REShow: Andrew Whitworth - Hour 3

This is the Rich Eisen Show. Perfection wears red and black. The dogs have done it.

65 to 7. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I think Jameson Williams asked Aaron Rodgers for his jersey and Aaron said, I'm going to hold on to this one. I'm going to hold on to this one. That's what he said. I'm going to hold on to this one.

And Tarico heard that and goes, well that's something. The Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show, Senior Writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. Coming up, Super Bowl Champion and NFL on Prime Video Analyst, Andrew Whitworth. And now, it's Rich Eisen.

Yes, it is. Can confirm. Welcome to our number three of the Rich Eisen Show right here on the Roku Channel. We're free, by the way. We're free here on all Roku devices, Samsung Smart TVs. We're also free as well on the internet tubes, the rokuchannel.com. We say hello to anybody listening to us on Sirius XM, Odyssey. If you're listening to us on our podcast, we say hello to you.

If you're also watching us on the Roku channel, using the Roku app because the Roku channel is live there. And then there's also Amazon Fire TV. See how I mentioned that one last, Chris? You see how I mentioned Amazon last?

Because I'm about to make a turn to my right. You're a professional, Rich. You know what I'm saying?

Yeah. You're a real pro these days. You watched him on Thursday Night Football, his first inaugural season of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, by the way, which you can also watch right here on Roku. Great to see you, Walter Payton Man of the Year. I guess you're the Man of the Year for only, what, four more weeks, pretty much? A lot much longer, yeah. Before your reign ends.

That's right. Good to see you, Andrew Whitworth. How are you? Good to see you, brother.

Hey, man. Congrats on a great season. It was a lot of fun. First time getting to do something like that. It was really special.

For those who might be watching on Roku right now, I'll describe for the radio. Why don't I see what I wore in honor of you today? I love it.

I appreciate that. I don't have the strings. I don't have the strings like you have. Yeah, they made me take the strings out on air. What do you mean?

They thought that was too casual. Is that right? Right. Wow. So you're more professional than me. You don't have the strings.

Well, hold on a second. So how many episodes, how many games did you do with the strings before they told you? Or they took the strings out first time you rehearsed? I think I did our pre-season game with strings, and then we decided we had to, you know, it's like putting a tie on. We got to take the strings out. That made it professional. Well, I mean, pre-season, you're working through some things in pre-season, but then when it's time for the games to count, they're like, take the string out of your structure. Yeah, that's it. Lock in.

Let's go. What was the biggest, I guess, surprise for you being a TV part of the paparazzi now that you are now on the other side of it as opposed to a player? I think really to me, just the behind the scenes, everything that goes into it, getting to see the production, the trucks, all the people that are involved. You know, a lot of times I think when you're watching, you forget how many people there are behind the scenes that are doing great work and getting to meet all them and really kind of, I guess you thought maybe you're just going to be on air by yourself, but there's this huge team that's all involved in that process. Those relationships and being on the road, that traveling circus type, you know, everybody's showing up on Wednesday and getting after it for the game.

I thought that was really cool. Just more camaraderie than I really ever would have imagined. Well, it's your new team.

I mean, it's your new team and you have your new teammates. What about just thinking about stuff to say on the air, making sure you're saying the right thing and, you know, that live TV is a tightrope. What about that?

It is. I think too, like being live, you know, in person, you know, sitting in the studio, you're going to the stadium, you're sitting there, the fans start roaring, the lights are going out and you're trying to make a point. It's just things that you don't think about while you're watching, but when you're doing it, all of a sudden the lights drop, the energy goes up and you can't hear anything. You think you hear questions, sometimes you hope, you know, that you're trying to decipher because it's so loud. Did you take a stab at an answer without hearing the questions?

Oh yeah, there's plenty of those chances. I'm pretty sure in the Browns game when I was in the crowd there with the dog pound, I had zero clue what any of them were saying at the desk when they were talking to me and I was just guessing at the questions. But yeah, I mean, some of that where you realize, man, all right, you got to be on your stuff and I think really confident in who you are and what you have to say because you get done sometimes and you're like, did I say the right names and the right things? I mean, I know I know what I'm talking about, but did I say it correctly? You know, like, and you have to go back and watch it like, oh good. Yeah, I did.

But you just second guess yourself sometimes when you're in those moments, live like that. And one of the best parts about doing Thursday night, which, um, and you work with a lot of the same people who, um, did it with me. Um, and it was seeing all the different teams because it's, it's kind of like an orange wedge.

You know, everybody gets one like a youth sports orange wedge. Everyone gets a Thursday night game. Um, and so you see everybody, the best team you saw this year in person, which is the best team, Andrew Whitworth, you saw in person. You know, obviously I think Philly is so impressive. I mean, getting to see them, I thought in that Houston game that we had with them, they really played kind of poorly in the first half.

And I thought it was really impressive to see, you know, a situation like that. You're undefeated. This Houston team is giving you their best you're kind of not, it's not going how you want finding a way to win a game and just seeing how complete they are.

There's so many ways they can win a game. And then I think them and the Niners are the two that it's just like, they stick out as really, really good football teams. We obviously got Kansas city and the chargers early in the year.

So, you know, I think we're really what they developed into Kansas city is obviously really impressive, but I don't know that you saw that really in week one as much as what they are now. Right. And in terms of that, I mean, you saw Philly in Houston and that stands out because Philly was playing Houston in the world series at the very same time.

