In short
Kirk Morrison’s “Top 5 NFL teams most needing a Super Bowl win” (framed by his experience at the New York Knicks NBA championship parade), plus NFL offseason analysis from The Athletic’s Ted Wynn.
Guests
Ted Wynn, senior NFL writer at The Athletic and host of the Just Win podcast; former NFL player/analyst Kirk Morrison filling in as guest host (8-year NFL career, covers NFL and college football).
Key claims
- Wynn: Brendan Soresby is intriguing for physical traits and off-balance throws, but has deep-accuracy issues (33% off-target on throws 20+ air yards), messy footwork, and potential off-field risk; supplemental-draft teams may view him as developmental.
- Wynn: Jeffrey Simmons should be especially disruptive in Robert Saleh’s four-down attacking front.
- Wynn: Rams adding Miles Garrett gives them a “closer” pass-rush role; also expects Garrett to force more one-on-ones for the rest of the line.
- Morrison: championship droughts matter—parades are the payoff.
Notable examples
- Soresby: deep accuracy, runner/option-play need, possible suspension risk.
- Simmons: 2019 defensive tackle class comparison (Ed Oliver, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Jeffrey Simmons).
- Rams: Garrett’s quicker QB pressure; potential Aaron Donald return.
- Morrison’s top five: Vikings, Bills, Cowboys, Raiders, Browns.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOKirk Morrison's NFL Insights
0:00 to 0:25
Kirk discusses his excitement for the upcoming NFL and college football seasons.
“Right now, get up to 15 % off select storage solutions.”
Kirk Morrison's NFL Insights
0:34 to 0:51
Kirk discusses his excitement for the upcoming NFL and college football seasons.
“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.”
Kirk Morrison's NFL Insights
1:26 to 2:26
Kirk discusses his excitement for the upcoming NFL and college football seasons.
“From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.”
Introducing Ted Wynn
2:30 to 3:26
Kirk introduces Ted Wynn, senior NFL writer for The Athletic.
“I think right now 12 is okay when it comes to college football.”
Evaluating Brendan Soresby
3:26 to 4:30
Discussion on Brendan Soresby's potential as a quarterback and insights into his skills.
“It's been a while, man, because you're so big time, Ted, by the way.”
Draft Prospects and Team Strategies
4:30 to 7:13
Ted and Kirk discuss the implications of Soresby entering the draft and other players' evaluations.
“His footwork could get a little messy at times.”
Jeffrey Simmons' Dominance
7:13 to 8:39
Analysis of Jeffrey Simmons as a disruptive player in the NFL and his future in Robert Sala's scheme.
“And, you know, when everyone says, oh, this is going to be a deep offensive line draft or this is a deep defensive tackle draft.”
Pre-Training Camp Focus
8:39 to 10:11
Ted discusses what he focuses on leading up to NFL training camps.
“He's a senior NFL writer for The Athletic, also the host of the Just Win podcast.”
New Wave of Offensive Coordinators
10:11 to 12:11
Kirk and Ted talk about the new generation of offensive coordinators and their strategies.
“because now we see like this next wave of play callers, right?”
Advantages of Playing Under Center
12:11 to 13:46
Discussion on the benefits of quarterbacks taking snaps from under center.
“Speaking of under center, Ted, we all know that that's a big narrative that came in with the number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, when it comes to the Raiders.”
Show all 26 chapters
Miles Garrett's Role in Rams Defense
13:50 to 14:01
Ted shares insights on Miles Garrett's impact and responsibilities on the Rams' defense.
“He's a senior NFL writer for the athletic Ted Wynn joined Rich Eisen's show.”
Analyzing Rams Defense with Miles Garrett
14:01 to 15:55
Explore how Miles Garrett's arrival impacts the Rams' defensive strategy.
“Miles Garrett is brought in to be a closer.”
Rookies to Watch in the NFL
15:55 to 17:12
Discussion on exciting rookie players to keep an eye on in the upcoming season.
“Aaron Donald and Miles Garrett on the same side.”
Farewell to Ted Nguyen
17:12 to 17:47
Wrapping up the conversation with NFL writer Ted Nguyen.
“He's a senior NFL writer for The Athletic.”
Kirk's Football Insights and Memories
17:47 to 19:11
Kirk shares insights about the impact of star players in football strategy.
“how does that matter well it does matter you know Jeffrey Simmons now gets to go and just go wreck havoc you don't have to play 3-4 and keep the linebackers free.”
Kirk's New York Trip and Knicks Parade Experience
20:56 to 28:00
Kirk recounts his family's trip to New York and the excitement of the Knicks parade.
“Save money on your next oil change with O 'Reilly Auto Parts.”
Kirk's New York Experience
28:00 to 29:04
Hear about Kirk's unique day as a New Yorker during a championship parade.
“Now, if you would have noticed, I'm dressed in my silver and black.”
Transition to Top Five Teams
29:04 to 29:41
Kirk sets the stage for his top five NFL teams needing a Super Bowl win.
“Now, that being said, I came dressed in my Raider attire.”
Kirk's Top 5 NFL Teams: #5 and #4
30:00 to 31:23
Kirk reveals the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills as teams in need of a championship.
“My top five NFL teams that need to win a championship.”
Kirk's Top 5 NFL Teams: #3
31:23 to 32:51
Kirk discusses the Dallas Cowboys and their need for a Super Bowl win.
