Hour 2: Overreaction Tuesday, Steelers’ Stakes, plus Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly

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1:00Rich 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 richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Rich Eisen. He's super bad. He's funtacular. He's Rich Eisen. He never kicked it. He kicked the ground. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show. ESPN SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt.

1:48Coming up. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. WWE superstar Seth Rollins. And now it's Rich Eisen.

2:00Rich Eisen:That's right. Welcome to the Rich Eisen Show. We're on every day on Disney Plus and the ESPN app and ESPN radio presented by Progressive Insurance. We're on the air every day on Sirius XM channel 80. There's our podcast version of our show every day, wherever you get your podcasts, thanks to the ESPN pod center. And we chop up our show and serve it to you through our YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show every single day. But today is a different day. I kind of feel like this is a, you know, I'll say it, a Seder. Why is this day different from other days? It's Giving Tuesday. And v.org slash donate.

2:40Rich Eisen:If you are watching, you can hit that QR code. Let's get as much cash as we can to kick off V Week. Because every donation made during V Week, through the support of Principal and the Principal Foundation, launching a$1 million match challenge. Dollar for dollar being matched up to$1 million. V.org slash donate. And joining us here to kick off our number two of our first ever Giving Tuesday on the Rich Eisen Show on ESPN2 is a guy whose popularity and excellence in football is only surpassed by his humanity and his charitable nature. The great Hall of Famer, ladies and gentlemen, Jim Kelly back here on the Rich Eisen Show.

3:23How are you, Jim? Good to see you, bud. I can't complain. Doing well, Rich. How are you doing?

3:28Rich Eisen:I am better for seeing you on my screen. Lord, do I love you, Jim Kelly. I love you, and it's great to see you. How are you feeling? You feeling good? Yeah, I feel pretty good. I've, about two months ago, I went for my, hopefully my last visit, having to go to New York City and do an MRI. They gave me a clean slate, no more. so my motto now is I might have lost four Super Bowls but I kick cancer's butt four times and I pray to the good Lord I don't have to do a five you are dynastic in every way sir that's what I say to you you are dynastic in every possible way and I'm just excited to hear that news that's awesome you and your family must be celebrating that every second of every single day how are your charitable works doing?

4:18Rich Eisen:let's talk about that on a Giving Tuesday How can we help on that regard, Jim? Oh, we're doing an unbelievable job. The people at my office, Tricia, Dennis, Ashley, they've been doing it for over 30 years. I'm going on to my 39th annual Celebrity Golf Classic, and we give over 40 or 45 charities right here in Western New York donations. And Hunter's Hope, which are named after my son. Yes. We are making huge strides. We are now in 14 different states for the disease that my son had. Plus, we've reached out to Bobby Kennedy, and hopefully first of the year, we are going to sit down with him and hopefully get this thing really kicked into high gear because, to make a long story short, as you well know, when you have a child, you do the heel prick.

5:11They send that blood spot off to a lab and test for different amount of diseases. Well, every state in this country, and I don't know whether you know this or not, Rich, but Rich, is every state's different. So some states might test for 25 disease. Some might test for 50. We want to make sure that every kid in this country is given a chance to dream like I was able to do and make sure that if there's something wrong, we catch it right away. You don't have to wait so long to find out. And usually when you do find out, it's too late. So hopefully we'll be making a big difference in 2026.

5:54Rich Eisen:Huntershope.org is a way that you can donate to Jim's charity that's been around for coming up on 40 years in that celebrity golf tournament. Is Berman still playing in that? Is he still making his big swings, Jim? Every single year. That's my boy. I know he is. They've been shooting. Trust me, golf. They've been come first ever. And I mean, I got other guys that are 30, 35, 38 years. I'm still waiting for a guy by the name of Rich Eisen. Show me how he plays golf. Yeah, I commit golf, Jim. That's what I do. But yeah, Chris McDonald loves you, man. Every single time he's coming here in support of whatever he does, he talks about you and your great event in Western New York, you know, and choke on that baby and all that sort of business.

6:42Rich Eisen:It's all good, man. I know my time with you is limited. What are you thinking about the current Bills season, Jim? Your thoughts. Well, we're a little over halfway through. I am not 100 % sure. I mean, we play good, and then some days we don't. I really don't know at this point, but, of course, I'm still on that bandwagon. I will never jump off of it. As long as we have number 17 on the field, I think we have a great chance. but hopefully we will continue to get better because as you well know, when you head to the later parts of the season, you need that running game to go. And last week against Pittsburgh, we had the running game going.

