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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Here we go again. The Rich Eisen Show. You guys are like a joke.
From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Today's guests, the Ringer NFL insider Tom Palicero, former NFL head coach Sean McDermott, CBS NFL analyst Trent Green, and now it's Rich Isen. All right, everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We are live. Here in Los Angeles, California, here on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio Series channel.
Um serious XM, pardon me, you can't leave out the XM. Channel number 80, 844-204, Rich is the number to dial to have a conversation with us. I'll be honest with you, the days in which you can call on this show and play the win-loss game are dwindling because as of this point, next week we'll have another game in the books. We'll be coming off of the Thursday night or Friday in Australia Rams and 49ers contest. Tom Pellisero, who's going to be covering that as part of Netflix, is going to be back on this show later on this hour, later on in this show.
We also have Trent Green joining us on the program, and Sean McDermott as well will be here. It'll be good times in our neighborhood. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Hey, Rich.
It's awesome. It's Friday. Let's go. And we're trying, well, we've got a what's more likely Friday. We do.
And Lots going on in this world as well. Our Rich Eisen Show Guillotine League that now features all of us. Yes. And Boob Le is, in fact, in. Seth Rollins is in.
O'Shea Jackson Jr. is in. Cooper is in. Vinny. Vinny is in.
Vinny Pasquantino is in. And Mike Hoskins got the first overall pick. Our coordinating producer counted us in to starting our open 3-2-1. And I'm taking Gibbs because he was the first overall pick in our guillotine league.
So TJ, you're up right now. You're on the clock. You're on the clock right now. Yeah.
Well, third pick.
Well, hello, first of all. First things first. It goes TJ. That's a different show. Sarah and then O'Shea in that order.
Okay. And I'm going to tell you this. You'd love to get on me about group chats and things. I'm going to be in this one not very long. I know, because the group chat went crazy.
Certainly since Rollins just. Got added to it. Good to see you, Jason. Feller, how are you? I'm good.
Always happy on Felly Fridays. We're all okay. If that's what you want to call me, Belly, when do you pay? Oh, you're way at the bottom. All right.
At any rate, we're focusing.
Sorry. Man, there's a lot of stories that just broke. WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert is going to retire after the season. Retire.
So that's one way to put it. As we all know, the WNBA has been chock full of things that everybody's talking about except WNBA action. And uh one would think potentially somebody uh Uh at the top of the flow chart. Um who the um I guess it was Asia Wilson who said the only relationship I have with her is when she hands me awards or trophies or something like that. She gets all the awards, so would you?
Yeah, so let's have one of the most famous players in the history of the sport. Have a relationship. other than just uh accepting um right pieces of metal. From the Commissioner. And somebody that can come in and and Maybe also Also, it blew my mind.
Our buddy Dan Patrick. reached out at one point when I think the story du jour was Why wasn't Caitlin Clark and Candace Parker and others on the anniversary poster? Remember that? Mm-hmm. That was part of the kerfuffles this year.
Dan reached out to the front office of uh the WNBA. And the commissioner canceled on him? Yeah.
Yeah.
Let me tell you one thing about our profession. The last person you should cancel on is Dan. Patrick. Yeah.
Unavailable all of a sudden.
Well, at any rate, let's hope the commissioner does enjoy her retirement and that the WNBA finds somebody at the top that everybody can um Follow. That's one lead item. How about another lead item that went off the air yesterday? Um The SEC is suing everybody at LSU. Like, literally, Greg Sankey turned into a jerky boy.
I'm sue everybody. Yeah.
You take a look at that lawsuit. I don't need to talk to you. Yeah.
Mm-hmm. The lawsuit is basically, you know, I'll boil it down for you. If Lane Kiffen puts either of the kids he got from the NFL on the field against Clemson this weekend. There's gonna be holy heck to pay. And the SEC sued a member's school all the way down to Lane Kiffin is named in the suit.
And it's now come down to essentially, hey. Um Lane. Is this worth the squeeze? to get two people that weren't good enough to play in the NFL to come back to your team? Is that worth the squeeze for you?
Because Sankey and the commission the SEC is putting a squeeze on LSU. And their entire Organization. as well. I'm just running through the top of the news stack right here before we get to some points.
Well, then, late last night, a Baton Rouge judge gave them an injunction, and they are cleared to play. tomorrow against Clemson. I I don't even know what to say. It's wild. anymore.
'Cause the SEC is filing suit. And judges are giving injunctions and Yeah.
