Hour 1: Falcons-Packers TNF Reactions, plus Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

25:06Early on, you know, definitely after that interception, you know, I started feeling, started getting a rhythm, and everything started clicking. Obviously, you know, with B. John and B. Rob, them boys running the ball, that helped everything in the pass game as well. So, you know, what they did has a lot to do with it as well.

25:23Rich Eisen:Good for him. Talk about your teammates. Come up with the win. He's come back. And that was a massive road win for the Atlanta Falcons, who are flat out in the mix of the NFC South. And speaking of that, perfectly timed, not just for the Falcons, but for partners of the National Football League, including the ones that we're talking to right now, because that was the first of three games in a row for Atlanta in front of the whole country. the Thursday, Monday, Sunday trifecta. Thursday night, last night, next up is a Monday nighter in New Orleans. That's a spicy game. As you know, Atlanta and New Orleans, they do not like each other to the point where Sean Payton was joking about the number of fans dressed as empty seats in a preseason game.

26:14Rich Eisen:And he's coaching Denver now in Atlanta in that one. and then a Sunday nighter against Baltimore at home. And if they win in New Orleans to go 2-2 and get a leg up on their division, then go home on a Sunday night to take on Lamar and the Ravens, that's going to be a heck of an environment. And today's the anniversary of the Steve Gleason game. Speaking of Saints and Falcons, I was there for that one. Kudos to the Falcons. Packers fans feel for you. Season's not over. It just feels that way. We take a break. Jackson Smith and Jigba of the Seattle Seahawks, the reigning offensive player of the year.

26:59Rich Eisen:Already two games in terrifically for him. Coming up next.

27:08Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A. Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. Quick break to tell you some game time tips. When you're hosting during football season, you've got to be ready for every kind of craving.

27:45Somebody wants fresh pizza. Somebody wants crispy wings. Somebody's asking if there's sliders. That's when you need more than one call on the playbook. Frigidaire offers ranges and wall ovens with over 15 cooking modes, so you can tackle hosting with confidence. There's Stone Baked Pizza for restaurant-quality pizza in as little as two minutes, Air Fry Mode for crispy favorites, and Air Sous Vide for juicy, tender sliders. Plus, there's slow cook, no preheat, and more. Stone Baked Pizza and Air Fry, both built right in your oven. That's the game-time MVP combo. So when you're hosting before kickoff, Frigidaire helps you cover every craving.

28:18Available at the Home Depot. Outdoers get more done.

28:20Rich Eisen:Only when using Stone Baked Pizza mode, cook time requires preheat and reheat and may vary based on ingredients. O 'Reilly Auto Parts can help take the guesswork out of your vehicle's check engine, ABS, or maintenance light with O 'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE certified master technicians. Ask for O 'Reilly Veriscan today. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show. Okay, coming into week three, this man led the league in receiving. And right behind him is Chris Olavi, another Buckeye. But I'm cool with that. Absolutely cool with it.

28:57Rich Eisen:These are just facts. Okay, if you say so. Okay. And that's the way I welcome in the reigning offensive player of the year and Super Bowl champion of the Seattle Seahawks, Jackson Smith and Jigba is here. How are you doing, Jackson Smith and Jigba? I'm doing great. It's great to see you again, Rich. I meant every word. I'm fine with all of this. I'm absolutely fine. I'm fine with all of this. You'll have to be. You'll have to be right now. Well, we're all paying rent. We're all paying rent right now. Before we turn to the college aspect of things, let's talk about you. How is life different from you, for you, over the last year, from this point week three of this year to week three of last year?

29:37I would say just the media, just the media attention. You know, you have the hard knocks. You have, you know, people just wanting to understand how we're so good and why we're so good. The ins and outs, you know, kind of the behind the scenes. So really just managing that. But, yeah, that's really it. I mean, I keep it pretty simple. You know, show up to work, do my job, go home, deal with friends and family, you know, when I get a chance or I'm resting. Pretty locked in right now. So try to keep it the same and pretty easy. When did the game begin to slow down for you? I think each year it slowed down for me, for sure.

30:20I mean, the progression that I made from my first year to second year was tremendous for me and definitely saw the game just slowing down. And I think just taking what I learned from each year, I mean, it just continues to slow down. and to be with Sam Darnold the second year in the offense, I definitely feel that again this year. So it's been good. Just want to build off that and continue to grow.

