Sam LaPorta: Can't Wait For Sunday Afternoon

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But when I'm right, I do like to return to the microphone and enforce that. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Do not let the Buffalo Bills in the tournament.

But they didn't. The Rich Eisen Show, today's guests, Lions tight end, Sam Laporta, Fox Sports college football insider, Bruce Feldman, legendary actor and director, Dolph Lundgren. And now it's Rich Eisen.

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844-204, Rich is the number to dial. First up in just about 14 minutes time, the young Iowa Hawkeye. By the way, I guess that's redundant. If somebody's killing it at the tight end position in the NFL, they're from Iowa, so that's kind of redundant. Sam Laporta is going to be joining us here as he's getting set to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a home playoff game in the divisional playoffs. That's going to be fun to have Sam on this program.

Bruce Feldman will join us in studio on his usual Wednesday spot. The college football world is still on fire. We're still kind of scratching our heads. Where did the Nick Saban retirement come from? And then there's my head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who's supposedly trying to hammer out some indemnity language with my institution of higher learning to try and figure out does he want to stay in Michigan? Is he comfortable staying in Michigan?

Do you get the money to stay in Michigan? Meanwhile, he interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons yesterday. So how about the Atlanta Falcons going Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh on the same week to fill their vacant role? They're also interviewing Antonio Pierce, so there's lots of intrigue going on there. Bruce is going to hopefully give us some information as to how Alabama also found Kalen DeBoer on the dotted line. So we'll discuss all that with Bruce.

And then in our number three, be careful. This show may break you because Dolph Lundgren is coming in studio. He's got a new film that he is not only in, but he co-wrote it. He directed it. He produced it. Kelsey Grammer's in it with him. So Frazier Crane and Ivan Drago are in the same film.

What the hell is going on in this world? And he's also got a TV show where he's flipping a coin for 30 minutes. I'm not lying.

So I can't wait to talk to Dolph Lundgren. We're going to, by the way, I saw you flip the coin. Tails, it never fails. What do you got over there, Chris? What did you do?

What is it? Heads. Oh my goodness. Well, I defer to the third quarter, the third hour.

Pardon me. Dolph Lundgren will be here in studio. We'll do a little celebrity true or false with him as well.

844-204 Rich number to Dolph. Chris Brockman, it's already been established, is here. Jason Feller, we flipped a coin and you are here today.

Good to see you. TJ Jefferson, I know you're looking through the script of the NFL season. When does the double elimination part of the season start? Because I know Dallas can come back. Because I don't see it here in the script. By the way, this is a bit. It's a great bit. I'd like you to keep the bit going for the next three hours.

No, I'm just saying. It's a great bit. Double elimination. Double elimination. No, no, no. Can we play this one? No, no, no. I'll be the straight man. No, no.

No, no. The Cowboys are out. They've been eliminated. Is that Friday? That's a Friday night game, right?

Baby Fox has a double elimination tournament. Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

Then Josh Allen. No, no. Sorry, sir. Sorry, sir.

You can keep looking down. Speaking of Mahomes, that's how I'd like to start this program. Because we have seen Patrick Mahomes in many roles here in the National Football League. We've seen it as a kid who we don't know why the Chiefs drafted him.

Remember that? Philadelphia. Chiefs trade up. That's got to be for Deshaun Watson.

Nope. It's for Patrick Mahomes. I'll never forget Mayock sitting at the end of the set going, he's like nodding his head and goes, Andy Reid, he thinks he thinks he's got himself another Favre. He's got himself another gunslinger. He's got another guy who's just going to be taking risks and making throws. And sure enough, he got another gunslinger who he then immediately sat.

Okay. So he played the role of kid not ready. Remember that? You forget this stuff when you're seeing with the Mahomes and Mahotto, right? You're like, you're forgetting all this stuff.

He's talking about bundling now. Well, he started by bundling, you know, surprise first overall trade up to go get draft choice and then kid who sits. And then he comes in and now you understand why Andy Reid went ahead and got him. Because he immediately starts winning divisions, winning division games, winning divisions, then making AFC Championship games and then winning Super Bowls, plural. He's now the face of the National Football League. You see him absolutely everywhere. So we've seen him in many different roles. Invincible quarterback, couldn't get past Tom Brady at a young age. Now he's chasing Tom Brady as he enters his prime years and then his dotage years.

He'll try and track down the only guy who's within hailing distance in terms of pacing and already trophies in case. So that's his role. We have yet to see him in one role and it's going to happen on Sunday. We have yet to see him play the road playoff villain.

Haven't seen that yet. You don't think of the word villain when you think of Patrick Mahomes. He's so damn likable, honestly. And so he's going to go to Buffalo, New York, Western New York, Highmark Stadium.