Meanwhile, last night. Prime pulled one out of the hat at the end against Georgia Tech. What a finish. Trailing the entire game, and they marched down the field and score a touchdown with 40 seconds to go. Georgia Tech lines up for a 45-yard field goal to win at the final.
Yeah.
Gun and a blocked field goal. Did you see Prime's speech after the game to his team? Do we have it? No, we don't we don't have it, but I mean it's it's out there for people to see. Prime telling the kids, giving out game balls and saying, Make sure you clean up the locker room before you leave.
I just love the way looking to you, Real? No, it's not. I just love the way his brain looks. Like, we're going to leave this place. You know, better than we found it.
Two guys who desperately needed wins, Prime and Bill Belichick in week one, both got them late.
So What's LSU going to do? Um You know, the commissioner of the SEC is suing the school and the coach, and an injunction is getting, getting, it's only getting, I mean, It's just these days in college football. It's so difficult. To follow. But maybe what we should do is we should commission Somebody out there in our audience.
To explain it. in cartoon form and call it Conjunction injunction. What show function? Like a little schoolhouse rock. explanation of like You know And or bore or but.
You can play too. Conjunction, injunction. What's your function, Lane Kiffin? Take you there. My gosh.
It's tough to follow, but the bottom line is: looks like the kids can play. Looks like Lane could put his career at risk by playing them. Crazy. Go figure it out. I don't know.
But all I know is someone in a robe is going to have something to do with it rather than a helmet. And I don't know what the hell's going on with college football there. Dumb.
So As we turn our attention. To um the football season as well. I've got a top five list, everybody. Hey now. I've got a top five list.
This is the way that we're going to sort of kick off our coverage because next week we've got ourselves a heck of a guest list that we're very proud of. Uh next week. And um Keep your eye peeled for that. As we matriculate our way through Labor Day weekend. I almost had a top five list about the top five accomplishments and goals I had for Labor Day week until you guys talked me out of it.
Number five was going to be, you know, do nothing. Number four is going to be watch football and do nothing. Number three is going to be eat and watch football and do nothing. Yada, yada, yada. That's fair.
But instead, I've got a top five thing. This is Brock. This is your idea, Chris.
So thank you for keeping this show more in more in another lane. This is helping. Speaking of lanes, keeping us in our kiffin. Uh top five things that would blow my mind. If they actually happen in the upcoming NFL season, brought to you by Hyundai.
Hit it. One, two, three, four, five. Richest top five. All right, everybody, here's my top five brought to you by Hyundai. The top five things.
Occurrences Hmm. Who knew could be reality that would blow my mind if they happen in the upcoming NFL season that begins next Wednesday in Seattle? Mind blowing. Mind blowing. Russian yards leader Jadarian Price.
Oh, baby.
Okay, that's where we're going. Would blow my mind.
Okay. Kids got a chance, right? I mean, if they want to run the football and he's going to be a bell cow. because Zach Charbonnet isn't there yet. and he's replacing Kenneth Walker.
That would blow my mind. That it wouldn't be Saquon, wouldn't be Bijan, wouldn't be Jameer, wouldn't be. Jonathan keep going but it's a rookie The last rookie to lead the league in rushing was. Kareem Hunt. Incorrect, Saquon did it.
Oh. He did it in 2018. Then Kareem Hunt did it the year before. And then the year before that, Zeke did it. How about that?
So It's been done. Go figure that. Eric Dickerson is the most rushing yards by a rookie, 18. 108 yards. Beast.
So You know? Zeke did it, brother. How about them apple? Zeke was awesome. Zeke was amazing.
People forget. All right. Number four. It's mind-blowing. NFC East Champion New York Giants.
Now, I know everybody's out there saying, oh, they're a sleeper team, and they're all talking about, hey, they're going to be better than you think. And there's a lot of higher registers with that. Hey, the Giants are going to be better than you think. I mean, John Harva comes from the Ravens, and he's going to turn this thing around. I mean, they got a lot of young guys.
Is that Wuhold?
Now that this would be, by the way, Notre Dame does play rice in just a couple weeks. Don't you look out for that rice team.
Alright. But The Giants winning the division though? I think everybody that's a, you know, they're a sleeper team, look out for the Giants things, they'll get a wild card. but beating the Cowboys and the Eagles to win the whole Division? That would blow my mind.
Me too. Number three. I've already given you rushing yards leader Jadarian Price, NFC East Champion, New York Giants. Comeback Player of the Year Anthony Richardson would blow my mind. That would blow my mind.