And it was the off day of that world series or I think actually rain outs made it a same night type of stuff. Right. So the reason why I mentioned that, that we're talking October and Philly's different now, I think, I mean, Lane Johnson being, being a huge factor, isn't it? Yeah. It's one of those things, you know, it's interesting, you know, people forget how much injuries and health really matters when you look into these playoffs, regardless of, I don't care what their records are, how they've been playing momentum and injuries matter.

And I think people make a lot of who hasn't played in the playoffs and who has, and I don't know that that's as important as much as the momentum your team has and really how healthy they are. So what is lane? I mean, they need that bi-week. We got to get lane back if you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan.

Yeah. And playing with a core injury is not something that's going to be very fun. I mean, you know, for an offensive lineman, your, your core is how you brace.

That's how you stop people. It's how you move people. I mean, you obviously use your legs and arms and stuff, but your core is really the essential of that power.

I mean, you think about when you're squatting or lifting or doing anything like that, the core is very important. And so for a guy like him, it's really going to be how much pain is it and how much pain does he have to play through? And I think for him, just being as efficient as he is and elite as he is, he'll find a way to get his job done. And I'm hoping he's healthy for that. Yeah, me too. Cause I want to see, that's what you want in the playoffs.

You want everybody at their full compliment and hopefully that their bi-week will actually help. Um, and when you saw Philadelphia, they, they had yet to lose a game. They eventually did lose one at home to Washington in the last two in recent days without Jalen Hurts. The Niners, when you saw them, it was Brock Purdy's first, if I'm not mistaken, road game in Seattle. Now that who knew a playoff preview, um, and, and Purdy's been remarkable being around that team and being around him.

Uh, what, what can you, what insights can you give us about how ready this team is to just take him to the podium just like you did last year? I think when you look at them, you know, talk about a team that has the experience of missing a quarterback. I mean, it seems like every other year they're dealing with Jimmy's hurt and somebody else's playing. I mean, uh, you know, I think Kyle Shanahan's gotta be, you know, have some of the best statistics ever for the amount of quarterbacks you've played over five years in different games and still won.

So they have experience with it. But I think the best thing that going for Purdy is that, uh, that's one of the best defenses, you know, honestly in the, in the last decade, it's exceptional at every level. And then offensively, you've got a great offensive line.

You've got all kinds of skill players that can do things with a football. And so I think it really is a position for him to just be confident, be who he is and just execute the things college draws up for him because you're always going to have these Shanahan plays. He does an amazing job of finding ways to exploit defenses and he's done a great job of just executing and hitting those opportunities. And I think people sometimes try to take that away from him. But to me it's, it's a compliment to this kid that every opportunity Shanahan's put him in, he's taken advantage of it and he's hit the open guy.

I mean, we've seen people miss people all the time or he's made the right read. And I think it's really been impressive to see what he's done. Of course. I mean, when he took the reins, shockingly took the reins, um, it was like, can he just keep this thing afloat? They improved their, their draft, their, their playoff position. They're the two seed. He actually helped them overtake Minnesota, stay things, uh, keep things on track.

And the question is, is what, what's the difference between, you know, regular and postseason play and how he's going to react to it. Right. I mean, cause we, we, the list of hall of fame quarterbacks who lost their first playoff game. I mean, I, we could literally spend the rest of this segment reading off that list.

Plus I don't have it in front of me, so I'll just shorthand it that way. I think for me, it's that he's playing with an exceptional football team. I think when you look top to bottom talent wise defensively and offensively, it's not like in the playoffs, he's all of a sudden play a team where they're outmanned.

They're, they are going to be as good as anybody they line up against top to bottom roster wise. And so I don't think he's going to experience something where it's like, Oh man, all of a sudden I'm in a really tough situation. It's going to be more of exactly what he's already been through. Right. And it's going to be, Hey, is the moment too big?

Is it, do you make things more than they are or can you just stay settled and be who you are? And I think what's cool really to watch with him that I think is just a small thing is his ability really to get himself out of pressure. You watch his first game, he plays the dolphins, the team is going to bring zeros.

They're going to bring all these different things. He found ways to kind of, you know, edge himself away from where the free guy was, get the ball out on time or extend the play. He's got some busted plays where a guy comes free, where he just makes the guy miss in the pocket, almost Tony Romo type stuff where he reverses out and this gets the ball out of his hand and makes a smart decision. So I think there's some things there where, you know, the negative play is probably one of the things you brought up about Jimmy Garoppolo in some of these moments. And he seems to have a little bit of his athleticism and stuff he uses to avoid some of that. And I think it's helped them offensively because they're a team that's going to want to run it. They're going to want their gadgets and their screens.

And I think he's been really good for them. Andrew Whitworth here of Amazon Prime. How does that sound? You still getting used to it? I definitely did.

I learned very quickly. It's NFL on Prime. Yes, right. It's not the NFL on Prime. Yep.

Just NFL on Prime. I had to learn all the slogans, get all that stuff right. You got to remember, Rich, I don't know Lyman.

My media experience coming into this thing was the tape recorder with the local newspaper of the Orange County Register. You know what I'm saying? I wasn't sitting up there at the podium. Okay.

You know, I'm getting asked, like, what are the old Lyman eat on Wednesday stuff? You know, so I'm getting used to all the ins and outs of this business. Well, you're doing very well at it.

