In short
Week 10 NFL divisional games and playoff-position implications; Tua Tagovailoa’s “job security” pressure after Miami’s struggles; and a guest interview with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz on college football coaching stability amid firings, NIL, and social-media noise.
Guests (and backgrounds)
- Kirk Ferentz: Iowa Hawkeyes head coach, 27th year; longtime Big Ten program builder.
- Joe Banner (scheduled mid-show): former NFL executive.
- Brett Gelman (scheduled later): actor known for Stranger Things (Maury Bauman), plus The Other Guys.
Key claims / notable examples
- Six divisional games highlighted; Jaguars-Texans with C.J. Stroud out (concussion protocol), Rams-49ers with Mac Jones potentially starting, Seahawks-Cardinals with Kyler Murray on IR, Bills-Dolphins framed as a “measuring stick.”
- Tua asked if he’s playing to keep his job; he says he’s focused on helping the team win and admits performance “needs to be better.”
- Notable example: Tua’s interception-heavy stretch (11 interceptions mentioned) and a cited stat that he’s never finished a season with a losing record as a starter.
- Ferentz: coach firings reflect “win now” pressure; social media noise affects decisions; Steelers example of stability without panic.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOGuest Introductions and Show Overview
0:00 to 0:37
Rich introduces today's guests and previews topics for discussion.
“And we're live on Match Day as Doug reaches for a buffalo wing.”
Guest Introductions and Show Overview
1:15 to 3:21
Rich introduces today's guests and previews topics for discussion.
“Today's guests, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, former NFL executive Joe Banner, actor Brett Gelman, and now it's Rich Eisen.”
NFL Week 10 Insights
3:24 to 4:48
Rich discusses the upcoming NFL week and the competitive landscape.
“and it's going to be great when he joins us.”
Divisional Games and Team Performances
4:51 to 6:50
Analysis of key divisional games and team strategies for upcoming matches.
“I can't recall a time where it's just like, this is anybody's game.”
Matchups and Predictions
6:50 to 10:29
Rich discusses important matchups this weekend and their implications.
“But if the Texans wish to be in a better position, they need to win this game.”
Key Games and Player Performances
10:30 to 14:03
Rich highlights key games and player performances to watch in Week 10.
“I didn't mean to mack any of your ground.”
NFL Week 10 Preview: Key Matchups and Stakes
14:03 to 19:49
Explore the pivotal games in NFL Week 10 and their implications.
“Because the bills, this is one of those they should win, right?”
Tua Tagovailoa: Performance and Job Security
20:55 to 21:16
A deep dive into Tua's recent struggles and his future with the Dolphins.
“Back here on Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-RICH.”
Tua Tagovailoa: Performance and Job Security
21:20 to 28:00
A deep dive into Tua's recent struggles and his future with the Dolphins.
“All right, so one of those games that we talked about is Bills at Dolphins.”
Tragic News in the NFL
28:00 to 31:38
Discussing the devastating news surrounding a young NFL player's death.
“with a losing record as the starting quarterback in high school, college, or the NFL?”
Show all 14 chapters
Kirk Ferentz Discusses Iowa Football
34:06 to 42:00
Kirk Ferentz shares insights on his team's preparation and challenges.
“What's going through your mind before this big game?”
Navigating the Challenges of Modern Coaching
42:00 to 46:22
Explore the evolving challenges coaches face in the era of social media and NIL.
“a change in an athletic department, and that is born out of a coach being fired potentially because of a tweet that was sent out from the governor's office.”
Navigating the Challenges of Modern Coaching
46:23 to 46:40
Explore the evolving challenges coaches face in the era of social media and NIL.
“That's Kirk Ferentz of Iowa football right here on the Rich Eisen Show.”
Navigating the Challenges of Modern Coaching
46:43 to 47:04
Explore the evolving challenges coaches face in the era of social media and NIL.
“It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:And we're live on Match Day as Doug reaches for a buffalo wing. He's got it! Oh, and he's gone for a can of Pepsi, too! What a finish! There's no doubt about it. It just tastes better. Match Days deserve Pepsi. Study. And play. Come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get... The best of both worlds. Get the Unreal College Deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more at windows.com slash student offer.
0:40While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college PC.
0:45Rich Eisen:This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. What's up, Trevor? Trevor? Trevor? Trevor? The Rich Eisen Show. Bill O 'Brien and a reporter. Come in here with these down questions. This is a program that we're building. The sun is up and we're fighting.
1:26That's my message to the fans. What's up, Trevor? The Rich Eisen Show.
1:29Rich Eisen:Today's guests, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, former NFL executive Joe Banner, actor Brett Gelman, and now it's Rich Eisen. That's correct. Welcome to this edition of The Rich Eisen Show live from Los Angeles, California. here on Disney Plus, the ESPN radio network presented by Progressive Insurance. And we're also on the ESPN app. We say hello to the Sirius XM channel 80 listeners as well. Our podcast, all three hours available every single day as soon as we're done. And we've got a good show in store for you. Kirk Ferentz, the Iowa head coach, is joining us. I guess we want to be fair and balanced.
