PMS 2.0 1390 - NFL Preseason Week 2 Recap, Ian Rapoport, Dan Orlovsky, Harry Douglas, Jeff Passan, & Darius Butler

18 Aug 2025 · 2 h 28 min · 54 chapters

Ask about this episode

Ask anything about it. ChatGPT or Claude reads this page and answers with the times it was said.

Connect VO and ask about every podcast you hear, including the moments you saved. Add to ChatGPT · Add to Claude

In short

NFL preseason Week 2 recap and offseason/trade-contract speculation, plus quarterback evaluation (Caleb Williams, Dylan Gabriel, Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, Matthew Stafford) and team outlooks (NFC West, Raiders/Seahawks/Cardinals/49ers).

Guests and backgrounds

  • Ian Rapoport: NFL insider/reporter; discusses trade scenarios and contract negotiations (Trey Hendrickson, Terry McLaurin, Micah Parsons).
  • Dan Orlovsky: former NFL quarterback and analyst; evaluates QB play and preseason decision-making.
  • Harry Douglas: former NFL wide receiver; weighs in on receiver value/impact (Terry McLaurin vs DK Metcalf).
  • Jeff Passan: MLB/NFL sports journalist (mentioned as part of the guest lineup; trade/contract context).
  • Darius Butler: former NFL cornerback; provides defensive/receiver matchup perspective.

Key claims

  • Patriots “open for business” in their window; trade talk could involve first/second-round value for players like Trey Hendrickson, and expensive contract extensions.
  • Terry McLaurin contract dispute: McLaurin wants about $33M/year (compared to DK Metcalf); Commanders reportedly closer to ~$28.5M, with a deal possible around high-$20s/near $30.
  • Micah Parsons trade would likely require a massive package (described as similar to the Khalil Mack trade: multiple high picks, including future picks).
  • QB takeaways: Caleb Williams’ preseason performance showed quick, confident reads (few hitches, fast releases) and “coaching matters” even against basic coverage.
  • Cleveland QB situation: Dylan Gabriel impressed; Joe is expected starter, but QB2 is unresolved.
  • Colts: Shane Steichen’s QB1 decision is framed as between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson; both have arguments.
  • Justin Fields: disappointing throws/processing speed in one game, but Jets offense may be holding back scheme (little zone read/RPO shown).
  • Stafford back injury: low concern unless it persists; Rams update shows he returned to practice.

Notable examples

  • Caleb Williams: 10 throws, with most on first/no hitch; throwaways and bootleg included.
  • McLaurin availability/leadership: no missed games in ~5 years; “point of attack” and big-play consistency.
  • Colts: Richardson’s “elite” 40-yard throw and fast play; Jones’ earlier sharp week vs Baltimore but missed TDs in preseason.
  • Jets/Fields: lack of designed QB runs in preseason; “week-to-week” evaluation emphasized.
  • NFC West: Douglas/Orlovsky discuss Seattle (Clint Kubiak offense looks complete), Arizona (physical defense under Jonathan Gannon), and skepticism about 49ers due to OL and defensive talent losses.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

Tap a time to open that second in VO

A Conversation on Cornerbacks

0:45 to 2:16

Ian Rapoport shares a humorous story about Devin McCourty and cornerbacks.

“Drinking, I think, if I remember correctly.”

NFL Trade Rumors and Scenarios

2:16 to 5:05

Discussion on various trade scenarios including Micah Parsons and Terry McLaurin.

“We had a great week of football, which I know you guys were locked in, as was I, mostly.”

Terry McLaurin's Contract Situation

5:05 to 8:00

Exploration of Terry McLaurin's contract demands and comparison to other receivers.

“They got Laramie Tunsil and Debo Samuel and all these other guys.”

Caleb Williams' Preseason Performance

8:00 to 11:05

Dan Orlovsky shares insights on Caleb Williams' performance during the preseason.

“And I love them so much because it gets us through so many shows.”

Quarterback Performances and Coaching Impact

14:00 to 19:25

Discussion on the performances of various quarterbacks and how coaching influences their development.

“I don't think the interception's all on him.”

Concerns About Justin Fields

19:25 to 22:48

Exploration of Justin Fields' disappointing performance and concerns about his development.

“Man, I want to go to Tone in a second, but I think you're right, Orlovsky, and this is part of the issue is it should be who's the best quarterback, play the best quarterback.”

Matthew Stafford's Injury Update

22:48 to 28:00

Insight into Matthew Stafford's injury concerns and the implications for the Rams.

“Um, I don't from what I know, from what I know, this is not a functional thing or a capability thing.”

NFL Team Offseason Strategies

28:00 to 29:58

Discussion on how teams approach offseason training based on player snap counts.

“how many snaps that person played in the previous season.”

Preseason Observations and Under-the-Radar Teams

29:58 to 31:44

Analyzing the 49ers, Seahawks, and other teams that could surprise this season.

“But to be honest, I'm kind of missing whatever you guys are talking about.”

Concerns About Offensive Lines and Team Performance

31:44 to 33:18

Concerns surrounding the performance of teams like the 49ers and Raiders due to offensive line issues.

“I think Arizona with Jonathan Gannon just has an edge to them that is going to be physical.”
Show all 54 chapters

Justin Fields and the Impact of Coaching Changes

33:18 to 35:06

Discussion on Justin Fields' development and the challenges of switching offenses.

“I waited until the last possible minute because birthdays are still a little bit weird because we're all grown.”

Quarterback Dynamics and Team Strategies

35:06 to 38:44

Exploring how quarterback changes and coaching strategies affect team performance.

“like the guy, he would have squeezed a Michael Scott in there if he really had to.”

Preseason Performances and Public Perception

38:44 to 40:55

Debating how preseason performances can skew public perception of players and teams.

“and that feels like it was 15 years ago at this point with the entire situation.”

Arm Wrestling Story and Humorous NFL Moments

40:55 to 42:00

A humorous story about an arm wrestling incident involving Tom Pelissero and a player's dad.

“We're not going to know any of this stuff until week one.”

Tom's Humorous Moment on Micah Parsons

42:00 to 43:02

The hosts discuss a humorous incident involving Tom and Micah Parsons, reflecting on expectations and outcomes.

“I'm like, no, you should actually do it.”

Micah Parsons Trade Speculation

43:02 to 45:45

The discussion shifts to the rumors surrounding Micah Parsons and potential trade scenarios, including the Packers' interest.

“Can we finish Ask Rap since it got cut off early by Dano?”

Evaluating Jerry Jones' Management

45:45 to 51:59

The conversation evaluates Jerry Jones' management style and decisions concerning player contracts and trades within the Cowboys organization.

“And there'd be some other, like, think of all of the really good teams, playoff teams, who have money and a spot.”

Brian Robinson Trade Talks

51:59 to 56:00

The hosts discuss potential trade talks around Brian Robinson and the implications of trading a starting running back before the season.

“But, I mean, we never see a player like this available.”

Discussion on Austin Eckler and Fantasy Football

56:00 to 56:53

The hosts discuss Austin Eckler's workout routine and pose a fantasy football question about running back battles.

“I follow him on Instagram for I don't know why, and all he does is pull-ups.”

Teaser for Upcoming Content

56:53 to 57:04

The hosts provide a teaser before the break, hinting at more football discussions to come.

“We'll be right back on the Pat McAfee show with a lot more football talk, some fun guests.”

Breaking News: Joe Flacco Named Starter

58:09 to 1:01:58

The hosts react to the news of Joe Flacco being named the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and discuss its implications.

“And you broke news during the break, so that was cool.”

Joe Flacco's Career and Future

1:01:58 to 1:04:51

A deeper conversation about Joe Flacco's career trajectory, his previous performances, and what this means for his future in Cleveland.

“But young guys continue to take those reps and take advantage of the opportunities.”

Golf Talk and Upcoming Events

1:04:51 to 1:10:00

The hosts shift to discussing golf events, including the BMW Championship and personal experiences on the course.

“Look up Joe Flacco saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side.”

Golf and Live Tournaments Discussion

1:10:00 to 1:13:30

Discussion about recent live golf tournaments and personal experiences.

“Because Friday, Saturday is best ball and alternating, and then Sunday all 14 guys go out.”

Harry Douglas Joins for Football Talk

1:13:30 to 1:16:40

Harry Douglas shares insights on the NFL and his recent golfing experience.

“Thank you for joining us, former faculty, former superstar.”

Joe Flacco and Quarterback Changes

1:16:40 to 1:21:40

Analysis of Joe Flacco's starting position and implications for the Browns.

“Another very important piece of quarterback news.”

Terry McLaurin Contract Situation

1:21:40 to 1:24:00

Discussion on Terry McLaurin's contract situation and its impact on the team.

“But you have to be able to not allow the quarterback for the opposing team to be comfortable in the pocket.”

Terry McLaurin's Contract Situation

1:24:00 to 1:26:22

Discussion on Terry McLaurin's contract issues and the impact on the team.

“What do you ultimately think is going to happen with this situation?”

Importance of Training Camp Reps

1:26:22 to 1:28:21

Analyzing the crucial need for training camp practice reps for players.

“Especially if you go and trade for a guy like Debo.”

Player Evaluations and QB Battles

1:28:21 to 1:30:15

Evaluating prospects and discussing the quarterback situation in the Saints.

“Honestly, I was looking at their depth chart earlier.”

Max's Summer Camp Experience

1:30:15 to 1:32:19

Light-hearted conversation featuring Max's return from summer camp.

“Tyler Shuck is currently in a QB battle in New Orleans.”

Parenting and Kids in Sports

1:32:19 to 1:34:38

Discussion on parenting and nurturing children's sports talents.

“Don't be scared to drink on the golf course, man.”

Weather Chaos and Show Challenges

1:34:38 to 1:36:53

Hosts share stories about weather disruptions impacting the show.

“And I think about all the time, like, all right, what would I do if one of them is, like, great?”

Baseball Talk and Upcoming Topics

1:36:53 to 1:38:00

Transitioning to discussions about baseball and upcoming discussions.

“He's been loading his gullet full of Taco Bell and playing mini-clip games on his laptop.”

Chaos and Weather Frustrations

1:38:00 to 1:39:10

Hosts share their struggles with chaotic circumstances and how weather affects schedules.

“Mitt had an unexposed wire in one hand and the currency was just flowing through him.”

Showering with Phones

1:39:51 to 1:40:50

The hosts discuss the absurdity of taking phones into the shower for news.

“Sometimes what I do is I call people and they give me tickets.”

Jeff Passan Joins the Conversation

1:40:50 to 1:42:37

Jeff Passan joins to continue the phone and shower discussion, sharing his experiences.

“joining us on the Pat McAfee show Jeff What kind of loser has a stand for his phone in the shower.”

Mets Prospects and Trade Deadline

1:42:37 to 1:44:31

Discussing the Mets' prospects and trade deadline implications with Jeff Passan.

“We're in a good place now starting this weekend.”

Expansion Teams and Realignment in MLB

1:44:31 to 1:46:44

Jeff Passan explains MLB's expansion plans and potential realignment of divisions.

“you are a top 100 prospect you start the season with the team and you have a full year of service there, and you get top two and rookie of the year, you get a draft pick.”

Zach Wheeler's Injury Impact

1:46:44 to 1:52:00

Discussing the implications of Zach Wheeler's injury on the Phillies' World Series hopes.

“So they have to get their ducks in a row, but expansion just makes sense because of the windfall that would come from those expansion fees being redistributed out to all the other teams.”

Baseball Pitching Prospects and Trade Talks

1:52:00 to 1:53:06

Discussion about the Mets' pitching roster and trade implications.

“They have a deep, deep starting pitching roster, which is going to allow them to be okay without Zach Wheeler?”

Height Jokes and Sports Legends

1:53:06 to 1:54:06

Light-hearted banter about player heights and sports personalities.

“Raph, can I say one more thing just as long as we're being negative right now?”

Memories of ESPN Classic and Sports Tales

1:56:34 to 1:58:28

Recollections of working at ESPN Classic and sharing sports anecdotes.

“No, you need to ship that shit to OKC, bro.”

NFL Discussions: McVay, Stafford, and Team Dynamics

1:58:28 to 2:03:26

In-depth talk about the Rams, Matthew Stafford, and NFL season strategies.

“The internet is telling me this is true.”

Vikings Potential and Joint Practices Insights

2:03:26 to 2:06:01

Analysis of the Vikings' team dynamics and observations from joint practices.

“I keep thinking about you guys talking about, like, oh, you know, Stafford, he's got to get his connection with Devontae.”

Vikings Quarterback Situation

2:06:01 to 2:08:23

Discussion about the Vikings' new quarterback and their roster potential.

“All they did was add a starting quarterback and, you know, watch their other starting quarterback get paid by someone else.”

Preseason Insights and Team Performances

2:08:23 to 2:10:28

Analyzing the unpredictability of preseason performances and player evaluations.

“If you are a Giants fan and you watch Jackson Dart, he looks really good.”

Coaching Changes and Player Development

2:10:28 to 2:12:24

Reflections on the evolution of coaches and their impact on players' careers.

“I was hitting golf balls and Mike Reese broke the story that Kevin O 'Connell was released.”

Pressure on Coaches and Expectations

2:12:24 to 2:14:08

Exploration of the expectations on coaches like Sean McDermott and Zach Taylor.

“I had no idea who Mike McDaniel was when he got hired.”

Team Dynamics and Offensive Strategies

2:14:08 to 2:16:19

Discussion on how offensive coordinators impact team dynamics and quarterback success.

“But I hate this because, you know, they haven't played – like, Giants could be – defense could be really good.”

Evaluating Quarterbacks and Coaching

2:16:19 to 2:20:01

Debate about the roles of coaches versus star quarterbacks in team success.

“But when you have an MVP caliber quarterback, an MVP quarterback, you know, you want to win a big one.”

Quarterback Dynamics and Coaching Impact

2:20:01 to 2:26:18

Discuss how quarterback personalities and coaching influence team dynamics and success.

“There's a thing where if you have a quarterback, that is like a Joe Burrow.”

Organizational Factors in Football Success

2:26:19 to 2:27:16

Explore the importance of organizational success factors beyond the quarterback.

“they've always been great in the front office ownership-wise.”

Organizational Factors in Football Success

2:28:00 to 2:28:32

Explore the importance of organizational success factors beyond the quarterback.

“Team on me, team on three, one, two, three, team.”
Hear the part that matters, and keep it.Open this episode in VO. Double tap your headphones to save a moment as you listen.
Get VO free

Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:02Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Pat McAfee Show. I am of course not Pat McAfee. Football! Yes! See I did an elongated break so you guys would do it. I tried to like tame it. Well done. I tried to do it properly but it was better than previous times. Yes it was. I am Ian Rappaport. I am guesting for Pat today. I'm very, very, very happy to be here. Pat is, of course, not here. He is... Parts Unknown. Abroad. I have no idea. TBD. Could be literally anywhere. Last time I was doing this, he was doing some sort of WWE thing in a place overseas or something. Maybe. Drinking, I think, if I remember correctly.

0:49What? I honestly have no idea. Sounds about right. But he is not here today. I am here. As are my good friends, Boston Connor, Ty Schmidt, Tone Diggs, and my second favorite cornerback that I've ever covered in the NFL. Oh, okay. That's not true. My favorite. Darius Butler in the house as well. It's actually – Who was your first? Who was the first? Oh, Devin McCourty. Dull. Yeah. He played – he went safety, though. So, DB. So, I've jumped back up. That's true. When I was in the Patriots locker room as a beat writer, this is exactly why the people tuned in today. Devin McCourty was a corner who was getting toasted by Steve Johnson.

1:34Steve Largen. Buffalo B. Sure, yeah. Right? Oh, yeah. And I remember having a really awkward conversation with him in the locker room, me not knowing anything, him being a literal NFL corner, saying, have you ever thought about moving to safety? And he was really offended. That's crazy. That's the worst thing you could say. And I was probably 28 or something and wearing like an oversized plaid shirt, just looking ridiculous. And he was so – but he's such a nice guy. Oh, yeah. And then, of course, he goes on to be a great safety. And I am the greatest football scout of all time. Yeah, you put him on.

2:08You put that little nugget. He's a pro bowler. He's a rookie at corner too. He was. Sophomore struggles, but he's a dog. All right. I'm very happy to be here, as I said. We had a great week of football, which I know you guys were locked in, as was I, mostly. Oh, yeah. Okay. Spent some time on the phone talking about some various trade scenarios. The Trey Hendrickson thing we're going to get to. Yeah. There's a Micah Parsons thing we're going to get to. Oh. There's a Terry McLaurin thing we're going to get to. There may be some quarterback news. We'll see. I know we got the Colts situation, which, according to Shane Steichen, is kind of rounding to a close.

2:45Okay. Feels like the Cleveland Browns situation is getting closer there. Saints will see. Usually, I'm on the other side of this. Usually, you guys are like, Rob, I got a question for you. So, I'm here. What do you want to know? I mean, the latest in at least this spectacle, and I'll ask about it just because it's, yeah, I feel as though the only real GM that's come out and said they'll trade a first-round pick now is Elliott Wolfe. he's kind of the only guy, at least in New England, who's going out and proclaiming, hey, we'll trade a first or second round pick. Is that for Trey Henderson? Well, I mean, you're asking me.

3:22I'm asking Rapp. I have no idea. I'm assuming everybody's kind of on the table. But is this even real? Like, is this a realistic, hey, we're going to trade a first round pick? Is he saying that because he wants all the other teams to kind of go away and so he can kind of slide in? Or is this a reality where, not including Micah, because I think everybody assumes if he does get traded that there will be a first and a second. But with Terry McLaurin and Trey Hendrickson, is there a real possibility that those guys are getting moved for first and second round picks and players? Yeah, so first of all, for Micah, it's going to be, if there is even a trade to talk about, which we'll see, we'll get to that.

