In short
Hour 3 of The Rich Eisen Show focuses on two NFL blockbuster storylines: the Los Angeles Rams acquiring defensive star Miles Garrett, and the New England Patriots acquiring receiver A.J. Brown. Rich Eisen and guests discuss how these moves reshape team windows and matchups, including the idea that the Rams’ trade makes the AFC gap wider and that the Patriots’ AJ Brown acquisition is a major offensive upgrade. Key claim: Browns GM Andrew Berry says trading Garrett only happened when short- and long-term benefits aligned and the deal included a young cost-controlled star (Jared Verse) plus premium draft capital.
Notable examples
Berry’s “bingo card” criteria; Garrett’s 2023 sack dominance; Verse as an age-appropriate peer.
Guests
ESPN NFL analyst Alex Smith (former NFL QB; also involved with Abbott/Real Madrid youth scouting in Kansas City) and earlier in the hour references to Albert Breer and Eric Weddle (not interviewed in this excerpt).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOMiles Garrett Trade News
1:13 to 1:49
Discussion on the possibility of Miles Garrett being traded to the Rams.
“Miles Garrett is in fact being traded to the Los Angeles Rams.”
A.J. Brown Discussion
1:49 to 2:36
Analyzing A.J. Brown's potential trade to the Patriots and its implications.
“would consider coming out of retirement just to play with Miles Garrett, just because, you know, who doesn't want to see it?”
Mike Vrabel's Insights
2:36 to 4:33
Mike Vrabel talks about A.J. Brown and his passion for football.
“he's arguably the best player in the nfl certainly best defensive player in the nfl coming here now to los angeles like where the hell did that come from and um otherwise we'd be talking at length about A.J.”
A.J. Brown's Patriot Fandom
4:33 to 7:09
Exploring A.J. Brown's long-time support for the Patriots and his past connections.
“and what he knows about him and what the rest of the team will learn about him.”
Super Bowl Predictions
7:09 to 9:01
Predicting A.J. Brown's record-breaking season and the Patriots' success.
“And so Brown was talking about his Patriot fandom.”
David Ortiz on Red Sox Ownership
9:01 to 10:10
David Ortiz discusses the state of the Red Sox and owner John Henry's concerns.
“Brown is acquired by New England, causing Patriots fans to think if they've just acquired the latest Boston sports legend who they will love forevermore because he's brought a championship, yada, yada, yada.”
Chris Brockman's Reaction
10:10 to 14:00
Chris Brockman's emotional response to A.J. Brown and the Red Sox situation.
“And I just want you to see just how much A.J.”
Discussion on Boston Sports and David Ortiz
14:00 to 17:51
The hosts discuss Boston sports, referencing David Ortiz and the challenges of fandom.
“there and john henry wants to figure it out you don't understand i don't that there's it's hard to understand this is a part of him that he's worried.”
Interview with Alex Smith
18:39 to 21:22
Alex Smith discusses the dynamics of NFL trades and the implications for teams.
“Coming up next, some people don't understand that it's hard to stay up there.”
Alex Smith on Player Comparisons and Challenges
21:22 to 28:05
Alex Smith shares insights on notable NFL players and the challenges they face.
“There's consequences that come with that, right?”
Show all 20 chapters
Supporting Young Soccer Talent
28:05 to 29:39
Learn about the Abbott Dream Team event and its impact on young athletes.
“into its conference to that charity event.”
Memories of Travis Kelce
29:40 to 31:28
Alex Smith shares his fond memories and thoughts on Travis Kelce's growth in the NFL.
“And so just a quick trip, but I'm sure I will be back here very shortly.”
Reflections on Travis's Career
31:29 to 32:39
A deep dive into Travis Kelce's evolution and achievements as a tight end.
“To think about the guys that have played that position and to have done it his own way to Rich.”
Discussion on Fan Emotions and Team Management
32:40 to 36:20
A conversation about the challenges of team management and fan expectations.
“We'll talk to the Michigan ball this time.”
Discussion on Fan Emotions and Team Management
36:21 to 36:55
A conversation about the challenges of team management and fan expectations.
“it's tough to stay up there that's what I heard it's hard to stay The Rich Eisen Show The Podcast Study and play.”
Discussion on Fan Emotions and Team Management
38:04 to 38:40
A conversation about the challenges of team management and fan expectations.
“Hyundai's always moved the future within reach, and 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.”
Browns Fan Frustrations
39:51 to 42:00
A Browns fan shares their frustrations and hopes for the team's future.
“You know yesterday I was hoping we'd hear from Terrence.”
Analyzing the Myles Garrett Trade
42:00 to 45:08
A discussion on the implications and reasoning behind the trade of Myles Garrett.