7:24But as we continue down this road, we're going to have to have it even get bigger and better. And our defense is going to have to really start, you know, pulling up and making sure that we stop everybody from, you know, scoring 25, 30 points.

7:40Rich Eisen:And if anybody on planet Earth knows the circumstances surrounding playing quarterback for the Buffalo Bills franchise and having the entire hope of the mafia placed within you, it would be you. And it, you know, Josh Allen seems to wear that so easily, Jim. He makes it look so simple, like he has all the answers. I'm serious, you know, and I know I'm sure it's not. I'm sure it's not. But he does just seem to have a way about him that's perfect for the gig. And I'm wondering what it looks like from your perspective to watch him and know him. Jim. And the thing is, as you all know, Richard, I know we've talked about this before.

8:22I don't look at the game of football the way a fan does. I look at it with a defensive front. When it's a running down, what's your secondary doing? Are they a man or a game zone when you run motion? Are they running with them? Are they not? I think a couple times, Josh, he's so used to making all the plays, which he does. Thank the good Lord for that. But sometimes I think after a while when he starts against Houston, he starts really looking at the pass rush end because he's getting beat on. And I just keep praying every week that he stays healthy because that's what we need. But I'll tell you what, our bills are starting to hopefully get to where they need to be this late this season.

9:10We've had some tight games. We've won some good games last week against Pittsburgh. I would never have thought that. I thought it would be a lot tougher game, but we've got that running game going. Josh is Josh like always. So we'll see what happens, bud. But, you know, as they're all talking about, is the Jets game at the end of the season going to be the last time we play a game in the Ralph or Rich Stadium or Highmark now? Or are we going to continue that run after and making sure that we play more games in that stadium so that the last game of the regular season is not going to be the last one?

9:52Rich Eisen:Right. Yeah, the way it looks right now, Jim, it does appear that the regular season finales could be the end of the old stadium. unless the football gods feel otherwise. In the few minutes I have remaining with you, what's your favorite memory of playing in that stadium? Do you have one for me, Jim? I have a couple. Number one, I'm asked this question a lot, and mine's pretty much the same. My first game against the Jets, the reason I'd say that is I know how I grew up. I grew up in a family of six boys. I have five brothers. I had a mother and father. that we didn't have much. And my dream was always, all of our dreams, I shouldn't say just me, but my five other brothers, our dreams were to make sure we were successful enough to take care of two people we love, and that was my mom and dad.

10:44And I remember running out of the stadium, looking up and seeing mom and dad and my five brothers there knowing that I made it. And now it was time for my mom and dad to kick back, relax, and enjoy life. And that, to me, was probably one of the greatest moments of my life, but also, of course, I fast forward, beating the Raiders 51-3 and going to our first Super Bowl, and something I dreamt about as a little kid growing up in Pittsburgh, you know, watching the Steelers win all those Super Bowls, you know, Bradshaw and Franco and Mean Joe Green and all those guys. So it was a dream come true. I never dreamt about, you know, making it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

11:24I dreamt about playing in the NFL, and that dream came true. And then, of course, I've been very blessed to have the people that I had on my team, Bruce Thurman, Andre, James Lofton. All the other Hall of Famers include one of the greatest coaches ever to do is Coach Marbley.

11:41Rich Eisen:Yeah, and then we had a guy who I think should be in the Hall of Fame on the program over the summer, Jim, while we're going down memory lane before I send you on the rest of your Giving Tuesday. Steve Tasker came on this program and told a story that I have to play back for you and ask you to confirm this for me about the days of you guys playing and then going back to your house afterwards. Roll it. He had this huge house over in Orchard Park. And after every home game, he said he invited the entire team to his house. Wow. And he'd feed them. You know, he had a bar, and he had like this bar in the bottom of his house.

12:25I mean a real bar, like with a dance floor and a pool table and a real thing. So everybody showed up at his house. Like my mom and dad would come in, or my brothers would come in, or all my family members or college buddies would come in. I said, Jim, I can't get to your house tonight. I got these people in. And Jim would say, hey, bring them over with you. He said, bring them with you. So we had this – Jim had this get-together in his basement after home games that was – everybody, my mom and dad were there. They were like, my dad was a pastor.