4:03But it would be a lot, okay? The Terry McLaurin would be not as much. The Tra Hendrickson would be, from my understanding, a really good young player. Like we're talking like a starter, someone you don't have to pay right away. It's like second year-ish player? Yeah, like someone's first or second rounder from last year who's really good. Sure. Right? And then a pick for next year. Like it would be for sure expensive. The Patriots have a young quarterback who I think is going to be really, really good. This is the window. Like you see teams load up. So normally I'd kind of be like, ah, you know, teams open to everything.

4:41I don't know, man. Like, Patriots seem open for business. They seem to recognize that this is their window to do kind of what the Texans did, right, which is like just we'll trade for Stephon Diggs and we'll pay because we will load up and we don't have to pay the quarterback yet. But the commanders who are kind of in the exact same situation, just a much better team already, Like, why has it got to this point where, you know, because they went out and they did what you just said. They got Laramie Tunsil and Debo Samuel and all these other guys. Laramie Tunsil trade was like a great example. Yeah, but like why was this on the horizon for a long time?

5:18Like, why wouldn't the commanders, you know, to your point, go all in while they have all these things like a rookie quarterback and, you know, momentum kind of like why is this happening? I mean, they're trying to, but it's really just a disagreement of value. So Terry McLaurin wants like$33 million like DK Metcalf. Okay? He's a little older, but same class, similar production, different type of receivers, which like – Actually, all right, D-Budson, since you're a resident expert, do you think, as someone who may or may not have had to cover people just like this, do you think that they are similar threats slash – I don't know about value, but similar threats?

5:57Do you think they should be guys who should make the same amount of money? Yes, I would say similar value. I understand the age difference. Where Terry is, though, he hasn't missed a game, I believe, in like five years. So, you know, being out there, we always say your best ability is availability in the National Football League, especially when you have a young quarterback. And early in the season, Terry wasn't getting a bunch of targets and didn't become a problem or a loud voice or a quote-unquote diva like a lot of wide receiver ones do in the locker room. So he kind of stayed at the course as patient, let them go out and do the other things, He's letting him pay it.

6:28But as far as threat-wise, DK is more of a big play threat. Like any play can be a 60-, 70-yard touchdown, but consistently week in and week out, Terry McLaurin, he's going to show up. And he's going to make those big-time plays, and he is one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League at, like, the point of attack, like that moment of truth in the ball. He's always been that guy. So him being around that DK number, it makes sense. It makes sense to me, not only who he is on the football field, but in the locker room, in the community, everything you want, you know, for a leader of your team.

6:57Yeah, I mean, so that's the argument, right? That's like they have tried. The commanders are not there yet. They want to pay him. I just don't know. Like my guess, this is just a guess. What do they want to pay him? Like how much? Yeah, that's a good question. So my sense is it's around or a little under 30. So like if McLaurin wants 33 and the commanders want to pay him a little less, let's just call it not a real number, but let's call it 28 and a half. There's a deal to be made somewhere in there. That's what T's making. That's what T Higgins is making. Right. Okay. So then, like, let's say it's 29 above T.

7:34That seems like a good deal. Alman Riles at 30. Right. And if I'm Terry McLaurin. It's not a deal, what, two years ago? Yeah. Yeah. The Alman Riles they did before the Lions draft. Right. But then if you're Terry's agent, you're like, well, hang on. That's two years after. Yeah. Exactly. Brandon Ayuk was last year. That was at 30. So, like, they both have arguments. But I think they are trying to do it. And I think they're also in that all-in mode because they got the lottery ticket too. Yeah. So the commanders you're saying are more so like of the three, Micah, Terry, and Trey, like the commanders and Terry are probably the closest of those three to actually getting a contract done because we've literally been talking about these three guys for five months.

8:15And I love them so much because it gets us through so many shows. And then when they get done, it's sort of like James Cook we talked about, and they get done, it's sort of like, okay. Here we go. Go play ball. But with Hendrickson, why now? Did they just assume that even after he wasn't there, that he was just going to play ball and be okay with everything? Why have they waited until the 25th hour to finally be like, okay, we'll trade this guy now? I mean, I guess maybe teams get more desperate and they're willing to give up a little bit more right before the season starts. But this has been the exact same situation since he was on our show at Radio Row.

8:52This hasn't changed at all. So why is it all of a sudden now like, oh, I guess he is serious and he really is unhappy and he's not going to play if we don't get him a new deal? I mean, I think the reason is because somebody needs something to happen. Like we are, it's August 18th. The season is two weeks away. I don't have any answers about it. Deadline spur action. Right. As someone on Twitter said, yes. And I don't know what the action is, though. And that's the problem. It's like one side needs to bend. if another team comes in and says like, hey, we're going to offer you a good player and a big contract and a pick next year, maybe the Bengals go, all right, if we can weaken our team on the edge, but strengthen our team at guard, I don't know, whatever.

9:39Whatever it is. Tight end. Who knows? Whatever it is. Maybe that makes sense. But I think the problem for the Bengals is they are good. And if you're good, why do you trade a good player? Same thing with the commanders. Well, then why not pay the good player? Yes, that is the question. I think the frustrating thing is, like, this doesn't seem to me to be a deal that should be impossible. Right. The trade or the contract? The contract. Yeah, sure. Like, he's going to get a big raise this year. How much guaranteed next year and the year after is kind of what the question is. And because TJ's deal is so good and Miles Garrett's deal is so good.

10:17Crosby. Crosby. It's like, doesn't he deserve that? Of course, the answer is yes. But then where? So is their asking price, though, like ridiculous to the point that teams aren't even going to reach out just because it's? I don't think so. We've done this before. Clowney got done at the cut down day, right? Yeah. There's been a couple. Bosa was weak of their first game. TJ was weak of, I think. The contract, not the trade. The contract. I was thinking trade, but yes. No, no, trade. There is time. And generally, like, that last week of the season when all I want to do is be at my beach club, hanging out, sunning myself, these are generally the things that we will be dealing with.

11:02We got a lot more to get to. We got a lot more football stuff. We have someone on the line right now who has been ducking me on the golf course for, I would say, more than a year. Wow. More than a year. We play at similar places. I go to Connecticut sometimes to play with a good buddy of mine. To lose to my buddies, Russ and Brent. Very annoying. Orlovsky sometimes plays at a similar course and has been refusing to play with me. Interesting. Anyway, I just said his name. Dan Orlovsky is here joining us. Dan, why is he talking me? He doesn't want to play from the red. I don't think you've ever invited me to play golf with you, too.

11:42That's not true. I would 1 ,000 % take you up on it. and three, I would feel very confident in playing against you. Wow. Why did he have to say that last part? I'm a yes. I'm a yes. Why did he say that last part? Well, he's an athlete. He's a professional athlete. I mean, you two just can't stand next to each other on the tee box. No. Let's just get that straight. No, you cannot. The thing about guys like Dan is you watch your – You hit first. So offensive. He'll drive back to your box. No, I was going to say, you'll have to, and then you'll have to drive 75 yards up to the red tee so he can tee off.

12:14I can hit it. I can hit it a little bit. I don't know where it's going, but I can hit it a little bit. Yeah, we fixed it. We fixed your swing that one day. My God. Orlowski, what's going on? Thank you for hanging with us. What's going on? You watched a slate of preseason games. You watched a lot of interesting quarterback situations. We have all been kind of thinking about this in our brain over the last little bit. What stood out to you first and foremost? What did you learn about quarterback play this weekend from, I think, let's start with one of the young guys who stood out for you. Yeah, I'll go back to last night, you know, and the standout is coaching just didn't matter so much.

12:54And I'm not going to make like the oh my gosh, Caleb Williams is going to go win MVP thing, but if we're just taking off of what last night was, he's good enough to one day, if we're just taking last night off what it was, he was flawless when it comes to what you wanted to see. No one wanted to say, man, I don't know if is athletic enough to go run around and make plays in the league. But it was, holds the ball too long, doesn't really get the ball out on time, is constantly hitching in the pocket, not seeing it and trusting it and letting it go. That wasn't the case last night. And there was a confidence, there was a conviction.

13:37I looked at it and I said, he threw the ball ten times. Two of the throws were throwaways. one of them was a bootleg so for the seven throws that he threw within the pocket six of them were either on his first hitch or no hitch at all wow that tells me he's seeing it that tells me he's confident that tells me he knows what he's doing with the football and is there a reality of like yes that number one option was open often for sure but that's not his fault so then the coaching you sit there and go man that was good the one time when he got to his second hitched he got to the second part of the progression so overwhelmingly hopeful and confident impressed by what I saw last night from Caleb and just the man that that coaching matters is there Buffalo's playing as basic coverage as they can play reality to that yes I mean that was the most basic coverage he will see all season but he did his job and so the the takeaway is man that coaching just matters and tip of the hat to them and we'll see where it goes from there I'm still sitting there saying it's going to take a long period of time for the ownership and the mastering of it um you know going to cleveland i was really impressed with what shador did last week i was equally if not more impressed with what dylan gabriel did this weekend i thought gabriel was awesome yeah i thought his tape was great um he he made some really kite coverage elite ball placement throws um i thought he moved in the pocket really well they went under center something he didn't do a ton at Oregon.

15:10I don't think the interception's all on him. Yes, he, at the end of the day, makes the final decision, but there's a lot that goes into that ball being picked off, let alone a pick six. The fumble I do put on him, but just some tight coverage throws that you're sitting there going, man, that's really, really, really good ball placement versus coverage that's pretty good. So I thought he was really interested. I think it makes the decision-making even more interesting in Cleveland, and I think it's going to be, by all reports, Joe as the starter, but who do they name as QB2? Who's going to be QB2 then?

15:43I'll go to Indy. I was really impressed with Anthony, and I can't quit Anthony Richardson for some reason, man. We're Believar's, man. We're Believar's. Physically, he looked really good and played fast, and the ball went to the right place often. I don't know what they're going to do, but it's hard for me to not name him the starting quarterback if I'm Shane Steichen. Wow. Yeah, that was going to be my follow for you, Dan. Out here in Indy, obviously that's the biggest thing. We made a sign of it, Xavier Howard. But the quarterback, naming QB1 is the hugest thing we're going into this season.

16:22What did you see preseason from both of these guys that will make an argument for either one to be QB1? I know you say you don't want to quit, you know, AR. We believe ours for sure. We believe ours. But where are you at? would you need to see from either one of these guys be named a starter? I go back to week one, okay, so against Baltimore. I thought Daniel was sharp. I thought Daniel got the ball because, like, D-Butt, they got really talented guys, right, on offense. There's three or four guys. Man, Downs is really good, and A.D. Mitchell is really good, and Pittman's obviously a really big-time player.

16:55And then they got Mo Alley-Cox, and then Warren looks at him, so you're like, just get him the ball. I thought Daniel did that in week one versus Baltimore relatively sharply, and then Anthony had the moment of the fumble and you're like, God bless, dude, just figure it, figure it, the freak out. And you get that small body of work. And then this past week, you know, this past weekend, I watched Daniel you know, first quarter 8-28 misses a touchdown. First quarter 4-0-3 misses a touchdown. You know, I thought the ball down the sideline, first quarter 2-0, wait to Warren, nice throw. And so, yeah, this ball, nice throw.

17:27Guy's wide open, but nice throw, okay? And then Anthony, I go, good out. Good keeper. Really good sale. really nice clean stop, played fast, 40-yard throw, the elite throw with 111 in the second quarter. So I'm just – I thought Anthony was really impressive this past week. And I think D-Bud, I said along this, and I don't know the building enough well enough. If you name Daniel, do you lose Anthony? If you name him, do you lose him? Should that play a play a play? Is that – If they're even, right? Right, because even on the other side, if you start AR, can you ever go away from him then because then you lose him midseason?

18:08We always say it. The locker room knows because we only see the preseason games, which are a glorified live scrimmage practice. But the guys see both of these guys take reps at the ones, reps at the twos. You see them in and out of huddle. You see them interact with coaches and players. You see the whole thing. So when Shane names the starter, it shouldn't be a surprise to the locker room. It should be maybe some people outside, but inside that locker room, Anthony knows either he won the job or he lost in the same thing with Daniel. So as the head coach, when you're making that, that's why you're getting to pay the big bucks.

18:41It's also, D, but it's also the variable of he needs to play. And so if you name Daniel the starter, like my thought is you're kind of saying, all right, we're moving on from him. Because if you're naming Daniel the starter, you're naming Daniel the starter in the hopes that he plays well enough that your guys are winning games and you're a competitive football team and he's the guy for the year. Well, then you're not – Anthony's going into year four without playing football. We're having a Trey Lance situation then all over again. And so I'm happy that I don't have to make the decision because, like, there's parts of me that sit there and see it in a lot of different ways.

19:26Man, I want to go to Tone in a second, but I think you're right, Orlovsky, and this is part of the issue is it should be who's the best quarterback, play the best quarterback. That's not, I mean, these things don't exist in a vacuum, and so it's like if you, let's say Daniel's the starter, then to me it's like it's over. Like Anthony Richardson is at some point going to be on another team. He is going to be Trey Lance. Like that's, it's the reality. it sucks and I agree he needs to play and I kind of would like to see him play but if that's what's best for the team then I think that's what Steichen asked but it is not like these decisions do not unfortunately exist in effect you know yeah uh Tony go ahead yeah Dan I had a question for you because I saw you guys talking about it uh this morning but we were prepping for the show so I didn't really get to hear what you said you guys were running the highlights of Justin Fields and And it didn't look great this weekend.

20:21And there's been reports out of camp that it hasn't looked incredible. Because I know you've always been a Justin Fields believer, and I was last year as well. Has it reached a point where, like, hey, he needs to prove himself right now? What have you seen so far? Yeah, Justin was really disappointing the other night. I don't think he saw coverage. It was like he just got the ball and threw it instead of trying to read. He played slow. and my one thing with Justin as a pastor that has always been frustrating is physically it just takes a long time for the ball to get out of his hands that's why he's never been a quick game guy go back to the first start you know when they called a bunch of quick game and I'm like what is going on so that really hasn't grown which is one thing that as a pastor I would like to see I think he sees progressions fine I think there's enough accuracy and all that it just come on man physically.

21:16So the other night was frustrating. The only thing I would say, Tone, is this. And while frustrating and I don't want to say concerning, I would be really surprised if this is the offense schematically they roll out within New York. They haven't done anything when it comes to zone read. Very little RPO zone read stuff that we see out of some athletic quarterbacks. Very little non-designed quarterback read a run. And that should be the case you would never want to show your hand in the preseason of what you're going to do so i'm in i am holding off a little bit of like dude this could be a situation where you know he's going to get 10 carries a game and they're going to be in the gun running all this zone read and the combination of stuff that we see with uh lamar and jamie daniels and kyler murray and josh Allen.

22:06And so like, if they're going to do that, I'm not as a doom and gloom. There's one way for the jets to play this year. It's going to be great defense, run the football 40, 45 times a game. Don't get down by 10. They get down by 10. I think they lose. So I'm not pressing the caution button or the panic button right now, just because I don't think what we've seen from them scheme wise is who they're going to be. And this is why the preseason is so, I love it. I really love watching football even if it's preseason football but like I don't know what I'm watching because you're like is this a fake offense or the real offense and obviously we'll see but like I would agree that if this is what it is then they're gonna have to play some very very good defense.

22:49Ty Schmidt question. Yeah Dan I'm sure people are probably sick and tired of hearing this but at what point do you think the Stafford concerns become like legitimately real because it seems like again you know every week hey he's fine if he had to play week one or if he had to play tomorrow if it was a playoff game or whatever he's gonna go but the more this carries on and we have questions about it like it seems like something is definitely going on here and he's not getting any younger and a back isn't exactly a good thing for a quarterback like if you had to put this on a scale of one to ten how concerned would you actually be with Stafford's back injury right now I'm a I'm a as one like I I don't have concern.

23:30Oh, wow. You told me. Wow. I don't. Um, I don't from what I know, from what I know, this is not a functional thing or a capability thing. It's just a, like a pain management pain tolerance thing. Um, I think that everybody knows he's like the toughest person on the planet type of thing. So that's not something that gives me cause for concern. Now, if it gets to next week, because I think the perspective, and D-Butt, you would know this well, too, is, dude, that season and that one game they added makes this season so long. I know it's only one game, but it makes it so long. And this is one of those teams that's probably in the handful that, like, they don't think they could play into late January.

24:23They expect to play into late January. And so you know trying to keep that long-term vision of we want him as healthy as possible in December and January so now if he doesn't practice by next week yes my concern level would go up but right now I just I'm I'm not overly concerned with it that's why I mean from the outside looking that's why I'm so concerned because of who Stafford is and you you spent time around him you know as a teammate but i just know there are things that dan has seen that probably yeah but like these franchise quarterbacks like i know it's a long season but they don't like missing reps yeah and if you're talking about a pain tolerance or a pain threshold like that's like that's like andrew luck for instance he was one of the toughest guys ever played with so when he started missing time and it was like oh he'll be back but okay it's an ankle it's a calf that that was like early on it was like concerned every day every full practice he missed it became more and more of a concerned.

25:24I have that same feeling with Matt. I know he's not a spring chicken, but these reps are valuable, especially getting new weapons in there. Every year it's a new team, but you got Devontae Adams. You want to get on the same page with that guy. I'm concerned, especially when, hey, he's going to practice this day and then he doesn't. Saturday workout, then it's kind of murky. I'm concerned until he gets out there. Hopefully it's a bunch of nothing, but I'm concerned about Nhan because he has been an out-of-the-man. We also don't know who is the end all be all and why he's not practicing is this stafford going i can't practice today is this them going hey there's no need for you to practice yeah you know like who's the person that because i do agree with your point of like these guys want to be out there like and he's one of those people that loves being out there but we don't know if it's him saying no.