“He set the single season sack record and one defensive player of the year unanimously.”
Jared Verse's Impact and Future
45:08 to 46:18
Exploration of Jared Verse's potential and his role in the Browns' future.
“And for a Jet fan, you're sitting there, it's like it's just a new GM.”
Wrap-Up and Viewer Interaction
46:18 to 47:25
Final thoughts and viewer call-in segment with reminders about the show.
“Now, who's the quarterback and is the coach any good?”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Legally, we can't say drinking Storm makes you smarter and more focused. But with zero sugar, 200 milligrams of caffeine, and immunity support, you're smarter and more focused for drinking Storm. Storm. Good energy in, good energy out. Energy for life. So good, so good, so good. Everything you want for summer is at Nordstrom Rack stores now. And up to 60 % off. Stock up and save on the brands you love like Vince, Sam Edelman, Frame, and Free People. Join the Nordiclub to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more.
0:33Rich Eisen:Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. 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 +, from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? we've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. My phone is buzzing like crazy. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Miles Garrett is in fact being traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
1:20From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
1:24Rich Eisen:The Rams are not messing around. Earlier on the show, senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. Six-time Pro Bowl safety, Eric Weddle. Coming up, ESPN NFL analyst, Alex Smith. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Great chats with Albert Breer in hour number one, Eric Weddle in hour two. Who better address the conversation or speculation that Aaron Donald would consider coming out of retirement just to play with Miles Garrett, just because, you know, who doesn't want to see it? Then Eric Weddle. We talked about it with him. As you know, he came out of retirement out of necessity to play for the Rams who needed him a couple of years ago when they were going through a Super Bowl run.
2:14Rich Eisen:They're trying to repeat all the way down to where they could win it in Los Angeles, just up the road from us. If you missed any of it, there's our podcast, All Three Hours. there's also our youtube channel youtube.com slash rich eisen show on that alex smith's about to join us as well we've been very um heavy on the miles garrett stuff and rightfully so because he's arguably the best player in the nfl certainly best defensive player in the nfl coming here now to los angeles like where the hell did that come from and um otherwise we'd be talking at length about A.J. Brown. Why not? Why not? You've been waiting for this paper, and this has been more than expected, right?
2:57Rich Eisen:I mean, since basically October. And Mike Vrabel spoke today. Hey. The coach of the New England Patriots. And, you know, the last time Vrabel spoke about A.J. Brown, or at least through these airwaves, remember we had him on in 2022 in april before the draft when it was rumored that hey the titans are going to trade aj brown in the draft and they wound up doing that to philadelphia and the draft in las vegas uh and we had mike vrabel then the titans head coach on and basically asked him about that and here was his answer is aj brown on the on the on the trade block Mike as long as I'm the head coach I I love AJ professionally personally um you know I've been I've gotten him to to know him well as his coach and uh enjoy you know seeing him as much as I possibly can so as long as I'm the coach here I would I would want to have AJ Brown on my football team and of course this uh became something that we played over and over and over again because Mike Vrabel was still the coach when they traded him.
4:14Rich Eisen:And then yada, yada, yada, the general manager who traded him no longer was the general manager after A.J. Brown started crushing it in Philadelphia. And then yada, yada, yada, Mike Vrabel was no longer the coach in Tennessee. And here we are today with him now, the reigning coach of the year in New England, showing up, talking about A.J. Brown being on his roster again and what he knows about him and what the rest of the team will learn about him. That he loves football, that he cares about his team. I think he is knowledgeable. And again, I think that he doesn't have to prove anything to anybody.
4:55Nobody does. They have to go out there and practice. They have to know what to do. They have to play to a certain identity and do their job and focus on that. Nobody needs to do anything that's outside of what we've ever asked any of our players to do. And I'm confident that he'll do that. He's humble. I'm excited to have him get to know our players. And our players get to know him and everybody else as we work through the last couple weeks here.
5:22Rich Eisen:He's got to be. Again, I know his demeanor. He's got to be over the moon about this. Over the moon. And in the same way that I mentioned that acquiring Miles Garrett at this juncture by the Rams does not afford the rest of the division the opportunity to try and make up for it, to try and close whatever gap that has now widened or been created, they don't have the draft or any other free agents out there that could potentially match this maneuver.
5:56Rich Eisen:it's a great move by the Patriots just a great move certainly since Brown has apparently been a Patriot fan for some time something that was brought up to Vrabel if he actually even knew that I mean I think that that was known a long time I think I knew that I think he showed me pictures when he was a little kid wearing my jersey and stuff like that that he didn't wear my jersey I mean, I think I knew that just from the time that he, you know, I think when we drafted him, he was like, I wish the Patriots drafted me. And I said, well, that didn't happen. You know, the Titans drafted you. So, you know, I think that, you know, the success that this team had in those years when, you know, a lot of our players were growing up, you know, it would be easy to root for a lot of players that played for this team in the early 2000s.