30:49Rich Eisen:So let me just start macro and then maybe get a little bit specific here about the question that you did say. Everyone's wondering why is it clicking right now, which is weird to ask that of a Super Bowl champ. But when you do have your quarterback go out so fast in the middle of it, and we just saw what happened, obviously, with the Giants on Monday Night Football, it can be quite jarring to lose your guy and have to play with the backup. And then there's a new offensive coordinator with a new system on top of it. Why has it worked to the tune of 2-0 so far, do you think? Yeah, I think, you know, thankfully we do have Drew Lott.

31:34as they say, the best backup in NFL right now. Just his preparation through these last two weeks of being a starter, you know, hasn't changed. And we see it every day with Drew, the consistency and the playmaking ability out there on the practice field and the eagerness to go out there and to play on Sundays. I mean, it's not like he doesn't want to play. So we all see that and we feed off that and we have each other's backs and we want Drew to shine. and that's definitely what he's did these last two weeks. So big time, big time player.

32:09Rich Eisen:Well, and then, you know, Brian Flores' system. How have you jived? You clearly jived with it, and it's looked good for certainly the last, we could even say five quarters, six quarters. Where do things stand with him and how that's worked? Man, I mean, he's done an excellent job. I think, you know, there's been questions on how I'm not getting double team and stuff like that. And I think just from the first meetings, the first meeting, it's, you know, we're going to run the ball. We're going to that's where our ego and pride lays. We're going to run the ball. And I think teams have to respect that.

32:45And and that's just and we're sticking to who we are. And I think he's done a great job of putting me in motions, being able to line up everywhere on the field. like the first game I lined up at tackle. Never lined up at tackle in my life. But I think it just goes to show that, you know, you have to account for the run game and the way he's just been mixing it up has been great so far and allow me to run every route in the book at any spot on the field. I mean, it's hard for a defense to account for that.

33:15Rich Eisen:And then walk me through the first touchdown you caught this year. I mean, what a massive moment this was. It's fourth and one, fourth and inches. Your defense came up with its first takeaway of the season. It's the fifth snap of the drive that you started with a nice 13-yarder that Fleury dialed up for you with Drew Locke. And now what? You're thinking what? And walk me through the moment of you're going for it and then you hear the play call and then what ended up happening in that moment. so I line up and they come out in a blitz zone so my job right there was to find the zone Duloc finds me and then from that point on it's the same mentality get as much as I can get and protect the ball obviously we're in a crucial area in the field in the quarter in the fourth quarter so I want to take care of the ball but I want to go score and put some points on the board as well so the Yaks is something that, you know, I've definitely been focusing on, you know, each year.

34:24And I think this will be my best year yet.

34:26Rich Eisen:Well, did you know from the moment the play call came in that this was touchdown written on it? Or when did you know touchdown was written on it for that one? As soon as I made the first person miss the safety coming down. And I saw the lane. I saw the shining light and the big tight ends in front of me. Leading the way, I knew we could make it six. Yeah, and that was a tie game and the first electric play of the entire NFL season. And then you follow it up with three tutties last week. And, you know, entering week three, how are you feeling? I mean, like for yourself right now? I feel great. I feel great.

35:11You know, just the mind and body feels good. And I just want to continue to be in that groove, kind of that flow state as these weeks kind of seem repetitive. But, of course, it's a new team and a new scheme. But the days kind of for me look the same. So if I just kind of stay on that wave, that flow, I feel pretty good. And, you know, we get to have Sam Darnold back. So I'm excited to show out, you know, each and every week. So Sam is returning this week, would you say, JSN? um he looks good he looks good out there I'll say that he looks he looks really he looks really good we're on the record by the way I feel like I should say that interviewing someone from the

35:57Rich Eisen:Seahawks here um but listen and and and Locke has done a great job clearly and and Sam is the guy right that this is the offense that we're talking about here and it just the reason why I ask how you're feeling is like okay so you're opoy you win this thing you win the super bowl and now expectations are raised and you come out in your first two games essentially with the backup quarterback look like this and i'm and and you're talking about flow states like are do you meditate like is that part of your world or yoga like where does this come from jas yeah you you can say uh meditation a little bit, you know, a little bit, nothing, nothing crazy, but just focusing on the process, you know, just really just having the pinpoint focus and understanding what I need to go out there and do, you know, for my team and just really wanting to get it done super badly and win ball games.

36:56So just, just locked in and I can definitely feel my team on the same, wavelength. So we're just ready to defend what we have and push forward. Do you feel like you still have something to prove?

