Bryant McFadden, CBS Sports HQ NFL Analyst

Alrighty, welcome back in. It is Zach Gelb's show on the Infinity Sports Network.

Let's go out to the guest line right now. Welcome to two-time Super Bowl champion. Does a great job, CBS Sports HQ.

And that is our pal, Bryant McFadden. B Mac, what's happened? Appreciate you doing this once again. What's happening, Zach?

Thank you for the invite. How you doing? Well, I'm actually annoyed because when we went out for dinner, I heard the argument yourself and Patrick Peterson were getting into over your season picks bets and how I guess Patrick didn't follow through on paying off the bet with you or vice versa, whatever it was. And then Pat goes, oh, you want to make a bet in the Super Bowl because you both thought that the Chiefs were going to win and I thought the Eagles are going to win. And just because I didn't trust what was ever going on between the two of you and maybe not take the bet with Patrick Peterson and I would have won something because the Eagles just smashed the Kansas City Chiefs. Yeah, I think it was more more about you not trusting the Eagles actually winning the ball game because you were the outlier at the table. Me and Pat definitely were on side of the Chiefs and you felt like the Eagles could win their ball game. But I think there's a little piece of you that felt like, oh, we might see the same thing happen that we've seen in years past.

Kansas City find a way to win the ball game. So you didn't want to really want to put that bet out there because he wasn't overly sure. Convinced. Yeah, it's blasphemous.

It's blasphemous. Man, we still compete even though we're not playing the game of football. We don't want to lose anything and to your point. I have to remind him that I still need to receive my case of water. I have yet to receive my water. So thank you for reminding me Zach about that. Okay, so he owes you the water. I think we got to get Pat back on the show and I just have to accost him over the fact that he's now being the mooch here because like you at least pay off your bets. I'll give you that you lost the bet to me.

You took me out to a nice big steak dinner, you know. Patrick Peterson. Is that what he's turned out to be? It's just not a man of his word. I mean, sometimes he just needs to be reminded and not to mention. Remember, he's fairly still in the league. So he's seen an NFL check more recently than me. So clearly he has the funds and let's be real with the he'll go to the Hall of Fame one day, probably on the first ballot. He's got a lot more funds than both of us to, you know, he had some fat contracts. No question.

No question. I'm just saying he probably should have just picked up the entire tab at dinner, you know, making us to what you know is that I'm mad at you for now bringing that up instead of bringing it up over a week ago while we were at dinner because clearly that tab should have been on Pat by himself. Yeah, especially we were on his his home turf, right? His his college area. He definitely should have picked it up, but I, you know, I was just going to dinner with you guys.

I'm not expecting for a handout when I when I go out for dinner, so I wasn't going to end up doing that. But I did think it by the way. Yeah, don't worry.

Next time I got you. I won't be holding my breath on that one. Brian McFadden here with us. So Rogers to the Steelers. That's what I think is going to happen right now.

Your thoughts? I can see that happening. I think two destinations for Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh or Vegas, honestly. And the reason why I feel that way is because both organizations, they're not high enough in the draft to go draft that potential young franchise quarterback, but they need to still find some type of reliable production at the quarterback position. And clearly for the Raiders, if you add Aaron Rodgers to their team, he's an upgrade from what they had this past year.

And that's saying a lot because they didn't have any production at the quarterback position. So when you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's all about what happens with Russell Wilson. What happens with Justin Fields? I think Russell Wilson will probably command a little more on the market than Aaron Rodgers. So financially speaking, that's a better deal in terms of Justin Fields. He might command a little more production. Because of the upside, he has a higher ceiling. So if you're telling me you're potentially losing either quarterback, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields via free agency, the next best option in terms of experience. Playmakers, a guy that you don't have to overpay also would be Aaron Rodgers.

Yeah, where there's smoke. I think there's a fire here because, you know, when the season ended, I thought they would make a decision on one or the other fields or Russ. One of them would be back. But now with the way that we're sitting here, you hear these Trevor Lawrence reports.

Which I don't even know if they're true. Matthew Stafford could potentially be available. And then Aaron Rodgers now becoming available. It seems as if the Steelers are thinking about moving on from both these guys.

Yeah, for me, Zach, you know, I shared this conversation with you before. I feel like if I'm Pittsburgh, I try to keep Justin Fields in the in a in a Steeler uniform. Me personally, because Justin Fields will probably be cheaper than Russell Wilson and Justin Fields can have him having him in the lineup that he adds another playmaker to an office that lacks playmakers. A year ago, Zach, the only playmaker they had in the office was George Pickens.

And when George wasn't involved in the game, you didn't have any playmakers. You got to find a way to add talent to add playmakers to the office to be able to compete with some of the best teams in the AFC. So if I'm Pittsburgh, that would be my move. Listen, Russell, whatever the market is, you go ahead and command it.

Go get it. We're going to keep Justin Fields. And I mean, Zach, he's still 25 years old. He's only 25. So he has a higher upside.

