Steve Wyche: Chargers Have To Be Careful With Justin Herbert

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Offers, terms, conditions, and policies are subject to change without notice. Visit AAA.com slash member for details, savings partners subject to change. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Sims receives the five, here goes everybody.

Across the 25, and what does it mean? One yard more than we would have gotten, but one yard where you hold your breath. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Let's talk about how things are different with your new head coach, Jackson Smith and Jigbo.

I mean, things are, things are totally different, you know. Today's guests, NFL Network reporter Steve Weiss, host and comedian Chris Redd, Steelers Radio Network host Jerry Dulak. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Live from a hotel room near the Canton Airport, this is the Rich Eisen Show. How's that for an opening? I love it.

I think it's great. Hey everybody, greetings from the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's Hall of Fame weekend.

The Hall of Fame game went down last night, or at least a large portion of it went down last night before the weather gods decided to tell the football gods to take a seat. I am Rich Eisen, thrilled to be here once again for an induction weekend, an enshrinement ceremony, and we're here all three hours. Me here, and the guys back in the Los Angeles studio, and you where you are, taking it in either on the Roku channel, this Rich Eisen Show, Terrestrial Radio affiliate, Sirius XM, Odyssey, tune in. Our podcast listeners, we say hello to all of you out there who take in all three hours, hopefully, of this pod, wherever you get those. And also, we say hello to anybody out there who will be watching us on the Roku channel once we're done, because we re-air all the way through to the rest of your August Sports Month, which is up and running with the Olympics baseball, and obviously what's going on in the National Football League. Three guests today, Steve Weich, my colleague with whom I'll be spending all of induction Saturday live on NFL Network. He'll be joining us in about 20 minutes time. He's in downtown Canton, where all of the returning Hall of Famers are hanging out, getting ready to welcome in some new immortals into the bust gallery here in the downtown Canton District. Also, we say hello to Chris Redd, the very funny comedian who's got a lot of good times to talk about with you on this program, as well as Jerry Dulak, one of our favorites who covers the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Want to know what's going on with that quarterback situation, want to know what's going on and everything else in their neighborhood that's happening in an hour number three on this What's More Likely Friday. Good to see you in Los Angeles there, Chris Brockman. How are you, sir? Good to see you. How was the travels, man? How's Ohio? Good to see you. Oh, yeah, I'm here safely.

So that's all you need to know about my travels. I'm wearing a Pro Football Hall of Fame t shirt. I know you like you like. So good. Yeah, it's the old school sort of, you know, helmeted dude.

That was that used to be the logo of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What's up, Mike Del Tufo? How are you?

What's going on? I'm doing well. How are you watching the Olympics? You watching the Olympics while we're talking?

I got some beach volleyball right now. Oh, my God. It's amazing.

You're actually going to have a conversation in Brazil's planes. Oh, you guys. Oh, my God.

Friday to my last Friday. You were here. Oh, yeah. Oh, it's a long time. Two months.

Yeah. But I'm back. What's up, TJ? How are you, TJ Jefferson? Good to see you. TJ, turn your mic on, Mike.

I was just on this. I got to go, Mike. How are you doing, Rich? I'm doing all right.

Like that candle, please. TJ's in his spot. Everybody's in their spots. Listen, man, we are. So this happened, what, literally five minutes after we went off the air on Thursday show where, you know, we we talked about the Los Angeles Chargers with Daniel Jeremiah in the first hour of the program. And obviously, you know, how high I am on the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh's ability to plus them up.

I keep using that phrase. That's the phrase that you use when a coach comes in and they wind up having more wins than the previous year. Last time Jim came in to the NFL, he plussed the Niners up seven wins from five, just like the Chargers had last year, all the way to 12. And then they went on an incredible playoff run that wound up having them in the Super Bowl in one of the years that Jim was there. And so I feel the same way that the Chargers can do it. You know, if Justin Herbert's healthy.

And I didn't know that that would be an if in any way, shape or form. But as soon as we went off the air, it was filtered out from across the street of our studios there in El Segundo, California, that Herbert had an injured foot, the dreaded plantar fascia injury that followed Wednesday's practice in which, by the way, Justin Herbert, in an 11 on 11, ran one into the end zone and celebrated with his teammates. It didn't look like he pulled up. There was no hitch in anybody's giddy up.

Anybody that was witnessing practice had no idea anything like this had happened. And so suddenly what was a Merth Bowl press conference moment from the other day when Jim Harbaugh laid out how he would be handling injuries whenever he was at the podium. In case you need a fresh reminder, this is what he had to say earlier this week. So for for clarity, whenever I'm asked about anybody's medical condition other than my own, the following will be my best effort to relay information. I am not medically qualified to categorize or speculate as to how someone else is feeling. The best I can do is say that someone is working through something. Two, I get the report from those who are qualified and then follow the instructions.