13:00Can you confirm, Jim? Oh, that's good. Can you confirm? Can you confirm? Without a doubt. You know, to make a long story short, we, you know, during the bickering builds, you know, everybody was doing their own thing. and everybody was going, you know, downtown, going here, going there. And we all decided to – and I talked to a couple of players. I said, why don't we start coming over to my house? I live, you know, seven, eight minutes from the stadium. We always went to Ilio DiPaolo's restaurant, as you well know, Rich. Everybody went there after the game. And then everybody would come back to my house after for post-game activities.

13:39So we would have fun. We'd have, you know, we'd have the VHS. put in. We'd watch the replay of the game. Bruce would have his seat. Thurman would have his seat. I would have mine. We'd all be watching the game and then when that was over it was time to have a few cocktails and I'm not telling you how many fours likes we had or shots of back in the day, Jager Meister or Rumble Mix. Some of those things. We had some fun.

14:07Rich Eisen:Well, we've personally witnessed a gym at the Hall of Fame. We talk all the time on a Friday night where the drinks weren't coming coming fast enough in the hotel with all the Hall of Famers that you just said, screw it, I'm going to line the bar and I'm starting to pour for everybody. And you poured for everybody. You remember that night, Jim, right? That happened. And the thing is, I almost do that a lot lately. In the last few years I've been there, it's like everybody's so slow. I go, no, I got all my buddies on here. They're thirsty, so I won't help. We've seen it. One time I think he said, you can't be back here.

14:39I go, well, you guys got to get a couple more people then.

14:44Rich Eisen:We've seen it in action. And also, I know that there is a spot for the Hall of Famers to maybe get a libation during the ceremonies that you basically helped create. And you created it. You're like, we've got to get something for the guys. So you've done it over and over and over again. So that's my last question for you with the new stadium. Have you created your own spot? Have you told the Bills, I need my own spot when the guys come back? We got to get our own spot. What do you think? You know what? We've been doing a tailgate for ever since I played with same people, Colton RV. We've been doing it for that many years.

15:24I don't know how many, almost 40 years. You said almost 40 years?

15:27Rich Eisen:Yeah. Been having it. And the Bills are gracious enough to give us our own tailgate area. We're the only motorhome allowed in that parking lot. Okay. I think we're going to keep it the same because the stadium is very close, so we can have a little ride. but I've been very blessed. I have Chuck and a bunch of his buddies that come and pick us up and take us up to the suite when we need it. But New Stadium is different. I don't have a suite yet. We'll see what happens. I can't wait. Well, this is part of, you know, Giving Tuesday is giving to charities. Again, huntershope.org or v.org slash donate or me giving to my guests to leave them in a better spot.

16:08Rich Eisen:Let's now use this. Hey, Pagula family. Let's go. Come on. Let's get Jim his spot. Jim needs his spot. Or you could utilize the spot. Let's put it that way. Let's get it done in the new place because I love you, Jim Kelly. I love you. Well, Rich, I appreciate everything you ever do. I look forward to seeing you every Hall of Fame. I love going on your show. You're a classic. You're one of the best ever to do. Thanks, Pat. Keep up the great work. Thanks, man. And I just urge everybody out there to give whatever you can. I've been very blessed to have the life that I have the family that I have and you're part of that family so y 'all take care God bless and we'll talk soon bud ladies and gentlemen Jim Kelly here on this Giving Tuesday edition of the Rich Eisen Show be well love you Jim Kelly we'll chat soon there he goes Jim Kelly everybody one the only he remembered not going fast enough not good they were not and again knows that poor bartender was so overwhelmed he he he never once touched that little cone that little silver cone yeah he should have taken it and just thrown it behind the shoulder no need we don't need this no measuring drinks that's so fun god i love that guy and again just one more time i'll tell this story and then we'll throw it a break um i'll get to overreaction monday on a giving tuesday okay um the pro football hall of fame again you see the old school footage of the um speeches like remember uh terry bradshaw was like i'd love to put my my my hands under mike webster's butt one more time one more time right and then he did it yes um those moments they're on the steps of the pro football hall of fame the juicer as it's called because the the way it's structured the roof it looks like you can put an orange on it and make some juice um and the um the ceremonies were held there forever but i-77 cuts across the back of the meadow the reason why i bring that up is it's because there's a finite space the steps are here i-77 of ohio is here and one guy got in the pro football hall of fame who was so popular that that space wasn't large enough because you could draw a line from Buffalo, New York, through his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA.

