In short
Rich Eisen does “way-way-way-too-early” NFL power rankings (presented by SoFi) and then reacts to the NFL International Series schedule. He ranks the Rams #1 and Chargers #2, with the defending Super Bowl champs (Chiefs) at #3, Broncos #4, Cowboys #5, Bears #6, Patriots #7, Eagles #8, 49ers #9, and Ravens #10.
Key claims
Baltimore’s new offensive direction and rookies keep them viable; Eagles are held back mainly by uncertainty replacing A.J. Brown; Cowboys’ offseason defense upgrades justify a top-five; Denver’s offense/Bo Nix and Sean Payton’s play-calling uncertainty matter; Super Bowl teams often regress, so Kansas City isn’t #1.
Notable examples
references to A.J. Brown trade rumors, Ben Johnson’s Bears influence, and “Super Bowl-like” atmospheres in past international games.
Guests
ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne and ESPN NBA reporter Dave McMenamin (both in-studio for later hours).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOWelcome and Guest Introductions
1:00 to 2:16
Rich welcomes the audience and introduces guests Ramona Shelburne and Dave McMenamin.
“Victor Wendman Yama, windmill right hand jam.”
Upcoming NFL Schedule Release
2:16 to 3:26
Discussion about the upcoming NFL schedule release and thoughts on the Spurs.
“program what's up christopher brockman how are you chizen what's up man i want to be referred to as analyst from now on.”
Way-Way-Way-Too-Early NFL Power Rankings
3:26 to 5:50
Rich introduces his way-too-early power rankings ahead of the NFL schedule release.
“I've got a power rankings right in the middle of May.”
Detailed Power Rankings Analysis
5:50 to 14:00
Rich dives into the specifics of his NFL power rankings, analyzing each team's prospects for the upcoming season.
“There are many like it, but this one is live!”
Way-Way-Way-Too-Early NFL Power Rankings
14:00 to 16:01
Rich discusses his early NFL power rankings, highlighting team dynamics and player performances.
“They just added David Njoku to Arundi Gatson Jr.”
Reacting to NFL Schedule Announcements
16:20 to 18:28
Rich dives into the NFL International Schedule and discusses the implications of several key matchups.
“Green Bay has better odds than Dallas and Chicago.”
Listener Call: Packers and Cowboys Debate
20:19 to 24:11
Rich takes calls from listeners discussing NFL rankings, focusing on the Packers, Cowboys, and their respective rosters.
“Grab a Bucked Up and fuel like a million bucks.”
International Game Slander and Matchups
24:11 to 28:00
Rich continues the conversation about international NFL games, previewing matchups in various countries.
“It's just a beautiful, beautiful neck of the woods, even though it's right in the water.”
NFL International Schedule Overview
28:00 to 29:19
Discussion on the international game schedule and notable matchups.
“The French Quarter going just straight to France.”
Challenges of International Games for Players
29:20 to 31:10
Exploring the difficulties players face during international travel for games.
“As somebody who's called a ton of international games for NFL Network, and I've been there and done that, the players and the coaches don't like it.”
Show all 18 chapters
Fan Experience at International Games
31:11 to 32:53
Insights into the electrifying atmosphere of international NFL games.
“That players and coaches just want to control what they can control.”
The Business of Exporting NFL
32:54 to 35:01
Discussion on the NFL's strategy to expand globally and its implications.
“And that is a phrase that I use purposefully because, you know, it's the city of lights.”
Logistical Challenges for Teams
35:02 to 36:30
Addressing the logistical issues teams face with international games.
“So I totally get it that the players are like, really?”
Memorable International Game Experiences
36:31 to 38:35
Sharing memorable experiences from international games, including fan interactions.
“But in the business of the sport, it is indispensable.”
LeBron's Game Ball Controversy
42:22 to 43:02
Discussion about LeBron not receiving the game ball for his milestone win.
“Also talking about how LeBron didn't get the game ball on the night that he came up with the most wins in the history of the NBA.”
International Series Win-Loss Predictions
43:02 to 43:38
Predictions and banter on the outcomes of international NFL games.
“844-204-RICH is the number to dial on the program.”
Detailed Predictions for International Matchups
43:38 to 45:56
A breakdown of various NFL matchups during the International Series.
“As you know, they're number one on my power rankings list.”
Final Predictions and Commentary
45:56 to 47:10
Final thoughts and commentary on the international matchups and their significance.
“We're going with the Steelers on that one.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00You can't reason with the sun. Trust us. We've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's OmniShade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever.
0:30This 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 richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. Hold up. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Victor Wendman Yama, windmill right hand jam. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Blocked. Wendman Yama blocked it on the closeout. Today's guests, ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne, ESPN NBA reporter Dave McMenamin, plus your phone calls, latest news, and more.
1:26And now, it's Rich Eisen.