Okay, let's just say he does get a shot. Right, let's just say he gets a shot. He's a shot. and he starts playing out of his skull. And all of a sudden, Daniel Jones starts standing there with his helmet in his hands when he's back.
It's like, huh? Likely? I doubt it.
So, what's more likely Friday? Unlikely. But this is a good one. All of these, you know, this comeback player of the year, Anthony Richardson, would blow my skull. Number two.
I said too. I've given you rushing yards leader Jadarian Price, NFC East Champion, New York Giants, comeback player of the year, Anthony Richardson. MVP finalist Deshaun Watson. Come on. What are we doing here?
What do you mean, what are we doing here? This would blow your mind. This wouldn't blow your mind? Yeah, I mean, I'm just saying, what are we doing? Yeah, it wouldn't be all.
Don't you think? Yeah, for sure. Aye, man. They got some rookie receivers, right? Jerry Judy.
Well, he's not. Quinchon Judkins can help take the pressure off. And then this kid shows up. And then the rookie. He's not a kid anymore.
He shows up like a kid, right? There was a point in time where he was filthy. Where this was not a raised kid. Yeah.
I mean. On the field too. Yeah.
Well Mm-hmm. Number one. Uh Rushing Yards leader Jodarian Price. NSE East Champion, New York James. Let's count it down.
Comeback Player of the Year, Anthony Richardson. MVP finalist, Deshaun Watson. That one is crazy. The thing that would blow my mind the most and would blow everyone's mind, and it's entirely possible. Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers.
Steelers win it all. Wow. Mike McCarthy comes home and wins it all. And Roger strolls off. He goes to Malibu, wherever he wants to go.
And he hoists the trophy. And he forever now has to pay for no meals in Wisconsin or western Pennsylvania. Yeah.
That would blow everyone's mind. Oh, Steelers make the Super Bowl, win it. in Los Angeles.
sort of a a home game, if you will. Terrible towels waving in the home of the Rams. Almost anywhere that goes up. And the. fact that Rogers gets to actually live out that dream.
Would blow my mind.
I get it. And that might be the most possible thing out of all the five on my list right here. That might be. Yeah, if we're gonna power rank. Hey man.
No joke. Giants can win the East. You think we need one more? Oh, wait. All right, we'll get one more.
Unfortunately, this team has... injury problems as we all know. Everybody blames that. Ridiculous electrical station. The one more thing that would blow my mind.
If it happens in 2026, is that the 49ers sign Dejan Love? They actually look at the film. They look at the tape. They look at the post. They tell the beach.
And they nod their head. They're just like, yeah.
Well, and then maybe shake it like, you know, like it's Alonzo Morning Jay. Yeah, we could use this. The gift of Jalon. Whatever it's called. But the 49ers go, you know what?
We could use the helm. Purdy could use the help. And they actually signed Jay Johnson. I mean, look, his fingers healed. That's right.
I was holding them back. I was holding them back. Or the finger that you heard signing the contract by circling your line. That was that would blank. Or the one that he apparently hit send asking for free stuff?
Multiple times. Man, free food. The people's DMs are great. Rich, I've seen this guy's a legend. He hit a battle with flicks.
Oh, my God. Is all I have to say. Oh, that's right.
Well done. That's my top five brought to you by Hyundai. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Sales event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong. Visit Hyundaiusa.com. Four details All right.
Thank you very much. David. Terrence Howard. All right, let's take a break. Words that I didn't know I would get to say again.
I know. Coming up next on the Rich Isaacs show, Tom Pellisan. Hey, I knew, I always knew. Tommy P. Let's go.
Okay. Netflix P. 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.
It's Saturday. Kickoff's getting close, and your weekend project just hit a wall. You're short on materials, or you need one more tool for the job. Turns out that quick fix needs a quick assist. That's the perfect time to call an Audible with Express Delivery from the Home Depot.
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Bumble. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. In terms of swelling, it seems like he's in a good place to play in this game as well. I know there's been a long list of injuries. I mean, we talked about it getting ready for the Netflix broadcast.
There's like 13 49ers and only three Rams at this time, which, if you go by historical standards, shouldn't surprise anybody. But outside of Ricky Pearcell, none of these seem like long-term things for the 49ers, and they just have to hope that it stays that way. Our radio audience has rejoined, as you know how this works here, Tom, being a frequent guest host here on this program. Our radio audience has rejoined the voice of our dear friend Tom Pellisero back here on the Rich Eisen Show in advance of the NFL Netflix opener. coming up uh next Thursday night in Melbourne, it's the Rams of the 49ers kicking off at 5:30, 8:35 p.m.
