Available QB's (Hour 3)

You know, I look at my call screener all throughout the show and to start an hour, you know, we'll sometimes take calls, but there's got to really be something there for me to get to the calls in terms of right at the top of the hour to open up a new hour of the radio program. And if you listen to this show, you know, Chris in California, he called me back in January of 2024 saying that the Eagles should trade for Kenny Pickett and he's a big fan. I think Chris in California is the biggest Kenny Pickett fan that I know. I've even joked around with him before thinking that he must be a relative of Kenny Pickett because no one likes Kenny Pickett more than Chris in California.

Well, Kenny Pickett eventually got traded to the Eagles to be the backup quarterback. And I remember at some point this year, and I always enjoy Chris's phone calls, even if I may disagree with what he's saying. He was saying that the Eagles should bench Jalen Hurts for Kenny Pickett and we saw Jalen Hurts just win the Super Bowl MVP and his second Super Bowl that he's made it to Philadelphia with Philadelphia, outplayed Mahomes twice, but this time he got the W. And I see that Chris in California is on the line right now at 855-212-4227, 855-212-4227. You know, Chris, I was thinking about you during the game because I've never seen a backup quarterback get into a Super Bowl and it'd actually be a good thing. But when Kenny Pickett threw that pass at the end of the game, even though it was incomplete, I'm like, oh, this must be pretty cool for Chris in California watching his guy, Kenny Pickett, get into the Super Bowl. Yeah, exactly.

I thought it was pretty cool. Okay, first off, I've been an Eagles fan since I was maybe, what, 14, when I first saw… Hey, Chris, I got to put you on hold because it sounds like you're calling from a cave or something. So let's pick it back up and let's get Chris a better phone line or let's make sure that he's in a better area and see if we can continue. Because I'm just fascinated to hear what Chris in California has to say because he was the biggest hater of Jalen Hurts and he was the biggest supporter of Kenny Pickett. My buddies, by the way, they won some money in the Super Bowl.

This is such a degenerate bet. It was at least three people to have a pass attempt in the game. Because you had a trick play in the Super Bowl.

It's not crazy. Remember Heinz Ward and Antoine Randol and that whole thing? And we've seen, right, there have been opportunities to fill a special. You also had the pass to Tom Brady even though it was incomplete. So there was no trick plays really in that Super Bowl. When you take a look back at it and you see Jalen Hurts and you also see Patrick Mahomes and then, boom, they end up putting Kenny Pickett in at the end of the game.

They had the over of two and a half, at least, players to have a pass attempt in that game and they end up making some money. So I guess Chris in California dropped. That was very anticlimactic, by the way. I'm surprised he even called in. I thought we were never going to hear from Chris in California ever again. I know he's called the network for a long time. So nothing against Chris.

But when you've been advocating to see Kenny Pickett start, I thought that we were going to get a little mea culpa there potentially. But his cell phone line sucked. Terrible. You know what that reminded me of? That reminded me of when I used to do ION football.

And, right, you would get guys that are 65,000 people in a stadium and you still have cell phones and people are calling in from that stadium and 65,000 cell phones together. Alan Segal just comes to mind for some reason. Right? Nasally voice. Alan Segal.

Nicest guy in the world. And sometimes he'd just be talking and he'd be like, first turn back to pad. And you'd be like, I can't understand anything. That's why I stopped doing that show for eight hours. Don't get me wrong.

It's a fun show. But when you have to hear some of these stringers, just terrible phone connections, it makes you want to just pull your hair out. Anyway, Kenny Pickett got into the Super Bowl was 0-1. Maybe we'll hear back from Chris in California later. But really, quarterbacks are going to dominate here the offseason cycle. I don't think there will be a bigger storyline than Myles Garrett.

Don't get me wrong. Because Myles Garrett, he's the best player available. And the Browns could do this stance of, oh, we're not going to trade him. We're not going to get rid of him. That's a bunch of baloney.

