In short
Divisional playoff weekend preview (“higher register” takes), plus coaching news and roster-building analysis from the MMQB’s Albert Breer.
Guests
Albert Breer (Sports Illustrated/MMQB senior writer; long NFL reporter background, formerly with NFL Network/Fox). Also referenced earlier guests: ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate and actor Rob Lowe (not interviewed in this segment).
Key claims
- John Harbaugh’s Giants hiring was “obvious” but still required alignment and commitment; Breer says Harbaugh researched thoroughly, emphasizing shared vision and the Ravens-style in-house analytics.
- Mike Tomlin’s Steelers reset timing: Breer frames it as roster-aging and a natural breaking point after Aaron Rodgers-era hopes; he also argues Tomlin’s unique player relationships explain the emotional reaction to his potential departure.
- Divisional weekend is wide open; Breer expects multiple road wins and highlights matchups like Bills-Jaguars, Broncos-Chiefs/Allen vs Denver, Seahawks-Niners, and Bears-Rams with Stafford vs Caleb Williams.
Notable examples
- Harbaugh’s “alignment and commitment” and Ravens in-house analytics.
- Tomlin building relationships (e.g., asking pro-day social media managers what players react to).
- Texans’ defense: scouts/coaches mentioning 7 of 11 starters.
- Houston’s CJ Stroud uncertainty (Nico Collins timing) as a swing factor.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORob Lowe's Special Gift
1:24 to 1:55
Discussion about Rob Lowe's black NFL shield hat and its significance.
“If you're flying your candidate via PJ, you want his...”
Welcome Albert Breer
1:55 to 3:05
Rich Eisen welcomes Albert Breer, discussing the NFL and coaching changes.
“We just said farewell to Rob Lowe here on the Rich Eisen Show.”
John Harbaugh and the Giants
3:05 to 4:25
Exploration of John Harbaugh's fit with the Giants and coaching dynamics.
“Does he have more than one of them, though?”
Mike Tomlin's Decision-Making
4:25 to 7:21
Insights into Mike Tomlin's choices regarding the team's roster and future.
“He also said RG1 told him that's the most shared meme in the history of the National Football League, is what he said.”
Emotional Farewell for Tomlin
7:21 to 10:15
Discussion on the emotional impact of Mike Tomlin's departure from the team.
“But knowing John, like the way I do, I think it probably appeals to him too, that the owners there, the Mara family, there's no other businesses with them.”
Mike Tomlin's Unique Relationships
10:15 to 14:01
Exploration of Mike Tomlin's relationship with players and coaching staff.
“Well, I mean, I'm also reading an athletic story that I'm sure you saw come out today about what happened behind the scenes when Tomlin told the team that T.J.”
Unique Relationships in Coaching
14:01 to 15:06
Exploration of strong relationships between coaches and players, particularly focusing on Mike Tomlin.
“because everybody had that sort of relationship with them.”
The Future of Coaching
15:07 to 18:13
Discussion on the potential retirement of coaches and how they've been impacted by their careers.
“And that one player, unnamed player, recalling this for this report said, basically, you're going to make me cry again.”
Divisional Playoff Weekend Insights
18:14 to 23:42
Albert Breer shares his thoughts on the upcoming divisional playoff weekend and potential storylines.
“He's been on a team every year since 1980.”
Rams and LeFleur Family Connection
23:43 to 25:57
Discussion about the Rams and their connection to the LeFleur family, along with upcoming matchups.
“I'm curious your thoughts on the Rams doing it for the LeFleur family against Ben Johnson.”
Show all 21 chapters
Coaching Changes in the NFL
28:22 to 29:23
Discussion about coaching changes and their implications in the NFL.
“844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the show.”
NFL Playoffs and Player Leverage
29:23 to 31:38
Exploration of playoff performance and player leverage in the NFL.
“Then you're like, oh, why would the Roonies want to consider Tomlin to stay another year?”
Coaching in College Football
31:38 to 33:58
Debate on coaching qualifications and the future of college football.
“I think, you know, if I can channel my inner Florio here, the Players Association needs to get its own house in order first, right?”
Mike Tomlin's Future
33:58 to 36:01
Discussion on Mike Tomlin's future and potential impact on college football.
“Whatever Mike T decides to do, he's going to be just fine.”
Divisional Playoff Preview
36:01 to 37:38
Preview of the upcoming Divisional Round playoff games.
“And so who better to talk about player development, player relationships, going through a draft process, figuring out this person, that person, that person, this person, how does it fit into your scheme?”
Bears vs Packers Reflection
38:58 to 42:00
Reflecting on the significance of the Bears' recent victory over the Packers.
“Just spent the TV-only segment talking about what this Bears win over the Packers meant to him, saying it's one of the greatest moments in Chicago Bears sports history.”
Adapting to Cold Weather in NFL
42:00 to 42:55
Discussing how players acclimate to cold weather conditions during games.
