Hour 1: Dolphins Head Coach Jeff Hafley, plus AFC and NFC Championship Game Previews

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0:53Rich Eisen:pick up at your favorite rack store for free great brands great prices that's why you rack This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody.

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1:30Rich Eisen:This is the Rich Eisen Show. Pump up the volume. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. This is the Rich Eisen Show. They love this guy. Rich Eisen. Today's guests. Dolphins head coach, Jeff Halfley. New England Patriots cornerback, Marcus Jones. NFL Network insider, Tom Pelissero. Actor, Dylan O 'Brien. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hey, everybody. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show, Disney Plus ESPN, the app. That's how you're watching us. Hopefully, you might be listening to us on ESPN Radio, Sirius XM, Channel 80, our podcast, all three hours available. If you miss anything, there's also our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show.

2:20Rich Eisen:We're four wide today. Tom Pelissero with the latest on the spinning coaching carousel. The Ravens, since we last spoke, have filled their spot with the guy I thought they'd fill their spot with, Jesse Minter, the defensive coordinator across the way. Our neighbors here, the Los Angeles Chargers in El Segundo, California, might have to also, as you know, replace their offensive coordinator they just hired because Mike McDaniel is currently interviewing with the Buffalo Bills today, along with Phillip Rivers. So lots to talk about with Tommy P when he joins us in hour number three, and that rhymes.

2:55Rich Eisen:Dylan O 'Brien, the diehard Jet fan, who last was here on Labor Day weekend and said the Jets were going 11 and 6. So we will review all of that. And interestingly enough, his new movie is called Send Help. And then we've got Jeff Halfley, the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins, going to be joining us in our number one in just about 18 minutes time. And is it Mackus Jones? Is it who it is? Is it Mackus Jones? Mackus Jones. of the New England Patriots is scheduled to join us in hour number two. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? I'm great. I'm also interviewing for the Bills job, so I'm not going to be here hours.

3:34Rich Eisen:Wow. Okay. But you always have a spot back here. Thank you. You know what I mean? If they say no. Okay, got it. Jason Feller, good to see you, buddy. Good to see you, too. Are you interviewing for the Raiders job? No. Okay, good to know. Can only make it better, though. TJ, is the candle lit? Is it lit over there? You know. The microphone's not on, but the candle is. Let's go. What's up, everyone? Good to see everyone. How are you today, Rich? No one ever has anything like that. Yeah, I appreciate you doing that. Well, you can answer? Oh, I'm great. Okay. As long as I get my music, because you know what I'm about to do here.

4:07Rich Eisen:Oh, come on, man. I'm about to do that thing. Come on, baby. It's championship weekend in the National Football League, and it's time to preview what we were about to see this weekend. And it starts in Denver, Colorado. Look at this. The AFC championship game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. We're back. The one-seeded Broncos, the two-seeded Patriots. It is the fifth all-time playoff meeting and third AFC championship game matchup between these two franchises. We all know who's not playing and who is playing. Bo Nix broke his ankle in the final throws before his final throws of the AFC divisional playoff weekend win over the Bills.

4:50Rich Eisen:He is out. Jared Stidham is in. It will have been 749 days between his last attempted passes in the National Football League, between his two starts. Last one, this current one. It is by far a record for the longest stretch of a player not throwing a single pass between regular season or postseason starts. The current record for most consecutive days without a regular season or postseason pass attempt prior to starting a playoff game is 370 days by Minnesota's Joe Webb in the 2012 wildcard game. Back in that day, Stidham will more than double that. 749 days in between his passes. 141 players have attempted a pass in the regular season or postseason.

5:45Rich Eisen:92 quarterbacks, 26 wide receivers, 11 punters, seven running backs, three tight ends, one defensive back, and one kicker. To say this guy hasn't seen live action in the National Football League in a while is an understatement because the Broncos are the only team in the NFL to not have a backup quarterback attempt to pass in 2024 or 2025. Jared Stidham is starting in the AFC Championship game against Drake, Drake May May, who could become the fourth quarterback this century to win each of his first three career playoff starts. He won two weeks ago. He won last week. If he wins this weekend, he would join Jake DeLome and Joe Burrow for winning their first three career playoff starts because yes, both of those guys never started a career playoff game, then did, then made the Super Bowl.

6:44Rich Eisen:If he wins though, to get four, to get these three and tie those guys, he'd be seven behind Tom Brady, who started his playoff career with ten straight wins. Oh, those were the days. Brady started his playoff career winning his first ten. That's stupid. My God, he'd become the first quarterback to win three playoff games against a top five total defense in a single postseason as well. Because let's not forget, The narrative all season long is, yeah, but who have they really played? And then in the playoffs, May has played not one, not two, but this weekend, three defenses in the top five total defenses.