1:30Rich Eisen:Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN radio, Sirius XM channel 80, our podcast. In other words, anytime, anywhere, apparently, to check out the Rich Eisen Show. 844-204-RICH is that number to dial right here on the show. Throwing elbows on this program and surviving and getting stronger. Just like your San Antonio Spurs. uh we'll talk about that with ramona shelburne and dave mcmenaman our colleagues from espn both stopping by in studio ramona hour two dave hour three um i'm sure both of them were right there in the exit interviews with lebron so um they're they're going to be joining us on on that front full-on conversations again with you at 844-204-rich being the number to dial here on the program what's up christopher brockman how are you chizen what's up man i want to be referred to as analyst from now on.
2:23Because that's how you refer to you. Analyst Chris Brockman. Analyst Chris Brockman. That's how I want to be referred to. Alright.
2:29Rich Eisen:Yeah, thank you. I don't know if I'm going to accommodate. Alright. Sound engineer Jason Feller. How are you? See how it sounds? Sounded great. Yeah, great. Candlelighter T.J. Jefferson. Exactly. Brother in the corner T.J. Jefferson. Oh my god. I'm a brother and I'm in the corner. Moving on up. Nobody puts you in a corner. I put myself here. Good to see you. Just you and Dr. J. In the corner on the Rich Eisen show. The good doc. It is great. Good to see you, man. And even if my fandom ends for that team, my love for this man. Never. You know what? You had a good run. There were a lot of plot twists yesterday on this program.
3:05Rich Eisen:You had a good run. None bigger than T.J. Jefferson saying the Eagles were going to beat the Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. No, we're not going to win them all. Knocked. I mean, you could win that one, though, and lose others, potentially. Look, I'm a realist. Schedule's getting released. I'm not one of those every year is our year guys. They try to make me out on YouTube. but it's not a drip drip drip but we are winning schedules getting released one by one trip it's going to be great uh thursday uh tomorrow night i think uh espn has got the the schedule release show now um so uh it's it's coming out one game by one game by one game the international series got introduced we'll talk about that shortly on the program 844-204 rich is the number to dial and this is how i'm got so much football on the brain listen i i know we're in the middle of the NBA playoffs I get it I know we're in the middle of the NHL playoffs I get it I know one sport in the NBA leads up to the finals and one sport in the NHL leaves up to the final singular I don't get it but that's just the way it is right Major League Baseball I'm following it again the Yankees actually won oh you know he's following in Cal Raleigh he broke an 0 for 30 for whatever slump by apparently showering in his uniform did you hear about that no that's a slump bust move right there okay these are all happening i get it this is all we're in the middle of all of it the wnba season is tipping off and is already a few games in great finish in portland last uh it's susie's taking taylor to uh fever sparks tonight love it here in town live in other words there's lots of current things happening is that why mike's not here today maybe so he's got himself set up like getting ready yeah he's got his hat he's got a seat like he's sitting in front of satrials like he did that time for the fever and the sparks taking creepy years ago he's just like oh yeah yeah i don't know suzy will uh bolo for that one tonight of course of course listen i understand there's lots going on now there is but the schedule's about to get to released and i had many different ways about how was i going to handle this conversation and I figured it out.
5:10Rich Eisen:Forget the schedule. Oh, forget it? Yeah. I've got a power rankings right in the middle of May. I'm going to do this from now on as long as this show's on the air and as long as I'm no longer involved in the schedule release. I've got this going down every year now. A new tradition unlike any other. Love it. The first way, way, way too early power rankings. Oh! And then I will go right before everybody leaves for the summer is a way, way too early. Okay. And then right at the outset of training camp maybe or middle of training camp, way too early. Okay. Then I'll do regular power. So I got power rankings set up.
5:49Rich Eisen:One a month. So this is three ways? This is way, way, way too early. Okay, got it. Pre-schedule release power rankings. It's a mouthful. Presented by SoFi. Hit it.
6:09Rich Eisen:Power Rankings! There are many like it, but this one is live! Power Rankings! That's right, way, way, way too early, right before the schedule release edition of the Power Rankings presented by SoFi. That is a mouthful. Hit it, please. I've got ten teams. Times. That's what a Power Rankings... Come on! Demands. First up, number ten on the list. Don't blow it. They've got a new head coach. Oh, okay. They've got a new offensive coordinator. The offensive coordinator has been plucked from the fruit of the Chicago Bears' Ben Johnson vine. Hey, everybody's been sitting there in Ballmer wondering when this offense is going to look newfangled, high-flying, with all due respect to the new head coach in Cleveland, Todd Munkin.
6:58Rich Eisen:You know, Greg Roman before that. Right? They got Declan Doyle now. Keep that name in mind with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. And this offense rolling downhill. I'll be behind a new center. But Baltimore is number 10 on this list. Don't forget them. Don't forget them. I understand they didn't make it last year. I understand they made some changes, but I like the changes. They drafted that guy you love. Wenger Ioane. A right guard that will be in the mix for offensive rookie of the year. Right, what you said. Yeah. Oliva Venga. God bless you. Okay. Penn State, number 10 on the list. The Baltimore Ravens are 10th in my power rankings.