It is a bunch of baloney. The Cleveland Browns will eventually trade Myles Garrett and that would be the biggest storyline. But the quarterbacks here, the dominoes that are going to fall, whether it's in the draft, Aaron Rodgers now available, Trevor Lawrence now possibly available via trade, Matthew Stafford probably available too. Even though I still think he's going to wind back up with the Rams. You got Sam Darnell, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields. It's odd if you have a ton of marquee names.

But where these guys are going to land, it's going to be fascinating. I'll get back to that in just a second. I think we have Chris in California back up. Chris, go ahead. You got me now? Yeah, Zach, are you able to hear me better? Yeah, I hear you better. Go ahead. Fire away.

Alright, awesome. It was an awesome thing to see Kenny at least take a couple of snaps in the Super Bowl. Just to start off, I've been an Eagles fan since I was 14 years old. That was the very first Super Bowl I saw with Don McNabb and Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook. T.O.

and one leg, yeah. We lost that Super Bowl, but I've stuck with the Eagles ever since. Fast forward, I saw Kenny Pickett's story when Howie went to go see him at Pitt against North Carolina or whoever he was facing, Sam Howe. So I saw his story and I kind of resonated with him.

I related to it and that's why I'm a fan of Kenny Pickett. And I thought it would have been an awesome story for him to come in, win a Super Bowl for his team. I just saw myself in his shoes. So that's why I was a big fan. And all of Jalen's flaws in the position, I guess I over-criticized him.

I just want to take the time now to apologize and congratulate Jalen. But I also see Kenny Pickett. Wait, hold on. Hold on, hold on. Are we about to get a prediction here? From where Kenny Pickett is going to land next?

Because if so, I may put a few dollars down because, Chris, I love you. But I thought you were bleeping crazy when you called me a few years ago saying the Eagles should trade for Kenny Pickett. And I know they traded for him not the way that you thought they would trade for him, but they eventually did get him. So were you about to get a Kenny Pickett next team destination? Well, as much as I would love for him to be on the Eagles, I really would. I just want what's best for him. And I just think if he stays with the continuity and the chemistry of what he was currently in, I just think it's a good idea and it'd be best fit if he joins Kellen Moore with the Saints.

I think that's the logical thing to do. So if I'm Kenny Pickett, I would be okay with staying in Philadelphia. And the only way you're going to end up seeing the field is if Jalen Hurts gets hurt, which no one wants to see. But Jalen even had to miss a few games this year. But going to the Saints wouldn't be a bad option.

He has familiarity with Kellen Moore now being the head coach. And then also you could get the opportunity to potentially play because Derek Carr is not that good. And I don't even know if he's going to be their guy, but also he gets hurt a bunch as well. Right.

I agree with you. I don't think Derek Carr is the answer for any team right now at this point. They got that young Spencer Rattler kid, still young and unproven. But I think Kenny Pickett has the experience.

I think he'd be a good setup, just based off of him being in the Kellen Moore system this past season. All right, appreciate the phone call, Chris. Thank you so much and congratulations to your Eagles. And we always like a good mea culpa on this show. So there was an apology to Jalen Hurts.

You always have to issue a few mea culpas. I'd rather see Spencer Rattler over Kenny Pickett, if I'm just being honest. I think there's a higher ceiling for Spencer Rattler. And I understand being a fan of someone and who knows, you know, Kenny Pickett had a little bit of an opportunity in Pittsburgh.

It didn't go all that well. And now in Philadelphia, he's a backup quarterback. There's no shame in being a backup quarterback in the NFL.

I actually think it's a really good job. You can make some good coin. You don't have to take the hits. I know the competitive nature of you. You want to play.

If someone gets hurt, then you get inserted into the situation. And Kenny Pickett had an awesome final season, winning the ACC Player of the Year at Pitt. But do I think that there is going to be a long, successful starting future in the NFL with Kenny Pickett?

No, I don't. I just don't think Kenny Pickett is a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL. If he has to fill in, play a game or two, I'm okay with it. But it's not as if Kenny Pickett, to me, is someone that really blows your socks off. He's just not. He had a great final season at Pitt.

Before then, it was an up and down career. But this is just one of those situations where unless if there's an opportunity that he finds lightning in a bottle like Sam Darnold somewhere, years from now, and walks into this goldmine situation for a season, I don't believe that we're ever going to be looking at Kenny Pickett as a starting quarterback option in the NFL. I did not expect to talk Kenny Pickett for the first ten minutes of this hour.

