REShow: Marshall Faulk - Hour 1

This is the Rich Eisen Show. The world's biggest stars are here. Timothy Oliphant back here on the show.

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We're not that close. Go back to Timothy. Today's guest Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faugh, Senior Writer for the LGBTQB. Albert Breer, Golf Channel Analyst, Brandel Chamblee. And now, it's Rich Eisen.

Ah, yes. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We are live in Los Angeles, California here on this Tuesday. Smack dab in the month of July.

Right in the middle of it in 2023. Live on the Roku channel. This is also the Rich Eisen Show terrestrial radio network you might be listening to. Sirius XM Odyssey and more. We say hello to our podcast listeners. It's your God-given American right to listen to us whenever you're darn well pleased. Our podcast all three hours available through the Cumulus podcast network. Check it out on any podcast network that has podcasts on it. And I'm done saying that word. We're here on this Tuesday program with tons to talk about. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial.

This is the smartest choice you can make. It is so obvious. It's almost as obvious as not pitching to Shohei Ohtani with him being the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning of a game that you're winning. It's so obvious. Who would do that? I don't know.

The New York Yankees? What happened? So, we'll talk about that on this three-hour edition of this program. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? I think Ohtani's bat is still flipping in the air.

It's called epic, as the kids might say. DJs and Mikey Diaz and Deez Nuts is not here again today. Good to see you, Jason Feller. How are you, sir?

T.J. Jefferson, the candle's already lit, I can see over there. Rich, I appreciate all the podcast listeners, but like, by not watching us on Roku, you're kind of missing out on our shiny, happy, smiling faces. Yes. And my sneaker game, which is immaculate.

Well, if people don't watch on the Roku channel, how in the world is T.J. going to get a free shoe deal out of this thing? I mean, come on, folks. You know? Okay, very good. And then I'm going to look at my man Brockman, too.

Brockman's got it right there, too. Very nice. I'm just saying, Rich, we appreciate the podcast, but watch us.

Very nice. I don't know how Jay Feli's taking all my shoes. What are you, Mr. Rogers over there?

It's a beautiful day. That was hilarious. And today, Rich is wearing dress shoes for the first time. Actually, those look good on you, I will say. What does that mean?

What does that mean? Actually, those look good on you. Meaning, other days I don't wear things that actually look good on me.

Looks good on you, though. I'm going to the NFL Network Media Summit later today. I've actually been asked to address the group today. That's why all these certain people are in town, huh? Oh, that's right. Yes, my colleagues are all in town, Chris.

Got it. Rich, I know you have a problem with public speaking, so you're going to be okay doing this? I know that you have issues with that. Well, I mean, you know, it's not the greatest time in our neighborhood over there, so, you know. Do you have to dress yourself? But I'm excited to speak to my colleagues on the outset of another National Football League season and, you know, it will be an exciting day to be there and I figured I'll dress up with shoes that are actually looking good on me.

Congrats. Some people don't know how they talk. No, I know what I'm saying. Some people don't know.

Wait a second. They don't know. Some people don't know how they talk.

They don't register. Like, no, I'm actually insulting you when I'm giving you a compliment. No, you take things the negative way more often than not.

No, no, no. You do. I am a professional listener. You understand me? I'm a professional listener. I listen to people and then respond to what they say. I don't come with an agenda. I have a conversational way about me. You just said, actually, you're wearing shoes that look good on you, which means in other days they don't. It's okay. You can have an opinion on my footwear, even though that stinks.

That's your opinion. Okay, very good. Let's start this program with something a little bit more germane. It's as simple as this. It's as simple as this. The running back position in the National Football League is as crucial a position as there is. All we talk about in this sport is girding your loins and going to hit somebody in the mouth.

That's what you do. And you take the hits and you absorb the hits and you deliver the hits and you make sure your opponent's will gets winnowed with each snap until you win a football game. Yes, there are many X's and O's to this game and many important positions on the field. It's a team sport. And yes, there is a brain aspect to it. That's the thing I love about the football mindset is that it does involve intelligence as well.

You've got to be smart to play this game. And so no position in terms of understanding what happens pre-snap, what happens post-snap if you get the football, what's more important? Who's more important than the running back? Who could get that one yard? Who could actually be the matchup nightmare and grab the ball out of the air because he's getting it thrown to him?

Have to understand passing routes and concepts as well as blocking schemes and who's the mic? Because you might have to protect your quarterback. You're going to the line of scrimmage and you're thinking, I'm getting this football in my belly and I'm going to run somebody over. Oh, wait a minute. No, the defense is this.