So just so you're aware, you're doing very well at it. So let's talk about a couple other teams that you just saw, because it is recent. Recency is important because it is momentum. As you said, who's who's healthy and who's got the momentum going in? First up, let's talk Jaguars. I mean, you saw them in New York. The Jets.

I will just leave them aside. But the way the Jaguars are playing right now and, you know, the young kids may not you know, they're a dangerous team. As you mentioned, experience doesn't mean much.

But when kids don't know what they don't know or shouldn't know and play like they're playing, they could be. How how dangerous do you think the Jacksonville Jaguars are going into these playoffs, having just seen them? I think for me, it's it's that they had some really dangerous skill guys. And obviously, Trevor's, you know, somewhere there after that Denver game, you know, in London, I think he just all of a sudden, you know, he flipped the switch.

It's a long flight home. Yeah, well, I thought it was cool to see. And I thought it was a great correlation we made even in that game to him. And Zach Wilson is that you saw him say after that game, I never want my team to ever experience feeling like this again.

And I don't ever want to be the reason again. And since that moment, it's like something's just clicked for him, you know, from a standpoint of just owning it and I'm going to be the guy. And this is the reality of playing the quarterback position. And he has played exceptional.

And so I think they're really dangerous. And I think that, you know, young and really, hey, you know what, we got nothing to lose and we're hot and we have momentum. I think it's a dangerous combination in the playoffs because I think the experience sometimes lets you realize how big it is. But when you don't have any of it and you're like, hey, we got momentum, we got Doug Peterson, who's cool as can be. He's chill. You know, he's just that's his demeanor as a coach.

Right. I think they just feel confident. They're like, you know what, we're going to shoot our shot and see what happens. I mean, they got the Chargers and they curb stomped the Chargers earlier this year.

They did. And the Chargers have been so up and down. I mean, you don't get any consistency of who do you think you're really going to get week to week with them. And so I think that, you know, really honestly, you look at their team. I think that it's going to be one of those things if Jacksonville could run it well, which the Chargers have seemed to give up a lot of yards on the ground all season long and not really found a way to stop that. They have the weapons and the quarterback that they can expose you in the passing game. And so I think it's going to be interesting to see, you know, is the Chargers going to be the team we see that efficiently on offense is moving it. But if they're not moving it well, this Jacksonville team looks like they can put up points.

But we went to injuries and health. And my biggest concern for Jacksonville is offensive line. You know, Cam Robinson is a huge factor for them.

He's one of the best players up front. Missing him is a factor. And, you know, I know Sheriff's been banged up a little recently. So, you know, how healthy are they up front and will it matter? Well, we'll see if the Chargers are healthy. That's been much of the conversation over the last 48 hours is who went off in a game that, you know, Brandon Staley kept the starters in for a considerable amount of time, if not way too long. I guess we'll find out about Bosa. There's been plenty said about that, you know, and so I think it's interesting, you know, Bosa obviously, anytime you're playing with groin stuff, I mean, that's a whole other monster, you know, especially for a guy like that, you know, the way he moves, the power he plays with. So, you know, they're going to need him to be effective because when you're only playing with one good rusher, teams are going to isolate him and say, hey, we're going to slide to him, we're going to chip him, they're going to try to take Mack out of the game.

Adding him is what really takes them to the next level defensively to be able to be better than they've been this season. Andrew Whitworth here on the Rich Eisen Show and you just mentioned how the Los Angeles Chargers are inconsistent that you don't know which team you're going to get week to week. The Dallas Cowboys are holding that beer, sir.

Yes, they are. And you just saw them on Thursday night against Tennessee in the Thursday night finale that I think was a microcosm of all of that. I mean, here's Joshua Dobbs, you know, getting his first career start and there's no Henry, there's no Jeffrey Simmons and there's no tomorrow, I guess, for that team, you know, knowing that there would be no tomorrow the following week against Jacksonville. And Dallas struggled before putting their foot down and then taking care of business. What Dallas Cowboy team do you think we're going to see Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Andrew Whitworth? I just got to believe one of these playoffs that they've had these great seasons, they get in and get hot at some point.

And I just I want to see it. The problem is it's probably the worst situation you could play a team who's kind of all year long in Tampa, just stayed alive in the bad division, found a way to be at the top of that division. And oh, by the way, they have Tom Brady and a lot of good players. It's like the worst situation. It's like, all right, here we are, we got our chance. We're going to get to go to the worst team of all the things we can play.

Godwin and Lavonte, David and Vitavella just to name four off the top of my head. Exactly. And then, you know, honestly, besides Diggs for Dallas's defense, the other side for that corner has been a question mark all year. And you're going to play Tom Brady and a guy who has multiple receiver options, where if you want to take Mike Evans, then somebody else is covering Godwin. I mean, it's just it's it's probably the worst situation for them to have to open the playoffs with. And so you've got to see this might be the game where it's like, hey, Dak, everybody, you're going to have to get hot.

You're going to have to be that way for the entire playoffs. And, you know, and can Micah Parsons make that play for them, you know, on the other side of the football to get Brady off the spot? Because Brady has historically that's been how you do it. If you can have a chance for him to feel the rush early in a game, that's your best way to beat them. They don't they don't run the ball well.