2:15Rich Eisen:We had Dan Lanning of Oregon on last week. The two will face one another. And somebody who's been at his post for 30 years almost in Iowa figured it's a pretty good guy to ask about all the changes that have gone down in college football, not just the way that you recruit or now pay players, but the fact that, you know, for some, just a three-game losing streak away from losing your gig. We'll talk to Kirk Ferentz about that. We're not done with the trade deadline conversation just yet because there's lots of resonance to the moves that were made, certainly when you're looking at the Indianapolis Colts acquiring Sauce Gardner for two first-round picks and what the Jets are doing to try and amass as many choices over the next two drafts to rebuild again.
3:06Rich Eisen:Long-time executive in this league, a man who just basically doesn't sugarcoat a darn thing when he talks about the National Football League and the way that you roster and trade. Joe Banner is going to join us in the middle of our number two. And again, if you're new to this show in some way, shape, or form because of the manner in which you take us in and listen, and we've been around for a while, Joe's been on this show quite a bit, and it's going to be great when he joins us. And the very funny and talented Brett Gelman is going to be in studio. Stranger Things is wrapping up its remarkable run later on this year, and later on this month, returns on November 26th.
3:44Rich Eisen:he plays maury bauman in that he'll be joining us in studio in hour number three and uh you might also know his work from the other guy movie the other guy's movie or he was a pig parker on we're gonna we're gonna go down a fun uh pop culture wormhole with him later on good to see over there christopher brockman how are you what's up man mike del tufo in your chair good to see you mike tj jefferson candle is lit good to see you over there sir all right let's just jump into uh this program to start our number three oh i should mention 844-204-rich number to dial on this program we want to hear from you uh yeah i want to hear from you wherever you are um whether you're watching us or or listening to us listen um the uh 10th week of the national football league season is hitting tonight we're hitting double digits let's go we are officially in the second half of this regular season and at this point in time as the raiders go visit the broncos to kick things off to the week on Prime Video tonight.
4:40Rich Eisen:I'll be straight up. This is one of the most wide-open seasons I can recall in my now 23rd season of doing this. The NFL Network just celebrated our 22nd anniversary earlier this week. I can't recall a time where it's just like, this is anybody's game. And it's not just anybody's game. It's anybody's game of, I put out a power rankings list of 10 teams that left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off it. Yeah. And the San Francisco 49ers off it. and the Pittsburgh Steelers off it. And I just named you a 6-2 team and a 6-3 team and a 5-3 team. And there's always a team like, say, the 4-4 Vikings that can come out of nowhere and start to catch fire with their young kid in J.J.
5:23Rich Eisen:McCarthy who look terrific. The Jaguars aren't on that list. They're 5-3. The Panthers aren't on that list. They're 5-4 feeling good about themselves. You know, so there's all of that. from my power rankings list. And, you know, there's the Chargers at 6-3, sitting right there. And they were the ones who started this whole thing off on the second night of the season with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, who are on that list at 5-4. It's flat out wide open, and the rubber meets the road in so many different ways this weekend. Six divisional games. six divisional games because we've been talking about the Colts sitting at the top of the AFC South the Jacksonville Jaguars are playing the Houston Texans we last saw them play each other in week number three that was when Jacksonville surprised them and the Texans were in a deep hole and now the Texans are two games under 500 and the Jaguars are two games over 500 and they just acquired Jacoby Myers from the Raiders and we'll see how that improves things and we'll see which one of these two teams can emerge to threaten the Indianapolis Colts who Houston is yet to play and who Jacksonville has yet to play so the winner of this game I understand the Jaguars are currently in a better position.
6:59Rich Eisen:But if the Texans wish to be in a better position, they need to win this game. And C.J. Stroud is not playing in this game because he got knocked out of last week's game by Denver and he's in a concussion protocol. So it's Davis Mills who has that task to win that game. That's a big contest. You've got also the Rams and the 49ers. Hello. Hey, hey now. Because the Niners took a piece of the Rams earlier on a Thursday night that occurred in week five, when the Niners were as banged up as any team as you can possibly have, went into Los Angeles, went up the road in SoFi, and they hit the Rams right in the mouth and held on to win that game.
7:46Rich Eisen:That's the one where Kendrick Bourne, I think, had 19 ,000 yards receiving. Right. He was unstoppable that game. In place of everybody who was hurt. Kittle wasn't back yet either. And Mac Jones started to show everybody, oh, okay, wait a minute. This is the way it can go without Brock Purdy. And sure enough, Mac has done his job. He takes on the Rams this weekend. It looks like it'll be him again. Six and three against six and two. That's a monster big game. as the Seattle Seahawks come off of their win on Monday Night Football in Washington, D.C., and they are the ones, pardon me, Sunday Night Football, and they are the ones to welcome in the Arizona Cardinals who are coming off of their Monday Night Football win in Dallas.