Three, if at times I look or sound like I am not a medical expert in the field of medicine, guilty as charged. So it should come as no surprise that when when when this was announced on Thursday, Jim was asked if Herbert has had hurt himself on that play. I was referring to that 11 and 11 period where he ran into the end zone for first score. And he was also asked if he if Herbert had been dealing with foot pain prior to Wednesday. Harbaugh's response was that he was quote-unquote not qualified to know that information. Okay.

Okay. So cue what Jim had to say about what Herbert's up to. You know, just like I said full full steam ahead, you know, the preparation, you know, the work continues. You know, he's not on the field in the practice, but you know the meeting room still in the training environment, you know that chemistry that rapport that you that you build with those with those position players, his teammates, you know that that continues. I mean what so that's what that he's going to be in a walking boot for two weeks.

And then he's going to be I want to get this verbiage appropriate because this is what scares me the most. He will be on a quote-unquote gradual return to play protocol. And as of August 1st the day that this came out he was expected to be playing in the first week of the NFL season still five weeks to go.

Listen, yikes. It feels like Justin Herbert's in 2024 in the Joe burrow 2023 position, which is lower leg injury that was suffered in training camp. He won't see him the rest of training camp. You won't see him on the field for any of preseason at all. And then in week one every single moment that this guy takes a snap and he's rolling on his right knees rolling on his left. We are just going to be eyes on his foot and hopefully the eyes won't roll in the back of the head of all charger fans. Because I'll tell you what Jim didn't leave Michigan to go coach Easton stick. And yeah, I'm not I'm not I'm not lying.

I'm just spitting for my hotel room here. Okay, you're not lying. Rich Goodwin Goodwin thinking about this in the burrow aspect of last season burrow. I think a little scarier right calf. So close to that Achilles one could definitely lead to the other. We've seen it before we saw it with Rogers last year bottom of the foot, but this is something that is just going to nag and I think kind of it's going to be there. It's going to loom for a large part of this year. I feel like and well, I mean, I'm sure there's good news there.

You know, orthotics, I mean all sorts of therapy, rest, but still, you know, immobilization and all of that stuff. But you know, when week one you're trying to avoid Max Crosby, right now Christian Wilkins. Against the Raiders, you know, that's when you know, all that rest and relaxation might suddenly get aggravated. Now. Listen, I I'm also not qualified. I'm another Michigan not qualified.

I mean, I've had planter issues. We've had talk conversations about this on the air, they'll to post this store to roll your foot on top of a football. Whatever that is right now. I'm doing it. I do it all show. It's great. You literally rub your feet on it.

And it's good. Let me ask you this question baseball. I could bring one over to Mike.

Mike and Chris just, you know, I think this is asked and answered. Have either of you played quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers and have the entire franchise's hopes placed and whether your foot being rolled back and forth on this this ball works or not. Can I answer this question? Listen, I'm listen. Let's hope he's fine.

Yes. Let's hope he's fine. Let's hope that what we're supposing is not the issue whatsoever, that he will be fine. This is a guy that's played with cracked ribs for crying out loud before. I broke a finger last year.

Is that all kinds of bang? You know, right. I hear you.

I hear you. And and this is where, you know, if this is going to be a run heavy run first offense, this is where this this is helpful, right? But the idea that Daniel and just literally the next segment of the show, it'll have been 24 hours since Daniel Jeremiah appeared on this program, right? And he was talking about how he watched the running attack be very inventive and how Herbert would be used in the running game. Does that now remove him from that portion of the playbook for for for the year for for a good portion of the year for the beginning of the year for a little bit. So and it's just yet another reminder here, by the way, there was a moment in time where it looked like two Western Division teams would be without a quarterback for the time being. It appeared when Geno Smith did not show up on Wednesday during portions of training camp and it was an reporter that he had a hip and knee that was being looked at. We thought there'd be two teams that would be down starters for the time being. If not keeping an eye on to see what's going on prior to week one when Seattle welcomes in Denver to kick it all off.

However, Adam Schefter part of the media charge today to say that Geno Smith and all of his testing did not reveal anything significant at one source told Adam quote. He shouldn't miss any time, which is a sigh of relief to be breathed. But it's just another fresh reminder guys because Easton stick is going to get a lot of time with the ones right now. And you know who was after him on the depth chart is you want to talk about strange bedfellows and interesting bedfellows the kid who bounced our ball from the playoffs two years ago.

Max Duggan. TCU's quarterback is number three on the Chargers depth chart. You got to wonder if they're going to start looking for other quarterbacks to, you know, fill spots during training camp and maybe extend the depth should possibly anything get be needed. But that's why you don't trade backup quarterbacks in the NFL anymore. Just a fresh reminder last year. There were 67 different starting quarterbacks in the National Football League 67 of them.

Wow. That's not a record. The record of the single season with the most different starting quarterbacks in an NFL season since 1950. That record was set the previous year in 2022, and there were 71 different starting quarterbacks. And then in 2021 the year before those two there were 62 different starting quarterbacks in the NFL, which is tied for the fourth most of any single NFL season since 1950. So in other words in the last 70 plus years of NFL football the last three years. We have seen in order the second most different number of starting quarterbacks the most starting number of different starting quarterbacks and the fourth most in the history of the National Football League.