“Oh, so you're saying that that's going to be the difference.”
Road Teams' Performance Predictions
42:55 to 43:33
Analyzing the predictions for road team performances in the upcoming games.
“Well, you remember last week, every single pundit, every single expert we had on, I said, hey, I'm setting the over under at three and a half road wins for the wildcard weekend.”
Impact of Weather on Game Strategy
43:33 to 44:28
Exploring how weather conditions can influence game strategies and outcomes.
“By the way, great fantasy team named Ben Johnson orifice.”
Game Day Plans and Team Confidence
44:28 to 45:30
Sharing personal game day plans and discussing team confidence going into the match.
“And if the defensive backs who can plaster don't have the ability to get their footing, that takes that away.”
Player Evaluations and Future Prospects
45:30 to 46:30
Evaluating players' performances and discussing their potential future impact.
“But the truth is I'm nowhere near as nervous for this game than I was for the Pac - Oh, so it's house money now.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Albert Breer:Get in the game with the college-branded Venmo Debit Card. Wreck your team with every tap and earn up to 5 % cash back with Venmo Stash, a new rewards program from Venmo. No monthly fee, no minimum balance.
0:13Rich Eisen:Just school pride and spending power. Get in the game and sign up for the Venmo Debit Card at Venmo.com slash college card. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N.A. Select schools available. Venmo Stash terms and exclusions apply at Venmo.me slash stash terms. Max$100 cash back per month. 5 a.m. I'm up with a crisp Celsius energy drink.
0:34Albert Breer:Running 12 miles today. Grab a green juice, quick change, and head to work. Meetings, workshops. One more Celsius, no slowing down. Working late, but obviously still meeting the girls for a little dancing. Celsius. Live, fit, go.
0:47Rich Eisen:Grab a cold, refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate now at Celsius.com. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime.
1:11Albert Breer:But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel.
1:15Rich Eisen:Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. The Giants, they sent a jet for John Harbaugh. This is the Rich Eisen Show. If you're flying your candidate via PJ, you want his... The Rich Eisen Show. Jay Hancock on a piece of paper. Earlier on the show, ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate. Actor Rob Lowe. Coming up, senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. We just said farewell to Rob Lowe here on the Rich Eisen Show. He is, in fact, going to deliver us on loan, like we're a museum, the black NFL shield hat that he wore in Levi's Stadium for the NFC Championship game years ago between the Packers and the 49ers.
2:20Rich Eisen:that is coming to the Rich Eisen Show studio. That's going to be great. We're going to have it. And we're not giving it back. No, of course not. What's he thinking? Send back a record. That's why we're not getting that. What's he thinking? That's never coming here, bro. Oh, really? You don't think so? What's the over-under on that? I'll take the over-under. Yeah, I'll take over. You just admit it. I just went high register. You just admitted he's not getting it back after he told you he wants it back. Uh-huh. So I... I shouldn't have said that. Not in the microphone. Oh, Rob, it'll be great. Thanks for...
2:52Rich Eisen:Not out loud. I can't wait to give it back to you. He's in the car. You don't even have it yet. He's still in the back. Oh. Joining us here, top of our number three, one of our favorites. Appreciate him taking time out. I'm sure his phone's blowing up. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. Good to see you, Albert. How are you, brother? Good to see you. Albert. Does he have more than one of them, though? No. He said it was given... It was a choice that when he got there from Fox, choose these hats. He said that the hats available were some garish mashup of both teams playing, and he didn't want it, so he just grabbed the one.
3:22Rich Eisen:Because he said it looked like a ref hat, and he's never seen a version of a black hat. He says he still has it, and I'm like, I want it. He said no, and then I pressed it, and he said yes, on loan. How did you convince him? Oh, just ask nicely over and over again on live television and radio. So what about the hat? By the way, and you love this. he's from Ohio so his brother Chad is a die hard Buckeye like you and he said that when it comes down to the rivalry obviously he's on your side of the fence Albert so you got Rob
3:55Albert Breer:that's good to hear that's good to hear that was my thought my thought by the way was that it's a ref's hat
4:01Rich Eisen:that's what he said his first thought he goes but it's not white so he grabbed that one because the other ones look garish he said he had no idea that he would be the meme for what do you say for something perfectly agnostic. You know, like, yay teams is what he said. If you were him, though,
4:19Albert Breer:you might want to lean into it, so maybe you would buy a bunch more just in case there are people who want them like yourself, so maybe you're not getting the real one. Maybe he's got some backups.
4:27Rich Eisen:He also said RG1 told him that's the most shared meme in the history of the National Football League, is what he said. So he said they use it on a PowerPoint, and I'm like, I had no idea the NFL had PowerPoints. I thought their PowerPoint was where the NFL do business at your, otherwise we'll move on to somebody else. At any rate, Albert Breer here on the Rich Eisen Show. So we're in the finalizing of John Harbaugh with the Giants, right? And so this marriage, it seems so obvious. And sometimes it's rare that the obvious actually happens in the NFL, right?
