Andrew Whitworth: Don't Rule Anything Out With The Rams

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See site for details. Rich Eisen shows studio in Los Angeles. Today's guests, Prime Video TNF analyst Andrew Whitworth, LPA Chief Strategy Officer J.C. Tretter, plus latest news and more. And now it's Rich Eisen. Our number two of the Rich Eisen show is on the air. Andrew Whitworth is going to be joining us shortly here from Prime Video.

844-204-RICH is the number to dial. Chris Brockman, you said going to break the Rams have made a trade. There's a trade from the Rams.

Is it big enough to require the drop? I don't think so. Really? No, I don't think so.

So what do your eyes see then? My eyes see the Rams are sending veteran offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to the Bears in exchange for a six-round pick this year. Yeah, thank you for that because I don't want to offend the Bears and the Jonah Jackson family. Was it J. Jonah Jackson the name of the editor? J. Jonah Jameson. He owned the newspaper in Spider-Man. He owned it. He was running, he ran the show there. Oh, so he was the Bezos of the newspaper.

Got it. Daily, it's Bugle, right? Planet, it's Superman. I mean, we're really down a wormhole here. All right, joining us now, our dear friend from Prime Video, the great Andrew Whitworth. Good to see you, Andrew. How are you, sir? What's going on?

What's going on, man? What's up, Whit? How are you doing? I'm good, baby. It's the off-season.

I'm great. It's no such thing. How dare you? Never. Never.

The Rams just made a trade. And hold on a second. Hold on a minute. It never stops. And it's nonstop.

It's nonstop. Sean's talking. Do we have that sound bite?

Because I think Sean said something along the lines of the door's not closed on Cooper Cup. Do we have that? Hit it. Hit it. You know, I think I would never speak in absolutes, but I do think, you know, let's gather all the information. We'll take it a day at a time. And we'll kind of see what the next steps entail. All right, you're fluent in McVeigh, right, Andrew?

You can be our McVeigh interpreter. What do you want to make of that? Yeah, I mean, I think he knows better that in this league, anything can happen. And so I think at the end of the day, they will end up separating and Cooper will end up somewhere else. But man, listen, if there's anything we've learned in the recent years with the Rams is they are willing to do anything and everything as it comes up.

And so you never really can rule out anything with them. Well, I mean, it did. From what I heard, it got dicey at some point last week about Stafford and the Rams. And obviously them coming together makes sense for everybody involved, in my estimation. But it got close, right, Andrew, last week?

Yeah. I mean, you have to go back, though, to last year if you think about it, Rich. I mean, this was a situation all offseason long. There was kind of a discussion of Stafford's contract and what was going to make Matthew happy and feel like he was appreciated as Los Angeles Ram and what worked out for them. And so I think if you remember, you know, even it came up to the first day of training camp, you know that there was a little bit of like is Matthew here and why there's a meeting going on and they're trying to figure it out. And so I think when you when you go through a year like that and you come to an agreement, there's no question the Los Angeles Rams want Matthew Stafford as their quarterback. That that was never the issue.

It's just trying to find out what makes him happy, feel like he's being appreciated. He's making the money he wants to make, but they can also go chase the opportunity to play in a Super Bowl. And so when you look at how this year ended in Philly, you know, really coming down to the last snap of the game and with a chance to win that game and host the NFC championship, there's no they want to be together.

But it's still, hey, after last year, you weren't happy. Let's figure out what your value is. And I think that's why when people kind of question, well, why are they letting him talk to other teams and those kind of things is, you know, you can assume a lot in this league, Rich, but sometimes until you go reach out to these teams and find out what are they willing to give up? What would the draft compensation be?

What would the contract be? And do those things marry to something that that's really what's more important to you is to go make that money or you want to stay here, be a Los Angeles Ram and continue to chase that championship with Sean McVay. And at the end of the day, I think that once they did all those things and realize, you know what the best option is, we want to stay together.

We want Matthew Stafford as our quarterback. There's zero question about that. And now they're happy they're together.

I'm sure Sean sleeping a whole lot better. And I bet you Matthew is as well. Yeah. Because, you know, listen, I understand the Giants and the Raiders might have given Stafford more on the table than than the Rams. But outside of that, financially, there's there's nothing else, you know, in which they could beat the Rams for Matthew for this year and potentially beyond it for any guy who's envisioning an end of career scenario. I mean, last year, Andrew, they came take a look at the playoffs. They came as the closest of any team to keep the Eagles from a parade than anybody else at the end of the day.

Yeah. I mean, you know, we always can go back and say what ifs. But, you know, there one play there at the end of the game where, you know, we probably have a better plan and protection there, a little bit of a mistake there at the end of the game. And you let Jalen Carter disrupt the play. But Tyler Higby's wide open. And who's to say he's not going to have a chance to score since the defender fell down? So, yeah, they're that close. So I don't think this was about, hey, competitively, is there any world where we're better without Matthew Stafford?

I don't think that was ever brought up in this question. I think that the real decision was, is he happy to be here? Is this contract that we can offer him and what we feel like we can do and still go compete at a really high level again next year? Because the reality is this in the playoffs, Rich, you can be playing really good football and you can have success. But for the year long to get there, they needed to be better. I mean, that was a year where the start was bad. It was another year consecutive year where the start off of the season's bad. They got to go on a big run to make the playoffs. I think for them, it's hey, we got a young nucleus of talent that we've drafted really well the last couple of years. Matthew, what's that number that you're comfortable? You're happy.