8:36Rich Eisen:And if the Cardinals, who have placed Kyler Murray on injured reserve to remove the question of whether this offense should stick with Jacoby Brissett or not, And again, this is another instance where there are some people who look at it like the Vikings did when they sat down J.J. McCarthy with an ankle injury. This is now a foot injury that for some reason can't be healed soon enough. Four to eight weeks. He really can't come back from it. But can the Cardinals come back from losing five in a row after starting 2-0? Could they use last Monday night's win in Dallas to go into Seattle where the Seahawks haven't played winning football, believe it or not.
9:21All of their wins, none of their losses, let's put it that way,
9:27Rich Eisen:have come on the road. They lost week one to San Francisco there, if you remember, before Brock Purdy got hurt or got hurt in that game. And then they lost to Tampa. I can't believe it. Hold serve at home in this divisional battle. and if they do they're seven and two and they could actually take first place they would actually take first place if the 49ers win because the Niners would be seven and three and if the Rams win well guess what the following week is when the Rams play Seattle that'll be amazing Seattle playing the Rams twice for the rest of the season but that's next week so the nfc west has big divisional battles that we've been waiting for to be honest with you the panthers are taking on the saints they're five and four that's a divisional battle if the panthers go six and four they're officially on a thursday a higher register team look out for the panthers like i don't know what's going on with them you got to start paying attention to them down there i don't know if there are any of your thursday high registers for later on i don't i I didn't mean to mack any of your ground.
10:35Rich Eisen:You're in the clear. Okay, but they're not mine later on, so I'll just set the stage for a Thursday high register. Hey, man, you got to look out for this Panthers team. They could be in the mix. Everybody keeps talking about everybody from the NFC West, but you got to look out for them. They should win this football game, right? Division game at home. They played much better at home than they have on the road, although they just came up with a big road win in Green Bay. How do they follow that? But, oh, and speaking of Green Bay, I understand it's not a divisional battle. But there are four games between teams 500 or better this weekend.
11:12Rich Eisen:I mentioned one of them already, Rams and 49ers. Eagles and Packers finish things up on Monday Night Football. And the conference is up for grabs. Tasty. Honestly, you look at the NFC standings, the conferences of this, to my point, about this is a wide open race. you've got three six and two four six and two teams uh the rams are the five seed right now the packers at five two and one once upon a time atop the conference that lost to carolina which has carolina now ninth because the bears are five and three at eighth they're also not in my power rankings to be mentioned i mean what a massive game that is because at the same time this week we also have a game above 500 between the patriots and the buccaneers super bowl preview okay fucks are listen at this point in time at seven and two versus six and two take your heart pills and and buckle up thank you coach once upon a time one and two they've won six in a row just like the broncos coming into thursday night football to start the week because the Bucs, the Bucs should be healthier.
12:28Rich Eisen:Although Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin were not out in practice on Wednesday. Everybody thought, okay. Or today. Or today. Yeah. So we'll see what happens here. But this is the first instance since the Patriots won the second of their six in a row where they go on the road and everyone's like a nice young quarterback you got there a nice young team you got there and i know of your i love that you're all going down memory lane with vrabel being back and mcdaniels being back but good luck actually putting your foot in the ground and gaining some traction and doing it this year oh wait a minute they're seven and two this is the first instance since that night in buffalo where they got everyone's attention oh oh, I see what you're doing over there.
13:12This is a massive test.
13:16Rich Eisen:Bucs coming off of a bye. They are six and two. Now you've got to go there and do it against the Bucs. Middle of the season. How good are the Patriots? A massive measuring stick as well for the Buccaneers. As well for the Buccaneers, because the Patriots don't give up rush yards to you. and all they do is get yards in chunks with this young MVP-type stud in Drake May, who Kurt Warner keeps saying is so good at throwing the deep ball, they look like handoffs. And at the same time, I did not mention the sixth game between divisional opponents, bills at Dolphins. Because the bills, this is one of those they should win, right?
14:10Throw
14:11Rich Eisen:records out when you go down to Miami. Throw records out when you go down to Miami in a divisional game, except, you know, Tua might throw it to you. And we'll talk about that shortly. But this is a big game for the bills. Certainly if you think the Bucs might knock off the Patriots, and if that happens, the bills can emerge. through Week 10 as a first-place AFC East team again.
