REShow: Austin Ekeler - Hour 3

Check this out. This is the Rich Eisen Show. No man, you already took one mic from me baby, you ain't gonna take another.

I got something to say. Live from the Rich Eisen Show Studio in Los Angeles. Today I can't give the game everything on the floor. Today I'll be dumb. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today. The Rich Eisen Show. I'm excited.

I think they should just look forward to it and embrace it. Earlier on the show, Fox Sports NBA analyst Jim Jackson. Coming up, Chargers running back Austin Eckler.

Plus your phone calls, latest news and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air.

We've got a fun hour coming up here. Austin Eckler of your Los Angeles Chargers, the leading touchdown maker in the National Football League last year, will be joining us as Saquon Barkley hits the weekend, it seems, without a long-term deal with the New York Football Giants. There is a huge conversation about what the Giants did offer and what he said he was willing to accept. All of that's out there right now, as there's a Monday deadline by which, if both sides don't come to terms for long-term agreement, one can't be had until next new league year. And so the value of the running backs and the market that they have is front and center with Austin Eckler, who was told to seek a trade earlier this year. And then he stayed with the Chargers, got a few extra dollars for this year. We'll talk to him about what he learned about the value of the running back market that's going on. I mean, that's a red hot subject matter in Las Vegas, Nevada as well, with Josh Jacobs, the leading rusher of the NFL, having a franchise tag placed upon him. We had Mike Florio on in hour number one saying, you know, Josh Jacobs needs to be a little bit more careful than Saquon because franchise tenders can be removed from the table. And other players signed that Dalvin Cook swapped in for Josh Jacobs, that a franchised tender of 10 million and change. If, you know, Dalvin Cook takes like 9 million, 8 million, you save a couple million dollars and you get somebody who might be able to be the, you know, the league's leading rusher in Vegas for you.

And then where does Josh Jacobs wind up? And then, you know, Leonard Fournette's waiting and Kareem Hunt is waiting. Ezekiel Elliott, who had 12 touchdowns last year is waiting. A lot of good players. The run backs market is insane right now. And so Austin Eckler joining us in about 17 minutes time.

It'll be fascinating to say the least. Also on this program, we had Jim Jackson and Mike Florio earlier on. If you missed it, don't worry. We re-air right here on the Roku channel, free on all Roku devices. Select Samsung Smart TV. Also Amazon Fire TV and the Roku app, the rokuchannel.com. There's our YouTube page. There's the Rich Eisen Show Collection page, which is a fancy way of saying a video on demand service.

There's our podcast where all podcasts are available. 844-204-rich being the number to dial right here on the program. Quinnen Williams just signed the richest contract in the history of defensive tackles, getting a second contract. Four years, 96 million bucks. So the Jets will have a happy camper coming in when camp opens up on the 19th next week. And it's all now in the hands of Aaron Rogers, isn't it? Sure is. Good. And Quinnen Williams had his hands full of Aaron Rogers last year when the Jets went into Green Bay and came up with the dub. Now they're going to be teammates. Sauce wearing the cheese head.

Oh yeah, baby. That they burned, right? Didn't that get the sacrifice? So Rogers understood that all's cool.

They sacrificed it. I was apparently in Garrett Wilson's backyard. Breece Hall was there too. I remember all that.

God, I love this team. No, there are a lot of great defensive tackles. And personalities. Yeah. Oh, you mean defensive tackles in the league you're talking about? No, when you said he has the greatest contract of all time for defensive tackles. Well, second contract, yeah. Chris Jones wants one too, by the way.

That's out there for this weekend as well. You're talking Allen Page, Aaron Donald, John Randall, guys like that. Quinnen Williams, baby.

Cortez Kennedy. Okay, very, very excited. Okay, let's hit this. What are you looking at me for like that? What's that? You don't know what's coming?

I don't. Okay, our exchange, our text exchange about Saquon Barkley. So again, Florio reported through all that 13 million dollars was on the table from the Giants prior to the franchise tagging of Saquon Barkley who wanted 16. And the Giants said if you don't take 13, we're pulling it, your franchise tagging won't be coming back on the table again. And Barkley wanted 16. Well, that got aggregated, that report, and Barkley retweeted it with just two blue caps as an emoji. And I didn't know what the hell that meant. I fully admit this, but I knew it was news. I knew it was a reaction to news. And I knew that, okay, look, we're here on a Thursday and this is this is the story of the NFL right now.

One of the most talented players, one of the best players, according to Diana Russini, if this doesn't get resolved over the weekend is thinking about holding out week one against the Cowboys, which is why you're saying do it. You are suddenly, you are, you are, you are suddenly... I'm pro player. Pro player. Always. I know you are, but in this particular instance, you are... A Penn State man like Saquon to borrow your Michigan a Penn State man.