You want to be a ram. A Super Bowl is what's on your mind. And then how do we put pieces around you? Because I think you would argue in that game in Philly, if they play a little better around Matthew Stafford, they win that game. Matthew played at what he does. And when his best is required, he is always there in these big moments. It's like he loves it.

And so I think in their mind it's like, hey, what's the contract makes you happy. And then we can go put the pieces around you. And now we feel like we're contenders again. Andrew Whitworth here on the Rich Eisen Show.

We have not spoken since the Super Bowl. What is your assessment about the Chiefs line and their ability to keep this thing right back on track after what we saw what the Eagles did to them? Andrew? Yeah.

Yeah. It's going to be interesting to see what they really decide to do with the offensive line. I mean, obviously at the tackle position over the last couple of years, they've had some up and down play there.

Their young pick didn't really work out the beginning of the season. Then it was kind of find out who can play left tackle. And I was concerned with Joe Tooney continuing to have to be the left tackle just because of a game like that. I mean, you really think of what the Chiefs have been around Mahomes is that interior three has been one of the best interior threes in the league when you really put all them together and Tooney's playing his normal left guard spot.

So for them to continue to move him out there, you're just a little weaker. And when you play a great defensive line like this, it's going to show up more often. And so I think for them, it's getting Tooney back to left guard. And then what's our answer can get our young draft pick come up and play this position. Is he going to be able to Kingsley going to be that guy at left tackle?

Or is there a situation where we've got to say Juwan Taylor's got to move to left and we got to figure out the answer at right. There's got to be an investment there because if you really look at their seasons, Rich, it's, it's like they get themselves a Superbowl and the only ones that you can think of that, all right, why did they lose the Superbowl against Tampa? It was, they had two tackles that got injured.

There were great football players right before the Superbowl there without their left and right tackle in the game. And in this game, the offensive lines getting whipped and they don't have much of a chance to protect my home. So when they protect my homes, they are a really tough team to beat.

And so that's gotta be their top priority right now. Well, and the team that took the first step forward closer to the Eagles was the team that the Eagles destroyed prior to destroying the chiefs in Washington, by acquiring Deebo Samuel, how close did, how much closer in your mind did the commanders get with that move? Well, I'll tell you this, Rich, I don't know if anybody's happier than Sean McVay and the Rams for this move as well, because Deebo Samuel is the absolute Rams killer.

That is for sure. He, he has seemed to be the guy that they could never stop in these big games against the Niners. So I think when you talk about getting Stafford back, you know, getting the Larry Jackson under contract, our young left tackle, and now Deebo Samuel's out of the division. I don't know if the Rams could be any happier about that move, but for the commanders, I think he fits great. I mean, what he does and the way that offense is really spread out and they love to get the ball out of Jayden's hands. Like I think Deebo is going to be a great answer for them, his ability with screens and you know, after they catch to get those extra yards, if you really think of how they know huddle and up tempo, he should be a great answer for them. And I think something that's really going to help them when you think about how the commanders move forward, because one of the things they did really well is their investment in kind of veteran pieces last off season, they didn't make these crazy splash moves, but they got a lot of guys that came in and were really productive into their career type guys who just came out in their, their production, their play, their ability to stay healthy. That's what made a difference for them. And they've got to look to renew that this season.

I think Deebo is going to be a part of that answer. Yeah. And then let's return to the Rams thing. Do you think the Niners windows closing? What do you think?

Seriously? And listen, I'm never going against Kyle Shanahan. And as long as Trent Williams is there, you know, playing, I also think that they've got something they're going to build that entire offensive round and the play he has, he's got to be healthy. And then really, I think Purdy continued to show strides last season. I think when people say, all right, did he have all his weapons all year?

You know, how many NFL offenses are real productive when all their talent's not healthy. But I thought he showed strides of really playing true, just quarterback position, not as much as, Hey, we can run the ball against everybody and we can hit these play actions and all these things off of it. He had to play a lot of real quarterbacks sitting back there making decisions. I think he showed a lot of growth there. They're going to take care of him, but the model's going to change rich.

This model has been all this talent. They had continuing to kind of plug and play a quarterback who can play in Shanahan system. But as soon as they play, pay Purdy, this whole thing flips and it starts to become, who are we actually able to afford to keep around here? You got George Kittles contracts coming up in a year or so, a couple of other guys that they're going to have to try and figure out Trent's not going to be able to play forever. So they've got to have a really good vision for what the next version of what the San Francisco 49ers look like. If you talk about the Rams, that's one of the things they've seen to do really well.

People thought after they went all forward and wanted in 21 reloaded in 22 and failed, it's like, all right, now there's no chance they're going to be good for a really long time, but they reloaded and came up with a new version of how they're going to be successful. And you got to see the Niners figure that out. And again, I know you don't speak for Matthew and we're going to get him on and hopefully at some point now I'll ask him how much long do you think this is another year to year thing with the Rams? Do you think Matthew is going to stay that they're going to figure out a way to just like end of career scenario for Stafford is going to be right here in Southern California. Andrew, what do you think?

Yeah, I would imagine this probably solidifies that it's going to be here or nowhere else. I mean, I know that Matthew and Kelly love living here that, you know, they've obviously embraced the community and a lot of things they do and they enjoy it. We, I enjoy playing some golf with him, so I hope he's not going anywhere. I don't want to lose my golf buddy, but you know, also I think when you really look at it last year, how things kind of went down, you come back here and I think his kind of message to them, and that's one of the reasons this scenario was kind of difficult to figure out his kind of been, it's a year to year thing.