37:16Anything I have to prove is just really for myself, to myself, you know, how far I can take it. I mean, I think to the outside, to the media, to people that have judgment on what I do, I don't think I have anything to prove to them, but to myself, to my teammates, the people that I love and respect, that I see every single day, that I understand what I have going on and this team has going on, I want to prove something to them each and every day for sure. What do you have to prove to yourself, if you don't mind me asking? Really just how far I can take it. What do you mean by that? What are you talking about?

37:56like my focus, you know, how perfect can I be? You know, just aim for that perfection, aim for that, you know, just no mistakes allowed. You know, that's just where I put my goals at, you know, and understanding, you know, I'm never going to be perfect, but, you know, just reaching for that and gunning for that is something, you know, I just want to challenge myself on. I'm super competitive. You know, I want to win. I want to win every single rep. And so just seeing if I can put myself in that mind state and stay there.

38:30Rich Eisen:Now, when you say perfect, again, I've just, again, processed for somebody like yourself who has gotten such a remarkable amount of success at such an early stage of your life is fascinating to me. So do you go into a game thinking, I want to grade myself perfectly with footwork, with route running, with defense reading, with ball catching, like where you're like, I just was perfect, literally. And from quarter one and you're like, all right, now that's done. Here's another route. Is that what you're referring to? Yeah, I mean, I haven't reached perfection yet in the game yet. But for me, I'm referring to more as I kind of like to simple it down.

39:17You know, how quick can I line up to the ball? How quick, you know, can I have my reads? Did I block well this game? Did I, you know, every target, you know, every catchable pass, did I catch the ball and do something with it or protect it? And, you know, I would say those are kind of the ABCs for me that I try to really nail.

39:40Rich Eisen:Now, and obviously you're still so young in your career. Or do you think about, all right, I started in Columbus and I can end in Canton? Do you think about stuff? Seriously. I don't. I don't. I mean, not on my day-to-day, you know, not day-to-day. I don't think that's what drives me. I've always thought that just focus on what I can right now and then just looking up and, you know, hopefully, you know, that happens. But just staying in the moment, I think, is very key for me. It allows me to just focus and, like I said, nail down the things that I want to nail down. And then I'll look up later and, you know, I think I'll be happy with where I'm at.

40:29Rich Eisen:Jackson Smith and Jigwe, a couple minutes left with the reigning offensive player of the year and Super Bowl champion entering week three against the Washington Commanders here for the Seattle Seahawks. how good can Jeremiah Smith be Jackson I've asked you this before now he's the all time leading receiver in the history of Ohio State football which is nuts because he's got a whole season to go how good can he be do you think man I think with the tools that he has his physical ability his mindset just understanding the kid and talking to him and knowing you know the kind of the things he wants to reach I mean he has the opportunity and chance to be the best.

41:12I mean, ultimately, this football and where you get drafted and the teammates and the coaches and stuff, that has stuff to do with it when he gets into the NFL. But I think if you rally around a kid that loves ball like that and is super competitive and has shown he'll do anything for his teammates, I think any team will be lucky to have that and build off that. But he has the chance to be the best. I mean, he's done it at Ohio State. He's done it at all three levels. You know, that's kind of my mindset. Like, I've done it in high school. I've done it in college. Why can't I do it in the league?

41:49And I think he has the same mindset as well.

41:51Rich Eisen:Yeah, he needs six touchdowns to pass Olave's school record for scoring receptions and 22 more catches to get a Buka's record there. He may get you all. Yeah, I think so. I think so. Okay. Hey, Jackson, Smith, and Jigba, what a pleasure to chat with you. it always is. I do not take stuff like this for granted. I know you've got a lot going on and you're focused and you're locked in but I send my best to you and I love watching what you do. You keep doing it. Thank you Rich. Thanks for having me on. Good to see you again. Anytime. That's Jackson Smith and Jigba of the Seattle Seahawks. They're defending champs right here on the Rich Eisen Show.

42:26Rich Eisen:Alright. I appreciate him bearing with me while I was very long-winded about the Thursday night game but I thought I was very also on point. Let's go to break. Call me and tell me how great I am at 844-204-RICH. Did you know every 36 minutes a child in the U.S. is diagnosed with cancer? Which means some of the bravest warriors you'll ever meet aren't professional athletes or superheroes. They're the kids in this fight. That's why I'm proud to support Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For the past 28 years, with support from Hyundai, their dealers, and every new Hyundai sold, Hope on Wheels has contributed over$300 million to childhood cancer research.