In the last three years in succession. Yeah, so I know, you know, it sounds like I'm making a big deal out of this, but it's also par for the course here and there but for the grace of the football gods goes your team and you know, that's why Atlanta we started the show with yesterday because of Arthur Blank's commentary on why the Falcons chose Michael Pennock's eighth overall. That's why they still have Taylor Honeke sitting there. They got three starting quarterbacks. They got Kirk Cousins. They got Taylor Honeke and in case you know, Pennock's might not be ready. That's why they have him and if Pennock's is ready, they got him. That's why you got to start taking a look at who's third on your quarterbacks, your favorite team's quarterback death chart. Let me look that up for real. Well, it's Trey Lance for you, sir. Is it not? Yeah, but who's third?

Okay. I mean, I was third on the cowboy still listed as two right now. Yeah, I mean they got Cooper Rush still.

Well, thank goodness because some in our media think Joe Milton's going to take over at some point. So well, I mean, that's why you need to take a look at who's third on your team's quarterback death chart. I mean, Kyle Allen is sitting there in Pittsburgh. We're going to talk in our number three about is it Fields or Russell Wilson who still has a questionable designation next to his name on the death chart.

But you know, you just take a look at it. Who's third and those guys might play. That's why, you know, with Anthony Richardson coming back, why the Colts went ahead and got Jill Flacco because they'd already seen what they got from Sam Ellinger. Well, and Gardner-Mentz, he was third on the death chart and he might be the first 60 million dollar a year quarterback in the NFL a couple years later.

Man, that's crazy. I mean, it's just a it's an unfortunate fresh reminder or what's going on here. Big time. So Steve Wyche is going to be joining us. He's in downtown Canton where all of the Hall of Famers are hanging out, getting ready for their their luncheon every single year. There's a lunch where all of the returning Hall of Famers welcome in the new class of Hall of Famers and basically haze them verbally, obviously. And so that's going down right now here on this Canton Friday.

Chris Redd, very funny guy. We spoke with him earlier this week. So we'll replay that conversation in studio when he was in studio in hour number two. So don't miss that. And then we will get the latest on what's going on with the Steelers camp.

It's a what's more likely Friday as well. The Giants owner John Mara has spoken about what we saw in Hard Knocks. That it's Daniel Jones's show and also Saquon Barkley's gone and he was very disappointed about that and his latest comments on all of that still to come here on this busy Friday. We're off and running. I'm sitting here in Canton, Ohio, you where you are, but we can still connect, you know, 844-204-rich-number-to-dial. We'll chat with Steve White.

She was there for all the door knocks back in January as well for these Hall of Famers. Rich Eisen here for Sleep Number. They say opposites attract and that's why the Sleep Number Smart Bed is the best bed for couples.

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Only at a Sleep Number store or sleepnumber.com. The Rich Eisen Show is sponsored by Grainger. Does this sound familiar? You're a maintenance specialist and you've been squaring off with a leaky radiator at your facility for hours.

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Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click Grainger.com or just stop by one of their local branches. Back here on the Roku Channel, the radio audience will rejoin us in a matter of time. So when Geno Smith went down, many people started looking at the Seahawks step chart. Who is the backup quarterback there? It is Sam Howell.

Yeah. Who we were introduced to in college in North Carolina. Fifth round selection by Washington a few years ago. And then, of course, for those who followed his career through this program, we all know, you all know how completely obsessed we have been with his bed head headshots.

For instance, this is 2022. Look at that rookie smiling there. And then I guess he got it.

He got the smile beaten out of him as rookie season. There you go. Looks like he rolled out of bed 2023.

So I have yet to see his 2024 headshots if it's bed head or not. Let's take a look. Here we go. Drum roll, please or not. Here we go. 2024. There it is.

All right. He's smiling again. He's smiling again.

But yeah, the hair looks very similar to the 2023 shot. I'm just glad he's smiling. Yes, glad he's smiling.

The 2023 one is just, it's just genuinely concerned. Great dissolve, Don. Great dissolve to this bald man sitting here.

They're all shining. I was jarring even for me to watch this. What would you give up to have hair like that? Oh, just for one day, like one of your dogs, one of your dogs. Stop with the dissolve.

It's freaking me out, man. It would look like a hair system on me, though, wouldn't it? Now, you know, as long as I'm not only present, I'm also a client. If you're appropriately colored, it would look totally fine. No, no, you think so? No, no. If you had the right amount of salt and pepper in there, no one would notice. Don't you follow you? Yeah, you stop dying. We're going to stop the dye.

We got to do it. Like if you had to phone, no compliments all the time. I don't stand on what you're doing back on the Rich Eisen show radio network. I am sitting at the Rich Eisen show desk here for the day in Canton, Ohio. Furnished by Grange with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you.

Call click Grainger dot com or just stop by. Steve White will be is checking in right now from downtown Canton. We'll be chatting with him shortly about what's going on down there with all of the returning Hall of Famers. I got to tell you, I reached out to Steve Hutchinson, guys, my Michigan man.