I mean, the guys obviously made a ton of money. He's won his Superbowl. He's had a hall of fame career in my opinion. And you know, I think that for him, it's just figuring out, man, how much do I really want to go chase that next championship? Cause that's really the only thing left to add to his legacy is if he could possibly go get that second one. And so I think for him, it's going to be a year to year thing. And I think that's why the Rams are comfortable living in that world is that this guy who's one of the best talents at that position in the world wants to keep coming back. We want to keep trying to figure out how to do that for one more year, but it's gotta be in a way that we can continue to build the team around him for when he makes that exit where we're prepared and we're built talent wise that a young quarterback or the next guy could come in and we still have a chance to be competitive.

All right. So a couple more minutes left with Andrew Whitworth here on the rich eyes and show the tush push. The Packers put together a proposal apparently to be voted on later this month, apparently to ban it.

You hear that and you think what Andrew, you know, I don't see the reason to ban it. I think it's a, it's an awesome play. And, and obviously the Eagles, you know, are the example for it in every way possible. But I do see that where there's a conflict of interest just in this, in the, in this mentality of when I was in the league rich and we were on field goals and Ray Lewis would get behind Hlody Negada or, you know, Terrell Suggs would push Hlody Negada through on a field goal.

It was one of the worst downs of your entire life being able to take on those big monsters. And so I can see where there's a little bit of, ah, that's a little hypocritical. Like why are we taking this away from the defense? But on offense you're allowed to push.

So to me, like you could do all these sneaks, you could do all the stuff you want. If you just eliminated the pusher, I think that's the only thing that people have any argument about. And I don't know that that would be some, Oh man, now you've taken away their play. They can still line up in the same formations, do everything they do. They're just not allowed to push on the quarterback with a running back or something. So I think that that wouldn't change it that much.

So I don't think that I would really be emotional either way of it. I could understand that if the defense can't do it, the offense shouldn't be able to do it as well. And I could also see where some teams say, Hey, is it really that worth it to try to eliminate this play? You know, they don't care that much and, and move on. Well, I mean, Schlerath said that, uh, last week when he was on with Susie, uh, when I was at the combine that if the defense can't do it, then why should the offense, it was a nightmare, rich, you know, Oh man, it was the worst down in your life. I mean, every time you got those guys lined up behind each other, you know, you just know my head, the back of my head's going to hit the grass.

It's just, how long is it going to take for it to get there? And uh, so you just hold on for dear life. And those were not fun down. So I can imagine defenders feel that way as well.

Yeah. I mean, Chris Jones was lined up perpendicular. He's trying to get sideways underneath. I mean, he's trying to figure out what position he can get in.

He was perpendicular to Hertz. I mean, he was parallel to the line of scrimmage trying to figure this thing out. And so if it, that I can understand if the, if the defense isn't allowed to do it, then why should the offense, but otherwise it does sound like we can't stop it.

So the only way to stop it is to legislate against it. That's the only way I took it, you know what I mean? And that's what I mean. So if the defender said, all right, if that's not only on a field goal thing, if we line up the next time and we all stand, you know, behind each other and try to push each other, you know, the league's going to come in and say, oh, you're not allowed to do that. Cause that's a defensive, you know, a down that you can't, a defender can't do it. So why can the offense do it? And I think that I can understand that argument about it. And that's the part I do agree with that if I defense defense, can't use that as their game plan to stop it, then why can the offense? And so I think that that's really the issue that kind of comes up is that it feels like something that's a little hypocritical that you're not allowing the defense to do something the offense can do.

All right. So let me finish up here with Andrew Whitworth of Amazon Prime Video's Thursday Night Football and the Fitz and Whit podcast every single Tuesday. Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick, a highly entertaining pod everyone should go get. I'm speaking to somebody who went from the state of Ohio to another spot and won a championship after not having much of a chance to win one in Ohio with all due respect. And Miles Garrett appears to fit that bill right now, trying to find his Rams, trying to find his 2.0, his second team to try and win one. And it seems like the Browns are not interested at all in this scenario. What would you counsel Miles Garrett to do next?

Andrew Whitworth? I think really when you look at these situations, it makes me think a little bit of Carson Palmer as well. You think of in 2011 when he really refused to come back to the Bengals and had said that he just didn't feel like they were ever going to put themselves in a position for him to really have a chance at a Super Bowl.

And he refused to go back there. And I think that it's one of those things that if you're going to say that that's it and this is your plan for Miles, he's got to be willing to dig his feet in and just not show up and an unfortunate situation there. I hate it when these kinds of situations come up because I think at the end of the day, I think Tomlin always says that you never want prisoners and so you want volunteers. And so I think that really to me, it's one of those where I think Cleveland's got to be honest with themselves and I wish this is how it worked. But what we've really provided him and really how things have gone here and decisions that have been made, I can understand an all world football player saying, hey man, I want the chance to go have success. And again and again, we have done things that continue to put us in a situation where we're not getting there. So you got to let him go in my opinion. And what is that compensation?

What does it look like? I just think when you do right by people and you're accountable and you say, hey, you know what? We can own up for our end of it.