Eastern American Time. Tommy P here on the program. Also, now of the Ringer. Let's talk about Aaron Donald. Is he going to be?
Listen, you know how we've been playing. Is he back yet? Is he back yet? Is he back yet? He finally comes back, and then McVay's asked a question about Donald's health.
And he's like, Yeah, I mean, we'll see if he goes to Australia and plays in it. Are we going to see him next Thursday night? Tom. They haven't finalized anything on that front for a guy who's missed this much time, like Aaron Donalds has. You would assume that they are going to err on the side of caution, especially because the Rams, unlike the 49ers, already made the trip.
The Rams are flying in and basically playing the same day. With the way that this thing works with the international dateline, they're taking off, it sounds like, on Wednesday, which means they will get in sometime on Thursday. The game is Friday morning in Melbourne time, which, by the way, Melbourne is the preferred pronunciation. Had a long chat with the local civic leaders there about that piece of this thing. But for Aaron Donald, you know, it's going to be about a ramp-up process.
There's very little precedent for a player missing out on multiple seasons, you know, retiring and being away and coming back and playing. Deion Sanders is the only Pro Football Hall of Famer since World War II to do this. And so the target for Donald is probably a couple dozen plays whenever he makes his debut, whether that's week one or week two. They're going to emphasize third downs and pass row situations. In two-minute and try to keep him fresh over the long haul here.
You'll see him in the biggest moments, and they'll challenge everybody else to figure out how they're going to deal with Aaron Donald. And probably for the first time in Aaron Donald's entire career, offensive coordinators might be looking and going, We've got to deal with Miles Garrett and Kobe Turner and Braden Fisk and Byron Young. Let's single the old guy until he makes us do otherwise. Aaron Donald's never seen that before, and he might get his opportunity.
Okay, Tom Pellisero here on the Rich Eisen Show. It's Melbourne. I don't want to piss off the d the s Did you say the civic leaders? You met with civic leaders of anything. It was like the Chamber of Commerce.
We got a nice presentation for like an hour there. I mean, this is you sat through, hold on a minute. You sat through a Melbourne Chamber of Commerce Zoom. I learned a lot about the First Peoples of Australia. I learned about all the various languages, the traditions.
You know, the Melbourne cricket ground where this is being played is like 170 years old. It holds over 100,000 people. And crucially, alcohol sales sources say begin at 6.30 a.m. local time before the 10.30 a.m. local kick.
So our set for Netflix, which is going to be outside, at least for the first couple of hours, our pregame show starts at 8.30 a.m. local time, which is 6.30 Eastern, 3.30 Pacific. I'm getting all this stuff down as we go. That's going to be right out there with the crowd.
So Clay Matthews, Nick Foles, our buddy Michael Irvin is back. Got to hang out with Irv last week at the Netflix festival. And then L. Duncan, they're going to be in there with the 100,000 Aussies who have all perhaps begun enjoying their day.
So it should be a scene, man. I'm hoping I have requested to do at least one hit outside in the crowd just because I want to experience everything that Melbourne and this event have to offer. That is, again, next week after the Seahawks and the Patriots kick off. to begin with. Let's use that as another kickoff to the Annual conversation as to who's getting a contract in the last seconds before it strikes midnight and who's not.
Christian Gonzalez, what do you have for me on the Patriots? Robert Kraft has said, and I'm told that it's absolutely true, that they've offered to make Christian Gonzalez the highest paid corner in the NFL. And this is not a recent development, Rich. This has been the case for six months. And there have been other deals that have gotten done, and the offer has been adjusted.
Christian Gonzalez right now is not taking it. He's got the same agent that did Devin Witherspoon's deal in Seattle. That one also took a lot longer than people thought. Are they going to get to a point where, you know, come, the teams fly into Seattle on Monday? Is it Monday morning?
It's like, all right, this is the best available deal. I'll just take it. Does he continue to push it? He did return to practice a week or so ago. From everything I've been told, he looks great on the practice field.
His press conferences convey a level of frustration. But again, he's been offered to be the highest paid corner, and this doesn't sound like it's a funny money type of deal. He's got a decision to make on when is enough enough, which if I'm Gonzalez and I'm in a situation where I'm really under team control for the next four years, Rich, because entering year four, then the option year, then two franchise takes. It's not like you're going to be able to move the market that much. I think it gets done, but I also thought that it was going to get done over the past several weeks.