And play unbelievably at this point of his remarkable career, his first ever true road playoff game, the only playoff games he has played away from Arrowhead to this point in his career. It's very simple. They're referred to by Roman numerals. Three Super Bowls. Yep, that's insane.

That's it. Winning two of them. Those are the only playoff games he's played away from Arrowhead. He has played in Buffalo before in 2020, so he's never played in front of fans inside the home of the Buffalo Bills. This will be the first, I guess, true road game he's played in Buffalo, Western New York, in front of the Bills Mafia. He's never gone into somebody else's stadium in a win or go home game and quieted the crowd. Not once has he had that opportunity because he's always in front of his own home fans, and then he's in front of a neutral site where he's quieting, one would assume, half the stadium.

That's it. The other half is cheering him on. He's never gone into somebody else's stadium in a playoff atmosphere. Obviously, he's played road games before.

Not like this one. And not against the opponent that he's taken on. Because in this post-Brady Manning world that we live in, in the NFL, we have established over and over again over the last couple weeks, and if not, I'll remind you, first playoffs since 1998 that neither Peyton Manning nor Tom Brady are in the playoff field. In the rare times when Brady missed it, Manning made it. Before Brady became a professional football player, Manning made it. And the times when Peyton didn't make it, Tom did.

And here we are in this world. This will be the seventh career matchup between Josh Allen, who was drafted a year after Patrick Mahomes. This is the sixth time they'll be playing each other. They're 3-3 against each other. Allen has won the last three regular season meetings. As we all know, Mahomes is 2-0 in his career against Josh Allen. The 2020 AFC Championship and the 2021 AFC Divisional Round Game that was so remarkable that not only was it the only game in the Super Bowl era in which both quarterbacks had over 300 or more passing yards, three or more passing touchdowns, no interceptions, and 60 or more rushing yards ever. Playoffs, regular season ever in the history of the Super Bowl era. And as we all know, the Chiefs famously used the last 13 seconds the Bills left on the board to tie the game, send it into overtime, win the coin toss, score a touchdown, end the game to the point the NFL changed the postseason rules for overtime. That's how huge that game was.

I can't believe they changed the rules. Last time they played each other in the postseason, which is why the National Football League put this game very last on Divisional playoff weekend, in which, again, Patrick Mahomes, for the first time in his illustrious career, will be playing the role of playoff villain in someone else's house. How will he handle it?

I think we get a general sense of how he will handle it, which is why many people in western New York are a little bit on edge. They have their own guy, their own killer, their own sole stealer, who finally gets Mahomes in his own house. But I just figured I'd start this show by pointing out we've never seen Patrick Mahomes in this role, and I can't wait to see how he handles it, or executes it, or doesn't. And the Bills mafia will play the role of screaming too loud for Mahomes to get his signals out. Wow, what a scene that's going to be.

I can't wait. 844-204 Rich, number to dollars, take a break. Sam Laporta, the rookie tight end from Iowa. Can't wait to ask him what Aiden Hutchinson said to him on the Big Ten Championship night. That's next, this is the Rich Eisen Show. Rich Eisen here. If you love football as much as we do here and want to be in the game every day, there's something the guys on my show have been enjoying. Prizepix Daily Fantasy Sports, the number one daily fantasy sports app. Brockman, tell everybody about Prizepix and your strategy this season. Rich, it's fun and easy. Pick two players or more based on their stats and place your entry.

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Visit prizepix.com for restrictions and details. Now jump in now or catch up on any of the past seasons of Talkville on YouTube or wherever you listen. You don't know. I mean, I said you've just got to assume the crafts know what the hell they're doing. You know what I mean? I believe I was firmly in the bill should be back.

Let's get a GM camp. Well, but you know, that was a completely unworkable dynamic. I do understand about that. I do understand that.

Yeah. You know, like they are now going to reconfigure, I guess, the way that they draft and the way that they. Well, pick the groceries there and these guys may not hire a GM. We're already off to a great start.

No, you're not. You'll hire someone. I don't know. But you've got to figure out, you know, organizationally, they know what the hell they're doing.

We don't know that because for organizationally, it was Bill for 24 years. So we don't know that they know what you're doing. So this is a vacuum. This is a vacuum into which we do not know.

Welcome to the rest of us, then. It's fine. Let's find out. I think in the in RKK you trust. You know, you got now now that's it in Brady, you trust in Bill, you trust.

They're gone now. It's not now it's RKK, you know, and we need to see what that looks like. Well, Gerard Mayo is talking, which is more than what Belichick does sometimes, as you know, looking at it right now. I'm just joking. By the way, no coach. Well, yeah, no coach seemed to meet with the media more than him. He was very available.

