In short
NFL analysis and injury/roster updates, plus “What’s More Likely” predictions. Main focus is Tom Pelissero’s breakdown of the Patriots’ turnaround and what it implies for the Giants’ coaching search, followed by 49ers and other injury notes.
Guests (and backgrounds)
Tom Pelissero, NFL Network insider (reports on teams, coaching, and injuries). Also appears: Terrell Suggs (former 7-time Pro Bowl linebacker; earlier in the show) and actor Tracy Letts (from Netflix’s A House of Dynamite; earlier in the show). “What’s More Likely” segment features Chris Brockman and callers.
Key claims
Patriots’ success is credited to drafting Drake May and then hiring Mike Vrabel, who made fast, controlled adjustments (e.g., waiting to play Traveion Henderson until ready; Stephon Diggs thriving). Giants’ job is attractive due to roster “building blocks” (Dart, Scadaboo, Tyrone Tracy, Andrew Thomas, Burns/Thibodeau/Carter, Lawrence, Javon Holland, Adebo), but no slam-dunk coach like a Vrabel/Ben Johnson.
Notable examples
Patriots’ draft-night trade interest; Vrabel’s staff choices (Thomas Brown, Zach Kerr). 49ers: Brock Purdy returning after turf-toe issues; Brandon Aiyuk timeline uncertain (not designated to return); PCL injury for Ricky Pearsall. Hip-drop tackle fines: Pelissero says no fine expected for Cam Scadaboo and likely none for J.K. Dobbins. Packers coaching talk dismissed as context-heavy (injuries like Tucker Kraft, Jaden Reed, Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORecap of Hour One
0:31 to 0:52
Rich discusses highlights from the previous hour with guest Terrell Suggs.
“And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds.”
Recap of Hour One
1:30 to 2:28
Rich discusses highlights from the previous hour with guest Terrell Suggs.
“All day, let's go, all day, all day, all day.”
Introduction of Tom Pelissero
2:28 to 3:08
Rich welcomes NFL insider Tom Pelissero for his regular segment.
“So, oh, so actually I, I started drinking in the movie.”
Patriots' Successful Draft Strategy
3:08 to 8:16
Tom Pelissero shares insights on the Patriots' draft decisions and the impact of quarterback Drake May.
“What's up to you and the boys in studio?”
Giants' Coaching Search Analysis
8:16 to 11:06
Discussion on the Giants' future coaching decisions and potential candidates.
“it does kind of set up for the Giants to be next year's Patriots just as a way of making an analogy because Dart's there.”
Injury Updates and Team Dynamics
11:06 to 13:45
Tom Pelissero provides injury updates for NFL teams and discusses player dynamics.
“So who is the right coach for that situation?”
San Francisco Offense Updates
13:45 to 14:01
Rich and Tom talk about the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive status and player returns.
“You just flashed a Los Poyos Hermanos mug right there.”
NFC West Dynamics and San Francisco Offense
14:01 to 17:44
Explore the impact of injuries on the San Francisco 49ers and their NFC West rivals.
“It's not like you don't have some sort of lab going back there, Tom.”
Running Back Updates: Irving and Dobbins
17:45 to 18:53
Insights on the status of Bucky Irving and J.K. Dobbins as they recover from injuries.
“Let's talk about a couple running backs here in the few minutes that we have left.”
Hip Drop Tackles and NFL Safety
18:54 to 21:44
Discussion on hip drop tackles and the NFL's approach to player safety amid injuries.
“I know they've been going through a process this week.”
Show all 18 chapters
Packers' Struggles and Coaching Speculation
21:45 to 25:28
An analysis of the Green Bay Packers' performance and speculation surrounding coaching changes.
“I've got more issues with the catch rule at this point.”
Fantasy Football Controversy
28:46 to 31:56
A humorous debate about fantasy football etiquette and league dynamics.
“Terzo in Iowa here on the Rich Eisen Show.”
What's More Likely Segment
32:02 to 36:24
Engaging discussions about NFL performances and predictions.
“and it's time for Chris Brockman to take center stage.”
Analyzing Upcoming College Football Games
36:24 to 42:06
Discussion on critical upcoming college football matchups and their implications.
“But I know this is about coming after Sunday.”
Rich's NFL Insights
43:57 to 44:25
Rich discusses the impact of Dan Campbell calling plays for the Lions.
“overreaction monday the pod you could still get it um even though it's just a couple days old it It ages well.”
Healthy Team Dynamics
44:25 to 46:30
Exploring the importance of a healthy environment in football teams.
“I mentioned how Dan Campbell calling plays.”
Eagles vs. Lions Comparison
46:30 to 47:20
Comparing team environments: Lions' stability vs. Eagles' drama.
“Because it's all just your Lions guys, you know?”
Eagles vs. Lions Comparison
47:26 to 47:45
Comparing team environments: Lions' stability vs. Eagles' drama.
“You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:Heat up your 4th of July at The Home Depot with our wide variety of grills under$300 and make every gathering one to remember. Give your outdoor space a glow up, whatever your budget is, with savings on seasonal plants starting at$5. With the grill fired up and your backyard set to perfection, you'll be able to invite friends and family over to kick off the party. Start celebrating with low prices guaranteed at The Home Depot. Prices may vary by store, exclusions apply. See Home Depot.com slash price match for details. Study and play. Come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds.
0:40Rich Eisen: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. While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college PC. 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.
1:19Rich Eisen:Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. All day, let's go, all day, all day, all day. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Into the end zone. That's two for Trevion Henderson. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Trevion Henderson, a hat trick. Earlier on the show, seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs. Coming up, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Actor Tracy Lentz. And now, Rich Eisen. Our number two of the Rich Eisen show is on the air. Terrell Suggs. T-Sizzle just left our studio. Good times with him in our number one.