It ends up in a good thing for everybody. And so there's a chance here when you look at the Deshaun Watson situation and really where they're at contractually, unless you think you're a Super Bowl team, which I don't think anybody would say they are, why not use this as an opportunity of how else are we going to improve our roster? How else are we going to get out of the hole? We've dug ourselves, but to acquire a lot of draft capital and move on. And so for miles, I think it's digging your feet in and saying, you know what? If his heart really believes that he needs to go somewhere else and he's not going to be his best self every day showing up bitter in this building, then you know what?

Go forward with it. And for Cleveland, I think you got to really look at yourself and go, hey, maybe this is the only way we get out of the hole we've dug ourselves is by trading him, getting some draft capital and trying to flip this entire thing as fast as possible. He is the only one on the team that you can get multiple ones for. That's for sure.

That's it. I mean, look at their contract situation with the cap and everything else and what they've done with Deshaun's contract. I mean, this may be their only out. And so I know they're saying they don't want to do it, but how else are you going to get this roster back to where it should be?

And I think people, honestly, I don't think people will be in arms about it because I think they're going to understand like Miles Garrett's frustration because I think every Cleveland Brown fan probably has the same exact frustration. You're the man, Andrew. I love having you on as always.

You're one of my favorites. And I'm not just saying that because you're listening to me and you're always truthful, which means my final question is when you play Stafford, who gets the strokes, who gets the candy? You versus Stafford and golf.

You know what? We're pretty. Here's the crazy thing about Stafford. He is such a freak athlete. He just hops right out of football season and he's just a single digit handicap. So we're both probably anywhere from like a four to six handicap. So we play pretty even most of the time.

No strokes. You know, I usually send him a text like that kind of right for the playoff start. Like, hey, don't think you're going to walk out to Bel Air and I'm going to be handing you strokes like just go ahead and lock it in and know that we're playing heads up golf whenever this thing's over.

So we usually play heads up. He's a, he's a really good player. That's for sure. Is Al out there with you too? You, since you mentioned, you know, the country club, we catch Al in the lunch room, you know what I mean? You know, I'll, uh, he plays a little longer round of golf than we do.

Let's just put it that way. Okay. Yeah.

His rounds take a little bit longer than ours. So, uh, okay. All right. I hear you.

I could probably get to, I could probably get two trips around and catch out on the back of the second 18. Uh, but no, yeah. Listen, you know, Al's the man. So that's actually something I look forward to the most.

When I get back out there with Al, he's the best. I got to link him and Pooka up. I mean, we've been waiting that the dinner's coming. We're going to do it soon. Two non veggie eaters, you know, Pooka's a no veggie guy too. So yeah.

Long lost best friends. They're both really jacked up about it. It's going to happen soon. I can't wait. Uh, it's gonna, it's gonna be a great dinner. That's for sure. Al Michaels and Pooka Nakua.

Who knew that that was the thing in common. Fantastic. You're the best, Andrew. We'll chat again soon, bud. Appreciate it, brother. You got it right back at you. That's Andrew. We're with everybody.

Check out his pod with Ryan Fitzpatrick every single Tuesday. That's awesome. The aptly named uh, fits and wit. Did I tell you, well, I was mentioning Bel Air Country Club. I'll tell this story again.

I think I've told it before, but I'll tell it. So when Susie was out here, um, working for Fox Sports and covering every championship team known to sun, none under the sun, USC football with Pete Carroll, Shaq and Colby and Phil with the Lakers, um, Mike Scioscia and Darren Erstad and Troy Percival, Tim Salmon with the Angels at any rate. So I would come out here and she knew a couple of people at Bel Air and she got me on the course. Now, you know, I was eager to play. It's highly well known around these parts and there was always a celebrity.

I thought that would always be there and I, so I'm driving in there and I'm thinking to myself, I wonder what celebrity I'm going to see today. If I told the story before, I think I have, right? Is this James Garner? Yes. Right. So I've never heard.

Okay. So I'm teeing off, I'm teeing off on the first hole and you on Bel Air Country Club and you see all of UCLA in front of you. It's raised tee box. You could see Westwood and it's incredible. And I'm sitting there thinking to myself, what celebrity am I going to see? And I balloon my first shot, my tee ball to the right and it lands on the 18th fairway.

That's how far right it is. The 18th fairway coming up. It doesn't sound like a good shot. It's not a good shot. It's not a good shot. But the last thing I'm going to do is like, Oh, let me take a mulligan as I'm, I'm a guest here at the Bel Air Country Club. So I'm, I'm using this shot. And as soon as I'm standing over this tee ball on the 18th fairway, coming up the 18th fairway in a golf cart really fast, screeching to a halt in front of me is James Garner in a cart driven by Mac Davis.

And here I am thinking, am I going to see a celebrity? And I'm seeing one on the first shot in the fairway of my time at Bel Air Country Club. And it's a James Garner with a golf ball between his thumb and forefinger. And he just jams it in my face like this far away. And he goes, is this your ball? And I'm thinking to myself, Oh my God, this is Jim Rockford, like angry at me. And I'm like, Oh, I looked like, no, no, no. My balls right here. I said, why? And he goes, cause somebody's playing my effing ball and they drive right off.

Look at drive by celebrity sighting. And I thought, this is the greatest thing ever. I do feel him though. That is annoying when someone picks up your ball. He was so angry. I'm like, am I going to see a celebrity?

Yeah. You're going to see Jim Rockford in your face. Thank God I was playing my ball. Could you imagine if that was yours? Oh, you had to have lied. I would. No, you had to knuckle up standing over a golf ball that could have been his. I thought to myself, my God, what am I doing?