“Number four team that needs to win a championship so they can stop the drought.”
Kirk's Top 5 NFL Teams: #2 and #1
32:51 to 38:43
Kirk concludes with the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns as the top teams needing a championship.
“Because of the nostalgia of what we once saw from them is something that it just seems like folktale.”
Kirk's Top 5 NFL Teams: #2 and #1
38:46 to 39:08
Kirk concludes with the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns as the top teams needing a championship.
“Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent.”
Reflections on Parades and Championships
39:08 to 40:30
Kirk shares his thoughts on the significance of parades and championships for teams.
“And it was just a feeling I'll never forget, man, walking through the streets of New York.”
Discussion on Hydration Breaks in Soccer
43:22 to 45:14
Explore the controversial hydration breaks introduced during soccer matches.
“Hyundai's official partner of FIFA World Cup 2026.”
Excitement Around Local Soccer Events
45:17 to 46:39
Discover the buzz and energy surrounding soccer in Los Angeles during the World Cup.
“It's a way to get a few more millions of dollars for five.”
Show Conclusion and Farewell
46:41 to 47:09
Kirk Morrison wraps up the show, expressing gratitude and excitement.
“I live in the spot where everybody is showing up to this particular it just photographs well man it's lovely I do want to appreciate you guys as always.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Right now, get up to 15 % off select storage solutions. Put heavy-duty HDX totes to good use, protecting what's important to you. The solid, impact-resistant design prevents cracking, and the clear base and sides make items easy to find even when the totes are stacked. Find select shelving and tote storage up to 15 % off at the Home Depot to organize every room in your home, from your garage to your attic. Visit homedepot.com. How doers get more done.
0:31Kirk Morrison: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+. 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.
1:05Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. Now, commencing. This is the Rich Eisen Show. So far, so good. With guest host Kirk Morrison. I like it. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show, U.S. men's soccer great Landon Donovan. Senior NBA writer for The Athletic, John Hollinger. Coming up, senior NFL writer for The Athletic, Ted Wynn. And now, sitting in for Rich, it's Kirk Morrison.
1:58Kirk Morrison:Hut, hut, hi in third hour. There we go. Hi everybody here. The third hour here. Kirk Morrison here filling in for Rich on the Rich Eisen Show. Excited as always to bring to you just a little bit of the personality of a guy who played eight years in the National Football League, covering the NFL and college football. I'm excited about that this upcoming season. Can't wait to see what this college football season will bring us as we still have a 12-team playoff, by the way. It's still 12 teams. It won't be expanding like World Cup. Like the World Cup say, we're going to expand, and it's been for the better.
2:32Kirk Morrison:I think right now 12 is okay when it comes to college football. But the NBA is now getting ready for their draft, which is tomorrow, college baseball tonight, North Carolina, Oklahoma for a national title. So we'll get a chance to watch that as well. But it's kind of like the downtime when it comes to the NFL, or at least I thought it was supposed to be the downtime. The summer break is what they call it. You get a little bit of a break before teams report. Now, all training camp dates and reports and all report dates have been released. So now you know when your team reports to training camp.
3:09Kirk Morrison:And that's when you think, hey, the news starts to pick up. But it never slows down when it comes to the NFL. And I know a guy who I know that the NFL never slows down for him is my guy, the senior NFL writer for The Athletic. He's Ted Wynn joining us right now. Ted, man, great to be with you. What's up, buddy? What's going on, Kurt? It's been a while. It's been a while, man, because you're so big time, Ted, by the way. You know, me and Ted used to do a podcast back in the day, right? When he was just Ted. Now he's Ted Wynn, senior NFL writer for The Athletic. And you always got something going on.
3:45Kirk Morrison:I know this is that time where you always dive deep into trends and things that you saw in the NFL last year. And then all of a sudden this year, the college football, Texas Tech, everybody has thrown us a wrench now because now we have to evaluate Brendan Soresby. We have to evaluate a guy that could be a part of the NFL supplemental draft. Now, we're still awaiting word on what that may look like. But for a lot of people who didn't know that Brendan Soresby, who I covered a couple of games last year, I thought he is a potential late first round, clear second round type of quarterback in your early evaluation or re-evaluation of Brendan Soresby what should people know about this quarterback who will be eligible for the NFL now yeah I mean with Soresby he is a high you know he has great tools and you see that mentioned everywhere people talk about him he has a lot of arm talent he could change his arm angles make throws for a multiple platform so I think that's one of the most intriguing things about him is he doesn't need to set his feet to make a great throw he could do it off balance which is some of the traits that you see from the high-end type of quarterbacks i think that's what really attracts people to him um he he's a legitimate runner like when he gets to the nfl you're gonna have to install some option plays for him because he's that dangerous as a runner but he does have some issues with his accuracy especially his deep accuracy i think he has over a 33 off target rate on throws of over 20 air yards.
5:19His footwork could get a little messy at times. I thought he could really have used another year in college football to really clean up some of those rough edges. Obviously, that's not going to happen, but there are going to be some teams that are intrigued with the high end talent and believe that they could clean up some of his issues. Also, you have to consider the off-field issues, too. Can you trust this guy to be the face of your franchise? All those questions come to mind, but I'm sure there's going to be a few teams that just look at the physical traits and want to develop them.