18:35Rich Eisen:And as you heard, Jim Kelly has still not lost the Pittsburgh accent. No. All the way down to Canton, Ohio. He could draw like basically a line. And the fans came from everywhere. So for the first time, they had to move it from the steps, the ceremony, into a stadium next door. And that's why it's held into a stadium next door ever since that day, which means it makes sense that for the Hall of Famers to be in that stadium, there should be a place for them to wet their whistle over a five-hour day, sometimes in some very hot weather. And Jim Kelly said, we need to create something. And the first time they created something, because the stage was in a certain spot next to the high school, the actual high school who plays in the stadium locally, they put the green room for the Hall of Famers in a high school.

19:26Rich Eisen:So one day, there's a freshman walking through it, The next day, there's an old school guy saying, where's my beard? That happened because of Jim Kelly. And then when they moved the stage to a different spot, they had this off to the side. So every now and then when you see a Hall of Famer get up and out of his chair, it's not because he's bored. Once you get a drink. Thanks to Jim Kelly. Talk about making your mark. Yeah, the best. 844-204-RICH. Number to dial right here on this Giving Tuesday. we'll take your phone calls. It's an overreaction Monday. On a Tuesday, v.org slash donate. Whether you're watching us on ESPN2, Disney Plus and the ESPN app or listening to us on ESPN Radio.

20:11Rich Eisen:The Rich Isis Show Podcast.

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20:52Rich Eisen:I know what it's like when I'm traveling for big games and events. I remember being in Pittsburgh earlier this year and experiencing the beautiful architecture and passion those fans have for their home teams. That was so infectious. Now, it was a great trip. But you know what it's like dealing with the travel. The airport is packed. Hotels are booked up. Restaurants all busy. And when you have that kind of influx of visitors in your city, a lot of them are searching for a place that feels a little bit more like home during their trip. That's why this can be a smart time to think about listing your own space on Airbnb.

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22:24Rich Eisen:9-6-8-9-1. Fast funds terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. Here on ESPN radio presented by progressive insurance. We're on this giving Tuesday again. Please give V dot org slash donate. Whatever you can give, it is matched up to a million dollars. Thanks to the V foundation through the support of principal and the principal foundation, launching the million dollar match challenge during V week. every donation batch dollar for dollar up to one million dollars and if you're watching you could scan that qr code 844-204-rich number to dial fred in albuquerque new mexico what's up fred you there fred oh fred's listening let's give him another couple seconds fred oh fred come on fred oh boy let's go back on hold oh my gosh everybody Mute your TVs or radios, people.

23:25Rich Eisen:Gotta have your heads on a swivel around here. Let's go to Brittany in Colorado. What's up, Brittany?

23:38Rich Eisen:You there, Brittany? I'm here. Can you hear me? I can hear you. What's going on? Hey, I just wanted to thank you for your commentary. I'm a newer listener. I've been enjoying your show while playing dairy cow to my son Cooper. Okay. We have the same son's name. Okay. What are you playing with, Cooper? What is it? I'm playing Dairy Cow. That kid eats a lot. Okay. Oh. Oh. Gotcha. Noted. Yes. Got it. Well done, Bridget. Dairy Cow. Yep. We're happy to be there for you. Yep. What's going on? It's a family show. You know, maybe an overreaction, but you know, the Broncos, we're a super full contender.

24:21Rich Eisen:Oh, Brittany, you just went higher register. Brittany, you do realize that since you're a fan of the show, you just went higher register as well. You know what I mean? Oh, no, no, no. That means, again, for those new to us, because we're on ESPN2 today, hey, if somebody goes higher register, they've got to go that high to believe it. So try it one more time. Go for it. We are Super Bowl contenders. There you go. All right. Why do you think that? Why do you think that? You know, we've beat the best offense, the best defense, both Super Bowl teams. We're finding ways to win, all while being financially limited because of the Russell Wilson fiasco.

24:57I mean, the Broncos, we deserve our daps. And I really do think that we have a real good chance.