That is one of your pennants, you know. So I took to our text exchange and I didn't get the answer. You guys weren't giving me answers. I was confused. So I just said, what does this mean? And then Brockman said probably about Russini's report. I'm like, what does that mean?

You wrote back, is this your Twitter? Means somebody is lining. I'm like, what's that emoji means? Brockman says he thinks that report is full of poop, you know, emoji. And I'm like, what's the emoji mean? Cap. And I'm like, why does it stand for lying?

This is fantastic. I'm like, seriously, what does this mean? It's two blue caps. I texted that to you. What did the two blue caps mean? It means a lot.

But why do the caps stand for... You know, you gotta go to urban dictionary if I figure that out. So I wanted on the record that I said the word. I'm not an emoji guy. I'm not an emoji guy. Yeah. Oh, really? Oh, I covered it up.

Oh, you edited it? I typed out the word. He put out the word and I just put the poop emoji. What's the problem of being an emoji guy? I don't like that poop emoji.

I love the poop emoji. I'm not a fan of it. Why? I love it. I just don't like it. I don't use it.

I've never used it. I think it's fantastic. It's a great emoji.

I like saying it. Your son is going to use it when he starts to emoji. Sometimes Taylor with her gab watch will just text me the poop emoji. Yeah.

My nine-year-old daughter will just go right from the wrist and I'll get a poop emoji. Boom. It's great. I don't mind it. Okay. You're an emoji guy.

Oh, not an emoji guy. Okay. Very good.

We know that. I like the crying face. Rich loves it when you just hit the thumbs up to something he's text you. That's his favorite thing. Just thumbs up. Is that what he... That's what he does. I do it.

You do not like it. I do it. I do it. Now we're on the subject matter. Here, let me tell you something.

I'm listening. I don't like the thumbs upping of something because I want to have... I want to thank you emoji that you can put up as a thumbs up. Like a heart and a thumbs up and a thumbs down and a ha-ha and an exclamation point.

Yeah, that stuff. Yeah. Thumbs up doesn't mean you thank you.

I don't like that. I want to thank... Can't they do the thank you emoji? Yeah. Where I can just text somebody, thank you. You press that thing and you just did the hands for thank you.

Well, you can just do the hands. You want it in the box. Yeah.

I want it in the box. You want it as an option. Yeah.

That's what I want. Okay. You don't like if you're like, hey, can you bring this to me tomorrow? And I just do that. Thumbs up. You don't love that?

That's his favorite thing. All right. Okay. All right. Now we're done with that. You want a hug emoji?

I like the hug emoji. That's good. I have not heard this sound bite, but it reads as if it is sound bite of the year.

Haven't heard it, but it sounds like it's going to sound great. What am I referring to? I don't know. The best of all worlds that we saw.

Yes. That was a document entitled as such from the live tour sent to the PGA tour. And we discovered it because the United States subcommittee that was looking into the live tour and PGA tour, don't call it a merger, call it an agreement to have an agreement. They got all these documents of people that were in the planning phase of having an agreement to get an agreement that, uh, boy, did they go Yolo there on the live tour. And one of the items on that best of all worlds or best of both worlds or whatever, how many worlds war of the worlds was that Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods would not only own live teams.

So live would not only survive, but two people who famously turned down the largest paychecks. And one of whom has been so out there in his dislike of the live tour and Rory McIlroy would not only own a team on the live tour, but playing 10 live events, 10 live events. I don't even know if there are 10 live events.

There's 14. Okay. Yeah. So he would play on most of the live tour in addition to whatever the PGA tour would still have in store for Rory McIlroy was asked about this and here is what on the page sounds like a sound bite of the year.

How did you feel How did you feel about them possibly making you a team character? If live golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire. That's how I feel about it. So, yeah, I'd play the majors and then, but yeah, I'd be pretty comfortable.

Yeah. Oh, that's a sound bite of the year. If live tour was the only place to play golf on earth, I would retire. That's not even like a, you know, like that's not even a, you know, so you're saying there's a chance there's not even that Michael Jordan 0.1 percent. That's, I wouldn't date you if you were the last person on earth. That's it.

I just play in the majors and I'd be fine. Wow. Wow.

That's F.U. money, right? Rory's got it. I got your best of all worlds right here. I've got these worlds right here.

These worlds. Somebody say it, please. No, no, I think we've implied it. I don't have a green jacket. You don't get one, dude. Dude. Wow.

Oh, that's even better than how it read. So if there is no agreement and they're still agreeing to agree, I think they could safely remove that from any possible world or best of any worlds. Cross that one off. Not only will you get a team, Rory, you'll play in 10 events.

In addition to. Well, what he did was he erased the one in 10. I will play in zero such events. Wow. Still play the majors?

That's not a bad life, actually. Dude. Yeah. The live tour. I think if so, if this thing doesn't if there's no agreement, the live tour lives on.

Live tour lives on. And the Saudis will just pump a ton of money into it. I imagine they'll just keep going.