2:08Rich Eisen:The actor Tracy Letts, who is just absolutely phenomenal in everything he does. A House of Dynamite is in Netflix. And just want to make sure. Just watch that in the afternoon. Don't watch it and then try to go to sleep. I don't know when you watched it, Chris. I did watch it late at night. And with a half a bottle of wine. So, oh, so actually I, I started drinking in the movie. Yeah. It's pretty intense. And he's going to join us in hour number three and we'll have a great conversation with Ford. He's so great in Ford versus Ferrari. He plays Henry Ford, the second where he starts crying hysterically and, you know, and it's sitting shotgun is Matt Damon, Matt Damon zipping him around the big short as well, where he demands his money back from Michael Burry.
2:59Rich Eisen:by the way, ripped straight from today's headlines. Anyway, 844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the program. Tom Pellicero joining us now here at top of our number two in his usual Friday spot. What's up, Tommy P? How are you?
3:11Tom Pelissero:Doing wonderful, Rich. What's up to you and the boys in studio? Hey, Tom. That wasn't... TJ's not there today. Oh, he is there. That was the least excited entrance I've had. We get yelled at sometimes when we get too excited. I was a little fired up in the first hour.
3:29Rich Eisen:That made it worse. Now you just made it worse.
3:32Tom Pelissero:I'm expecting a warm reception. You didn't give me one. Let's just do it again.
3:37Rich Eisen:What's up, my boys in the studio?
3:40Tom Pelissero:What up, kid?
3:42Rich Eisen:There we go. That's much better. That's terrible. All right. Can you walk us through again? I know I wasn't planning on talking about this with you, but I will. Just watch the Patriots being built. and now they're 9-2 and they've won eight in a row. Do you have any insights on all of this from the draft, from last year? Anything that you want to kind of shed light on? Because this is exactly what teams that choose top five in the draft a couple years in a row, hoping that it hits with a quarterback. This is the sort of Ascension quick rocket ship type stuff that everyone's looking for. Tom?
4:24Tom Pelissero:Listen, the biggest thing that the Patriots got right in 2024 was Drake May. And I know that that's now the obvious answer, but you go back to draft night and they were still fielding calls. They had multiple offers. The Giants had showed interest. The Vikings made an offer to go up and get him. I know that Kevin O 'Connell was a big fan of Drake May. Obviously, Josh McCown had a pre-existing relationship with Drake May. And it wasn't until about two, three hours before the draft that I reported that the Patriots are going to stand pat and make the pick. They wanted to see, do they get the type of godfather offer that would allow them to move?
5:03Tom Pelissero:But it always seemed like they really had a high-level belief in Drake May, who is not, by the way, Rich, a slam dunk in the scouting process. Yes, he had all these traits, and he's a big physical guy with a big arm, and he can make plays, but he was the youngest. He was arguably of the six quarterbacks that went in the top 12, the least ready in terms of the experience level. He was younger than these guys. A lot of them, you know, not everybody's Bo Nix playing six years of college football, but Michael Penix played six years of college football. Obviously, Caleb had played a ton all the way through his career.
5:37Tom Pelissero:Jaden Daniels had an extended college career at multiple schools. So there were a bunch of different flavors. It was not as if, boy, Drake May is clearly going to be the MVP candidate. He was the third quarterback to come off the board. But regardless of what else happened in that draft, they got the quarterback right. And then, you know, fast forward to January of 2025, they had to make a difficult decision on paper, which was moving on from their handpicked successor in Gerard Mayo. But they had a very clear plan and they moved within a week to hire Mike Vrabel. They believed and they knew him very well that he could lead an instantaneous turnaround.
6:14Tom Pelissero:I think that if you even rewind to week one of the season, I was at that game against the Raiders. It did not look like it was going to be a quick flip. That was the best. The second half of that game was the best football Geno Smith has played this entire season. They lost to the Raiders in week one. I believe the Patriots started one and two. They did. But then you saw them begin to start gathering momentum. Mike Vrabel has always had a really good eye for talent. not just in terms of players, but also in terms of his coaching staff. Josh McDaniels, it was kind of an open secret that he was going to be the offensive coordinator.
6:46Tom Pelissero:But for instance, Mike Rabel interviews Thomas Brown for the OC job. He was going to go with Josh, but he's like, this guy's really impressive. All right, hey, man, I can't give you the OC job, but do you want to be the tight ends coach? And Thomas Brown, who's held a bunch of different roles and has always been, he's been a head coaching candidate in the past. He's worked with Sean McVay. He's a great fit. Todd Downing, who had been the OC in Tennessee. He's now the wide receivers coach. Obviously, you know, the defensive coordinator, that's been a tough situation with not having him in the building here recently.
7:17Tom Pelissero:But, you know, we had Zach Kerr, who's kind of like when Shane Bowden was the play caller in Tennessee, where it was Mike Vrabel entrusted a guy that most people in the league had never even heard of, but had been with Mike going back to Ohio State that, all right, you know, Terrell Williams is not going to be able to be the guy. Zach, you're stepping in. You're now calling this defense. And maybe the most impressive thing, Rich, to me is just when you watch Mike Vrabel interact with his coaches, interact with his players, interact with the officials. He is in complete control of everything surrounding the team.
7:50Tom Pelissero:He's not going to cave to public pressure. Why are you not playing Travion Henderson early? Because we don't think he's ready. Then all of a sudden, around week seven, week eight, all right, he's ready now. He sure is. And he goes off for three touchdowns last night. Stephon Diggs, what was the whole talk in the offseason? Are they going to cut him before his bonus money is due? Is he never going to pass a physical? And Vrabel has kind of shrugged off everything in the offseason, and now Diggs looks like the best bargain in free agency. It's a long-winded way of saying, Rich, they made a lot of wise decisions along the way, getting the quarterback a year before Vrabel even got there, and that decision, which was the Crafts and it was Elliott Wolfe, those guys got that right, and that's a huge piece of what they're building right now.