7:49Rich Eisen:Number nine, this team has got to get better because with the next man up last year, and nobody expected them to, and I understand they're in a last place schedule, but they damn near were the one seed in the NFC. Now they got Mike Evans. They got Nick Bosa back. They got Fred Warner back. I understand Kittle might not be back until, you know, who knows when. But I think he'll be ready at some point. San Francisco 49ers, bang, bang, nine again. Seems a little low. Okay. Seems a little low, but there's some really good teams. I guess this is way, way, way too early. Okay, yeah, man. I'm in mid-season.
8:27It's fine. It's fine. You can pick. I know you're nitpicking. That's fine. Number eight. I don't pick this.
8:33Rich Eisen:Number eight. I put him higher. I just don't know what's going to happen, what they're going to look like without A.J. Brown. I'm putting the Eagles here at number eight. Ahead of the Niners. I am putting him ahead of the Niners. And I know the Niners bounced the Eagles last year. I get it. I just like Mike Evans, man. On Philadelphia, I mean, on San Francisco, putting him at nine. I still need to see a little bit more in the Eagles. I'm putting him at eight. A.J. Brown's still an Eagle, though. I know that, but that's not going to happen. Get ready, pal. Well, you heard the rumor, A.J. Brown's Boston.
9:05Yeah, he's already. Looking at condos, baby.
9:07Rich Eisen:Which brings me to number seven. The New England Patriots are number seven. Oh, that's low. Low? Disrespect. Low? In the Super Bowl last year. I know. That was way, way too early. Have they played that game yet? They hit. I know. They hit it. I'm still waiting. Bigger and faster than you expected. That's true. I need to see what it looks like in year two here, man. Let's keep us under the radar. All right. Who's our head coach? Exactly. There's that, too. But who the heck knows, man? That's been quiet for at least a few days, which has not been the case over the last month. Number six. Putting the Chicago Bears here.
9:49Rich Eisen:Oh. They are the highest ranked NFC North team I have here. Okay. I'm putting them at six. Six. All right. I can't wait to see what Ben Johnson and the Bears look like in their year two. Dylan Thienemann, that first-round pick, they're going to put them right in the back end of that defense, start thumping, coming downhill, and hit people from the back end. Maybe this defense, front end, back end, they got it working now. A little even better. There's third best odds to win the North. I got it. To win the North, really? Yeah, yeah. Huh. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Number five. Go ahead and say it. No. Come on.
10:31Rich Eisen:I believe in him. No way. I'm putting the Dallas Cowboys in the top five. Oh. Oh, yeah. Wow. I think they've nailed it. Winning the offseason. I think that. Well, that's where. It is the middle of the offseason. We are right in the middle of the offseason that they have been winning. That defensive line. I know they coughed up Odigazua to San Francisco, by the way. But Rashawn Gary, Kenny Clark, Quentin Williams, the kid they just drafted, Malachi Lawrence, Overshown, my guy Jay Sean Barham out of Michigan where they drafted, Caleb Downs on the back end. I think they have checked some defensive boxes, man.
11:12Rich Eisen:And offensively, it was already nice. How do you not have them as maybe a top five offense in the NFL? Seventh best odds to win the NFC. Okay. Those people don't know everything. These are my power rankings. I'm putting the Cowboys five. I like your rankings better than... Number four. I'm putting the Denver Broncos here. Okay. Denver Broncos here. Okay. I'm looking forward to Jalen Waddell in this mix. Okay. Looking forward to that. Seeing Bo Nix back in the mix. That rhymes. Okay. Bo Nix is in the mix. Sean Payton's not calling the plays. I don't know what's going to happen there. Can he really take his hands off the steering wheel like that?
11:53Can you?
11:55Rich Eisen:No.
11:58Rich Eisen:Thanks for asking. No, I cannot. I'm just saying. R.J. Harvey, you're too. Keep an eye out. J.K. Dobbins back. Okay. Let's see what this looks like. Evan Ingram. Let's see what it looks like. Number three, I'm putting your defending Super Bowl champs out of respect. Why aren't they one? I don't know. I get it. I get it. I understand that. Defending. But out of respect here. That's not respectful. It's not respectful? No. They're the champs. They're the champs. I understand they're the champs, but year to year, who's to be the man? You got to beat the man. It's a top three team. Yeah, but they're not.
12:40They're top three, but they're not one or two. Okay. See, that's not good for them. I get it.
12:44Rich Eisen:I still do want to see what Sam looks like in year two. How is he going to defend his title? What's going to go down? As you know, Super Bowl teams the next year, usually something happens. Injury-wise. This, that, the other thing. I don't know. Interesting. I don't know. RIP to your mentions. They're starting. It looks like they're going to be starting. Fine. They already think he hates them. They're still top three. What's the matter? Look, I'm not even a Hawks fan. My mentions. Yeah, I mean, the reputation that you have for not liking Seattle. What are you talking about? It's not, you know, you're not doing any favors.