I would have to leave and never come back. Maverick, bro. Yeah.

Take a break. Eight four four two oh four rich number to dial right here on the program. Full of stories.

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You're in good hands with all state savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability, all state fire and casualty insurance company and affiliates Northbrook, Illinois. When you're running the ball downhill, Deebo, do you see people making business decisions? Is it, is it, is it something you're seeing as you're running downhill? I mean, honestly, I really don't pay attention. I mean, if they move out the way they move out the way, if they don't, you know, they just don't feel it, but you could see it though, right? You come, come on now. You could see the eyes maybe getting wide and you could see them maybe getting down a little lower than, you know, the trying to get some leverage here. Most people kind of turn it down, but some people out there make business decisions and just kind of throw their bodies just hoping I'll fall down too. Well, I mean, that's not really, that's not really happening.

I'm not, I'm not seeing that. Do you like the content? Do you enjoy it? Of course. Of course.

Of course. So growing up, uh, I played mostly like running back until I kind of got to college and then I transitioned to a wide out. So, uh, what, what do you like to do if you're given a choice, run it or catch it and run it?

What's your favorite to do? I'd rather catch it than run it. Why is that? Uh, cause if I catch it, I got way more space, you know, I mean, it's really not a preference, but I prefer like to catch it and run. Okay. And you got a good story about Shanahan showing you a play and you're like, Oh, okay, that's going to work. And then it does. You got, you got one of those. I do not remember any of them because normally that's that we've seen that where he just says, this is going to work.

We're going to get it done. Didn't he do that with kiddo once he says, we're going to, this one's going to go to the house and then it goes down. Uh, Cal, Cal, I mean, if you, if you watch him and like, he's all the way down, like if we all offense, he always eat all the way down on the other side, just watching. And he, you can see him sometimes talking to the referee. He's like, all right, now, uh, why don't you kill this guy's about to hold and I, and nine times out of 10, he holds and then we get the flag. But a lot of plays that he calls, I mean, you never know what's going to happen.

Any play that Cal call can end up in a touchdown. Ah, yes. Back in the day when Deebo Samuel was apparently wanting out of San Francisco, then he stuck around, tortured the Rams a couple of times or three or four. Now he's in Washington, back on the rich eyes and show radio network, sitting at the rich eyes and show desk furnished by Granger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Granger has the right product for you.

Call click ranger.com or just stop by. Uh, it's time for one of our favorite segments of the week. The overreaction Monday podcast is out there for everyone to listen to right now.

Chris Brockman. I recorded it yesterday. Susie and Amy are recording, uh, what the football they don't run with Diana Rossini of the athletic. She'll tell you what she knows. And she knows a lot.

She knows a lot Wednesday. What are you doing for, uh, for what you got? What are you for?

For no contest wrestling. We're definitely going to recap everything that happened in this elimination chamber, including, uh, my, my girl EO winning the women's world championship last night on Monday night raw. So I can't wait to talk about it. And Thursday's a Jim Jackson show scheduled to guest Spike Lee. Oh, and we'll be talking about spikes time on Twitter, telling Chris Brockman to go F himself. I believe the direct quote is that I'm an F and moron. Okay.

Well, I mean, he wasn't too far off. Spike and I have beef words that ever thought would be said that was one sided. So that's, what's on the rich eyes and podcast network this week is Brockman and Spike Lee's F and beef. Yeah.

Okay. But right now it's time for overreaction Monday on a Tuesday. That was crap.

That was garbage. This place sucks. Overreaction Monday on a Tuesday. On a Tuesday, Christopher, everybody. What's up everybody. Good. What up?

What up? Turn your hat around. Come on, man. Have some respect for overreaction Monday on a Tuesday. I refuse.

Jeez. Guys, it's all about the quarterbacks as we know, right? This time of year, post combine draft. It's all about the quarterbacks. Joe Milton would be QB one in this draft and teams should be calling the Patriots for him right now, just because he beat the bills in the final week of the season. The Joe Milton game is that we known sort of like the snow game, you know, forevermore.

Exactly the same. You know what I mean? The Joe Milton game, just because he's got you drafted fourth overall instead of much higher in a much better position. Like first. Yeah. You're just trying to get some sort of draft capital out of it right now.

Why wouldn't the giants send a third for Joe Milton? Because that's insane. Is it? Yeah. Really? Yeah, it is. Yeah, it is. Joe Milton's not better than Cam Ward and Chidor. I don't know. I'm not one of these draft experts.

I know you're trying to talk it up, but that's an overreaction, sir. He would definitely be interesting to have available to be drafted right now. He's available for a draft pick if the price is right. He beat the bills backups. He beat the breaks off the bills backups.

He threw the fastest ball in the NFL history. And that is worthy of a third round draft choice. I agree. What a backhanded compliment, right?

Sure. What? He beat the bills backups. Oh, excuse me. He built, he beat the breaks off the bills back. That's not the word that stands out. Somebody go get his backups.

Not, I just think it's breaks. Somebody go get this guy. What else, Chris?

Flip us a draft onward. I see this, uh, T Higgins. That's your first offering. Okay. I wrote that like weeks ago. Okay.

You finally got a chance to use it. T Higgins, as we know, is getting franchise tag, but we don't know what that exactly means. And Diana Rossini, who will be on a, what the football I'm curious to see if she elaborates on this, uh, Jamar chase and the bangles are not close on their deal. Either chase or Higgins will be on a new team week one.