14:40Rich Eisen:Sunday night. Just up the road. Week 10. The fourth game between teams at 500 or better. Steelers at Chargers. Okay, Steelers, you just took the ball six times from Daniel Jones and the Colts, and you punked the team that's been punking everybody else and you got two rushing touchdowns from Jalen Warren, didn't get anybody in the trade deadline, but that last week, that's winning football. That's how you win your division when the Ravens keep getting larger in your rearview mirror. That's how you win your division and get a home playoff game. That's how you get an actual playoff win for your home team fan base that has been flipping out over how long it's been since you've won a playoff game, or the Chargers, who struggled in Tennessee last week and have lost now both tackles for the season, waiting on Omari and Hampton to come back.
15:40Rich Eisen:Can they keep winning football games for Jim Harbaugh? We just had Derwin James on yesterday. They're talking Super Bowl across the street here in El Segundo where the Chargers work out. That's a big game, too. Certainly, if you think Denver's going to boat race the Raiders tonight and the Chiefs are on a bye week at 5-4, Chargers being 6-4, Steelers being 6-3, would be pretty big, certainly if you think that one of the four games this week in Week 10 as well, not just above 500 teams, but involved playoff teams from last year, and one of those games is Ravens and Vikings. Certainly if you think the Ravens are coming at you, or, hey, the Vikings were a higher register winning team last week.
16:23Rich Eisen:Wow, did you see what the Vikings did against the Lions? Huh? Huh? Oh, J.J. McCarthy might be that good, huh? Oh, okay. Maybe we should start paying attention to them. Well, the last time he won a division game on the road and then went home in week two, there was an egg laid against Atlanta. And now here comes the Ravens having won two in a row. We just had Derrick Henry on Tuesday. Ping-pong tables are gone. Lamar's back. And they've won two in a row. And they cannot stub a toe. that's what happens when you're one and five there's zero margin for error the skull chance will be loud they will be flipping out this is a big game in week 10 because the vikings at four and four right now can win this division because the packers are five two and one they're only a game behind a team that they just won at and oh by the way the bears have entered the chat at five and three taking on a Giants team that's always interesting to watch because Jackson Dart is still playing football because the football gods haven't taken away all the nice things from the Giants just yet hopefully not the Lions are at the Commanders another matchup between playoff teams it's going to be a Mariota the Lions need to show last week was just an aberration let's go win a game they're supposed to win and the other teams games involving playoff teams I mentioned Steelers at Chargers, Eagles at Packers.
17:52Rich Eisen:This is what is at stake in Week 10. Oh, by the way, the newfangled, we haven't pulled the ripcord on the entire fire sale season of the Jets taking on a Browns team who sends out Dylan Gabriel again in an offense that Kevin Stefanski is no longer calling plays for. And the echoes of those who talk about the Browns for a living in Ohio are getting louder with the words Shador Sanders being mentioned. Could this be that moment? As Justin Fields hopefully gets Garrett Wilson back, Brees Hall is still there, and so are everybody else they didn't trade for first overall draft picks. They hope will turn out to be that.
18:40Rich Eisen:I mean, I didn't mention all the games, but pretty damn cool. Oh, there's a Germany game, too. Four windows of football Sunday. Falcons and Colts. Are they going to bounce back? Falcons need to win this one too. If they want to be the team to try and catch the Carolina Panthers and raise their hands and say we'll threaten Tampa even though we lost to them in week one because we couldn't make a kick back then.
19:04Rich Eisen:844-204-RICH. Number to dial. Tell us which game you're most looking forward to seeing and what's at stake. Kirk Ferentz is going to join us shortly at the end of this hour. Joe Banner will join us to tell us what he thinks of everything going down in the national football league based on the trades that were made and the trades that weren't made uh also uh when we come back the Tungo Vailoa soundbite when he was asked about whether he's playing for his job yesterday is worth hearing so we will play that for you that's next this is the Rich Eisen show on a week 10 kickoff Thursday
19:48Rich 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 debtplay. A bandwagon fan. The biggest insult in sports. But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup, it's an invitation, America.
20:28Never watched soccer before? Perfect.
20:31Rich Eisen:Think a corner kick is a karate move? Sure, why not? Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks? Now we're talking. So grab a bag of Lay's and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lay's, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
20:52Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show podcast. Back here on Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-RICH. Number to dollar to have a chat. Kirk Ferentz is going to be joining us in about 15 minutes time. ESPN Radio, we're on the air here too. It's presented by Progressive Insurance, The annual progressive Keys to Progress program provides vehicles to deserving veterans, helping our heroes drive their lives forward. Learn more at keystoprogress.com. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. All right, so one of those games that we talked about is Bills at Dolphins. And I understand the Bills are expected to take care of business here. and I have no idea what Dolphins team is going to show up.
21:42Could it be the one that played the most complimentary football game
21:46Rich Eisen:of their season in Atlanta, putting the Falcons on a two-game skid in the AFC East? When they went up to New England and looked pretty darn good, much better than they did at home against the Dolphins. That was what was up with that game. I know Drake London was out, and we were wondering what's happening and all that business. But long story short, Dolphins look great. Turn around and against the Ravens a few days later. Brutal. Absolutely brutal. All around brutal again. Too many mistakes. And the worst one was Tua seemingly throwing it away or not connecting on a fourth and two right before halftime.