Dallas is not being great against the run, but this is a good team for them to have to play because Tampa doesn't run it well. But can you cover? That's going to be the question. All right. Now, I'm going to turn it into Thursday Night Football. You got to put you got to you got to put your your pick down.

Who do you choose? I know. I know. I know. I know that the crowd's not going crazy. I know we're not outdoors. We're indoors.

I'm here. I know. I know. I am not Karissa Thompson.

And TJ Jefferson is definitely, definitely not Ryan Fitzpatrick, although we have a very nice beard. I like it over there. Appreciate it. I've now tap dance long enough for you.

See what that's what I was doing as a professional. Yeah. Oh, I'm ready. OK, you're ready.

I'm going Dallas Cowboys. I'm going to believe in them. I'm going to go behind them.

I'm going to do it. You know, I don't know. You probably had a nudger or somebody at the desk. It's always the person feeling Sherm's the guy. He's like always elbow and pushing on my side while I'm in the middle of talking or he's excited about something. So, you know, Fitz is calm. I got Chris and Tony, but Sherm's the guy. I got bruises in my back from every comment and thing that, you know, Sherm's my nudger. Yes.

For everything that's going on while we're on set. OK, so you like the Cowboys. I like the Cowboys.

I'm going with that right now. I can just feel Sherm would be mad at me because he's you know, he doesn't buy into the Cowboys. He's a Niners guy all the way right now.

So it's the Sherman, but it's the Sherman Bowl in Seattle and San Francisco. Yeah. So he's he's all.

Yeah. Well, he was pretty hardcore on the Niners. There was a lot of questions.

We're in Seattle. I know I want to hear about it, but he didn't pick anybody. So I was very disappointed. He went in the middle of the road because I was I was on the I was in an airport.

I wasn't I was on a tie game. I was very disappointed. Second spoon. Let him do that. You let him do that.

That's on the producers. I'm sorry. I'll call them out. Come on. I lucked out. I went Rams Raiders.

I took the Rams said, Hey, I'm a Ram for life. You know, let's go. And we won. They let Sherm off the hook.

Let him off the hook. Wow. All right.

I didn't know that. Yeah, that is OK. I don't know. I'll just get Bezos on the horn and fix this thing. That's all I'm saying. I don't know if I have that juice. Let's take a break. We'll come back.

I've got some other subject matters. I want to talk to you about Sean McVay. Let's do it. OK, let's do that.

And his future and whether there is one on the sideline for him in Los Angeles, it would be kind of crazy to me not to see him there anymore. But I've got Andrew Whitworth here from Amazon Prime NFL on Prime. There you go. We got it. Now we're right down to make sure I get it right in the next segment.

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Call click Granger dot com or just stop by. Andrew Whitworth is kind enough to stop by here. And by the way, just anybody knows, Andrew, I greatly appreciate you coming down here today in Los Angeles with it raining. I mean, this is serious business.

The fact that you got in a car and came down here is very appreciated. Yeah, it's pretty crazy. You know, I don't know if I've seen this much rain in a while. That's for sure. It is crazy. And last night at SoFi Stadium, it was it was quite dicey getting in there. I've heard some good reports. There's a there's some waiting going on to get in the stadium.

It was not waiting, actually waiting. Yes. WADING. Very good. So tell let's let's hit the subject matter. You mentioned something in the commercial break. Is Scott Zolack breaking news?

Our friend Scott Zolack. I wouldn't say that he's breaking news, but he was on a radio appearance today in Boston. And he's the he's one of the radio voices of the New England Patriots.

Yeah, he is. But he knows what's going on in one Patriot place, one would think. And they were asking about things he could envision this offseason, about the quarterback. And then the host asked him just to summarize, could you envision Mac Jones being traded to the Raiders this offseason? And Zolack said it would wouldn't shock me.

What do you think? I could see that. I mean, Josh McDaniel's wanting him, you know, for the opportunity to have a guy that's familiar with this system. It's not just that. It's the it's the other side.

That's what I think is interesting. And we had the Bills Patriots game. And remember, that's the game where they kind of caught him on video mouthing some pleasantries about the play calls. Oh, yeah.

The quick game was not working. Let's put it that way. I think that's the way he said it. He might have used different words. But yes, but he might have also been accurate.

Yeah, he was accurate. I think he's a little I think he's upset. I think, you know, I would be, too, though. I mean, it's a weird situation there to have a guy who's never called offensive plays, be your coordinator this early in your career. I can't imagine how hard it is to play the quarterback position already in the NFL level. But then to have somebody like, hey, who's the one guiding you, who's never called plays and is new to really calling offense in general.

Yes. Man, I mean, that's got to be a frustrating situation for a young player who's not having the success that he had in his first year. So you is he grinding gears with Belichick, do you think?

Is that what's happening? Well, I think I look at it as I don't see Bill Belichick, you know, letting Mac Jones really control the situation. So I think that if Max upset and he doesn't feel that it's the right move to have Patricia there and also Josh McDaniels is interested in having him. I think Bill's somebody who's always willing to look for different ways to be better. And I think there's some veteran quarterbacks out there, obviously, that will have a potential to be free, including the one that in Vegas.

Yeah. Derek Carr, Jimmy, possibly. I mean, Garoppolo. I mean, there's there's guys that Bill, you know, I think of his kind of guys, veteran quarterbacks that could come in and just play within the system, you know, and understand the opportunity to play for Bill. Which one do you want?