But here we are. Anyway, quarterbacks this offseason, outside of Kenny Pickett, that will be a major storyline. Aaron Rodgers, I think he's playing. Russell Wilson, he's going to want to continue to play.

Where is he going to go? I still think the Raiders do. I still think your team, if they can't, well, they're going to have to make this decision probably before the draft anyway. And, you know, could you get a quarterback at six?

Sure. But I still believe that the Giants take a quarterback at three. I don't think they're trading for Matthew Stafford.

I don't buy that yet. And then one and two, you will see at least one quarterback go. So either camera should or go one or two to either Cleveland or Tennessee, reverse that order. And then at three, the Giants take the other quarterback. So unless the Raiders get a trade up, I think they're going to be SOL about getting a quarterback in the draft. And could they give a three, four year to Sam Darnold and front loaded on the first two?

So if it doesn't work, sure. But I don't think Sam Darnold is a guy that you have to have. I'm sort of at the point now with the Raiders, and I know you don't like this.

Isn't it a stopgap spot? You just brought in a new GM that Brady likes spy tech. You brought in a new head coach.

I get it. Pete Carroll doesn't have a long time left in the NFL, probably three to four years. Most his contracts only three years. There's some familiarity there. I know is an ugly ending, but Russ realizes he needs probably Pete more than Pete needs him. It just feels as if that's a move that makes sense for both sides. For the Raiders, you don't have to overpay for someone that's not the guy.

It's not going to cost you much. And then it is a feel good story seeing Russ and Pete Carroll back together. Yeah, I think right now, other than drafting a quarterback or trading into the top three to get a quarterback, which I think is unlikely, I think that's probably my most likely and favorite scenario. I could see Kirk Cousins going to the Browns whenever he gets release. Cheap one year deal.

You already have $100 million coming your way from what you're owed out of the $180 million. There's familiarity with Stefanski, too. We know Deshaun Watson got hurt at the end of the season. Deshaun Watson should never play another game for the Cleveland Browns. I could see Kirk Cousins going to the Browns. Trevor Lawrence, I don't buy getting traded.

I just don't think he's going to get traded. Stafford, I do think he's going to be back with the Rams. You know, Darnold's a tricky one because I could see Darnold with the Raiders or I could see Darnold with the Steelers. But if I end up being right on that, that Russ goes to the Raiders and then Rogers goes to the Steelers, where the heck does that leave Sam Darnold? Because I don't think Sam Darnold is going back to Minnesota. I think Minnesota's moving on and they're going to rock and roll with J.J. McCarthy. So where does that leave Sam Darnold, who up until the final two, three weeks of the season was earning himself a big fat payday?

And then he had the two bad games towards the end of the regular season and the abysmal game in the postseason. So if it's not the Raiders or the Steelers, where does Sam go? Like, could Cleveland be interested? I guess it's possible, but they still owe Deshaun Watson all that money. And I think you'd rather have a cheaper option like bringing Kirk Cousins on a one-year deal. You know, is it going to be Tennessee and they just don't want to take a quarterback?

I don't love that. The Giants? I could see the Giants, but don't you think the Giants end up taking a quarterback? I don't think quarterbacks are going 1-2. And I would rather take Shador Sanders or Cam Ward on a rookie contract than giving Sam Darnold three, four years. Darnold, I guess he's got to hope that it's either the Raiders or the Steelers, because if not then, if not there, then where? Like, Stu, am I missing a destination here? I can't really think one for Darnold. I don't think so. Like, I don't think the Seahawks are going to get involved.

Wouldn't be a bad spot. If I'm Sam, I'd be interested. But if you're moving on from Geno Smith, and don't get me wrong, Geno Smith is fine. But wouldn't you rather just have Geno Smith for another year and then you go make your move on your franchise guy? Like, if you bring in Sam for four years, you're saying Sam Darnold's your franchise guy for the foreseeable future. And can I hitch my wagon to Sam Darnold being my franchise guy?