22:28Rich Eisen:The play that got drawn up looked like Devin Achan at five foot and change going against Kyle Hamilton, who is like an avatar out there, you know what I mean? And it was just DOA from headset to execution. And Tua now with, after that game, the general manager, Chris Greer, being fired. and Jalen Phillips now gone and clearly everything now on the table for the Dolphins for roster changes. Is it going to be a new general manager? Do they make a change at coach? Although all the conversations there is that Stephen Ross, the owner, is in fact willing to see if Mike McDaniel can do something for the rest of the season and keep him on.
23:26Rich Eisen:and keep him on and see if they can find something like the first couple of years of his tenure there. And the answer to that is, well, how's Tua going to play? And do they, in some way, shape, or form, just blow it all up? And by blow it all up, that involves the quarterback who just signed a monster deal and has a lot of guaranteed dollars headed his way. And if they dead cap him, it's almost nine figures. And it's a tough spot for everybody. And the way through it would be if Tua starts playing way better. But if everything's on the table, is it possible that Tua is playing for his job now?
24:20because if it goes south again,
24:24Rich Eisen:he's tied for the lead in interceptions with 11. The other one is Geno Smith, who we all know has had a brutal first season with the Raiders. We'll talk about the Raiders later on. But his yards per passing, his yards passing per game are less than 200. Less than 200. I know Tyree Kill's been out, but 6.6 pass yards per attempt, his passer rating just less than 88, are all his worst since his rookie season, regressing. And so he was asked flat out, as it's possible, if he doesn't perform well against the Bills, do you see Zach Wilson? Do you kick a tire on Zach Wilson? Quinn Ewers is there too.
25:13Rich Eisen:Quinn Ewers, as we know, and Zach are in a competition for who's in second. On the depth chart, Tua was asked if he's playing for his gig. What do you think when you hear that phrase that you're playing to keep your job? Well, I wouldn't say I'm playing to keep my job. I think I'm playing to try to help our team win every time. I think that's the objective, you know, for every quarterback that's playing, for every football player that's playing as well. The objective is how can I help my team win games? And so I would say if you're looking at it in that sense, I would say my performance needs to be better.
25:51And my performance doesn't reflect me trying to keep my job because that's not the standard in which I've been playing all these other years.
Read the full transcript
25:59Rich Eisen:So I would say that. What an answer. I mean, what an absolute gem of an answer. And I understand folks might think he's dodging it or he's got his head in the sand. But I think that gives you an outstanding glimpse into the way an athlete, a high-profile athlete at a high-profile position, has to approach his job and his mindset. Certainly since when we asked, remember we asked Kurt Warner a couple weeks ago, like, what is up with him? That was going into the Atlanta game, in which he threw four touchdown passes, by the way. Looked much better than Kurt Cousins, who everyone assumed was just going to come off the bench and light it up for Atlanta and create an issue for them at a quarterback spot, similar to what's going on with Jacoby Brissett right now and Kyler Murray in Arizona.
26:46Rich Eisen:And he was, it was brutal. And Tua looked terrific. Kurt said it was a question of confidence. That he's lost his confidence. And I'm like, how does somebody like him lose his confidence? And sure enough, he found it back and then he lost it. It seemingly lost it again. And you can't approach the game to say, if I throw another interception, wait a minute, is that my coach looking at Zach Wilson? You've got to just look at it, snap the sap. I've got the C on my chest. I am the choice of the franchise. I have the contract to prove it. I have done it before. That contract proves it to me that I've done it before.
27:31Rich Eisen:Or you just don't even think about that at all, and you're just like, I've got to go ahead and win it for my teammates. And again, if you think he's just avoiding the obvious here by creating a mind game, saying that I just have to approach it the way I've always approached it, how's this for a stat? It's kind of a did you know without the music and the graphic. Did you know Tua Tungo-Vailoa has never finished a season with a losing record as the starting quarterback in high school, college, or the NFL? Ever. never in his life has he been faced with a two and seven record, potentially even born out of his own inabilities to succeed or find his mojo.
28:19Rich Eisen:So what he just said is just a refreshing piece of honesty. And I think for a Dolphin fan who's looking for anything to believe in this guy's ability to find it again and be consistent and try and turn this season around, certainly if you want Mike McDaniel to stay even though I don't know many Dolphin fans to be honest with you who feel that way but I thought that was a refreshing answer and something that you don't hear that honesty too much before we take a break Kirk Ferentz of Iowa is going to join us in a moment I don't know about you it was a gut punch when I heard this I don't know Marshawn Neeland I don't, I don't, I've never met him.
