look at Fangio's past and what he's had in Philadelphia, it's been a number of guys getting five, six, seven sacks, not one guy getting 20 sacks and everybody else filling in. I'm still curious about the pass rush. You mentioned offensive line. Tyler Guyton seems to be answering the question at left tackle. I wonder if right tackle is a little bit of a concern for them right now.
They have a guy in Terrence Steele that's been a starter basically since his rookie year. They feel comfortable there, but I would say pass rush, and then you go injuries. Look, Dak has not played. in consecutive full seasons. Since 2019.
So That's something that is always going to be out there, especially as he turns 33. He's had some major injuries that we know of. But that would go pass rush, health. Offensive line as the three warriors that they should have right now. Listen, I know Jerry's really.
Feeling it as well, he should about the mica trade looking a year later as good as it does for Dallas. And he has every right to sit here and go, Hey, last year, you know, everyone thought I'd kind of lost it with the whole handshake thing. And now look at us now. But if you know, and what's he talking about? Baby formula and crap shooting and all that sort of stuff last week.
That was one of the standbyes of the summer. Um but yeah, baby shoes and crap shoots and whatever. Um but i i if if you put sodium pentothal on the Joneses, would would they want Tank Lawrence back? Would that be the one thing that they shouldn't have done? Or that they just couldn't figure it out money wise because He's got a ring, and you're talking about pass rush.
That guy. He certainly looked good on the Cowboys right now, Todd. Yeah, and I think in their mind they have the next iteration of DeMarcus Lawrence, and his name is either Donovan Ezeraku or Malachi Lawrence, their first-round pick from a year ago.
Now, you know, DeMarcus Lawrence. Is a tremendous player all-around player. And I think after he had a you know a couple double G sack seasons, he was around six, seven, eight every season here in Dallas.
So But he where they miss him was the all-around ability. Of course, you'd like to have a guy like Donovan or DeMarcus on your team. But I think in their minds, it was just time to move on. And I think in DeMarcus's mind, it might have been time to move on as well. And it worked out for him.
They were able to hug it out before the preseason game on Saturday. You know, the Cowboys. I don't think there's any regret about DeMarcus Lawrence, and I know there's no regret about the Micah Parsons trade. None about Micah, huh? Not at all.
N I mean I'm sure the personnel people might feel differently because there's only so many of those guys on the planet. But I think when you look at everything else that was surrounding that team. Last year at this time, again, I mentioned he's sitting down on the grass during practice. He's lying on the medical table during the preseason game. They knew where that was headed, and they felt like they had to move on.
They weren't going to get a deal done. It was always going to be something. Remember, he went and got his back examined before he got traded to Green Bay. Cowboys were prepared for him to miss multiple weeks. Suddenly gets traded to Green Bay, and man, that back felt a whole heck of a lot better.
Mm-hmm. Amazing how those things work out, huh? Yeah. Todd, thanks for the time. I appreciate you rolling with the technical punches there, and I'm sure you can't feel the blood in your arm as you've been holding the phone for the last 10 minutes.
Get yourself a hat, Todd. I got the shapes. I'm sorry. Sunblock 50, man. Let's get you in good shape for the season, okay?
Appreciate it. Thanks, guys. Thanks, Tom. Sir. On the program.
I gotta give Todd a follow here. Dude. No, I think I was already filming. Yeah. I know it's a Monday over Reaction Monday.
Tomorrow will be overreaction Monday on a Tuesday. I'm telling you, man. He still thinks that Von Miller gets him closer, but still maybe not over the hump on pass rush. But how many times are you like, okay. Cowboys need some help in one aspect of the defense.
And that maybe the back end is improving enough with Caleb Downs alone. We'll give you the beats up front to get closer. Von Hunt's comes up with another seven, eight, nine sack season for them. That's more than what they had just than yesterday. Yeah, Von Miller's nine sacks last year for Washington.
His highest total since 2021. I know, man. He g had a little bit of the juvenation back in those legs. It's great.
So I think it's a great hire by the Cowboys. If you let me let me pop a dock myself on this before all the Cowboy haters come out and say this. One did have nine sacks, but like I think at least four of them were against backup quarterbacks.
So a lot of people have already seen that they're not giving the nine sacks maybe the respect. Yeah, that's you know, because that's what people do.
So I'm just putting it out there. Like, yeah, he did. He had some backup quarterback sacks. You know, some were a quarterback where he was handing. Holding on to the ball a lot longer than they should have.
But, you know, the man's still a former Super Bowl MVP, and that knowledge that he possesses, you can't put a price tag on that. Leadership. Leadership, knowledge. Swag. Yeah.
And the fact that he's going to be able to supply them with some good chicken. Chicken. You know what I'm saying? That's raised right without all the chemicals. You know what I mean?
Oh, no, different, like actual chicken. Yeah, actual, he's going to feed the real poultry. Yeah. Okay. Real poultry.
Weren't we supposed to get some of that, Rich? We're still waiting on it. to hit him back up. Let's see if you get your shoes from the coach of Oregon. I'm even worried about that.
It's my guy.
Okay. That's my guy. Or guy now.
Okay. 8442-04-Rich is our phone number right here the Monday after week one of preseason Robert Salas coming up shortly. Rich Eisen here. We talk a lot about battles in sports. Teams battling through adversity, athletes fighting for every yard.