He had his own coach's show. I mean, honestly, asked the right question. That's it. Bingo. So bingo.

We'll see. But who knows what the right question is? Like, no special teams, civil war, civil war, snapping, long snappers, the History Channel, Lawrence Taylor. Welcome back to the Rich Ives and Show radio network. I'm sitting at the Rich Ives and Show desk furnished by Grange with supplies and solutions for every industry.

Granger has the right product for you. Call clickgrange.com or just stop by 86 catches, 889 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns. Sam Laporta put a lot of people in their fantasy playoffs and certainly has helped the Lions get to the divisional playoff round from the great University of Iowa. Sam Laporta here from the Detroit Lions on the Rich Ives and Show. Pleasure to meet you, Sam. How are you? I'm great, Rich.

Thanks for having me on. A sight to see you out there, man. I mean, you must have worked your ass off to get out on that field last week, Sam. Yeah, it was certainly a different week preparing. Wasn't able to practice a whole lot.

So getting the mental reps and spending a lot of time in the training room, certainly. All right. So let's get let's start at somewhat of the beginning here. How did you wind up at Iowa, Sam? How'd you wind up there back in the day?

Well, it was a little bit of a long story. I'll condense it for you, but I attended a camp there in June going into my senior year. And Lavar Woods, a special teams coordinator who recruits St. Louis and southern Illinois, loved me.

Absolutely was dying to have me there. And then I didn't really hear from Iowa for a good six months after that. And then, of course, T.J. Hawkinson and Noah Fant declare for the draft. So it opened up an extra scholarship spot in the tight end room at Iowa for me. So then they had officially offered me and I accepted. OK. And then so do you hear like from Kittle right away or like how like how how how soon does this George pop in? I think George popped in.

Let's see. I met him at some point in the season my freshman year. It came for like a game or something. I'd met him that weekend. OK. And what was that like? I mean, you know, you're you're a kid in this position.

You know the history of this position at this school. You know, Kittle is Kittle. I imagine at that point in his career still.

So what was that like, Sam? Yeah, George is a hoot. What you see is what you get with him. I mean, what a legend George Kittle is, man.

I mean, like I said, what you see is what you get with him. He he's the exact same person every single day, which you can really appreciate the consistency and just the effort that he that he puts in with his communication skills to guys back at Iowa and just bringing the tight end position along in so many ways. What is it about that position and Iowa that seems to be such a great match in the professional level now that you've gone through a full regular season in the NFL, Sam? I think it starts with Coach Ferentz and the type of person that he recruits. Not every person is meant to go to Iowa. The structure and just the daily task that that Coach Ferentz really looks for in his players. So I think it starts with the person more so than the actual athlete. But certainly you've seen quite a few tight ends come out of Iowa. Yeah.

Yeah. And then there you are on draft night. Kansas City. First round goes by.

Friday night doesn't last too long for you. What is it like to be handed a phone and you're in the NFL and Dan Campbell's on the other end of the line? Sam? That was a special moment.

It's a bit of a blur looking back. But picking up the phone, you see the random number calling. Yeah, you're like, oh man, who's this going to be? I wasn't really following the draft order of where everybody was.

I wasn't too worried. But yeah, Brad called me on the other end and then Coach Campbell shortly after. It was just a surreal moment knowing that I was going to be a Detroit Lion and live out every kid's dream of playing in the NFL. But I mean to talk about a guy who knows the position too, right? So what did he say to you? What did Dan Campbell say to you? He said we got a lot of work to do. We started rebuilding this program two years ago. You're going to play a big part of the offense and get ready to put your working boots on basically.

Any similarities between him and Kirk Ferentz at all, Sam? Yeah, I'd say the structure. You have to be consistent in your time management. You just need to show up and be ready to work every day with Dan. That's really what he looks for. It's the effort and the fact that you want to be there. He doesn't want you slouching around. He wants you to want to be better every single day.

Right. And so I guess then it makes it an easier transition for you? Yeah, certainly the transition was everything that I'd heard of transitioning to the NFL, I felt like Iowa prepared me really well for that. Just managing my time, getting into class, doing all my studying, football prep. So of course I don't have class now, which is a huge relief.

I can focus all my time and energy just on playing ball. Plus it helps the guy drafted in front of you by the team is Jack Campbell too, Sam. So that's pretty cool, right? The two of you guys? Yeah, Jack's a great buddy of mine. We were roommates together for three years at Iowa. Sam, right.

Oh my gosh. I'm a fan obviously of Ferentz and the Big Ten and whatever. I'll be straight up with you, a little too much Iowa talk for me. What did Aiden Hutchinson say to both of you for the Big Ten championship, Sam? What did he say to you? Did he give you anything?