29:07Rich Eisen:Many of you may have just first heard of him when he recovered that blocked punt for a touchdown. Incredible play, man. Right? He blocked it and recovered. He didn't block it, though. He didn't? No. It went off of the face mask of his opponent. Oh. I mean, of his teammate who took one on the chin. And he was just, you know, on the spot, scored a touchdown on Monday Night Football, on national television, everybody going nuts in the Metroplex. It was a massive boost of energy and momentum that the Cowboys were desperate to have. And he helped provide it. And there he is celebrating the moment with his teammates, smiles around.
29:49Rich Eisen:One would think at the top of his game and the top of his life, and he's now dead. And he was found from what appears to be, according to authorities, after a high-speed chase last night in the Metroplex area. They said he was found shot, that he seemed to be of a self-inflicted wound. And all I can say is it is just gutting to hear that. his teammates are devastated. Former teammates are devastated. And he apparently has a pregnant girlfriend. He's 24 from Western Michigan. And the Dallas Cowboys family is gutted. The NFL family is gutted. The NFL Players Association is putting out a press release to all of its players to seek out if they need any sort of counseling to work through their grief.
30:54Rich Eisen:so um uh to neiland and his family and his significant others as well as uh the cowboys family we uh we send our condolences and may he rest in peace and again for everybody out there just hug your loved ones and if this appears to be what it sounds like check in on them see how they're doing make sure they understand that they're not alone and that um we should all look around and view what we do in a day as our scoring a touchdown and revel in the moment but also know that it can be gone in a flash may he rest in peace we'll be back on the Rich Eisen show in just a moment Rich Eisen here and summer's here too and that means it's travel season my favorite summer trip last year was to Sao Paulo Brazil with so many fans traveling for the Los Angeles against Kansas City game.
31:53Rich Eisen:They got to see how lively the city is. I love the culture and the amazing food that I'm still craving. Those memories remind everyone that it's that time of year to plan a little getaway. And that's why summer has a way of turning weekends into big events. One minute, it's a normal week. And then all of a sudden, a huge concert, sporting event, or festival brings people in from all over. And when that happens, visitors start looking for places to stay all across your city. So if you're already planning a summer trip of your own. You could list your space on Airbnb and earn a little extra cash while you're away.
32:27Rich Eisen:It doesn't have to be some big year-round commitment. It's about making the most of a busy weekend when your place would just be empty otherwise. I can tell you, people love finding a place that helps them feel connected to the city that they're visiting. If your city's about to have a big summer moment, this is a great time to maximize your space. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Save money on your next oil change with O 'Reilly Auto Parts. Get a$15 O 'Reilly gift card after rebate when you buy five quarts of Mobile One full synthetic motor oil for just$35.95.
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33:38Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. We just took a phone call during our TV-only segment, Rick in Iowa. Do I dare to say, Kirk in Iowa, you're on the Rich Eisen Show. How are you? What's up, Coach? I'm good, Rick. How about yourself? Good to see you. Pardon me. I'll give you the proper introduction now. 27th year as the head coach of Iowa football, 20th ranked overall, going into this big weekend game against Oregon and front of the home folks here on the Rich Eisen Show. Good to see you, Coach. What's going through your mind before this big game? I know you've been there and done that, But this is a monster game for you and your program in 2025 here.
34:14Coach? Yeah, it's always exciting. Certainly it's a really intriguing matchup. Oregon's been good for a long time. They're certainly really good right now. Had a great year last year. They've lost two games this season and last. So it just tells you the level they've been playing at. They've recruited really well. They've got an excellent football team. A lot of new faces, but they're all playing well. And you get to November, everybody's experience. They've got a good mix of young guys. that have really given them some octane. It's going to be a big challenge, but I think our team has done their part.
34:47They've gotten better each and every week. We're going to have to be at our absolute best Saturday to have a chance on this one.
34:53Rich Eisen:If you don't mind sharing about what you tell your team in a week like this, because, again, you've been around, you've been there, done that, you've played big games, you've won championships. The question I have for you is do you tell these young kids, hey, we can grab attention here in a way and respect. Do you play that card with your team, Coach? Yeah, I mean, not really. These guys are in college. They're pretty smart, and they certainly know what's going on. I think they know what's at stake here and what the benefit is of winning a game like this, and we've been fortunate to win a few over the years.
35:29So there's certainly a lot of upside involved, and bigger picture is our goal each and every year is to try to improve each week. see if we can't become a better team as the season goes on. I think we've done that so far this year. Eight games into it, we're a better team now than we were a month ago, that's for sure. But then to your point, you get a team like this coming in here, it's a big step up. So we'll have to be at our absolute best. We had a great game here at the end of that first block of games, our five-game block against Indiana. We came up short there in the last two minutes. But, you know, it's going to be another type of challenge like that.
36:07And we'll have to play like we did against Indiana, only a little bit better to, you know, to be in the ballgame against these guys.