26:19We don't know if it's Sean. We don't know if it's the doctors. We don't know the person that's making the final determination of saying okay, you're not going on in the field today type of thing. I agree with that point. I'm just not overly concerned right now. Maybe I'm jaded with my thought. Are you not overly concerned because you saw Stetson raising hell out there this weekend? It certainly helps. Let me interrupt for a second. I don't know if this is breaking news or not, but the Rams have just posted a little video. Matthew Stafford is now back at practice. Oh, okay. So, Dan, good job. I'm down to a one.

26:57Yeah, I'm a one as well. I mean, there is right there. That's great work right there. I mean, that looks like a relaxed, chill dude who's going to have a nice casual day at practice. I've lost all worry. And, you know, the Rams have been sort of providing updates on this, and it's been interesting to hear because it's like he's going to throw. He threw a lot. Then didn't practice that week. and then wouldn't really say if he was going to throw Saturday. And my understanding of this was like, we just want to get some improvement, just like a little bit of improvement, and then he can get back out there.

27:29Now he is back out there. So that is, I mean, if you're a Rams fan or, I don't know, let's just say someone who you're good friends with Matthew Stafford, this is a very, very good sign right now that he is walking for practice. Yeah, yeah. I just, and Ian, I think like, D, but you grew up in the organization, but like I remember our time in Indy and he, you know, much greater player than I was there type of thing. But like, I remember when Peyton and them were in their heyday, how they approached the off season was directly correlated individually wise to how many snaps that person played in the previous season.

Read the full transcript

28:03So like if you were a guy that played X amount of snaps, you were allowed organizational mandate to start your off season training at a certain date. And then if you played 150 snaps more, you started your off-season work x amount of days later and if you played x amount of snaps more and so they kept pushing it because their whole philosophy was they were a team that fully believed that they were going to be playing 18 19 20 games and so they wanted your off-season to start later because they knew your season was going to start later and then in turn go into the next season so i just think it's an organization that has this mindset of where they are they know that this year is an all-in year they know that and they know they can win the whole thing and so they could ruin january by doing too much in august and you you can't really ruin anything else by starting late that's a great call and really we have seen teams treat this thing differently with the 17 game because they have so much time and like i was there for cowboys rams joint practice The Rams' defense should be, it feels like to me, comically good.

29:15So this is a very, very good team. Balsakana has a question for you. Yeah, Dano, you mentioned them kind of expecting to play into late January, early February. And granted, this is kind of just an opinionated question. August 18th is essentially the worst day of every year when it comes to the preseason. We're halfway through. We really haven't seen enough. And also, we aren't at actual football yet, so it's just one of those things. August 18th. How do you feel about the worst day? Some people think it's a great day. Do they? I haven't heard that. Tiffany Lesher thinks it's a great day. No, no.

29:50I mean, it's not like it's a bad day. It's just when we're talking about fodder, this is the worst day of the year by far. But to be honest, I'm kind of missing whatever you guys are talking about. But when it comes to the, you know, we'll just stay on the West Coast, even in that division, Dan, It feels like the Niners are one of those teams that people have kind of forgotten about. And then you think of teams like the Raiders where, you know, Geno Smith, who's played really good football. And people aren't really talking about them because of the Chargers and Broncos and Chiefs and things like that.

30:22But what do you think of those types of teams that aren't getting as much conversation but definitely could turn out to be, you know, 11-12 win type of team? Do you think the Niners are going to be back to that? Do you think some of these teams, like the Raiders, like the Seahawks, even in that division as well? That's the team. That looked very different. I'm going to start geographically. I think two teams that probably have not been talked about enough that I think are going to be really good teams are Seattle and Arizona. I think Seattle is going to be awesome, man. Clint Kubiak, new offensive coordinator.

30:54In preseason, they looked fantastic. Just what I watched them present the other night, It looked like a complete offense when it came to changing the snap count, shifting and motioning, different variations in the run game, changing the launch point of the quarterback, different pass games when it comes to sometimes you're trying to get the ball out quickly. Sometimes you're trying to push the ball downfield. Sometimes you want to play action concepts. So I watched that and I'm going like, man, they look, that looks to be a team that's under control. I think their defense secondary wise will be fantastic once again.

31:26So Seattle looks to be for a team for me. Everyone's talking about, and I'm one of them, Rams, NFC West division favorites, and I still feel that way. But I think Seattle's going to be very much so in that conversation. Arizona is going to be really difficult to play against. I think Arizona with Jonathan Gannon just has an edge to them that is going to be physical. They're going to play violent football. Sometimes when I watched their tape of defense last year, I go, I have no idea what this defense is doing. They got a good young coordinator, man. Yeah, and they were hurt last year at the defensive line position with their young, I think Robinson, who they took out of Missouri.

32:08He's healthy this year. They signed Sweat. It's Marvin Harrison's second year. So I think Arizona's a player in that division as well. So those are two teams. The Raiders, yes. Gino, I'm a huge fan of. Brock Bowers is awesome. I still have concerns about the offensive line. I still have concerns about the defense. The 49ers, I'm a little hesitant on, man. I am. I am. I want to see how Brandon Ayuk is when he comes back. When he comes back, Jennings has got a contract situation and some health situation that's going on. That offensive line has been depleted. That's the thing that probably hasn't gotten enough notoriety when it comes to the fall off of some of their talent.

32:48Their offensive line took some significant shots. that defense has lost a lot of talent. So, you know, obviously I have a tremendous amount of respect for who they've been and who they're going to continue to be as far as long-term. I don't know if they bounce back as quickly as maybe public perception has them. I still think I'm a little bit hesitant to see what they're going to be. That's interesting. And I think you're right. You rightly point to the offensive line as like, all right, if a team is going to falter a little bit, like let's say the Raiders who I think are going to be better or the 49ers like that's where the focus goes Dan you have been awesome we appreciate you I just have one last thing before we let you go yes sir do you have any any plans for today are you going to just like do you want anything interesting going on today no I'm working from like seven to ten uh tonight so um are you really Oh, my.

33:46Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Long day. Long day. Long day. No, no. Nothing interesting is going on. You sure? Should we? Should we? That feels like a present, maybe. Yeah? I would love a present. We don't have a present. But we do wish you happy birthday. Happy birthday, Dan. Happy birthday, Dan. Thank you. Thank you, fellas. Appreciate you. I waited until the last possible minute because birthdays are still a little bit weird because we're all grown. but I'm very happy for you for your 32nd birthday, and you were awesome, and thank you very much for having us. 32? 32, yeah. I assume he's 32, right?

34:20He looks it. 31? Well, whatever. 42. Jeez. 42. That sucks. Can you imagine playing quarterback at 42 still? I can't. No, dude. No. I can't. I see it. No, you can't. No, you can't. I say it to my family all the time. But I'd root for one. I don't know how he does it, man. God bless him. We just saw you spinning at the Pro Bowl, man. Yeah. years ago. Yeah, you embarrass everybody else, remember? Oh my god. Goodbye, Dan. I can't stand you. Love you, Dan. Take it easy, brother. Have fun working on your birthday, brother. Do you think he was wondering if we were going to wish him happy? He must have been, right?

34:55No, because he knows we're here to talk ball. No. You're right. He had to be the whole time he was like, are they going to say it? Had to be. Eventually. Maybe. No, Dan seems like the guy, he would have squeezed a Michael Scott in there if he really had to. He'd been like, hey, Connor, I didn't know it was your birthday today, too. I think that would be kind of the move. Oh, it's not? Oh, okay. So it's just my birthday. You had an interesting reaction to something he said. Which was what? When he was talking about the Jets, about how they're not actually running their offense, you kind of perked up a bit.

35:27Is that happening around the league right now with some of these teams? It does. And, like, so I had the same reaction to him. Like, you see Justin Fields, you watch the Jets, you're kind of like, all right. And I know it is – I think for Jets fans, they went all in with Rodgers. It worked out, obviously, how it all worked out. Feels like a small bit of a reset or a big bit of a reset. Big one. As far as what I'm expecting, if they win seven games, I'd be like, very solid. No doubt. Very solid. But then, you know, you watch them and you're kind of like, all right, that wasn't great. But their offensive coordinator is supposed to be really good.

36:04Fields, I personally felt last year, like, should have probably kept starting. I don't know. That's what I felt. I would have liked to – what do you think? Yeah, at the time, I thought – when I go back to week seven or whatever it was, I thought he should have, yes. But then Russ played really well for those first six weeks, and then it all fell apart. So you could look back on it. But, yeah, I remember at that time, week seven, being like, yeah, let's just keep this going. And that was kind of what I was – and so, like, you know, I think they should be better, but then you're watching them and you're like, they're not.

36:34And so what I never know, and this is why the preseason can be so frustrating, is like, what am I actually watching? Practice. Right, but it's like Caleb goes out and plays. I mean, I'm with Dan. He looked good. When I was at Bears camp, it was a struggle. I know he was dealing with a lot. They intentionally gave him a lot. I like. It was sort of like, let's see what he can deal with, and then we'll narrow it down as we get closer. And I'm kind of like, how is this going to look better? And then you look last night and it really looked better. I mean, these are some good throws, quick decisions, decisive.

37:11But then it's sort of like, what am I actually watching? Yeah, Dan said it, man. Like, we all know it. Coaching, like, it matters. But, like, this shit is hard. You know, it's tough to, like, especially talk about a guy like Justin Fields. Like, he's on another team, another offense. So, you're learning a different language. So, yeah, everyone has the ability. Everyone that goes out there and trots out of the tunnel with a helmet on has the ability to play whatever position they're assigned to play. But actually learning that, creating a relationship, creating a rapport with your play caller, your weapons, all these different things.

37:42You look around the league at all the good quarterbacks, a lot of them have some type of continuity with the play caller or the system in place. So when you're going and jumping around from place to place, like that's tough. That's a lot to handle. So I appreciate, you know, Ben Johnson coming and putting a lot on his plate and then kind of trimming it down. And Caleb, we know he has the ability, but you want to just react out there. You know, you don't want to be thinking. So it's tough, man. I hope he figures it out. All these guys who are in new places. Sam Darner, he's over in Seattle. Geno, like all these guys are in new places.

38:12So it is allowed on their plate. But, you know, hopefully the arrow's still pointing up. Yeah, even Rodgers. You wonder with Aaron if they had some sort of agreement, like when, you know, clearly the Steelers knew that Aaron was going to be the QB. you wonder if Aaron was aware of the offense or how long he's actually been. Must have been. I mean, I know there are rules, but he can go study Arthur Smith's stuff. He's smart. He can figure it out, right? Yeah, because when you talk about having a lot of offenses, how many OCs has Rodgers had in the last three years? But with the Jets, I mean, Hackett was the OC when he first started there, and that feels like it was 15 years ago at this point with the entire situation.

38:55So if the Steelers come out on fire, you might look at that and think to yourself, like, damn, we really do have the smartest coaching staff in the history of football. Yeah, I can see it. I can really see it. I mean, I spent some time with Arthur when I was at training camp there, and he's the best. He was in a very good place. Also still rocking the mustache, which I blame you guys for that. What do you mean? What do you mean? You don't want it to be? No, I'm just saying, like, I thought that that was just kind of like a fun thing, like a Movember. Wasn't that why? So he was doing it as the Falcons coach, yeah.

39:30Yeah. But then he realized he looks incredible with it. Yeah. And then he shaved it, and he was like, well, this dog won't. I need to grow that thing back. Foxy, is that a video of Artie? Because did you see the – He was making waves. Did you see what he was singling in this weekend? That's the best play in the playbook. It's doing the Mahomes. I would like to know more on this the next play I thought he was doing the next play no they scored a touchdown on that they did score a touchdown on that a lot of good memes I thought I was going to hurry up I think it might have been but going back to your point about fields and like the preseason that's why it like it's important but it ultimately doesn't matter because after the Packers game people were acting like he was Warren Moon you know he had that one drive and it was like oh my god look how good this guy looks and I think he knows too and they're not going to do it in the preseason like Like, if the Jets are going to be their most successful version of the team, like, he's going to have to be a weapon with his legs, and he's probably going to have to rush for 1 ,000 yards, and they're obviously not going to have him, you know, taking a bunch of hits and running a bunch of keepers and read option and all that kind of stuff in the preseason.

40:33So, like, the book's still out on him, but it's week to week. You know, I mean, I said this on Friday with Caleb. Like, if he played the way he did last night, obviously everyone was going to say this guy's unbelievable, it's working, Ben Johnson's unbelievable. If he would have played terrible last night, he would have been getting killed today. And it would have been like, hey, this guy is not going to work with Ben Johnson. His offense is too complicated. He doesn't get it. He can't check his attitude at the door, all that kind of stuff. It's so week to week. We're not going to know any of this stuff until week one.

41:03It's good he played well, too, because the bag man is a problem. The bag man is a problem. Tyler Bajan is legitimately good. Did you hear what Ryan Pohl said? He's like, nobody works harder than Tyson Bajan. Nobody works harder. Except for his father, maybe. Except for his father. who humiliated Tom Pelissero on NFL Network. Did he arm wrestle Tom? I take full credit for it. Have you never heard this story? No. It was at the Senior Bowl, wasn't it? It was at the Senior Bowl. So we were out on like a Tuesday or something. Compound fracture. Literally, it was. Couldn't put a base for two months.

41:36Broke his heart. Broke his heart was the worst. I mean, the humiliation was the worst thing. So we were out having some drinks the night, like on a Tuesday night or whatever. We run into Tyson Mason's agent and his dad. And so I'm like, you know what you should do? Because Tom, here it is right here. Because Tom is our silent reporter for Senior Bowl. I'm like, you should arm wrestle Tom. And Tom kind of laughs. I'm like, no, you should actually do it. Now, I didn't know that this guy was basically like a WWE superstar with the mic. Like, I had no idea. But the humiliation here, like, at some point he just starts like laughing.

42:13And look at Tom. He had, like, I think he went two hands at 1.2. There he goes, right? How many times have you watched his top look? I mean, so many. Like, literally so many. And then Tom's face is like, you think he'd think it's funny? Does not think it's funny. He's like, give me the mic. Give me the mic. Give me the mic. Yeah. I take full care. Guys laughing. Was Tom expecting to go in there and, like, go over the top, like, you know, Sylvester Stallone and break his arm? I mean, come on. Does he think he is Lincoln Hawk? No, you never know, but don't you think that he thought he would be able to maybe move it?

42:48No, no. You do not think? The guy's like a seven-time national champion. No. Are you kidding me? Of course not. But I like that Pelissaro thought he was going to go in there and I'm going to beat this guy's ass. I do like it. I like that a lot. Can we finish Ask Rap since it got cut off early by Dano? Yes. Yeah, I want to go back to Micah Parsons because over – I can't remember if it was Friday or over the weekend, but Ricky the dog on Twitter reported – and he's usually – he's got his sniffer up to things. He was very mean to me on Twitter recently. Well, hey, that's the insider game sometimes.

43:26You know, it's vicious. But there were reports that of all the teams out there, like the Packers actually put together somewhat of a serious package or were interested and they called the Cowboys and said, hey, let's do this. Is there any truth to that? And if Parsons does end up getting dealt, do we have any kind of timeline? And is the expected package it would take to receive him kind of like what it was when the Bears traded for Khalil Mack? Yeah, okay. Let's start with the last part. I do believe that would be the offer. Now, I think for Mack it was like a one, a future, two with a pick going.

43:59I remember at the time being like, this is the biggest trade I've ever seen. For a player, it was massive. Was it two ones? It was two first round picks, a third round pick, and a sixth round pick to the Raiders. The Raiders also received a 2020 second round pick and a conditional 2025th round pick. And did they swap? Did they swap as well? Yeah. The Los Angeles Chargers for a 2022 second round pick. Yeah. Okay, so it was two ones plus with a two coming back, which is like, if the Cowboys are going to trade Micah Parsons, that's what it's going to be. It's going to be all of the picks. I don't believe that the Cowboys have received any official offers because I don't believe that they have accepted or engaged with anyone.

44:47Because to have it, I mean, you could, I was going to say fax over an offer. You could text over an offer if you wanted to. I don't believe it's gotten there because teams usually don't make offers until they know that we're talking. I would expect that the Packers would be among the teams interested. And I would say I would expect the Packers would be among the teams really interested. They have paid Jordan Love. They have a bunch of really good young players, but they haven't. There's some guys like Quay Walker. They have not paid Dak Dom. They paid, but they have money to spend, and they are really good.

45:24And so, like, that's the kind of team that I would say, if Micah was going to be traded, that he'd be going to. Because it's like, we need one final piece. This guy is an absolute dog. He's worth all the money, so pay him all the money. I mean, God only knows what Mulugeta would make that contract. He'd be all of it. But it'd be worth it because you'd get Micah Parsons. And there'd be some other, like, think of all of the really good teams, playoff teams, who have money and a spot. Like, there's a lot of them. it's like those are the teams that would be interested, all of the teams. We were talking about Jerry a little bit last week.

45:59Is there any sort of sense that he has lost it whatsoever when it comes to the business side of it? Because someone actually released the amount of money he lost by waiting for Dak and waiting for CD, and it's like$65 million over two different deals. Is there any sense of that? Is there any sense of Stephen Jones becoming more serious? I forget who he had on the show. maybe it was Schrager. Oh, it was Swagoo. And Swagoo basically was like, hey, we need to just – the Cowboys need to completely separate the two when it comes to front office stuff and then, like, the Cowboys stuff, like the tours and, you know, the practices and things like that.