8:29Rich Eisen:I guess it's a perfect way to segue to the Giants, Tom, because the way you just described the Patriots getting the quarterback right before hiring the coach that is the perfect fit for what's needed and then to surround the new quarterback with talent. it does kind of set up for the Giants to be next year's Patriots just as a way of making an analogy because Dart's there. They're going to get Scadaboo and Malik Nabors back. Defensively, they've got studs all over the place, right? I mean, the question is, is who's the right guy? And I give you the floor on what the Giants are thinking as to who the right guy could be.
9:12Tom Pelissero:Well, first of all, Rich, you make a great point because people have asked me, you know, do you think this is a good job? It's absolutely a good job. I mean, think about the patience that ownership exhibited with Brian Dable even over the past few years. Yes, you know, they got into the playoffs that first season. They won a playoff game. They overachieved. But his firing this week was the culmination of a lot of different things. This is the third straight year that the Giants started 2-8. And they did that with blowing four double-digit leads on the road. if they can get a stop in the eight seconds left in week two against the Cowboys, maybe the season is different.
9:49Tom Pelissero:If they can not blow an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter against the Broncos, maybe this plays out differently. Even the Bears game, they've got that game seemingly in hand, and somehow it gets away from them. It's that repeat inability to finish games that brought us to that point that they felt like they needed to make a change right now. But if you are a coach on either side of the ball, You're looking at this and saying, this is not a bare cabinet. We've got building blocks. It's not just Jackson Dart. You've got two running backs. Obviously, Cam Scadaboo right now is out for the season.
10:22Tom Pelissero:But Cam Scadaboo, if I'm not mistaken, had more yards from scrimmage than Saquon Barkley at the time that he suffered that injury. They've got Tyrone Tracy. Malik Nabors is out for the season, but he should be fully healthy coming off of the torn ACL for 2026. They've got a left tackle in Andrew Thomas. They've got, I believe, three of their starting offensive linemen who are under contract. And then defensively, you look at those guys, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeau and Abdul Carter, Dexter Lawrence on the interior, even on the back end, you've got Javon Holland and Paulson Adebo. You're walking into a situation where you can convince yourself, hey, if we get the right people in place, this should not take long to get this thing going in the right direction.
11:06Tom Pelissero:So who is the right coach for that situation? My understanding in talking to people involved there is that it's not a linear, hey, we've got to have an offensive coach. Even though you look at the Giants' history going back essentially since Bill Parcells, they've hired a series of offensive-minded coaches. Joe Judge was a little bit different. He was predominantly a special teams guy, but had trained on offense. But Ben McAdoo and Pat Shermer and Brian Dable, that's not going to be necessarily a prerequisite even though getting Jackson Dart going and developed the right way is certainly a big part of it you know in terms of the defensive coaches if you're thinking all right I'm coming in and I've got a pass rush and I've got at least some parts on the back end to work with you know this could be attractive job to a variety of different coaches I know this this week they play the Packers Jeff Halfley who is from New Jersey this would be his dream job a team he grew up rooting for he's got one of the best defenses in the NFL and he's got head coaching experience at Boston College I would think a guy like that would be in the mix I would think that you know Steve Spagnuolo even Antonio Pierce who have histories with the Giants would potentially be under consideration and then you've got this broad swath of all these young coaches around the league I should mention Matt Nagy in the experienced bucket as well.
12:24Tom Pelissero:But there's not a Mike Vrabel, all right? There's not a slam dunk. This guy's definitely getting a job this year, nor is there a Ben Johnson, a guy who is a young, up-and-coming offensive mind who's got such a track record and has had so much interest in head coaching interviews in the past. You're like, okay, if Ben wants to take one, he is going to get one this year. You know, the closest thing is probably Joe Brady, but, you know, Sean McDermott is having to fend off questions this week about is he going to fire Joe Brady as his offensive coordinator. I do think Joe Brady's name is going to be hot.
12:57Tom Pelissero:It's just not quite on par with Ben Johnson. So I would anticipate this being a methodical process for the Giants. They've now got a jump start on that. Joe Shane is going to lead the search process. He's not going to be the one making the final call. That's going to go up to layers of ownership here. But this is a good job and a lot of it does start with the organizational belief. And you would think the belief among the coaches watching the tape that Jackson Dart, he's not a fully developed product. He's got to learn how to take some contact off his body, not take all those hits. But he's got upside that is going to intrigue a lot of people, especially, Rich, when you remember this 2026 quarterback draft class is not shaping up to be one where you want to need a quarterback.
13:41Rich Eisen:Tom Pellicero here on the Rich Eisen Show. injuries this weekend. Oh, by the way, nice. Did you guys see that? You just flashed a Los Poyos Hermanos mug right there.
13:54Tom Pelissero:Wife was in Albuquerque on a business trip last year. This was a solid five.
13:58Rich Eisen:Yeah, that's right. I'm sure it's the wife's business trip mug. It's not like you don't have some sort of lab going back there, Tom. Underneath, like what is this? Okay.
14:08Tom Pelissero:We're not making the blue stuff. That's not ours.
14:12Rich Eisen:All right. Breaking Tom here on the Rich Eyes. are not just news all right uh so i'm sorry you flashed the pollos hermanos mug and i it threw me off uh all right so purdy's back right purdy's back and pierce all's back so where's iuk how close are we to fully constituted uh san francisco's offense because wouldn't that be the irony is the defense uh loses so many big players but the offense gets everybody back and carries the day.