13:14I'm just saying, if we win the chip, we better be number one. They're going to start a rookie running back.
13:19Rich Eisen:okay fine fine fine fine they got charbonnet stuff all right come at me oh they will by the way oh you're not gonna like this nobody's gonna like this then number two who is our neighbors across the street the los angeles chargers okay good i thought you were gonna go somewhere number two i like the moves they made man they're getting two Pro Bowl, if not all pro tackles back. Two. I said two. Omari and Hampton in year number two. He won me a fantasy chip last year. Okay. They just added David Njoku to Arundi Gatson Jr. at tight end, and then they got that guy Kolar who's saying blocking is like a bowl of creme brulee, which doesn't even come in a bowl.
14:12Rich Eisen:It comes in a dish. Yeah, but it's circular. Mike McDaniels drawing up the offense for Jim Harbaugh. The defense is coming back. I understand they've lost their defensive coordinator. I'm concerned about that. But the L.A. Chargers are two. And get ready for a Super Bowl 61 in SoFi to potentially be in that team against my number one team, the Los Angeles Rams. You know, good and well, then. How about that? Got my hopes up for a second. for what what the Raiders yeah you out of your mind it's your Raider Nation tattoo if the Rams and Chargers play in the Super Bowl in sofa in who's gonna be at the game what are you talking about fans like what fans this guy over there you're a season ticket holder you'll be there what's going on I go to the games you'll go sometimes when I'll go says it got and you're like who's going to the game well you know the Chargers oh yeah it'll be so tough to get tickets.
15:09Rich Eisen:I mean, it's so tough to go ahead and sell tickets. It'll be so tough to sell tickets to this one. Are those tickets geotagged as well? We gotta figure it out. The Los Angeles Rams lost amongst the Ty Simpson madness. Is there ready to roll? Ready to roll? R-T-R. Ready to roll with the defending MVP of the league who's got a chip on his shoulder I would got it understood last time this happened it sparked two MVP seasons in a row for Aaron Rodgers let's see what happens with this one everybody else Trent McDuffie he's been added let's go and that's my way way way too early power rankings with the Rams 1 and the Chargers 2 fittingly enough brought to you by sofi hey get your money right call me call me i mean call 244-204-rich number dial say rich you're way off and i'll be no no i'm way way way too early and off i'm gonna start i'm gonna start calling you snap because you got the power i know everyone's like oh hey bro we care too much about odds i mean the odds you do care a lot but they do matter how about my odds the bills have the fourth best odds okay not on the list all right i love their i love their quarterback i love their quarterback he will be an mvp candidate quarterback come on now come on now let's see it let's see it not top let's see the chiefs have the same odds as the patriots and chargers okay i left them off i kind of thought they would be 10 or 9 okay well chris don't get don't get too it's way way way too i get it who Who do you take off for the...
17:02Green Bay has better odds than Dallas and Chicago. Oh, so you take Dallas off, huh? Don't say that.
17:10Rich Eisen:You take Dallas off, huh? Don't say that. Kind of take Dallas off. Okay. Talk about talented roster. And I would move everybody. I would have the Bills probably. Where? Over who? Who do you take off? You take Dallas off. I would probably have Buffalo in the top five. Really? Okay. Well, it's a good thing he doesn't have a way, way, way two. Well, let's see what happens in the next month. You never know. There could be some OTA movement. That's right. OTA inspired movement. And call me if you wish. 844-204-8. Holla at him. Holla at your boy. That's what man once said. That's my man's in there. Okay.
17:51Love it.
17:52Rich Eisen:Good list. I don't know. Everything you've said since I opened my mouth says it's not a good list. Oh, sorry. Good idea for the list. 8-4-4-2-0-4-RICH, number two dial coming back. We have games on the schedule that have been announced. Get your tickets ready. And by tickets, I mean airplane tickets because they're all international series games. Get your Euros ready. 8-4-4-2-0-4-RICH, number two dial. Get your tray tables and seats in the upright position. We're going international series when we come back. The Rich Isis Show Podcast.
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19:08Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. PayPal is now the official peer-to-peer payments sponsor of the NFL, which means all the money moments that fandom creates, whether splitting tailgate costs or chipping in on tickets and game day food between friends, are covered. Wherever the game is played or watched, PayPal moves with fans. You can send money through text, email, or directly to your friends with eligible accounts on Venmo. Just download the PayPal app and share all the moments that matter. Account with PayPal is required. Not available in all regions where PayPal operates. If you've ever wanted real energy without choking down something that tastes like regret, Bucked Up is the answer.