46:38Like, Swagoo – I'm just laughing thinking of Jerry giving tours. Yeah, exactly. But that was Swagoo's point. Which would actually be an amazing – like, Jerry giving a tour of the stadium would see – People would pay top dollars. Yeah, that would be sold out for months. Absolutely amazing. Count me in on that. But is he, like – is there any sense like that? Is Stephen Jones, is that plan already kind of in place? Is that going to happen sometime soon if this keeps going terribly wrong? So I think it is happening. I think Stephen Jones and Will McClay are, you know, there's sort of an eye roll, I'm sure, because it's like the son of an owner.

47:10But Stephen Jones is very smart, very well-versed, great at personnel, and very good at value and, like, figuring out, like, dealing with the organization. You know, you call him the president, you call him the COO, which is his actual title, whatever. Those guys have been basically in charge as the Cowboys have built themselves into a draft and develop, pay your guys organization. But I just, Jerry is the boss. And until he decides for himself that he is not going to be, he is the boss. Do you think other GMs like right now, though, are thinking like, oh, this guy's gettable now? if there's ever a time to go do something like this.

47:52Now's the time to do it because Jerry's kind of got his... Because it never happens. Yeah, never. Exactly. No, because I don't think... First of all, you're right. No players this good are available ever. Ever. And that's why the trade value is so crazy. It's like even Stafford, when he was traded, it was like two ones and they threw in a golf, which is ridiculous. But that's what it was. It's like these guys are never available. So, yes, I think teams are like, oh, my God, could we get Micah Parsons? But then you talk to these teams or you talk to the Cowboys, you talk to people involved, and it's sort of like he ain't going nowhere.

48:27They don't talk like he's going. The Cowboys have not engaged. They have not said like – So get the deal done. Yeah, but exactly. And like you just said, they've turned themselves into like a draft, grow your players, take care of them. Sure, they are that, but they do it wrong. We just talked about Amun-Ra getting paid$30 million a year, and that looks like the cheapest wide receiver deal of all time. The Lions are a team that do that. They draft and develop, and then they pay, and then they save money because of it. The Cowboys are the opposite of that. They don't pay guys. They make it a huge stink, and then it gets done.

49:06We're a year removed from C.D. Lamb having Hollywood Brown and Kyler Murray as his profile picture, whatever the hell it was, and people thought he was going to Arizona. That's what happens with the Cowboys every single year. That CDLM never made sense to me. I mean, a lot of them don't. None of them do. None of them do. I mean, Dak Prescott had his leg cramp up on the field, and then he got paid after. It was like if you're going to franchise Tagger, your quarterback, the future of your franchise, the reason you do that is just in case they have some terrible, terrible injury because then you don't have to pay the guy a ton of money.

49:42and that's exactly what happened. But then they paid Dak a massive contract anyways after he got hurt. It just doesn't make any sense. Yeah, I mean, I think the way the Cowboys see it, and it sounds – I hate to say this. It sounds weird explaining it because this would not be – I would do things more like the Lions do it. No doubt. And even now, whenever they engage on Aiden Hutchinson, I expect it to be a deal where it's going to be a lot. Everyone will be like, oh, my God, I can't believe they paid it. And then Michael will come in higher. They are generally very, very proactive. But I think what the Cowboys think is, all right, if we pay them early, that's just more money we pay early.

50:20Let's keep the money in our pockets as long as possible, pay them when we have to, pay them. And if we have to pay a little more, we have more information. That's generally the thought, but that does cost them a little more. Does the locker room care, Butsy? I mean, it is good for, I think, just the overall morale. and like we always talk about the buzzword culture, like how the Eagles do business. Like, hey, you know, you guys, you do your job. You come in. You're good in the field. You're good in the locker room. You get paid. Saquon, you get a bump. Jordan, you get paid. Lane Johnson. Don't you think that Saquon contract, everybody was like, oh.

50:57Yeah, and you look at him like, okay. The second contract. Yeah, that's Saquon. You know what I mean? And that's how I'm sure everyone views Micah in the Dallas locker room because even last year when they were pretty much out of the playoff run, Dak was hurt. He was still out there playing hurt. C.D. Lamb, who just got paid, he was still playing hurt. So I credit that a lot to Mike McCarthy, who's there as well. But to Jerry's credit and to Stephen's credit, they do draft well. They find good players, and they pay them late. Jerry, in his mind, it's like, okay, if I pay him early, I guess you're getting one year closer to that next deal anyway if it's going to be a guy, so you're going to end up paying them big time.

51:35They paid Javon Diggs early. I'm thinking his third year he was a second-round pick. But, you know, Micah, he's one of the easy guys, I feel like. He's done everything right from the beginning. He's been an all-pro, a defensive player of the year candidate every year. Like, just get that one done because he's not going there. You have his leverage. You have his rights for the next three years, fifth-year option. Then you can franchise him twice. So, I mean, get that deal done. To us, it makes sense. We're not writing the checks. I get that part. But, I mean, we never see a player like this available.

52:05or a player like this play on their fifth-year option. You never see that. Well, and they can't really lean back on the, like, hey, we'll just keep this extra money in our pocket right now in case you want to improve the team more. Because you look at what they did last offseason, that's what everyone bitched about. It's like we guys didn't do anything during free agency to make the team any better. Well, yeah, exactly. Now we're at the point of the game where it's like, okay, you've just alienated your best defensive player. And, yeah, it's not like there are guys like Micah Parsons out there who are available to get in the interim.

52:37It's just not going to happen. It makes no sense. And it's hard to imagine right now, but this is going to get louder because the Cowboys' Netflix show comes out tomorrow on Netflix. And so maybe this whole entire thing, and if this is the case, then I take back everything I've said about Terry Jones. He's a genius. Maybe he's waiting to sign him tonight so that everybody knows that this Cowboys show is coming out on Tuesday and it's great promotion for it. and this whole thing was just a joke, basically. But there's going to be a clip that comes out where Jerry's probably not even talking about Micah, but something gets said, and then people link it that he's talking shit about Micah like people did with Dylan Gabriel after his game.

53:19I saw that. He took a shot at Shadir Sanders. Obviously, he didn't. But people will do that with stuff that comes out from this show tomorrow because it's basically just about Jerry. I didn't realize it was coming out to him. I actually watched it. I watched all eight episodes. It's kind of awesome. Is it Jerry last season? No, it's all the way. It's the whole how Jerry built the Cowboys. Like the Chiefs one that just came out. Yeah, like the Kingdom. That one I have not seen. It was good. I didn't get the sneak peek for that one. So is it him dealing with Emmitt Smith, Deon, and Mike Irvin? The Emmitt Smith.

53:54Hold up. There's a lot of Michael Irvin stuff. I'm not going to spoil it. Michael Irvin is a rock star. I love that. play, Mike? If there was like an MVP. Of course. Yeah, yeah. It's not a shocker. Yeah, that's incredible. Yeah, you want Mike to play it. You want him in there playing football because, you know, it's nothing like getting into football shape. I think Jerry already came out and said, I wouldn't bet on him out there week one. You don't want to do that. If you're a Cowboys fan, you want Mike out there. I mean, I really, really hope they get this deal done. It just does not make sense.

54:25But to your point, if he does do it, it would be an all-time Jerry move. That would be an all-time Jerry move. I feel more bad for Ty at this moment now because as a non-Packers fan, I'm imagining Michael Parsons on the Packers. That would be so cool. That would be. It would be like Reggie White. It would be just like Reggie White, minus the two-month-long free agency tour. All right, before we get to commercial. Yeah, real quickly because we were talking about the commanders a lot earlier with Terry McLaurin and them going all in and stuff. There was a report this weekend that they're potentially looking at trading their starting running back, Brian Robinson.

55:03Is there legitimacy to that? I would say there is some legitimacy. I don't like the term shopping because, to me, shopping is like if you're shopping a player, you're going to cut him if you don't like it. Yeah, he's not getting cut. I don't believe he's getting – I mean, he's a starting running back. So my sense of this one is like they've got a good young running back, right? They have Austin Eckler. They are probably not going to extend him. They think they have a good rookie. They think they have a good rookie. Right. They are not going to extend him. So if you're not going to extend him, let's see if we can get something for him now.

55:38It's interesting. I'm sure they'll be able to get something. I'm sure there is a market. I wouldn't be surprised if he's dealt. It's just interesting because they're really good. He's their starter. So it's like how unbelievably confident do you have to be? to trade your starting running back before the season. In the rookie. Right. In the rookie or in like we're just going to make it work with 31-year-old Austin Eckler who is so jacked. I follow him on Instagram for I don't know why, and all he does is pull-ups. Yeah, he's jacked. I mean, he is like. I mean, you've got to keep in mind when you're looking in the mirror, Austin Eckler is basically looking back at you.

56:19He's just much more jacked and worked really, really hard, but you guys are like the same size. You could look like Austin Eckler. I do the Peloton. He does the pull-ups. Yeah, yeah, he does real stuff. Really quick, just because there's only 30 seconds. Is Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, is that a real running back one battle? Is that a quick fantasy question? No, no, no, I'm genuinely asking. That is a great question, and if only we had a couple more hours to discuss. Put a pin in that one. Okay. Good tease. That is a good tease. In the business, stay here. I mean, not here, but basically here.

56:53Yeah. We'll be right back on the Pat McAfee show with a lot more football talk, some fun guests. Anyway, don't go anywhere. We'll be back.

57:03As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back. From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com, or just stop by. Hey Chicago, class it up with Crocs.

57:38You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new fave footwear? Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look. Try it. Style it. Make it yours. because the right pair doesn't just show up, it shows off. First day fits, handled. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest Croc store today.

58:09We'll see you next time.

58:33local restaurants. We get some soup dumplings together. There was a bit of a shine to it. I like that. Yeah, so do I. And you broke news during the break, so that was cool. We have some breaking news. The Cleveland Browns have named Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback. What? No! I would agree it is not a surprise. But it is reality. Joe Flacco is their starter. They have now... Wait, why are you so upset? I'm so surprised. Watch week one of the preseason? Christ. Is what some people would say. Some people, but not you. Yeah. All right. I know you guys have just heard this news. I know you are quickly digesting it.

59:17Yes. I want immediate and deep reaction on what this means and how surprised you guys are. You heard it. Jerry Jones is going to have 2 ,200 yards and 25 touchdowns because Joe Flacco is going to throw it as far as possible, and he finally has a receiver that will get under every single thing, and his name is Jerry Judy. I think he's right. I mean, I think we knew this was going to happen when Joe Flacco signed with the Browns. I think that's probably right. This is really that crazy of a story. Yeah, this goes back to the August 18th thing where it's like we're halfway through and all the stuff we already know hasn't been announced yet, but it's about to be announced.

59:54It's kind of what it feels like. Yeah. For this quarterback battle in general, We always knew it was going to be Joe just because he did so well in the Stefanski offense. He hasn't played any of the preseason games because they're not worried about him playing in the preseason games. They know how good he is. They probably were never going to start a third-round pick or a fifth-round pick rookie quarterback. Were they later in the season? Maybe. And Kenny Pickett has been hurt basically all preseason. So, I mean, the writing was on the wall always for Joe here in this quarterback battle. Now, some of the other quarterback battles, I am not so sure who's going to win it, but this one, it felt like it was always Joe's.

1:00:32Yeah, Joe and Stefanski. I mean, you have to keep mine here. Peanut butter and jelly. I like how all the highlights are just Colts, Joe. They're from last year. Yeah. I know, but I'm just saying, like, we spent all this time talking about the Colts, and then it's like, I mean, right? Yeah, it's reminding me that I jumped on a sword for Joe last year. Yeah, it's true. Take us through it. Go ahead, buddy. Anthony tapped out and he did the whole thing. Hey, let's go with the guy. He gives us a chance in the locker room. Same thing's going on with Cleveland. He is the guy week one. We all expect it to be the starter.

1:01:04Do I expect him to be the starter week 12? I think he would have to play really, really, really well. And then the rookies, both rookies, would have to be not developing and not playing well in practice. Wait, so you don't think this is like the whole year? I don't think this is a – I mean, it's tough to commit to. How old is Joe now? 40? 40. Probably 40. 40? 40, yeah. Flat. This is where I talk about how old he is and he's younger than me, but go ahead. Yeah, I mean, and look. You're not playing quarterback. He's played quarterback for a long time. So he could have a good year. We talked about Jerry Judy and the other weapons he has around him.

1:01:35Could have a good year. But I think you've got to find out with the picks that they have next year. You've got to find out what you have in one or two of those young quarterbacks. And I think Kitty Pickett may be the odd man out. Didn't really give himself a chance this preseason to kind of battle or compete. But happy for Joe. You've got another opportunity to start in the National Football League. You can't overlook that ever. And he is a pro's pro. So let's see if he'll figure it out. But young guys continue to take those reps and take advantage of the opportunities. You also have to keep in mind here that when Joe Flacco was in Cleveland last, he did the unthinkable.

1:02:06And, you know, he beat out somebody who died on the field to win combat player of the year. So when you're thinking of Cleveland and Joe Flacco, you kind of do have to go into that thought of, hold on. Can Joe Flacco? Took him to the playoffs. And Jerry Judy. and now Isaiah Bond. I mean, they got all these guys who are so fast, and they got the strongest arm in the history of the NFL. Man, I was there for training camp, and I stood in the end zone while they were doing red zone. And not only was it like a – it was on the money. He looked good. We're still talking about Joe Flacco. Saying some schmuck.

1:02:45I just remember when he was with – do you guys know that Joe Flacco played for the Broncos? Yeah. Yeah. He was actually on the show. He was on the show when he was on the Broncos. Yeah, he was. And got – Circa 2019, I want to say. When he was on the Broncos. What was it? McManus had like a game winner and McManus was on – Yeah, he was on the show and he just said, hey, Joe, say hi. He did. So, yeah, we're highly aware of Joe's. And he's still – I mean, I just don't – it's just like the weirdest career ever. Like, Super Bowl winner, starter up here, gets replaced by – I forget what happened to the guy who replaced him, but I think he's pretty good.

1:03:25Yeah, solid. Which is fine. I mean, that was a great job by Baltimore. He made the right move. I think they made the right move. But it was weird. You're right. After that happened, he just kind of fell off the cliff. Well, the Jets happened to him. Yeah, but people just kind of wrote him off. Forgot about that. Yeah. A lot of quarterbacks go to the Jets to die. And then they go to other organizations to be revived. thrive and make the playoffs. Oh, really? You're just making, in general, not related to anything. But Chad Pennington did. That's what Fitzmagic. Fitzmagic. Brett Favre. Fitzmagic won 10 games with the Jets.

1:04:01It's actually a pretty decent little list we got going on of guys that left the Jets and then did better at their next game. Eagles, I don't remember. Is this weird? I think Eagles was just a can of corn. I don't think he actually played. Because that's the same year as the Jets. And then I remember with the, I think it was with the Browns in 2013, he was signed in week like eight or something like that, right? 2023. 2023, yeah, yeah, yeah. 2023, right. Yeah, he was off the couch. Yeah, he only – And nobody – I remember talking to his agent, Joe Linta. Nobody offered. No one wanted him. It was literally over.

1:04:34And then he signed with the practice squad. Because they reached out to the Jets, I think, because Rodgers had already gotten hurt and Zach Wilson wasn't playing good. And the Jets basically said like, nah, yeah, we're not interested. It's crazy. Joe Flacco. Also a good dude. Great dude. Joe's the man. I have room for Joe. I have, yeah. Never lost his accent either. Nope. He does not have an accent. Joe doesn't have an accent? Yes, he does. Rap. Nope. Are you guys making fun of me now? No. Stop. No, he does not. Look up Joe Flacco saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Can we get that so I can laugh at myself?

1:05:10You just heard it. You actually just heard the clip. See, the problem with you guys is I can't tell if you've had a discussion about this beforehand. We've definitely had discussions. We have discussions about everything, but this one's real. I can't believe it. He's got a very thick Philadelphia-adjacent accent. He was a blue head. Yeah, when you... Blue head I knew about. When you hear it, you're going to feel really dumb about what has happened the last minute. I mean, I felt pretty dumb with Arlovsky laughing about my golfing skills and talking about how much he's going to beat me, but that's probably true also.

1:05:39What if you go out there and just shove it up his ass? Could you imagine? Yeah, I could. I'm so happy. The problem with playing golf against these guys who are actual athletes is I work so hard and I'm so mediocre, and he's going to be much better than me. Yeah, maybe. Maybe not. He's a foot taller than you. He is a foot taller than me. The real problem is when you are thinking about playing golf again, and then you see Scotty Shuffler chip in, and you're like, oh, okay, so I could never do that, so I'm not going to play golf. That would be stupid. I didn't even understand. And I went to – this is definitely why the people are watching.

1:06:14Well, Scotty Scheffler won the BMW Championship. He did. Scotty Scheffler won the BMW Championship, chipping in with an absolutely ridiculous chip that you're seeing right here on the – that was 17. 17, yep. In, like, the most beautiful, elegant chip that you've ever seen. Perfect. Like, and what I don't understand is that at some point his caddy – it was actually he's on a different caddy right now. His caddy's like, all right, land it. here and it's going to roll 40 feet and he's like got you like if i have a caddy say that to me i'm like yeah bro cool yeah well and it goes back to like what bryson was saying last week about how like his like his distances and granted obviously he's not you know 500 yards on the tee box hitting a driver but like he knows exactly you know how hard and to hit the ball it is just insane watching not just Scottie because there are a bunch of dudes.