14:41Tom Pelissero:Well, they're going to have to, Rich, because it really, it's a bunch of rookies playing over there. Robert Sala is doing his best to scheme it up, but there's only so much you can scheme around when you lose Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, and you're just kind of playing guys, you know, maybe before they're ready. Offensively, you know, in terms of Brandon Ayuk, we were talking about this, Rich, I think on this show, going all the way back to the end of last season in January and February, when there were various rumors where they trade Brandon Ayuk. And what I said then remains true, which was November was kind of the optimistic timeline.
15:13Tom Pelissero:He suffered a really bad injury. This was not just a straight ACL. There was real uncertainty about what the timeline would be. And even John Lynch, I believe speaking on local radio yesterday, you know, said, yeah, we were still, you know, trying to get him back this season, but there's no absolutes in terms of that. So we'll see. Brandon Ayuk still has not even been designated to return to practice, opening up a 21-day window. So now all of a sudden we're talking about December, most likely, at the soonest for Iuke. But Ricky Pierce saw another guy who they thought they'd get back sooner. They didn't put him on injured reserve, but he's got a PCL injury.
15:46Tom Pelissero:Those are really tricky. They've had a few of those out there in San Francisco. It took a while for that knee to really regain the stability, but he's going to be good to go. And then in terms of Brock Purdy, you know, the wild thing, when you think about it, Rich, was we had two turf toe injuries in the opening couple weeks of the season. Joe Burrows was the one that was clinically significantly worse to the extent that it required surgery. Yet here we are in the second week of November. Joe Burrow is back on the practice field at the same time that we're finally seeing Brock Purdy be back into the starting lineup.
16:20Tom Pelissero:He did try to return in week four. That was the only other time he played after getting hurt in the opener. And it was a lot of them just trying to make sure that this was not something that lingered, that he didn't have another setback that could sideline him for four, five, six weeks or potentially hamper him all the way into January, and they still hope February here. It was never something where surgery was on the table for Brock Purdy. It was a different injury than what Joe Burrow had. The issue, and where you can have a setback with even a less severe level of that injury, is if you bend that foot and it gets torqued and you get that flexion, And just like how Joe Burrow went down, the same thing happened when Purdy came back in week four.
17:02Tom Pelissero:It's some bad luck that he's outside the pocket and that thing got bent at a bad angle again. They wanted to be really cautious. It helped them. Mac Jones was playing at a high level. They're still in the mix. They got their work cut out. Of course, we got a great Seahawks-Rams showdown coming up this weekend for the top of the NFC West. But the 49ers are very much in the mix in the division as well as in the wildcard race. Purdy is still their guy. There's never been any doubt about that. Mac Jones gave him the best he could, and we'll be talking about Mac Jones, I'm sure, Rich, come February and March.
17:32Tom Pelissero:And would they trade him? Do they need him to stay on as the NFL's, you know, certainly one of the NFL's top backups? But right now, it is Brock Purdy's time again. And I know that Purdy has been raring to go and remind everybody why they were willing to give him upwards of$50 million a year when they re-signed him back in May.
17:49Rich Eisen:Let's talk about a couple running backs here in the few minutes that we have left. Bucky Irving, he wasn't IR'd either. And he's out there again. We're wondering what's up with him. And then there's J.K. Dobbins, where there's worry about he could go on IR, but then there's nothing, and then we're hardly hearing anything out of Denver on this front. What can you tell us about these two guys? Two big games here, Bucs, Bills, Broncos, Chiefs, who are also without Pacheco as well. So I guess let's throw him in that mix for the running back conversation here, Tom.
18:21Tom Pelissero:The good news on Bucky Irving is that he was at least spotted on the practice field. How much he actually did, you know, as a matter of debate, because he's limited in practice. That can mean he took a lot or a little. He was back out there, but he's not going to play this week. So they're going to continue to roll on with Rashad White and try to put that thing together the way that they have. I mean, the Bucs have overcome so much this season. When you talk about the receivers being decimated, the offensive line being decimated, everybody forgets they haven't had their starting running back for the bulk of the season.
18:51Tom Pelissero:yet they're still in control right now of the NFC South. With J.K. Dobbins, when he posted something that we can't exactly say, some of the words on the show about the hip drop tackle, the way that he was injured in that game, what I was told was this was a potentially significant foot injury. He was getting a second opinion. I know they've been going through a process this week. They've not yet made a roster move with J.K. Dobbins, but it certainly seems like it's going to be R.J. Harvey for at least the near term here in Denver. And then as for Kansas City, Isaiah Pacheco is still not. I have not seen whether or not they've started practice reviews out there today.
19:29Tom Pelissero:It's an MCL sprain. Those can be anywhere, two to four weeks usually, for the type of MCL that he's got. Seems like it's tracking toward being more Kareem Hunt this week, but they are optimistic that in the next week or two here, Isaiah Pacheco will be back in the running as well.
Read the full transcript
19:47Rich Eisen:All right. I mean, Tom Pellicero here on the Rich Eisen Show. I mean, these hip-talk times. I mean, Scadaboo too, man. What happens with this? There's no flags? Is there a fine? Because I know the league has really been hepped up about this issue, and rightfully so, because this is a significant danger that we could see. And I know we're protecting quarterbacks, but this is significant. And, you know, Giants fans are pissed. Broncos fans are pissed. Dobbins is pissed. What happens here after the plays happen?
20:24Tom Pelissero:Well, here's the thing. The bar is really high on what is a hip drop tackle, and it needs to meet all the different criteria in terms of the grasp. It's like a catch. You can see what it is. I mean, we could see it. But here's what I'm telling you, though, Rich. The Zach Bond tackle on Cam Scadaboo, there was no fine. The tackle on J.K. Dobbins, nothing firm. We'll find out for sure tomorrow, but I am not anticipating a fine in that either. A lot of the tackles that we look at and go, oh, that's the hip drop. That's the one they're trying to get out. They've created this criteria that is really difficult to meet.