And he is also a guy. Yes, he's been a running mate. He's been a running mate post jacket dinner. Him and his lovely wife, Landon, and I'm just a you know, you know, a whole host of other Hall of Famers. We've been hanging out and I reached out to him to try and get some, if you will, backup for this evening's jacket dinner.

Should upon my delivery of remarks, I get the usual treatment of Buckeye fans heckling me, even though they don't have a leg to stand on. He's not here. Oh, this is his first Hall of Fame that he is not attending since he has been enshrined. Oh, no, it's fear for his kids in like some sports tournament and they stayed home. Oh, no, dad.

This is not good. Me and me and Mike Rich, me and Mike, you know, a guy named Pachanga up in New York who could come help. Yeah, no, I don't know if they can get here in time.

And I might just have to personally take note of where the exits are. It's on me. And joining me right now here from Canton, Ohio. I'll be hanging out with him all day tomorrow live on NFL Network's coverage of the enshrinement ceremony. But joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show is Steve Weitzsch. How are you Steve?

Hey Rich, I'm great. And not having Steve Hutchinson there with you at the Gold Jacket dinner for that little Michigan support. I mean, I know how hard they come at you here and you have really been trumping in the past few years with the with the big blue.

I love it. Yeah, and this is the first time I've ever done it coming off of a national championship though, Steve. So I've already told my guys I'm coming in peace. I come in peace here.

You know what I mean? So but it's good to see you here. I just saw you in the elevator lobby just a couple of hours ago. So walk me through where you are, who's there. Give people a little bit of a taste of what it's like to be where you are on a Friday before induction Saturday.

Yeah, this is great. So I'm at the hotel where all of the Hall of Famers stay here in downtown Canton, Ohio. And right now they've got a special luncheon.

The Rainage Key Luncheon was exclusive for the Hall of Famers. A lot of great messages are sent. They've got a couple meetings. They did the team photo. And then later tonight, they'll go to the Gold Jacket ceremony, which you marvelously MC every year where they welcome the Class of 2024.

But Rich, I mean, I got to tell you, you know, we know there's only 377 people who've ever played coach or contributed to this game or the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And to be here where a lot of living members are just walking around and shooting fish in a greatness barrel. It is just the greatest thing ever. It never gets old. You understand the magnitude of the rarefied air of the Pro Football Hall of Fame just being in an environment like this.

I think it's something both you and I treasure being invited back here every year to be a part of this. Who have you spoken to today already? Oh, man. Well, we just spoke to Richard Dent. He'll be part of a ceremony to bring in Steve McMichael from the Bears. Tom Jackson, who's here for Randy Granishar. They played on the Great Orange Crush defense.

You're your old colleague. There are four letter network spoke to Andre Reid, you know, who is going to be who talked about the only offensive player going into the class of 24. Another Andre Andre Johnson. And of course, Tony Dungy is going to be speaking with us as well. He was the man.

His first draft pick with the Colts was Dwight Freeney, who also is a member of the class of 2024. So it's been great. I've been cussed out by Charles Haley. He loves to do that every time I see him.

He walks by me in the annual ritual. So, you know, he had to give it to me right there and, you know, definitely cannot go into that conversation whatsoever. But I will say this. He is not happy that Dak and CD and Michael Parsons are not signed down in Dallas.

What do you mean? What do you say? I cannot repeat what he said, but I will try to surmise things in that they need to be there and that he believes that the reason why they're not signed and again, this is Charles Haley, not me, is that the owner is actually trying to save some money. You know, he sees all these other teams signing their guys, like Detroit signing everybody's these mega contracts and some of these other teams and he believes the owner is trying to save a little money this year is not really sure where things are going to go but thinks that maybe he's trying to save some money.

So next year he can spend some money on maybe a new head coach and so some other position players. So that's so he's not all in is what Charles Haley is essentially told you. Look, it's Charles's prism. It's Charles's prism and we know that's an interesting prison. But yeah, I mean, look, things can change.

They can get deals done in the next couple of weeks. But yeah, Charles believes at the moment for the time being. Maybe he's not all in.

I got to seek out 94 tonight. Have a little chitchat with him and maybe we should maybe we should get him on NFL Network tomorrow. You know, maybe we should get him on our set. There we go.

Five second delay. Of course, Steve White's here on the Rich Eisen show. So I would love for you to tell this story because you told it to me off air. Because you were dead. You were there for all the door knocks.

You were part of the coverage of that. And the door knocks again occur in January where returning, you know, current Hall of Famers knock on the doors of those who are about to get the call from the hall and they inform them that they're going to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And you said you'd spoke to Tony or you're talking to Tony Dungy today. He was the one who knocked if you will on the door of Dwight Frini, but he didn't knock on a door. He showed up where and and who was in on all of this Steve. And that's the way I set you up for that.