6:51Rich Eisen:Yeah, it helps. It helps. And this is something that was brought up on the 7 p.m. in Brooklyn pod on which A.J. Brown appeared. It looks like Maria Taylor went to his house to interview him because he was in the spot with his Patriot man cave carpet. Man cave rug. Yeah. Right? And so Brown was talking about his Patriot fandom. When did we get this rug right here? Where did this come from? It came from Amazon. but definitely a few years now. It's been here for a while. While you were an Eagle, you had this rug in your house? Absolutely. You got to tell me why. You know, some things just never change.
7:31You know, this is my team. This is my team since I was a kid, so it didn't matter. I mean, I was doing what I was supposed to be doing as an Eagle, but this is it.
7:46Okay. Remember when I said he was going to lead the league in yards? Done. 2 ,000 yards, and he's going to break Randy Moss' touchdown record. This guy is finally where he's wanted to be his entire life. He was wearing a Tom Brady jersey as an infant and a child throughout his formative years. Then Tom Brady sends him a jersey. Remember that video from a few years ago? Tom Brady sent him a jersey in the mail, and he filmed himself opening them. He was the happiest kid you've ever seen in his life. Remember when you got your first gaming system when you were a kid? Sure. Like the first Nintendo, how happy you were that day?
8:22The first glove you ever got. New pair of basketball shoes. Maybe you got some cleats or a new bat or something. That's what A.J. Brown looked like. And now this guy has a Patriots man cave rug while he plays for another team in which he won a Super Bowl for. He never cared about you, Philadelphia. He always wanted to be with us. we're back Super Bowl back on book it right now AJ Brown record-breaking season get ready and I am going to be laughing every single Monday right here take your heart pills and
9:00Rich Eisen:and buckle up yes indeed TJ let me handle this please because I know you're you've been looking over at me like are you going to step in you're going to handle this that's why your name's in the cup we are about to put to the test just how giddy chris brockman is oh really yes yes we're about to lend perspective and also just see how giddy you are and see how regulated you can be when confronted with something else from the boston sports scene because on the same day A.J. Brown is acquired by New England, causing Patriots fans to think if they've just acquired the latest Boston sports legend who they will love forevermore because he's brought a championship, yada, yada, yada.
9:52Rich Eisen:Blah, blah, woo, woo. On the same day this is going down in the greater Boston area, David Ortiz, Big Poppy, is holding his charity golf tournament. Oh, man, I saw this. What I'm going to do is read out his quotes about how John Henry, the owner of the Red Sox, is on it. I'm going to keep you on camera. What exactly? And I just want you to see just how much A.J. Brown can buoy you to keep you as regulated as possible. I have the comments right here, T.J. Jefferson. we're going to put this Boston sports fan to the test to see just how calm he is how happy he is it's going to take a lot some of these AJ Brown videos from OTAs today hold on a minute here we go keep him on camera Mike Hoskins John Monaco our director keep him on camera Big Poppy talking about John Henry the owner of the Red Sox who are in last place in the American League East at present.
11:06Rich Eisen:Riding high right. Quote, he's worried about the state of the Red Sox. We had a conversation. I can see. I've known John a long time. Him and the whole team. Him and Tom Werner. Heard of him. Wordless. You got to just hang in there. The whole group, they're working on figuring things out to get this ride better. he knows the direction of this team and he's worried about the team situation more than what people think he is the thing is that you see john well actually let's let's help chris brockman put him on the screen let's see john there he is there he is there he is careful hang in there not yet that was a hold on a minute the thing is that you see john and john is someone that he manages his emotions really well.
12:06Rich Eisen:He's very professional at everything he does. Sometimes for people, it's hard for them to understand that part of him. But he's worried. This is David Ortiz, Big Papi, saying this. His favorite athlete. Yes. He loves Boston. Hold on. I sat down to talk to John and he wants to figure it out. He wants to have the formula to go back to the old days. It's not like he just gives up. Sometimes people don't understand that the way this game goes, that it's hard to stay up there. People just don't understand it. when you worry you worry about everything in general says david ortiz about john henry you worry about the team you work you worry about the fans you worry about the fans and you worry about how everything is moved around i tell you the boss is He's working.