We'll just be right back. Well, though, we've been. Well, then, because none of the worlds will will be realized.

None of them. No, we just but but the lawsuits are gone. The lawsuits are gone because those guys want don't want discovery to be deposed. They didn't want to. They didn't want any of that.

The PGA Tour didn't want it either. I'm sure lawsuits are gone. Technically, they can. The Senate hearing can subpoena a yoster to appear. He won't, obviously, but I don't think there's going to be any subpoenas.

I don't think so. Next week's open open championship defended by the live tours, Cam Smith is going to be lit. It's going to be fun. And you can watch it right here on Roku on Peacock. We'll take a break right here on the Rich Eisen show. Eight four four two oh four rich number to dial.

When we come back, Austin Eckler of the Los Angeles Chargers. Are you currently enjoying the show on the Stitcher app? Then you need to know Stitcher, is going away on August twenty ninth.

Yep, going away as in Kaput gone dead. Rest in peace Stitcher and thanks for 15 years of service to the podcast community. So switch to another podcast app and follow this show there.

Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. We're back here on the Rich Eisen show. Eight four four two oh four rich is the number to dial right here on the Roku channel. Austin Eckler of the Los Angeles Chargers is about to give us a ring here on our program. And the Jets getting some news done today with their defensive tackle, Quinnen Williams getting signed. That's done. Barkley, man.

Barkley's going to wind up being already be on the pecking order of most paid athletes in MetLife Stadium. You know what I mean? I feel I love that guy, man. It's you do. He's going to make a ton of money either way.

I understand a lot of people out there probably thinking, you know, you got an issue talking about that. So at any rate, eight four four two oh four rich is the number to dial. Austin Eckler is going to join us. It's Harrison Ford's birthday. I've got a fun top five list coming up here on this program.

Top five Harrison Ford movies of all time. Do you guys want shrinking or you don't want shrinking? I don't. I haven't got there yet.

It's fun. It's written by Brett Goldstein. Right. And created by Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel. So it has a very Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso feel to it. Yeah.

You know, the way it's written, the way the you know, the way it's produced, the way it looks. We just finished The Bear. We've got to see I got to get on that moved on to Lincoln Lawyer. I've heard those good things about that show. Yeah.

Fun L.A. show on Netflix right here on Roku. Sure is. Look at you.

Look at us. OK. Eight four four two oh four rich number to dial. Eight four four. As I mentioned, two or four, which is the number to dial right here on the Rich Eisen show where we're forming our Friday show as we speak. David Cohen's going to be on tomorrow. Oh, we got him. We did get him. Nice.

We did get him. So that's on on tomorrow's program. Well, back here on, as I mentioned, the Roku channel back here on the Rich Eisen show radio network, I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen show desk furnished by Granger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Granger has the right product for you.

Call click ranger dot com or just stop by. David Cohen is on our Friday program. It was 24 years ago today that David Cohen stepped down on the mound in Fenway Park right after Pedro Martinez lit up the All-Star game. And then a week later, he pitched a perfect game. Got the kinks out again in the All-Star. Got the kinks out. Gave up one run on four hits. So, you know, I reached out to Cohen. He wasn't available yesterday.

He wasn't available today. You know, so that's funny, man. Twenty four years ago that night. I will never forget it.

Unbelievable. What were you doing for the game? Oh, the perfect game? No, 24 years ago. I know it was the All-Star game.

What about the perfect game? I don't remember where I was for that. Were you off or were you doing?

I don't know. I was. No, I was probably doing sports center that night. I shortened it to centers. Centers like Tom Cruise. I sat with his family in the 98 World Series.

Who, Cohen? Yeah, they were like right next to me. Oh, is that right? Because I had tickets from one of the Yankees, co-owners. Which, were you in Yankee Stadium or in San Diego?

I watched them. I went to both of the final two games. Yeah, San Diego was, I mean, that World Series was nuts. Well, game one was tight. Yeah.

Game one was tight. Tony Gwynn homered in game one of that World Series. Really? Yeah.

Yeah. If my recollection is correct, he hit the right field foul pole. He homered. And the Padres led it.

It was high scoring, 9-6. And Mark Langston came in in relief with bases loaded and struck out Tina Martinez, except for the fact that strike three is called ball three. And then Martinez grand slammed and then the whole series turned and the Yankees didn't lose a game.

They swept them. Scott Brocious won the MVP. David Wells won game one. But I remember, you know, because the role that I was playing 24 years ago last night in Fenway Park as the host of ESPN radio's coverage of Major League Baseball, I was there covering the World Series. And I got to interview somebody in the bottom of the fifth for each game.

And I would just find that person in the stands and they had like an extra minute and a half to come back from commercial break for me to interview people. Game one, I found Billy Crystal. Game three, I found Mark McGuire.

Game four, I found Charlie Sheen. Who, anyway, it was a fascinating time back in the day. Yeah. 24 years ago.