No, incorrect. They will both be on the bangles because Jamar chase, if I'm not mistaken, is under contract for one more year. And if there's any team that will take it all the way to the limit, I hate, it sounds good. What both miles Garrett and Jamar chase are, we're going to be holdout package deals. So what you're saying in the state of Ohio, Hey, listen, man, there's cash and cap and all sorts of stuff that I think Amy's going to explain is, you know, putting all these guaranteed dollars in the, um, in the escrow bank might not be what the bangles can do, but they're going to have to figure it out because if they're in the national football league business with two huge stars like this, with a huge star at quarterback and an ability to win football games because of that, figure it out, figure out the math.

You can do that. You've got a calculator, figure it out, and then figure out how to draft a lot of defense and maybe be selectively aggressive on the free agent defensive front and go win a super bowl because they have the chances. They just got to figure it out. And what Jamar chase is not a free agent. Chris T Higgins is, he didn't have to show up week one. Okay. I know he doesn't have to show up, but I still think T Higgins is getting traded. I think the bangles are going to figure this thing out.

It's a lot of credit given Mike Brown. It's it's time. I'm always open. What else?

All right. He's always open to a deal. I'm sure he wants to be the highest paid non quarterback.

Let's figure it out. If Sam Darnell comes back to the Vikings, he's going to spend all of this year looking over his shoulder. Won't match last year's success. I think that is a total overreaction.

You have no earthly idea what it would look like at all. And one would think it would even be better. Better. Yeah.

Why wouldn't it be? Well, because they drafted a guy to have his job. I got it. And he's just sitting there waiting. I understand. He's younger.

He's probably better. I get it. Look who you're talking to about JJ McCarthy. Look who you were talking to. Why do I have to talk this guy up for you?

You don't have to. I'm just saying that Sam Darnold right now, if he returns and he would return with a multiple year contract, he's not signing a one year deal after not getting the franchise tag. If he does come back, he would have some form of a guarantee that he doesn't have to look over his shoulder. Financial and verbal from his coach. Ask Kirk Cousins how that worked out.

I hear you. So if he, if they do have to turn to the kid because he's, he's totally, you know, stepped on as Darnold in the way that we saw what Kirk Cousins did over a four week stretch. You know what I mean? So I'll call this a total overreaction that you're sitting here saying there's no chance that he's going to be better. Why would he want to go back and have amazing coaches all over the place?

Well, not, not one of these, they got a raising a raving. You have a reigning coach of the year who is stupendous with quarterbacks. And if you sign for two, three years, make your scratch to the point where you feel pretty darn comfortable, like say a Baker Mayfield deal, and you can start winning again and again, then maybe when you're 29, you're free and you hit it even bigger with a spot where you're now more and more comfortable to leave.

And JJ McCarthy, it's his time. Why, why not willingly put yourself in the position of being the Rogers to this guy's Jordan love go to Vegas and the, and your career there. You could, but you know, is it as good as what you currently have? I don't know. That's what he's going to have to figure out over the next week or two pal.

But to basically come out with such a declarative statement like this, I reject it thoroughly. What do we do? I seen the reports rejecting it thoroughly at the Steelers, like Matumbo, the Steelers might have a preference at quarterback. Justin Fields. Justin Fields is going to keep the Tomlin streak alive over 500 again this year.

Um, sure. I'll buy that. You know how I feel about Tomlin and Justin Fields. Hey, let me just say this about Justin Fields.

What's that? He was four and two. Let me say this about Justin Fields. He has kept his mouth shut. Has he not?

Haven't heard a peep in Chicago and in Pittsburgh. He hasn't said a single thing and he has handled himself with the utmost of professionalism in that regard. Kind of impressive.

He has 1 million percent taken all of this in his best of stride publicly as anybody possibly can. Four and two and then benched. And then the other guy comes in and takes them to a 10 and three and then hardly wins a game the rest of the year. And he doesn't say a word. And now it's time for that team that benched him at four and two to say to him, we, we still want you here. Stay by your phone, man.

I may need you. Exactly. Great drop. Perfect.

Yeah. And, and now he's in a position where he could be the week one starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025. Seems like, okay, don't forget. Roman Wilson is there and he had a whole washout of an injury margin season.

The, the top passing connection of the national champion Michigan Wolverines hardly played it down this past year for Minnesota and Pittsburgh. So I'll buy this. I'll say, I'll say yay to that.

Not an, not an overreaction. Last week we got so excited because it was reported that Belichick and UNC was going to do the off season hard knocks. That's awesome. Not anymore. Now today, no dice. So after fumbling this bag, fumbling the bag and other teams reluctance, we are nearing the end of hard knocks. I will say this is an overreaction. We are not nearing the end of hard knocks. How dare you?

This is not a shot or anything. It just seems like hard knocks has kind of run its course. Well, what we need is some, what we need is some incentive to lower the bar on the gold tending by these teams.

When the edits come out of the edit bag, we want to see stuff. Yeah. And I think, you know, the giants ruined it. They didn't ruin it. You know who needs to, you know, who needs to save it, if you will. Your idea wasn't a bad one.

I think Howie Roseman. I still think it's a great idea, but to show how it's done. Yeah.

Waiting for somebody to step forward. I'm not even talking about off season. I'm worried that even the preseason is over. You know, we always get Howie, I think it's right after the draft, right?