5:51Kirk Morrison:You know, Ted, I think the interesting thing, Ted, this may work out better for Brendan Soresby because I feel like if you're getting him in a supplemental draft, it's about when do you want to give up the pick for the 2027. So you want to use a first or a second or a third, a team just says, you know what, we'll put a third out there for him. And I think the expectations are low to where if he were to stay in school, he would get that first round draft pick and the expectations that he's your franchise guy. I think now when you're looking at Brendan Soresby, he's almost a developmental guy that you can almost stash for a year.
6:28Kirk Morrison:And all of a sudden he could be your starter for 2027. Is that something that you see within his game and what you've evaluated? Yeah, I definitely agree. I think there will be some teams that, I mean, there is a risk that the NFL might punish him even when he makes it to the league and suspend him for some games. I think I saw a quote today from NFL team might have been anonymous that said they don't mind that because he needs sometimes to sit on the bench and really clean up that footwork. So, yeah, like you mentioned, like he having that registered year is going to benefit him. And I think some teams are looking at that are considering him would think that he needs some time to sit down and really just kind of rework his mechanics and his footwork.
7:12Kirk Morrison:You know, I was looking at the draft of I think it was a 20. God, it was a 2019, I believe, Ted. And, you know, when everyone says, oh, this is going to be a deep offensive line draft or this is a deep defensive tackle draft. And I think it was a 2019 draft where I saw was Ed Oliver and Christian Wilkins and, you know, Dexter Lawrence. And then there's a guy by the name of Jeffrey Simmons, who was kind of the later of the first round picks of that defensive tackle class. And he got rewarded the highest paid defensive tackle in NFL history. Remember, we're talking about numbers that Aaron Donald said, and now he's surpassed those.
7:51Kirk Morrison:Jeffrey Simmons, just as a player for the Tennessee Titans. I know you've done some breakdowns of what he's been able to do, but what type of player is Jeffrey Simmons, and why has he been so dominant? I mean, he's just a player that could do it all. He has a fast getoff. He's powerful. And I'm really interested to see him play in Robert Sala's scheme. He's been playing in a lot of 3-4 schemes, and he's done that well. But in a 3-4, you're playing a little bit more passively at the line of scrimmage, and now he's going to be playing in Robert Sala's scheme, which is a four down front. It's an attacking front.
8:24And they're going to ask him to get upfield. And I think, you know, in this scheme, he's going to be even more disruptive and he's going to be valuable on any type of defense. But I could see why they decided to reward him instantly as soon as Robert Sala gets there, because I just think he's going to be a monster playing this four down front.
8:41Kirk Morrison:He's a senior NFL writer for The Athletic, also the host of the Just Win podcast. Wherever you listen to your podcast, he's Ted Wynn joining The Rich Eisen Show. Kirk Morrison here filling in for Rich. And, you know, as this time passes by, Ted, where we have this little bit of a break, and I know you'll kind of go and take some time to yourself, but what's the thing that you tend to focus on right before training camp? Is it competitions? Is it depth charts? Like, what do you tend to focus on to prepare you for what we're going to see for the NFL season? Yeah, for sure. I think looking at camp battles is going to be important to see who wins those and why certain players are in competition with younger players.
9:24Right now, I'm working on a project where I did this last year. I thought it was pretty interesting where I just talked to defensive coordinators and defensive coaches and asked them to rank who they feel like are the top 10 play callers in the league. And sometimes you get some surprising answers. Like last year, Shane Steichen made the top 10, and not a lot of people expected him to be in the top 10 based on what he did in Indianapolis. and all of a sudden they have one of the best offenses in the league last year. So I always find that pretty interesting. And this is a time of year where I kind of talk to coaches to kind of pick their brains about trends going on around the league and just their opinions on certain things.
10:04A lot of coaches are on vacation now. They have some time off. So I think this is a good time just to kind of talk to them and see where the league is at.
10:10Kirk Morrison:You know, I'm glad you brought that up because now we see like this next wave of play callers, right? We're going to see how they put their stamp on the offense, whether it's Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Sean Mannion, offensive coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles. I'll throw in Nate Chilhouse, who's the offensive coordinator with the Rams. I know Sean McVay calls plays, but Chilhouse will have that designation of offensive coordinator. I'll throw Davis Webb, Denver Broncos. He's now the offensive coordinator. And I always say these are guys that more of, dare I say it, our era, Ted, of a newer style of offense that obviously runs with the RPO, high up-tempo, multiple personnel groupings.
10:55Kirk Morrison:What's this new wave of offensive coordinators going to look like as they're now taking over from maybe the ranks of like a Sean Payton who's called plays for so long, and now he hands it over to Davis Webb? Yeah, I mean, I think it's interesting because a lot of these newer play callers and the trend is going more towards getting guys under center, playing with kind of a, I guess, a 90s style type of offense where, you know, they're not looking for a guy that could go shotgun spread RPO. They're looking for guys that could go under center, use motion and all those things because it's kind of come back into vogue in the league.
11:31And yeah, I mean, it's funny because these guys are our generation. I watched Sean Mannion play high school football. And then, you know, I talked to him throughout the years as randomly when he was a backup quarterback. So it's kind of interesting to see him become an offensive coordinator now. But I think Sean Mannion is going to be one of the most interesting new play callers to watch because he's going to the Eagles team with a ton of talent. He's going to ask Jalen Hurts to do things that he really hasn't done in the past. I think he's going to ask him to throw over the middle a little bit more, play under center more.