If you don't mind. So when it comes to Dwight Frini, the person who developed the rules to surprise him in part was Michael Jordan. Dwight Frini and Michael Jordan played golf together on Michael Jordan's course outside of Jupiter, Florida at least four days a week. So this was like a Dwight Frini is a routine golf outing with Michael Jordan, but MJ and Dwight's wife and a couple of people set it up. So that Tony Dungy and our crew and Jim Porter the president of the hall would be there to surprise him. The only potential tip MJ gave him was don't come showing up at a t-shirt and gym shorts. We're taking special pictures for Grove 23 the golf course to address a little nicer. Otherwise, it was like a regular day and white walks in the door and there's Tony and the great thing about having the Hall of Famers notify, you know, the new class coming in is it's hard for these Hall of Famers to keep it together.

I mean, imagine Tony Dungy who's had Derek Brooks has had John John Lynch and Rhonda Barber and other people that he's coached go in and he's still looking at his first draft choice with the Indianapolis Colts and he's breaking the news to him like it's hard for these guys to keep it together. So here's Tony on the verge of tears notifying Dwight Freaney that he's about to join the 377 who are getting memorialized forever in Canton, Ohio. I love that Steve and so it does that mean it is Jordan going to be here this weekend?

You can be there tonight tomorrow. What's do you know? I think there's a good chance. I think there's a chance that Jordan could be here.

I don't know. I don't know what MJ schedule is, but I'm hearing that Dwight is bringing Dwight told me he's bringing close to 300 people. And that I would think his inner circle that he rolls with some guys now. He rolls with MJ and some people of that caliber because MJ's Golf Club is pretty exclusive. So I would not be surprised to see some high-level sports figures celebrity types here celebrating Dwight and Richie you're here every year, you know that like the magnitude of some of the people who just come back to be a part of this is next level.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of high-level folks here. Steve White's here my colleague from the NFL Network NFL media group. We're going to be hanging out for the coverage of induction Saturday all day on NFL Network. Joining me here currently on the Rich Eisen show. What did Richard tent say about this moment for Steve McMichael? Look let us in on on on all of that.

Oh, man. Well first off when we notified Steve McMichael that that he was going into the hall. It was Richard Dent who made the call and Steve's wife Misty will be at the gold jacket ceremony and we'll be representing him.

She took the call was holding the phone up to Steve and he started crying actually, you know, Steve McMichael is very debilitated with ALS. It was incredibly moving moment. So Richard was reliving that but he was also letting people know that this was a guy when they played on that great Bears defense the great 85 Bears defense and those other great defenses.

It was not designed for defensive tackles to make plays and here's guys got 95 sacks playing with Richard Dent and Dan Hampton in the fridge on that D line. And so how great of a player he was how strong he was and he was huge character. Remember Steve McMichael went on to be a WWE wrestler, but he was always somebody also who was like deeply religious and like him and single Terry would actually get into these heavy conversations about the Bible in team meetings. So, you know Richard was telling some stories and they said they've got a big surprise planned for Steve McMichael. I don't know what that is because Steve cannot be here and will not be here but they've got something on their sleeve which they say is going to be very memorable and quite historic for his enshrinement.

So I'm really looking forward to that. Well, and again, I know I'm asking questions. You may not know the answer to and usually I only ask questions. I know that my guest knows the answer to or maybe I do but any prime sightings because I know Devin Hester is like a son to him. I have not seen I have not seen Dion here. You know, he's getting ready for his camping University Colorado, but a lot of times his coaches who coach, you know, they'll take time away. So I wouldn't be surprised because you know, rich, you know that relationship. It goes back to when like Devin was in high school there.

They are very intertwined. I mean Devin's got like five jerseys hanging on this massive wall in his house. And one of them is Dion Sanders.

So that'd be great. We know Dion is a pro football Hall of Famer. He I again, I haven't seen him. That doesn't mean he's not here or won't be here. We can some people come in for that.

It's private Saturday. So again, that's someone I wouldn't be surprised to see, you know, one thing rich going to talk about something like that. The Houston text who played in the Hall of Fame game Thursday night. They're keeping their entire organization here. They brought up not just the players and coaches but people from the building to celebrate Andre Johnson, who's the first Houston Houston Texan to go into the hall. So you talk about Dion being here maybe for the further for Devin Hester, the entire Houston Texans organization and you know current players and past players.

Are going to be here occupying a huge chunk of Tom Benson Stadium to honor Andre Johnson. Yeah. Yeah, and I look forward to his speech to Steve because some of the best speeches in the 20 years that I've been here are from guys who hardly said five words when they were playing right. Like Isaac Bruce is a perfect example of that. Like he hardly ever spoke Andre reads another guy, right? I mean who didn't really speak and now here comes Andre Johnson who you know, I I'm keen to hear what he's got to say Julius peppers another guy kind of like that in this class.

So it's a real on that note. This is a group of guys who are like, you know, it's why Franny's very polished, but I think of Patrick Willis. He doesn't say hardly anything. He is a very very quiet man. And again, he's he's so smart. He's involved in the you know, the IT world the Silicon Valley world from you know, he's a guy from small town Tennessee who grew up in incredible circumstances.

