Bryant McFadden, Former Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Back

The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams, pause or rewind your local sports and news, and add shows to your queue to catch up later.

There's a lot to listen to, so get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm in a rush to making money.

I'm not in a rush to hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio.

Season two, the Dixie Mafia, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Brian, how you been? What's happening, Zach?

You know what, Zach? You would have been on this show already, but you just talk so much trash about my beloved Steelers. It's hard for me to overlook that.

Well, I'm a big Patrick Peterson fan, and I'm a big fan of yours, so I think you should stop just having each and every week crying and bringing up your terrible towel and just bitching about me just telling you the truth of your football team and get over it. Wow. See? See? And it continues.

The criticism, the critical statements continue from Zach in regards to my beloved Steelers. Let's do this. I'll send you a terrible towel. We have to get a video of you waving that terrible towel, and yes, we'll have you on frequently if that's possible. Okay, fine.

That's a good publicity for me. I'm all good. I'll wave the terrible towel.

I may make some alterations to the towel, but you send me a terrible towel, I'll wave it. By the way, I gotta wish you a happy anniversary. Do you have any clue why I'm wishing you a happy anniversary? No.

No clue. Week 14, 2007. Anthony Smith ran his mouth, and then Brady embarrassed him. So that's what we're doing? That's how you intro me into the show. That's what we're doing, right? You started it. You started it. I wasn't even gonna bring up the Patriots and the Steelers, and then you said I was talking all this smack, so you basically like dangled the cheese in front of my face. That's what we're doing.

Okay, that's fair. And that's not an anniversary. No one considers that to be an anniversary except you. Brian McFadden here with us. It's gonna be a wonderful conversation. Here's something that we'll both agree on. How are the Detroit Lions two 2.5 point favorites this weekend, and isn't this the ultimate sign of disrespect to the Minnesota Vikings?

It is. It's the ultimate sign of disrespect for the Vikings, and it's the ultimate sign of praise for the Detroit Lions and what they've been able to do over the last few weeks. Even in the games they lost, if you go back to Thanksgiving Day against the Buffalo Bills, I took the Lions to cover, and they almost won that ball game. So the Detroit Lions, they've been a very, very competitive team throughout the entire year. So if you look at the Lions and the way they've been playing inspired football, especially the defense is playing much better. Offensively they're scoring points. They can run the football against anybody.

I'm surprised, but then I'm not surprised. But because of that, I'm staying away from that game. I am staying away from that game. You talk about a team that's 10 and 2 in the Minnesota Vikings. They're finding ways to win one of the best teams in the National Football League in regards to one possession like ball games. They're finding ways to win, and they're an underdog against a below-500 team on the road. Something is fishy about that line.

I'm staying away from it. It makes me think that in your heart down deep you think the Lions are winning this game. That answer that I just heard makes me think. Listen, one thing I know about Vegas, they're extremely good at what they do. And the line usually dictates the flow of the game.

Not all the time. It's not 100% Zach, but if you know anything about betting and gambling, the line can kind of tell you, I don't like their thinking in this particular outing. And with that being said, I do not like the odd-makers thinking in regards to the Lions-Vikings game. I'm staying away from it. Of course, I'm rooting for the Vikings to win because my guy, Pat Peterson, they show us a lot of love. But in regards to putting a dollar on that game, no.

I'm staying away from it. Brian McFadden here with us. I started this show just screaming about Josh McDaniels.

He's going to be back next year, but there's no justification for having him come back for your number two. This is disgraceful. Listen, Zach, I'm so disappointed. I really thought, and I'm a gambling man like a lot of our listeners may be, they were given six and a half, seven, depending on where you're shopping, I think it closed at six and a half. I took the under also. You jump out 10-0. You're playing against two quarterbacks who nobody respects. The quarterback that plays the entire ballgame basically just got to town 10 minutes before the game kicked off. And you lose that ballgame. I was so hyped about the Raiders because they had a lot at stake.

If you look at the playoffs, they still have a shot before last night's matchup. So you had a lot at stake, playing pretty good football over the last few weeks. You're playing against a team, the uncertainty of the quarterback position was well documented. Heck, I thought we were going to see Willie Beamon jump in the lineup for the Rams because the quarterback position was just spiraling everywhere. And you lose.

You lose. That is horrible. That has been the most disappointing thing I had to endure so far this week. You look at the Rams, and we were just talking about this Brian McFadden before you came on. Everyone was talking about the two times Stafford had to go into concussion protocol. Now we find out he has a spinal cord contusion. I'm not ready to say Baker Mayfield is going to go on to have this great redemption career, but I wonder if Matthew Stafford this offseason already won a Super Bowl, has made all the money in the world. You start talking about a spinal cord contusion. I wonder how much of retirement he starts to contemplate. That's a good question. Remember in the beginning of the season, he had an elbow issue that kind of hampered his development during the offseason.