Oh, wait a minute. My quarterback just changed my responsibility to protect him. It's the running back position. And we talk about red zone play. Take a look at the Buffalo Bills.

One of the most talented quarterbacks I've seen in my soon to be 20 years at NFL Network, Josh Allen. Red zone issues. Trying to force it. Trying to do it himself. He's running it himself.

He's got to run somebody over. Where's the running back for this team? Oh, yeah.

That's right. Only Super Bowl champions. That's all we look at when you take a look at the running back position being devalued. Who is the last thousand yard rusher to win a Super Bowl? Who's the last rushing champion to win a Super Bowl? So we don't need these players. Oh, well, maybe the Buffalo Bills could have won it last year if they had a running back of note.

A bell cow. Take the pressure off the quarterback. He might not have to carry it.

At least him being there takes the pressure off of Josh Allen. So it doesn't force it in a window. It's a nuanced game. It's not as simple as these are the stats. So these guys don't have to be paid. Bottom line is running backs in this league are as crucial a player on the field in the NFL as anybody else. And they are crucial until they ask to be paid as such.

And then they are now replaceable, fungible. Not as important. Saquon Barkley. I understand $10 million is a ton of money. It's a lot of money. This is not anything but talking about value and what others are paid in this sport and what this kid has done for the National Football League and the New York Giants.

And yes, I said National Football League too. What he has done since coming off the campus at Penn State for this team and I understand he has had injury problems. But it's time to pay this guy and now he's going to walk into a locker room after whatever happened. And again, I understand I'm not there in these negotiations, but now he's going to just stroll in there as if none of this happened and do it again.

He's going to have to because otherwise he doesn't get paid in the NFL this year. It is what it is. The five word cliche in the NFL.

It is what it is. What it is is a total devaluing of this position and paying this player in the manner that they're paying wide receivers. It's just as important to take the top of a defense off. They're more specialized than running backs. I guess it's easier to find guys to do it. And I understand what people are pushing back when I tweeted out what I just said and what I'm saying right now and you might call it 844-204-Rich and say, Rich the numbers show you, you don't need somebody making $15 million a year at this position.

You don't. I understand it. Except the one team that runs the scheme that has made running backs appear more fungible than ever because the Denver Broncos used to do it with Mike Shanahan after Terrell Davis left the scene and they start winning with Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson and Ruben Drones got mentioned on the show the other day.

Right? And then, you know, schemes like what the Rams are doing what the rest of the league is now doing and copycatting and that the running back position is not that important and then the 49ers who run that offense and Kyle Shanahan, they go out and get the guy who's paid most at the position. But they didn't have to do that.

They didn't have to, no. But the running backs all before that in that scheme. They felt compelled enough to go get Christian McCaffrey, didn't they? And he's there. And he's making $16 million a year.

So I will understand, again, I understand what everyone else is saying. I have written down on this piece of paper right here in my book the last 10 seasons and this is why the running back position is being devalued. To your point, Chris, last year's Kansas City Chiefs champion Isaiah Pacheco was their leading rusher 170 attempts, 830 yards.

Seventh round. Josh Jacobs, 1,653 yards led the league in rushing missed the playoffs. The year before, the leading rusher for your world champion Rams, Sony Michelle 208 attempts, 845 yards second round, but traded. Jonathan Taylor had Carson Wentz not gone number two in his helmet in Jacksonville.

He would have made the playoffs at 1,811 yards as the leading rusher. He didn't. He also tweeted out yesterday on the subject matter of what's going on with running backs.

Wow. Well, he's up next. And then he retweeted, I believe Matt Miller tweeted out something about what he, because he's a scout, he tweeted out, been saying it for years, draft a running back, then play the running back.

If he's good, franchise tag him one more time and then draft a running back. Taylor responded one, two, and three. If you're good enough, they'll find you. Two, if you work hard enough, you'll succeed.

If you succeed, three, you boost the organization. And then, doesn't matter. You're a running back. That's what running backs feel. They are being told by NFL coaches. They are being fed a whole bunch of crap because other people who are, if they're good enough, they'll find you. And if you succeed enough, they'll figure you out and say, you're awesome. And then three, you boost the organization.

And then if not, guess what you get? Another contract if you're a quarterback. If you're a wide receiver, blowing out your knee, you'll get paid. Cornerback, tight ends, not as good.