That hasn't happened yet.
So we'll see exactly where it lands.
Okay, CJ Stroud, contract or deal or no deal? I feel like Mandela was here last Friday. What do you got for me? They've continued to talk. They've not been entirely on the same page.
Those quarterback deals are difficult because of the way that the market may well explode in 2027. If you're CJ Stroud and you're being offered a deal based on the breadth of your three years, including the way last season finished and we all saw the playoff game, which was just a complete mess for him, it wasn't all bad for C.J. Stroud last season. But he may be thinking, I'll just come back and play this thing out. And the market will move such that whatever I'm getting offered now, it's going to be a significant percentage increase next year.
If you're an agent, you're looking at this and you're talking percentage of the cap and where the money should be. It may be a $70 million a year market next year. Where does C.J. Stroud fall into that? We'll see.
But with Caleb Williams and Jay Daniels and Drake May and Bo Nick's all up, Lamar Jackson still hasn't signed a contract. Baker Mayfield hasn't signed a contract. You know, for Stroud, it certainly has sounded for months, Rich, like he is willing, if he needs to, to go and play this thing out. Nothing's over. It's not as simple as sometimes people say, like, I turned down a deal.
No, it's a negotiation. You're going back and forth. They're just not there yet. And so they may be in a situation barring a significant move here where he ends up playing this thing out.
So, why are they not on the same page? They don't believe in him to give him the market deal? I mean, let's just call it what it is. I mean, the kid has gotten them in the divisional round along with the defense. It's a team game, I get it.
three years in a row, but then there have been just moments in these some of these games where you're just like w Where did that play come from? And it just se they're hedging a little bit here, Tom?
Well, it's also a matter of the market dynamics, Rich. And you certainly can say, all right, if they think Stroud is going to have a great year, just pay what it takes to get the deal done now. Just have it in place because the market is going to move. You know, the flip side of that argument is you don't want to end up if you're not 100% sold that we should pay this guy at the top of the market. And then the play doesn't take that spike.
And now you're in the position of a Miami or an Arizona this past year where you're having to eat money to move on from a player. They're not in that state. Right now, with CJ Stroud. They wouldn't make him an offer at all if they didn't want him to be the starting quarterback of the team. But it's the same thing with guys like Bryce Young.
It's like, what is the proper number? A lot of those deals right now are in the 50s. But if you're in the 50s now, well, next year, that same deal to let rank the same workplace among the quarterbacks, you might be in the mid-60s. That's part of the dynamic here right now. Certainly understand where a team would look at the body of work and just say, all right.
We don't want to pay above what Mahomes is getting or above what even Dak Prescott is getting. You know, what is the correct number? That's what it is. It's not, I don't think, anything particularly unusual. The only thing that is unusual is the number of teams that aren't committed to a quarterback for 2027, either because that guy's on a one-year deal, he's not under contract, he hasn't signed an extension.
It is going to be quarterback chaos in the offseason of 2027. And that can be good for the player if they're willing to have that level of risk tolerance and say, I'm going to take my shot here. All right, buddy Tom Pellisero here on The Rich Eisen Show. When do the Packers. Expect to see Josh Jacobs.
Tom, I've got to ask it that way because, again, the commissioner's exempt list, you never know how long you're on it. When you get off it. all of that stuff. What are the Packers' level of expectation here? They do not know.
And that is the honest truth. They were hopeful that when Josh Jacobs faced reduced charges, was actually formally charged with two misdemeanors. The felony charge was not pursued. Two other charges were not pursued. They were hopeful that that was going to mean Josh Jacobs was going to be on the field while his legal matter played out.
Obviously, the league decided to protect themselves, for lack of a better term, knowing that in the police report, it says that there is a tape that exists of the incident and the fallout that would happen if that tape were to come out and if it were to show something more significant than what the charges would indicate. They decided to put Josh Jacobs on the shelf.
Now, this creates an environment, Rich, where his next hearing isn't until mid-November. What no one should want, the league. The union, anybody else is a player being forced to, for instance, take a plea deal when they feel like they're not guilty of a crime just to get themselves back onto the field. We have seen different situations with like a Jabril Peppers, where his. Legal situation was not resolved and was still reinstated from the commissioner's exemplist.