5:01Albert Breer:Yeah, I mean, I think like the fit was obvious to all of us from the beginning, right? Like I think was what you're referencing there. But look, like the Giants still had to win this, you know, and when he was let go nine days ago, he heard from almost all the teams, like all the teams that openings and then a couple other teams on top of that, you know, and so he launched himself into research mode. And from what I understand, he has been so thorough and so diligent. He was talking to the teams over the course of the last week and trying to fact find. And he did, you know, quarterback study with one on each of the teams.
5:37Albert Breer:And, you know, he got to the point where he was looking at Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza when he's considering the Raiders. And, you know, you keep working at working and working and trying to narrow it down. And so, you know, I think more or less the Browns and Cardinals were eliminated. The Raiders actually was an interesting one. And I heard he didn't want to go there because it's his brother's division, you know. Yes, sir. And like, you know, I don't know if that was exactly what he was looking for, you know, nothing against the Raiders. And so then it was, you know, the four teams that were that were sort of left.
6:08Albert Breer:And, you know, the the the the the plan had been to go to the Giants Wednesday, yesterday, meet with the Titans today and then, you know, be with the Falcons either either Friday or Saturday. day and and to me like the two things that he was looking for outside of like the roster stuff the quarterbacks um the two words i'd heard was alignment and commitment and like so it was you know john harbaugh has a really strong vision of what you know he wants in a football team and he's very adaptable and adjustable and he is a players coach but he knows what he's looking for in players he knows what sort of play style he wants and so he wanted a place that would share that vision with him which obviously he had over the years with ozzy newsom and eric to costum in Baltimore, and then commitment from the team.
6:56Albert Breer:And anybody who's been around the Ravens knows that's one of the most built-out organizations in all sports. Other teams, they'll have a couple analytics guys, and they'll farm the rest out to the different companies, the PFFs and True Medias and all that. The Ravens actually have their own systems, their own analytics systems in-house. It's just an example of how far they'll go to make sure they're on the cutting edge of everything. And so I think going to a place that has that sort of commitment to football was important to him. And this is just me guessing, right? But knowing John, like the way I do, I think it probably appeals to him too, that the owners there, the Mara family, there's no other businesses with them.
7:36Albert Breer:This isn't like an owner who's got 15 different businesses and helicopters in on a Tuesday. You know what I mean? This is, it is their family business. You go in there and John Mara is, you know, in the office working. And, you know, so I think that part of it appealed to him as well but those are the two words is is is is that their alignment and commitment and i think um you know in meeting with john merritt chris merritt tim mcdonald um you know joe shane brandon brown um you know all those people steve tisch at the giants facility yesterday getting a chance to sit down with with jackson dark running into camp scatabow in the training room like i think he kind of felt that sort of alignment that he figured he would have which I would guess was part of the reason why they were his first stop.
8:20Rich Eisen:And it's obviously a blue blood franchise in the National Football League that's a feather and a cap for somebody who ordinarily wouldn't be able to find it somewhere else because he's already feathered his own cap with his resume. And as a coach that comes to the sideline in a manner that few Giants coaches have come to the sideline, which is with all these wins and he's the only coach in the history of the Giants to show up with a championship already won. So there's that. What's your reporting on Mike Tomlin and why he decided it was time? And he's been thinking about it for some time. I'm sure you heard what Rondé Barber said, that he even said prior to the season to him in confidence, I guess, that he was out, that he thinks it was his last year.
9:14Rich Eisen:What's your reporting on all of that, Albert?
9:17Albert Breer:I think it's, you know, like one thing that I had kind of heard pretty consistently was like how the way the roster was built, you know, was kind of a tell. And, you know, like how many older players they were relying on. They've been knocking on the door for the last few years. And it's sort of like, I guess it felt a little bit like that. They're that 45-win NBA team. You know what I mean? Like, can you get over the hump? You have the wherewithal to get over the hump and you go and get Aaron Rodgers in an effort to get over the hump. But, you know, that starting lineup, the 22 players by March, eight of them will be 30 or older.
9:55Albert Breer:you have cornerstones in there T.J. Watt Cam Hayward Jalen Ramsey of course Rogers himself and so it was a natural breaking point where it's all right like you know once you get through the season Aaron's probably not coming back and so you're probably looking at a pretty extensive retooling and do you want to be around that for that do you want to gut it out for three or four years and go through that sort of of rebuild without knowing who your quarterback's going to be right or does it make more sense to to take a beat go into tv or spend the year traveling and visiting different teams and seeing the way different people do things and then maybe finding a more ready ready-made situation in 2027 or 2028 like i think that's sort of the thinking behind the whole thing is that the team was naturally at a place where it was time for them to reset and And that gave Mike Tomlin, you know, kind of an organic point to to to say, you know what, it's time for me to reset, too.