And now you're talking about a spinal cord situation. No question. He's done everything you would want a player to do on that level. He won a championship. Individually he has the stats.

He's made a lot of money as you alluded to. So what's left? Especially if you have to endure these types of ailments next year. So that's a good question. Clearly that's something they will monitor. I think they said he's in the clear in regards to surgery.

So that's a plus. But heck, playing the quarterback position, even though they protect those guys extremely well, he's going to get touched. He's going to get touched and it can happen. So it's all about where he is personally in regards to wanting to play the game and continue to play the game. How do you know when it's time? Because you may see signs that it's time to walk away, but you still just don't let your brain tell you, okay, I got to hang it up. How did you know when it was time to leave?

Well, for me it was a little different because I had an injury that kind of made things easy for me. In regards to some players, I think two things will tell you it's time to go. You keep getting hurt or your production is just failing. You're not consistent. You're not a guy that people respect anymore when you're in the lineup. Those are two things that I think can be the ultimate telling sign that you know what?

Your time might be done. Talking to Brian McFadden, I want to get your thoughts on two games this weekend. I'll start you off with the Buccaneers and 49ers. The Niners are a 3.5 point favorite with Brock Purdy at quarterback going up against Tom Brady.

Yeah, Brock Purdy played pretty good football in relief of Jimmy Garoppolo. You know, defensively they still play style football as well. You like the makeup offensively and running the football and allow the run to open up opportunities and throwing the football. Even though Tampa won that ball game last Monday night, they look bad. They look bad from probably 57 minutes of that ball game.

I like San Francisco. I just love their defense against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you haven't really been paying attention to the Buccaneers offensive line, they have been inconsistent.

If they're inconsistent, 9 times out of 10, Tom Brady will be inconsistent as well. Yeah, their offensive line. We knew right when Jensen this summer got hurt that it was going to be messy and they just keep on losing guys week in and week out.

But you know what? I look at that defense, Bryant. That defense I thought was going to be a great unit this year. They've been underwhelming this year, that Tampa Bay defense.

I think it's for two reasons. Number one, injuries. A lot of injured guys throughout their lineup throughout the entire year. At one point in time, they were missing like three stars in the secondary. So, you know, trying to uphold the standard in which they set over the last few years playing with a lot of backups, that was going to be tough.

And then you look at it just schematically speaking, you know, things haven't really worked out. We haven't seen the execution, the chemistry that we've seen over the last few years, but that's still a group that can play inspired football because let's keep it real. They kept them within reach of winning that ball game last Monday against the Saints. And made the stop. They made the stop to get the ball back too. Made the stop to get the ball back. If you look at their defense forcing the Saints to settle for field goals, that was huge as well. So, yes, they haven't been as dominant as we thought they would be, but last week they showed signs of, telling signs of, you know what, we can still play good football and keep things close until Tom Brady wakes up. Is Brady quarterbacking the 49ers when he enters free agency this offseason?

Wow. If you're Tom Brady, if they say we need you for one year, along with everything they have in place, why not? And you know he would want to.

That's where he's from, that's where he grew up, and it would make sense to me. I think Brady's after this divorce, not to get too into that, but I think he's playing football next year and he's going to make a push for the 49ers. I just wondered the 49ers are going to want him because they invested so much in Trey Lance. Yeah, and I think they're ready for Trey Lance to get the keys to the car.

Heck, he would have had the keys this year if it wasn't for that injury, season-ended injury. So, I mean, that's a great storyline, something good to talk about, but I don't think the 49ers will be willing to make that investment in Tom Brady when they're ready for their young stud to jump in the lineup and do what he's been called to do. How are you betting Dolphins and Chargers this weekend? Dolphins a 3-3.5 point favorite, depending on what book you look at. Yo, so they're saying Mike Williams is slated to be back in the lineup, right?

That's what they're saying. Now, when we play a full game, remember the last time he jumped to the lineup, he only played one series, one catch, he was out. If Mike Williams can play a full game and he's healthy, I like to charge his defense. I don't trust their defense, let's keep it real. I don't trust anything Chargers related in regards to the defense, but offensively, they can score points. They will be able to go toe-to-toe with the Dolphins offensively, and they're getting points, as you mentioned.

They're getting 3.5, that's huge if you want to buy it up to 4, so that gives you a little cushion, I would advise that as well. But for me, if they're healthy offensively, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chargers at least cover. It seems like Sean Payton is going to be the next coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Do you agree with that? Listen, Sean Payton, just my personal opinion, should be the next coach for the Chargers, for the Raiders, for the Broncos, and for the Cardinals. Which one would you pick? If let's say all four of those jobs opened up, you or Sean, who do you pick? If I'm Sean Payton, give me the Chargers. I think Sean Payton, he has a die-hard love for quarterbacks.