You got a fave? I think before this year, I would have loved to have had Derek Carr, but you would have taken Derek Carr coming off of Mac's rookie season? No, I just mean, let's not forget, I like Derek Carr.

I think he's a good player in this league. But I think after this year, something was off with him. And if Jimmy can stay healthy, Jimmy's perfect. Bill wanted Jimmy originally. Jimmy was the succession plan to Brady. And then Brady went and won three more rings.

So I don't know. And plus, do you remember when in training camp and Bill was just like, kind of sunshine and roses and about everything. And everyone was like, what kind of him? You know, like he was and he was singing Mac's praises like and throwing rose petals around in a way that he would normally be man covers, a manhole covers. And then this is what he had to say about Mac Jones just Monday when asked if Mac's going to be the starter.

Let's check this out. Well, I think there's, you know, Mac has the ability to, you know, to play quarterback in this league. And, you know, we have to all work together to try to find the best and most, you know, best way to as a football team, which obviously quarterbacks in important position to be more productive than we were this year.

And so that's incumbent upon all of us and we'll all work together on that. And again, look for better results. And for the radio audience, he was saying that in front of a no bull sign. Did you notice that? It said no bull behind him. What do you think?

You want to interpret that? Because he was, he literally was choosing his words carefully. He was, yeah.

I was very careful and I did not sound like he really had a true vision of Mac being there. I don't think. So you really think the Patriots have a different starting quarterback next year than Mac Jones?

I think there's a chance they do. I think there's some options out there that Bill would like. I think he loves veterans and there's an opportunity of some guys that have played in a lot of big games and are veteran guys.

And I think he looks at it as a team totality. How good can we be rather than really the progression of Mac at this point? Andrew Whitworth here on the Rich Eisen Show, NFL on Prime, Prime Video right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's jump into the Sean McVay news. It was all over the place on Sunday for the Sunday morning shows and how Sean's going to take some time away and that he might step away as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.

What insight might you be willing to provide us on this, Andrew? Yeah, I think it's a really tough year. Obviously, you win the Super Bowl, you're at this all-time high. You come back and you really look at their season. You don't start off the way you really want to against the Buffalo Bills. And then the injury train just starts and never ends. Obviously, a historic injury rate up front in the offensive line.

I think they set the record for the most different groups consecutively starting in a game. So, it was a tough year for that entire organization, I think, because when you go from being at that level to now, hey, we're just finding ways to contend in games. I think that was tough on him. It was tough on everybody in that building. And obviously, a lot of other things in his life happened in this last year and all things that lead to you feeling stressed out and worn out.

I think it's going to be him taking some time and figuring out what's really important to him and who he wants to be and what he wants to do. Man, it's just hard for me to imagine him not leading the rooms. One of the most impressive things about him when I met him when he took the job is his ability to capture a room and lead a group of people I thought was just so rare. I've been around some really special ones. When they talk, everyone listens. Nick Saban being one of those guys that can just, you know, something about him, you immediately want to sign up to go wherever he is. Kirby Smart, as well, he was there when I was at LSU, too. They're both like that and being around them and their success. And now, Sean, when I got to be around him, I told him that.

I said, man, since Nick Saban, I really hadn't been around somebody like that. So, I would be shocked to see him not leading a group of men playing this game that he loves so much. Well, I mean, as you know, from your past year, a television audience is also a room. And so is a production meeting. And somebody in a position that he would hold on a set or a booth would be a leadership role in that regard, as well. And he's so terrific at that. So terrific at that. But he's also so terrific at coaching, as well, as you pointed out. And you've also been around him socially. We all know the story about, you know, Cabo and how Stafford, you know, was in Cabo, as well, last year.

And that was the beginning of what wound up being your final year in a Super Bowl year. And that's my long setup to ask this question. Is he too hard on himself? Is that what it is? Like, you've been there? Yeah. I mean, I think that's a fact.

He beat himself up too much, do you think? Yeah. There's other things that happen.

I mean, from everything that was going on with even his wife, Veronica, and her home country and then his grandfather. And you just think of, like, when life's just coming at you at a time where it's like, man, you just feel like everything is snowballing, not in the direction you want it. There's just tough adversity after adversity in your life. But, you know, there's also really good highlights too. I mean, getting married to Veronica this summer, winning a Super Bowl.

I mean, there's some great moments in his life. And that's kind of what I mean is when you're in that road, you know, I think people think sometimes, you know, we just show up on Sundays and play. When he's in that element of preparing and just every week trying to lock in and focus and then everything that's going on around him. I think it's what people have to understand that Sean is an extremely open human being. He wants to be real and honest with exactly how he feels. And so sometimes you can take everything he says and try to take it somewhere. And the reality is he's telling you every expression and emotion he has in that moment. So that's why he needs a second to step away. All right, I've already kind of said where I'm at.

Well, let me figure out what I really want to do and what is important to me and my passion going forward. Can he broadcast? Can he be in front of a TV audience and he will absolutely be exceptional with that.

He will be unbelievable. Because that genuineness that you just described is exactly what can help somebody transcend. You know, like the guy I'm seeing on the air with you is a guy that I know when you're not sitting in the mic and right here as well.