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20:25Rich Eisen:Welcome back to the Rich Eisen Show. Matt in Wisconsin let's just go right into it Matt in Wisconsin Matt are you pissed at me Matt? Hey what's going on Rich? What's going on Matt? Are you pissed at me? No not at all man it's way too early Way way way way Way way But I do want to say that I think my Green Bay Packers should have made that list We're going to come back healthy We got Tucker Craft number one tight end. I like him. Coming back. You got Micah Parsons coming back. Well, I don't know when. When is Parsons coming back? He got hurt a little too late. He came back. I don't know. We'll see.
21:10Rich Eisen:We'll see. You know, but I don't mean to cut you off. Keep going, Matt. Go for it. Jordan Love, another season. Who would you take off my list? You want to take the Cowboys off my list? No, they're loaded. Okay. So who do you take off the list? The Bears? I hate saying that because Dallas is my number one rival, you know, going back, unfortunately, 30 years ago. But I would probably take off. Who would you take off? Chargers? From two off? Just take them off? Do I take the Ravens off? I would probably take the Chargers off. I would probably take the Chargers off. You would? Okay. They're at number two.
21:49Rich Eisen:They're at two. Two all the way off? Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Matt. That's Matt in Wisconsin. You bet. I'm surprised he didn't say the Bears.
21:59Rich Eisen:Let's go. Kanye in Washington, D.C. What's up? Get him back here. Hey. Hey, Shaolin. Rich, how you doing this morning, player? What's going on? How are you? Kanye, what's up, Kanye? What's up, Broxy? What up, dude? Go Birds. Go Birds. Birds? You take me back to my childhood, man. How you be mispronouncing my name, man, like my teachers used to, but that's okay. You're Kanye, right? That's how you pronounce your name? I don't know. It's like Kanye West, but it's Kenye. It's K-E-N-Y-E. Okay. But anyway, let's get to business. My Eagles are 2-0 on Thanksgiving against the Cowgirls. So this 2026 will be no different.
22:36And also, Rich, did you see yesterday on a get-up-and-first take when the Cowgirl legend Troy Aikman spoke on the greatness of Jalen Hurts and how much he likes him? Yeah. This is the second time a Cowgirl has been on film praising Jalen, i.e. Emmett Smith. Wow. Jack and company are trash. especially that their own alumni don't speak good about them and they speak highly about a rival. How you like them apples, TJ? I think everything you said is a false and I want to call you a liar. It's on record, TJ. It ain't no false. You know what I mean? But like, Trankman's a lead pipe welding professional.
Read the full transcript
23:12Of course he's going to say something nice. Those rankings are ridiculous too, Rich. You know what I'm saying? If you got Dallas in the top five, the Eagles definitely need to be up there as well, but it's early. So it's all good. Go birds.
23:22Rich Eisen:Hey, Kenya, you're not, Did he leave? Is he gone? I'm here. You're not concerned about what the offense looks like without A.J. Brown? Yeah, you better be concerned. No, no, no. Because, number one, he's still here. I mean, we don't see June 1st what happens. You know, politics is politics. Get ready for him to be gone. He'll be gone. It might. I'm still here? No, no, no. Not you gone. He's still here. A.J. Brown gone. A.J. Brown is currently here. He will not still be here. He's gone. Well, like I said, man, June 1st is around the corner. We're going to see what happens June 1st. Okay? Yeah, we will.
23:52Rich Eisen:Okay. But their offense is going to still be potent. I mean, we won't have the big body that A.J. gives us, but it's okay. We're going to have Lemon and the other young guys to step up, and we're going to have Heisman Trophy winner Devontae Smith take the true number one if A.J. leaves. Kenyon in D.C., thank you very much for the call. There he goes. We are who we are. Oh, let's go. Let's go. That's got 22 touchdowns. A.J. in Bermuda. We got someone from Bermuda's Piston. Point that out. What's up, A.J.? What's going on, Rich? Thanks for taking the call. Are you calling from Bermuda right now?
24:26Rich Eisen:Where in Bermuda are you calling from? The Triangle. I am calling from Bermuda. Where about? In Hamilton, in the city. It's just a beautiful, beautiful neck of the woods, even though it's right in the water. Yeah, man, very nice, very nice. Yeah, but he's not calling for something positive, I can tell you that. Uh-oh. Okay, what's up? I'm calling because I felt like you missed out on the Falcons. Oh. Okay. Now listen, who am I taking off for the Falcons? Who am I taking off for the Atlanta Falcons on my top 10? Really? Who am I bouncing? You want your Falcons on there. Who am I bouncing? I do.
24:57I do. I think maybe the Chargers. I feel like the Chargers, only in theory, because I feel like obviously they have a good team on paper, but Justin Herbert doesn't get it done. And I feel like with the Kevin Stefanski coming in, and I feel like he's really good with running backs and B. John's him without Stefanski. We had a really good draft class.