1:07:07I mean, Akshay Batia had a hole-in-one. From 225. Yeah. All the guys are just so good. Bobby Mack, Robert McIntyre, arguably was like the story of the entire tournament was just on fire. And then, you know, that's the difference between him and Scottie Sheffers. They get paired together. They're in the final round, and he bogeys three of his first four holes. Scottie birdies two of them, and it's like, wow, that's an eight-shot swing there to start Sunday. Scottie has that ability, yeah. Because, yeah, Bob Mack was up. I think he was minus 14 going into Saturday, and minus seven was second place.

1:07:39Just unbelievable first two rounds, and then you stand next to Scotty on the first tee, and everything starts falling apart. Scotty's inevitable. It is inevitable. Goff is the worst like that, though. I know you're playing the course, and you're playing your own shots, but you're obviously not. This is why match play, I mean, this wasn't match play, but it sort of kind of was. like it's the worst because you know you bogey he birdies you feel like you lost a million you know so much ground and you're like how do you not watch this great golfer just humiliate you on the court oh and that's why the rider cup's so awesome to to everything you just said about like you know it's you and it's just you know you're just looking at your pretty good group by the way yeah they are going this is going to be an incredible tournament i gotta get out there just one day.

1:08:27You'll be out there. It's about an hour away. You've played Bethpage, haven't you? I have played Bethpage, yeah. What did you shoot? 170? No, no, no. I played it, I think, four times. I shot 89 one time. Pretty good. The first time I played it, I wasn't driving the ball well at all. I'm like, all right. In the rough, six iron to an elevated green, 185 away. I'm like, yeah, that's not, that's not. Might as well just punch that out. So I ended up punching out the whole freaking round. Yeah, that's a lot of fun. What's it? What are our tees? Played from the whites. Smart. Very smart. But it really is like it is one of my favorite golf courses ever.

1:09:14Everyone walks. And then by the end you get to like, I think 16 is it, is like from an elevated tee box. And so you have to walk all the way up there with your clubs. You're so tired. It's like a beast of a golf course, and you're like, three more holes. These guys are going to do it. The most intense. And 18 is so fun, too. 18 looks like a stadium hole, basically. It's short. Bunkers all lined down, green up top. Everyone drives it in the bunker, and it's like high drama. It's going to be very fun. Yeah, when is it? It is the week four of NFL season. end of September, I believe. Yes. Yeah. And I think it's Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, right?

1:10:00Yeah. Yeah, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Because Friday, Saturday is best ball and alternating, and then Sunday all 14 guys go out. Speaking of, D-Bow. Yeah, you can't talk big-time golf. I'm talking live. Indianapolis. I mean, they delivered. I don't know if you watched. You were watching BMW. Did you watch? I did not. So my son Max is here. Max, say hi. He's watching YouTube. You got a baby Max? Maybe. He has no idea we're even talking about him. My wife is going to literally kill me because he's not supposed to be watching YouTube, but it's fine. Unless he's watching the show. Better than a different tube.

1:10:37He's 12, but he's not 15. Not in this state. That's right. Yeah, you're not allowed to in this state. Definitely not. And he goes... Ask ball and there's ways around. Yeah, yeah. We got a guy in here that just couldn't cut off. I'm glad Bill's got that Chicago VPN. Ready whenever. I have no comments. I have no comments. Go ahead. Your boy's a real live head is what you were saying. We're walking through the course, and he goes, wait, was there golf here? And I'm like, yes. And he's like, could we have seen it? I'm like, yes, could have seen it. And he had, like, no idea that the live tournament was literally here.

1:11:13Yeah, they came here. Were you there? I was not here. I was home. But a couple of the boys, they went. It sounded like they had a great time. Rom won, which kind of has some people, you know, because he won. But Joaquin won like five events. John Rom didn't win any, but he's been like top five, top ten. Didn't win any? No. He is one back-to-back now. Yeah, didn't win any events. So the point system, which is, you know, something to be talked about. But they delivered. I think they sold out all the tickets here. They'll be coming back next year. Oh, yeah. I think they have one more in Michigan next week to kind of wrap up the team championships.

1:11:47They have the in-person thing figured out. They need to get the TV thing figured out. Is it? Because there's more people on the TV than there is at the conference. Yeah, Nick said – For now. Who was like the last person I expected to enjoy it said it was awesome. Really? Yeah. Yeah, and I think it was because I've been to like PGA events. Like I've been to the U.S. Open at Oakmont and the live thing was just so relaxed. It just felt comfortable. It was cool. The music wasn't too loud. It was a nice vibe. You could get a great seat, great sight lines. And Zito was there, too, and I know they hooked him up a little bit.

1:12:17And it was just totally awesome. Look at that smile. You guys weren't sitting together? I went on Saturday. Zito went on Sunday. Oh, okay. But you guys didn't sit in the same seat? I will tell you, people were parachuting in to tell you who was on the leaderboard. It was one of the coolest things of all time. And then the fireworks. Is that a euphemism? They're literally parachuting in. Yeah, to tell you who's the lead and who's the second. I feel like this is like the Joe Flacco accent thing. Yeah, this is real. I'm on the same page as you here. It's real, guys. Just live out of the box. They do.

1:12:50It is golf, but louder. Why is John Rom drinking milk like he just won the breakout? I was in India. Yeah, in India. They had a pace car. And everyone's cool with that? Yeah. Do it as the locals do. I think they asked him before the tournament if he would consider doing that if he won. He was like, yeah. I think it was 60 yesterday, too. Yeah, that course was very gettable. I thought that's why they did it, but I wasn't sure if it was something like, hey, at the end of the live, the champion drinks milk. It's pretty cool. Every stop, they do a different gimmick for the locals. That's cool. I'm not going to make fun of it.

1:13:25All right, I love golf talk, but we have a little football talk on tap for us. Our good friend, Harry Douglas, has been waiting patiently while we talk about golf. Yeah! Thank you for joining us, former faculty, former superstar. Thank you for hanging with us today. Do you have any golf takes before we get to football? No, I'm not much of a golfer, although I just finished playing in Jim Kelly's charity golf tournament, Kelly for Kids, up in Batavia, New York. And, man, I probably, out of all the holes, I probably hit the ball correctly three to four times. Okay, that's not bad. Start. That's not bad.

1:14:06How do you play 18 holes like that? What do you mean? I mean. It's called drinking.

1:14:16You're familiar with it. I've heard of this. I've heard of this. Yes. All right. This is good. Now we're on the same page. This is great. I just don't love to drink when I play golf. Done, done, you. Boy, oh, boy. That was as bad as it gets. That was as bad as it gets. Let's just be real. Harry, as you were coming on, as you were waiting, we got the news that Joe Flacco is the starting quarterback for the Browns. First of all, your reaction to that. And second of all, what do you think now happens to the rest of that quarterback room? Can you pick and include? Yes. So, number one, starting with Joe Flacco, it's exactly what I expected to happen, him be the starter for week one.

1:15:04Now, the reason why I would have went this route as well, when you look at their schedule, it's pretty daunting to start off. And the last thing you want to do is to have a rookie quarterback say, man, I got to keep up with all these teams that we have to play. Joe Burrow is week one, I believe, in that mix. You have Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens and so on and so on. So I felt like Joe Flacco was the guy for the job week one. Now, at some point, gradually, you have to figure out if, you know, is it going to be Dylan Gabriel? is it going to be Shador Sanders with the two first-round picks in 2026?

1:15:37But at the same time, when you look at the number two quarterback, now that's up for grabs. Now, I thought Dylan Gabriel this weekend in his first preseason game had a solid showing outside of the turnovers, and I don't want to downplay those because if Shador Sanders would have threw a pick six or Shador Sanders would have fumbled the football trying to hand the ball off to the running back, then there would be a lot of people right here today crucifying him. Now, Dylan Gabriel did some great things, going three for three on third downs in the first drive, throwing the ball in tight windows where only his receiver can catch it.

1:16:09Yes, all those things are great, but at the quarterback position, the main thing that you're supposed to do is take care of the football. I know in every offensive meeting that I got up to or I was in during my 10 years playing, the number one must that week was no turnovers, take care of the football. And then for a guy who touches it every single play, you got to be able to do that. So, you know, between the two performances, I will give the edge to Shador Sanders because he didn't turn the football over. And that's something that I'm not going to take lightly. Now, Harry, before you were on, we got a little bit of news.

1:16:40Another very important piece of quarterback news. The boys are going to have some questions for you in a second, but I want to get to this. Matthew Stafford practiced today. He was on the practice field. You can see him now looking good, throwing some deep balls to Devontae and Puka. So you're watching this now. You've obviously seen that Stafford is on the practice. You've been following along like all of us. What do you think when you see this right here in front of you? Well, number one, yesterday was Sunday, so God answered a lot of prayers for him. That's the first damn thing that comes to my mind.

1:17:15But this is a great sign because, you know, Friday I was concerned that Matthew Stafford – well, more than concerned, I was alarmed that he hadn't practiced up until that point. and when you have two receivers like Devontae Adams and also Puka Dukua, and for a guy like Matthew Stafford, does he need those reps 1 ,000 %? No, but you would love for him to get reps with the number 1A and 1B receiver that he does have because I picked the Los Angeles Rams to have the number one seed in the NFC as a conference this season. When you look at their schedule, everyone talks about the 49ers and their schedule, how easy it is.

1:17:49Well, San Fran only played four games against teams that made the playoffs last year. The Rams only played five games versus teams who made the playoffs last season. So this is a team I felt like gotten better since last year. And if it wasn't for Jalen Carter dismantling an offensive lineman, we might be talking about a different story within the Philadelphia Eagles going and winning the Super Bowl last year. So I really like the Rams and where they are right now as a football team. But the catalyst to it all has to be Matthew Stafford at the quarterback position, who can still make every single throw on the field.

1:18:22Yeah, and it really feels like the conversation, like now that we, look, we'll see tomorrow if Stafford, we'll hear from McVay, we'll get his schedule and see kind of like how hard they're going to, you know, push the button on him basically. But just him being on the field for me feels like the conversation has now changed. Like you see him, he's functional, throws, like I think the Rams are going to be really, really, really good. and now that he is at least back practicing, that can sort of kick off and keep us going in that direction. But Ian, let me say this though. Here's the catcher though.

1:19:00Go ahead. It's a good sign that he's out there practicing and he's throwing, but it's also imperative that he doesn't have setbacks, right? That's the big thing when it comes to a back injury. Right. That's a good call. That's a good call. Boys have some questions for you. Tone, go ahead. Yeah, Harry, good to see you. Reminds me that week zero is this week. We are basically back to football. But I wanted to ask you about your Falcons. Pennix has not played in the preseason, but I know they have had at least two joint practices with two different teams so far. So he's got his work in there. How do you feel about Pennix and the Falcons this year?

1:19:32Because I thought he looked really good at the end of last season. And then have you heard anything about those two young boys coming off the edge that are going to be the difference this year for their defense? So let me say this about Michael Pennix first. Last year was the bird call, right, where my Falcons were winning games. This year, Michael Penix Jr. is the quarterback. Here. The gunslinger. The gunslinger. Get ready, baby. There's going to be fireworks all over the place. What I love the most about Michael Penix Jr. is you always want your quarterback to be cool, calm, and collected. He is extremely that in the pocket.

1:20:09You also want your quarterback to throw dimes and be able to make every single throw on the football field. short, intermediate, deep, outside the numbers. He's pinpoint accurate. He does those things as well. I think Michael Penix Jr. is going to be able to unlock Kyle Pitts Jr. And that's exactly what all of us have been waiting on. Kyle Pitts to be unlocked. And those two guys being very, very close, golfing buddies as well, I think that's the last thing when you talk about this Falcons offense is Kyle Pitts really coming along and having a season even better than he did his rookie year. That's the only year he had for 1 ,000 yards receiving.

1:20:44but that's also the year that he had competent quarterback play with Matt Ryan as well. So I'm looking for a big year for Kyle Pitts, also for Michael Penix Jr. You look at this defense, that's the chess piece because three of the last four years, 31st, 31st, 32nd, and 2nd quarterback. That's why you draft a Jalen Walker in the first round. You give up your 2026 pick with the Rams and you go and get a James Pierce Jr. Those guys are going to have to be ferocious, and I don't think they have time to ease into it because a lot of people are telling me that the Falcons need to catch up to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

1:21:17Are people forgetting that the Atlanta Falcons had like a three or four game lead in the NFC South last season? And if it wasn't for Kirk Cousins throwing nine interceptions and just one touchdown in like four games, we're talking about a different story in the NFC South. So a lot of people are forgetting that the Falcons had a three or four game lead in that division on top of beginning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So if that defense, you don't have to be world beaters. You don't have to be great. But you have to be able to not allow the quarterback for the opposing team to be comfortable in the pocket.

1:21:50And we all know, D-Buds, you know this. The pass rush and the secondary go hand-to-hand. If you're not getting pressure on the quarterback, I don't care who you have in your secondary. They're not going to be able to cover for five or six seconds. Yeah. Speaking of the guys that are going to have to get covered, a lot of rookie wide receivers. I know you tapped into college football game and obviously NFL. A lot of rookie wide receivers are going to be on the board. You know, Travis Hunter, Matthew Golden out of Green Bay, a Buka down in Tampa Bay, T-Mac in Carolina. Who do you, I guess, expect the most out of this year early on?

1:22:22I think only Golden I would expect to probably be wide receiver one and maybe T-Mac down in Carolina. The other guys have other counterparts. But who's kind of in that best position that you expect the most production going into this year? I'm going to go with Matthew Golden for Green Bay because finally, you know, Jordan Love has a number one wide receiver. This is a guy that for the last six games at Texas last year, he led Texas in receiving yards. And he was their big play guy. SEC championship, big games down the stretch. It was Matthew Golden that Quinn Ewers went to time and time again.

1:22:54So I'm really looking forward to seeing him. He has the size. He has the speed. He has the explosiveness. He's a hands catcher. He's strong at the catch point as well. So I'm really looking forward to him taking a top off and also intermediate on crucial downs, third and three to five, third and six and seven, running that slant, catching the ball strong with his hands, not worried about the safety hitting him. Looking forward to Matthew Golden. Here's another chess piece guy that I'm looking at too. When you look at the New England Patriots and Josh McDaniels going there and you go back to his history, being the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, it was always that slot guy, right?

1:23:31That really got off. So they drafted a receiver in the third round by the name of Kyle Williams. Oh, hell yeah. Kyle Williams is the guy that I really, really love. He's like a human joystick, but when the football is in the air, he's accelerating, going to get it. If he can get the playbook down and show Drake May that he can be trusted, Kyle Williams is another guy that I'm high on. Okay. I like that. I love it. Let's stick in the receiver world. Ty has a question for you. Yeah, Harry, we've been talking ad nauseum about the Terry McLaurin situation and how he's been kind of like the poster child, consummate professional face of the franchise for Washington back when they were dog shit, not just last year, when they went to the NFC Championship.

1:24:16What do you ultimately think is going to happen with this situation? It seems like they're a couple million dollars apart on where he sees himself and what Washington is willing to pay him. What do you think is going to happen with this? There's no way that Washington can go where they want to go without Terry McLaurin this year, right? Yeah, so first things first, this might be one of the dumbest situations in the National Football League right now. From whose standpoint? Well, from the front office of the commanders. You have a guy in Terry McLaurin who is your number one wide receiver. They were sixth and third downs last year in converting.

1:24:53They were first on fourth downs. So if I'm Fifth Kingsbury, if I'm Dan Quinn, if I know we go for it on fourth down frequently, do you think I want to go for it if I don't have my number one wide receiver out there with my quarterback? I have Jaden Daniels as my number one guy to win MVP. But if Terry McLaurin's not out there, I don't have Jaden Daniels as my number one guy. And here's another part to it. Jaden Daniels was so good last season. You know, he covered up for a lot of deficiencies that the commanders actually had. Why would you add another deficiency to Jaden Daniels and put that on his plate if he doesn't have a number one wide receiver?

1:25:29He already led the team in rushing last season at the quarterback position. The defense was 30th versus the run. That's something a lot of people don't talk about. He covered up for all these deficiencies at the quarterback position. Why would you put one more thing on his plate by not allowing him to have his number one wide receiver? And for a guy like Terry McLaurin who had 82-83 catches, well, 56 of those catches went for first downs, fellas. so my thinking is why would you not pay Terry McLaurin for the next three years and extend him when you have this window of your quarterback being on a rookie contract I think Jayden Daniels the next three years totaling I think the total is like 31 million dollars he's counting against the cap why not capitalize on this opportunity right now because no they're not contending for anything in my opinion if Terry McLaurin is not out there in the football field with jay names well the other thing i keep thinking is like you mentioned the runs and there were times last year it was late in this it was in the playoffs there was a there was a couple games late in the season into the playoffs where he got hit and each time he got hit i'm like oh god you know and not just because i'm someone who reports on injuries but also like can we just keep this guy healthy and so like what you would sort of think is less run fewer runs this year and more spreading it around to the weapons, but that's one of the best weapons.

1:26:50Then he didn't get Terry. Gotta have it. Especially if you go and trade for a guy like Debo. From a defensive back standpoint, if Terry's on the field, that makes Debo 10 times more dangerous because you can't really focus in on him. He's a guy you get the ball in his hands. You mentioned the fourth downs. They also do a lot of hurry up. A lot of hurry up, a lot of fourth downs. Keeps the offense off balance. But how important for the people that don't know are these reps? I know Terry's a savvy vet, but he only played one year, one season with Jaden Daniels. How important are these training camp reps for a wide receiver and a quarterback?