10:57Rich Eisen:Well, I mean, I'm also reading an athletic story that I'm sure you saw come out today about what happened behind the scenes when Tomlin told the team that T.J. Watt kept saying no, no, no over and over again with his eyes welling with tears. Rogers saying, I'm sorry. I guess he felt that they wound up short and he feels this way about it. So why do you think – I don't even know what the foul question is. He's the most like – They love him, man. And I know that many of the fans fell out of love with him.
11:35Albert Breer:Here's the thing about Mike that I think is really unique. You and I both know how many people are in those buildings, right?
11:42Rich Eisen:Yeah.
11:42Albert Breer:So the coaching staff has what, 20, 25 guys on it. You have 53 guys in the roster. Some of that churns over the course of the year. You know, you go back and, you know, you look at deeper. It's like 20 guys in the practice squad and then all the scouts and the personnel people. And it's a lot of people. And, you know, one thing that was really cool that I always heard about Mike and I dove into more in a story that I did this week is how he had a unique relationship with everybody. You know, and he found a way to carve out a different relationship with everybody based on who that person was. And then you start to hear the stories about what he would do when he was in the pro day circuit.
12:22Albert Breer:And I thought this was really interesting. And I wrote about this a couple of years ago. He would get to a pro day and they'd walk into Clemson or Georgia or wherever it was. And he would ask to see the social media manager. And the social media manager is probably what, 20, 21 years old, still a student, right? And he would go to them and he would say, show me what what what your players are reacting to. Show me what you're using for recruiting. You know, and I remember talking to Mike about that. Mike was like, yeah, I mind my kids for that sort of information, too. I need to find a way to connect with people.
12:56Albert Breer:And then you'd hear about like how he gets to the combine and the other coaches would be blown away. Like when they'd sit in a formal interview with a third or a guy who's going to be drafted in the third or fourth round. and Mike would already know everything about that person. It's like, how'd you do that? Like, we just got out of our season. We're trying to get caught up on what the guy's name is. Like, how do you know this guy's background, you know? And so like that enabled him to build, I think really unique relationships with everybody he came across. And that's why he's able to get the most out of people.
13:29Albert Breer:And that's why, I mean, I think that's the key when you talk about the people who've been through there, some of the more troubled players, you know, whether back in the day it was a Joey Porter or a James Harrison, who's just a different personality, an Antonio Brown, a Mike Wallace, a Le 'Veon Bell, Ben Roethlisberger when he was younger. He just had a way of reaching people and connecting with them and getting the most out of them, and that allowed the Steelers to cast a wide net looking for talent because they didn't have to rule people out that some other teams might have to. And so I think that part of it is why it's so emotional for people because everybody had that sort of relationship with them.
14:03Albert Breer:I was talking to Todd Haley about this, and he told this story about how when he was there out at a practice one day, Mike walked over and goes, you know what you got that's priceless? And Todd goes, no, what? He's like, everybody knows you're an a-hole. He's like, so you don't have to worry about anybody. He's like, that's worth a million dollars and walks away. And he couldn't have that conversation with everybody, but he knew Todd would think that was great. You know what I mean? Like, so like, it's just like having that, that sort of unique relationship with everybody, I think is why you get that story of Aaron Rogers welling up because he went there to play for Mike or TJ Watt, you know, almost being in denial over the idea that Tomlin be gone.
14:46Rich Eisen:Yeah, man. I mean, again, I'm just sifting through this while, while, while we're talking an unnamed player, every single player in that building wants to play for Mike T where guys upset with coordinators. Yes. Was it the head guy? No. and that referred to the meeting where he stunned the room by saying he's leaving, called it like a funeral. And that one player, unnamed player, recalling this for this report said, basically, you're going to make me cry again. He's just recalling the conversation. So he's seeing this sort of stuff. And, you know, Tomlin relishes this connection. he's he's an expert at it he not only relishes it it makes me think that he he he lives he wakes up for this sort of connection so when i hear ronde barber who would know say i think he's done coaching um i'm kind of stunned do you think he's done coaching yeah so like i've thought about this
15:51Albert Breer:um because you know i think we all would think back to the last time this happened with the and um bill cower yeah right we thought he was coming back we thought he's just going to cbs for a brief bit you know what i mean i mean like that to me is like the ultimate example right like like bill cower like i can remember specifically him being linked to the giants when there were murmurs about tom coughlin shop and the dolphins and oh yeah omar khan who was like the cap guy at the time he's going to come with him and be his general manager and it never happened you know and And I think like, and even like a Gruden, like John Gruden, I don't think anybody expected John Gruden was going to be out of it for nine years, right?