36:14Rich Eisen:All right. I might alienate my radio listeners with this question, Coach, but whose artwork is that over your right shoulder on the cabinet behind you? I have to ask. That's my grandson Beckett, actually. That's Cooper DeGene up there in an eagle uniform. So he's a big Cooper DeGene guy. Okay. That makes sense. So that's Cooper? That's Cooper DeGene over your right shoulder. Okay. Yeah, as a pro. Yeah. Okay. And over your left shoulder, I don't know, is that a John Wooden pyramid? I don't know what that is. Yeah, that's, you know, we use different things during the course, and that's probably from 15 years ago.
36:47But, yeah, during the course of camp and what have you, we usually have some things we'll share with it. And, you know, John Wooden's time was what a great teacher he was.
36:55Rich Eisen:Did you ever cross paths with him before his passing at all? Never had the chance to meet him in person, but certainly I remember watching his teams growing up and then just a big fan of his, reading his books or what have you. That's one thing about sports, that thing in life in general, but certainly sports, a lot of the lessons you learn and the lessons you can teach, those are really timeless. Well, I mean, what do you think Wooden came up with that is somewhat groundbreaking that you are using today or as part of your coaching acumen? Yeah, I don't think there's much that's groundbreaking, quite frankly, in teaching or coaching.
37:34But, you know, I mean, one of the first things that starts out, and it's probably more true now than ever, just his dissertation, you know, on how to put your socks and shoes on, which is as simple as that sounds. I remember coming here 27 years ago, and a big fad at that time in college football was spatting up. And whoever, I can't remember our sponsors, shoe-wise, I think it might have been Reebok, doesn't matter. But anyway, they were not happy about guys spatting. And I remember calling Bill Tessendorf, who was our trainer in Cleveland and then Baltimore. Unbelievable guy and just a really wealth of knowledge.
38:10I remember calling Tess to ask him about the medical benefits of spatting. And he said outside of the first three minutes, really no benefit at all. It's more for aesthetics and what have you. And, you know, he said, I'll never forget this. He says, you know, but most guys in the NFL really don't, they don't even tie their shoes well. So, you know, hence this batting might be helpful. And I think that's a good illustration. I mean, you just can't assume anything with players when they come in. You know, you've got to start at the start, and we try to do that each and every year as we, you know, move forward with our team.
38:41Rich Eisen:Well, as you know, this day and age, though, you tell that to the wrong player, you might say, I'll go to the portal where a coach doesn't tell me how to tie my shoes. You know what I mean? You've got to make it their idea. You know, you've got to be very careful how you present things nowadays. Well, I mean. Kind of like Mary. You know what I mean? Hey, that's true. No, that's true. How long have you been married? So I should know? That's a great question. 1979. So we're coming up on 50 here pretty quick. I didn't mean to give you math on this test. So I guess, well, that leads me to relationships and how things are changing in the college football world.
39:16Rich Eisen:Kirk Ferentz in his 27th season at Iowa here on the Rich Eisen Show. How did the recent firings of James Franklin and, I guess, Brian Kelly being another, just two of the bold names in your profession, just a couple win streaks, losing streaks that cost them their jobs, Coach? Yeah, I mean, it's really, unfortunately, a sad reflection of the world we're in right now. And we're not going to change it, certainly. you know all of us that follow college sports and I know you do and you know you're on a couple different levels pros and what have you but I spent six years in the NFL in a lot of ways we've become the NFL although you know we we lack some of the good things the NFL has start with the salary cap start with you know clear enforcement and consistent enforcement of rules and regulations you know so we don't do that but you know but a lot of the bad things that come with that have crept into our existence.
40:16And those are two illustrations. There's more than two. I remember when Coach Helton got fired at Southern Cal a couple years ago. I believe it was in September. And that kind of struck me as interesting in that, you know, if you had that kind of doubt going into a season, I'm not sure why you'd have a coach in place. To me, those are decisions that typically get made in the offseason. But, and again, there may have been something under the surface on any of these decisions that, you know, we're not knowledgeable of. bit. I think it's a really clear message right now for everybody involved in this is you better win and you better win now, at least at most places.
40:51I've referenced this a million times. I grew up in Pittsburgh. I'm kind of a simple-minded person, I guess. I just look at the basics. Steelers have been pretty successful for a long time. They've had three coaches since 1969 when Chuck Knoll got hired. I think the impressive thing about that is that their leadership has change. Obviously, Art Rooney Sr. is no longer alive or running the organization. But despite who's been making the decisions within the Steelers, they've remained true to their philosophy. And outsider looking in, it just seems like when they run into issues, they don't have a season maybe that lives up to their expectations.
41:29They don't panic. They address things and they try to solve problems instead of just cleaning the house. And there's a lot of ways to approach things. I'm I'm not being judgmental, but I guess my lean would be towards that solution. I think that makes more sense and, you know, typically is the best thing for long-term success. But, you know, nobody's really thinking about long-term stuff right now. That's not a real popular mode of thinking.