13:16Rich Eisen:He's working. He's working on putting the pieces that moving forward, things get better around here. End quote. How do you think he did, TJ? Well, except for the initial. Let's see. Here's what people might not know about Chris, right? For as much as he talks about the Patriots. He loves the Red Sox more than he loves. Oh, no. question he loves david ortiz more now let me ask you chris do you think david ortiz is right that some people don't understand just how this is the way the game goes it's hard to stay up there and john henry wants to figure it out you don't understand i don't that there's it's hard to understand this is a part of him that he's worried.
14:13You're right. I don't understand. I don't.
14:18Rich Eisen:David Ortiz is saying this. Big pop, you don't trust him? Huh? Did you see A.J. Brown today? Did you see when he walked out on the field? May I say this? Cut off shirt and the one-handed catch. May I say this? Just on your behalf. If, hey, Big Poppy. Big Poppy? if John wants people to understand that he's worried maybe he should appear at a press conference to talk to them what he said once once show up now then that's me trying to be straight down the middle as the Yankee fan sitting here sir you say a lot on this program when there's a whole bunch of houses you want to put a sports pox on they're playing each other you're rooting for the meteor correct you're rooting for the meteor well interestingly enough correct room for the meeting want to talk about speaking things into existence did you see what happened over boston this weekend an actual meteor there was a sonic boom scared the crap out of everybody that you know and love that's still out there, Chris, including me too.
15:40Rich Eisen:There's an actual meteor and it's over your sports teams. Team. Okay. Team. Team, what does that mean? All of them live in Boston, don't they? Yeah, but only one sucks at the moment. But they're trying. They're trying. I watch every game. Careful. You don't understand. That's what David Ortiz says. Some people don't understand. And you're that some people he's referring to, isn't he? Yeah, I don't get it. You people. I don't get it. You don't get it. I don't. I don't. Mookie Betts and Kyle Schwarber. Oh, keep going. Chris Sale. No, I was just trying to find a formula. You don't understand. It's tough to stay up there, Chris.
16:20Rich Eisen:Chris, Chris, it's tough to stay up there, Chris. No big deal. It's tough to stay up there. Uh-huh, cool.
16:31Rich Eisen:Sometimes you got to take the good with the bad. Oh, yeah, it's life. Isn't that the facts of life? That's life. Yeah. You know what I mean? Maybe that's the Garrett. Mrs. Garrett. Oh. There you go. We finally found the Garrett. Huh? Mrs. Mrs. Garrett. It's the Garrett. Mrs. Garrett. Yeah, I don't think Monkens had a face-to-face with Mrs. Garrett either. Wow. That would become a fact of life. Hard to do. Did you see A.J. Brown today? Take the good, you take the bad. Take them both. I think you're so happy about A.J. Brown. I think you handled yourself very well right there. It's going to take a lot to bring me down.
17:08Rich Eisen:How was my dramatic reading of what Big Poppy said about John Hennett? You know, you could have done a little accent, but that's okay. Let's check the standings. Where are we right now? Okey-dokey. Oh, the Mets have passed us? Look, we are on fire right now. Look at that. Ay, ay, ay. No thanks to Bo Bichette. Hey, listen. Bo Bichette was balling. This has gone really well for me two days into June. I mean, I didn't think we'd have this big, fat a lead in the Rich Eisen Show crew conversation. No, I didn't think so either. I thought they canceled baseball for a while. That's all right, guys. I can't believe there was an actual meteor over Massachusetts.
17:46Just a little further south. A little further south.
17:49Rich Eisen:A little further south. Very good. Come on. All right, let's take a break here on the program. Alex Smith is kind enough to join in next right here on the Rich Eisen Show. 844-204-RICH is that number to dial for everybody that's out there. When it comes to taking care of your home, Pella Windows and Doors are the experts in that department of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them. And that means working with a company that builds and installs a quality product with real pricing, real simple, really beautiful. And when a trusted friend like Pella chooses to partner with the Rich Eisen Show, That says a lot.
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21:10Rich Eisen:global health leader abbott and the abbott dream team uh bringing us alex smith three-time pro bowler and uh uh one of the uh excellent sunday nfl countdown analysts back here on the rich eyes and show i don't know you mentioned like you know who won the trade and um just between the rams and and and miles garrett and i i honestly think the the browns this was a smart move and i I know I'm talking about somebody who's generationally brilliant, and we're talking about him in the same breath as Reggie White, for crying out loud. I get it. But if you're a team that is just drafted really well, and you've got a bunch of 22, 23-year-olds, and you're going to wind up having to pay them as 25, 26-year-olds soon enough, and it might not be a championship window right now or when those players are 24 and 25, and you've got a 30-year-old guy that can net you somebody like Jared Verst to be a um i guess an age appropriate peer if you will for the for these kids um and and you can get the draft capital as well and and make sure that you do get something for garrett and also say hey man nine years we're gonna you want to go ring chase we'll give you the best chance you can um it kind of i i get it i'm kind of surprised they didn't do it when you first said i i won out a year ago, Alex.