16:31Albert Breer:Like, I think what happens with a lot of these guys is that you put so much into it and you're so invested in it and it becomes such a big part of your life that you, I might called his office the hole, right? Like I'm going in the hole, right? Like when he'd have to study and come out with something. So, um, but you know, if you spend your whole life, you spend so much of your life in that hole and then you come out and see the light, I think it can sometimes be harder to go back into the hole, if that makes sense. You know, so like he doesn't have to worry about money for the rest of his life.
17:03Albert Breer:You know, his kids are grown. He can, I mean, he can do whatever he wants for the next year. He can see the world.
17:08Rich Eisen:I mean, you can live how the other half lives.
17:10Albert Breer:I totally get that. And I think that's part of it, like where it's just like, I don't think even he knows, you know, And it could be like he's a football coach, right? Like that's, I mean, he is like, that's the other thing about him is like the people who've been around him say like, I don't know how there are enough hours in the day to get done what he would get done. Like he would come into the special teams meeting, the offensive meeting, the defensive meeting with cutups ready to go. Like, here's what we're looking for this week. Not telling you what to do, but here's like another resource, another set of eyes to help you with, you know, what we're trying to accomplish this week.
17:44Albert Breer:And his thing was, how do we engineer a window this week? you know, he's that passionate about it. So it's definitely possible that he gets to October and November and he's itching to get back and he can't wait. Right. It's also possible, like, because this is a very human thing that you come out of it and you're like, you know, I kind of like this. Like, this is this is kind of nice. And maybe I want to take a few more years and just live my life this way. And, you know, I think that's what Bill Cowher was. And then he never wound up going back. So I wouldn't rule anything out because I don't think that these coaches know what it's going to be like when they come out of that life because most of them have been living it since they were 22 years old.
18:23Rich Eisen:Yeah. What did we hear yesterday? He's been on a team. Well, he said this last week, right? He's been on a team every year since 1980. Yeah. That's what he said. That's what he said to us. Isn't that funny? We're like, where do we hear that from? Oh, actually to us. He said that last week. He was like eight. Yeah. Since 1980, he says he's been on a team. So maybe, you know, 2026, he doesn't mind finding a new team. That's not coaching, I guess. Albert Breer here on the Rich Eisen Show. I'll just throw it open to you. Your thoughts on divisional playoff weekend. What leaps out at you? What are you looking for?
18:56Rich Eisen:What do you think the storylines are? I know I just gave you a million different things, but you always come at us with a reporter's notebook and an opinion at the same time. What do you think, Albert? What do you got for us?
19:07Albert Breer:I just saw how wide open it is, which is exactly what I think I said to you guys last week, right? And it is. It is. I think that part of it is fantastic. And, you know, like I I'm excited to see what what's going to happen. I legitimately can look at all four games and see both teams and all four of those games winning. I'm interested to see what the top seeds look like. That Buffalo team, I use the term the last week, hard to kill. I think they're very hard to kill. And I think you can see the way Sean McDermott managed that Jacksonville game and that he was conservative in fourth down situations as a.
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19:41Albert Breer:get me to the end and I've got the trump card he's wearing number 17 um so what does Denver look like can Denver be the team that knocks out Josh Allen um and then Seattle who I think I'm not sure people realize how good they've been you know and so now they have this Saturday night showcase against a really beat up Niners team so I think you know seeing the top seeds and what they look like because I don't think we view them the way we would look at like Kansas City with Mahomes as a number one seed. I don't think the public views them that way. So what sort of show are those two teams going to give us on Saturday?
20:17Albert Breer:And then Sunday, Bears-Rams. The scene at Soldier Field, I can't wait to see that. And for me, a big piece of this is Matthew Stafford versus Caleb Williams. Stafford's got the finger issue. Is that going to be an issue in the game? How does Caleb Williams look on this stage? He handled the last big stage on Saturday night so well, you know, so can he do it again? And Houston, man, Houston, New England. So you've got the Drake May, Mike Vrabel thing. Do you start to get the feeling the Texans are like the 13 Seahawks or the 15 Broncos the way they're playing defense?
20:56Rich Eisen:Hell yeah, man. I mean, that's no joke, Albert. I mean, it's for real. Again, I saw it calling in the game in week 17. They're fast. They're everywhere. at every level it looks like there are 13 of them out there suffocating suffocating yes and and i mentioned that they're up there with the 2000 ravens which is heresy i get it but yeah brother
21:20Albert Breer:that's no joke man okay so i'll give you like this anecdote like i'm doing my my all pro vote i think you have one too right and and so i'm doing i'm making all my calls to scouts and coaches and trying to be as thorough as i can and you know guys bonuses are riding on it so i try to check every box i can with that and um so and and you know because you vote like how exclusive these groups are at these positions right it's team first team second team that's it like seven of the 11 starting defenders for houston got mentioned from coaches and scouts now they didn't all make my list but seven of the 11 which is an insane number when you're talking about that rarefied air of what a player is and that their p that the coaches and scouts that are evaluating these guys would mention seven players from the same defense being of that level.