12:02And that's going to be one of the most interesting storylines in the league is how he adapts to Sean Mannion's offense and what kind of offense coordinator he's going to be in his first year.
12:11Kirk Morrison:Speaking of under center, Ted, we all know that that's a big narrative that came in with the number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, when it comes to the Raiders. It's he's going to have to play under center. He's going to have to play under center. Now he's been working on it. Obviously, it's something that he's going to continue to get better at. I've seen him at practice doing it. It looks sometimes uncomfortable, but I feel like he's continuing to work at it and work at it. And I don't think people realize the advantages of what under center mean. People just say, well, under center, he could take a snap from under center, he could take it in shotgun.
12:43Kirk Morrison:But what's the advantages of taking the snap from under center that you always see when you're breaking down tape? Yeah, it's two things. In a run game, you get the running back going downhill at a different angle than in shotgun. In shotgun, there's a tell because the running back is either going to be your left or right. And the defense knows that if the running back is on your left, he's going to go right. If he's on your right he's going to go left and he doesn't have to go downhill he has to get the handoff going laterally and that takes away speed going up to the line of scrimmage and then play action game when the quarterback turns his back to the defense when he's taking a snap under center you have that extra one and a half seconds where the the defense does not know what you're doing they can't see the ball whereas play action and shotgun you're just flashing the ball in front and they they could they could tell if it's going to be play action or not um and like we mentioned playing under center and getting that play action game is so important now.
13:40And that extra half a second of indecision for the defense makes a huge difference when it comes to creating explosive pass plays out of play action.
13:50Kirk Morrison:He's a senior NFL writer for the athletic Ted Wynn joined Rich Eisen's show. Just a couple more for you, Ted, because I know how much you, you know, you sit down and break it down. But when I look at now, if you're a team going against the Rams, defense in the fourth quarter. Miles Garrett is brought in to be a closer. So what does that truly mean for Miles Garrett? Knowing he's going to be, you know, public enemy number one, he's going to get the double and triple teams. What makes Miles Garrett in this now defense under Chris Shula, how will they use him? What does the Miles Garrett look like in a Rams uniform versus what he's done with Jim Schwartz in that wide nine for the previous couple of seasons?
14:35Yeah, I mean, I think the Rams just really needed a true closer. I mean, Jared Burst is a very good defensive end. He's young. He's cost-controlled with his contract. But to me, he's like a high-end number two rusher that could bull rush. It takes him a little bit of a while to get to the quarterback, and he doesn't finish at a high rate. He had a career-high seven-and-a-half sacks last season, and we know Miles Garrett broke the record for sacks in a single season. So Miles Garrett really gives them that ace, gives them that closer that's able to get to the quarterback a lot quicker. And they also upgraded big time at corner.
15:12They got Trent McDuffie. They got Jalen Watson. So now they can play press coverage and cause that quarterback to hold on to the ball a little bit longer. And then you have Miles Garrett coming off the edge. And he makes all the other Rams defensive linemen better, too, because he gets chipped. He got chipped at double the rate that Jared Verse got chipped last year at 20 % more double teams. That just means that the other guys on the defensive line are going to get a lot more one-on-one, and they might possibly get Aaron Donald back. And if they get Aaron Donald back, that is going to be just a nightmare for offenses to handle.
15:44So I'm excited to see what this Rams defense is going to do. They can potentially have the number one defense to go with the number one offense in the league.
15:53Kirk Morrison:Ted, before we get you out of here, I was just thinking about that. Aaron Donald and Miles Garrett on the same side. It's just no fair. No fair. You shouldn't be able to do that. But, you know, a lot of us, we're focusing on, you know, the new guys who are coming into the league, and that's always the rookies. And the focus has been Fernando Mendoza and things like that. But outside of Fernando Mendoza, and I'll even throw in Jeremiah Love, is there a rookie player that you're excited to see that we should be kind of keeping our eye on on the offensive side? I think last year we didn't think that Tedderoa and McMillan would have the year that he did.
16:25Kirk Morrison:He was the offensive rookie of the year. And so I'll always say this fresh new blood of new rookies coming in outside of Jeremiah Love and Fernando Mendoza at the top. Who's that guy for you offensively that we should keep an eye on? Yeah, I'm really excited to watch Jordan Tyson in New Orleans. I thought Jordan Tyson had wide receiver one-like qualities. If he could stay healthy, he hasn't practiced because of that hamstring, but hopefully it gets healthy. But I think the Saints have an offense that's up and coming. I thought they played really well towards the end of the season last season under Kellen Moore.
16:58I thought Tyler Shutt made some big-time improvements. So obviously they have Chris Alave already, who's going to take a lot of attention away from Jordan Tyson. I think Tyson's going to get a lot of one-on-ones. And if he's healthy, I think he could have one hell of a year.
17:12Kirk Morrison:That's why you're the guy, man. At FB underscore FIM analysis on X.com. He's a senior NFL writer for The Athletic. He's Ted Wynn. Appreciate the time as always. Ted let's catch up during this off time we can talk a little football off air a little bit always love our conversations Ted appreciate the time for sure great talking Kirk that's Ted Wynn senior NFL writer for the athletic and me and Ted used to geek out man we used to just talk football just like talking X's and O's and you know why did this team do this why did they give you know little things that people would say how does that matter well it does matter you know Jeffrey Simmons now gets to go and just go wreck havoc you don't have to play 3-4 and keep the linebackers free.