22:34Rich Eisen:You know? Yeah, it's interesting.
22:41And it goes back. There's consequences that come with that, right? To be this daring. In some ways, they've been on the wrong side of this, right? Like you think for the Deshaun Watson trade and all the picks they gave up to Houston. And look what it did for that organization, right? To go hit on a few of those draft picks, C.J. Stroud, Will Anderson Jr., and all of a sudden you've really redefined. And the Houston Texans are going to be good for a long time, right? Like they're so young and so talented. And I like this from Cleveland. Again, it is very daring and risky to let go of one of the greatest defensive players of all time in his prime.
23:16But like you do have a chance to really restart your organization, right? You are a young, talented football team. You've got all these picks. You've got Jared Verse, who is obviously a phenomenal player in his own right um so again time will tell they obviously have to hit on these picks and continue to build and and build that culture but um it certainly gives them a big opportunity and in
23:40Rich Eisen:terms of uh you know again um respect to jared verse but we are talking about miles garrett right yeah um walk me through how you feel joe burrow was thinking this morning yeah i mean oh my god Do you think about it? You're going to have to play this guy twice a year? Right. Like, you know, I mean, what did he have? Six sacks in the game last year? Like, it's just a nightmare. This is in as much as a quarterback. You try to, like, focus your attention downfield. But like this guy, like, even when you just get up, walk up to the line of scrimmage, this is a mountain of a man that, you know, is just hunting you every single play.
24:18And like it or not, that sits in the back of your head, Rich. It just sits there. And so I'm sure Joe Burrow will sleep much better last night and here going forward.
24:26Rich Eisen:And, you know, and I could also have mentioned your draft mate, Aaron Rodgers, as well. Oh, yeah. What are you thinking when you see him out there in Pennsylvania going through the mini camps and going through all that? And you were in the same draft class as him? Yeah. Alex, what are you thinking? I love it, honestly. Again, you want to talk about guts to go toe the line. I mean, I love watching these older players. You brought up basketball. I love watching Steph Curry and LeBron play. And these guys that are really almost taking on two opponents, right? Not just these young guys they're playing, but really father time as well.
25:01And can they adapt their game and continue to play? And to think about Aaron, this is, what, 20 years? Like, I played so long. And here he is still rolling, still competing and being courageous enough to compete and toe the line again. And so I know he said it's probably the last hurrah and it'll be fun to watch him. And this is one of the all time great quarterbacks, right? Certainly of modern history. This is a guy that I think in a lot of ways has changed the game. You think about the way he played it, you know, the style, again, the flair that he played with. And it didn't obviously not just stay on the field, but it went to the press conferences, too, and to the media.
Read the full transcript
25:40But like this, this guy's been amazing if you're a football fan. and we're going to get to watch him one more time. And yeah, does it look different from his heyday? Of course, but does he have enough? And again, I just applaud the guts to go do this.
25:56Rich Eisen:What is your best guess, Alex Smith, as to what the Eagles offense looks like? New coordinator, now obviously the inevitable that we've been waiting for has occurred with A.J. Brown being a Patriot. What does it look like for Jalen Hurts in terms of a challenge? And then just overall, the X's and O's, what you think it will look like this year. Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, listen, I mean, obviously, A.J. Brown is one of the premier receivers in the NFL. This guy's a walking thousand yards every year, basically, of his entire NFL career. You know, and so that will be missed from a production standpoint, no doubt.
26:34I mean, I think stylistically, I think they're going to try to turn this back to a couple of years ago when they won the Super Bowl, right? Like, I think you're going to see some more West Coast influences. You're going to see them try to be a little more diverse in the run game. Let's get under center. Let's have some more traditional run game. Let's bootleg a little bit. This will look like kind of the components that will look like the Rams and the Niners in that regard. But obviously still with Jalen Hurts back there, you've got the ability in key situations to add QB run, and this guy still is what makes it go.
27:07I know this guy takes a lot of heat, but he does so much and can do so much, and he's so dependable. and obviously has, I think, an amazing, not just skill set, but mindset. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see, right, can they do it. But, again, you know, A.J., there was certainly so much just exterior distractions that came with not just A.J., and I'm not putting it on him, but certainly just being in Philadelphia and the player that he is. And obviously with him not there, again, they're going to be missing that ability. This guy was – you couldn't guard him one-on-one, right? That was a win as a quarterback.