22:11Albert Breer:And, you know, it was Hunter. It was Anderson. It was Al Shire. It was Petrie. It was both Lassiter and Stingley. And it was Bullock.
22:21Rich Eisen:You didn't even mention Toe Toe, who's all over the place too, man. Right.
22:25Albert Breer:Or Sheldon Rankins, who scored a touchdown.
22:27Rich Eisen:Unreal. Yes, for real.
22:29Albert Breer:They come at you in waves. And it's just when I watch them play, like what stuck out the other night, and I think like this, this was in your game too, right? Where you, you had them against the chargers. When a quarterback checks the ball down and throws it underneath in the middle of field, how fast they are there, you know? Cause it's like, okay, like they've got you covered over the top. And then all of a sudden like, okay, we're throwing it underneath. It looks like there's some space there and that space closes like that, you know? So D 'Amico has done a fantastic job there. And like, to me, so much of this is going to come down to what version of C.J.
23:05Albert Breer:Stroud shows up. It looks like probably won't have Nico Collins. You know, I mean, I think the Monday night thing hurts them there just from a timing standpoint, whether or not they're going to be able to get them back. So how do their first year players play? You know, the two rookie receivers, Jaden Higgins and Jalen Noel, the rookie running back, Woody Marks, the rookie left tackle, Ariante Urssuri. So to me, like those are the that that's kind of the swing factor in that game. But that defense is dynamite. And, you know, when I picked it before the playoffs, I had Houston and Buffalo in the AFC title game.
23:38Albert Breer:And wouldn't that be something else to see Josh Allen against that defense again?
23:41Rich Eisen:One more time. Yeah, for sure. Before I let you go, I know we're already up against it, but to heck with it. I'm curious your thoughts on the Rams doing it for the LeFleur family against Ben Johnson. You know, seriously. Again, I understand there's players involved. there's the execution of game plans there's the complication of a frozen tundra actually hitting the stadium that could be an equalizer i get all of that but you know uh sean mcveigh is called like a brother and his offensive coordinator is the actual brother that relationship that
24:20Albert Breer:relationship goes back a long way in fact i think um if you ask if you ask those guys they they may still have some videotape of Sean and Matt LaFleur being the stars of an adult flag football team in Northern Virginia about 15 years ago. So the bonds are very tight there. I think you don't need extra motivation here. But like that, that, that is there. And, and, and I, I, you and I talk about rivalries a lot. Like the idea that bears Packers is going to have this sort of jet fuel strapped to it. You know what I mean? For the next five years of presuming that LaFleur and the Packers get the contract done is, is pretty cool, you know?
25:11Albert Breer:And so I think I'm, I'm interested to see what the Rams look like because I do think we saw some cracks. I picked them to win the Superbowl, But we saw some cracks in some areas they haven't invested as heavily in, in the secondary and the offensive line against Carolina. And so can Caleb Williams and the Bears offense exploit some things in the secondary? Can the Bears defense exploit that offensive line? It's going to be interesting to watch and maybe have a little extra if you're the Rams. If you're if you're Jared Verse or or Byron Young or Kobe Turner, maybe maybe it gives you a little extra to help Sean McVay cover up any weaknesses they might have on the back end.
25:49Rich Eisen:Albert, you're the best. Thanks for the time, man. We'll chat over the weekend, obviously. Just us staying in touch and then we'll chat again in short order. Appreciate your time. Awesome. Thanks, Rich. Appreciate it. Everybody follow Albert on all the socials. It is worth all your time. And of course, the MMQB must read material from Sports Illustrated. We'll beat it on down the line right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Higher register. Your phone calls to finish up this Thursday show.
26:15Rich Eisen:If you're like me and my family, you're all about creating amazing memories while on vacation. And for me, many of those have involved a home we found on Airbnb. We had such great experiences that whenever we travel somewhere new, we always check Airbnb first to find a place that fits our needs. the homes we've stayed in comfortable safe private you feel like you're part of the community after a long day of exploring or sitting on a beach it really is nice to come back to a place you can call your own airbnb is also a great way if you want to earn some extra money while you're traveling or out of your house for an extended period of time you can make your home work for you while you're away not as a full-time thing not as some big production just something that fits into trips you're already taking you can use the money for that dream vacation or put that money towards that outdoor kitchen you always wanted hosting on airbnb just feels smart your home may be worth more than you think find out how much at airbnb.com slash host if you're ready for an oil change trust the professional parts people at o'reilly auto parts to recommend the best products for your vehicle right now get five quarts of valvoline full synthetic motor oil and a Wix filter for$35.99 and receive a$15 O 'Reilly gift card after rebate.