But the 98 was further back. Joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show is truly one of the best running backs in the National Football League. And I'm not just saying that because he's kind enough to call him to this show. The Thursday right in the middle of his final days without putting on a helmet and getting ready for training camp for the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the great touchdown makers in this league, Austin Eckler, back here in the program. How you doing, Austin? Rich, what's going on, man? Thanks for having me back on.

Looking forward to it. You got it. So I just want to dive right back in here with you about what's going on in the running back market because you know, you know, Saquon has been franchise tagged and Josh Jacobs has been franchise tagged and they seem to be having a heck of a time getting paid in the manner in which they want to get paid. What do you think is happening with the running back market in the National Football League right now, Austin?

Yeah. You know, we're in a business and I think both sides are trying to play the game the best they can. And that's that's what's being played out right in front of our eyes. You know, we have our ownership who is right in charge of our salary caps.

They control that portion of it. We control the play and it's up for us as players to go out there and try to add as much value as we can. However, there's a game to it. There's a game to all of this business. And like I said, they're trying to maximize their dollars to put the best team out there. And we're trying to maximize our play to make sure that we can capitalize and get more dollars. And so there's this balance that has to go on. And, you know, we're in the middle of a point where a bunch of money is getting flooded into other positions, not as much as coming into the running back market. And whether that's able to be justified, you can use different types of facts, whether it is, whether it's not. But that's what is going on in front of me as I see it. What do you what is it about the running back position then that causes you to seemingly fight for value in a way that other positions have not been forced to?

Austin, what have you found about that? You know, I think it comes down to comparing. Let's compare, right? Let's see what the real value add to a team is. You know, if I'm looking at some of the backup receivers out here that are still making more than me and that's going to piss me off, right?

I'm a little bit, I'm like, okay, wait a minute. So you're telling me these people are the number three receiver is going to make more than me and I'm the starter. I get more carries. I touch the ball more. I have more of an impact.

It causes us to question, right? We're going to fight for that. We're going to fight for, hey, I'm bringing more value to the team than this person.

I think I should be compensated for that. And so that's where the that's where the fight comes in. And then, you know, you can compare our running back market to ourselves as far as who's adding more value in that. And then we compare ourselves to each other. And that's why Josh Jacobs comes off of a pinnacle year.

Saquon, you know, very imperative for that offense out there in New York, right? They're wanting to get their value. They want to move up. Hey, I compare to these guys. I should be up here. I should be getting paid this.

I should be, you know, Josh Jacobs should be at the top of the market. And that's how we look at it. That's that's how it is. And when we don't get that, absolutely, we're going to fight back. We have no choice.

It comes down. It's not about it's not even it seems like it's about money, but it's about principle. Right. But the principle of adding value to a team.

But then I also get it from the other side. If they're like, hey, none of these other running backs are getting paid. Let's just see what happens.

Let's franchise tag these guys. And then let's let's wait a year. Let's see what happens.

So we're both we're both sides of playing this game and how it turns out. Time will tell. Well, it's not just that, too, Boston. It's Dalvin Cook being released at the top of June by, you know, his team. He's had four years of a thousand yards rushing in a row. I mean, I could go over about, you know, his his resume, but we all know it right.

He's he's now out there. Also, again, you 38 touchdowns over the last two years. I mean, the yards from scrimmage are off the charts and you're in a final year of a contract. If you if you don't mind, again, I know this is a few months ago, but you asked for a new contract and and then felt compelled to ask for the ability to find a new team. That that happened. What what can you shed light on on that moment of your son when I see the fans perspective, because the fans are like, oh, Austin wants to leave.

Austin wants to leave. And I'm like, no, I want I want to stay like you guys. I want to stay longer. I'm trying to get extended. I'm trying to continue to capitalize on the peak time that I'm going through right now in my life.

Right. It just turned 28. I'm not 30. I'm walking my way, but I'm playing at a high level. And so I'm sorry. I'm going to the charges like, hey, let's get something done. Get me in here for another two, three years. And when they come and shut the door and they're like, no, we can't. We're not gonna let you do that. That puts pressure back in my court where it's like, OK, Austin, see if there's other value out there somewhere else.

And so I know I would have regretted it if I never did that. I was like, OK, charges like, you know what? You don't want to do it. I'm just going to, you know, sit in my corner.

And so, well, no, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to be proactive. I'm going to try to find value. So that's what I requested to go and speak to other teams, not because I wanted to get out, but because I want to make sure that I'm seeing all the options that could potentially be there. And, you know, if not, obviously, charges still want me back. We came up to an agreement, which, you know, people, I don't really think understand that because people are like, hey, congrats on your new contract. And it's like, I didn't get a new contract, but thanks.

Thanks. Because the charges did show me some love and gave me some incentives when they didn't have to do that. So that's kind of the light on that story. Well, that is, you know, it's great that you got something added to your contracting and it is incentives and you are still in your in your walk here.