27:40and it's so nice to have that knowing that and can they replace him uh we'll we'll see this fall
27:47Rich Eisen:yeah i i'm i do look forward to it um you're there are you in kansas city right now i am in kansas city yes that's so cool i was just there over the weekend for the big slick um event in support of children's mercy there in kansas city that the hospital got 4.2 million dollars poured into its conference to that charity event. It is pretty amazing. And you're there in support of the Abbott Dream Team event. What is that that you're doing? Yeah, Abbott, the global health leader, has partnered up with Real Madrid, and we're on the search around the country. Obviously, this stop here in Kansas City, we're scouting young soccer players.
28:26These are kind of 18-, 19-year-old men and women that are looking to take their game to the next level, and they're going to get a chance to get an all-expenses-paid trip to Madrid and train at Real Madrid. And on top of that, and really what's obviously more important to me, Abbott is providing top-tier nutritional and health experts for these young kids here to be able to optimize not just their body as it pertains to playing on the field and reaching their potential, but obviously just in life. And these are things they'll be able to take with them forever. And also to be back in Kansas City.
28:57So doing a little scouting. I got my soccer cleats on. You got your kit. I see your kit.
29:01Rich Eisen:I see your old kit. I got my kit on. And so, again, yeah, pumped to obviously partner with Abbott. And, again, these are things I wish I knew as an 18-, 19-year-old, Rich, when I was just in college. And, again, I look back and it's laughable what I ate. But, yeah, so, again, pumped to be here. And these are, you know, obviously kids with big dreams. And this is obviously a huge opportunity to go think they get to go train at Real Madrid and everything that they have there at their disposable, along with what Abbott's providing. So, again, I don't know how much time you have, but do you stop by and see Andy or anybody while you're there?
29:36Not on this trip. I normally always do. This one's in and out. It's quick. I've got to get back to the family. Okay. And so just a quick trip, but I'm sure I will be back here very shortly.
29:46Rich Eisen:One of my favorite sound bites I play here, Alex, on the program is when we had Travis Kelsey on our show at the Super Bowl, the day you wound up being traded. Yeah. And he was just gutted. He was gutted because of his relationship with you, you know, and he talks about how much, you know, you and he vibed. And, you know, and obviously subsequently looking back and he's just like, yeah, we got this young kid who's pretty damn good, you know, but he was so gutted that, you know, that you guys were no longer going to be on the field together. Do you get a good memory of what Travis was like? And now, obviously, we know what he's become and what his life is now.
30:30Rich Eisen:But, you know, what about those days, Alex? I have so many memories of Travis. You know, I obviously still keep up with him a bunch. I was lucky enough. He and I played a bunch of golf this offseason at Pebble Beach. We were in the same grouping at the Pro-Am there, which was a ton of fun. But, yeah, to think back to young Travis Rich, like those were his first five years in the league. You know, we drafted him.
30:59You know, to go, this is a guy that had the talent to catch a little shallow cross and take it to the end zone. And then he broke into full dance, you know, choreographed dance. You know, there's a guy that in the huddle just like couldn't stop smiling, always had a joke. I mean, he just loved football. He loved his teammates. You know, and again, I think you could see certainly when I was with him. what he was becoming, but to think how long he's been doing this. I mean, again, I don't think it's crazy to say that he's the best receiving tight end of all time. And that's crazy, right? To think about the guys that have played that position and to have done it his own way to Rich.
31:39These guys are so unique. And so happy for him. And again, same thing. He's coming back for at least one more. And again, to get to watch him do it is so special. This guy has helped redefine the position, the tight end position. And again, obviously proud to have played with him and call him a friend. Which he got called to the principal's office quite often.
32:04Rich Eisen:Yeah, I was about to say, because I do remember he was a little bit of a hothead. You know what I mean? Yeah, he's matured a lot. He's grown up a lot. But yeah, he and Big Red, there were lots of tough conversations there early on in Trav's career. but again i think that's what's also amazing to see those
32:26Rich Eisen:yeah we're having uh some issues with the with the with the feed here hopefully he'll come back on and no no okay um yeah i'm one of those guys that just need to say goodbye on all right alex i could see your pop back on good to see you man um yeah rich great seeing you sorry about that Dude, listen, it's called the internet. All good. I hope to see you soon, real soon. Yeah, same. Okay, that's Alex Smith. We'll talk to the Michigan ball this time. Okay, yeah, well, I mean. I've got my guy there. I know. Okay. Okay, we'll talk about it in short order. Thanks again, Alex. You'll be well. See you, man.