I mean his story is is amazing and I'm really looking for it because I'm with you rich. I'm the best speeches we've heard have been guys. We did not expect to knock our socks off.

But this is their opportunity to finally let it all out. B by 2 minutes left with my colleague from the NFL media group in advance of tomorrow's coverage. We'll be hanging out together on NFL Network for the induction Saturday here on the Friday of Hall of Fame weekend. So so what happened last night Doppler radar just just took things over. So what happened last night Steve?

I mean, I mean Mother Nature too much lightning. I mean that was the thing the rain came in but the lightning we saw it in person, but just on the radar it was going to be around for three or four hours both coaches. They already got in almost four quarters of football. Both coaches are like it's good. We've got three more preseason games to get through. Let's protect everybody especially people in the stands.

So they called it and Rich was actually for the first half one of the more entertaining Hall of Fame games that we've seen in years. I mean the offense is moving up and down the field. So that was pretty good, but the coaches were kind of like we've done enough.

Let's make it safe for everybody. And that was that the Bears the Bears are wanting over the preseason. And both teams have a lot of hype around them, you know Houston as a team that can actually dethrone the Chiefs in the conference and the Bears. We all know they were about to get their hard knocks star turn. What did you glean from both of the teams being around them at all?

The hard knock crews were there great first off very much the hard knock crews were there. So we'll see some of this on hard knocks, but I mean a couple things you gleaned, you know, I've been to the Texas training camp and Rich they're so deep. You know, you add a Stephon Diggs to Nikko Collins and Tank Dell and some of the guys there.

You trade for Joe Mixon. Their offensive line already is very good. Their defense is two layers deep.

They are two layers deep at every level. It is insane the talent. So you see them the way D'Meko Ryans was pushing them.

When I had been there, they'd been in pads for three or four consecutive days. But he they all have the buy-in so there's that part and then when it comes to the Bears, I mean and it's a true story line a true narrative. We've all talked about Caleb Williams is walking into a roster that Ryan polls. He's given him Keenan Allen.

He's given him DJ Moore. They've got they've got running backs. You know, they go on they get DeAndre Swift to add to some players like Rashawn Johnson. And we saw last night looked very good. There's some pieces on that defense remember the Bears finished with the top run defense in the NFL last year. So we'll see how Caleb Williams adjust. We'll see how his new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron adjust. That's one thing that that's got to come together, but they have some expectations and Ryan poll said they're not running from any of it. Okay, now from the quarterback because I asked him I said guys are playing the Texans Caleb is going to be compared to what CJ shrouded is a rookie Ryan polls like fine. You can set the bar whatever you want to be at and Caleb Williams is going to run his own race.

But standards bars, whatever you want to call them. That's what they are going to buy into and try and exceed and we'll see because they're playing in a very tough division, but the Detroit the Green Bay Packers are going to be good the Vikings, you know, we don't know what they're going to be with their quarterback situation, but I like the fact that both of these teams aren't running from expectation and they're embracing it heading into 2024. Before I let you go you hearing anything about Justin Herbert at all and the injury that's got him in a walking boot for two weeks.

Yeah, nothing more than the reports. I mean, but it's speaking to people last night before the game. They're like, hey, that's not an injury really to be toyed with, you know, it's a plantar fascia. It's on your foot.

That's your weight-bearing item. He's a big guy. So they really have to be careful on what they do in terms of rushing him back so he can get through all 17 because we know Jim Jim Harbaugh your guy he's going to get the charges, right?

I went out to their training camp. Just your organization that they have in terms of how they operate practice the way that they're functioning now different. So he's the key cog.

They don't have what you would consider upper echelon skill at most of the skilled positions on offense. So he's going to be asked to get a lot of things done. So again, they're just going to have to temper and be very moderate on how they get him back. I think it's better to have him back even if he has to come back two or three games in to get him through the season rather than rushing back to start. So how many training camps have you already visited so far Steve? Yeah, I'm about six or seven in like I said, the teams are staying up here in Ohio because they play the Steelers in their preseason opener.

So I'll be back with them Monday fly out to the 49ers Tuesday and wrap things up with the Raiders Wednesday, but I will tell you this the one I've been at with that I really enjoyed was the Ravens. John Harbaugh put him through almost three hours worth of on-field work and they like the Texans. You look at their roster and you're like, you know, they're going to be right there again.

They're loaded. We know their coaching staff their expectation their standard is what it is. So again, you know with Richard being able to go out and see these teams in a training camp and be able to compare one to the other. Just on how the organization's run things is a great thing about this job and seeing a team like the Ravens or the Texans or the Lions where they've come from. Gets you real insight on how things could shake out through the season if these teams stay healthy. Let me ask you finally before I let you go for the rest of your Friday here.

I've asked this of all of our colleagues that have been kind enough to answer the call to come on this program. Which team do you feel draft offseason free agency now in training camp seeing them or not or hearing about what you're hearing about has has fixed. Whatever 2023 caused them to trip up in and that might even include the Chiefs offensively too. Like which team do you think has improved itself for 2024 the most?