7:28Rich Eisen:He would be the first quarterback to win three playoff games against those folks. Not a bad way to say, who have we really played? How about those folks? And I'm in the Super Bowl. May ranks in the top five, however, in sacks taken and quarterback pressure percentage faced. And guess who's top two in both of those metrics this season? The Broncos defense. This is where it's all going to come down to it. Can they protect this young man? Can he protect the football as well? Can they run it on this Broncos defense to try and take the pressure off of Drake May? The Broncos defense just allowed a season-high 183 rush yards against Buffalo in that division round win.

8:12Rich Eisen:They allowed the third-most points and second-most total yards in a game all season coming into this game against the New England Patriots, who allowed the fifth-highest pressure rate in the NFL in 2025. The Broncos defense has the second-highest opposing quarterback pressure rate in the NFL. They have the best sack rate in the NFL. The Denver defense does. The New England pass protection, 25th best sack rate. That's where it's all going to come down to for two head coaches who have been there and done that. Sean Payton, in terms of being there before, you bet. He went to the NFC Championship game three times with the Saints.

8:55Rich Eisen:It's his fourth career conference championship game appearance. Mike Vrabel, however, has been there and done that now as a coach and a player. He would be the first person to start in a conference championship game win as a player and win a conference championship as a coach for the same franchise. Nobody's ever done it. He can do that this weekend as he's the third person all time to lead the same franchise to a conference championship game as both a player and a head coach. The others are named Gary Kubiak for the Broncos and Art Shell for the Raiders. That's what's going down in the AFC championship game to start the weekend.

9:35Rich Eisen:And then I need a music change, please, sir. Thank you. The National Football Conference championship game. It's the Rams and the Seahawks. And to say that they know each other and play each other in tight games is an understatement. it's the 58th all-time meeting between the two currently in the previous 57 the Seahawks have won 29 the Rams have won 28 the Seahawks have scored 1223 total points the Rams have scored 1222 total points this year the total points were Rams 58 Seahawks 57 Rams 830 total yards in the two games previous, the Seahawks, 829. You can't make this up how tight of the games they play against one another.

10:30Rich Eisen:This is just the second playoff game in NFL history, however, between a team that won their previous playoff game by 30 or more points, like the Seahawks did, and a team whose last playoff game was an overtime win, like the Rams just did. The only other time was when the Patriots beat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49, coming off of a Patriots 38-point AFC championship win and the Seahawks' NFC championship win in overtime against Green Bay. The Seahawks and the Rams had the two best point margins in the NFL. The Rams won their game by an aggregate 191 points, the Rams 172 points. The leader in point differential has not won the Super Bowl, though, since 2017.

11:13Rich Eisen:17, the Eagles and the Patriots were both tied at 162. So whoever won that game would be the stat that I'm reading off to you. This is the first playoff matchup between the NFL's top two teams in point differential since the Super Bowl 52. The last such matchup featuring teams from the same conference was a 2015 NFC championship game between Carolina and Arizona. We all know Matthew Stafford could be the MVP of the league. maybe will have already seen the MVP of the league play prior to this game with Drake May May in Denver. The last time though the number one scoring offense and the number one scoring defense meant in a conference championship game was the 2014 NFC championship when Seattle's number one defense defeated Green Bay's number one offense in overtime.

12:01Rich Eisen:Stafford will become just the third quarterback since 1950 to have his season high and season low and pass yards against the same team and then meet that team in the playoffs. Because don't forget, the first matchup, Stafford didn't do very much against the Seahawks in Los Angeles, despite coming up with a win. Both of the previous quarterbacks in Ben Roethlisberger against Cincinnati in 2005, and George Blanda against the Chargers in 1960, each won league championships that season. This will be the first playoff matchup between the NFL leader and Passyard Stafford and the number one scoring defense Seahawks since Peyton Manning took on Seattle in the Super Bowl in 2013.

12:43Rich Eisen:And we all know Denver fans would like to not be reminded of that. And Seahawks fans will say, I'd love to see a 2.0 this Sunday, please. It's the first playoff matchup between the NFL leader and passing touchdown Stafford. And the number one scoring defense Seahawks since Aaron Rodgers against the Rams in the 2020 divisional round. The Rams are the first team to finish the season with the NFL's number one scoring and total offense since the Chiefs in 2022, who went on to win the Super Bowl. We all know Sam Darnold's starting for the Seahawks, and he against the Rams, no bueno. With the exception of, obviously, the Thursday night game and the fourth quarter in overtime a few weeks ago when he went off against a Chris Shula defense that otherwise has beaten him every single time.