20:54Tom Pelissero:That's why you don't see very many flags in the game is because it's hard for the officials to see. The fact that they're not even finding guys in a lot of categories shows you that there's not a lot of these tackles that actually meet the criteria. I would imagine they will go back and look at that in the offseason, see whether or not they need to strengthen that. We know Frankie Louvoo got suspended for one, but they ended up walking that back and making that into a$100 ,000 fine instead. It's certainly an ongoing issue. Offensive players hate it. Defensive players are really nervous about what that would mean in terms of the technique that's allowed in the games.
21:28Tom Pelissero:But there was no fine for the Scadaboo hit. I don't think there's going to be a fine for the Dobbins hit. We'll see more of these that everybody's going. That guy should have been thrown out of the game. And the league is essentially saying, under the language of the rule right now, that's not even a foul.
21:41Rich Eisen:I've got to be on the competition committee. I mean, enough's enough. Change the language. We can see that it's a foul. Enough's enough. I've had enough of it.
21:50Tom Pelissero:I've got more issues with the catch rule at this point. Some of the plays we're seeing overturned in terms of, you know, there's very minute things now where it's, you know, did the ball move and what does that constitute with? Yeah, I know we're getting back into that world
22:06Rich Eisen:where I thought they fixed the catch rule. I still think so. But listen, before I let you go, got a couple minutes left here. The team that everybody's hitting you up about around the league, your sources are saying, what about this team? Is it the Packers and all the conversation about LaFleur? Where there really is no conversation about that? That's crazy town to me, that whole thing. But I shouldn't lead the jury here. Which team are people blowing you up about, Tom?
22:34Tom Pelissero:Well, certainly there's been discussion about the Packers just based upon some of the things that have been said and written and Matt LaFleur being asked about his job status after the game on Monday night. Listen, I was there. I was at Lambeau Field. It was not a good performance. But there were so many factors that go into why Green Bay struggled beyond, hey, it's the head coach, it's the play caller's fault. They did not have Tucker Craft, who's been the best player on their offense outside of maybe Josh Jacobs this season. He's out for the year with a torn ACL. They haven't had Jaden Reed.
23:05Tom Pelissero:They didn't have Matthew Golden that night. Then Romeo Dobbs gets knocked out of the game. I mean, think about this, Rich, if you're talking about why the Packers are where they are. Bo Melton, who's a wide receiver by trade, who got converted to corner in camp, which there's usually a reason you convert a guy from receiver to corner. Because he can't catch. Not only is he the number four corner for Green Bay right now, because Nate Hobbs is out and they've got injuries at that position. If somebody had gotten hurt, he would have been out there as the third corner in that game. But because of all the injuries, he also, Bo Melton, became the third receiver in that game.
23:39Tom Pelissero:So it's like, oh man, how can, why is Matt LaFleur going for it on fourth and six? Well, Jordan Love puts the ball in the guy's chest. It's dropped by who? Bo Melton. They got a big play later in the game. It's a shot, I think, to Christian Watson down the field. Gets called back for illegal formation. Oh, how could they take that penalty? Because it's Bo Melton, who's in illegal formation, hadn't probably practiced that play at all because he's literally playing defense when they're in practice. These are not excuses. Listen, everybody's got injuries. Everybody's got things they need to overcome.
24:09Tom Pelissero:We talked about San Francisco and Tampa. Those teams have overcome a lot. The Vikings have been fighting it all year. But we've got to take the context into account here. There were certain things happening within that game against, by the way, a really good defense. If the Packers' defense plays the way that they did against the Eagles, they're going to be just fine in the big picture. There are fair questions about how the Packers proceed beyond this season because Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekut's contracts are up after 2026. Ed Pauls, he's a new president and CEO. He has said on the record that they weren't going to address those contracts until after this season.
24:44Tom Pelissero:I'm not big, Rich, into speculation mode. I'm not going to make predictions about what the Packers do. I would say I think there is a far better chance of Matt LaFleur and us talking about him being in the playoffs and getting an extension next offseason than him somehow being out of a job in Green Bay. and oh by the way instantly becoming the hottest head coaching name on the market which is one more reason i just don't see a scenario where green bay's letting him go i'm with you tom
25:12Rich Eisen:pelissero thank you for the time i think you're late for your chemistry class that you're teaching
25:17Tom Pelissero:so uh there you go you think this is water in this month ladies and gentlemen tom pelissero
25:23Rich Eisen:heading off to the insiders on nfl network and nfl plus right here on the rich there he goes All right, let's take a break. 844-204-RICH. It's a What's More Likely Friday. That's next. This is The Rich Eisen Show.
25:40Tom Pelissero:O, O, O, O 'Reilly.
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26:08Rich Eisen:Auto Parts.
26:14Rich Eisen:While the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup, Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent, future stars who are already turning heads at age 14, because next doesn't wait for an invitation, and neither do we. Hyundai has always moved the future within reach. We did it when we made advanced safety standard on every vehicle and engineered EVs with ultra-fast charging capability. And we're still doing it every day because the future isn't some far-off concept. It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. Rich Eisen here. You can always tell when something big is happening in a city.
26:48Rich 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.