Wow. I mean, I've got to go back to a couple teams. I've seen I mean the Houston Texans and going out and getting us to find digs adding a Daniil Hunter to that pass rush in a player. No one really talks about Aziz Al-Shaheer a linebacker who played for Kimiko Ryans in San Francisco was fantastic and tackling machine with the Titans. He is now with a very very good line back and through in Houston. They understood what they had to do. They added some veteran players who won that's key because a lot of teams are free ATN veteran players who are talented come from teams who haven't won. Texans added guys who have won before and maybe can help some of these young players understand what it takes to break through. You know, they're a team and then looking at you know, the Detroit Lions to going out and getting DJ reader defensive tackle to play with it. So Liam McNeil fortify their defense a little bit. Getting Kevin Zeitler to go in and play guard on the offensive line where they lost Joni Jackson and then they just took care of their own.

I mean, you grief this contracts are paying some of their offensive players and the buy-in that they have with Dan Campbell. Again, those are those are two good teams that we saw last year who I think addressed some areas that could maybe push them to get back to the conference championship or engine the conference championship may make a run at Super Bowls. Steve, I'll see you tonight and we'll hang out tomorrow looking forward to it as always work your rich. All right.

Thanks again. That Steve watch the one and only from NFL Network NFL media group and you check the two of us out together hanging out on Saturday for induction weekend. Maybe Jordan and Tia. Could you imagine Michael Jordan and Dion sit next to each other for the Hall of Fame? I can imagine it.

I need I always love to see it. I mean, I know definitely got to be there, right? He the tournament four days a week.

They play the tournament. I got to go hang out with Michael Jordan. I told you guys the story about free and he was there with them. They're really tight.

So I would imagine there's going to be a couple extra goat sightings in the Great Scott 300 people. Where's my where was my invite? We were in the same graduating class at Syracuse work. He dunked on my friend in a pickup game like come on Dwight. Yeah. Yeah.

Come on, Dwight. What's up with that? What's up with that? We saw him at the Kelsey party this year, TJ.

I mean, come on. Chopped it up with him a little bit. Was Chris Redden. What's up with that? He's in our number two on our program.

Your phone calls 844-204-rich number to dial for sure. I got a few stories to tell you spinning some yarns about the Hall of Fame. If you don't mind that still to come right here on this edition of the rich. Guys and show on a cant in front. Passion drive and patience. The formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive. eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and a level it up to peak performance superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you're into speed power or style eBay Motors has you covered with over a hundred and twenty two million parts for your number one ride or die you'll always find exactly what you're looking for. And with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors, you're burning rubber not cash with all the parts you need at the prices you want. It's easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins. Keep your ride or die alive at eBay motors.com eligible items only exclusions apply. See eBay motors.com want to teach your kids financial literacy, but not sure where to start green light can help with green light parents can keep an eye on kids spending and saving while kids and teens use a card of their own to build money confidence as a parent. You can send instant money transfers set up chores automate allowance and more.

It's a convenient way to run your household customized to your family's needs and the easy way to raise financially smart kids get started with green light today and get your first month free at greenlight.com slash pod. I also love the story that you've told and if you wouldn't mind telling the audience here as well at the combine when you would be pulled into rooms and you didn't know which room you were being pulled into by which. Yeah. Yeah, I was I was I was you know, it'd come back in back in that day. Everybody was reaching for ages was in the hotel. Everybody was everybody. It was scheduled scheduled structure. You can't be in a hotel.

You can't be on the premises then it was everything as well. So I'm backing away from crowds and people trying to grab me and I backed into this room and the Giants was there and it was the Giants room and they had people sitting down taking these tests. What do they call these things?

Oh, yeah, like the psychology. Yes, right. I mean the thing was that thick man and I sat down and they gave me this thing and what is this?

They say it's this test and you know, we need you to take it I said, oh, what picker do you have this like the 10th? I thought I'd be going for it. And I gotta walk out. I'd be gone.

Why would we go for that? And and then let's just get into it here. I mean Belichick said he watched you run the 40th comma and that you ran it and then ran into the tunnel. And is it true? That's not true. Okay, you did not run into a waiting car and being taken here right there. No, because I had more interviews and all of that. No, that story just grows and grows. Yeah, it is it is it that's not true.

I did everything that I was asked to do now. I didn't lift I ain't do none of that because Jerry Rice to this day had laid across my arms and me bench pressing, you know, I don't know where that comes from. I love that you say that when you're watching the defensive backs. I hate that.

The weight reps of 225 struggling in the fifth one up. When have you ever said man? Well, if that guy would have got one more rep here to be in there on that play out of three cone drill like nothing to do with nothing. So I didn't do any of that stuff right here. Well, it all worked out.

Yeah, the one and only Deion Sanders, all of his appearances on our YouTube channel back here on the Rich Eisen show. Take the guesswork out of buying baseball tickets right now with game time, which was an official ticket marketplace. You get baseball tickets fast and easy and the prices on the game time that actually goes down the closer it gets to the first pitch. You can basically find out what your seat how much it costs completely. The feature of all in pricing shows you the total upfront with no surprise fees at checkout. That's one way to remove the guesswork out of buying tickets with game time. Same thing with the seat views. You get a panoramic view from your seat in the app before you buy and the lowest price guarantee is there because game time will credit you 110% of the difference.