What did he say? The Michigan guys have kind of hung that over our heads, unfortunately. And rightfully so. They got the best of us in the Big Ten championship a couple years ago. They've had some great seasons here and of course they just won the national championship. Shout out to the Wolverines. They're probably surrounded by tons of them right now.

I am. Honestly, I mean, there is a large group of people in that state can't believe Michigan won the national championship and then the Lions won the division and then won a playoff game that they actually had at home. What was the environment like on Sunday night, Sam? It was unlike every single game this year at Ford Field has been spectacular, but there was something about the other night.

Just it's been 30 years since we've hosted a playoff game. Of course, coming out on top is exactly what we were hoping for and what the fans were dying for. So it was spectacular. It really was. And I can't wait for this Sunday afternoon.

Yeah, for sure. But this is something you don't know about because you just got there and forget about the previous 31 years. This is your year.

This is your time. I'm wondering if that's the general sense in your locker room too, Sam? Yeah, I mean, it predates a lot of us. Obviously, I wasn't born the last time the Lions won a playoff game, but that doesn't mean... I don't want to say that doesn't mean anything to me, but the fact that I just showed up here in April, I guess you could say ignorance is bliss. I just knew that I needed to come in, put in as much effort and work as hard as I could to try to help the Lions get to the playoffs.

And here we are. It was phenomenal that we won the other day and we got bigger aspirations. What's Jared Goff's role been for you seamlessly transitioning, it seems, into the NFL, Sam? Yeah, Jared is as consistent and stable a player as I've ever been around. Just the attitude that he brings into the building every day. It's really comforting as a young player to see the cornerstone of an organization, knowing that you can rely on him as a young player. And when I trip and fall down, he's going to be the first one to help me up and teach me what I could do a little bit better and what he's looking for. A lot of people rely on Jared and he does a tremendous job each and every day. What is he like in the huddle?

Big moments. He's stable. He's calm.

He's the field general. No moment is too big for him. Obviously, he's played on the highest stage.

He's been to the Super Bowl. I trust him with everything in my bones. I really do.

I'm on Ross St. Brown. I love that guy, man. I just think he is just a killer. He's an assassin. What has his role been like with you as well as a pass catcher, Sam? The finite details with Saint are really what separates him from even the average of the good receiver.

He's a phenomenal receiver. Getting to ask him questions on a daily basis. Why did you run the route like that? Why did you lean and stick like that?

What are you doing with your hands? What are you doing with your first step? He's a great help. And the fact that he's been doing it at a high level for the last three years is comforting to me to know that I can trust his opinion.

And I can really try to enhance my game with all the details he's helping me out with. In the few minutes I have left with you, Sam Laporta, what is your favorite Dan Campbell story? Cough it up. What do you have for me on that, Sam? Come on now. I'll give you a good one from the other night. One of the defensive ends had a rep on me that, you know, it wasn't my best stuff.

It was okay. But, you know, he shaded the block and made the play. And the first person I see, of course, is Coach Campbell on the sideline and his face is cherry red and he's yelling at me. He's like, Laporta, you're better than that. You're better than that. I'm like, oh, my God, like, I need to be better than that or Coach is going to rip my butt off this field right now.

I love. So he's singling you out and you take it is essentially like, right? Take the coaching. I mean, he was 15 yards away from me.

I could have been on the other side of the field and I would have picked his voice out yelling at me like that. I love that. Take the coaching and know that I have a lot to improve on still.

I love that. So, you know, it's entirely possible you're one home win away from seeing Kittle for the right to go to the Super Bowl, Sam. Yeah, for sure. Well, we'll take it one week at a time.

But, yeah, that'd be that'd be phenomenal. Go over to San Francisco and see my buddy George. Well, again, and what does this whole run mean for you, Sam? Again, again, I know you're in the middle of it, but you are part of a renaissance in Detroit that has an opportunity to make a mark for all time. You are you are in the midst of that.

I'm wondering what that how that lands on you. Yeah, of course, we're trying to create our legacy here. And, you know, we feel like we've done that already this year with accomplishing that first playoff win in 30 years. But that's really not the end goal. That's not what we have in sight. So, you know, we're trying to get to Vegas, but of course, we're taking it one step at a time.

And, you know, this week we got the Buccaneers again. All right. Well, I appreciate you reporting as eligible for this program, Sam. I didn't see you. Thanks for having me.

I know you. You got it. That's right. Hands up. You know, by the way, Skipper stands out, you know what I mean?

Like that dude stands out. He's taller than you, isn't he? Right. Is he tall?

And Dan's about six, ten pistons could use him. That's for sure. Sam, thanks again. I know you got to run to a meeting really greatly. Appreciate you hopping on the Zoom. I hope this is the first of many times that you're on this program and congrats on everything you've done to this very point. Yeah, I appreciate it, Rich. Thanks for having me. You bet.