43:07Rich Eisen:helping save more than 40 ,000 kids. Join our fight at HyundaiWarriors.com. Rich Eisen here for Gusto. After all these years talking to athletes, coaches, entertainers, and people at the top of what they do, one thing is pretty clear. Success usually depends on getting the details right. For small business owners, that includes payroll, hiring, onboarding, benefits, you know, the work that keeps everything moving, even if it's not the reason you started the business in the first place. That's why there's Gusto. Gusto is online payroll and benefits software built for small businesses. It's all in one, remote friendly and incredibly easy to use.

43:44Rich Eisen:So you can pay, hire, onboard and support your team from anywhere. Automatic payroll tax filing, simple direct deposits, health benefits, commuter benefits, workers comp, 401k, you name it. Gusto makes it simple and has options for nearly every budget. And it's all built to save you time with built-in automated tools for offer letters, onboarding docs, direct deposit, and more. Plus, you get unlimited payroll runs for one monthly price. No hidden fees, no surprises. Try Gusto today at gusto.com slash rich and get three months free when you run your first payroll. That's three months of free payroll at gusto.com slash rich.

44:22Rich Eisen:One more time, gusto.com slash rich. the rich eisen show the podcast i write the first time with linkedin hiring pro please get started by posting a free job at linkedin.com slash eisen why don't you um let's go to tim in arizona back here in the program what's up tim hey now rich how are you today what's on your mind tim Hey, Rich, I just want to let you know that actually I purchased some of your merchandise. I purchased the Mandoza Mania t-shirt and also your Running Man sticker that's on my laptop. Hey, thank you, Tim. You went to richeisenshop.com, did you, huh? I did, I did. And I got another thing to discuss with you in just one second.

45:13Yeah, the shirt's so much quality, and you know the best thing about it?

45:17Rich Eisen:What is it? The Raiders have not lost since I've owned it. Okay. Okay. Boy, Tim. We're a factor. We're a factor. You are a factor. Hey, and one other thing I want to say. I got two things real quick. Sure. Young men, you're out there gambling. Okay. Mendoza, Fernando Mendoza just started finance with Fernando. Go online. That's right. I saw that. find out about finance and not so much about the lines and the other things. Okay. Okay. The next thing I have is, Rich, in your couple, about a month ago, you were cleaning out your desk for some reason, and you have a certificate of mine in your desk, and it's my release of fandom from the Colts.

46:11Okay. I was talking to your call screener, great guy, Adam. And could you send that to me, please?

46:19Rich Eisen:I have it right here. I have it right here. Yep. That's amazing. Got it right here. Football fandom transfer. It's a transfer. The Colts to where? Raiders? Of course. Okay. The future's so bright. Tim in Arizona. Don't you think so, Chris? All right, stay on hold and give your address to Adam, our call screen, and we'll get this football fandom transferred to you. He does have it. He has my address. Very good. Okay, we'll get that. We'll get this to you. There you go. That's the way we roll here. RES Consulting, we're here for you. I feel like a real notary. Atta boy. You might have to become a real one.

46:58Well, in this particular case, you are.

46:59Rich Eisen:Yeah. For all things show-related. It says, This document certifies that long-suffering Colts fan Tim and Phoenix is finally ending his years of mental language by transferring his fandom from the Colts to another yet unnamed NFL team. So I'll cross that out. Raiders, initial. I don't know how this is going to work out for him. Initial, yeah. I have the stamps. The Raiders. The official J. Feli Arias consulting stamps. Okay. By signing this document, Tim and Phoenix will be terminating his status as a Colts fan in perpetuity. He will not be allowed to return under any circumstance. this NFL fandom transfer in no way affects his allegiances to other professional sports teams.

47:36Rich Eisen:And there's a blank for the signature. Oh, it's got a stamp. And the date. Oh. And, of course, there is Paul Sorvino from Goodfellas saying, now I got to turn my back on you. Make sure to sign that, Tim. I'm trusting you. That's incredible. Going to the Raiders, by the way. All right. See, they start 2-0. Colts have the Texans at home. everybody's assuming they're 0-3 hey pal they show up like they did in Kansas City they're going to win that football game for sure they can

48:28Thank you.

49:01Thank you.

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50:06Tell your doctor of newer worsening joint aches and pain or a parasitic infection or asthma.

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