It's not easy, by the way, to pull that off. That's why he'd be so terrific at it. And when he came on this show just a few weeks ago, prior to the Monday night game that the Rams played, I had him on and he was talking about this is really humbling this season. I'm learning things about myself that I never thought I would learn. I asked for an example and he didn't get specific about it, but it was really jarring for me to hear that. Like, I never thought in a million years that I thought that he could have any sort of self-confidence question or should or he just seems to be such an energetic guy that would ever get down on himself. I hope he's not beating himself up too damn much here. Like, injuries happen and things happen, but he's exceptional at what he does.

Yeah, I think it's interesting. You look at NFL head coaches, man, there's a lot of stress there. And sometimes, especially when you look at his case, you have so much success so early that maybe you don't realize like, man, you know what, there's a lot of head coaches out there that are just dying to have a winning season, much less have all the success you've had. And so I think it's really just putting things into perspective, to your point. Like, you know, are you stressing on yourself too much to be like inventive and you were this, you know, the boy wonder, the genius, then you've got to always come up with some way to be more schematically better than everybody else and impress people with a new invention of offense or whatever. And you know what, how about just being yourself and being exceptional and everyone already thinks that of you. And I think for him, it's just realizing, you know, that all of us at times can put too much stress on ourselves and I think that's really what he's trying to see.

Is it that or is it that I want to do something else? And I just hope for him he finds it and what's going to make him happy and I really think the guy's so talented, he's going to be good at whatever he wants to do. Does he need to get that ayahuasca trip with Aaron Rodgers or something like that and then we can work through this? Yeah, I mean, you know, Tony Gonzalez is an ayahuasca guy too.

I didn't know that. Yeah, so I think he's done it before too. So, you know, yeah, I mean, maybe he needs that. Maybe he needs a little relaxation time. He can go, you know, check it out.

Take the floor too if you go there. He probably needs it as well. Yeah, man.

What do you think Aaron Rodgers does? What do you think when it's all said and done? Honestly, I'm over it, Rich. I just, you know, I saw Marcus Spears say this today and I couldn't agree more. I just don't care.

Really? Just, you know, I love the guy. I think he's, yeah, I have a good time with him off the football field. I'm just so done with like, are you playing or you not? Are you, you know, just, you know, but he thought show up and play or don't play or whatever. He thought about hanging on to his jersey. I mean, so, so what's more, what's more wild that he realized in the moment I'm not giving up my jersey or a rookie receiver asked for it. Yeah, I think that may have a lot more to do with the rookie receiver asking for the jersey than people are trying to read into the, I'm not giving it up to you with no offense, but I mean, no offense. How much did he talk to his own rookie receivers much, huh? I mean, come on.

We were wanting him to give his jersey to the other teams' rookie receivers. Boom! Whitworth! Nice! Showing up!

I always laugh, like, and I love it. It'll be like balls he throws a bomb for a touchdown, you know, and he almost just gives them like a little, you know, there was not a lot of running over there. So it wasn't him being mindful of the moment I may want to hang on to this one because I'm thinking this could be my last game.

It's just like, a nice way of just saying, I think old school, old school guys were like, rookies got to earn their opportunity to be talked to, you know, so he may just be into like, hey, you're a rookie receiver. You got to wait, buddy. Come ask me in three years.

That's what I said. Like, what are the chances he even knew who Jamison Williams was? Like 50-50? Like, who are you? Why are you asking me? He knows who he is, I think. I mean, Aaron's pretty astute.

He probably knew. And that's exactly why I said no. It was a polite way to not hang on to this. You're a rookie receiver. Talk to me in two years. Your touchdown got called back. Yes. I'm not giving you my jersey. Oh my gosh. Wait, wait. All right.

Before I let you go, normally in my position, I ask questions I already know the answer to. I'm just going to assume that you have a story here, because you are based here in Los Angeles. You just did a full season of On the Road on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. Al Michaels lives here in Los Angeles, California. I am assuming you not only have spent a considerable amount of time with Al, but you have spent time on what's known as El Al, Air Al, him flying back and forth to games, and you have hitched rides with him. Is that correct?

What do I assume that this is? It has happened. I'll put it that way.

Okay. Do you have a story? Your favorite Al Michaels story?

You know, I think really not on the road. He is not only one of the greatest to do it. He's one of the greatest to hang with while doing it.

There's no doubt. I think my favorite Al story, obviously there's, I mean, anybody's ever been around him. I think every time you're around him, there's always something, a one liner, a comment, a joke, a hotel evaluation, restaurant evaluation. They try to give him vegetables.

I mean, there's all kinds of things. See, you have been around the man for a year. But just real quick, my favorite, the first time I ever met Al, okay, and I'll tell this story. First time I ever met him, because I was, you know, on ESPN for all those years, and I'd never met him, living there in Bristol.

And it was the first owner's meeting at the Breakers, the famous Breakers Hotel in Florida, in Palm Beach. And he's just getting, he's standing right at the valet, getting set to hop in a car, a courtesy car pulls up, to take him to the airport, okay. The now Hall of Famer, Howard Katz, who at the time was just joining the National Football League, he says to Al, and they go way back to the ABC Sports days, he says, hey Al, how many seasons is the Breakers, in reference to the four seasons? He says, two and a half seasons, gets in the car and drives off.