The best way to say it, Rich, is every situation is different. Every case is different. There's no two things that are exactly alike, but it is an extremely fluid situation. And right now, I would anticipate for the foreseeable future, it is going to be a committee backfield with Marshawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Caleb Johnson, who just got there a few days ago. That's what the Packers are going to be rolling in to week one in Minnesota with.
What are you hearing? What are you hearing, Tom Pellisero, about Okay. The Patrick Mahomes we're going to get. Week One Monday Night Football. Broncos, Chiefs.
Who are we going to see? We're going to see the Mahomes we're used to seeing. What do you think? What are you hearing? At this point, Andy Reid has not even confirmed that Patrick Mahomes is starting in week one.
Let's move off of that one. What do you want? All the signs are pointing toward Patrick Mahomes being out there. This is a significant injury, Rich. I mean, an ACL, LCL, that's what Robert Griffin III had.
That's what Carson Wentz had. There's some other instances. These are potentially longer-term injuries. One of the things that's unique with Mahomes is he's one of the only guys in recent memory that got his ACL reconstructed the night the injury happened. It was hours after the game.
Normally, you have to wait for swelling to go down. You have to, you know, it could be a week, it could be a month. Mahomes got it that night, which then set the clock moving. In a nine-month injury, it's basically exactly nine months. Come next Monday night when they are set to play the Broncos.
We also know Mahomes is a guy who has been the proverbial fast healer. He had that gruesome dislocated kneecap and missed like one. One game, he's just always had an ability. He had the ankles one year when they went to the Super Bowl, somehow played through that. He's just always had this ability to push through it.
I would certainly anticipate that they are going to exercise caution as they're bringing him along. But if you look at the workload he had in camp, he's been taking essentially all the first-team reps. He has looked for the people on the scene like Patrick Mahomes. I believe that they'll be careful with some things, maybe in terms of exposing him in certain areas. But if he's on the field, he's out there not because they think he's 85%.
No, he's all the way back, even if there's some things in terms of rust and maybe some calls they won't make while he gets to see legs under it. All right, Tom. A few minutes I have left with you, sir. You know, I always ask you about what the people we talk to are thinking. And Because, you know, you're at the You were at the cross section of Chatter Street and Rumor Avenue.
So, the people that you talk to. Say, look out for this team. What is the predominant team that they're like? Nobody's talking. Look out for it.
Look out for that. I think everybody, well, let me start with this. This is a team that everyone's talking about, but I would say there's a lot of people in the league who, in their various ways, express some level of skepticism about the Rams. Kind of a prove it. Like, are they actually going to be able to stop the run?
Are all these older players going to hold up? I think inevitably, when you have these kind of dream team scenarios, there's other teams that kind of bristle. Like, you know, even you saw Nick A. Manwari, the Seahawks safety, who after Donald came back, he posted something on social media that was along the lines of all this for us. In other words, we're the Super Bowl champs.
We won the division. We were the one seed. And yet it's the Rams that are plus 500 to win the Super Bowl. Nobody's talking about Seattle right now. That might be one of the teams.
I think the Seahawks, Rich, have a potential to be better. This season. I know they lost Kenneth Walker III, who was the MVP of the Super Bowl, huge piece of their playoff run. They had some other guys like Kobe Bryant who went to Chicago. He's going to be out for a good chunk of this season, but should be back toward the end.
Boyer Mafe got a big deal in Cincinnati, but Mike McDonald knows what he's doing on defense. They're going to be one of the best defenses in the NFL year in and year out. Sam Darnold's healthier than he was during the Super Bowl run. A bunch of these young players that they really like are going to be a step further. I think that Seattle isn't being talked about enough, even though contextually I understand why.
And then there are some other teams that I think nobody, you know, we had a segment on the Ringer NFL show yesterday, which was, you know, predicting the divisions. Like, nobody's talking about Minnesota as even being a factor. It's like everyone talking it's a three-team race with the Packers and the Lions and the Bears. If I get to a 9-8 last year where they had a mess in the quarterback room the entire season, I mean, they beat the Lions on Christmas Day with Max Brosmer, an undrafted rookie throwing for like 52 yards. They're still going to be able to do that.
Brian Flores coordinating that defense, they're still going to challenge you every week. I mean, you don't need Kyler Murray to be a top-five quarterback to think that the Vikings have the possibility of being pretty good. They made a lot of changes. I think that they're a team that's going to be in the mix. And then there's some other teams that, you know, when I look at like the win-loss over overs, which over-unders, which now I'm allowed to do a little bit more, Richie, I still won't give game.