If you look at having Drew Brees for such a long time in New Orleans, if you look at all four quarterbacks in that situation, with the brightest future potentially, and the most unique skill set, it gotta be Justin Herbert. So I would take the Chargers. What do you think the conversations are like on the defensive side of the ball in that Denver locker room with the teammates when they talk about their quarterback and Russell Wilson?

Man, they probably say, man, this is some bull you-know-what. Like, we didn't sign up for this. No one signed up for what they're getting in Denver. You talk about one of the more disappointing teams, one of the more disappointing offenses, one of the more disappointing quarterbacks. Russell Wilson looks nothing like he looked in Seattle. Heck, if you want to go back to his collegiate days at NC State and Wake Forest Act, what we're saying for Russell Wilson is something we've never seen from him as a quarterback playing on television.

And I don't know. Is something off about Russell? Is something off about the entire offense in Denver? And can they right their wrongs for 2023?

You would hope so. But, man, you talk about one of the more disappointing teams. You remember when they made this move? It was like, okay, you look at what Denver had last year defensively, some of the guys coming back on offense at the end. This is a team that should contend for a playoff spot.

They've been extremely short of that. I've got to give credit, by the way, to Kenny Pickett. You've got to like what you're seeing from your quarterback, right? No question. And let's keep it real, Zach. Let me ask you this question.

I want the most honest answer you can give me. Oh, I know what you're going to ask me. Who's been a better quarterback? Mac Jones or Kenny Pickett? This year? Yes, this year.

Kenny Pickett this year. But, let's just say this. If Belichick would actually hire an offensive coordinator, and if Pickens is frustrated, I'll take Pickens in a second, okay? Because Mac has no one to throw the football to. That's the most frustrating part with my football team. They'll always win some games because you have Bill Belichick, but I don't know what Mac Jones is.

Like, I know we talked at the draft. You like Mac Jones, but I don't know what he is as a quarterback, because they're not putting him in a position to succeed like what the Eagles did with Jalen Hurts or what the Dolphins did with Tua. Yeah, and that's not Mac's fault.

That's an organization issue. And number one, not having an offensive coordinator, that's the one thing you want to do with a young quarterback. Because how can a player at the quarterback position look better in his rookie year than his second year? Yeah, it's one of those things, especially when the coaching isn't up to par.

I know McDaniel's the disaster as a head coach, but as an offensive coordinator, he did a wonderful job with Mac Jones last year. Before we let you run, if you were still in that Steelers locker room, you being a veteran voice, what would your conversations be like with Pickens after what happened on the sideline last week? Man, I like that. Keep it going, but don't make it a public spectacle.

Keep things a little private. We know you want the football. I like that you want the football every play. That's what you're supposed to do.

But don't cause a distraction. By the way, the Steelers are five and seven. I know they could win this week and get to six and seven. Are you ready to wave the white flag and just admit that you're going to have to owe me that steak dinner because the Steelers aren't making the playoffs this year?

I'm not waving anything. And I thought our bet was... Two bets. We made two bets. We made two bets.

One was, and I have the audio here. I come with receipts, Brian McFadden. One was, who would get to the Super Bowl first? The Patriots or the Steelers? And the other one, you came back on when I was saying it's Trubisky. And you're like, I don't care if it's Trubisky or Pickett.

They'll make the playoffs this year. And you bet another steak dinner. Don't weasel your way out of this. When you see me, if I don't have a steak dinner, it's not going to be good for you. You'll be doing this CBS Sports HQ hit and I'll be screaming in the background, McFadden's a moot.

She owes me a dinner. Hey, hey, no, no, no, no. Don't count your chickens too fast, Zach. All right. So you're still believing the Steelers can make the playoffs?

I mean, it's a slim chance, but I think we can make things interesting. Okay. Okay. Anyway, I always appreciate you coming on.

Keep on kicking ass with the podcast and CBS Sports HQ and we'll talk to you soon. All right. Okay. And I'll get you that terrible towel, by the way. Yeah, go ahead. I do a lot of shameless things on the radio to get publicity. So I'm good if I have to wave a terrible towel to get on your podcast. Okay.

No problem, Zach. Appreciate you having me. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears. Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to.

So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm in a rush to making money.

I'm not in a rush to hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio.

Season two, the Dixie Mafia, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. If you are leading change, building a team or implementing new procedures, Gonzaga University's online masters in organizational leadership gives you the tools for success. With concentrations in change, global and servant leadership, you'll get the most relevant training and education to help you tackle any challenge. Visit gonzaga.edu slash leader and find out how Gonzaga's organizational leadership degree can affect positive change in your life and career. That's gonzaga.edu slash leader.