27:21Rich Eisen:If you've got plans to be away this summer, consider listing your space on Airbnb while you're gone and earn some extra cash. It's simple. You're already traveling, so your place doesn't just sit empty while your city is busy. And from my experience on the road, having a comfortable home base can change the whole experience of a trip. So whether it's a big sports weekend, a concert series or a major event coming to your area, this could be the right time to list your space on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
27:59Rich Eisen:Back here on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. Progressive makes bundling easy and affordable. Get a multi-policy discount by combining your motorcycle, RV, boat, ATV, and more. All your protection in one place. Bundle and save at progressive.com. Tracy Letts is joining us. The things that I keep mentioning about that he's been in. He played Jack McKinney in Winning Time on HBO. He got nominated for an Emmy for his role. I can't wait to talk about what he learned about that character. The most forgotten, least known and potentially most important figure of the Showtime Lakers. Because it was his offense that he was the one who had magic as a rookie.
28:42Rich Eisen:And then he had a bike accident and and never returned as Lakers head coach. Terzo in Iowa here on the Rich Eisen Show. What's up, Terzo? What's up, Rich? What's up, fella? How are you, sir? What up, man?
28:56Tom Pelissero:Rich, before I get to my 49ers stat that I have for you, I got to go back to the controversy with TJ not responding to the text change. Yes, sir. During a fantasy showdown.
29:08Rich Eisen:Yes, sir.
29:09Tom Pelissero:TJ, man, I get that you don't want to be a part of it, But, bro, that's one of the best parts about fantasy is the back and forth with your buddy.
29:16Rich Eisen:Listen to your lawyer, TJ. It's not, again, it's not that I don't want to be a part of it. Yes, you do. Sometimes you look at a lot of the conversations and it's just so. He's above it, Terzo. It's not even that I'm above it. It's just like, what are we talking about here? How else am I supposed, how else are we supposed to take it that you're above it? No, no, no, I don't mind it. Yes, you do. Just admit it. I don't like it. I don't want to be part of it, and I'm above it. Just say it, because that's what your silence is, in fact, implying. That's not how I'm – look, if you guys don't get my stance, Terzo, I don't know what to say.
29:52Tom Pelissero:What's a crappy stance? TJ, I'm in three different leagues. Obviously, my Carl's one is the most important. Yeah, that's the one. There's not a lot of trash talk that goes back and forth over the –
30:04Rich Eisen:Oh, so we're – Because we see each other – we just see each other at the bar and talk there. Oh, so we're a lower tier. Oh, I'm sorry. So TJ, we're a lower tier fantasy league. Oh, absolutely. Oh, well, you always say your poker league is the one you care about. We all have main leagues. Yeah, correct. I'm a commissioner. That's my main league. This is my 25th year. But who was on the text chain? I was on. Were you on the text chain? Right. Is this your main league? Were you on the text chain? I was on it. I was on it. Jay, were you on it? This is the one I want to win the most. There you go. I want to be professionals.
30:39Rich Eisen:Not my drunk friends. Terzo, TJ and I want to split a team for your Carls League next year. Can we do it? Can we get in? I will do my best to make that happen, fellas. The answer is no. That's a very polite no. That's a no. That's a very polite no. Terzo, that's a no. That's a no. Listen, Terzo. It's not a no. It's not a no. I'm a co-commissioner, okay?
31:03Tom Pelissero:You've got the juice. We'll make sure that we try and do this because we're at 12 teams. we usually have somebody that drops out so if somebody drops out would you guys have first
31:14Rich Eisen:review our applications that's all right you know what i think just happened there is um turz we forgot terzo is from the nation's heartland where people are nicer here we're in los angeles where that is 100 a no that's a no yeah okay where that's a nice no in new york The answer would be like, there's no chance. In Los Angeles, it's like, oh, let's see if they can happen. You know what we should do? Let's have lunch. We'll hang out. We'll talk about it. We'll talk about it. And then we'll never hear from you again. So, sorry, Terzo.
31:45Tom Pelissero:I'm not even close to you, and I'm not super nice. And so, I'm not from the Midwest. I just live here.
31:51Rich Eisen:Nice and gentle, Terzo and I are. Thanks for the call, Terzo. Appreciate it, buddy. There he goes, Terzo. Off he goes. Off he goes. It's a Friday. It's time for What's More Likely. and it's time for Chris Brockman to take center stage. Hit it. Hit it. What? What's more likely?
32:10Tom Pelissero:Never say never, but never.
32:12Rich Eisen:All right, Christopher, what do you have over there? Hey, guys, I don't want to say hi to you today, but I do want to say hi to my mom. Today's her birthday, so very happy birthday. Brockman. Thank you so much. And I hope you're celebrating her sisters visiting her in Maine, so hopefully they're enjoying a great weekend. Okay. Guys, what's more likely? You could have said hello to us, too. There's enough room. Well, that was to him, though. He said, hey, guys, I don't want to say hi to you. So that was, yeah. Okay. It worked. I was making it about my mom. Happy birthday, Mary. What's up? Guys, more likely beloved backup quarterback to throw for 300 yards and three tutties in an upset win.
32:46Rich Eisen:Joe Flacco or Jameis Winston. Oh, my God. I love Jameis so much. I believe him. Oh, my God. Quoting Hamilton this week. Oh, my God. Who's going to do it? Oh, I saw it. Who's going to do it this week? Great question, Chris. I'm just going to go with Jameis because it's just so... Although Flacco threw for 400. It's a 350 plus against the Steelers. And there was 400 against the Jets. Yeah. Oh, man. All right, I'll go Flacco. I just talked myself into it. But there's still just the Eaton W's factor that's still out there. I believe. him. I'm ready for anything from the Jameis experience. I know that.
33:34Rich Eisen:I'll just go Flacco because we've seen it against the Steelers team but I'm shrug emojing. I think the Packers are pissed. What else, Chris? Maybe the game of the day in SoFi this weekend. A few of the guys are absolutely balling. Jackson Smith and Jigba absolutely on fire. Maybe the wide receiver won this season. Obviously, Matthew Stafford. So is it more likely JSN goes for 125 plus receiving yards. That's what he's averaging in the last five weeks. Or Matthew Stafford throws four tutties again. I'll go with JSN. Both are very difficult to continue to streak on, but I mean, quarterbacks, there's a reason why he's the first to ever throw 14 in a three-game span with no interceptions.