The ceiling is higher. That would be my move for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But of course, we got to see how it plays out. Now, you could bring in, bring back Justin Fields and also still get Aaron Rodgers and have Fields be the backup. And then whenever Rodgers leaves, you turn the baton to him. But if it was only Rodgers or Fields, like if that had to be the decision based off what you said, the how much you like Fields, would you rather have Fields this year than Aaron Rodgers?

Yes. Yes, because with Aaron Rodgers, based on what we saw with him in New York, if the pocket isn't there, he gives you nothing. Justin Fields can actually make you miss. Justin Fields could be a plus one in the running game. And if you look at the landscape of the NFL world right now, quarterbacks that can move their valuable assets, they really improve the offense. Both quarterbacks that we watched in the Super Bowl, they could run. They can make people miss.

They can buy time. And the last time I checked Zach, the offensive line unit for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's not like they're the Great Wall in terms of protection. You're going to have to make people miss. Do we believe Aaron Rodgers has that?

Because I didn't see that a lot last year with New York. So why would I believe he could make people miss? He can buy the necessary time that he will need in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform. So there lies my option and me picking Justin Fields over Aaron Rodgers because Justin Fields can become an an a ultra athlete. In the pocket if he needs to become that.

Be Mac Brian McFadden here with us. Hey, get him back to the Super Bowl to see what the Eagles have been able to do on defense, you know, and it's not only in their secondary. It's all over the place and how young these guys are. You know how tough that is to make your mark this early in the league, but at Eagles team, they're set up for years and years of success, especially with how young these guys are on the defensive side of the ball.

It's wild. I for talent and how he's developed this roster, the roster there in Philly. When you look at the top three GM's and National Football League Zach, he's number one. Howie Brad Holmes. Let's need whatever order you want to put those three guys in, but that's the top three in terms of develop an eye for a talent via draft or via free agency and getting the most out of those players. What about those three guys? Do you like beach in Kansas City?

I do I do but I still will put guys. I would have him outside the top three because you look at Brad Holmes and that roster that he's a symbol since being there in Detroit outstanding. Let's need being able to find, you know, gyms in the middle rounds have been outstanding and looking at what let's need what Howie has done. So you talked about the young talent and that was the biggest, you know, confused and part for me when I watched that games at the disparity and talent in favor of Philly. It was unmatched how how they were the more talented team from top to bottom and they just won their matchups in the trenches.

The offensive line unit could not block any the defensive lineman for the Eagles. The past catches couldn't create any separation, you know from the secondary guys in the backhand for the Eagles and it's because of what they've done in Mastermind and a great talented team. And that's why the future is extremely bright because to your point some of their best players in the deep inside there in the midst of rookie deals.

It's kind of crazy because I put this tweet out yesterday, you know, being someone that used to live in Philadelphia, even after how we won that first Super Bowl. I remember some of the drafts since then weren't great. Like he took Jalen rager and JJ to say take a white side when he could have had DK Metcalf and Justin Jefferson since that though, he traded a first round pick for AJ Brown worth it. And then also since 2020 drafted Jalen hurts Devante Smith Landon Dickerson cam Jergens Jalen Carter Nolan Smith Milton Williams the Kobe Dean Quignan Mitchell Cooper to Jean and there's a few other guys as well like the the hunt kid in the Super Bowl. He was a safety at Cornell and then transferred to Houston Christian or Houston Baptist, whatever they call now, and he was a force to be reckoned with on that defensive line and he's only a rookie.

It's wild. How many guys how he was how he's been able to get just since 2020. No question and don't forget about Smitty Devante Smith. Yeah, I think you know, don't forget about Dallas Goddard draft pick, you know, Josh sweat draft pick think about how this team was put together. And that's the thing about successful NFL teams that when you hit on draft picks and you hit on free agency, you're going to win ball games. Look at some of the other organizations that are not doing as good as the Eagles and I hate to pile up on the New York Giants, but look at some of the Miss draft picks for the Giants. Look at some of the Miss free agent acquireance for the Giants. You shouldn't be surprised to see them in the in the the slums right now because they haven't they haven't hit on the pics.

You got to hit on these pics and that's why to your point Howie. He doesn't get the praise that he's deserving because when you look at that team and you look at bringing back. CJ Gardner-Johnson masterful memory years ago brought in Darius Slay when they were trying to go get a cornerback one masterful going to get Saquon Barkley masterful, you know drafting Kenneth. Well being a reliable backup option in the backfield masterful. He's in a phenomenal job man and who the future is going to be extremely bright.