13:27Rich Eisen:Since Shula became the D.C. in 2024, Darnold is 1-3 against the Rams, including the playoffs. He led the NFL in giveaways in 2025, been much better in the playoffs. As we all know, just last week, didn't have to throw very much. It helps when you return the opening kickoff for a touchdown and have a defense playing like the wagon that it is. He's just the third quarterback since 91 to lead the NFL in giveaways and reach the conference championship games. The previous two quarterbacks in Jim Kelly in 92 and Eli Manning in 2007 each made the Super Bowl. We also know some top-notch A++ pass catchers and receivers are in this football game.

14:08Rich Eisen:This is the first playoff matchup in NFL history between players that had 1 ,700 or more receiving yards in that regular season. This is just the fourth playoff matchup in NFL history between players that ranked first and second in receiving yards that regular season and the first such matchup between wide receivers. Since 1993's NFC Championship game, yes, JSN and Puka Nakua are the Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin of this NFC Championship game in that regard. Jackson Smith and Jigba became the first player to lead the NFL in receiving yards while playing for the number one seed in this conference since Jerry Rice in 94.

14:49Rich Eisen:By the way, Jerry did it two other times in his career. So there's that. And then on top of it, you got Devontae Adams, who I believe everybody in a certain generation thinks, oh, yeah, he won the Super Bowl with the Packers and Aaron Rodgers in 2011. Nope. In the same way everyone assumes Ed Reed won the Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2000. Nope. He wasn't there yet. But Devontae Adams has never played in a Super Bowl. And he, in the meantime, has led wide receivers with eight receiving touchdowns in the playoffs since coming into the league. The only ones with more among all players is Gronk with 12 and Travis Kelsey with 20.

15:35Rich Eisen:It's time for this guy perhaps to make the Super Bowl, unless the guy he replaced wants to step up and do it against the Rams. Yes, Cooper Cup is in this football game, becomes just the fifth Super Bowl MVP to face the team they won the Super Bowl MVP with in the playoffs. Two have won, two have lost. The winners, Von Miller for the Bills in last year's wildcard round against the Broncos. And Richard Dent played for the Niners in beating the Bears in the 94 divisional round. and then the two losers, if you will, or I should say who lost. Peyton Manning losing in the divisional round with Denver against the Colts in 2014.

16:18Rich Eisen:Santonio Holmes losing the AFC Championship game with the Jets at the Steelers. Cooper Cup will become just the fifth player in any of the North American sports, NBA Finals, World Series, or Super Bowl MVP all-time to face the team that they won the MVP with in the final four of the playoffs. The first such occurrence since LeBron faced the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals with the Lakers. And he won it, as we all know. Mike McDonald versus Sean McVay. It is play caller on defense, play caller on offense, play designer on defense, play designer on offense. no doubt Mike McDonald was hired to basically say can you control this guy and Kyle Shanahan in the playoffs should you face them and it's possible he could face them both and face them down and take them to the Super Bowl in the process and that's my NFC Championship game preview here on the Rich Eisen show we take a break because the newest head coach of the Miami Dolphins is sitting down a Jersey man.

17:29Rich Eisen:Too bad Del Tufo is missing out here. We would have him ask Jeff Halfley what exit he's from right here. Coming up next on the Rich Eisen Show. Don't you dare go anywhere. If you're like me and my family, you're all about creating amazing memories while on vacation. And for me, many of those have involved a home we found on Airbnb. We had such great experiences that whenever we travel somewhere new, we always check Airbnb first to find a place that fits our needs. The homes we've stayed in, comfortable, safe, private. You feel like you're part of the community. After a long day of exploring or sitting on a beach, it really is nice to come back to a place you can call your own.

18:10Rich Eisen:Airbnb is also a great way, if you want, to earn some extra money while you're traveling or out of your house for an extended period of time. You can make your home work for you while you're away. Not as a full-time thing, not as some big production, just something that fits into trips you're already taking. You can use the money for that dream vacation or put that money towards that outdoor kitchen you always wanted. Hosting on Airbnb just feels smart. Your home may be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host. Rich Eisen here. You know that feeling of handing off your taxes and then hearing nothing?

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19:21Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show radio as well, the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Jeff Halfley, joining us here now on the program. Good to see you, Coach. How are you, sir? I'm good.

19:33Jeff Hafley:I had not seen that play, so I appreciate you showing that to me.

19:39Rich Eisen:You bet. Now, listen, I think strength is 100 % the ability to show emotion and be there and be present. And, you know, the only thing that, you know, you and I would be different from would be my wife loves walking around saying that she's the spouse of the host of the Rich Eyes. Wait a minute. I'm being told that's the exact opposite of the reality of it. So, you know, I see you, man. I'm with you. So congratulations on all of that.