34:19Rich Eisen:It's the first time we've seen that. I'm so excited for this game. Me too. I'll just go JSN because it's easier for a receiver, I can't believe I'm saying this, to get 125 yards receiving even against a Rams defense playing the way it is than a quarterback to do it again to the tune of four straight games with four or more touchdowns. That is insane. That's just more rarefired error. I'll just say that. Even though I don't know the last time somebody went for 125 yards on average for a six-game stretch, I just don't know. So I'll just go JSN. What else, Chris? Devontae Adams is healthy, planning to go on Sunday.
34:59Rich Eisen:Yes, indeed. He's been on fire as well. This is also a great game. A couple of 6-3 teams. More likely, skidding 6-3 team you'll have more concerns about after Sunday. Bucks or Bills? Bucks or Bills? I'll go Bills. I'll go Bills. Because the Bucks, at least, you have more concern about them injury-wise, not winning the division-wise. Bills lose this one, pal. Bills, even if they win it, let's say they win it, they're still a game and a half behind the hottest team in the AFC and the National Football League as well, having already lost to them. I'm not worried about the Bucs winning their division.
35:42Rich Eisen:I am about the Bills. If the Bills lose, will you be concerned about them missing the playoffs entirely? Put up the AFC standings if you don't mind. Mike Hoskins, even though he probably doesn't want to know the answer to this question, is the diehard Bills fan of the Rich Eisen show? Or one of the most diehard Bills fans, I don't know. No, they still have a win over the Chiefs and then the Texans. No, I'm not worried about them. They play the Texans a week after that, and I do believe they still have that game against Pittsburgh still to come, correct? Let me see. Yep, that is right. That has already been confirmed.
36:18Rich Eisen:Yeah, those are the next two opponents for the Bills. No, I'm not worried about missing the playoffs entirely. Winning the division? You bet. But I know this is about coming after Sunday. Yeah, after Sunday, you're going to be like, hmm, I'm more concerned about it. I will still go Bills because my concern about the Bucs is injuries, preventing them from going deep into the playoffs. Not about winning the division. What else, Chris? These next two things are two of the most troublesome things that I could think of off the top of my head, to be honest. More likely to be the higher total. Tyler Algier vultured touchdowns or consecutive days of Los Angeles rain this weekend?
36:56Rich Eisen:Oh, I will go Los Angeles rain this weekend. Apparently it's supposed to rain the rest of today, Saturday. It's supposed to stop a little bit Sunday and then all day Monday.
37:06Tom Pelissero:It's raining sideways.
37:07Rich Eisen:So would you like the traffic as well? Sure. I'll go rain in Los Angeles. We'll come back on Monday and we'll talk about two days of rain. I think they're giving the ball to your guy, Bijan. I have no idea. He's going to make a great feature back in Atlanta one day. Just one day. By the way, and I will say this, what we talked about yesterday, about what Penix said, and whether he has actual coaches in his ear, he was being asked a question about people outside the building. and it was taken completely out of context and I will just say that about the Falcons that they are they're on it with Penix they need a win but that was taken out of context put that into the ether in a segment that hopefully will be heard as much as yesterday's segment on Penix the same intensity, Michael Irvin is a dear friend of mine as you know what's up Chris?
38:10Rich Eisen:As we heard from Tom Brock Purdy's back for San Francisco. That's huge. More likely to be the bigger number. Brock Purdy passing yards on Sunday. Or Mac Jones' average as the starter. Mac Jones averaged 269. Nice passing yards. That's a very large number. I'll go glass half full. I'll say Purdy's coming back and he's going to look terrific. Helps to have Pearsall back too, man. That does help tremendously. And Kittle having a few games under his belt as well. I'm bullish on this Niners offense. So I'll go Purdy. And you know how I feel about it. Come on. This is a layup for me. Mac Jones has been balling.
38:50Rich Eisen:I just want to get it out there. And this is nothing against Mac Jones. But he was great. You know my belief in Purdy. Five and threes. Okay. Yeah, I'll go. I think Purdy's going to have a better day than the average of Mac Jones. What else? Huge game in Denver. Is it more likely the Broncos trail for most of the game and then play amazing in the fourth quarter to win it? or the Chiefs cruise to a double-digit triumph. I'll go the latter. I don't think the Chiefs are cruising at all against this team. No, not at all. Who's the last team to cruise against Denver anyway? I mean, the first three quarters of the Philadelphia Eagles, they were cruising against Denver.
39:28Rich Eisen:That's true. And Denver lost at Indianapolis. Indianapolis wasn't cruising in that one. Giants were cruising? yeah until the fourth quarter uh so are you taking the broncos here i i'm i'm gonna take the in the game i'm just saying in terms of here i don't think that they i won't say it's more likely that they trail and play amazing in the fourth quarter to win and the chiefs cruise to a double digit win and i'm expecting rj harvey to have a big game pal for sure what else chris all right two more uh this is a callback is it more likely the lions stop the eagles tush push or run one themselves.
40:07Rich Eisen:I'm going to say both. Did you take this from our conversation? I did. I literally wrote it word for word as we said it. Because we were talking about it. And you said both, didn't you TJ? The other day when this was brought up. Because you know, Dan Campbell's saying, you know, he's now calling the plays and he's like, let's keep the tush push in the game. That they come up with one themselves and they stop one on top of it. Yeah, I did say they'd stop at least one. I think they run one themselves. Car coordinator showing up and saying, we've got one. Here's Sam LaPorter. you stop us. That would be kind of fun.