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28:18Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the show. What a great, Albert just, we just talked about Harbaugh, Tomlin and this weekend, right? I mean, and there's so many other coaching gigs that are open. And he even said at the end, you know, how the Packers-Bears rivalry is supercharged. You know, if they could figure out their deal with LeFleur. You know, that's still out there. and again LaFleur's got one year to go so there's there's that and then again this this are this article in the athletic everyone should seek it out if you're wondering if Tomlin lost the locker room if you're wondering if the players wanted to play for Mike Tomlin and what it means to play with Mike Tomlin as your coach basically crying oh my god screaming no hyper but Joey Porter Jr.
29:10Rich Eisen:who as you know was a uh a babysitter to Tomlin's kids who are now grown and out of the house hyperventilating at the news. So, yeah. Then you're like, oh, why would the Roonies want to consider Tomlin to stay another year? Well, there's that. And the question is, why didn't it work out in the playoffs? What happened? What would happen to this team in the playoffs?
29:42Albert Breer:How many consecutive double-digit playoff losses? Yeah, I don't know.
29:47Rich Eisen:844-204-RICH, number to dial here. Let's go to who's been hanging on the longest. Trey in Richmond, Virginia has been. What's up, Trey? Line three, Jason. What's up, Trey? Hey, how you doing, guys? What's going on in your mind, sir? Thanks for taking my phone call. Second time, long time. Hey, Brockman. Hey, Felly. Hey, TJ. Hey, this is great, Trey. Just had a quick question. now it's like, you know, players, you know, choosing to stay in college, you know, with the NIL and everything. I know the last NIL was in, well, the next NIL will be in 2030. And do you think they'll have better leverage going into the,
30:31Albert Breer:I mean, not NIL, I'm sorry, the CBA. I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous.
30:35Rich Eisen:Take your time, Trey. All good. The next CBA is coming up in 2030. Maybe before that. We'll see. But you think the NFLPA will have better leverage going into that CBA with all of these players now with their NIL deals? Because I remember last time, you know, I remember J.J. Watt was trying to tell people to hold on the deal. Are you saying, Trey, that there may be more leverage because the rank and file will be more wealthy because they're coming in from a college career that pays them and some significant money. Is that what you're saying?
31:15Albert Breer:Exactly.
31:15Rich Eisen:Interesting. I don't know. I haven't really thought of that. I try not to think of labor disputes. That's how I became a bald man. 2011, hosting NFL Network in a lockout. That is what we would call sucks. I don't know, Trey. Obviously, I hope it doesn't get to a 2030 that something gets hammered out between now and then. And thank you for the call. I think, you know, if I can channel my inner Florio here, the Players Association needs to get its own house in order first, right? Before we start even talking about what the landscape is and what it's looking like. And, you know, the league is going to want an 18th game, apparently.
31:56Rich Eisen:And what will that look like in terms of scheduling? And what will the players require from the NFL for that sort of thing? And, you know, I don't know what the the the the needs and desires are going to look like even next year, two years from now, let alone four years from now. But, you know, may there be no labor disputes. Anywhere here, here, 844-204-RICH number to dial. Let's go to Doug in Virginia, hanging on for some time as well. What's up, Doug? Hello. Hello, guys. good afternoon. Happy, happy days to everyone. Ah, yes. Happy, happy days. Correct. Yes. You were talking about a coach and not Harbaugh, but but a Pittsburgh coach who's no longer coaching.
32:46Rich Eisen:And, you know, he is among the most qualified as far as the leaders go. Yes. In the sports world. Correct. We can all agree on that. And so well respected. I would love to see him as the new NCAA Grand Pooh Bar, commissioner or whatever, and fix the mess that they're in. Tomlin fixes college football? And say, here's what we need to fix this and get everybody together to save the NCAA from itself. So I'll leave that there. Okay. But the real reason for my call is about the upcoming game. Okay. Monday night between Miami and Indiana. And having been a Virginia resident for basically my whole life and watched him coach at JMU while my grandson was at school there.
33:33Rich Eisen:We got to see a lot of games by the coach. And we were sad to see him leave. But I'm glad to see his success, and I would hate to see him go to the NFL. I think he could be the master of his domain in college football. Doug in Virginia. Doug in Virginia making a lot of food for thought right there, Doug. Thank you very much. It's Doug in Virginia. Wow. Master of his domain. Good one right there. A good Seinfeld reference. Tomlin is the new NCAA commissioner.
34:07Rich Eisen:Never say never. I ain't never say, but never. Never. I don't think so either. I mean, that's just not as. Because it's high on my damn agenda. Definitely is not. That is not. I bet it is not. You know. Whatever Mike T decides to do, he's going to be just fine. I think so too. One thing we never mentioned. I mean, this isn't football related, but something I wanted to ask you earlier, because he is under contract. Do you think something may be going through his head where he doesn't want to take a job now because it would handcuff the next team because they have to give up money or draft picks?