So Philly fans, make sure you wear your shades your hater blockers before we let your own be Mac Brian McFadden two-time Super Bowl champion CBS Sports HQ. How far are you willing to go with Jalen hurts? Jalen hurts is the what best quarterback in the NFL. He's top five Jalen hurts is a top five quarterback right now in the NFL. The issue for Jalen hurts is that he does not please most casual football fans with his style of play because we've grown accustomed to seeing high-level quarterbacks for the video game like numbers here are there Jalen doesn't do that. What Jalen does is he works within the system and he doesn't mind handing the mic off to another guy to allow them to take the lead on this song who has been Saquon Barkley and the most encouraging thing with Jalen hurts is that he never complains.

He doesn't have to be the best player weekend and week out. He just does what he needs to do, but he also knows that that if you guys need me to take this mic and be the lead singer and be the Beyonce of the Destiny child. I could do that and he did that in this Super Bowl. He also did that in the Super Bowl two years ago. So if he needs to become Beyonce he can but if he needs to be a background singer, he's okay with that as long as they do what get the Grammys, right?

They just got a Grammy football terminology the sticky Lombardi. So that's something that we don't applaud Jalen hurts for enough because most superstar players at some point in time. Guess what?

They do they complain. They complain why I ain't getting opportunities why I'm not getting the yards why I'm not getting the numbers Jalen hurts don't care nothing about that Zach. He just wants to win but he does as I stated if he needs to turn it up a little bit and take over he can take over so shots out the jailer hurts and to my point. I think he's a top five quarterback in the National Football League.

Most importantly he know how to win. So the five best quarterbacks in the order I'm assuming right Mahomes Allen Burrow Lamar Jalen hurts, right? But you would say those are the how would you rank them then? Okay coming off of 2024, right? Just going into this season.

However, you want to do it. Okay, going into this season based on what we just watched going into this season. Mahomes still has to be one. I would have Lamar and this is solely because of what I just watched.

Okay, right in 24 because that anytime we do a prediction for the upcoming year the premise of that prediction is what they just did. So I would say Lamar Josh Pat Jalen Joe. Wow, you put Lamar one even when he couldn't be Josh.

I know it wasn't his fault because Mark Andrews can't catch the football but I would still go Patrick Mahomes number one. No, no, I'm just talking about individual right where this is an individual ranking. Okay, when you look at the best quarterback in 2024 in terms of individual numbers in terms of winning gotcha, right? Right.

I have to I have to factor all of that into my mindset in terms of my ranking. I felt like Lamar was the best quarterback even though he didn't win the MVP. He won first team all-pro. I felt like he was the best quarterback last year and I think he will have another great year this year. He's one Josh Allen one MVP right there on the cusp of being next to Lamar Jackson, but he did win the Hall where number two Pat Mahomes because of what he did with what was surrounding him. Remember Pat Mahomes didn't have Rasheed Rice for the majority of the year didn't miss a beat got his team to a championship. You have to factor that into the equation and for Jalen Hurts.

He's a winner individually speaking Joe Burrow put up more numbers because he had to but wins means something for me in terms of why I have Jalen at four over Joe Burrow who's fifth. Gotcha Brian McFadden. Who's the person from the Super Bowl like you look back at the Chiefs and I know you can't just put it on one person. But who's the first person you blame for this loss in the Super Bowl? I don't want to blame an individual.

I think it's collectively I would say the officer line unit. Because Pat Mahomes is great, but when he doesn't have any protection or a piece of protection. He's a mortal at the quarterback position.

He becomes human and we saw that and yet he was still fighting. But just imagine if he had better protection, right? The game probably wouldn't have got out of reach as quickly as it did. It's kind of similar how we talked about it a few years ago with the Bengals, you know, it's and I know the Bengals they tried to improve it didn't really work all that much. But the Bengals and Chiefs that their lines and I know that the Chiefs have been able to still win Super Bowls and the Bengals have a 1-1 but man you look at the Chiefs. They lost two Super Bowls because their line was just terrible and and they got blown out of both them and even the Bengals. They lost that Super Bowl because they couldn't give Burrows a second to breathe because if they could have blocked Donald for half a second, he had Jamar chase that right down that right sideline. And think about this the two Super Bowls that Pat Mahomes have lost.

It's been the same issue couldn't get protection. Remember the coach Super Bowl against Tampa. They could not stop Tampa's pass rush the same thing surface against the Eagles and remember throughout the year. They had some issues then they moved Joe Thuney out to the left tackle played fairly well. So they kind of got things back together and they weathered the storm throughout postseason play, but those issues surface big time in New Orleans.

So that was the biggest issue. I think for me because if they can protect Pat Mahomes exact, you know, he's going to do numbers. Hey, look at how he was fighting in the fourth quarter still, you know what I mean?

He was trying to claw their way back into the ballgame, but it was a little too late at them at that point. He's Brian McFadden be back two times Super Bowl champion is great job CBS Sports HQ analyst be back. Good to see you last week. We appreciate you jumping on board today.

Thank you. There you go. Brian McFadden here with us. We'll come on back. We'll give you the five people. I'm most disappointed in from the Super Bowl. We come on back update time first. Here is the act man, Rich Ackerman.