Not as important. But running backs are the ones who get that yard when you need it on the one yard line or for a first down or create a matchup problem or protect your quarterback. You got to know running schemes, blocking schemes, passing schemes. 2020 champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was Ronald Jones who was the leading rusher on the Bucs. 978 yards rushing. Derrick Henry led the league in rushing.

2027 he had. He was also the leading rusher the year before when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl with Damian Williams running for a mere 498 yards. That is also what is deflating this market is the champion Chiefs two out of the last four Super Bowls. You got Mahomes, you got Kelsey, you got Tyreek Hill. Last year we saw what they did without Tyreek Hill.

498 yards rushing was their leading running back and Damian Williams. Derrick Henry tweeted out yesterday about all this. At this point just take the running back position out of the game then.

The ones that want to be great and work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization just seems like it don't even matter. I'm with every running back that's fighting to get what they deserve. Says Derrick Henry. I mean come on.

Who's the last running back by the way to lead the league in rushing and make the playoffs. Now I understand when you say come on. These guys are. But take it out of the game. I know that. Of course it means of course it makes no rational sense but they are in now an irrational state and I don't blame them.

I don't blame them because there doesn't seem to be an answer to this. Sony Michel won was the leading rusher of the 2018 champion Patriots. How about that? He's a leading rusher on two of the last five Super Bowl champions. 209 attempts. Oh he was great in that playoffs. 931 yards rushing. Zeke led the league in rushing 1434 rushing yards.

The last two we have now found by the way the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. Their leading rusher was LeGarrette Blount. 766 yards. Kareem Hunt had 1,327 rushing yards for the Chiefs.

How about that? Chiefs actually had a 1,000 yard rusher in their run. That was Mahomes' first year. Now we have finally found a 1,000 yard rusher that won a Super Bowl.

And it's LeGarrette Blount. The year before he did it for the Eagles. He did it for the Patriots.

How about that? 299 attempts. He was good that year. 1,161 rushing yards. Zeke won the rushing title in 2016. I believe he scored a lot of touchdowns too that year. 2015's champion the Denver Broncos. Ronnie Hillman was their leading rusher with 863 yards. Adrian Peterson was the league's leading rusher. 2014 the Patriots leading rusher. You want to guess who it was?

2014? He had one great night and then made the mistake of missing practice because it was snowing. Oh yeah. I forgot that. 412 yards rushing. DiMarco Amari had 1,845 yards rushing for the Cowboys. They ran him into the ground and then let him go and his career was over. Which is why running backs want to get paid.

And then here is your answer. Who was the last guy who was one of the best running backs in the league to win a Super Bowl? Marshawn Lynch, who would have won back to back it wouldn't have been Jonas Gray's name I just mentioned had they actually given him the football. Sorry to bring it up Seattle fans but this whole thing is when would the last time somebody was that good and deserved to get paid was on a Super Bowl winning team.

Money went. Running backs are crucial. They win you Super Bowls, yes they do, and they can lose them.

Now the question is do you pay them like somebody like a wide receiver or not. You say no. You say no. I say on certain occasions the answer is yes.

On certain occasions but that's like everybody else. And Saquon is one of them. Josh Jacobs bless him. Apparently Pellissera said he was sitting in a car with Max Crosby right outside the facility waiting here for his agent. They were so close. Waiting. Wow.

And then it's like sorry. At least a buddy of his was sitting next to him. I have no idea where Saquon was with his blue caps and his Twitter account but I don't know what the answer is going to be because right now the league is telling running backs long term deals for you no thank you.

No thank you. We're going to take some kid out of college and roll the dice and hope for the best because other teams win Super Bowls without them although we don't know circumstances if the losing team had somebody like Saquon. Would it have been a difference maker? All we do is look at these Super Bowl champs and say they won without somebody. Didn't have to pay them.

You know well the Giants won that Super Bowl against the Patriots with a wide receiver who caught one off his helmet. Didn't have to pay all that guys right? It's a team game and I say these guys are as crucially important and some of them deserve to get paid what they earned and that's Saquon. Certainly since he's going to walk into a locker room and make one quarter of what Daniel Jones is making how do you think that rests with everybody who's looking to get paid because they've balled out.

That's also my argument. I understand it Chris. So here's one guy who I think has some thoughts on the subject matter and he's a guy who understood everything about the game the smartest guy I have been around in my 20 years of football number 28 in your program, number one in your heart, Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk on this show and he can't wait to get off his chest. I'm eager to find out what his two cents are.