1:27:25On a scale of one to 10, I'm going to say 11. Okay. Because at the quarterback position, right, you want to have that rapport with your number one wide receiver. Now, they had it last season, but remember, it didn't start off that way. It gradually worked into that. But if my number one guy isn't practicing the entire offseason because he's dealing with the contract situation, he's not going to be ready to go full throttle week one. How? That's humanly impossible. There's nothing that anyone could do away from football to get in game shape. And D-Buzz, you know this. There's nothing a player could do to get in shape at home that he can do going against his guys every single day of practice.

1:28:06so just him not out there doing that I think when he does come back and he practice once he gets his contract you're not going to be able to put him out there for an entire game and play the or take the bulk of the below that he's normally taken I would say but also guys I would ask y 'all this who else on that roster from a receiver position and I'm saying this with the like in a humble way who is the guy that y 'all think that could line up and be the number one wire receiver against the team's number one corner and get open frequently for Washington? Maybe just Luke McCaffrey. That's the only guy I can go around.

1:28:43Honestly, I was looking at their depth chart earlier. Right now, it's Terry. Noah Brown is hurt, correct? Debo, Chris Moore, Luke McCaffrey, and Jalen Lane, the rookie out of Virginia Tech. That's really... They need Terry. Harry, we got one more. I know Boston Connor wants to get to you, but for Terry. Now he has been practicing by himself. He's been kind of now he's slowly ramping up. How long do you think it takes to get him from right now, which has kind of been doing some work to ready on the field, let's go? Two and a half, three weeks. Think about this, y 'all. A receiver runs 60 yards, doesn't get the ball, runs back 60 yards.

1:29:28receiver could run 20 yards, catch a bench rather deep out. Okay, then you got to – but they go no huddle though too now. So this is a pimple type offense. So all these things you have to factor in when it comes to being in game shape with Terry McLaurin at the wide receiver position. All right, one more for you. Yeah, Harry, love what you said about Kyle Williams. I'm a Patriots fan. I think what you really need to – and I'm sure you probably already know him, but this guy's taken over. His name's Efton Chisholm. You mentioned Josh McDaniel offenses, a huge key to those offenses. Small, no-name, white guy, catching passes that no one's ever heard of before.

1:30:02Sounds vaguely familiar. And that is who Efton Chisholm is, but also undrafted guy. But aside from that, looking at you over there, you got that Louisville Cardinal above your head, a guy that you started college with. Tyler Shuck is currently in a QB battle in New Orleans. What's the word you're hearing about Tyler Shuck? And realistically, if you're a Saints fan and you're looking at this season, I mean, we already talked about the Falcons. We mentioned Tampa. Things in Carolina seem to be turning around. What really are you kind of looking for if you're just a Saints fan going into this year with Kelly Moe in his first year?

1:30:41So, number one, if I'm Kelly Moore and the season started today, Spencer Rattler would be the quarterback that I'll start. And the reason why I say that is because when you look at Shub, you see some great things. Last week he had to pick six and then came right back, double move through the touchdown pass. But even yesterday versus Jacksonville, you'll see moments where he might be holding the football a little too long. Right? And that's just what you can't do in this league. Taylor Williams has understood that now with Ben Johnson coaching him. If you want to be productive in this league, you've got to go through your reads precisely.

1:31:14Right? You have to throw with anticipation. The minute you sit there and you're like, then that's when you're going to get sacked. That's when forced fumbles happen. So I just thought from the standpoint of Spencer Rattler, I thought he looked better in yesterday's performance. Let's see what the third preseason game gives us. But Tyler Shug, he's going to be a good quarterback in this league. I just think right now I will go with Spencer Rattler as my starting quarterback. And at least if you do that, you can say, all right, not that you want to bench Spencer Rattler, but you could do it. You could say, all right, bring on the rookie.

1:31:45It's time to do it the other way seems more challenging, right? Like to do it the other way. Same with AR and Dan Jones. That's damn near. Yeah, I mean, it's, yeah, that's exactly right. Because when you do that, it's like, you know, how do you go back to this? Kill his confidence. Yeah, that's exactly right. Harry, great stuff. Appreciate you, man. Thank you for the talk. Thank you for the knowledge. And I would say we will talk to you soon. I'm sure these guys will talk to you very soon. I might not, but then again, I might. So thank you, man. Great stuff. Appreciate you. Yay! Also, Ian, don't be scared.

1:32:22Don't be scared to drink on the golf course, man. It's okay. I'm not saying I don't drink. You won't be crucified for it. I'm not saying I don't. He's got a flask behind the mic right now. His kid's driving him to the airport. He's only 12. This is like Happy Good More where it's like drinking. Yeah, exactly. Boom. The mic turns into it. Boom. Yeah, there you go. I appreciate the words of advice. Thank you, Harry. Thank you, Harry. Good boy, Harry. You guys are right. That was great stuff, by the way. Yeah, he's awesome. It's locked in. Yeah, locked in. It's ready for the season. I also appreciated the Tyler Shook little bit of the line.

1:32:59Yeah. I do have my son, Max, here. You guys mentioned it. Can I bring him up to say hello? Are you guys okay with that real quick? He ain't my boy. Come here, Max. Come here. Come on, Max. Come on, Max. Max is 12. As you guys know, he has been in Fiji at sleepaway camp. Max, say hi to everyone. Hello. How you doing, Max? What's up, Max? Good work, Matt. He has been, I promised him a year ago that I would take him on a trip to Indianapolis for the Pat McAvey show, not knowing whether or not I would be back here. Sure. Nice. So now I have the opportunity. He's back from summer camp. He's very polite.

1:33:34He is. Yeah, he is. I would not say that. He's good at it. He's all right. His mother did a very nice job. Yeah, definitely polite. Not you. No one said it was you. Right. I mean, I spend most of my time holed up in my basement making phone calls, yelling at people to give me scoops. Yeah. He's a very, very polite, very kind boy. Have you learned anything here today? Were you paying attention? Be honest. No. No. Okay. What was your favorite moment from camp? What? From camp. What was your favorite moment from camp? When your parents shipped you away for three months. Seven months. Yeah. My favorite moment was probably doing the regatta in the camp-wide color war.

1:34:15Oh, you got a regatta. That's what you used to say back then. One first place. Oh, hell yeah. Yeah. No big deal. All right. All right. Thank you, Max. Hell yeah, Max. I love you, Max. Good boy, Max. So is he destined for, like, the Navy now? I have no idea. I don't think so. I'll tell you what. That's actually really mean. No, I think about this all the time. Like, I have two kids. They play sports. Like, both are pretty good athletes. And I think about all the time, like, all right, what would I do if one of them is, like, great? Right? So, like, we're raising him. He's 80. He's 9. He's playing.

1:34:51All of a sudden, he's, like, the best in the world. It's like, how would I do that? Yeah. And I've never really wondered about that once I've realized. I mean, these guys are good athletes, but they're not. And now Max is a great sailor. It's like, what if I have to turn him on to, like. Well, you were a great sailor, too. Well. You've got to get an oar in the boy's hand. I've thought about that. He's got Rowan Crew in his blood. Does he know about your Coxman history? Not Coxman. He does know, and he loves nature, and he loves being out. And so crew is amazing because you're out there in the world.

1:35:24Oh, yeah. And so I think it would be great for him. Build a boathouse in your backyard. We live in a town that does have water. Okay. And they do have some yacht clubs and some other sailing things. They have a good crew. I mean, the Northeast, for shoot, I know we're kind of joking around, But the Northeast for rowing is like a very, very high school rowing. I mean, it's like a damn near a pipeline. It's really just California and the Northeast. Yeah. I mean, I think about it as a parent who would love to send their child to like the greatest school. You could possibly like just be a rower. Yeah, actually.

1:36:00I was going to say Iowa actually has a fantastic rowing team. Really? Yeah. Boathouse is beautiful. Is this like the Flacco accent thing? No, I'm dead serious. The Flacco accent thing is real, and so is the Iowa Boathouse. Yeah. I used to power wash the deck on that thing all the time in the summer. Did you actually? Oh, yeah. I don't know if that's real. I think he's... See, right. This is what I'm saying. They don't have a men's team, unfortunately, because of Title IX. But, you know, it is. You know, they do have wins. No, I'll get to Georgia. Iowa's the Hawkeyes. That's right. Yes. So, anyway, Max is here hanging out.

1:36:35He has been paying, I would say, not very much attention to the show. No, he doesn't like it. No, no, he paid a good amount of attention. He was letting us know how much time we had left before the break was over, and that really pissed me off. So it was definitely fun. Someone should tell him I'm going to beat the hell out of his dad if he keeps talking. That sounds about right. He's been loading his gullet full of Taco Bell and playing mini-clip games on his laptop. He was acting like a normal 12-year-old. He did say to me before the show started, he was like, Like, everyone's kind of, like, running around before the show.

1:37:06And I'm like, yeah, that's, like. Yeah. That's kind of how it goes. That is what it is. Controlled chaos, huh? Controlled chaos. You guys actually miss the best chaos. Uh-oh. Yeah. But it's fun. Fun morning. There was a big. Fun Monday morning. There was a big old storm this weekend here in Indianapolis. High winds, high lightning, high electricity. Yeah. Let's just say four hours ago, we were not going to be able to do a show. Actually, seriously. And there was a lot of. Yeah, that's actually, apologies to the start of the show because our ears were hearing some ringing noise. Hopefully no one else did, but that's how bad it was.

1:37:42Everything got shut down. Before you got here, I'd say we were up on the stage for probably like an hour and 10 minutes testing everything, and the boys in the back were basically just scrambling to try to fix everything. These guys were sweating back there because they were running around plugging stuff in. Yeah, Zito rebuilt the whole studio. Good work, boys. Shut up. Great job, boys. Great job. Mitt had an unexposed wire in one hand and the currency was just flowing through him. That's kind of how we got to her. So we just told him to put him in his mouth and just stand in there. So he's just got two wires hanging out.

1:38:13I just, of all of the things that, like, I exist in a world basically full of chaos. Like, I'm doing this show now and my phone is buzzing and it could be literally anything. And so it's like, I'm used to that. When the weather screws things up, I want to lose my mind. Yeah, it is. Like my training camp tour, which was like 16 flights in 16 days, every day was like, how's the weather going to screw up my day? And I can't. Did it? Yeah. It's a real pain in the ass, especially when, you know, weather cancels baseball games. That does stink. It does. We're trying to connect the jet. Okay, that's fine.

1:38:50Yeah, that was good. I noticed that too. We're going to talk a little baseball. We are going to talk a little baseball, not just because we got literally going on on the main thing and we're on the other thing. but also because it's baseball season and my Mets are going to be better. They're going to be better. Have you gone any games? I've been to a couple games, yes. Did you use SeatGeek to buy your tickets? So what happened is – Yeah, you did. With over 30 million downloads, SeatGeek is the number one rated ticket in that. Each ticket is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, so the green dots. Green means good.

1:39:24Red means bad. Week zero is coming. $30 off all tickets with code PAT. That's just code PAT, P-A-T,$30 off tickets. But remember, actually, if a ticket's like$28, they're not going to give you$2 so you can go a game. They're not or they are? They're not. Restrictions apply to the$30. Move yourself down to field level and then get$30 off that one. Bingo, yes. So that sounds like a great company. It is. It's a phenomenal. Sometimes what I do is I call people and they give me tickets. Oh. Oh, you schmooshen. It's a good move, too. But you can't really go to games, can you? Because you have to – I mean, you kind of fall into that category.

1:40:05You can't even take a shower, remember? I take a shower, but the phone is in the shower. I missed – what did I miss when I was in the shower? Oh, so in my house, I have like a stand. I'm so idiotic. I have a stand for my phone in the shower. Oh, that makes sense. And so sometimes people will call me, and I answer every phone call. Yeah. Except sometimes like Pat will FaceTime me, which that does not get answered. Sure. Right? But it's like when I was a training camp I didn't have my shower stand so I missed the Kyron Williams contract extension immediate because of the shower. One person who also showers with his phone I assume, I don't know let's ask him our good friend Jeff Passan joining us on the Pat McAfee show Jeff What kind of loser has a stand for his phone in the shower.

1:41:02Is this not what people do? Yes! I knew it! See, this was like the flat. I have a perfect little shelf in there. Give us it. Take it through it. Yeah, listen, you have to adjust the shower head just so because it's the little droplets that you worry about, like getting into the bottom of the phone right there. That can blow the whole thing up. so you gotta make sure that that's up against like a side and covered and you gotta sort of angle the shower head so that the blowback isn't too bad and yeah I have broken news in the shower before I'm not proud of it but kind of proud of it. But you guys are the best at what you do.

1:41:44I appreciate you guys saying that. You should be proud of it though because like why would you not? Because it's embarrassing. What kind of lives do we lead where we have to take our phones into the shower. Like, that's terrible. That's that quality of life. That's the world we're living. God, that's all. I just feel bad for the fans who would miss out on having news 30 seconds before they otherwise would, just so I can shower. Like, they deserve the news. Yeah, and there's no other newsbreakers that would break it. I hate all of you. Well, there's that dog, Ricky. Ricky the dog, baby. He's probably going to be tweeting it.

1:42:21He is a dog. Jeff, so, first of all, thank you. Hold on. Do you compete with the dog for news? Yeah. I compete with everyone. There's people. There's landmines all over. It's the whole internet. He out-scooped rap this weekend, actually. You can admit it. He did. Oh, my God. Joins a long list of dogs who have out-scooped me. So I'm a Mets fan. I love baseball. I'm a Mets fan. I did watch last night. No, it's good. We're in a good place now starting this weekend. are my Mets going to be okay please tell me my Mets are going to be okay I saw we called up one of our top prospects for the minors that was very good is help on the way did we do enough at the trade deadline are my Mets going to be okay I think if they're going to be okay it's more because the rest of the National League is just kind of mid and and they could back their way in.

1:43:15I will say this, Nolan McClain coming up was really good for them. And not just because he threw five and a third shutout in his first start, but because the Mets were 45 and 24, Ian, on the strength of their starting pitching. And their starting pitching in pretty much the same number of games since then has been among the worst in Major League Baseball. On top of that, their bullpen has been leaky. The top of their lineup is great. It's going to continue to be like, to me, their biggest strength when you've got Lindor and Soto and Alonzo in Nemo. Like, they got guys who can hit up there, but if they want to win in the postseason, they need to stabilize their pitching.

1:43:56And I don't anticipate that we're going to see a whole lot from the prospect ranks beyond Nolan McClain. So I'm not getting Jonathan? Probably not. He's thrown a lot of innings this season, struck out a lot of dudes. he is probably more like a may you know depending on how the offseason goes i would anticipate him being like a may 2026 guy there's a chance he breaks camp with the team i mean if if the mets really feel like he's got a good chance to win rookie of the year in major league baseball if you are a top 100 prospect you start the season with the team and you have a full year of service there, and you get top two and rookie of the year, you get a draft pick.

1:44:42So, yeah, the incentive to bring a guy up before the season is strong in that regard. And it's why you see a guy like Sam Visayo with the Baltimore Orioles not coming up until after August 15th, because he maintains his rookie eligibility, having less than 45 days on the big league roster and in all likelihood fewer than 130 plate appearances so he will still be eligible for that prospect promotion incentive uh pick next year interesting interesting all right that that's enough nerd nerd met stuff for me um there's been some really fascinating macro major league baseball issues that we want to get to ty schmidt has a question for you yeah jet i don't know if this is just kind of like a known thing but it was kind of shocking when uh The commissioner of MLB, Rob Manfred, last night basically said, like, hey, yeah, expansion is coming, and we're also going to have to look at kind of reformatting, you know, the divisions and everything where potentially in a world, you know, the Yankees and the Mets will be in the same division, maybe with Boston and, you know, Philly.

1:45:50Who knows how they're going to do it. Was this, like, expected? We know this was coming this soon. And what kind of timeline could this potentially be? because hearing that last night, I genuinely was like, holy shit, I didn't realize this was so close on the horizon. Let's start with the timeline, Ty, because that's the most important thing here. This is at minimum like four years off. I think there is a possibility, and all of this goes according to do the A's move to Las Vegas as planned and expected, and what of the Tampa Bay Rays they just are in the process of selling right now. So the likelihood is that they will remain there.

1:46:34There would be two expansion teams if owners go forward with it. And look, owners want the two plus billion dollar expansion fee that they're going to get at the same time. They also understand that this next television contract after 2028 that they expect to sign, that they want to cover everything in baseball, Not just national TV for the World Series and for the postseason, the All-Star Game and other things like that, but they want it to be all of the local television rights as well and to pull those and get an enormous number that they can then distribute out to every team. So they have to get their ducks in a row, but expansion just makes sense because of the windfall that would come from those expansion fees being redistributed out to all the other teams.

1:47:19And listen, I think Nashville is almost a shoe in at this point. Yes. You've also got Salt Lake City, which has really impressed people at MLB. And they've got ownership in place. They've got a stadium plan in place. Des Moines is not going to be, but the West represent. Don't talk shit on the Midwest. I don't want to hear a single word from your obnoxious coastal ass as if the Midwest is any less worthy of baseball than you turds out on the coast. Anyway, beyond that, the realignment thing to me is the most interesting part of it because the question is, what does Major League Baseball want? does it want to realign into eight divisions with four teams each or does it want to radically realign to eight divisions with four teams each and the radical sort of realignment that that i'm thinking of is putting the yankees in the mets in the same division it is putting the dodgers in the angels in the same division it is putting the cubs in the white socks geographic and and And the idea of destroying the American, yeah, I mean, it's, Rap, it's going to be within the realm of possibility.