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Lowest price. Guaranteed. Gents, I used the commercial break for good and not evil. I have found out. I've been so informed that one prime time will be in Canton tonight. Yes.

Oh, so that's awesome. That's what I have been so informed that the prime time will be here to watch the jacket dinner, I believe and then back to Colorado, but I cannot can cannot confirm completely even though I just know we received number 23. Say, what about Mike?

You got LA. You got to come. I don't know. I don't know. I don't, you know, I'm still working. I'm still left out. I'll text him real quick.

Hold up. I mean, I know exactly what reach out. I know exactly what Steve Weiss is talking about being in that downtown hotel where all the Hall of Famers are staying in. And because I think, Chris, it was the year that we did the podcast from here.

Again, the podcast that birthed our soon to be 10 year old program on which we're all talking right now. And I remember it was the year that Shannon Sharp went in because that jacket dinner moment again, the jacket dinner for those who don't know that it goes down tonight and it is the first tangible item. A Pro Football Hall of Famer receives that makes them realize this is happening.

You know, the other tangible items are a Hall of Fame ring and a Hall of Fame bust. The jacket, though, is the first one that they get. And that's tonight. And back in the day, they used to have their presenter get up on the stage and be the one to put the jacket on them. And so the year Shannon went in, Sterling was his presenter and Sterling put the jacket on him. And the two of them embraced.

Oh, big time in the middle of the arena and hugged it out and cries like bawling. And all there wasn't a dry eye in the house. That's 2011. I remember that was the front page of the local newspaper, the Canton repository here. It was a huge photograph that took up like two thirds of the page of the two of them crying and hugging it out. And we were talking about that all night long. And it was still in the mind's eye of everybody as we were getting set for induction Saturday, prior to which we recorded some interviews for the podcast. And because it was a nighttime event.

And I'll never forget walking into the lobby of the hotel where all the Hall of Famers were in. And both Sharp brothers were there, Sterling and Shannon, and they were getting an absolute earful from Deacon Jones in the lobby. And Deacon was holding up the newspaper where the two of them were crying. And he was giving them relentless amounts of unrepeatable grief for crying.

And the two of them sat, stood there and took it. They had to take it because it was Deacon Jones giving them grief for crying. It's no crying.

What are you doing this for? You're bawling like a bunch of effing babies. And I was so happy to have witnessed that. It was laugh out loud funny and they both both Sharp brothers had like smiles on their faces as Deacon was lighting them up. And it was funny because the first 24 hours it was warm, fuzzy, is it dusty in here type stuff. And Deacon's like, what are you doing? Then you have the year that the bartender was overwhelmed at the hotel bar and Jim Kelly started over serving everyone.

That's great. The hotel bar had every single Hall of Famer there and all of their guests. And there were there were gold jackets everywhere, like literally deep, three, four deep in the bar.

And and and the poor staff was just thoroughly overwhelmed. So Jim Kelly was sick and tired of waiting for his drink. He hopped behind the bar and started serving.

It just started going himself first himself. And that's how we got our drink. That's how we got our drink. It was unbelievable.

I love it. And by the way, Hall of Famers now Hall of Famers have a green room right off of the stage where there's all sorts of libations for them. And that was Jim Kelly's idea. And by the way, the fact that there's a the Hall of Fame ceremony is in the stadium and not on the front lawn anymore is because of Jim Kelly, because he had many guests one year. They had to move it to the stadium. So Jim's fingerprints are all over this thing right here in Canton. That's a fact.

These are all true stories, because, Jim, you could draw a line from Buffalo, where obviously he played his professional football, Pittsburgh, where he's from. You could draw a line down from there's a big triangle, just like right from Pittsburgh, from Buffalo to Pittsburgh to Canton, like you could draw a line. And it was just that huge, I don't know if everybody walked, but they all showed up. And I-77 is, you know, the old ceremony used to be on the front lawn in front of the steps of the Hall of Fame. And I-77 is, you know, kind of is the backstop of the lawn area.

So you really can't go any further than I-77. And so when Jim Kelly had all those people there, they're like, we got to move this thing to the stadium. So that's how the light bulb went over on everybody's head that we got to, we've got to, we've got to move this thing to a larger spot. That's genius. Thanks to Jim Kelly.

Oh, yeah, man. I remember first year I was here is 2003, summer of 03. And everybody's walking up to me saying, you're not on SportsCenter anymore. And what is NFL Network all about?

Because we hadn't launched yet. That 03 class was Marcus Allen, James Lofton, Elvin Bethea, Hank Stram, and Joe Delamiller. And when Hank Stram, Hank Stram wasn't, it was difficult for him to speak, but he was there for the jacket dinner.

And watching him and his family hug and cry it out, too, was really something I'll never forget. The extent that I have, I've gotten in trouble.