Me too. But when the commanders are, you know, five and a half is their over-under on wins. And I'm like, they were in the NFC championship game 18 months ago. Jaden last year was a disaster. All the injuries, they bet on a bunch, they doubled down on the older players.
Those guys got hurt or they declined. Jaden Daniels is back. Yes, he's adjusting to a new offense. It's not the Cliff Kingsbury area derivative offense anymore. David Blau is an unproven first-time coordinator.
Durante Jones, the defensive coordinator, is a first-timer. But I just wouldn't be surprised in a division that seems pretty wide open. I know we talk a ton about the Eagles and the Cowboys, but like the Commanders, I Just don't see being like a four-win type of team. If they are, there's going to be major changes in Washington, but I could see them coming out and Jaden finally being healthy again and having his receivers and having time on task with McLaurin this year, who was a hold-in all last year, having time with Sefon Diggs, who can still play. I just wouldn't be surprised if we're talking in the opening weeks of the season, like.
Oh, yeah, Jayden Daniels is a pretty good quarterback, and maybe this Washington team we've we've overlooked the entire offseason. I love it, Tom, but let's cycle back to the first one because to me that is the undercurrent of the whole season. where thirty-one teams are like the Rams Aren't going to just walk through. You don't walk through. You don't just roll out the footballs.
We'll show them. They're not all that. Yada, yada, yada. I totally understand Nicky Memorier or anyone with Seatt with Seattle on their Chester Anybody that roots for the Seahawks. um should feel that way and have a legitimate reason And case to say we're still better.
I'm wondering if the rest are wish casting, man, for real. Like, you know, are they that said, though, I don't put it past anybody. And I dig it. I dig it. There's chips on shoulders everywhere.
Dan Campbell was kind of the first one to talk about it, and that's no surprise. Like, oh, I guess we should just stop playing. I love it. I can't wait for it. It's so great.
It's very rare that you have a team that is by far the favorite like this, much less a team that didn't even win their division last year that's being talked about in that regard. And L.A., I mean, the Rams are the perfect L.A. team where whether they're building it up or tearing it down, they're always interesting. They're always making big moves. And you go all the way back to trading for Trent McDuffie with a first round pick, silent Jalen Watson to a huge deal, bringing in Miles Garrett.
bringing back Aaron Donald. You know, the only thing they didn't do this year that was not all in for 2026 was drafting Ty Simpson in the first round. But part of the logic of that is. Depending on how this goes, we might be into a reset phase. And by the way, we're never with this group going to have a high enough draft pick to get any of these quarterbacks.
So let's take the guy now that we think a year or two down the line could be really, really good. But the only concern you would have, and this is just the percentages over the course of time, is how many older players they have on the roster. Matthew Stafford, I mean, Sean McVeighs talked about it. They had doubts that Stafford was going to play at all last season because of how bad his back was in camp. He obviously came out and he won the NFL MVP, and there's no reason to think it's going to be an issue again.
But a 40-year-old quarterback who, granted, he's one of the toughest guys we've ever seen in terms of playing through injuries, but guys get banged up. Aaron Donald's coming back, hasn't played in two years, and he's 36. Miles Garrett's on the other side of 30. Devontae Adams is getting toward the end. They've got a bunch of really good young players, too.
I'm taking nothing away from the Pukas and Kyron Williams and Kobe Turner, who's an underrated player. Byron Young. I mean, they got a bunch of guys they got to look into extending after this. season as well when you have some of your crucial players that are a little bit older It does create that environment where if anybody declines, if anybody gets banged up, the expectations can change really quickly. On the flip side of it, by the way, Rich, I also think that it is very unique that when you look at those Super Bowl odds and all the teams that are in the AFC mix, in essence, made either huge changes after last season or worked good last season.
Like the top teams, I believe, are the Bills, the Ravens, and the Chiefs. Two of those teams fired their head coaches after last season, and the Chiefs went 6-11. I think that's part of the fun of this season is, yes, exactly what you're saying. You've got the team that everybody's trying to take down in the Rams. And whether you agree or not, on paper, Vegas odds, they're the team to beat in the NFC.
But in AFC, where year after year it was, well, it's the Chiefs until it's not. It's the Chiefs until it's not. The AFC feels completely wide open outside of a couple of teams. Like it's kind of anybody's game. I think that that makes it really fun as we go into this.