41:53Rich Eisen:Well, it just seems that it's a little bit, for the lack of a better phrase, coach, off the rails when a governor of a state says something that leads to a change in an athletic department, and that is born out of a coach being fired potentially because of a tweet that was sent out from the governor's office. And that's just one situation. So I guess my question to you is what would the fix be? I know you just mentioned how the Steelers run their organization. That's even an outlier in the NFL. Forget about college football as well. And certainly what's going on with you in Iowa is an outlier in college football as well with 27 years and counting.
42:31Rich Eisen:So what would you say? I've got three kids in the profession, and I worry about that. Three of my sons, our boys are all coaching, and I do worry about that. You know, so it's just, yeah, there's different ways to look at everything. And I think you touched on something. I think it's really important, and I've noticed that in coaching. Obviously, you know, NIL, revenue share, all that stuff, it's a new world for us. But the biggest thing in my mind that's changed is just, you know, the noise from social media. And, you know, I spend a lot of my time trying to think about, like, you know, what are our guys here and what kind of.
43:07And that's always been true in coaching. Like, you know, you worry about what are parents or family members talking to players about, you know, in the old days, it used to be how to go to a bar, tavern or a barbershop to, you know, hear all the chatter and, you know, what's wrong in the world, all that stuff. And now, you know, it's accessible to everybody. So it's just a different, you know, different environment than it used to be that way. Not all that's healthy, unfortunately. A lot of good things on the Internet, I'm sure, and social media. But, yeah, it just presents a different challenge.
43:38And I think that's influenced the way a lot of people think, including people making decisions on the futures of programs. So, you know, I just always go back to Marv Levy. I had a great quote about, you know, if you listen to the people in the stands too much, you're going to be sitting with them. And I think that's a – if you're in a leadership position, you really need to kind of bear that in mind.
43:59Rich Eisen:I don't know if you heard Drake May had a, you know, all his wise years of 23, 24 years old. He said about what the social media, he says, why would I, you know, receive criticism from somebody I wouldn't take advice from? I heard that. I'm like, OK, like that. That sounds reasonable. You know what I mean? Like that's something you should put on a pyramid behind you. You know what I mean? I do, Rich. And I, yeah, it's something I tell our players all the time. You think about life. I mean, how many people do you really care what they think about you and what you're doing? And fortunately, I think most of us have some people in our life, whether it's parents, mentors, et cetera, that mean a lot to us.
44:37And how they view us and how they view the decisions we make, that is important. Yeah, but they're not on social media typically. So I've never understood why anybody would even care what somebody you don't know, you've never met, thinks about you or that type of thing. But in the world we're living in right now, it's a pretty powerful pull. And I think you just got to try to be as proactive as you possibly can with the people you work with, the people you care about. You start with your kids at home. It's a really challenging time, I think, to be a parent, to be an educator, certainly a coach.
45:10And it's just really interesting times right now.
45:12Rich Eisen:Yeah, I'm with you on that front. I only take that sort of stuff from people in my inner circle and George Kittle. I'll take it from George. There you go. You know what I mean? he's good Iowa guy like every tight end in the National Football League you know his story's a good one for sure do you got a good Kittle story do you ever have to I actually coached his dad I'm old enough I coached his dad in 1981 my first year here he was our left tackle captain on the team that went from 19 straight losing seasons for Big Ten champions that year and Bruce was a big big part of that great football player but But the real reason we offered George was because Bruce's wife, Jan, was a phenomenal athlete, phenomenal basketball player at Drake.
46:00And her and her sister, Barb, just beat the heck out of Bruce and I once in a two-on-two game. I had a whole different level of appreciation for women athletes after that point. But, yeah, that's where George's athleticism comes from, from mom, not from dad.
46:15Rich Eisen:I appreciate you confirmed that for us. Good luck against Oregon. Let's do this again real soon. Thanks for the time, Coach. Good to be with you, Rich. Right back at you. That's Kirk Ferentz of Iowa football right here on the Rich Eisen Show. That wraps up our number one. When we come back, we'll set up the Thursday night football game as well as revisit the trade deadline. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.
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From the publisher
Rich previews NFL Week 10’s top games including Rams vs 49ers, Jaguars vs Texans, Steelers vs Chargers, Eagles vs Packers, Patriots vs Buccaneers and other pivotal matchups.
Rich weighs in on Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s response when asked if he’s playing for his job this week against the Buffalo Bills, and reacts to the stunning death of Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland at the age of 24.
Iowa Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz and Rich discuss the Hawkeyes’ huge Big Ten showdown vs the Oregon Ducks this weekend, the pressure to win or be fired for head coaches at big-name schools, what it was like coaching 49ers TE George Kittle, and reveals what he’s learned from UCLA coaching legend John Wooden’s teachings.
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