That's the tradition unlike any other. And so I will ask Howie about this. It'll be too late.

Too late for the off season version. But me saying him, you know how, what his response would be. I'm like, you should, you should do this to show how it's done.

And he would basically say, I show how it's done by creating parades. That sounds like something Howie Roseman would say. But I'll just say, we're not at the end of hard knocks because the league still wants it. And the league has... The teams don't want it.

The owners don't want it. Too bad. It's going to happen again this fall. I mean this summer and it'll happen again in the fall. The, the, by the way, the in season hard knocks was terrific.

Yeah. The AFC North was really well done. They had to make a whole division because one team didn't want to do it.

That's what they'll do. What do you think Belichick was going to save hard knocks? Bill Belichick?

I do think he was going to save hard knocks. I do. What else you got? You got one more over there? Yeah, one more. Okay.

What do you got? You think we need one more? All right, we'll get one more.

It is with, it is with great sadness actually. Reluctance, TJ. I just... He's out of adjectives for whatever he's saying. The Lakers are going to win the West. What did I say to you last week, Chris?

We did it once more likely on Friday and it took like three days for them to be the two seed. You know how that scene where Colonel Jessup was on the stand and, you know, Tom Cruz is going through it again. He's like, don't you remember? You say, you know, if orders aren't followed, you know, people lose lives. And like, do you remember that?

It's a crystal. Remember that? I can go through the transcript of last week in the same way of like, you said, you know, I said, you know, the Lakers might do it and you go, do what?

What's the it, Rich? And I said, win the West. And you're like, huh? I said that last week. Didn't take, didn't take long.

It didn't take long. Imagine that adding a top five player in the league. What's more likely? What's more likely? 40 yard dash record gets broken over the week or the Lakers wind up the two seed.

And I said the two seed, and that happened by Sunday night. Get ready. He looked skinny in that. By the way, is that photoshopped? It's not. What happened? Actually, what they could do is with a Photoshop of fat Soto and skinny Luca, you could create a whole new human like the clones on set.

You can create a whole new Luca Soto. Yeah, we knew. So that wasn't fact. I hate everything. Guess what?

It's common. It's coming. The Lakers will win the West. It's happening over the Warriors. Get ready in seven, maybe who knows, but it's the Lake Lakers. How did the Lakers beat the Nuggets?

How do they the same way they just beat the breaks off of them two weeks ago in Denver in the nine game win streak for the Nuggets at the time? Who's stopping? You could join that whatever.

I don't know if he's got enough around. There you go. I'm just not like the Lakers. Throwing this out there.

I might be a Lakers fan now. I'm running point. Everybody number people texting me about, Hey, man, you're a Netflix comedy superstar. And I say, you're correct. No. All right.

You are over Netflix. So that is the that's a fact. Well, let's talk more about that when we come back. Welcome to the A to Z savings event at AutoZone. Yeah.

Happy to be here. Can I get some rotors? Would you like brake pads with that?

How much are the brake pads free with the rotors free? Really? Really free. Okay. I also need some oil. Would you like an oil filter with that? Yeah. How much is that free with five quarts of oil free?

Really? Really free. It's part of the A to Z savings event.

You might as well call it A to free at AutoZone restrictions apply. Let's talk TurboTax people. You might be sitting there going, wait a minute, rich.

I don't get it. It's not April. Why am I thinking about my taxes now?

Why should I? Because with TurboTax, you can have an expert file for you. As soon as today, you get a TurboTax experts undivided attention when you use TurboTax and they work on your return in real time. Once upon a time, taxes is all about waiting and wondering and worrying.

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Get an expert now on TurboTax.com. This is a letter written in March of 1998, two Colts owner, Jim, or say what at the time a month away in the draft, the decision between you and Peyton Manning. Right. It's from Hunter S. Thompson. Dear James.

Dear James. In response to your addled request for a quick $30 million loan to secure the services of the Manning kid, I have to say no at this time, but the leaf boy is another matter. He looks strong and Manning doesn't, or at least not strong enough to handle that. Welcome to the NFL business for two years without a world-class offensive line.

How are you fixed at left OT for the next few years? James think about it. You don't want to China doll back there when that freaks sat comes crashing in. Okay. Let me know if you need some money for leaf. I expect to be very rich when this debt movie comes out, your faithful consultant Hunter and it's signed HST with at the bottom scrolled in handwriting, CC John Walsh, ESPN, and CC Colonel depth. How did you come into possession of this? So I'm a Chicago Cubs fan and they were in town last week and I was sitting there behind the dugout and a guy here in LA and a guy tapped me on the shoulder and said, are you Ryan?

Are you Ryan leaf? I said, yes, sir. And he said, man, I'm just, you know, just such a fan of what you're doing now with the foundation and everything like that. And he just, he talked for a little bit. He's like, have you ever, have you ever seen that the Hunter S. Thompson letter? And I'm like, no, I don't know what you're talking about.

Would you like to see it? And I said, well, yeah, of course. I mean, I didn't believe it for a second. Right. And there came in the email and I showed it to my, my fiance, who's a huge Hunter S. Thompson fan. And we read it and I just, the absurdity of the fact that a Hunter S. Thompson knew who I was and be that he was, he was trying to persuade Mr. Ursay to draft me instead was just comical and not to see it for 20 years.