25:20Rich Eisen:AJ, I thought this Tua Herbert thing has been decided. I thought, like, I think this is, I don't know. You're like the Supreme Court throwing out precedents. I don't know what's happening right now. You know what I mean? I even forgot about Tua. I was talking about Michael Penix. Okay. Okay. All right. Okay. I got faith in him. I still got faith in him. So a Penix quarterbacked Falcons team should crease my power rankings, but a two-a-quarterback Falcons team, it's legit them not on my power rankings. Well, you put it like that, Rich. You put it like that. I have to. I have to put it like that.
26:00No, but I still got faith in the kid. I think bar him healing from the injury, I think we'll be okay.
26:07Rich Eisen:Okay. AJ in Bermuda, everybody. Beautiful day in Bermuda. Beautiful day here in the studio. you speaking of uh going overseas or indices or just trying to make the transition from bermuda to the international games that have been announced yeah there's a lot a lot a lot of international game slander going on a lot of igs international game slander going on nine games being played outside of the united states of america overseas in london three games paris has now been added to madrid and germany mexico city's back in the mix rio de janeiro puts brazil back in the mix and it all starts in Melbourne, Australia.
27:05Okay?
27:06Rich Eisen:All starts with the game in Melbourne that's going to start the season, essentially, on a Wednesday. Melbourne, Niners-Rams first stop. Then the Brazilians in Rio. What a party that's going to be. He gets to see Ravens-Cowboys. Then we go to London. then we go to London three games in London Colts and Commanders in London yeah that's gonna go down in Tottenham then in Tottenham you got the Eagles and the Jaguars the Doug Peterson Bowl right right Peterson they're in London and then the Jaguars stay put jaguars advantage and they get to this goes down by the way i'm assuming if you put that up one more time the uh the international game schedule it is in wembley you bet uh so tottenham gets the first two and then wembley which is the stadium that shod con owns the jaguars like their home stadium um that's a pretty massive football game texans and jaguars okay and the jaguars will have the benefit of already being on the time zone.
28:33Rich Eisen:Yeah. I'll already be there for a week. Used to the food. Used to the time. Then I'm in Paris, man. Good Lord. Bonjour. Aaron Rodgers and the Croissant. Let's go. The French Quarter going just straight to France. The Saints in Paris. New Orleans Saints in Paris taking on. Will Howard in Paris. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Bonjour. Okay. Jean-Mapel. You know what I mean? Let's go. Bengals and Falcons in Madrid. That's pretty fun. Munich, which is an outstanding location for NFL games. The Patriots and the Lions. That should be a good one, too. Mexico City, the Vikings, and then there's the Niners once again.
29:18Rich Eisen:Listen, the international game slander. What's slandering it, Rich? Oh, people are. I'm seeing it all over the place. I will just say this. Sadly. As somebody who's called a ton of international games for NFL Network, and I've been there and done that, the players and the coaches don't like it. I understand they don't like it because it's a business trip. We all as fans go there, and it's not a business trip. It's a party. It's let's go hang out. Let's go here. Let's go there. the players in London are in hotels that are way outside of town yep so they're not going into town they're not going into London and if they do go into London to see their families it is a long ass haul and it's it's it's a displacement and coaches aren't terribly happy about it either because it is the ultimate of what you can't control you cannot control the fact that the NFL and owners want to export the game around the world for business purposes, and you have to go along, and you are now going to be taken out of your comfort zone of either a home game or you're traveling, and now you're going way further than any road game, most likely.
30:49Rich Eisen:Although Philadelphia to Seattle is similar from Philadelphia to London. Houston to London is not anything comparable to wherever they travel in the United States at all. Just as a for instance, right? And so I get that. I totally understand that. That players and coaches just want to control what they can control. and it's their schedule and it's their ability to practice in their home. Some teams decide to go at the last minute and tell them players, get your rest on the plane and then get your rest here. And then let's play the game and let's go home. And if they poop the bed there, then they'll hear from all of us in the media.
31:36Rich Eisen:Boy, you made a mistake. You should have gone there earlier. Well, I mean, you go there earlier to get used to the time zone, then you're practicing in facilities that are not your own. You know, Jacksonville is going to be away from home for two weeks and their home games. So I understand the way players and coaches feel about it. But in terms of the experience of being there and playing in these games, once the game starts for the players and the coaches, it feels like a Super Bowl. I'm telling everybody. in Munich when Brady and the Bucks showed up against Pete Carroll and the Seahawks that year and Geno Smith both guys Carroll and Brady went to the podium and said this atmosphere was like the Super Bowl and those guys you know have played a Super Bowl against each other it's unreal the The fans cannot get enough of it.
32:34Rich Eisen:Cannot get enough of it. And it's not expats living abroad solely. As a matter of fact, in Germany, those are diehard football fans. Big time. I'm not kidding. The people I would meet. Let's just put it this way. There were the fans that I spoke to in Germany from the field to the stands, because I'm a man of the people. um sounded more like sprockets than mike myers to use a an snl pop culture reference from back in the day when we don't all right and fans that i met who were americans were coming from the middle east africa to get to germany it's a it's a close it's a it's closer to go there than it is to london people would be taking trains from all around Europe to get to Munich.