20:07Jeff Hafley:No, thank you. I appreciate it. It was emotional. You know, I didn't I didn't know I'd get like that. And then I saw obviously my wife and kids and have my mom and brother and sister there. kind of like all the emotions and everything and all the work and all the sacrifices just kind of came out and then and then I thought of my dad who who uh who's not around anymore and and I thought of him and it just that was an emotional day for me rich um very emotional but extremely happy and to celebrate it with them meant a lot to me how old are your daughters how old are they my my daughter Hope is 10 and my other my daughter Leah's seven all right so you're in that you're in

20:46Rich Eisen:the mix right now that that that is for sure um and then you know obviously the journey i'd love to get to that before we get to the to the present day here so much being made about how you got started as a coach um working uh what in dave wanstad's pittsburgh panthers coaching tree if you will and the manner in which you slept in the office jeff what's this story about

21:13Jeff Hafley:Man, that came out yesterday. I had no idea. I didn't even know how to respond to him. He asked me what I would say looking back, and the only thing I could think of was it worked. No, I started coaching Division III football at Worcester Polytech, which no one's ever heard of. My first game I ever coached was against MIT, which people know MIT, but definitely not for football. No disrespect to MIT.

21:34Rich Eisen:No, how about them apples, Jeff?

21:36Jeff Hafley:That's what you got to say. How about them apples? That's what I should have said, Rich. I'm here for you. I'm here for you, but you didn't know that. out exactly um but no so I think the first game I coached there there was five people there and they were all my family members so after that I I kind of climbed the ladder to Albany and then then I went to Pitt with Dave Wanstead and he changed my life um he took me from a GA at the time I had a corner named Darrell Revis so I thought I thought it was a really good corner coach Rich and then when he left I I figured out I had a lot to work on but Dave named me the DB coach after that and just really took care of my family taught me how to treat people and treat players and I still talk to him all the time and it's pretty cool that he was the head coach of the Dolphins and and now I can kind of try to make him proud and you know after that I went to Rutgers for a year and then I got to the Bucks in the NFL bounced around the NFL the Browns I was with the Niners with Kyle Shanahan I met him while I was in Cleveland he was the coordinator I was a DB coach and then I kind of took a leap of faith went to call plays at Ohio State for a year with Ryan Day had a really good season went to the playoffs went 13 and 0 played really good defense and then I got the head job at Boston College and you know had some success there went to three bowl games and you know I kind of took another leap of faith when Matt LaFleur called and said I need you to come you know be my defense coordinator and after a lot of thought jumped back to the NFL and played some good defense and suddenly I'm a head coach again so it has been a it's been a wild journey but one with hard work and surrounded myself with really lucky to be around really good people and players i learned a lot from players too um they helped me get to where i am today well let me rewind a little bit again you slept under your desk like costanza like was it like

23:20Rich Eisen:george costanza like you said i'm a big costanza big guy i'm saying you know but um you know although i i didn't know one of your pillars was truth and it's you know costanza always said it's not a lie if you believe it so we'll get to that in a second but you really slept under your desk for real? I did.

23:38Jeff Hafley:I, um, yeah, I moved into the office. I had a locker with my clothes in it. I had an air mattress and I blew it up every night and I put it to bed. I put it underneath my desk and got to work. And I did that. I did that for almost two years while I was a graduate assistant. I just, I just wanted to move there and give it everything I had. Cause it was to the point where I was going to, you know, take a shot, see if this coaching thing was going to work out um you know and I just I wanted to give it everything I had and and um and I did and I got promoted and it was a lot of sacrifice Rich I didn't have a lot of friends I didn't go on any dates I you could say I probably wasn't a real fun guy to hang around with at the time but

24:17Rich Eisen:but it worked Rich so how about them apples how about them apples right and and in terms of being in Boston College and leaving a head coaching position to take a defensive coordinator position in the National Football League. Again, just to put myself in your shoes, once upon a time I departed ESPN for NFL Network and people were like, what the hell are you doing? What happened? Why did you do that? Do you get a lot of people saying the same thing to you? Why are you leaving being an HC to be a DC?

24:50Jeff Hafley:Yeah, a lot of people. A lot of people questioned it. But to be very truthful with you, I love my time there. In the first two years without the portal, without NIL, it was so pure. I mean, at BC, we had such unbelievable students. They went to class. They did the right things. They worked hard. We were tough. We played so darn hard. And, you know, like I said, we had some success. And I just, when the portal hit, NIL hit, it just, it turned into a different job. You know, I wanted to get into it, to coach football, to help change people's lives. And I just love the pure game of college football.