How does it, it just, it's just nowhere to be found. Right. I called John Walsh of ESPN and he says, cause he's known Hunter and his family's known Hunter S for, for years. He said his wife was like, why are they thinking it's not real? And as a matter of fact, it's a thousand percent real. Wow. Wow. And Hunter S. Thompson was a huge NFL fan and obviously an opinion on the 1998 draft.

Well, I think now that we know that a lot of people had an opinion on the 1998 NFL draft. This is amazing. I love that line. Is that you don't want a China doll back there when that freak sap comes crashing in. The irony of all this, the irony of this, he would go on and play, start the most consecutive games of anybody.

And I would be injured going into year two and missed the entire season. So we're just, just reminding people. Strong underlined.

Strong. That was the first time Ryan Leaf ever appeared on the show and he brought that letter with him. That was great. I did reach out to John Walsh. He goes, that's his, that's Hunter's signature. Can confirm.

It really is a letter. That's crazy. Freak sap. China doll back there.

You know, sap was a freak. Sliding door of what if Ryan goes first that year? Oh my goodness.

Gracious. Well, as you know, the story that Jim Moore senior would tell all the time, as we'd make him tell it over and over and over again, uh, is that, uh, the Colts grinded tape on both of them all the way up to the draft day. You know, they had a sense that it was going to be Peyton, but they were, you know, doing their due diligence, doing their due diligence, which everybody does. And then, um, you know, an unnamed quarterback coach will just start to carpet about somebody at the Hyundai getaway sales event, get deals. Feel right.

It almost feels wrong. Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted. Plus every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and three years or 36,000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance.

Don't think you can get away with all that thing again, but don't wait. The Hyundai getaway sales event is going on right now. So visit your local Hyundai dealer today. It's a great day for a new Hyundai play of the week comes from the scouting combine. You betcha. There are plays to be made there. Certainly when you are a 332 pound lineman from Missouri, beating it on down the line, the way that Armand Membo did when he stepped to the 40 yard dash line. Here's that moment as called by me.

That's a good start. That is athletic. Look at him go.

491. You let out a primal scream when you do freaky stuff. That's what he did right there. That was fantastic. And the fans here letting them hear it.

That's a Daniel Jeremiah and yours truly call in that moment. He a member, a 34 inch vertical leap and a 491 40 at 332 pounds. Will Campbell joined a member and two others to have a 30 inch vertical leap, a sub five 40 and 310 pounds or more in the history of the scouting combine. That's been done only by four people, Joe Campbell and Armand Membo this year, the others Tristan Wurfs and Trent Williams. How to work out for those other two.

Pretty darn well. Why do I even run forties? I have to. And that's your play of the week presented by sleep numbers, sleep better together, save 40% on the new sleep numbers, special edition, smart bed, limited time exclusively at a sleep numbers store. And you heard the crowd applause. I was telling you yesterday, that's what I loved about the crowd because every time one of the players ran their second 40 and they improved.

Yes. There was always like the crowd guy. They were so nice. It was Indiana. Nice. You know, it was pretty cool.

It was Indiana. Nice. Like, Hey, you improved your time.

You went potty, you know, like that's what it went. Well, you know, one second here or there for some of these kids, that's the difference between first, second, third round. Right. Oh, sure.

Their excitement over it. Daniel, Jeremiah, anytime somebody went from like a four, five to a four, you know, a four, four. Well, no, no. It went, went from, yeah. From a five to a four, nine, nine. You know what I mean? Yeah. Or you know, a four, four to a four, three, nine.

He would always say it looks better on the card on the draft board that way. Yeah. In the same way that, you know, you charge for something like, say a mold remediation, you just take it down a scent. It was kind of wild. We had a caller online on hold waiting to talk about mold remediation.

And we did overreaction Monday on a Tuesday instead. And the guy hung up because I guess he had some mold to remediate. I don't know.

Not from Michigan. He was having a hard time breathing. He wanted to talk to you about mold remediation of all the things that we've talked about today that I thought would engender a phone call. That was the last one. I was worried.

Might say I pronounced stuff wrong. Uh-oh. But the crowd, the crowd would always applaud whenever there was a 40 that was improved upon from the first to the second. I did enjoy that. And the crowd also really got on when Will Howard threw every single time. There was a loud cheer multiple times. Cause there were tons of Ohio State fans there. And, and then Cynthia Freeland and Colleen Wolf would talk to the crowd during commercial breaks and stuff like that.

And also sometimes in between drills. And they kind of said like, you know, Hey, there's a lot of Ohio State fans here. And some Michigan fans started booing and it riled up the crowd. So every time Will Howard touched the ball, the cheers would be, would be mixed with some boos. And you know, I, I, but it was funny, but I've actually, I was this close cause sometimes I could, I know that some fans could hear it. No, no, not at all. It kind of opposite.

Like it was one of the first times where the fans being in the building were a detriment almost. Yes. Because Will Howard is that he's trying to work out and improve his lot professionally here. Let's leave that stuff at the water's edge while he's working out. Yeah. Boom.

After a few. Well, that's what I'm saying. I don't think they were booing him. They were booing the Ohio State fans from being happy. And trust me that I can appreciate because the number of times during the broadcast I mentioned, you know, Hey, it's glad that the Ohio State fans are here looking at Will Howard in this building.

Cause he's never played here home of the big 10 championship. Why? So, you know, I would do that of course, but I wouldn't while he's working out, go boo. You know, like audibly while the guy's trying to rip one over the middle. All right. Hour number three coming up here on the Rich Eisen show. I know I'm part of the problem. I get it chasing a squirrel.