But just last one for you on this one. What did you find about the running back market? I mean, what did you find when you were given the opportunity to walk out there and say, hey, who wants an absolute beast from the 20 yard inside and then an absolute beast between the 20s? Who wants that? Who wants a guy who can catch and run and who wants somebody who's been self-made?

Who wants that? And so what did you find, Austin? You know, well, hey, I appreciate those kind of words. It's the truth, though. It's the absolute, I'm not stuttering. You know, I mean, it's the, I know, I know that's how I've got here. You know, I'm a guy 5'8", you know, 195, but there's something different about me that's gotten me to the point where I am today. And so I definitely, I definitely recognize that. And so I appreciate you as well. But what did I find out?

I think it was, I think it kind of shows itself, right? The fact that I am back in the charges, we had to come to some type of agreement that, and it shows itself in other forms as well, not just my situation, but running backs or the, these teams are being really tight when it comes to the running back market right now. Because there's no one moving, there's no one moving the needle. And so they're all holding strong of like, okay, nope, we don't have to pay these guys.

No one else is paying them. So everyone holds. And that's kind of what we got pushed back where we have people that are like, hey, yeah, we think he deserves it.

But the landscape is what it is right now. So that's just, we're not willing to put that up because that's not what's happening. So it's almost like, you know, it's almost like Twitter where it's like, oh, it's, we're trending to pay these guys. And then everyone else jumps along. Well, the trend right now is not to pay running backs. Everyone's like, okay, well, we don't have to do it either then.

And it's whether it's right, wrong and different, it's just, it is what it is. And so it's going to take something, right? Whether some guy stands out again, whether it's this year, some, you know, one of these guys holds out and get the big contract, but we need that needle to move to push us over the edge because here's the deal. The salary cap goes up every single year, right?

And so you see new highs in every single position. And I'm not saying we've had another Christian McCaffrey type guy who's going to even, you know, blow up the market and the running back and put a new high. We've had people that have been close for sure. Maybe you could justify that there has been, but there's no one even been close to those contracts.

Not even close. And so that's what, that's what frustrates me, where you're telling these guys that are still playing at a high level, but nah, you're still not compared to that when it is definitely comparable to some point. So yeah, that's, that's what it's been for me. And so right now, a lot of us are going through this in the running back market.

A lot of us started because we're all, my class, you know, the 2017, and then these guys just got franchised. Like we're all in the same, now we're going to be free agents next year. So it's going to be wild. It's going to be wild. It's going to be wild how this plays out.

Absolutely. Which means obviously a lot's riding on 2023 for you personally, professionally, and things of that nature. So when, when you are around the building, what is, what is the general sense about the Chargers in 2023, Austin?

Yeah, you have two parts in there. You said a lot's riding on, you know, 2023, but in my mind, I'm like, how, how else would you want it? You know, like that's what gets me fired up.

It's like, okay, like my organization is betting on me having to decline after this year, right? Myself, I'm fully invested in this. Like I'm fully invested. I have everything to prove, not just to all the other teams, not just to my own team and even myself, but like there's so much energy, there's so much just want to in front of me and it gives me so much, so much motivation, so much discipline. It keeps me on track. And so I love the position that I'm in, even though it didn't necessarily play out the way I wanted to. I think it played out in the best circumstance for me to continue pushing forward as a human being.

So I'm super, super looking forward. But going back to your next question, going back to the Chargers, the potential in our room, you know, on paper, you know, we look good. I think we've seen that for, you know, the last X amount of years, but what's been our biggest holdup? It's consistency, whether that's through injuries, through people not playing to their standards, you know, through, you know, coaching. There's a whole combination.

That's why football is so great. All of this has to work in some type of chemistry for you to have success. And if one thing is wrong, it's going to be hard for you to get through. You can still make it through, but it's going to be hard.

And the more things you have clicking for you, the better you're going to be in the end. And so, you know, time will tell with us. It's so hard to tell. We got some talent coming in that I'm excited about. You know, we got Q that we drafted number one. Love it. We have a whole basketball team now for me. Come on now. You can be the Curry here.

You know, I mean, come on now. We got you. We got you. I'm excited, man. I'm excited to go play out there, running around with the boys.

It's going to be a fun year for sure. No, I know. I mean, is there like a sign, like a, like an amusement park outside the wide receiver room?

You have to be this tall to be here. And it's like six, five. Is there, is there, is there a sign there in Los Angeles like that, Austin? Yeah.

I think it says you have to play above the rim, you know, something like that. So I'm excited to see that to come. It's going to be, it's going to be a fun year, like I said. And, you know, we got, we got people that, you know, contract years are coming up for people.