33:01Rich Eisen:There you go. That's Alex Smith, everybody. Our favorites, three-time Pro Bowler again. Part of the ABBA Dream Team. Dream Dame. Okay. so much they got all these phone lines i know on unload um take a break and get to him okay oh i mean i have to be so aggressive i wasn't i feel like i whispered that take a break that usually comes from the back yeah i mean yeah you know he's excited he's got aj brown he's got it yeah he's happy yeah but he tried to bring me down with the john henry stuff and i think he did a little bit i don't love he brought you down a slight bit you know listen John Henry and I are not Chris I just want to figure it out some people don't understand I don't understand it some people don't understand that part of me because I manage my emotions really well you know what I mean John Henry not on the Brockman Christmas card at least I said what you want definitely not on that right I mean people don't understand him it would be helpful to appear We saw you and heard from you.
34:09Maybe explain some of your reasoning behind some of the moves. That would be good. Why we're not spending this money. Just trust Big Poppy. Can I ask, what would you rather have? Him to sell the team. Wait a second. Your guy who's never in front of the camera or my uncle who is always in front of the camera. Interesting question. I don't know why you would equate them because we have the most World Series titles this century.
34:29Rich Eisen:Okay. And we have the second most amount of Super Bowls. And you know who helped bring you that? John Henry and Tom Werner. So, yeah. Settle down just a little bit. So now you're on this side. What's happened in the last decade? I'm aware of that. Bust the budget. But the bottom line is, it's just hard to stay up there. Yeah. That's what I heard. It is when you let all your good players leave town. And the difficulty of that is, is some people don't understand that. It's the way it is. Based by his answer, he doesn't understand. I don't understand. I watch every game. I don't get it. Every game?
35:00That's a lot, dog. I mean, baseball. It's called fandom. Ain't nobody watching 162 baseball. Brockman probably watches every game tonight. I'm watching a lot. The soundtrack of my house is Michael K. How do you know, Mike? Because I hear Rich talk. You're not even here. Michael K.
35:17Rich Eisen:Michael K. Is the soundtrack of my house, man. He does. Guess what's going to happen tonight around 4 o 'clock Pacific time? Cam Schlittler against Cleveland. I will be watching that tonight. Great. Just because your team stinks on ice doesn't. We run New York, my guy. Okay, we won the Subway. You run New York. We run the Subway. We beat you in the only series that matters. I thought the team that's sitting in San Antonio today was the current franchise that would run New York. They run New York. Are you aware the Mets run New York? Were you aware of that? I had not heard that. Okay. But you did see when we won the Subway Series.
35:56I did see that. Okay, so. I did see when we were in New York. For three days, I saw one Mets hat.
36:02Rich Eisen:that's fine because that color blue is hard to match I know it's Bo Bichette if the Mets run New York then Bo Bichette is in charge of the sanitation department beat you guys that's all that matters let's take a break this is fun some people just don't understand you don't understand who runs New York it's tough to stay up there that's what I heard it's hard to stay The Rich Eisen Show The Podcast
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38:05Rich Eisen:Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, while the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup, Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent, the future stars who are already turning heads at age 14 because next doesn't wait for an invitation, and neither do we. Hyundai's always moved the future within reach, and 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. The future isn't some far-off concept. It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. Terrence in Cleveland.
38:42Rich Eisen:We got to take his call on a day like today. What's up, Terrence? Dolores, Rich Eisen, another great player gone, another day in what I like to call Brown's prison and another offseason built on promises of the future. There's only so much swampland in Florida I'm willing to buy. I don't think any Browns fans can blame Miles for waving his no-trade clause. You know, Rich, playing football in Cleveland is no fairytale world. But thank goodness for the sweet, siltrous sounds of George Benson. I'll be listening to him a lot this season. Despite the Miles Garrett trade, it seems around this time every year, I find I'm so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head.
39:26It's the excitement only a Browns fan can feel. A Browns fan at the start of another long rebuild whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope the Browns can be competitive, Rich. I hope to see my tailgate friends and shake their hands. I hope a Super Bowl parade is as orange and brown as it's been in my dreams, Rich. I hope. and also go
39:47Rich Eisen:Guardians. Ladies and gentlemen Terrence and Cleveland. Guardians in Yankee Stadium tonight. There he goes. Oh sorry. Bye Terrence. There you go. What'd you think guys? You know yesterday I was hoping we'd hear from Terrence. Listen. It was about as I imagined it would go in my dreams. Okay. I'm going to have the temerity. I'm going to have the gumption to address Cleveland Browns fans directly. Oh my goodness. Who are upset about this. I get it. I get it. As somebody who grew up a Jet fan, having decade upon decade upon decade of... I hate this team. That sensibility, but decade upon decade upon decades of front office folks and staff telling me these are the guys who are going to turn things around these are the players these are the droids you're looking for to use the force and win it all only to have those players go elsewhere get traded away and rebuild and start again and start again and start again and hire another coach and hire another one and just turn through it.