17:57Kirk Morrison:It's go make a play. Myles Garrett, there's a reason why you bring in Myles Garrett. Why? It helps out everybody else. So I'll tell you this. Myles Garrett may not get the sack record again. He may not have over 15 sacks this year. Whoa, hot take. Yeah, that's not a hot take. That's just what happens. Yeah, that's what it's about everybody else. Now I'll tell you this. He might have 40. The guy opposite may have a career year. Kobe? Yeah. That's what we're saying. Maybe Kobe Durant, Byron Young. You got some other guys who are going to have those opportunities now because going into a season, I'm not allowing Myles Garrett to get a sack.
18:36Kirk Morrison:Now, we saw what that happened when the Pittsburgh Steelers did that. And they still ended up losing the game. Remember? They lost to the Cleveland Browns because they were, like Myles Garrett said, so worried about me sacking the quarterback, getting the record that they forgot you still got to play the game. So that's something that they have to understand and worry about. And speaking, speaking, speaking of the Cleveland Browns, I want to talk about, take a little story about last week for me. I got a little story from last week I want to get to coming up after the break. I had a chance to make it to New York last week.
19:15Kirk Morrison:You did. I did. Nice. Yes, and I'll tell you all about it because it created in my mind a top five that I'll get to coming up after the break. But first, SoFi. A SoFi personal loan is here to help you achieve something once thought impossible, overcoming high interest credit card debt. Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed rate monthly payment. No fees required. And as soon as the same day funding, that's what it is. That's right. Pull off your own debt defying stunt with a SoFi personal loan. Visit SoFi dot com slash trick to learn loans originated by the SoFi bank in a member FDIC.
20:02Kirk Morrison:Terms and conditions apply in MLS six, nine, six, eight, nine, one. more Rich Eisen coming up right here.
20:18The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
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21:37Kirk Morrison:the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The most difficult things about packing for a trip is making sure you have enough outfits, right? So because you never know what the weather is going to treat you. You look at the weather updates and then I look at the weather and I'm like, okay, it's going to be hot, it's going to be cold. Okay, what's it going to look like at night? What if I'm going somewhere formal, not formal, casual, all of that. So I want to take you to about three and a half months ago, three and a half months ago, guys. I knew that summer break was going to come for our family.
22:19Kirk Morrison:And so we knew this. It's summer here in Los Angeles. When it comes for our kids, we're going to be eight weeks. It's an eight week summer. So, you know, my wife is all into analytics. OK, she's in the analytics. All right. Let's be honest. She's chat GPT, Claude, whatever it is. She's got it. All in. Me, I'm not an analytics guy because I said you can give me all the analytics you want, but if you got to call an audible, you got to call an audible. Right. You know what I mean? Because you can always say, hey, chat GPT or Claude. They can tell you in Los Angeles, hey, it's 11 miles to get to Westwood from El Segundo.
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22:58Kirk Morrison:Okay. But it could take you about an hour. Not going to take you 15 minutes. Anyway, just bringing this up because we had a conversation of an eight-week summer. How about doing bookend trips? You start the summer off with a trip and you end the summer off with a trip. Usually the ending of the summer trip kind of comes around when football season's here. So you kind of incorporate, for me, in Las Vegas. Kids love Las Vegas. I can go do a little Raiders training camp, take the kids to a nice little resort. They go swimming, have fun. Perfect. Kids just love hotels. For some reason, they don't care.
23:37Kirk Morrison:Oh, my God, I'm in a hotel. That's all they care about. So I bookended. Let's do a trip before and after. Well, where haven't we been? Or where is something new? And the kids now are like, you know what? Let's do New York. So three and a half months ago, I booked a trip to New York City for the family. But we're all excited as the months go by and we're getting closer and closer and summer is approaching. We're getting ready to go. And as the time starts to get closer, you realize, oh, World Cup is going to be going on at it. So the city is going to have a lot of buzz to it. Okay. All right. I like that.
24:18Kirk Morrison:World Cup, New York City. Go. While we're doing all our touristy stuff, we still got it. Come on now. Are we ready? But then all of a sudden you're looking at the NBA playoffs as they're going on. And the New York Knicks are winning. And they keep winning. And they're getting to the conference finals. And now they're in the NBA finals. And next thing you know, the New York Knicks win the NBA championship. Oh, as I'm still getting ready for this trip to New York, you realize that while you're going to be in New York, guess what? There's going to be a Knicks parade. Wow. So as I'm doing my touristy thing, I went to a show, went to Hamilton, went to see the Statue of Liberty, went to Central Park.
25:12Kirk Morrison:Now, all of a sudden, I'm like, it's Thursday morning. And everyone's telling you, oh, this Knicks parade is going to be this. So I had an epiphany, fellas. I had an epiphany, okay? What's going on in my head? Long-time Warriors fan. Born and raised in Oakland, California. I've been through the hard times. Never saw a championship. Didn't know what that looked like when it came to the Warriors. Okay? The A's had won a championship in 1989. I remember that one. Giants had won. I'm a Giants A's fan. We've already been through this. We go way back. And I'll be like, how could you be a Giants and an A's fan?