That's Sam Laporta right here on The Rich Eisen Show from the Detroit Lions. How about that? Beast.

I'll toot it here again because, you know, I'm a Big Ten guy through and through with the exception of one team. But other than that, for him to be able to pick up on Dan Campbell's voice, to get on him and take it, understand the intent of it. That's like, you know, that's Ference, right? In a way. I mean, I'm sure I don't know his high school coach.

I'm sure his high school coach got on him, too. But they prepped you. I just remember again, you know, I had an editor when I was an intern at the Staten Island Advance, never gave me a single compliment my entire time. Would I have liked one? Sure. Fine.

But it got me ready for the real world. You know, there's not many times I've done anything on the air or whatever and people are like, you know, management comes over and says, great job. You know what I mean? No.

The kid's pretty good. I mean, I'd say so. He's wearing the right number.

That's true. That's the number for tight ends, right? He talks about the 88 club. We need to talk about club 87 for tight ends. Bronc.

Kelsey. Right. Kittle's not 87, though, right? Yeah, he's 85.

He was 46 at Iowa. And I guess the Lions are going to be playing the rare role of... Expecting to win in the playoffs. Like, prohibitive favorite? No doubt. Touchdown favorite right now. Are they really? Yeah.

The Detroit Lions are a touchdown favorite in the divisional round in a home game. Wild. That in the script, TJ? Didn't see it.

Well, you know who loves that role? Of being a touchdown underdog. Sure.

My boy. Baker Mayfield. Yeah, there are some big numbers this week. What are the other ones? Not that you're paying attention to that.

I don't. What are the other ones? What are the Niners over the Packers? Saturday's games are both nine. Nine? Yeah.

Nine and a half, nine. Just depending where you look. Not a lot of love for the Texans to come in and shock the world on the Ravens, huh? Nope. Not against the one seeds, I guess. Underdogs at one on wildcard weekend on the road to face the one seed. Yeah.

Big dogs. Well, here's the thing I would tell Buccaneers fans. I can't believe I'm saying this, man. But I'll say it anyway. I can't believe I'm saying it. And this is no disrespect. Which means, as you know, I'm saying this, it could be disrespectful to the Lions. No, but I don't think it is.

I don't think it is. Well, we'll see. No, no. My warning to Buccaneers fans is that the Lions will have a much better plan on how to beat the Blitz than the Eagles, who appeared to have no answer.

Zero point zero. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So let's just say Montgomery and the Lions are a better team than the Eagles. Way better than the Eagles. Better running game. Better passing game. Better at getting home to the quarterback. I know the secondary has been a sore subject in the second half of the season in Detroit. But the Lions are a better...

I don't know. It's not a hot take. I know everybody thinks the Eagles were better than what we thought they turned out to be. But maybe that's who they were the whole damn time.

And the deodorant of winning covered a lot of that crap up. Yeah, I think, you know, we talked about the switch a lot in terms of Kansas City, and you had said, like, who's more likely to turn the switch on? We just kept waiting for it for Philly. Oh, this is fine. They're going to work it out.

I called that a long time ago. It's the Chiefs over the Eagles. That's a shame. Not even that the Chiefs necessarily flipped a switch. They did struggle in the red zone against Miami, whether or not withstanding.

All right. I mean, I'll bite on that. They flipped a switch in terms of their passing game. I think that was a perfect storm of good things that they got fortunate to have happen in that playoff setup.

And we'll find out what they're made of. One hundred and thirty receiving yards from a wide receiver in a playoff game. Period. End of story. And his name wasn't Kelsey. Pass catcher.

That's the difference right there. If Rashee Rice can be that guy in Buffalo. The thing is there that the Bills will sniff that out in a way that I mean, they had Jalen Ramsey, although he doesn't travel right. But the the the the Lions will have a better plan and a better trigger man and a better receiving corps.

The Lions are a better team than the than the Philadelphia Eagles. Are you giving the Bucks no chance? I'm not giving them no chance. I'm saying I'm of course I'm giving them a chance. Every every team this weekend has a chance.

Do you remember when we were younger? The divisional playoff rounds were usually the ones were just complete blowouts. Were the two teams coming off of buys? There were two teams coming off of buys, not just one. Two teams fresh as a daisy taking on. So four teams coming off of a buy taking on four teams that that were coming off of. Huge games, some of them short weeks. We should bring that back.

And it was a total complete. Blowout weekend half the time. Yeah, not anymore, I don't think. Not this week. You think the Texans are going to get blown out by the Ravens just because that's what they've done to a lot of opponents? I don't.

I don't. OK, so and throw out their previous week of playing against each other. That was week one. That was C.J. Stroud's first career game. He's a different guy now. Ravens also a different team now.