I can imagine what they are. Albert Breer will join us in the middle of this show and Brandel Shambly from the Open Championship and you at 844-204-RICH number to dial right here on the Rich Eyes and Show. Marshall Faulk from football heaven when we come back.

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Factor's fresh never frozen meals are ready in just two minutes so all you have to do is heat and enjoy then get back outside and soak up the warm weather this July get Factor and enjoy eating well without the hassle simply choose your meals and enjoy fresh flavor packed meals delivered to your door ready in just two minutes no prep no mess head to factormeals.com slash eisen50 and use code eisen50 to get 50% off that's code eisen50 at factormeals.com slash eisen50 to get 50% off are you currently enjoying the show on the Stitcher app then you need to know Stitcher is going away on August 29th 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 I mean we didn't even get to all the running back tweets from yesterday when Jacobs, Pollard and Saquon all struck out on long term deals and Christian McCaffrey who's been on this program called it criminal three of the best players and he put in players in caps in the entire league regardless of position fact I'm telling you sometimes these guys they're thinking I'm going to run it I know exactly where I'm going to run it oh wait a minute change of play I'm now pass protecting and they do it expertly I think that's it it's going to take a quarterback getting lit up two or three times like Romo did that one time remember? I don't know a big test case is in Minnesota this year Alexander Madison audio Stalvin Cook we're going to go with the guy from the $10 bill that's a currency joke it's okay you don't have to laugh Chris doesn't carry money anymore he just doesn't agree with me who else we got Austin Eckler was on the program last week saying he's pissed off he's third string wide receiver or third the number three wide receiver and a wide receiver will make more than him he calls this the kind of trash that he's artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game I think this is in response also to what Matt Miller did everyone knows it's tough to win without a top running back and yet they act like we're discardable widgets I support any RB doing whatever it takes to get his bag that's a good one remember we had Miles Sanders I mean we've been all over this for weeks knowing that we were going to culminate in this day I thought they were going to definitely sign Saquon we also don't know what they're offering I understand to me it doesn't matter with Saquon doesn't matter come on you're paying 15 instead of 13 a year and you're paying Daniel Jones 40 come on and it's a bargain with Jones I understand you're two cents on that I get it back here on the Rich Eisen Show radio network I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry Grainger is the right product for you call clickgrainger.com or just stop by sitting around watching Yankees Angels last night watching paint dry and the Yankees decide the brilliant I was right around that deciding to brilliantly pitch to Shohei Ohtani with a man on and it's a two run lead brilliant idea my phone buzzes and I look down who is it who's texting me me nope not you cause I did here we go his name is Marshall Falk I look down here's a text I actually screen grabbed it he wrote I'm calling into the show tomorrow to which you be primed yes I'm calling into the show tomorrow he booked himself that's what happens when you're Marshall Falk when you've got a gold jacket you can do this well and you're also somebody who pretty much knows intimately what's going on or potentially what's going on with the running back Mark in the National Football League he's my pro football hall of fame BFF Marshall Falk how are you Marshall Rich I want to say that I'm doing very well but yesterday really put me in a somber kind of irritated more like pissed off mood this is egregious man it's like let's not even waste time let's just talk about it and have a collection of guys make comments and you know it baffles me I just I really don't know what to say and that's a lie cause I know what to say so let's say it what's on your like seriously you know what is going on in your estimation Marshall Rich this is so there's a combination of two things and I want to give the one guy who started this I want to give him his props but before I get to that let's just talk about where we're at in the NFL and they've made it to where if you don't have a quarterback and you don't pay in market value your team is going to suck you can't and I'm sorry if you're out there you can't win with a Trent Doper that's what they're saying that's that because you need an elite person passer at that position alright let's just stick with that now where did that come from it came from once the rules took the quarterback out of the game of contact football you just throw him down too hard not just hit him but you throw him down too hard that'll get you 15 yards you touch him anywhere above the shoulder pads and below the thigh that'll get you 15 yards it's made it to where once you pay your quarterback that amount of money the rest is going to call the game accordingly like that guy has to be a part of it now I'm going to start with this Taequann Barkley if you watched the Giants play last year you obviously saw who their offense went through and I believe and I'm going to say this regardless of who was playing quarterback that offense would have looked like that and they refused to just because market value they refused to pay the man well then the question is is why the question is is why Marshall like why Rich Rich hold on a second hold on a second for Minnesota to continue to give this guy money who has disappointed them and Dalvin Cook put up numbers he has disappointed he continuously cannot let me I'm going to ask this question because I don't know I haven't paid attention to the north I don't know if he's won the north he just did last year but other than that it's been Rogers ruling