I'm excited about, you know, coach Staley coming back as well and, you know, bringing the same defense. So I'm expecting bigger things from them this year. Just understanding what the expectation is, cultures being set. And, you know, I think it's just a big testament and a big statement here for all of us, honestly, where it's like, hey, we've had talent, but we've only made it to the first round of playoffs once. And so there's a lot of pressure. And like I said before, my other little statement I made where it's like, that's, that's what you want. You want pressure because that means there's expectation. That means you've earned the right to have that pressure. And now it's just time for us to go out there and execute.

And your quarterback's got a contract coming, I would assume as well, you know, so how does that play in your world, Austin, you know, with that still hanging out there? Yeah, I mean, it goes back to what I was talking about earlier, where it's like, there's more things on our plate, you know, for him as an individual, there's more on his plate. He's already super motivated, wants to do the best, but now there's even more on there.

So it just continues to solidify how you want to continue to impress and move forward and progress. And so I know he's going to be locked in even more than he ever has, just like he is every single year. He continues to get better, continues to learn the game, continues to understand and become more of that offensive, hey, I run this that we need. And I'm really looking forward to coming in, I think it's year four for him.

So new kids growing up, it's crazy. How is Kellen Moore going to change things up? Look, I don't want you to give me your new playbook here on the air, but that is a huge question that is being asked in regards to the Chargers offense, bringing in the offensive coordinator of the team that had the most points per game last year in Dallas. What can you tell me, Charger fans, how this offense is going to look differently this year? Yeah, you know, I can't necessarily tell you before we actually see it play out. Okay.

And here's the reason behind that. Because, you know, whoever your coordinator is, I don't care who it is. Here's the thing, you're going to go, we're gonna go through training camp, we're gonna go through preseason, we're gonna go through a couple games, and you're gonna start to find out, okay, who's hot, who's not, who's our identity, what's working, what's not, you know, is there injuries involved, like all of these things have play a factor into how we call the game. And so with Kellen coming in, yeah, maybe he has tendencies and stuff like that in the past, but he has a whole new team, so we got to figure out what our identity is. And you try to do that within training camp and preseason and in the first couple games.

And so what to expect is, you know, we'll see, we'll see. All I know is I want is some type of consistency and some type of identity where it's like, hey, this is what the Chargers are trying to do. And it goes from game to game. You know, with Joe, you know, last year, like, hey, we had a bunch of receivers beat up. So guess what, Austin, you're going to get the ball 20 times a game now, you know, when you're usually getting it, you know, 12 to 15 in there. And so I was like, okay, I guess it's on my shoulders now or Gerald's or, and so we play this game is super fluid. And so as long as we're continued, that's what makes a good coordinator good is how you're going to get the ball in your playmaker's hand in the right circumstances so that we can maximize our efficiency. So like actual consecutive touches for you inside the 10 yard line might happen this year. If you want to score touchdowns, that seemed to seem to be working. That's what I'm saying. I just want to make sure.

And by the way, that was not a fantasy complaint there. I did not get you last year because I didn't draft high enough to acquire you, sir. So tell me about your foundation. How's your foundation doing?

Austin? Yeah, man, we've been doing some special things. And I'm very, very thankful for everyone that's participated, whether by emerge or donating to our existing projects. We've continued just a little bit about it's awesome at the foundation.

Our goal is in our mission. And what we've been doing is implementing physical resources back into communities that people can go and use to help better themselves. For instance, washers and dryers, weight rooms has been a big part of my life. And so that was one thing that I wanted to get back to schools that had really run down and outdated weight rooms. We just fixed the Long Beach poly weight room, like floorboards sticking up, like it's one of the biggest schools in California.

It's not the biggest one. And we just renovated theirs. And so projects like that where people can go and actually utilize this resource, but that's what they have to do, right?

I can't be there to tell them to go work out. It's there, you can use it. And now that's up to you of how much value you want to get out of those resources. So that's what we're continuing to do. You know, equipment, school supplies, we've given bags, just different things like that. So yeah, the Austin at the foundation, it's been amazing.

I'm continuing to ramp up our effectiveness and looking forward to continue to do more in the future. Yeah, new weight room for Long Beach poly. Does that mean Snoop is on this program too? Austin? He actually wasn't on it, but it was Juju who also graduated from there. And then Jarell Casey, who also graduated from there at the end and retired a couple years ago. Heck of a school. That's quite a list right there. And that's going to be unveiled and celebrated tomorrow. austineckler.com slash projects to learn more about the Austin Eckler Foundation.

You're one of my favorites, man. And when I was sitting, look, I understand it's a business. I understand this cap and, and whatnot.

It's a it's just a head scratcher. You know, what's going on with the running back market? And I'm just wondering like, so are you sitting there with the popcorn buttered and rooting for Saquon and Josh this weekend?

Like is that? Yeah, I'm serious. I was there before they got all the money back like, right. Well, people don't see on the outside is that like they see their team, right? They're like, so loyal to these logos that because of logos, logos, but us as players, we rely on each other doing well to set new markets to right, I need you to get paid so that I can be compared and then I can write be paid, you know, you know, however, I should be paid relative to you. And when the lead comes to put the cap on and says, Nope, no one's making more than 10 million. That screws us because it's like, well, now all the comparables are what what is there?