No, I can't. So I don't think there's a great destination. And hey, the Raiders aren't a great destination. The Steelers, they're a good destination for Sam. But then maybe he goes back to Minnesota and he goes, you know, I'll just take it on a one-year deal, load it up, and then you'll wait one more year for J.J. McCarthy.

But I don't even know if the Minnesota Vikings would end up doing that. So it's not the greatest names of quarterbacks available. It's not like we had Rod— well, I know you have Rodgers available here, but it's not the same as Rodgers a few years ago. But you've had, like, Brady, you've had Rodgers in past years, Peyton Manning, too. The quarterbacks available—the draft, I think, is the most fascinating.

Where those two guys go, how early they go, and to where they go. But after that, you have Rodgers, Russ, Fields, Cousins, Lawrence, Darnold, Stafford, all already getting thrown into the QB carousel. Brian McFadden, two-time Super Bowl champion of the Steelers. He's going to join us next.

Aaron Rodgers to the Steelers. We'll get his thoughts on that. Brian also does a great job now with CBS Sports HQ. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. All righty, welcome back here to the Zach Gelb 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, Brian McFadden. B Mac, what's happening? 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, Pat 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 about you not trusting the Eagles actually winning the ball game because you were the outlier at the table. Me and Pat definitely one 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 really want to put that bet out there because you wasn't overly sure convinced. Yeah, it's blasphemous ball game. It's what it was. You guys were getting into like a heated.

What was it over water and like Sprite or something like that is what you guys bet. We're competitive. We competitors, man.

We still compete even though we're not playing the game of football. We don't want to lose anything until 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 know what you know, what 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 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 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 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 experienced 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. And for me, Zach, you know, I shared this conversation with you before. I feel like if I'm in Pittsburgh, I try to keep Justin Fields in a 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. Zach, he adds another playmaker to an offense 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 watch 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 is 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 could become an ultra athlete in the pocket if he needs to become that.

BMAC 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.

Yeah. Shouts out to Howie Roseman, right? Think about his eye for talent and how he's developed this roster, the roster there in Philly. When you look at the top three GMs 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 you guys? Do you like beach in Kansas City?

I know 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 assembled since being there in Detroit. Outstanding. Let's need being able to find, you know, gems 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, confusing part for me when I watched that game. Zach, 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 back end 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 side, they're 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 J.J. to say take a white side when he could have had D.K. Metcalf and Justin Jefferson. Since that, though, he traded a first round pick for A.J. 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, Quinon Mitchell, Cooper DeGene. And there's a few other guys as well, like 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 him 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 draft pick. 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 ballgames. 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 missed draft picks for the Giants. Look at some of the missed free agent acquirers for the Giants. You shouldn't be surprised to see them in the in the slums right now, because they haven't they haven't hit on the picks.

You got to hit on these picks. 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, you look at bringing back C.J. 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 Gamewell being a reliable backup option in the backfield, masterful. He's done a phenomenal job, man.

And 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 Mack, 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 put a video game like numbers here or 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 week in 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 OK 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'm getting the 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 to Jalen 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? OK, coming off of 2024, right? Just going into this season, however you want to do it. OK, 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. OK. Right. And before 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 beat 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. This is an individual ranking. OK.

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 won. Josh Allen won MVP right down the cusp of being next to Lamar Jackson. But he did win the Hall where number two had my homes because of what he did with what was surrounding him. Remember, Pat Mahomes didn't have Rashid 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 I know the Bengals, they tried to improve it.

It didn't really work all that much. But the Bengals and Chiefs, their lines and I know that the Chiefs have been able to still win Super Bowls and the Bengals have won one. But man, you look at the Chiefs. They lost two Super Bowls because their line was just terrible. And they got blown out of both of them. And even the Bengals, they lost that Super Bowl because they couldn't give Burroughs a second to breathe. Because if they could have blocked Donald for half a second, he had Jamar chase 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 Super Bowl against Tampa. They could not stop Tampa's pass rush. The same thing surfaced against the Eagles. And remember, throughout the year, they had some issues. Then they moved Joe Tony 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 could protect Pat Mahomes, Zach, 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, BMAC two time Super Bowl champion. His great job.