25:51Kirk Morrison:Well, I am. Well, I am. Don't worry about it. All right. Don't worry about it. So I saw a Giants. I went to World Series games. Right? When it came to the Raiders, I didn't physically see the championship, but it was in my lifetime. 84 was the last championship for the Raiders. They were Los Angeles Raiders at the time, but they were there. But I also went to an AFC championship game against the Titans that got them into their last Super Bowl appearance, which also, by the way, was the last time they had won a playoff game, which was 2003.
26:26Kirk Morrison:So the Warriors were my basketball team. They still are. Still are my team. And when the Warriors won the championship in 2015, our first championship since, what, the 70s, I was excited. I was happy. I went to one of the games, but I didn't attend the parade because I couldn't. I was still, I think I forgot what I had to do, but I couldn't attend the parade. So I missed out on that long, long drought of a championship and the parade that comes after it. so this is what's going on in my mind in my head on Wednesday night is everybody's saying brave. If you want to go to the parade, you got to do this and this for the Knicks.
27:08Kirk Morrison:And so I said, you know what? I missed my parade in 2015. The Knicks parade is my parade that I never got a chance to go. Oh man. They never, I never got a chance to go to my parade for the Warriors. So I decided, you know what? But I'm going to be at the Knicks parade to get some of that feeling that I didn't get in 2015 when the Warriors won theirs and I couldn't go to the parade. So I hopped on the subway, went down to World Trade Center, where it was my exit, and I got off. And I went down and I was amongst the people, amongst the people in New York. and I came across guys and there's the subway and it was just packed.
27:54Kirk Morrison:Knicks fans everywhere. It's packed. You couldn't move. But I felt it, man. I felt like for one day I was a New Yorker. For one day I was a New Yorker. For one day. Now, if you would have noticed, I'm dressed in my silver and black. I'll tell you the reason why in a second. But I was a New Yorker for one day because I came across a guy who said, look, man, I wish my dad could have been here. Man, we waited 53 years for this championship. He saw one, but I never saw one. I'm seeing it, and I wish I could be here to celebrate it with him. And you're seeing everybody just celebrating and the hugs and high fives.
28:31Kirk Morrison:And it was just a cool experience that, look, I barely got a glimpse of the parade. I saw a float go by. That was it. I didn't get there at 5 in the morning like a lot of the other people who were there literally all day. But I got there at a time where I just was around it. I saw it. I got a glimpse of it. I got a piece of it. But to be around all those New Yorkers who said that they suffered for years and all the things that didn't go right and it finally went right for them. And I said, you know what? This was the parade that I never had. And I thank the New Yorkers for that. Let me experience that day.
29:06Kirk Morrison:Now, that being said, I came dressed in my Raider attire. Now, it wasn't Raider paraphernalia, but it was my Raider colors, right? So being dressed in my Raider colors got me thinking about my top five, everybody, because I made up a top five. You know what my top five is? Let's go. Here we go. Kirk's top five after attending the Knicks parade. Kirk's top five. Okay. All right. So I attended the Knicks parade and this is what I came up because my top five actually is presented by Hyundai. While the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup this summer. Yeah. Hyundai got its eyes on the next generation.
29:48Kirk Morrison:So the next generation of fans. I want the next generation of fans to feel what I felt at the Knicks parade, fellas, last Thursday. So my top five is NFL based. Okay. My top five NFL teams that need to win a championship. Presented by Hyundai. They need this. They've been suffering too long. Like those Knicks fans. They talked about 53 years. Number five. NFL team that needs to win a championship for its fan base. Number five. The Minnesota Vikings. Oh, my gosh. I mean, think about it. Minnesota has been close. Yep. I remember the missed field goal from Gary Anderson. Only kick he missed that whole season.
30:38Kirk Morrison:The only kick. The whole season he missed one kick, and it cost him a trip to the Super Bowl. Great what-if team, TJ. I think about the interception from Brett Favre throwing across his body against the New Orleans Saints that ultimately sealed the game for the Saints. I thought Minnesota was going to drive down and score. They could have went to a— And you think about some of the past. I think about the play Willie Brown for the Raiders actually beating up on the Vikings. Remember the big interception going down the sideline? So I feel like the Minnesota Vikings are a team that needs to win a championship.
31:12Kirk Morrison:They need that. I want them to. I want them to feel that success. It's been way too long. They're my number five team that needs to win a championship. Number four team that needs to win a championship so they can stop the drought. And I think this is probably a lot of people's favorites when it comes to a top five in this category. The Buffalo Bills. It's time. It's time for the Buffalo Bills, everybody. And we've been saying this every year. I'm actually a former Buffalo Bill, by the way. It's been my last two years. I know what the fan base is saying. I know what it feels like. If the Bills win, would you get a spot on the float in the parade?
31:56Kirk Morrison:I don't know if I'm going that far. All right. But I definitely will be a part of the festivities. I will dust off the old number 58 jersey from the Buffalo Bills that I donned in 2011 and 2012. But when you think about the faces that I saw at the New York Knicks parade who talked about just growing up as a Knicks fan and wanting to see a championship and what it felt like and what the parade would look like. The Buffalo Bills, if they win, that parade in Western New York is going to be, I'm going to that parade. Yes, I'm claiming my Buffalo Bildum. Is that a word? Bildum? Yeah, you just made it one.