the roost Marshall now I just it's here's why Rich here's why whoever they this is the lead whoever we can come up with a good case to pay less we'll do it and they won't say they're colluding just all these teams decided we're just not going to pay the running back at the same time without talking to each other there was no conversation the only money the only money that has went down from 2013 to now the running back salary was the number was 10.9 and now it's 10.1 the only that's the inflation has worked against the running back and as soon as we get to the damn playoff guess what we say you have to do all these quarterbacks guess what they have to do they have to be able to run the ball makes no sense well the thing that when you when you let me sorry so let me just hit a couple things here and and and get your two cents on the subject matter because you know how I feel about it I'm with you but the idea that the Patriots can win a Super Bowl with Sony Michelle LeGarrette Blount Jonas Gray the Chiefs can win a Super Bowl with Pacheco Damian Williams Brady can then win a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay with Ronald Jones that Peyton can win a Super Bowl with Ronnie Hillman may he rest in peace that's the pushback here is that you can go ahead and get a kid to win a Super Bowl out of college and run them and pay them far less than what the Giants are paying what Barkley wanted and for some reason Barkley's the one who's eaten that despite his incredible immense value as you pointed out what's your response to that 28 the caveat is tell me those quarterbacks again I think you said Peyton I think you said Brady Mahomes Mahomes Mahomes yes those are the rest of these bums they're not that they're not that they are not that and listen Bill Belichick I want to get Bill props that's how he won a Super Bowl because Bill kind of created this it's kind of like it's kind of like in basketball nobody wants to give Greg Popovich the props for load management and these guys not really playing nobody wants to do that and we got to give Bill Belichick props for eliminating the running back out in the game this is literally this is and this is the my bad the franchise you get three guys you got one and if you don't have that type of quarterback Rich you're asking a lot you're asking a lot from your team you're asking a lot there's a lot of team that's tried that model without those guys and it hasn't happened it just has not happened Hall of Famer Marshall Falk here on the Rich Eisen show so what do you what would you counsel Saquon to do Josh Jacobs to do it does appear you know Pollard already signed his tender so he's going to play under that but what do you what do you counsel those guys to do right now Marshall Falk? Oh wait as long as they can but eventually sign the tender get the ten million that's a lot of money to be passing up because here's what has happened with Minnesota letting Dalvin Cook go Philly just not even I don't even think they offered Miles we see Nick Chudge coming up, Ernie's coming up Zeke's sitting at home you know Zeke's and you know Zeke's sitting at home right yeah Zeke's sitting at home you saw the deal that just went down at Cincinnati Rich they're going to they're going to and listen if once they do it with one position just pay attention they're going to start doing it with others it's going to start happening this is just where we are going as the trends start to happen for the good it'll start to happen for the bad like it's just that's how it is and right now the position of running back it's looked at as there's no such thing as a franchise running back there's no such thing anymore what about what about oh you you can what about this Marshall Saquon sitting out week one just to show the world what it looks like without him and the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football I mean what about that idea Marshall well that's no surprise see see Rich Rich you got to understand it's not it's not about everybody even the team they know this the Giants know this but what the Giants have is they have what we all want in this world which is leverage all right and when you have leverage when you're talking to and you understand that all right Saquon if we do let you go nobody's going to give up two first round picks and pay you what you want so you can't go anywhere and guess what hey now we have a reason to lose Daniel Jones is going to look bad but we have to pay him that money because the market said it so as smart as these GMs are when it comes to paying people it's not about I'm paying them because I think he's great they're only paying you when the market says pay you they never overpay you when the market because you're great when the market says pay you this but they will always try to underpay you what the market says and that's it so what's the fix here Marshall what do you think here there's no fix there isn't I mean the players association you can't like the running backs have a zoom I don't know like what's the fix Rich Rich Rich there's no fix as a lot of these sub park quarterbacks are taking advantage of next man up market value that's what this is what's going on next man up market value when we were talking about Lamar we was just saying next man up you just got to pay him more that's what the NFL is looking at okay where do we get our at and they looked at the running back position we got this position it's just that's just how it is this is big business and I think we forget that sometimes Tony Pollard has not showed me that he can carry the load by himself last year was the most he touched the ball and he got hurt and they still said hey Zeke we got to get rid of you not we got to give you less but we got to get rid of you Minnesota didn't even have they don't even know they don't even know Madison they don't even know what he can do they just say hey Daven Cook look we're better without you and at no point in time did they make that decision on their quarterback when you continuously disappoint them by not being able to win games as their quarterback when the ball is in