And even when we were, you know, the guys were making. In their playoff predictions yesterday, no matter how you slice it, AFC or NFC, you got a handful of teams here, like, wait. I don't have room for them. I don't have them in the playoffs. Like, it's going to be a really fun and I think wide open season all kicking off Wednesday night in Seattle and then Thursday night, which is really Friday morning.
Netflix With us in Melbourne, Australia, 6:30 Eastern, 8 pregame, 8:30 Eastern kick. I'm going to get this down in my head. I'm going to be waking up. I'm going to be doing the game over breakfast. It'll be great, man.
It'll be great. And for those on Netflix who are hiding on the Zoom right now, hiding their cameras on the Zoom, this is how long Tom and I usually talk. And I do look forward already to the next time. I'm so happy for you, bud. I'm so happy.
Appreciate it. It's great to see your smiling face up there. And say hi to the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce for me, okay? I will. I'm hoping to since you're such a already woven into the community.
I want to participate in a smoke ceremony, and I just want to hold a koala. I think one of those two things will happen. We might need to work on the koala. Don't know about the smoke ceremony. I don't know.
Does Netflix test? I have no idea. Maybe we'll find that out. They got TJ Plus down there? I don't know if that's what he's referring to.
All I know is it was a big thing. It was a huge part of the presentation. I want the smoke ceremony. Ladies and gentlemen, Tom Pellisero. I hope to speak to you very soon.
Absolutely. Safe journey. That's Tom Poster. Everybody's part of Netflix's coverage, as well as the ringer as well. We're back here on Disney Plus.
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The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. People get started by posting a free job at linkedin.com/slash Eisen. By the way, uh not surprising to hear Tom say The Rams are flying in. two days before.
Big game. in Australia. He said basically they're taking off Wednesday landing Thursday. Yep. And then they're going to get some rest and they're going to play the game Friday morning and then they're going to beat it on down the line.
Meanwhile, the Niners are already there, he said. Yeah, it's wild that they're both taking basically the opposite approaches. And I'll just counsel this to anybody who's just like, well. What an advantage for the 49ers, right? Last year, Rams, Jaguars, London.
Jaguars played the week before, they were already there. Rams flying day day before. Beat the crap out of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Like the last team to beat the crap out of the Jaguars all year long. Nope.
Jaguars came back after London. And take a look at their record after that London game. I think they had a game against your Raiders. Um felly that got real tight for them. They pulled that one out of their Duval.
And and then started Waxing the competition. If I'm not mistaken last year. With the Jaguars.
So The Rams went ahead and beat the crap out of him. And everybody saw what a mistake that was. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial here on the program. Um, let's go to Jake in Kansas City. What's up, Jake?
What's going on? Uh Rich, appreciate you taking my call. She had a quick question for you on this what's more likely Friday. It involves your jets And as a Chiefs fan, I'm always watching the receiver market, you know, trying to see who's available. I'd like to know What you think is more likely that Your Garrett Wilson.
and Justin Jefferson both finished the season On the Jets and Vikings. Or that at least one of them is a dealt before the deadline. Oh, God, neither of them are going anywhere, Jay. Neither of them are going anywhere. What's more likely?
It's not even it's not even in the planet likely that the the Vikings or Jets would be like Things are just not going well here this year, and the future is bleak. Let's just start amassing draft. The Jets, let's put it this way: Justin Jefferson is going nowhere. He should retire in purple. Garrett Wilson, I have no idea what the Jets are going to do anymore.
I imagine they are done in the we're trading everybody for future draft choices mode. You'd think so. I think, look it up. They have nine first-round draft choices next year, right? It's a correct?
Yeah, a third of the first round is the Jets picking. You know what I mean? Come on now. Come on now. And they held on to him.
They sent sauce away. who was a player rookie of the year the same year that Garrett was. The Jets have three. Thank you for the call, Jake. I appreciate it.
Just so we're accurate. That's what I'm saying. The Jets should be. Out of the business. of trading away Young stars For future considerations.
Plus they paid him. I mean he's he's paid in and let's Let's just give him a quarterback, man, that he's going to be playing with for the rest of his career. You know, Justin Jefferson thought he had one of them.
Now he doesn't. We'll see. Maybe he does again. Yeah.
That that that ain't happening. But it is a what's more likely Friday. We're going to play that coming up here on the Rich Eisen Show. Sean McDermott is our next guest. 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. This episode is brought to you by Chat GPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects and when you need more than just answers.
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