I get it. They're also coming off of a nice restful weekend. And the Texans are playing a short week. And then on Saturday night, the Packers are coming off of a. Short week, but a nice restful second half. The Texans get full rest.

They played Saturday. Right. That's true. That's right. So the Packers are the ones coming off of the short week. A good point. Those are the two seven seeds.

You think those are going to be blocked? So I'll give him a chance. Of course, I give the Bucks a chance. They're still talking in New England. When was the last time there was a coach sitting next to Bob Krafto at a 20 minute press conference? 2000?

I don't know. It's been 24 years. It's been a while.

All right. We'll take a break. We'll find out what's going on in New England. Eight four four two oh four.

Rich number two dollar. I've got a power rankings list for you this week. Is Dallas on it? Yeah, they are.

OK. Yeah, man. They made the list. Top 10 power ranking. I should have.

Should I redo it? The power rankings of disappointments. Oh, wow. Oh, man.

You know, Rich. Being real disrespectful. Now, that's the negative head glass half empty. Should I do that? I mean, I should whip that up in the commercial break. As long as I'm doing top 10 power rankings of coaches available, that's a better one. I just tell you, you just upgraded it as long as the Eagles are number one on that list. Sure. I don't know.

As Bomani said yesterday, how can you even be disappointed in the Cowboys now? You know, it's coming. Let's take a break. Eight four four two oh four.

Rich, no to dial here on the rich eyes and show double elimination. Let's go. How are you, George? I'm happy to be here, Rich.

Are you happy to talk to you again? Are you really, George? We saw your Instagram, George. We saw it. We saw it. I don't mean to interrupt what's going on. You know, you're on vacation with your wife right there in Cabo. Is that what's going on right now?

Did I see that? Hey, between you and me and don't tell anybody else. I am actually back in Nashville. That's that's from last week. I wasn't.

Don't tell anybody. And here I was, you know, said, say, go say hi to McVeigh and go say hi to, you know, Stafford. But there you are.

OK, so this was last week. You ran the Okie doke. I was saying I was Kyle Shannon.

That's kind of my that's your speed. OK, well, OK, good. Now I don't feel as bad. I don't feel I feel like I'll go to Cabo with you. And you look like you know how to have a good time. Well, here's my deal, George.

George, here's my deal. And this is it's not just because I'm a 51 year old man. This is the way I've been my entire tequila is a night ender for me. Like literally, if it's two in the afternoon, which I would never really do these days anyway, it's over. My my night's over.

Finished it. I know it's not like a blast, but, you know, it's true tequila. And I just don't mix with tequila. Never had it.

You should see the look that my dad just gave the phone after hearing you say that tequila is my day started. What are we doing? All right.

You should just come to Tennessee and we'll get that fixed for you. OK, so what is your thing? It's a mindset and you just power through it. OK, it's a mindset.

I never really thought about that. So what's your what is your libation of choice when on vacation? George, what do you what is it?

What's your goal? Besides Bud Light? I'm a I'm a big pina colada guy. And I absolutely I love tequila just in general.

OK, I'll drink up about anything. YouTube for our full archive back on the Rich Eisen Show, eight four four two oh four rich number to dial. As I mentioned yesterday, it seems as if Jason Kelsey is going to retire. He hasn't said the words what Schefter reported that he told his teammates he was done in the locker room and thus it got out. And I even I even gave it the two minute treatment of, hey, man, if this is it, love you. You're awesome. Yeah, of course. Looks like I might have to do it again because he hasn't made it official yet.

And he went on his pod with his brother today. And it sure sounds like he's going to do it, but he's not ready to make it known. That's what he had to say. Not trying to be dramatic and continue to draw this thing out. I'm really not. Yeah, it's just something that I think, you know, when it's time to officially announce what's happening in the future, it'll be done in a way that's definitive and it pays respect to a lot of people and individuals that have meant a lot to me.

And, you know, what, you know, has led to the career I've had. And, you know, I don't think that it would be respectful or even accurate to be able to do that right after a game like that. Yeah. You know, frustrated, I guess, at kind of everything that's happening. But in the future, there'll be something said, I guess. You know, a lot of guys like, you know, if that is your last game, I feel sorry for you.

Don't feel sorry for me. Hell yeah, brother. Hell yeah, man. Well, either way.

Yeah. I just, you know, think I truly appreciated everybody in that room and, you know, go to war with them any day of the week and enjoy the time you got. But, yeah, I think there was a lot of emotion in the room, for sure.

Well, first of all, you saw that podcast is so great. Because one guy can say, hell yeah, brother, to the other. And he actually is meaning the word brother as well as in spirit, as well as literal, you know.