And I'm like, that's one of the greatest things I've ever witnessed. He loves the four seasons. He's a big four seasons guy. But no, my favorite would be after our game, I want to say in Boston, or yeah, I think it was Boston, but he sat down with me and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

It was kind of a late night, and you know, obviously those Eastern games finished really late. And we sat in the hotel, and he told us basically the history of everything from the hockey game experiences, to everything he's called, and really the moments, and what they meant to him, and I think it's kind of the background of his entire story of his favorite games that he's called. And it was just the coolest, like we're just sitting there, and he got emotional about it, and he's just kind of telling me and Ryan. And he remembers every detail.

He remembers the day, the date, the time. Every sport, I mean, baseball, hockey, you know, the Coliseum here, stuff like that. It's just crazy. It was unbelievable to sit and listen to, and a history I didn't even really know. Like, you know, obviously I knew the games, but not all the things that went into how they got to that moment, and all this. And it was just cool to hear him share that, and I'll never forget it. It was a history lesson with Al Michaels. It was unbelievable.

And then you got to ride home from Boston to Los Angeles. I didn't, actually. I didn't ride that one.

I didn't do that one. You got to get the longest haul. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, you got to work the long hauls. That's right. Air Al.

Air Al. Well, there's you too. Got that coming for you. Absolutely. Well, look, Andrew Whitworth, thank you for the time. I appreciate it. Greatly appreciate you coming in here.

Congrats on a great first season in the paparazzi world. And you dig it, right? You're enjoying it? I'm having a blast.

That's another surprise to me. You get to go home. You see, you know, you see your kids.

You see your wife. You're around. Yeah, it was great.

I coached kids' leagues and had fun coaching some football and basketball and everything else. It's been fun. Are you going to the Super Bowl this year? Oh, yeah. Are you going to be there? I'll be there. Okay. You'll be there for NFL Honors that night, as a matter of fact?

Yeah. That's one of the coolest moments, as well as for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award after the speech. All the past winners who were in the audience come up and congratulate. I get goosebumps just even thinking about it.

It's actually what I remember the most from that moment, when I got done with my speech and looked down and saw the other winners and them coming up to kind of say hello and give me a hug and all that. It's literally the visual I have of that moment, actually. Welcome to the club. Oh, it's unbelievable.

It sure is. Why don't they put that patch on you for on your sweats on your sweatshirts? NFL and Prime, let's talk about it, right? Let's do it. We need a logo for this. Seriously, you should do that.

You got to do it. Put the patch on. What are we doing? Strings off, patch on. Strings out, patch on. That's it.

That's what I'm saying. Thanks for being here. Oh, who wins the Super Bowl?

What do you got? Oh, man. You know, I was a Bengals guy all the way. I'm a little worried with the two offensive line guys going down with Kappa and LIL Collins also.

I got a tough time. I think Josh Allen might find his way to get himself there. And then I think the Brock Purdy show might make it to the Super Bowl.

Couldn't you imagine? Is that going to be fun to watch or what? Great defense, Josh Allen running around.

And you know what? I think the Buffalo Bills got a chance. Okay. So you're taking the Bills over the 49ers. I was Bengals, Niners.

That was my pick all along. I just, injuries matter. And I think that's going to be tough losing two starting offensive linemen this late because you need time to grow in there and get used to each other.

I think that's going to hurt him. Andrew Whitworth, thanks for coming in here. Congrats on a great first season and I'll see you soon.

Thanks again. Andrew Whitworth right here on the Rich Eisen Show. We'll wrap up the show. We've got some great guests the rest of the week to tell you about.

Back here on the Rich Eisen Show. This NFL postseason. Westwood won NFL broadcast streams live for free. The wild card round, the divisional round, the AFC and NFC championship games, the Pro Bowl games, and Super Bowl 57.

Catch all the action on the Odyssey app on westwoodwonsports.com via Westwood One Station streams or by asking Alexa to open Westwood One Sports here on the Rich Eisen Show. You know what? What a fascinating conversation we just had with Andrew Whitworth on so many other fronts.

A lot of them, yeah. What leaps out at me other than just his interpretation of Aaron Rodgers saying, I think I'm going to hold on to this one, had nothing to do with sentimental value. He could be gone from Green Bay or anything like that. It's just a very nice way to tell the rookie, yeah, I think I'll hold on to this one. Fast, that's true. And you know, and Torrico took that to mean on the spot.

Right, right, right. And that, I kind of agreed with Mike. Maybe that's what it was.

And then again, it wasn't. He's just telling the rookie, yeah, get out of here with that noise. I mean, Aaron will probably never actually tell us the truth, so we'll never really know.

I don't know. You might tell Pat. Pat was here last night. I saw them on the field.

I know, I know. He was on the Oculus. You couldn't miss Taylor of the Wands giant cowboy hat. Oh, I missed him. I missed him. That's too bad.

I'd have loved to have seen him. Yeah. The other thing too is you mentioning Scott Zolack thinking that Mac Jones could be traded and Whitworth's like, yeah, I should see that. To the Raiders though, and that maybe Derek Cargos there or Jimmy G or whatever. It just caused me to think how many teams could have new quarterbacks to be in that quarterback market? So let's put it.

I'm into this. So the Bills and the Bills know, but the Dolphins, who knows what's going on with Tua? Who knows? Remember Brady wanted to go there originally. So you've got to throw the Dolphins into the maybe mix. Maybe leaning no.

So all of these are all maybes. And some of them maybes are definites because the Jets, you can't say that's a definite either because the whole idea of trading Zach Wilson, what are you going to get for him? Like a four or a five when you've used the second overall pick for him? Yeah. What team's going to have to take him and then make a fifth year option decision at the end of the year?