41:11Rich Eisen:I get it. I understand what you're feeling. Watching Miles Garrett, he's going to come out here. He's come out to the coast. He's going to have a good time. Have a few laughs. It's going to happen. It's going to happen. And the Rams are going to be the de facto favorites. They already are right now. Going into the season in every single game, you're going to watch Miles Garrett and he's going to be living a better life. The grass will most certainly be greener here. In Los Angeles. And you know it. I know it. The American people know it. I understand. You feel defeated.
41:50Rich Eisen:But. I think they had no choice but to do it. And I think they're late to the party on it. What do you think about that? Agree. Because you had Miles last year. He set the single season sack record and one defensive player of the year unanimously. You cannot have a better individual season than what this guy did at this position than what he did. And you wound up sixth overall in the draft. That's it. More memories, more excitement going to the game, wearing his jersey. I get it. But that's all you got out of Miles.
42:47Rich Eisen:So why not try something else? And I think they made the right move. And I know they didn't get some haul of like four first-round draft choices. So you're going to have just like over and over and over again, like the Oklahoma City Thunder, turning one trade into another, into another, and you're just going to have nonstop bumper crop of rookies. You already got a bumper crop of young players over the last couple years of the draft. Pretty damn good.
43:20Rich Eisen:I know this is not easy to hear, but I think Andrew Berry did the right thing. Jared Verse is frigging great. And he's the same age as the kids you drafted. Let them grow together. Andrew Berry had this to say about trading away Myles Garrett. So I'll be honest. I did not have this conference on my bingo card for this spring. You know, it got to a certain point where we looked at, you know, what the trade details were. And we asked ourselves, okay, do we hold here because of how emotionally right it felt? Or do we ultimately make a decision that we think has a huge benefit to the team in both the short and long term?
44:17I'd always told myself that if we were ever in a position where we were going to trade miles, three things would have to be true. Number one, it would have to have short and long-term benefits. Number two, as part of the trade, a young cost-controlled star at a premium position would have to be included. And the third piece is that there would have to be premium draft capital. And there's a very small set of deals that really satisfy those constraints. So when it got to the point with our negotiations with the Rams, when all those things were satisfied, it really, you know, cause us to take a step back and think about, you know, really think about the decision.
44:58Rich Eisen:And again, I understand Browns fans, you know, I'm a Jet guy that's like, okay, you're going to tell me it's another setup, it's another reset, it's another reset, it's another reset. And for a Jet fan, you're sitting there, it's like it's just a new GM. I don't know, you from Adam, good luck to you, new coach. And it's the same guy, though, that's been in this riptide with you. telling you again this is our plan jared verse checks the boxes man and a lot of other pieces got filled and and this trade according to barry doesn't happen without jared verse and i i i that makes total that tracks that tracks tell you what we're very pleased with the return we got tony i mean you know i think for us um you're getting a player of jared's caliber um you know plus the pick considerations um you know was was excellent it's um you know something that we did it certainly didn't expect coming into the spring is there a moment you can pinpoint where it went from being no this is never going to happen to oh this is seeming like it is the inclusion of jared in the deal yeah damn straight three more years of contractual control three and then you want to Talk about franchise tagging also.
46:15Rich Eisen:Keep going. Keep going. Now, who's the quarterback and is the coach any good? Those are big stories. Crazy stat. Miles Garrett has more sacks in weeks 8 through 12 of last year than Jared Verse has in his career. I get it. I understand. I get it. That's 13 to 12. But even that stat, sixth overall. Get the quarterback right. Get the coach right. because I think the rest of the roster is really damn good. With Jared Verse. Yeah, got a great young player. With Jared Verse. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. As always on the program, we'll chat with you one more time before we get you set for Wednesday on The Rich Eisen Show.
47:04Thanks for listening to The Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
47:25This is what everyone's talking about. Everything's on the table. This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. And the slam! No do-overs. No second chances. No more Mr. Nice Guy. This is Winner Take All. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app.
From the publisher
Patriots fan Brockman makes a bold prediction following New England’s acquisition of All-Pro WR AJ Brown.
ESPN NFL Analyst Alex Smith tells Rich why Joe Burrow and the rest of the AFC North quarterbacks will sleep better knowing Myles Garrett has been traded to the Rams, he reaction to seeing his 2005 draftmate Aaron Rodgers returning for another NFL season at age 42, what to expect from Jalen Hurts in the Philadelphia Eagles’ new-look offense, Travis Kelce’s illustrious Kansas City Chiefs career, and more.
Rich explains why the Browns made the right move in trading Myles Garrett.
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