his hands so I guess you're not watching that Netflix documentary on Cousins right now Marshall that's not loaded up for you on your Netflix Rich listen there's never been a guy that's been more lucky to actually go to Washington study under some guys and you know the guys that was coaching him now because they all have head coaching jobs now that got him ready RG3 the way he played they weren't ready for that and if you look at the two coaches that's head coaches that's actually coaching really good right now that was coaching underneath when he was there I mean they all play with those type of quarterbacks that you know you just want to drop back and throw the ball but isn't it amazing Marshall though isn't it isn't it amazing though that Shanahan Kyle who you're referring to and how you know no but Kyle he decided with Lynch we gotta go get the guy at the running back position who's paid the most we're gonna get the guy who's making 16 million and put him in here it's not like McCaffrey still languishing on Carolina and winding up like Dalvin Cook the guy who runs an offense whose father might have I know you talk about Belichick creating how you know a running back room is just as valuable as having one Belkow guy but Shanahan after TD our guy TD stepped aside started showing the Olandis-Garry way of doing things and I know I'm using that as a shorthand isn't it amazing that the son of Mike he's the one who's like yeah let's get the guy who's paid 16 million for it instead of showing that we could do it with just anybody they're putting the eggs in the guy's basket who makes the most it's unbelievable because they understand what they have at the quarterback position Rich they do not have a guy that they trust to throw it 40 times a game and win that's the part they don't have that guy that guy is not showing up they don't have him in house until they go get cousins right Marshall? lovely Rich that would be great oh my god as a Rams fan I'd be I'd beg them to dude please I would beg them I'm talking beg that would be like the biggest gift ever so basically Marshall Faulk you're on the Rich Eisen Show so basically you're saying as long as the quarterback system and paying these guys the way that they're paying them is the way this is and that the college game is being run the way that it's run and kids can be drafted like Pacheco out of Rutgers in the seventh round with somebody like Mahomes it doesn't matter that the running back market is going to be depressed for people like Saquon and Josh Jacobs who are on teams with quarterbacks that aren't Mahomes and aren't Brady and aren't Peyton Manning and things of that nature is that basically your analysis of what's happening yep this is where we are going I think Rich I think in this new era with these quarterbacks and the young ones making money I think Mahomes is the only one making big money like that that has won a Super Bowl once you get that quarterback that money and we're going to stay with Lamar once you give him that kind of money and you start removing the pieces around him I think it happened with Josh Allen some pieces started they had to get rid of some pieces and it becomes hard it's hard that's what everybody keeps saying about Cincinnati well Joe Burrow he's stealing his rookie deal wait till he gets off his rookie deal so everybody keeps saying once you get him off the rookie deal then what you gotta win you gotta win while they're on that rookie deal we're weeks away from that happening that's for sure so I guess because these quarterbacks are unicorns in certain ways right Marshall so somebody like Pete doing it the way that he's doing it in Seattle you know is that do you think something like that would break through if a team in this copycat league wins like that who else could we point out right now that would be something similar in that regard the Steelers with a young quarterback in picket I'm trying to find the spot that could break through that would make running backs you know like Kenneth Walker crucial how about this Bijan Robinson and Jameer Gibbs they're drafted in the top 12 could they prove something about the running back market in a way for you although Jonathan Taylor's not being paid Rich I'm just going to be honest with you because of the type of quarterback that's coming into the league and the quarterback runs that are a huge part of the league I think we're going to get further away from it and closer like understand what's happening these quarterbacks that's coming in all of these young guys we don't have just pocket passes all these guys they're coming from systems in college that have designed anywhere from 5 to 10 quarterback runs so that's going to put you further away from needing to hand the ball to your running back like I don't think we're going I don't think this is a problem that's been caused that I don't know if there's a remedy for it and I'll be even more honest because of the portal now when you recruit running backs if a guy's a freshman and you think he should play and you have a sophomore and a junior that's playing he's leaving so now you have to play I told you 10 years ago these running backs they're splitting time in college you've got three guys running the ball in college they come to the NFL they don't have enough touches and now you have this issue you really don't have a bell cow a guy that can tote the ball 25 times a game if you didn't tote the ball 20 to 25 times a game in college you're not coming to the NFL and doing it just not happening last two before I let you go any insight on Zeke and his strategy over the next few days and weeks that you're willing to share that you might know veterans of his age where he is they're not looking forward to camp it's like hey get in the best shape you can and when the time is right the team will call you and you go why do any of these guys want to leave their home and their personal training regiment to go sit in a dorm room with somebody with a crappy air conditioner why would they want to do that? for free so you think he'll wait until middle of August is that what you're saying?