You know, it's it just caps it. And then we have all these guys coming into coming into the last year. So I'm definitely sitting with the popcorn. But not not necessarily because I'm like, excited to see what happens. But I'm more so just intensively watching, I'll say, yeah, maybe, maybe you could get like some sort of a running back zoom going, you know, and you start talking to each other. You know, like a union within the union here and figure something out.

I'm serious. I mean, we wouldn't need a union in the union. We just utilize our own unit. Yeah, that's leadership, right? It's just it comes down to leadership, who's going to take that step and, and actually bring us together to come up with some type of plan. But yeah, it's, it's definitely something that needs to be done.

If this continues to happen. Well, I'm rooting for you. I'm rooting for you.

I'd love to see you here in person if you're if you're ever in this neck of the woods in this neighborhood. But in the meantime, congrats on what you're doing with your foundation and you go crush it. I appreciate you go crush it. Thank you. Thanks, Rich. Thanks for having me on, man. I appreciate it. Right back at you. That's truly one of the best touchdown makers in the National Football League today and in certainly this decade.

Austin Eckler right here on the Rich Eisen Show at Austin Eckler on both Twitter and Instagram. What you said was no cap, Rich. I think I put two blue caps on it. No, no, no, I did it.

I used it the wrong way. It should be no caps, zero caps. No, just say no cap. How are blue caps?

Is that, is that an emoji? Are there different colored caps? It's just a blue one. Okay.

He chose blue because it's the Giants? That's the only one. Careful. Okay. You went all the way down. My chair.

Wow. And your back, and your back. Did it break? Did your chair break? I had my, my leg was underneath it and I touched it.

It's happened to me many times. All right. I've got a top five list.

Harrison Ford, top five Harrison Ford movies of all time to celebrate the 81st birthday of one of our greatest American actors. I don't know what else to say. It's one of the greats.

Go to break. That's great. He is here dressed head to toe full on with the beard and the robe and everything in the sandals. Will Ferrell dressed as, go ahead, tell the radio audience who you're dressed as today. Jesus.

The courtesy of spirit costumes made in China and it's adult. And if you, if you can focus on the bottom here, yes. One size fits most. One size fits most. So they're not really committing, are they? No.

They're not really committing. One size fits most. How does it fit you?

It looks like it fits pretty good. Pretty good. Yeah. Pretty good. But yeah, I, and you've got a Dodger cap on as well.

So I want to support my Dodgers. I looked at the calendar. It didn't dawn on me that until yesterday. Yeah.

But today is the 30th. It is that I thought, God, the beard, a beard really puts me out of breath. You've got an intake because it is up against the nose. There's only this much. Yeah. I just see the eyes. Right.

But boy, Jesus does love his omega threes. Look how shiny beard. Anyway, my point is my kids, we have a rule in the Farrell household. The boys get to pick out my Halloween costume every year and have to wear it no matter what. Okay. So they had picked out Jesus.

I thought day before Halloween, I got to wear it for rich on a show. Thank you. Yeah. Well, well, thank you, children. Thank you, children.

So this is courtesy of axle Magnus and Matias. Okay. They saw it'd be fun. Why did they, I don't know. There's no re last year. I was a poop emoji.

One year. I was just a heavyset guy. Okay. I think I was where's Waldo another year. Yeah. There's no rhyme or reason.

Okay. I think it's Will Farrell's birthday tomorrow or later on this week. There's fun stuff right there. Back here on the rich eyes and show, we just showed a video of telling my radio audiences. We just showed a video of when Will Farrell came here the day before Halloween in 2017 dressed as a Jesus in full costume.

Full costume. That was, I believe when the Dodgers Astros world series was taking place, the one that still infuriates Dodgers fans because they thought that the Astros were cheating. They need to get over it.

Well, I mean, cause the Astros beat him here and one would think the, you can't hear it over the, the, the, the Dodger towel waving Dodger fans and the Oregon only worked at home. Right. Isn't it only worked at home. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah.

Well, at any rate, long story short is I do remember being told a Will's here in advance, but he doesn't want you to go back there. Why? Cause he's in full costume. I'm like, Oh God. Okay.

What's he just, he doesn't want me to tell you. I think there was a, that was Brittany field who was doing that for us back in the day. The Dodgers won game one. Hmm. Oh, the Dodgers won game one.

We're here or here. Yeah. Okay. And anyway, she comes out and she's like, yeah, he doesn't want you to stay.

And he comes around the corner and he's full costume with a beard and everything in the Dodger hat. You shouldn't complain when you lose game seven at home. Okay. You two guys talking about two different things.

We are indeed. Okay. Today it's Harrison Ford's 81st birthday. I mean, I cannot wait to see the new Indiana Jones film. Susie and I have yet to see it. We're going to go to it. We're going to go to a movie theater to see it. Yeah.