40:36Rich Eisen:That would be really fun. But it would have to be single. What if they put Aiden Hutchins back there? I don't think he's going to do anything but what he does. Come on. But what if they put Knuckles back there to push? It would have to be Knuckles, right? I think he's the one you want to have. I think I'd want him having the ball being pushed. No, I want Laporta. I want Laporta having it, and I want him being pushed. That's what I want. With Montgomery, he's smaller. so you can get down lower. It's powerful. I'll go both, man. But what's more likely is that the Lions stop it. I really hope that's a good game.
41:12Rich Eisen:Because, I mean, we haven't seen them run a tush push yet, I don't think. I'm glad to see both of these things happen. You got one more? Last one, a couple of monster college football games on Saturday. Hopefully you get to see them. Big time college matchup more likely to involve a future playoff Final Four team. Texas, Georgia, or Oklahoma, Alabama? oh i'll go texas georgia come on now yeah i'll go texas georgia good one these big games i can't wait for it but i'll go texas georgia even though this will take a a good three weeks to find out what it is yeah by the way michigan plays northwestern this weekend you know why i'm mentioning it it's big noon on fox but why i'm mentioning it it's in wrigley field oh nice if you might you know just give a little gander to see what something like that looks like 844-204-RICH is the number to dial right here on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance.
42:05Rich Eisen:We'll be back. Tracy Letts making his way to our studio. Don't you dare move.
42:14Rich 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 na member fdic terms and conditions apply nm ls 696891 fast funds terms apply at sofi.com slash debt play a bandwagon fan the biggest insult in sports but this summer during in the FIFA World Cup? It's an invitation, America.
42:54Rich Eisen:Never watched soccer before? Perfect. 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 Lays and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lays, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. the rich heisen show the podcast the sonos speakers in my house if you want incredible sound we live it every day kids listen to music in separate rooms because you could zone things up it's so great it's so awesome and then watching games with the sonos soundbar attached to the television it's awesome seems like you're feels like you're at the game setup's easy to just plug it in open the sonos app you're ready to go it really is that simple and it's simple to use on the app too if you want stadium sound quality sound at home just like me just like suz explore the sound bars speakers and more it's sonos.com sonos they look as good as they sound 844-204-rich number don will take your calls in a moment so i i mentioned uh on overreaction monday the pod you could still get it um even though it's just a couple days old it It ages well.
44:10Rich Eisen:It's like a fine wine because the takes are still hot and we're still overreacting to them. And, you know, in the case of talking about a Friday, you can have a perspective of a game, at least, that's advanced. Our subject matters. But the reason why I bring it up is in that pod. I mentioned how Dan Campbell calling plays. The concept was if Dan Campbell keeps calling plays, the Lions are going to wind up the one seed because it looked as good as it possibly could in his first shot of calling plays. I'm like the one seed is a tall order to just say right now they're going to get because there's still so many other teams that have a shot at it, including the team they're playing on on Sunday night.
44:47Rich Eisen:But I said that if he calls plays and it works out as well as it could, one seed might not be there, but coach of the year would be in reach for somebody like Dan Campbell. And part of the reason why is we didn't hear about it, and he also, there's no drama involved. No drama involved. It's not like he's on the hot seat, and it's not like the person who he sat from the play calling duties is feeling left out. And Johnny Morton spoke to the media. Other teams that might have the offensive coordinator no longer have calling plays, they would not let him speak. But he did, and just listen to how healthy the whole situation sounds.
45:30Tom Pelissero:I'm not going to say exactly how it went down, because that's private, but I fully support it. listen man I've been doing this for a while I've been with head coaches that are offensive guys play callers so I'm used to that you know I feel very prideful of the things that I was doing there's some things that I gotta learn no doubt just like everybody else but listen I want to do whatever it takes to win I mean as soon as you said I'm like all right let's go what we gotta do That's the way I've always been in this business. I've been cut six times. I've been fired. Man, you just march on, okay?
46:07Tom Pelissero:Because it's always about the team. It always is. It ain't about me and goals and this and that. No, the ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl. So I didn't even blink twice because I know my role here. And the only thing that's changed is that he's calling it on game day. I'm doing everything else is still the same. So I don't blink twice when things happen in this business. man do i love that right that's really healthy yeah it sounds like it's a healthy environment
46:34Rich Eisen:in that building yeah and that resonates to the field everybody it always does it always does it resonates to the field and because the players are able to focus on the execution knowing that there's no drama behind the scenes that could seep into their spot. Are you a Dan Campbell guy? Or are you a Johnny Morton guy? None of that. Because it's all just your Lions guys, you know? Seems like the opposite of what's going on with the Eagles, right? Well, but it's kind of fascinating to bring that up, but as you know, I always think that the Eagles, it's their oxygen. Yeah, I'm not saying it's a negative for them, but...
47:16Rich Eisen:Right. And look who's playing each other Sunday night. The Ridge Eyes and 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. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required. Compatibility and availability varies 18+.
From the publisher
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero and Rich discuss how the New England Patriots have been able to return to their winning ways this season, which coaches are in the mix to be the next New York Giants’ HC, if the 49ers can overcome their slew of injuries and reach the playoffs, the injury status of Denver Broncos RB JK Dobbins, Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving, and Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco, why the NFL isn’t actually cracking down on hip drop tackles, and if Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is actually on the hot seat.
In ‘What’s More Likely’ Rich weighs in on Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston, Rams vs Seahawks, Bills vs Bucs, Broncos vs Chiefs, Lions vs Eagles, and more.
Rich weighs in on the big shakeup in Detroit where head coach Dan Campbell took over play calling duties for OC John Morton.
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