just to see what's up? I haven't spoken with him I haven't spoken with Rocky about what their plan is this is merely what Marshall Faulk would do if I was where he is in his career there's no reason for me to go to camp and if you're not the starter at this point you're definitely a backup I would not have them me running with the 2's or the 3's against the number 2 no I ain't doing that if Dallas calls again would you say yes if the price is right? for me regardless of the price I want to be in Dallas I just like a lot of the moves Dallas made this off season I feel like where they're going actually fits Zeke more than where they were with Kellen they're going to you got Schottenheimer that's going to help you do what he does best which is run the shit out of the ball I mean this don't make sense and now you're getting rid of Zeke you're going with a guy who is more of a Kellen guy that needs the ball in space Cowboys surprise me all the time before I let you go because as you know you know the show and the construct of it when you're either here with me or Suze so you know we're up against it do you want to sneak in one last slander of Kirk Cousins before you go or what? I have no aid Kirk Cousins this is not against you personally this is based on your body of work and the money that you've made and we call that eat according to your work you're obese I love you Marsha Falk I miss you I got you 84 million guaranteed and I don't think he's won two or three playoff games I mean that's a lot of money I think you're actually inflating it he won that one time in New Orleans remember that one that playoff game Kyle Rudolph overtime I'm trying to help him out 84 million guaranteed one and four in the playoffs I love you Marsha Falk my whole entire family misses you so let me know when you're up here in LA and if not I'm calling you okay you got it there you go Marsha Falk who booked himself on this show that's great which he doesn't have to do god I love that guy one and four in the playoffs Kirk Cousins did he call the quarterbacks bums or did he call him a bum no he was calling a bunch of them bums which I always like when Marsha and I agree on things well you like using the word bum I don't know why and I don't mean Phillips alright let's take a break here and unpack a little bit of that or a lot of that Albert Breer will join us top of the next hour and the phone lines are lit 844204 Rich what is it like when you're back there you know you're going to get it the 8 in the box or 9 in the box that you see knows you're going to get it and you know you're going to give it to them and they know you're going to give it to them what is that like for you I just love the game I love having the ball in my hands and I love making plays and I don't know it's just the game man that feeling when everybody knows and they can't stop it it's just an indescribable feeling man and that's just speaking for like us as a team and you know I just I just love the game I know you're smiling you're just smiling as you're saying this it is just it must be an amazing feeling to have that ability Derek Henry here on the Rich Eisen Show did you hear what Earl Thomas said before the divisional playoff game in Baltimore saying that the Patriots didn't want to tackle you but they were going to have a different approach everybody was sending it to me everybody was showing it to me so now later on you're in Baltimore you get the ball you're on the edge did you know that was Earl Thomas? did you give him a second shove because it was Earl Thomas? I was wondering because you gave him one in the front and you gave him one slightly unnecessary one in the back but what's so funny about that is I also focused on giving him another shove that I ran myself out of bounds so the first time he kind of turned around and I could have turned up field but I also focused on this like giving him a shove that I ran myself out of bounds but yeah I definitely did that so then the last question is was it worth it to run yourself out of bounds?