33:33Rich Eisen:Spectacular. I was not in Madrid. I heard it was unbelievable. Paris is going to be lit. And that is a phrase that I use purposefully because, you know, it's the city of lights. Listen, it's going to be incredible. The NFL in Paris is going to be nuts. and the NFL in Rio, the NFL in Paris, the NFL in Madrid, the NFL in Munich, the NFL in Melbourne, the NFL in Mexico City is what the NFL should be doing. It's what they should be doing. They have to do this sort of stuff. It's a connected world in which we live. The other sports are already connected to those continents because it's easier for, you know, humans to play basketball and hockey and come to the United States than football to the United States.
34:29Rich Eisen:So they're exporting it and they're selling the sport places. And, you know, I understand fans are like, really? Okay. It doesn't matter to me. I just need my fantasy update. I just need to be entertained on a Sunday. I'm going to be sitting on the couch. I don't care that it's in this spot or that spot. And the players might be like, really? I've got to, the 49ers are going to be, we're doing a segment on this solely in hour three. The 49ers are going to close in on 40 ,000 miles traveled this year. So I totally get it that the players are like, really? But, you know, we're raising all boats here.
35:12Rich Eisen:I know five of these games are on NFL Network, and I work for NFL Network. I'm not caping for it just because of that. I've been there. It's incredible. Incredible. And they connect with fans in a way that is valuable. And if it raises all boats, I'm telling you, the idea here at some point is to, you know, I've taken the games off NFL Network, but it's to sell a package. and everybody's going to play it get used to it there's an international series game in weeks one three four five six seven nine ten and eleven we're almost there oh yeah we're gonna have one every week so we're missing weeks two and eight weeks two and eight in the first 11 weeks are the only weeks without an international series game we're almost there and i understand why there isn't one in week two because if you're opening on the road right and you're then going to go international that's almost impossible and if you're opening at home you're going to go on the road in week two that means somebody's home debut is on the road in week two it's very difficult to do that that's why they put melbourne in week one so the niners and rams can go way earlier and then having an entire week and a half for them to come back and play in week two and I'm I'd be surprised if if the Niners and the Rams are on the road in week two I think they're both going to be in Los Angeles and Sanford and Santa Clara um again I understand why players and coaches are uh because I've interviewed them I mean I'm in broadcast meetings and the first 15 minutes is always talking to a coach or a player it's just like did you get your rest what's your philosophy about traveling do you like your facility what's going on here are our players going back and forth into town have they seen their families you know hey jacksonville hey liam cohen two weeks you're gonna be here for two weeks like what about that and and so i get it it is a logistical problem nightmare, inconvenience, whatever adjective you want to use.
37:35Rich Eisen:But in the business of the sport, it is indispensable. It is unbelievable. If you are a fan, and I know ticket prices are through the roof now these days, and I'm not referring to the seats in the stadium. I'm referring to the seats in a plane. It's expensive. I totally understand that. If you can't afford it and you can get off of work and you can get into a plane and make a weekend or a week out of it, memories. Yeah. Absolute memories. And I hope your team doesn't get blown out because that sucks. But it's unreal. The atmosphere is unlike it's as close to a college atmosphere as you'll see.
38:18Rich Eisen:And if you watch any of these Premier League games, you're like, wow, these fans are going nuts in the stands. It's a lot like that. It really is.
38:30Rich Eisen:so that's my opinion of the international series games
38:36you know it's funny too richie brockman i can confirm we both made friends with people when we were over there in germany from other countries that we still dm and keep in touch with i'm just i mean these are it's great people love it we got to do man on the street interviews when we were there it was super fun people everything you said and more Yeah, really is.
38:56Rich Eisen:And we did a show from Munich a couple years ago, right? Yeah, two seasons. Okay. And did a show from London last year. But the Munich game, if you go to the beer gardens in Munich on the Saturday before the game, it's unreal. And you'll see fans in all 32 NFL jerseys. Yep. For real. Really well. And you'll see some throwback players that you thought of. We always had fun with the games because, you know, someone would show up. in a Kurt Warner Rams jersey, Giants jersey, Cardinals jersey, Amsterdam Admirals jersey. The only thing missing was the Northern Iowa jersey. Northern Iowa. And then someone would show up in a Seattle Seahawks Kurt Warner jersey, but not that Kurt Warner, their Kurt Warner.