And he also knows what he's thinking and going through. And Travis will have that moment one day, too. You know, also could see the different lives, you know, where they were shooting it from. You got Travis with bobbleheads and the Nickelodeon trophy he got for one week. And then you see the actual kid stuff behind Jason Kelsey, I think. Chris, you remember those, what, those baby walkers that you put the kid in and wheels around? The dog bowl right out there in the living room? I notice all of that stuff. I see you, Jason. You can hear it in the background.

That's why he's potentially retiring. Yeah, I was listening to that this morning on the drive in. I had not seen the video.

Yeah, you could really see. Because he got caught up and he started to get misty when he's just like, don't feel bad for me. I've had a great run. And again, I don't know. I don't know. It's our job to sit here and comment or give opinions and you do it in your own time, man. And I bet you he just wants to do it. As he says, too many emotions. He doesn't want to go out there and be a big mess at the podium.

Nobody wants to do that. And I'm sure the last thing he wanted to do is stand in front of a locker in a room full of guys who just all went down together in a very difficult tailspin that has now left the coaches on a hot seat there. And in any way, shape or form, do anything that could come across in that room to make it about him. Yeah. Right. So one, he's not ready to announce it.

Two, he might have had a vision of like, OK, when it's all done, he deserves the everybody should come to the. Press room podium. Sure.

Jeffrey Luer is there, Howie Roseman's there, you know, the trophies there, right? Yeah. I mean, he deserves that moment, if that's what he wants, instead of just like some scrum around the locker and saying, Yeah, I'm done.

Love these guys in this room. And then that's it. You're way too emotional after one million percent.

That's why judging from the first part of the clip, you don't want to do it. You just I could only imagine if because he just strikes me again as a present dude. You know, he had to be thinking when he put his uniform on that night.

Is this the last time I'm doing this? You would assume, right? Like have a moment like, let me just take a look in the mirror and just do this thing.

Because that's the only way he's known is to put a uniform on pretty much, I would think. And so I get it. I totally understand.

You guys know how I feel about the Eagles. But I mean, this is a human being when you see that moment as he says that to his brother and just the gravity of it. The heaviness comes over in the deep breaths. And there's no one who can really console you.

But someone like like you said, the guy who you shared a bedroom with as kids and you write this a dream like you feel that mean. I just I felt that moment. Me too. And it's just like, wow. That's why I love those guys. And then they you know, it's a real show. I do.

I do love the two of them and the way that they put their show on and then put themselves and they share themselves out there for as much as as they're willing to share. And again, I understand the heat of the moment. And I appreciate him also saying everyone should take him at his word. He's not trying to draw this thing out. Right.

Because this day and age, everybody views, you know, hey, you're being all about yourself. I think J.J. Watt even was he down that pod recently? I sent it to you where he was talking about it. Where was he talking about it?

Was it could have been on patch? He might have been with Pat. Where he's talking about how he was not ready for all of the endorsement opportunities to come flooding into some kid from Wisconsin. Right.

And he accepted most of them. And then it gives you the impression that you're overexposed. Right. This guy's everywhere, especially since the commercials debut during the football season. And a lot of people think that's what you're doing when you're not in the meeting on your off day or like they shoot these things in the spring and the summer.

And then suddenly you're everywhere during the games and people think that's what you're about. He also said, look, they're throwing so much money at you, you kind of have no choice but to say yes. And just I guess can just bring it all kind of in a ripped from today's headlines conversation. I'm thinking even someone like Tomlin is not emotionally prepared to take a question about his contract when you've just lost a playoff game.

Now, did he handle it all right? You know, you said, Chris, and obviously Florio said you could just basically say I'll address that later on. But any countenance of it is reading into the legitimacy of the question. Or just, hey, man, we just lost, like, come on. But we also... Well, I guess him walking out is that version of that.

We're also judging that from that 12 second soundbite. We don't know if he had addressed it previously. No, he did not.

He doesn't. But the reason why he doesn't address it, he doesn't address it for this reason, is he's under contract for next year. So and apparently Mike Tomlin told his players yesterday in the meeting as they had a team meeting to end the season.

He told them, I'm back. I'm coaching next year. I'm under contract. It's just a new thing because usually the Steelers extend him or he's signed an extension or he's up for signing an extension.

Again, I don't want to characterize it because it could be any of those three. By now, he's already signed it. He never walks into just one year left.

So that's something that bears keeping an eye on. But he told his team, I'm here. And then did you hear the full throated endorsement from T.J. Watt?

Which doesn't surprise me because he said this to Kurt Warner and the rest of the crew that was there in Indianapolis for that Saturday game that we called on NFL Network. It's somewhere in my. Yeah, I see right here.

I got it right here. Quote, I want to play for Mike T. T.J. Watt. That was huge in my contract talks.