I think it was I love the diminisher when he comes on this program Derek Henry all of his appearances on our YouTube page. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show so how about that Marshall pegs the change in the running back market to the change in rules on not being allowed to touch a quarterback which makes a quarterback who isn't all that good that much more valuable and the next man up mentality of I always tell you Daniel Jones is going to get paid 40 million a year because the market says it's his turn to get paid and that when these guys that you draft who haven't won very much in their first contract Mahomes is the outlier of winning in his first contract right? Burrow almost won in his first contract Russell Wilson won in his first? Correct these are like on one hand you can peg those guys and that you have to keep paying the quarterbacks who haven't proven themselves completely yet but have proven themselves enough that you will pay them in this current way that you pay players 40 million a year the market value of somebody who is what tier 2 would you put Daniel Jones in tier 2? Tier 2.5? Yeah he's in that low tier 2. But tier 1 gets paid 45 and up 50 million and up.

Sure. Tier 2 gets paid in the mid 40 range low 40 range? Yeah low 40 like back is at 40 right? So the way that that happens where are you going to get your savings? Well it doesn't have to. If the Giants had just said hey Daniel Jones the deal is 35 because we need the difference to pay Saquon Barkley we could have avoided this whole mess. But then you franchise tag him and then Saquon walks. No you pay Daniel Jones you say this is the 35 million dollars.

But then Daniel Jones says no and you say go find it somewhere else. But then you franchise tag him and pay him that 30 something million which was the franchise tag. Yeah and then you could have just signed a deal with Saquon and then you would have avoided this whole mess. But they would have had to franchise tag Daniel Jones you understand me?

So what? Then you don't make a deal with Saquon. You sit there and say I will get the bargain at Daniel Jones because the quarterback is the most important player and I will then get the bargain with my running back 10 million bucks by franchise tagging him. You don't have to pay these mediocre guys. When will somebody go ahead and tell that quarterback that they've drafted and has shown enough of a flash like say this year as Marshall kept on talking over and over again about how disappointing Kirk Cousins is and has been this year Daniel Jones went in and punked the Vikings in the year that they finally did dethrone Aaron Rodgers atop the NFC North.

So when will there be a team because that might be the reverse. Boy have we chewed up this subject over the last few weeks. I also agree with Marshall. I explained it to Sarah too.

She was asking me what is going on with this. The NFL wanted this. By changing all the rules and making the league a passing game and wanting to increase scoring they dictated that the running back was less and less important year after year. Well and his point when I listed all these running backs that didn't even get a thousand yards and aren't going to the Hall of Fame winning Super Bowls. His point is well who are the quarterbacks who made these guys able to win a Super Bowl because of their play. Mahomes, Brady, Peyton and so maybe the reverse is will there be a team that treats the quarterback like the running back saying franchise tag or adios. It might have happened had Jimmy G hit Emmanuel Sanders on that deep ball. It might have been the 49ers who have done it because Jimmy G is in that low tier two type player of a quarterback.

But that guy would have won. I'm saying you draft somebody and instead of giving them contract two you tell them beat it. We're going back to the draft for the quarterback.

Yeah and we talked about that a couple years ago. Doing to the quarterback what's happening to the running back because Marshall said this is just the beginning. If they do it to the running backs they're going to do it to everybody. Who will be that team to draft somebody at the quarterback spot and instead of paying them the way that the Giants paid Daniel Jones to say screw it. We're going back into the draft. Well I mean you say that Rich.

It might be the guy that started this whole thing. It might be Bill Belichick if Mac Jones stinks this year. He's not getting a second contract if he's 7-9 with 3,000 yards passing. Well won't they pick up a 50 year option on him at least and give him one more? I think that will happen. Happy starts in 2024.

Wow that would be something. If you're on hold stay on hold. We've got Albert Breer to just give us his two cents on the subject matter and then we'll empty the phone bank. The SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said something very fascinating about the NIL front as well yesterday. We've got that today here on this show.

We're still here on our Roku feed. But it's interesting that Marshall pegs it to the rules changes at the quarterback spot to allow those who aren't all that great to be paid phenomenally well. And then so you've got to go back to the draft at the running back spot rather than paying these guys a second contract. And the outliers are McCaffrey and Derek Henry. Those guys. Because they get the ball.

They get hit. And you know the Titans. Remember how many times we were like hey man I'm definitely going to let Derek Henry go. And I found the bills.

I get them. We were talking about that. He's not going anywhere. So he and McCaffrey getting paid and not getting cut like Dalvin Cook. But they were on run first teams. Tennessee's a run first team so was Carolina when they paid Christian McCaffrey.

Big difference. They didn't have the quarterback. They didn't have an elite play at that position.

You know that's a different scenario. Which is why Marshall's saying you know the quarterback being so great running backs are just fungible. But if the quarterbacks aren't that great boy are we paying this running back to stick around and run the football. Right and the Giants chose to pay Daniel Jones rather than let him test the market and come back on a lesser deal. And he said the Niners went ahead and got McCaffrey even though you know running backs can just do very well there. They got McCaffrey because the quarterback is the issue. Fascinating conversation to be had here on the Tuesday before training camp opens in the National Football League. Albert Breer when we come back. 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.