The toughest warriors I've ever seen, though, aren't on the field. They're kids fighting cancer, their families standing beside them, doctors, nurses, caregivers. That's why I'm proud to support Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 28 years, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research, raising more than $303 million and supporting over 40,000 children. Learn more and donate at hyundaiusa.com backslash hope on wheels.
Right now, O'Reilly Auto Parts gets you back to savings. Pick up select Royal Purple Fuel System Additives, buy one, get one free. Plus, receive four times O rewards points. Stop by your local O'Reilly Auto Parts store or shop online at O'ReillyAuto.com. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
To the Hyundai Getaway sales event going on right now and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong. Right now, you can get great deals on our most popular models, including our adventure-ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Santa Fe Hybrid and the Tucson or Tucson Hybrid. Plus, there's our bold and stylish Elantra loaded with the latest tech, or go all-electric with the Ionic 5 or IONIC 9.
So, get down to your local Hyundai dealer and get away with a deal you'll love during the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event. Visit HyundaiUSA.com. for details. You're a kid, right? Remember you when you were a kid?
Remember when you were a kid, gents? Everybody here in this room, now grown-ass men, still a kid. You're in the backyard. You're dreaming about being a Major League Baseball player. I bet, buddy.
We're all doing that. I bet your boy Cage is doing that right now. He was pimping home runs yesterday.
Okay, good to know. Good to know. I dreamed about mixing. Good to know. That's more about a window into your parenting than anything else.
Baseball. But you're dreaming in the backyard. Front yard and backyard. You're standing at the plate. It's your first Major League Baseball game.
And the first pitch you see, you tank 449 feet away in Wrigley Field.
So sick. That's what you dream of. You dream of that first pitch you see in your Major League Baseball career. You park. 449 feet away since they've created these sorts of.
Metrics As you're dreaming in the backyard, you're like, okay, that would be just the third longest home run. In a Major League Baseball players' debut since ESPN began tracking those home run distances in 2006. Only Jason Hayward and Aaron Judge hit one longer. That's what you dream of in the backyard. But wait, you're dreaming.
Wow. You're dreaming. You're not stopping there. You're not stopping there. You're thinking, I'm going to get up in the next at bat.
And I'm going to start my career with not one, but two home runs. I said two home runs in as many at-bats. That's what you're dreaming. I said two! And you're running around the backyard, you're creating the bases in your own head, and you're like, I'm going to go, and I'm touching them all.
And you got the high-pitched voice because you've got the announcer's voice in your head. You're narrating your own moments. And then you're like, while I'm dreaming, I'm just a kid in the backyard. I'm going to step up to the plate in my third at-bat, and I'm going to hit a third home run. I'm going to start my career with not just one home run, not just two home runs, but three home runs, and that's a major league record, and that's how I'm dreaming I'm starting my major league career.
I'm getting goosebumps just even telling this story because it freaking happened this weekend. It happened in Wrigley Field. As a St. Louis Cardinal stepped to the plate, Joshua Baez, ladies and gentlemen, called up just before the game. He had 30 family members in the stands in Wrigley Field, called up from Triple-A, Memphis.
And with his family in the stands, Lived out that dream. Here is Chip Carry with the home run calls of all three blasts. Swing and a high fly belted first pitch in the show by Addis Homers It is not supposed to be that easy. Unreal. Swagging a drive down the line.
Did he do it again? That ball is gone. He's got two homers. Swing, drive, well hit right. Suzuki back.
It is gone. Gone. Three. Three homers for Baez, major league history at Wrigley Field. Oh man, that's so cool.
I'm getting choked up. This would. I don't know the kid. I don't know him. I don't know his family.
I just know that this is the dream of every child, every boy, every girl that wants to be. A major leaguer It happened. Unreal. And you want to know about how impressive this is? Apparently, Cubs fans cheered him.
Yeah. That's amazing. And he's a cardinal in Wrigley Field. That's the highest praise you could possibly get, where it's just like, okay, I hate you, I hate your team, I don't know you, but now you play for this team here. I automatically hate you.
Oh, wait a minute. That's an impressive home run. I think they were throwing him back from the bleachers as well because that's what they do. Which is, by the way, good for him, which means he's got the baseballs. He doesn't have to horse trade for him.
Yeah. Because it's the first time this is ever happened. And he homered 449 feet on his first pitch he saw from Matthew Boyd. Boyd also threw it a first a couple times before, so he was kind of standing in the box, like waiting, waiting. And then just connected.
Smoked it. This kid tore up the minor leagues, 34 home runs in the minors this year. You could kind of see this coming. It was a question of if he was going to get called up this season. And man, What a debut.
Hey, Ocardo won the home run derby, and who knew this kid had his own home run derby in his first game? Unreal. The only thing missing at Wrigley Field was the woman in white standing up to make it happen. Yeah. It is like the natural, except the kid's in his early 20s, not in his late 30s.
Unreal. 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. In ESPN's wild world of college football, every Saturday begins with a ritual. And then, the migration turns to mayhem.
Predators hunt, territories are defended, rivals clash. In this wild world, legends are unleashed on Saturdays. No one brings you closer to the wild than ESPN. College football on ESPN kicks off August 28th. Witness the Wild on ABC ESPN and the ESPN app.
Hmm.