How about that? I don't want to play for anyone other than Mike T. You can see in the way I talk about him how much I respect and appreciate him as a coach, as a man, as a leader. That's my endorsement for him. End quote. Seems like someone should trade for Mike Tom when you get T.J. Watt with him.

Probably wouldn't be the only one. Man. So when he's asked after a playoff loss, so you've got one year left on your contract, he heard it and he just walked right out the door. And apparently he's speaking this week and I'm sure it will be asked again.

I don't think he'd get up this time. I think his answer would be I'm under contract for next year. Next question. The question is, what is he going to do if there is an extension on the table? Does he want to sign it?

I don't know the answer to that question and. Man. The Steeler fan out there is just so upset with the lack of dubs and the lack of competitiveness in these games when they make the playoffs. Haven't won one in seven years, but they've made it. And that's not what they're about.

I totally get it. They got to get the quarterback situation right. Period.

End of story. Say that for a lot of teams. But yeah, Pittsburgh for sure. They have to get that right. And as you know, they don't go out and sign some big name free agent like Kirk Cousins and bring him to Pittsburgh. That just doesn't strike me as the move. Russell Wilson is going to be out there. Dude, really?

That was literally my first thought. He's better than what they have right now when Russ got benched. You don't think he's better than Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett? I don't know.

But you're right, though, it's something straight up with you, brother. I don't know. Unfortunately, they don't do stuff like that. But we know they're not going to trade up in the draft for one. That's not what they do. Maybe they got to stop doing what I think they really like.

Try something new. I think they really like Pickett. I know. And if they did, they throw him right in there instead of like playing the hot hand with Mason Rudolph. Why did he get his job back?

Mason Rudolph looked pretty damn good towards the end of the season. So you roll with him next year? I don't know. I'd consider it, wouldn't you? I would look elsewhere. Wouldn't you consider it?

I don't know. I don't know how inspiring that is for the fan base. At this point, with all due respect to the fan base, they have to be heard. I understand that. But if you listen to half the fan base, you'd tell Mike Tom and keep walking at the door you just walked through.

You keep walking. And you just heard what T.J. Watt had to say. And that's the man in Pittsburgh. That's the man.

That is one of the best endorsements you could get. Facts. But my whole point on all this stuff is the emotions of losing a playoff game and how career decisions are being asked of people to come up with an announcement.

And some guys aren't ready. Our number two of the Rich Eisen Show coming up. My power rankings have changed. Top 10 most disappointing teams.

No, I'm just kidding. But my power rankings of the 10 of the coaching candidates. Can I do disappointing teams? Sure.

Why not? Oh, and we've got a higher register for the divisional playoffs coming up. We haven't done higher register in a long time.

Fun Wednesday, Bruce Feldman coming in studio. Over a year. Say that again? Over a year?

Is that right? I can't remember. Have we not done one in over a year? We didn't do it this season.

Do we do it over the summer? I can't remember. I don't think so. It's been a minute since we've done a higher register.

I can't remember if I can still get my voice up. I just like the drop. I just like the drop. The drop is Caliendo doing Schefter. It might be. So let's get back to this double elimination thing, because what I feel is if you let the Cowboys have another chance.

Goodness gracious. They can embarrass you twice. I think the outcome might be different is all I'm saying. So like, give us a second chance. Let's rework some things. Let's let's go for double elimination.

It's going to be twenty one nothing instead of twenty seven. At least we're in the playoffs, guy. All right. Great. Were you me for like to the coin flip? And then Chris, let me ask you a question.

Drive. And then after the Patriots hold a lead in the playoffs this year. No, no. Ask me, did the cow the Jets hold the playoffs this year? No.

Interesting. Did the Cowboys hold a lead in the playoffs this year? We were in the play. Did the Raiders hold the lead in the playoffs?

None of your bum squads even made the playoffs, though. I would rather be me than you at this point. Now you wouldn't. Yes, I would.

Now you would. You've got the third overall pick. Third overall pick and excitement.

What do you got? Your team's going to stink for the next decade. We will be better than the Cowboys next year. Yes. False information. Gerard Mayo just got introduced and he's puffing his chest out, baby. Let's go. Cowboys pick twenty fourth overall for their efforts. Great.

Jets think. How wrestling really works and how you get the ratings. Eric Bischoff and Conrad Thompson explain on eighty three weeks. I dig Jay Uso because he's born out of great storytelling and he lived up to the opportunity and exceeded it.

The L.A. night. He's way up on my list because here's a guy that's been around for almost ever. Should have probably quit a half a dozen times and he just forced his way into their life. And now he's making money hand over fist. That is a story I love. Eighty three weeks on YouTube or wherever you listen.