1:48:36When you are talking about realignment, that makes sense. And Rob Manfred, I don't think it was an accident. He talked about geographical realignment. When you assign the word geography to realignment, what else would you think other than they're going to find those little metropolitan area pockets and that northeast pocket right there with the red socks the yankees the mets and the philadelphia phillies or potentially you could do these are all the games that'd be awesome dude listen i know but beyond that the issue to me that is really at hand here are we going to have an american league in a national league and is it going to look anything like it has historically like baseball fans have been willing to accept a lot over these last few years and i think most to the moves, frankly, have been great.

1:49:23I adore the pitch clock. I think it's fantastic. I think ABS, the challenge system with automated balls and strikes, is going to be a net positive. But man, if you do anything to mess up what has been in place since the advent of the game and the lens through which fans view that and the rivalries that exist right now, I think there will be significant pushback on MLB if they entertain the idea that there cannot be a New York versus New York World Series. If they were to split up the Cubs and the Cardinals from the same division. It's crazy. When they realign guys, they're going to have to be judicious, thoughtful, and understanding of these things that fans hold so dear.

1:50:12God, I hate the Yankees so much. I would hate them even more if we played them more, but that just seems... Well, it weakens how special it is when the Yankees and Mets play each other right now. But I guess that's the Jeff's point. It's like, hey, that's just something you're going to have to get over with. I mean, I got over... Pitchcock has been amazing. Manfred has been controversial and I think really, really good in a lot of ways. Pitchcock, I don't know about saving baseball, but that has been an all-time win. So, I don't know. I want to get to, I want to talk about one of my favorite Mets who no longer is a member of the Mets.

1:50:47Tone Diggs has a question for you. Yeah, Jeff, you reported yesterday that Zach Wheeler has a blood clot near his shoulder. I believe went on the 15-day IL. I mean, the Phillies are, I believe they're second right now in odds to win the World Series. Do we have any more information on Wheeler? Because this would be a ginormous blow for them in the World Series, hopes. Yeah, they're doing more testing right now, and they're going to reassess and try and figure out, is this something that can be mitigated? Is this something that can be fixed before the end of the season? I mean, if he were to need to go on blood thinners, for example, the likelihood would be that his season is over.

1:51:25But we're not there at this point. Regardless, not having Zach Wheeler changes things for the Phillies. Because, you know, they went out and got Joanne Duran at the trade deadline, And that was a really good move for them. It gave them that closer that they desperately needed, particularly with Jose Alvarado out for the postseason after a positive PED test. But if the Phillies were going to win, it was going to be because they rode their starting pitching. It was going to be because Zach Wheeler was there in game one and Christopher Sanchez, who has been as good as the best pitchers in baseball this year, was going to be pitching game two.

1:51:59And they could go with Ranger Suarez or Aaron Knoll. They have a deep, deep starting pitching roster, which is going to allow them to be okay without Zach Wheeler? Will it allow them to be great? That's the question, and something to keep an eye on. I'll be curious to see if they call up Andrew Painter, among the top pitching prospects in baseball, a guy who just was off limits in trade talks at the deadline. God, I used to love Zach Wheeler as a member of the Mets. I don't like him so much anymore, but you just, this is the worst, and you hate it, and I don't know where the answers are, and there's been a couple of these in football.

1:52:34Christian Barmore has been one. Trey Smith coming out was certainly a blood-caught question. The Chiefs figured it out, and he has been one of the best players in football. So it is possible, but you just hate it. I mean, Zach Wheeler, Mets never should have let him go, but he is awesome. It happened with Wemby in basketball this year too. Yeah, that's right. David Andrews. Dame Lillard too, right? Got it. Anyway, Jeff, great stuff. Thank you very much. Appreciate you hanging out with us. I kind of wish you would give me a slight small bit more Mets like positivity, especially after the big win last night in front of all the Little League kids who were trying to trash talk Pete Alonzo, which was ridiculous, but they literally were screaming in his face despite that he's Pete Alonzo when they're not.

1:53:24Raph, can I say one more thing just as long as we're being negative right now? Gumpy, how tall are you? Breck and Jeff are 6 '3". All right, take it easy, Jet. All right, relax. I mean, bro. Those are two legendary footy players, brother. 6 '3". I stood next to you, Jet. It's not fair. Come on. That's not fair. Gumpy, they may be 6 '3", but you make them look 7 '0". Like Shaq. I'm not standing on a box like you, Jet. I cannot stand. See you tomorrow. See you, Jeff. Thank you. Gumpity-doo. Gumpy is too short. Oh, my God. Sorry. All right. See you, guys. Good fit, Gumpy. Holy shit. Good fit, Gumpy.

1:54:06Good fit, Steve Storm. Oh, my God. I was kind of mean that he dunked on Gumpy like that. Yeah. Well, I mean, of all things to do it. Also, you're underselling the height of those two. I think they're taller than 6 '3". They're definitely taller than 6 '3", and Gumpy, you snuck it in there, but. Jett's no skyscraper. Jett ain't feet tall either. I've stood next to Jed at a basketball game. He's not towering anybody in his flip-flops. You're totally the Jed. We hung out at... That's not fair, Burbs. That is ridiculous. Jed's on a box there, too. That's not fair. That's not fair. Boomer played left tackle in the NFL for 28 years.

1:54:45He's seven feet, weighs 475 pounds.

1:54:51Got a feeling about who's hitting a home run today? Don't just sit on it. FanDuel wants you to call your shot with Daily Dingers. All you have to do is make your pick on who's hitting a home run, and if you're right, you'll get a profit boost to use on your next bet for a shot at bigger winnings. Now, when your favorite slugger hits that walk-off, you'll feel like a winner too. Daily Dingers on FanDuel is free to play, and you can lock in a pick every day of the MLB season. That's why FanDuel is the home for home runs. So, are you ready to play your game? Check out Daily Dingers at fanduel.com slash TPMS for the Pat McAfee Show.

1:55:26That's fanduel.com slash TPMS to make your free pick on who's hitting a homer today. Big hits can mean bigger winnings on FanDuel, an official partner of the MLB. Hey, Chicago, class it up with Crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new Fave footwear? Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look. Try it, style it, make it yours. Because the right pair doesn't just show up, it shows off. First day fits, handled. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest Croc store today.

1:56:33Thank you. No, he was like Bob Cousy. Both of you watch your fucking mouth. It was a battle. You see this trophy right here? Yeah. Bobby won. Why is that trophy still sitting there? What is that trophy? Did you guys 3D print that? Oh, you probably don't know. No, you need to ship that shit to OKC, bro. Oh, you don't know. You should know. When you win a title, you keep the trophy. The next team gets a different one. I know, but it just missed reputation. I know, but for this show, it feels like it shouldn't be sitting up there. Well, that sucks, boys, because it is. Yeah. What are you saying about Kirkshan, though?

1:57:08He's like a dog on the b-ball court. So in my previous life, I was an intern at ESPN Classic. Wow. Like a long time ago. Yeah, that was Channel 48 for me. I love that channel. Yeah, it was awesome. For me, it was so cool. So I was between junior and senior year of college. I was the one intern for ESPN Classic. And what I did was do like log tape and do work for their Sports Century documentary. And so I worked on the Billie Jean King documentary, where I developed a crush on Billie Jean King, which then when I met her at a Mets game, I said, I had a big crush on you when I was like 20 from watching all these old tapes.

1:57:49And she said, I wish I had met you sooner, which is one of the greatest lines I've ever had anyone tell me ever in your story. That is sweet. For many reasons. How pumped were you when that happened? How many people did you text? Everyone I know. Yeah. And then the other one was the Cal Ripken Sports Century. And so I heard from Kirk that Cal Ripken would have, like, pick up basketball games and Kirchham would just kill everyone. He was, like, the best point guard. You reach, I teach. He used to be saying that all day long to people. Is that right? Slapping the floor. I've got to see the TBK tapes.

1:58:26Yeah. I mean, you had some games. Yeah, but I'm no telling. The internet is telling me this is true. I mean, the internet's saying it's true? Yeah. The crossover from Timmy K? Yeah. See ya! All the time. What did he say when he hit that corner three to win the league championship? Yeah, it was something like, You can't sniff my jockstrap, bitch! I think he said it to Cal Ripken. Oh, that's what it was. Yeah, yeah, he was chirping Ripken. Yep. He did the big ball dance all the way down the court. Who is this? Tim Kirkson. Oh, my God. Yeah. Do you know what Tim Gershon sounds like or no? Yes, I for sure do.

1:59:06Then how the hell did you just ask who is this? Because I didn't know if you guys were punking me again like you did previously. Since we've been talking, Sean McVeigh. Has this been a stressful show for you just because there's so much news that could break very soon? Wow. Look at, I mean, that is, look at his hair. Holy shit. Are you kidding me? The kicks are clean, both of them. Look how sweaty Ripken is. I like how that is rip. They're going hard. You can look at a freeze frame and know if you got a hoop or not. Bingo. Boom, one more dribble, spun back to the right, fade away off the glass.

1:59:42Yeah, McConnell. Jeez. Yeah, I mean, that's. So Carson was a dog on the basketball court. Yeah. Played with John Shire. I was telling someone this the other day. One of my great regrets in life is I have no basketball game whatsoever and have never played pickup basketball. Well, you're a wrestler, right? Yeah, but, like, you'd think I could be able to, like, join. No, wrestlers don't play basketball. Why would you regret that, Rob? I'll tell you exactly why. When, was it the Super Bowl here? I was here at an event, and somebody was like, we're going to Butler or something like that. We're going to go play pickup.

2:00:16Do you want to come? And I'm like, that would be so cool. No. No chance. Can't do it. Smart. Yeah, can't do it. When did you start golfing, though? When I was 10. Okay. So when I was like 10, like when I was Max's age, I was really good, and now I look like someone who used to be good. but basketball, never. At least you're good at some point. What news were you about to talk about with McVay? McVay talked to reporters after practice, gave an update on Matthew Stafford, and as far as I could tell from the internet, he said things went good. Which, like, I don't really, you know, of all the things he could say, it's just, like, it went well.

2:00:52I mean, he's not going to say if things went bad either. I mean, he would say, yeah, you're right. That's probably true. I mean, the only thing that matters to me is, like, does he get back out there tomorrow is he able to continue and like you know the weird thing is like you know you talked to all these people you talked to McVay you talked to all the and they're like we love Jimmy Garoppolo we got a lot of confidence in Garoppolo and like the reason Jimmy signed is because they think he can compete and he goes and he's going to want to be a starter next year if he plays he can sort of reinvent his career and that would be awesome and it'd be great and everyone in the world hopes that that does not happen my big thing with him is just like week one if he's out there and he gets blindsided and gets sacked, is his back going to be able to hold up?

2:01:35Yeah. It's like you're back when you're that age. That's not something that's going to get – he's not going to wake up and it's just going to feel better. That is increasingly probably going to feel worse over the course of an NFL season. Yeah, that's why even him practicing today, who cares? What are we talking about? He should go every other day, every third day damn near. Like whatever. Until next, I guess the day after the last preseason game. It really does not matter. And maybe it's just kind of hitting me now again, but you forget how little this stuff matters for the Staffords of the world.

2:02:15Now, for everybody else, it's the most important time of their lives. But when you're Matt Stafford and you've been in the league forever and you've already won a Super Bowl, it's August 18th. You definitely need to throw. Yeah, you need to throw. You just need to let your body get through. I agree. It could be football condition. And it's not only him. It's the guys, you know, the other 10 guys in the huddle. You know, you get to hear his cadence and the voice and the play calls and the shifts, especially in that offense. I mean, outside looking in, it's a lot of moving parts. You saw we had Pukul on it.

2:02:48He was, I think, running into one of his linemen or some shit in the backfield. So all of those things definitely matter. And to Ty's point, if you're managing it at this point where, hey, you got to go every other day. It's not getting any shorter with an 18-week regular season in the NFL. So we hope, like Harry said, there are no setbacks. And he is a guy can go out and be somewhat healthy. We know Matt, if he can walk and throw the ball, he's going to play football. So hopefully – I mean, it seems like they're being cautious right now, which is good. But to your point, it is August 18th. November 18th, we'll look back on this.

2:03:22Hopefully they're in a good spot because they are a damn good football team right now on paper. I keep thinking about you guys talking about, like, oh, you know, Stafford, he's got to get his connection with Devontae. And this is so – my life is weird, as we discussed with the shower thing and many, many other things. So I broke the Devontae to the Rams news. I was extremely happy. Thanks. It was a great moment. I didn't have the picture ready, so I had to just tweet the words and then add the picture later, which I hate. Whatever. And you just post whatever the agent sends you, right? I cannot comment on who sent me the news.

2:03:56But then you go out to the joint practice, and I have to remind myself, oh, Devontae. You know what I mean? Of all the preseason things, it's like, wait, this guy's on this team? With McVay? And so I chatted with McVay before, and he was like, Devontae is like he is. Yeah. So good at football. Yeah. I mean, I think that will be a fun one to keep track of. All those guys on the Jets, they really do just get an immediate bad rap. It's not even funny. Not that Devontae needs to prove himself at all, but I do feel like because of last year there is this thought that, so what, Devontae's on the Rams?

2:04:40People do forget how dominant he is when he has a quarterback that can throw it. Just near him. And he was a guy who, like, every year was not only a top three receiver in the NFL, going to the playoffs. He's been on shitty teams for the last four or five years of his career. Those Raiders clips of him in the Netflix show, I was feeling for him. That's why people are talking about the Rams. The Rams really like Jimmy G. Well, guess who doesn't? Devontae. Everyone's going back to those clips saying stuff like that. The Vikings fall into the category of Kevin O 'Connell's there, so we have faith in him and it's almost like we forget with the rams that mcveigh is also one of those guys just because he's got stafford we didn't even talk about the vikings i feel like so i was texting with the vikings person before the show who's oh okay it was kevin palisaro doesn't count okay um because i was i was actually wondering like has jj been as good as we've heard like that was which is like he i guess he lit up the patriots pretty good in their joint practice yeah day two he i guess that's going to get a stop in the same day.

2:05:51And that was when I started getting texts like, hey, this guy's going to be good. And, you know, it was kind of like, we'll see. He's got a long way to go. But, like, no one's talked about the Vikings at all. All they did was add a starting quarterback and, you know, watch their other starting quarterback get paid by someone else. Like, they could be good. Got O-line and D-line. They got Jonathan Allen from Washington. It really just depends on the quarterback position. Yeah. Which is, I mean, if he plays decent in the championship. Even if he doesn't play, he happens. That's right. That's what Dan Rioski said.

2:06:21It's a birthday boy. Yeah, that's right. If he's anywhere between 15 and 18 as far as, you know, ranking the quarterback this season. Yeah, I think that's right. NFC Championship. What a ball. Yeah, I mean, some of these highlights are like, I wish we had better film of the joint practices. Yeah. Yeah, because you see more in joint practices. Like when we cover them, like as a – and they cut off. Yeah. You know, they cut off when you can video them. And some venues are really hard to – There's some practice, I want to say it's either Jets or the Eagles or something like that where they're sitting under awnings and there's just pulls, like actual metal pulls that you have to film.

2:06:58Yeah, they're not very good. I mean, when the Pats had their first joint practice when we were on break, when Vrabel got all bloodied up, there wasn't one video of that entire thing. What do you mean? We haven't seen – have we not seen why he – We saw the second one. No, we saw the second one, but the first time it happened when it was reported like Mike Vrabel bloodied up in Patriots joint practice after getting in the scuffle or scrum, the only thing that came of it was a photo of him walking away with an ice pack or a towel on his head. It should not be that. That's it right there, yeah. It's interesting, though, to your point.

2:07:37You do because I only saw the day one J.J. McCarthy clips against the Patriots where it wasn't great. But then day two, all I see were reports about how dominant he was. He was like 15 and 17 or something. But I didn't see any videos aside from that long screen. I see. I don't know that. I mean, it's just impossible to know. It's impossible to know. Like I was saying, I was following Colts Packers joint practices, and it's like from all the Packers beat reporters are saying, hey, they're dominating the day. And then you go and you look at some of the Colts beat reporters, and it's like, man, Anthony Richardson and Daniel Dimes have looked unbelievable today.

2:08:11It's like, okay, so both these teams are going to be in the Super Bowl, I guess. Here we go. That preview. Yeah. This is why, again, I love the preseason, but it is an exercise in frustration. Oh, yeah. It's like I still, even though I'm so interested, I still feel like I don't know anything. Watch the Giants. If you are a Giants fan and you watch Jackson Dart, he looks really good. good. And you're like, why would you not start Jackson Dart? But it's like, we're not there. Russ looks good, too. So did Jameis. So did Jameis. But now, the only thing I'm thinking, especially watching these clips, is like, okay, what teams are just walking out there?

2:08:51Hey, we're not going to show anything. We're just going to play three, four, cover two. Yeah, literally. All of them. You don't want to show anything. Preseason is getting out healthy. Obviously, you got a percentage of the roster that's trying to make it and it's very very important but which are even still that's a tough spot to be in too that's like so few like that's not that many players that are like on the bubble like how many bubble players you think there are yeah uh not many i would say the the teams know probably what is it 52 guys they know more or less than 10 i would say that's around that number probably like seven to ten depending on the team and then some some coaches and some organizations are different where there are some places they know who are going to play in what position and other places where you can literally go out there and really win a job where it's open competition.

2:09:41They said New England was always like. New England was, I mean, game week, week four was open competition. You had a bad Wednesday or Thursday. It was a chance that you showed up on Sunday and you weren't dressing that game because somebody else is doing something on special teams and you were the third or fourth corner and like, no, we're going to. So, like, that was one of the organizations. But that was very different. That was rare in the National Football League. But I want to ask you, though, you were just talking about texting KOC, and you were a beat reporter, you know, when he was a young quarterback in New England.