You have to go. Um, and so, and by the way, he got robbed for not being nominated for his role in shrinking. He's so great in it. He's great at comedy. He's great in everything. Uh, I have in his honor, top five Harrison Ford movies of all time. Let's go.

Just play some music for just some, just the regular music, you know, don't have to have NFL films. He's that's one thing he's never done. Although he's been, he's been branch Ricky, right? Yes. Right.

Um, so, okay, here we go. Number five on this list from 1985, the movie witness where he plays a Philadelphia homicide detective protecting an Amish boy who played by very long, young Lucas Haas, who witnessed a murder when he was with his mom in Philadelphia played by Kelly McGill, Kelly McGillis a year before Top Gun, by the way, I think this was like her breakout role. Um, and, um, they, uh, they go to Amish country to protect the boy and he lives amongst the Amish and falls in love with Kelly McGillis spoiler alert. Um, this wound up being, believe it or not, Harrison Ford's only Oscar nomination of his career for yeah, for best actor.

Wow. Only one witness directed by Peter Weir in 1985. It's a great movie.

It stands up. I saw it a few years ago. Everyone should check it out.

Number four on this list from 1982 blade runner is on this list. Um, it's an adaptation of the Phillip Phillip Dick novel called do androids dream of sheep. Have you guys ever seen blade runner?

I have not. Oh dude, it is outstanding science fiction. It's about synthetic humans known as replicants that were made by some, you know, murky corporation and sent to colonize different planets in space for replicants escape. The leader played by Rutger Howard comes to earth and, uh, and Harrison Ford plays out a burnt out cop named Decker. Who's got to hunt down the replicants kind of, you know, they're the fugitives. He's the one who's trying to get these fugitives, uh, Ridley Scott's follow up to the movie alien, the music by van jealous, which was his follow up to chariots of fire. And this was big because we had known him as Han Solo and he's like doing science fiction, completely different in 1982. It was a very dystopian world of Los Angeles set in 2019 Los Angeles.

Yeah. Um, so ever, it's a great movie blade runner and you know, they made a sequel to it recently. Um, number three on this list is Raiders of the lost arc 1984. Um, and again, this is Han Solo. Let's put it in perspective at the time. 1984 was two years after blade runner.

Um, and it was a year before witness. And here he is putting on the hat and doing, doing amazing, amazing, um, stunts. And, you know, we all know what Raiders of the lost arc was and has become, but that's number three, number two on this list, the empire strikes back the best star Wars movie at me, if you dare, no cap on this one, 1980 when star Wars became star Wars and they decided to do a sequel.

It's like, good luck to you. And this one was better. It's like the godfather part two. You want to have some sort of conversation about some iconic movie being made into a sequel or have a sequel made off of it. 1980s, the empire strikes back and he is brilliant in it. He's funny. He is that when, when, you know, spoiler alert, he gets put in carbamide, unbelievable. And number one on the list is maybe the most rewatchable movie in the history of movies, the fugitive 1993, when they made a remake remake of the TV show or made a movie out of the TV show, Dr. Richard Kimball, his portrayal of the doctor who wrongly accused of murdering his wife and going on the run search by Tommy Lee Jones. This may, this is his best movie. This may be his best performance in any movie.

He is spectacular. And that is my top five Harrison Ford movies of all time on his 81st birthday. Tommy Lee Jones won the Oscar that year. And he was nominated. He was not nominated. His only Oscar nomination came in 1985 for witness, which means can we get this guy, the, the honorary Oscar or what, how has he, he's made, I think his movies have made over $10 billion. And that's not an exaggeration.

That's I think an accurate figure. Isn't he playing the president again in captain America, the new captain America is, I don't know. I think he's back in the Marvel universe and he's working his ass off right now at age 81. I would not be working at 81. I don't know. You'll probably be bitching about LeBron's grandchild on the Rich Eisen show. I don't hate LeBron. I don't know why this gets thrown in my direction.

DSP's 2050. You don't hate him? I don't. Come back to play. All right. Thank you for taking in this show. Thanks to Austin Eckler for being so honest about everything going on with him in the running back group. Also to Mike Florio, pro football talk and Jim Jackson. Tomorrow, David Cone is highlighting our guest list on our Friday program as baseball returns from its four day all star break. The second half of the season begins tomorrow, and we will see you on Friday's edition of the Rich Eisen show.

Nice. How wrestling really works and how you get the ratings. Eric Bischoff and Conrad Thompson explain on 83 weeks. Collision has been struggling a little bit out of the gate with these ticket sales and a little bit out of the gate. This was a major show announced on a major network with what everybody thought was this huge star, CM Punk. I said he was going to be the biggest financial flop in wrestling history, and I think I'm being proven right every minute of the day. 83 weeks on YouTube or wherever you listen.