I don't know what value you're going to get from you. Absolutely. Hold on to him and try to redeem him as much as fan base would be.

Get out of here with that. So three teams in the AFC East. And then nobody in the North because they're going to franchise tag Lamar. Even though we all can admit something's going on there.

I don't think anything could be going on there with him. There's no conventional way to address anything with Lamar Jackson other than the fact that he will be franchise tagged at the very least. The South, the Colts are going to get one, right? The Titans might get one. And the Texans.

And the Texans. That's three more. So now we're at a total of six. Yep.

The Raiders, seven. Yep. That's it. That's it. Okay.

Commanders. I don't know. They got Sam Howell there.

I don't know. Their next quarterback could be on that roster. Okay. We know it's not Wentz.

The Giants aren't going to be in the market. It's Daniel Jones. No question. Danny Dimes back. Yeah.

Yes. And then Cowboys and Eagles. Stop it. Don't even go there. Do you really want Tom Brady?

You take Dak out in year three of his contract and put Tom Brady in there. Look, man. Look, man. That's a yes or no question. Not a look, man. That's not an option.

Whether to shut up and let me answer. Thank you, Mr. Jones. Look, man. Tom Brady's the GOAT. All right. And you need a GOAT type quarterback to win the Super Bowl. You would have to cut Dak, but you're not going to do or trade him. Well, he could trade. I'll take Dak.

Oh, okay. And I'd love Dak. Don't get me wrong.

No, you would. That's by the way, that I do say you love Dak when you're like, I want him gone for Tom Brady at age 46. It's not about I want him gone.

It's just that if Tom Brady is available, you have to take a look at that. Right. For the moment though, what's the number we have? Seven. Correct.

I mean, Dak has a dead cap of so much money. It's seven. They're not on the market. Seven.

Well, we're commanders. That's the seventh one. Okay.

Right. Because we got six in the AFC. We got three in the AFC East and three in the South. Three in the South. And the commanders are seven. No, and the Raiders are the eighth. Okay. So we've got eight. We've got eight.

What about... The Bears are not. And the Lions are not. And the Vikings are not. And I don't think the Packers will be either. Okay. Again, quarterback market.

Oh. Meaning they need a quarterback. Where they're going to go into the market looking for their next quarterback. Quarterback's not currently on their roster. Exactly. Well, Panthers and Saints, yes. Yes, that's 10.

Right? The Falcons not. And then the Bucks might be. No, the Bucks, absolutely. The Bucks could be. Bucks might be.

Bucks are an 11th team. And then in the NFC West... Seahawks? That's a maybe. You got to put them in the maybe category. San Francisco has too many quarterbacks.

What about San Francisco? No. No, they got it. Their next quarterback's on that roster. It's either Lantz or Purdy. Yeah. Or Jimmy.

How about this one? If you're not... Not Jimmy. If... You know, they're not trading Brock Purdy either.

Also, Eric the whole idea is that, oh, Lantz is going to be there. They're going to give it back to Lantz no matter what in the same way they just gave it to the Lantz no matter what with Jimmy G. Purdy is... Purdy's on a rookie contract. Doing this on a rookie... Purdy might even be the starter next year unless Brady raises his hand and says, I want in. And that would make the Niners another team that's in the market. That's the only way they would be in the market.

I don't think they're going to be. Kyla Murray ready for week one? Yeah. Um, so they... You start Colt McCoy? Depends on who the new coach is for a month. Kyla Murray will not be ready for week one. That's correct. Absolutely not.

I don't think they'll be in the market for a quarterback. So what do we come up with? 11? 12? Something like that. 12.

About a third of the league. Wow. There appears to be more than 12 that would be at the ready to be acquired. Yes.

There might be a glut on the market. Is Mac Jones the starter next year? Is Baker Mayfield a starter next year?

How about that? Where is Baker going? What about Davis Mills?

He can play. You're already hearing in New York the Jets should take him. Baker Mayfield?

Yeah. You know who I want for the Jets? I want Brock Purdy.

Oh yeah. Flip him. Bring Purdy to New York. I want him. I think you want Jimmy. Let Zach learn from Jimmy. Jimmy G would be great for you. Jimmy doesn't finish seasons sometimes though.

He'd be good in New York. By the time Jimmy gets hurt, same time every year. Week 10, week 11 and then here comes Zach. Look at us spending time today talking first overall pick in quarterback carousel market. Oh I love it.

By the way, 3 and a half more months of this teaching. You know who's here tomorrow? Rex Linn, the actor. Tony Khan.

Tony Khan of AEW. And Jaguar's in Fulham. My god, there's everything that's on that man's plate. Hopefully off his plate are tickets for you to go to AEW on Wednesday night. We can only hope man. We can only hope. That's part of what we're going to get. We're going to get excellent answers.

Everybody gets tickets for you. For over 40 years, Jim Ross has been the voice of wrestling. Nobody has stories like Jim Ross and he shares his tales with cohost Conrad Thompson on Grilling JR. Best Nick man was the top heel in the Attitude Era. It was a fresh character. It was new. It was material that we had not seen or heard to that date and we could have created a bigger or better heel. We wanted to make more heels and we tried to make more heels and we did, but nothing compared to Vince. The Grilling JR podcast. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.