CBS Sports HQ analyst BMAC. 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. No, no, this is not good news. Still, you big red zone guy, just wondering you like red zone.

Yes, that is my primary way of watching a lot of these games. When you had the option, I know Siciliana doesn't do red zone anymore of Hanson or Siciliana. Who would you who would you rather choose? I would have rather chose Hanson. I never had the option to direct TV for all those years. So I was Siciliana for all those years. But I I'm a big Hanson fan. Oh, so Siciliana was forced in you for all those years. Yes.

But if you got to pick, you'd rather have hands. Correct. I'd rather have Hanson.

I think most people are like that. Yeah. I'm just reading this an awful announcing. Can we get you up on cameras there just because your love of of Scott Hanson, I think you could be a little bit upset with with this news. And I just want to see your your reaction when this goes down. So I'm just reading this an awful announcing.

And who knows? MBC reportedly eyes Scott Hanson as NFL red zone negotiation stall. Hanson would host NBC's Gold Zone broadcast during the Olympics. So according to a report by Michael McCarthy in front office sports, NFL red zone host Scott Hanson is testing the free agent waters and could be headed to NBC per McCarthy. Hanson's in talk with NBC about a wide ranging job that could include Olympics and NFL coverage. Now, obviously, there would be no red zone for Scott Hanson anywhere, but they would have him, I guess, on Sunday night football or doing something in some capacity. But that would suck if we lose Hanson off red zone.

Yeah. And so silly honored as the Browns play by play on the radio. So could they call him and say, hey, it's us again? NFL media, your old pals will bring it back, I guess. But I think he would then go find new blood.

I think so. So Leanna would leave being the voice of the Browns to go do red zone again. I would imagine being the main host of red zone pays more than being the radio play by play voice of the Cleveland Browns. But that's I think he grew up around. That's a pretty bad ass gig, too.

So maybe you end up going with someone younger. I whatever Hanson makes, I'll take it for a fourth. Now I'll do red zone. I'd have the energy to do that.

I mean, you did the radio version of red zone for how many years? Yeah, that's true. You could say that.

That's true. Commercial free football starts right now, even though it's not really commercial free football anymore. That was the dumbest controversy this year because they put an ad up.

It's the witching hour. Was that Gelb? We get like the CBS old music back to do in the background. That would suck if we lost Hanson. That'd be a big loss.

You're wrong. Doing the Olympics kind of seems irrelevant. Yeah, but the Olympics, it come around every four years.

So the gold zone, all that stuff, it was cool. But I would much rather see Scott Hanson on NFL red zone each and every Sunday. That would be you know what? I think that'd be the biggest NFL media loss since Kay Adams left left good morning football. That was a huge loss, an enormous loss for the NFL network when Kay Adams left good morning football. That would suck. Really would be. So I hope that's just one of those things.

They put the story out right. And everyone's going to be like, this can't happen. And then the NFL finds a way to pay. Also, the NFL makes like, what, 16 billion dollars a year. Whatever Scott Hanson wants, you can't afford to fork over the dough.

Fork over the. How much how much money is Scott Hanson making? I don't know. But how much is he asking for, too? That's the other thing. Either way, if the NFL really wants to keep him, they could afford him. Come on, Roger Goodell.

You finally get him back in my good graces. Don't mess this one up. That'd be devastating still. It'd be bad. Who the heck would they get to replace him? I think I'd be in the running.

C infinity. I'm just kidding. I'd still do the radio show during the week. Anyway, five people I'm most disappointed with from Super Bowl 59. One, Patrick Mahomes.

Worst game he's ever played as a pro. Two, Andy Reid. Andy Reid has not got enough heat nationally.

Andy Reid. This is now twice in a Super Bowl that his team just got the the snot kicked out of him. And he had no adjustments up against Tampa Bay. And he had zero adjustments up against the Philadelphia Eagles. And don't give me all they finally got the offense going in the fourth quarter.

Too late. Garbage time. Who cares about garbage time yards and garbage time touchdowns and garbage time points?

I don't. So Mahomes is one. Reid is two.