32:34Kirk Morrison:My Buffalo Bildum, yes. I'm claiming it. My two years as an employee for the Buffalo Bills, I will be at that parade. I'm going. Yeah, like the Vikings, Bills 0-4 in Super Bowls. Yeah, there we go. Number three. This team needs to win a championship. They do. Because of the nostalgia of what we once saw from them is something that it just seems like folktale. Because you show me the videos and it's like, okay, I kind of remember. But is it really truly, did it really happen? because if they do win a Super Bowl, if they do win another Super Bowl, I promise you, I promise you, this may be one of the biggest parades we've ever seen.
33:26Kirk Morrison:If the Dallas Cowboys win a Super Bowl again. Win. Win. They need to. They need to win. You know what? I'm not saying I'm pulling for them, but I do want to see the faces of Cowboy fans from yesteryear to even now. there's the cowboy flag by tj by the way everybody the ducks quack feed them think about it like i can't that parade in new york just got me feeling and thinking about what what would a parade for jerry jones and the dallas cowboys look like a championship for the dallas what would that look like now another parade outside of the five that they've already had but i don't remember those Do you remember what a cowboy parade looked like?
34:12Kirk Morrison:You don't remember 1995? No, I don't remember that parade. No, I don't. You probably weren't invited. That parade was one that it's not vivid in my mind. I can remember like these. Remember like the iconic Laker parades where you had like, you know, Kobe and Shaq. They're all up there dancing. I can't remember the cowboy. Don't know what it looks like. It's all nostalgia. So I want them to have that feeling again. I want them. Yeah. Well, it's kind of the same as the 49ers, too. They're right there in it. They've got a longer drought, but nobody ever wants to talk about it. Nobody wants to talk about their long drought.
34:45Kirk Morrison:I get it. Number two. Two. Number two. Two. The Las Vegas Raiders. Oh. They're two. They're two. Because I want to see them win a championship. They have won a championship in my lifetime. Now, I was born in 82. They won in 84. Remember that parade? But I was two. You know what I mean? I was two. I don't remember that. I can't tell you what was going on. I just know that my dad said, hey, I was born in the Raider fandom. Hey, man, you a Raider. Okay, Dad, appreciate it. Thank you. Didn't know what it was, but now I knew. Okay, I'm a Raider. But I haven't seen a championship. I don't know what that looks like as a Raider fan.
35:31Kirk Morrison:And I think the bigger thing was for this. if the Raiders win a championship whether it's this year next year or the year after they have to have the parade on a Saturday it can't be a weekday parade they have to have a Saturday parade why is that? because you're going to bring Raider Nation together because this is not just a championship for Las Vegas this is a championship for Oakland Los Angeles and Raider Nation around the world come and descend upon Las Vegas on a Saturday after Super Bowl Sunday. That's what my declaration is going to be. Because this is going to be the parade for Raider Nation.
36:16Kirk Morrison:Not just the city of Las Vegas. It's the Raider Nation. All right? I'm in. Let's do it. So we all in. Right? We all in. The Raider Nation parade combining cities and the world together. And my final, my number one of the top five teams that just need a championship so they can have this parade get the drought over with so their fans can feel what I felt on Thursday at the Knicks parade. Number one, the Cleveland Browns. Especially after trading away Myles Garrett. Because now you feel like you're further away from that goal. You're further away from that dream. You're not closer. and on the heels of watching what seemed to be one of the greatest trips I've ever seen, by the way, golf trips, that 10-year anniversary from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
37:04Kirk Morrison:I mean, we were talking about that last week. I mean, come on. That looks awesome. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall with LeBron and Kevin Love and Richard Jefferson and J.R. Smith, the 10-year anniversary of the Cavaliers winning the championship, The first championship in Cleveland sports in what? Over 40 years it was when they won that? Something like that. Longer than that. Maybe 50, 50, 60 years. But you know what? The Cleveland Cavaliers winning a championship does nothing for what the Cleveland Browns winning a championship would do. And I'm talking about a Super Bowl. Not those championships before the merger, Clump Browns fan, because they don't claim, no.
37:47Kirk Morrison:Oh, we got championship. That was before the merger. It's like, I don't even know if the football was a pigskin back then. Like, let's be honest. They need a championship with the football that has the commissioner on it. Roger Goodell. That's the championship that you want. And they need a parade, a football parade. That's why I think they're my number one team, that they need to break the drought only because they just traded away Miles Garrett. They're further away, but they can beat the odds. and Shador Sanders holding up the championship trophy downtown. Can you believe that? Oh, baby. Can you imagine?
38:29Kirk Morrison:Can you imagine? Oh, man. Hey, I could always think. And that was my top five NFL teams that need to win a championship so they can have a parade and have the feeling that I had last week at the Knicks parade. And my top five was brought to you by Hyundai. While the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup this summer, 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 has always moved the future within reach. We did it. We made advanced safety standards on every vehicle.
39:06Kirk Morrison:Oh, and by the way, engineered EVs with ultra fast charging capability because the future isn't some far off concept. It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. Yeah, that was my top five. Lions snubbed. Well, I just. There's only five spots. It's only five spots. I didn't want to go too deep. And it was just a feeling I'll never forget, man, walking through the streets of New York. I can't imagine. And it was just on fire, man. I've literally. I mean, I'm not even lying when I say this. I probably watched 200 different videos. on that parade. Like, once it gets in your algorithm, you just keep getting fed them all like Hungry Huggy Hippo.