2:10:15How crazy is that for you? How many guys are there now that you covered at that point? And now they're, you know, Dan Morgan in the front office or head coach. It's weird. I mean, especially for him. Now, first of all, I was hitting golf balls with my dad. I came back from a break in training camp. I was hitting golf balls and Mike Reese broke the story that Kevin O 'Connell was released. These are the things I remember. And I was so annoyed that I missed the scoop on that one because he was like a very important hot name. It's weird. And like the craziest thing is, so like the one that did it for me was I was in Indianapolis at what was before Prime?

2:10:54What was the name before Prime? No idea. No, no, no, no, no. It was. No idea. Whatever. You had a steakhouse. With that same steakhouse, whatever it was beforehand. And I had a young quarterback coach come up to me. Hosses? And I just, I can't remember. Wanderosa? I just, no. Outback? I hate you. One time I did it. No, I'm not going to. Round, round. I'm not going to tell this story. I'm not going to tell that story. Never mind. I had a young, I was like, you know, I just started NFL Network and I had a young quarterback coach come up to me and be like, hey, are you Ian? And I'm like, yeah, he goes, hey, I'm, you know, I just started out.

2:11:32I'm the quarterback's coach for the Denver Broncos. My name is Adam Gase. And I was like, oh, hey, Adam, like, I'm Ian Rapport. And, like, that's how I met him. And I'm like, oh, like, he's Peyton Bandy's quarterback coach. Like, that's cool. Like, maybe that will be, like, a thing. And then he ends up being a two-time coach in the NFL and leads the most prolific offense ever. And I'm like, wow, like, this happened. Super good. And so, I mean. Were his eyes rolling around his head when he was talking to you then, too? We were both a little. Okay, so maybe. Maybe, yeah. But those moments are weird because it's like you go from like, all right, quarterback's coach, and then like, oh, he's kind of picking up.

2:12:06It's like, oh, he's the hot name. Like I remember when Ben Johnson was in Miami, and he was kind of like just a guy, you know? He was a good young coach. And it's just weird. Like you have to reevaluate who these people are all the time. Yeah, the thing about Michael McDaniel, I had no idea who Mike McDaniel was when he got hired. Really? Didn't even know. Genuinely, if you told me to pick out Mike McDaniel from a line, I wouldn't have been able to. When he got hired, he was a nobody. When he got hired? Yeah, when he got hired, what was he, the run game coordinator? The 49ers? Sorry, not a nobody.

2:12:47Typically, you're thinking of OCs and DCs and coaches who maybe took a year off or something like that. And he was kind of the first, like, hey, random run game coordinator is now the head coach. And then, you know, two years later, everybody's doing the motions or trying to do the motions that he, like, basically started. And it's just crazy how fast it happens. And it's also crazy how much, like, insane, insane knowledge is in the NFL and places that you wouldn't even, you know, guess. Mike McDaniel was the guy who Kyle Shanahan kept around because he was like his run game guru, essentially, and would never go anywhere without him.

2:13:28And I'm like, I don't know who this guy is, but I guess maybe Kyle thinks he's good. He's a head coach. I always thought that was pretty interesting, too, that he got all the credit for the 49ers run game when you're running. Shanahan's dad was the one who kind of did all that. But, hey, by all means, Mike McDaniel is the genius. You want to cry? Yeah, go ahead and cry. I mean, this is going to be a very interesting year for the Dolphins. He is extremely. Is he at the top? Is he the number one, would you say, hot seat? I mean. Who else is really even on the hot seat? Giants would be. Yeah, the bowl.

2:14:05Giants would be sort of there. I don't think the Titans because if Cam Ward is. Yeah, he's a new quarterback. Right. But, like, the crazy – I mean, Indy. Yeah. But I hate this because, you know, they haven't played – like, Giants could be – defense could be really good. Yeah. Russ, if he plays like the Russ from the first little bit of last year, they are going to be absolutely fine, you know. I got a question about one. Okay. Sean McDermott. Like, how long in your mind – and, again, I'm a Patriots fan. at this current moment, it'd be great to be a Bills fan. I understand that. But how long do you think it's going to be?

2:14:47Because it's hard to imagine they ever just fall off and win seven games. That's never going to happen with Josh Allen unless he gets hurt and something terrible happens. Or even still. Even still, yeah. They're going to be in it. How many chances does he have, actually? So this is a great question, and this is one that I think about a lot because it's the same way when you have a player you're like, can't win the big one. I'm like, that is nonsense. Sometimes you lose. I will never be convinced that Josh Allen can't win the big one. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is great. But there's nothing there that stops him.

2:15:26He doesn't have what happens with Shanahan. Shanahan, people say this, but the Niners, you see people get hurt. They've been snake bit in multiple seasons. like with the Bills also have been they've been snake put in some senses which is speciality and that may be and I'm a Sean McDermott I think he's a good coach I think he's a pretty good coach but if I'm thinking from an owner perspective that will probably be the one thing that will make me have a switch like okay I gotta get an offensive guy who maybe we just gotta like whatever the case this isn't working we've had number one defenses. We've had this.

2:16:07We've had that. Maybe I move on from an offensive guy. Move on from Sean for an offensive guy just to get that extra whatever out of Josh Allen. But, I mean, if you're looking around the league, I think Sean McDermott is still easily in the top, you know, probably 12 of coaches. But when you have an MVP caliber quarterback, an MVP quarterback, you know, you want to win a big one. You got to win it. In that sense, too, then, like, what about Zach Taylor? Because it's like, hey, how long that's awesome. You're an offensive guy and a lot of people say that Burrow should have won MVP last year but you've got to make the playoffs.

2:16:44You can't survive on, hey, we went to the Super Bowl forever and they need to win offensively but if they start 0-3 again or whatever the case how much time does he have left? Joe Burrow is so good and I think the offense is going to be so good And they made a change of defensive coordinator that was debated, like hotly debated. Like Lou Anaruma was a very good defensive coordinator. They chose they wanted to go in a different direction. I think that surprised some people, including me. If they start like – and they've done everything to start fast, playing guys in the preseason. So if it doesn't work, the Bengals have traditionally been very patient.

2:17:28So I think they'll be okay. But I see what you're saying because at some point it's like, all right, Like, you got Joe Burrow. Now, Zach Taylor helped make Joe Burrow. But the Bills thing is also interesting, right? Because I was thinking about what you said, D-Butt. Like, Sean McDermott, I do not believe, is in any trouble, okay? Let's just state, I do not believe he is in trouble at all, nor should he be. However, Joe Brady is their offensive coordinator. Joe Brady is going to be a hot head coach candidate this year. At some point, they may lose him. So, like, you know, this is the teams that faced this decision before.

2:18:02The Bucs did it, and they ended up with Dirk Cutter, which didn't work out. So, it's like that's the only thing where I'm like Joe Brady's going to leave if it's some sort of disappointing season, which I do not expect what happens. Bucs are going to have to deal with that this year again. Losing Liam. You had a great, probably, not probably, a Baker Mayfield's best year. Then you lose. That's always the thing you're dealing with. But like Patrick Mahomes, you're never going to deal with that until Andy Reid decides to retire. John McVay, Stafford. Jalen Hurts has been successful with a bunch of different offensive coordinators.

2:18:33New one this year. Sirianni has some input on the offense. So that's always, for me, a comment. Lamar Jackson has won MVPs with multiple coordinators. So you do have quarterbacks who can play with multiple, any coordinators, but a lot of times it comes down to two-minute drives, getting a field goal or a touchdown and having that quarterback play call or being on that side. We always see all the behind the scenes with Mahomes and Andy Reid. Hey, let's call this play. Let's go to this one. It is important, but I think Sean's a great coach. I think they have good pieces in place. They've built the teams.

2:19:08They've been in it at the end. It just comes down to a handful of plays and that always makes a difference. We have Michael Jordan in the league right now. It's going to be tough to get one. He's also a legitimate head coach and I feel like That was my biggest thing. I mean, you talk about Zach Taylor. That was my biggest thing with Fleur before they got Halfley. It's like, hey, I understand you're an unbelievable offensive mind. You're not the OC. You're the head coach. So what the defense does is also on your plate. You can't just be like, well, my offense is unbelievable. My defense has been horse shit for the last – it doesn't work like that when you're the head coach.

2:19:42Halfley was a good hire. Unbelievable. I did not expect that, and I was sort of like, eh. But he's been really good. But that's the thing. with the Bengals too. You kind of threw in there and me and Ty chimed in a little bit. Zach Taylor didn't fucking make Joe Burrow first of all. Joe Burrow and the Heisman. This is the same argument I have with Belichick and Brady. Again, that's my point exactly. Belichick and Brady, Baker and Bowles. There's a thing where if you have a quarterback, that is like a Joe Burrow. You don't need some fucking guru. You really just need a guy that is going to do what Joe Burrow says.

2:20:21And also, to be fair, when you are a team and you have a quarterback and two number ones, which Tampa, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bengals, same exact thing, it's like, hey, offense as far as coaching goes, I know it's very important, but when you have an MVP guy at wide receiver and quarterback, does it really fucking matter what play is coming through the wire? Even with those, like right now when we're talking about Josh Allen and we're saying like, you know, Sean McDermott, he's a defensive guy. Do we do we hang on to Joe Brady just in case? Like that doesn't make any sense to me because Josh Allen has had success before and after Joe Brady.

2:21:03I know he didn't win an MVP, but typically when we were talking about Josh Allen, it was more so like, hey, why the fuck is he throwing it across the field? Six yards down the field versus like, man, this play cost. I mean, part of that is on coaching, though, because usually the power dynamic in the organization, like that quarterback, once you're a franchise quarterback, like you're, you know, unless you have an Andy Reid or Bill Belichick or that type of coach. But you also have to have a coach. And I was speaking to Joe Burrow, seeing more of him on quarterback and even like his personality.

2:21:35Like he's going to be a lead by example guy. But like Brady, Manning, Breeze, like they'll get after guys. Like, they'll set the tone of the game that week. They'll – the offense could be on the field, and you're still hearing Brady talking shit as far as execution, things like that. Not to say that Joe Burrow's any less of a quarterback. That's just his different personality. So that's when you need that head coach or whoever to kind of – because we always talk about teams take on the identity of a head coach. It's what you – what people say you see in Miami. And then what you see in Detroit with Dan Campbell.

2:22:09Like, nobody would look at Dan Campbell and say, oh, he's a genius. but you know how his team is going to come out and compete week in and week out. So the talent, everybody's going to be talented. And obviously when you're talking about Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, those guys on a different level talent-wise. But the coaching still matters, like game planning, like the tempo of the play calls, changing up tempos, got to have it plays. Like Josh Allen, he's a great player. You know, Ken Dorsey got fired. You know, that never happened. I mean, you mentioned it, like Lamar changed completely when Todd Munkin got there.

2:22:42Yeah, and he needed that. It was time for him to – he was an MVP quarterback with Greg Roman, but it was time for him to evolution of his game. Steve Young came out years ago and was like, you need that. He's going to need someone to put him in a sophisticated pass game to expand his offense. We saw him do it in college. It wasn't like a guy who ran triple option in college. He slung the ball with Petrino at Louisville. So you definitely need that. These guys are supremely uber talented, But you still need coaches to kind of set the tone throughout the week, throughout the game, throughout the season.

2:23:15And when you're a head coach, obviously that goes beyond, you know, just one side of the ball. When would you say, like, Brady, Manning, and Breeze, and you might not know that shit, but when would you say that does settle in, though, where it's like, okay. Like, do you think Burrow and Allen and Lamar and Mahomes are at the point now when, like, Brady and Breeze and Manning finally became, like, the, hey, this is my fucking shit, I'm going to say what we're doing? Pat's already there. Yeah, but Andy runs such a tight ship. It's a lot that Pat, just from the outside looking in, and we see so much more now too than we saw back in the day.

2:23:51I'm sure it's things that Pat doesn't necessarily have to do, but once Pat speaks, everybody's going to follow. That's the general. But I don't know. All these quarterbacks, their personalities are so different. Aaron Rodgers, he's a completely different personality than Phillip Rivers. Like, these guys are good quarterbacks, but personality is a big part. Just like any workplace, like the CEOs or those people in position, like people are going to kind of follow that guy in the battle. You know, that's what it is on Sundays. But so Lamar, Josh, you know, Joe, all these guys are the unquestioned leaders of their team.

2:24:28But then we see Lamar, you see how he leads. Like, he leads in his very unique way. And I've seen him get after guys more. He gives that. But that's not the only thing I'm looking for. Or you can tell he's working his ass off Monday through Saturday because that's the only way you can talk to grown men a certain way and check them if you're showing up and you're being accountable day-to-day too. Well, and Pat tells a story, you know, he has a couple times about Peyton where it's like when he came in with the Colts, like, he interviewed them. They didn't interview, which I feel like is very rare.

2:24:57So it's almost like he came in and he was like, hey, if you pick me, like, this is my fucking show right away. So, like, let's not get this cross at all. And obviously, like, he's one-on-one. and there aren't a whole lot of guys like that. Brady obviously wasn't afforded that opportunity, not being the first pick. But Burrow was. Yeah, but you obviously – like talking about quarterback, like you just – personality-wise, Joe Burrow is not Peyton Manning. You know, he's much, much different. And that's like the change of the time too because like I'm assuming they were having the same conversation about Peyton Manning before he won the Super Bowl that we're having about Josh Allen.

2:25:31It took Peyton Manning, what, nine, ten, ten years just to win a Super Bowl. So it's not like crazy. It's not as if, you know, these guys are never going to win or one Super Bowl will be enough. But it's one of those situations where every year, if it's Mahomes, Allen, you know, Burrow, and Lamar, like there is a chance that two of those guys just never end up with one because of how good Mahomes is. It's crazy. So much shit around them got to go right too. It has to be like lightning has to strike. Yeah, it's like – Good defense. You look at my home. Great defense. Great special teams. Great ownership.

2:26:12What's going on in Buffalo? I think they have a really good ownership. Philadelphia, good ownership. Good front office. You know, so you're going to be – Baltimore, they've always been great in the front office ownership-wise. So, yeah, the talent and the quarterback is a big part of it, but all the other shit that goes into it, because when you look at almost any playoff run, rarely do you just see an offense just blow like an Ohio State in the college football playoffs. Some point in time, a defense is going to have to win a game, a 17-13 game, and then an offense gets hot or something like that.

2:26:41Joe Flacco, when he went on his run, Joe Flacco got hot and played out of his mind. He turned the ball with a good defense. So a lot of shit got to go right in football. It's not like basketball where it's like, all right, we got Bron, we got Wade, we got Bosh. We're going to be in the finals every year. All that other shit organizationally has to be right and in place. So that's the other thing to look at when you look at these quarterbacks that are in a position to compete. That's why this is the best. For 20 years it was Brady, Manning, and Big Ben. Joe had that one run. If you're one of those teams, everything has to line up perfectly.

2:27:13You guys are the best. I appreciate you very much. Great job. Much better today. Well done, Rob. You're much more comfortable. Maybe Max been here. Don't want to embarrass yourself in front of your boy. Who paid very, very close attention. Of course. But we're so excited to be here and just walk around and play with all the things. You guys are awesome. No comments on whether or not I'll be back at some point in the near future. Okay. You guys enjoy whoever you have over the next couple weeks. And that's all we have from the Pat McAfee show. I'm going to say goodbye. So you could do like a team on three thing.

2:27:48Yeah, team on me, team on three. You guys punking me again? No, no, no. We actually do this every day. Every day. I watch until the end of the YouTube, obviously. I say what? One, two, three, team? You clearly don't. Team on me, team on three, one, two, three, team. Team on me, team on three, one, two, three, team. Yes. Nailed it. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-CONTACTS. Oh my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe.

2:28:24Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-CONTACTS.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-CONTACTS. The right window treatments change everything. Your sleep, your privacy, the way every room looks and feels. At Blinds.com, we've spent 30 years making it surprisingly simple to get exactly what your home needs. We've covered over 25 million windows and have 50 ,000 five-star reviews to prove we deliver. Whether you DIY it or want a pro to handle everything from measure to install, we have you covered. Real design professionals.

2:28:59Free samples. Zero pressure. Right now, get up to 45 % off site-wide. Plus, get a free professional measure at blinds.com. Rules and restrictions apply.

From the publisher

On today’s show, Pat is out of town on assignment, as NFL Network Senior Insider, Ian Rapport guest hosts the show, recapping week 2 of the NFL Preseason, the Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parson situations, the QB battles around the league, who had the best performances of the weekend. Joining the show is 12 year NFL veteran, ESPN NFL analyst/QB guru, Dan Orlovsky to chat about Caleb Williams’ impressive performance, who he’s really liked so far, Matt Stafford and the Rams, and more. Next, 10 year NFL veteran, ESPN NFL AND CFB analyst Harry Douglas joins the show to chat about the Terry McLaurin situation and where he see’s it going, which rookie WR’s he thinks are going to have the biggest impact, how he thinks the Falcons will be this year, and more. Lastly, ESPN MLB Insider, Jeff Passan joins the show to give an update on the playoff race, and discuss Rob Manfred’s comments about upcoming expansion and reshuffling the divisions geographically. Make sure you subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow to watch the show. Or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN’s Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. We’ll see you tomorrow, cheers
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More from The Pat McAfee Show

All 283 episodes
PMS 2.0 1390 - NFL Preseason Week 2 Recap, Ian Rapoport, Dan Orlovsky, Harry Douglas, Jeff Passan, & Darius ButlerThe Pat McAfee Show · 2 h 28 min
Listen in VO