39:45Rich Eisen:We would have fun with that. It really is awesome. And I'm always going to cape for the International Series games. Always. And if you're in Germany, you might see Joe Thomas in Lederhosen. I mean, we've seen it. We have seen that. Oh, yeah. It's a great time, man. You can't unsee it either. You can't unsee it. 844-204-RICH, number to dial right here on The Rich Eisen Show. The NBA playoffs with the Ramona Shelburne in Hour 2 and with Dave McMenamin in Hour 3. In studio, both of them. Back on our program in a sec. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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42:07Rich Eisen:Back on the Rich Eisen Show, everybody. Ramona Shelburne's in our green room right now. Dave McMenamin is joining us in hour three. You see his story? He's out there talking about LeBron. They need each other, he says. Huh? He said they need each other. What, the Lakers and LeBron? Yeah. Do they? Also talking about how LeBron didn't get the game ball on the night that he came up with the most wins in the history of the NBA. Went to J.J. Redick for his 100th career win. That was nice. Rob Palenka got the game ball, and it was a nice moment. But there's always something going on. So is that a point of contention?
42:54I don't know.
42:54Rich Eisen:Well, I want to read deeper into the story before I talk about it more. But Dave's coming in at hour three, so that's what's going on here. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial on the program. Do you want to do a win-loss for the International Series game just to piss off the people who think it's too much of a circus? Yeah, absolutely. Okay. let's do a win-loss game of the international series games right now okay uh put them up on the screen let's go and let's all put like this is not just me this is all of us together okay okay give me some music here jason feller hit my music hit my music who wins week one niners and rams in melbourne rams rams i agree i agree i think the rams are As you know, they're number one on my power rankings list.
43:40Rich Eisen:You already had the Cowboys in Rio, right? Come on now. That's a dub. What do you got, Chris? Cowboys in Rio or Ravens in Rio? Man. I'm going to go Cowboys. I will too. And the Ravens will just have to blame it. On Rio. Yeah, that's right. Hey. Starring Mike Cocaine and Demi Moore. That's right. And also Matt Williams' eventual wife, I believe. She was in that, too. I was watching her cry in the middle of the eighth inning of the 2001 World Series in Game 7. Oh. Until then, she was happy. Oh, interesting. Tears of dreams. Colts and Commanders in London. Commanders. I'm with you, too. Colts. Okay.
44:27Rich Eisen:Hey, TJ. Jaguars, Eagles in London. Oh, baby. I'm going to go Eagles. Jags Jags win in Wembley I think I actually got their asses blown out in Wembley last year I'm going to have them lose to the Eagles but beating the Texans I'm going Jags, Jags back to back I'm going Eagles Why would you do that to yourself? Why pick that? That is a massive When the Jaguars stay put Big advantage It is. Yeah. But guess what didn't matter last year? The Jaguars stayed put and the Rams came last minute. Yeah, right. And destroyed them. Yeah. Because they had the MVP on the team. Steelers and Saints in Paris. Real quick, who'd you take, Texans or Jags?
45:19Rich Eisen:No, I took Stafford. I went double Jags. I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about the MVP. No, no. I was talking about the MVP. I took Stafford. Trying to trigger me. How about this? I'll trigger you. I'm taking Aaron Rodgers in Paris. No. No? You're taking the Saints? Yeah. Okay. Tyler Shuck is going to have a much better season than Aaron Rodgers this year. What greater story is it than an Irishman who was a former toll taker in Pittsburgh winning in France? Tell me a bigger story. The Florida League. I mean, that's actually France. That's the French football. And they're playing in Paris.
45:57So what? We're going with the Steelers on that one. So what? Give me the Saints. Bengals-Falcons in Madrid. Well, I'm contractually obligated to say the Falcons. What do you mean? Well, you're not contractual yet. That's happening in July, isn't it? I'm just kidding. I think the Falcons are going to be better than the Bengals anyway.
46:14Rich Eisen:I'm taking Joe Burrow in Madrid. Oh, word? Oh, yeah. I'm hooked on Burrow Phonics, man. I'm going to go with the Falcons. Are they going to stop anyone? Patriots-Lions in London. Oh, I'm taking the Lions. That's such a Lions game right there. I'm going to Munich. It's a home game for us. Huh? It's a home game for us. It is not. It is. It's not. You're technically on the road. Well, we're technically the Patriots. I know. It's a Patriots market. I know it's their market. Also, let's be honest. We know he's an analyst who doesn't like the Lions anyway. That's right. I hate the Lions. Yeah. I've been told.
46:43I'm going with the Lions. But you're an analyst. But I'm an analyst. And Niners.
46:48Rich Eisen:I'm an actor. Vikings in Mexico City. I'm going Niners. Yeah, Niners for sure. They'll be hopefully with Kittle and everybody healthy. Hopefully back by then. By the way. Kyler Murray has beaten the Niners before at home in Santa Clara. But I think Mexico City is going to be different. There you go. International Series win-loss game. Great analysis. Talk about things we shouldn't be doing in May, but we're doing in May. The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast.
From the publisher
Rich reveals his Way-Way-Way-Too-Early NFL Power Rankings of the league’s top 10 teams ahead of the 2026 NFL Schedule Release.
Rich responds to people criticizing the NFL’s international games schedule for 2026, and the guys predict who wins those 8 games this fall.
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