Three, it's a unit. It's the offensive line. That offensive line just got abused like a turnstile in Penn Station pre-COVID. That line was miserable. That line was atrocious. That line was just stinky.

Really stinky. You know, what Eagle didn't feast on Super Bowl Sunday? Jalen Carter took up two guys at the entire time and everybody else feasted off of Jalen Carter. Nolan Smith.

You know, you go through the entire time. Milton Williams. Josh Sweat. Hunt.

You just go on and on and on. Brandon Graham. And I was annoyed that BG got held in that one play. Because he had an easy sack and then he got held. It would have been really cool to see Brandon Graham get a sack in the Super Bowl. Four is Travis Kelce. He looked washed. Absolutely washed in the game.

And he also looked disinterested. See, I know, Stu, that you're always going to say positive things about Travis Kelce because you're a Taylor Swift hunk. Yeah, I'm like the Chiefs, though.

You're a Swiftie, though. Yeah, but I think it would have been okay to see the Chiefs get another Super Bowl. Just because, you know, Taylor Swift's mans would be getting another ring and would be getting a three-peat.

He has enough rings. Source told me you may have a Travis Kelce Chiefs shirt. That source could not be more farther from the truth. No, okay.

I guess it's one of those fugazi sources. But how disinterested did Travis Kelce look? He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but the Super Bowl. You saw that one clip where there's a flag thrown on the play and he just stops moving?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And do you know what he is? He did more smack talk in that game. All he did was just smack talk and he was trying to provoke the Eagles and the Eagles didn't take the bait whatsoever. Did you watch any of the mic'd up version? No, I didn't.

So I didn't go down and sit through the entire mic'd up version, but I saw one clip. Brandon Graham's one of the best trash talkers in the history of the league, which is funny because he's the nicest guy. But he's walking up to Travis Kelce before the game and he's like 8-7, 8-7. It's time for your head to start hurting.

It's head hurting time, which is awesome. And there was one clip years ago when they put the Giants in the playoffs. He was going after Dexter Lawrence and Saquon Barkley, which is now ironic because Saquon Barkley is on the Eagles. But Jason Kelce said, yeah, can you not go after Dexter Lawrence?

Only go up against the players that you're going up against, not the players that we have to go up against. As Jason Kelce was annoyed with that. Yeah, but what a terrible Super Bowl for Travis Kelce. And you know what, I'm not with you, Stu. Yesterday I was like, I think he's going to come back. Now I think he's going to retire. And that's just, I get it, you're losing a Super Bowl, right?

So be it. The guy had a wonderful career. There's nothing else to add to his career at this point. And he'll be a first ballot Hall of Famer, but it's a sad way because that game that he played, he was terrible. And then five was DeAndre Hopkins. I know he came alive late in the game, had a big drop early.

But you know what annoyed me afterwards? You're bitching about the officials? Oh, well, everyone said the game's rigged. Well, there's calls that went against us. You guys were down like 40 points in the Super Bowl.

And I like DeAndre Hopkins, but don't sit up there in front of the media and basically just complain about it. That's the other thing. The Chiefs with this officiating narrative, it really affected them, really impacted them. So those are five people that annoyed me the most from Super Bowl 59 from the Kansas City Chiefs.

You know what? I'm not annoyed with. I'm just disappointed. Disappointed.

And that's actually worse than being annoyed. Alrighty, fun show today. Big thanks to Carlos Boozer for stopping by. Really fascinating perspective on this Luka Doncic trade.

He's the first person that I've heard defend Nico Harrison. I couldn't believe it, too. So that made for a fun exchange. Let me appreciate Brian McFadden joining us 20 minutes ago. Alrighty, we'll be back tomorrow for our Football Friday show without the football, I guess.

But I'm just used to calling it a Football Friday. Big thanks to Samter. Big thanks to Stu. Big thanks to Act. Big thanks to each and every one of you for listening.

However, you do tune in to us, whether it's on one of our great local Infinity Sports Network affiliates, Sirius XM Channel 375, the Free Odyssey app, or streaming on YouTube. Back tomorrow at 3 p.m. Eastern, noon Pacific time. We out. Bye-bye. Peace!