39:50Kirk Morrison:So that's the reason why I'm saying it, TJ, is that the exposure of what the parade is now versus what we thought was a parade in the 80s or the 90s, those teams that have won championships, but I can't necessarily remember that parade. I'll remember this parade, whether it's from Mondani's eight-minute speech, whether it was Patrick Ewing driving in his own little car, you know what I mean? Seeing Jalen Brunson, like those images are now in my mind forever for what that parade looks like and the weight that those fans had to wait to get that championship. And so now we'll see who's next. And that's why the NFL, who's going to be the next Seattle Seahawks of 2026.
40:35Kirk Morrison:All right, here we go. We wrap things up right here on the Rich Eisen show coming up right here. Next. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
40:50Rich Eisen here. You can always tell when something big is happening in a city. 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.
41:22That's why this can be a smart time to think about listing your own space on Airbnb. 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.
41:57Find out how much at Airbnb dot com slash host. While the world watches the stars of 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.
42:33Kirk Morrison:What's that score right now, by the way? Is this 2-0? No, 1-0 Argentina. Still, Messi scored after missing a PK earlier. Five minutes of regular time left, plus some extra time. Plus extra time. For Austria. I do have a question, too, I'll ask you in a second. While the world is watching the stars at the FIFA World Cup this summer, 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 has always moved the future within reach. We did it. We made advanced safety standards on every vehicle and engineered EVs with ultra fast charging capability because the future isn't some far off concept.
43:15Kirk Morrison:It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. Don't forget to discover what's next at your local Hyundai dealer, like our next generation EV, the Ioniq 9. Hyundai's official partner of FIFA World Cup 2026. Do you guys like the little hydration stop, by the way? No. Is that like ridiculous? Is that like ridiculous? It's like, oh, timeout, hydration. Doesn't it feel like a youth soccer league? It feels like a youth soccer league, right? The thing is, we talked about this last week. I get it when, you know, the temperature was 110 or whatever. Yeah, in Qatar or Qatar, whatever you say it.
43:55But now it's 65 degrees in Seattle, and we're taking a water break.
44:00Kirk Morrison:We're in air-conditioned Los Angeles Stadium. Just come through the front door and be like, yeah, no, this is a way for Fox to make millions and millions of more dollars in advertising and get more commercials in. Cool. Everyone would understand. Hydration break. It's 68 degrees. Calm down. It's a hydration break, but the clock is still running. It's one thing if the clock stops. Like, hey, hydration break. And we'll stop. Yeah, the clock never stops. The clock doesn't stop. Like, I'm watching everybody's walking over, taking a little time. Always been my biggest problem with soccer, just that arbitrary time clock.
44:36Kirk Morrison:I didn't know. Like, you can go get some water, eat some, you know, grab a couple oranges slices. Drink some pickle juice. Free sun. Like, what are we doing? But I guess if they stop the clock and say, hey, two-minute hydration, boom, let's get it in, get it done. I'm okay with that. Let's do that. I get it. But when did this start, by the way? See, we're learning all these things. And it's like, when did this happen? I think it started during the Qatar World Cup because it was just so hot. So they just kept it. Which they ended up moving. You remember they moved it to the winter. And it was still over 100 degrees for every match.
45:12And they just kept it. They just kept it. They just kept it for this because, you know, it's advertising. It's a way to get a few more millions of dollars for five. Yeah.
45:21Kirk Morrison:It's just like playing through. It's just annoying. Like playing through on the golf. Yeah. It's tough. It's like I'm trying to watch a commercial, and yet here's Wyndham Clark over here. With a huge potter, huge shots. And I can't even hear it now. Rolex, your official sponsor of the USG. Frustrating. Frustrating. Are your kids dialed into the World Cup? Are they enjoying it? No, I think I showed you a picture of my son, my youngest. He went to one of the watch parties at the L.A. Coliseum. Well, it is the L.A. Coliseum, by the way, so people can do that. And, yeah, oh, man, O'Shea Jackson Jr.
45:57Kirk Morrison:Just walk on in like, okay. I'm just trying to do a live show. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, Cube, just walk in. All right. But, yeah, like, my kids are getting involved. But I think the city is on fire in terms of, not literally, but it's just you can feel the buzz, the energy. And it's for all matches, too. And, like, I'm going to be honest with you, the quote-unquote L.A. Stadium or Inglewood Stadium, it just photographs beautiful let's just be real it's the best stadium in no doubt in the US for sure we can also put up there in the world and to think that the Super Bowl is going to be right at that same location as well in just a short period of time I'm excited just to say that I live in the spot where everybody is showing up to this particular it just photographs well man it's lovely I do want to appreciate you guys as always.
46:52Kirk Morrison:Always a treat. TJ, Brock, Jay. Always, man. You guys always make me feel like home. So always great to be with you guys. This is your home, Jay. Overreactions. My top five. It all came through. This is Kirk Morrison filling in for Rich right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Catch you next time. Thanks 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.
47:30You can't reason with the sun. Trust us. We've tried this summer. It's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia is omni-shade technologies engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, But so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever.
From the publisher
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen tells guest host Kirk Morrison what the game tape says about controversial NFL Supplemental Draft prospect Brendan Sorsby, what impact Myles Garrett will have on the Los Angeles Rams’ defense, discusses new Philadelphia Eagles OC Sean Mannion, why the Tennessee Titans made Jeffery Simmons the highest paid DT in NFL history, and more.
Kirk reveals how he got caught up in the Knicks’ victory parade, and reveals his list of top 5 NFL teams most in need of a Super Bowl win.
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