34:41Rich Eisen:Or is it too early even? I have no idea. But for somebody who clearly has a bond with the players in his locker room and it clearly has the love of that relationship and the bonds and things of that nature and the challenge of the game plan and things of that, for him to just step aside, walk away and never do it again would be stunning. shocking to me um that said he may have been on occasion as he's in what he refers to as the hole for his drafts and this and that and going on a going on a um um you know a pro day visit to this sec spot that big 12 spot might be like you know um why am i not on safari right now Why am I not seeing the world?
35:36Rich Eisen:Why am I not going to Europe? Life is short. You know what I mean? I've always wanted to go to Australia. You know, I have no idea if he ever sits there as he's game planning. I don't know. Rich, he's never – We have no idea. He hasn't had time for like a – even though his kids are grown, he hasn't had time for like a proper Christmas in 20 years. You know, like little things like that will kind of add up. They will indeed. It sure will. you know and again um i believe he's an empty nester so he can just take off right he's never he's never had that he's never done that he's never done that and also outside of football guys like you think about the amount of money that he could command going to corporates like i'm sure he could do all that stuff too for sure but the first the first order of business is i'm i'm sure there will be a line out the door of saying, do you want to be part of this draft coverage?
36:32Rich Eisen:The draft is in Pittsburgh. Yeah, it's super mandatory. And so who better to talk about player development, player relationships, going through a draft process, figuring out this person, that person, that person, this person, how does it fit into your scheme? What do you think of this kid? What do you think of that kid? What did you think of that kid when somebody else drafted him? And by the way, here we are in Pittsburgh, PA.
37:01Rich Eisen:I mean, does he want to do that? Because he'll have his choices. Yeah, stay by your phone. I don't know, man. Seems like that city didn't love him anymore, man. So I don't know. 844-204-RICH, number to dial. Two orders of business still to come. Our Thursday going into divisional playoffs, higher register. We've all got one. And Howie Roseman has been asked a question in his exit press conference of the season that is of interest to many involving A.J. Brown. That's still to come as we go out the door Thursday.
37:39Rich Eisen:Protein is now at Starbucks, and it's never tasted so good. You can add protein cold foam to your favorite drink or try one of our new protein lattes or matcha. Try it today at Starbucks.
37:55Rich Eisen:So good, so good. Spring styles are at Nordstrom Rack stores now, and they're up to 60 % off. Stock up and save on Rag & Bone, Madewell, Vince, All Saints, and more of your favorites. How did I not know Rack has Adidas? Why do we rack? For the hottest deals. Just so many good brands. Join the Nordiclub to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite Rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, LinkedIn Jobs is stepping things up with their new AI assistants so you can feel confident that you're writing and finding top talent and hiring right the first time.
38:41Rich Eisen:Get this, employees hired through LinkedIn are 30 % more likely to stick around for at least a year compared to those hired through the leading competitor. Get started by posting your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash Eisen. That's linkedin.com slash eisenapostyourjob for free. Terms and conditions apply. Adam Chudwin, our call screener, is sitting out here. Just spent the TV-only segment talking about what this Bears win over the Packers meant to him, saying it's one of the greatest moments in Chicago Bears sports history. We're going to clip that. We're going to send it to our friends at NBC, and they're going to put it on an iPad to hand to Michael Jordan.
39:16Rich Eisen:That'll be great. Hashtag weird. Hey, Mike, you know that wild card win they just had over the Packers? don't try to downplay this rich john paxton whatever you're trying to ruin this week for me right now what are you doing utah the utah flu oh whatever i think what adam's saying is that the
39:33Albert Breer:bulls were supposed to win all those titles i got bears are not supposed to be this good this soon
39:37Rich Eisen:and because we have ptsd from so many bad losses we're down 21 to 3 against our hated rival and then we're like here we go again this is happening again this is a nightmare and for us to break through i mean it's the most joy okay it's not the most important nfc game playoff game for the bears in my lifetime obviously the nfc championship in 06 where you had your heart broken i understand and rex rex broke your heart no but we still won the nfc championship the year but i'm saying this game was the most satisfying bears win for me in my entire life wow it meant that much i hope this weekend tops that for you, bud.
40:14Rich Eisen:So do I. So do all the Bears fans. Alright, so Adam Chudwin's sitting here. Do you have a higher register for your Bears? Yeah, make one up. You're a comedian. Here we go. It's time for a divisional playoff round. Higher register. Hit it.
40:29Albert Breer:There's a chance. The Rich Eisen shows that there could be higher register. Take of the week.
40:37Rich Eisen:Alright, everybody. Chris Brockman. What do you got for me over there for a higher register? We can agree this has been the craziest NFL season that we can remember, right? It's wide open. It's totally wide open. Anybody could do it. There's really no favorite. There really is no favorite. The young quarterbacks who have risen. The young quarterbacks are rising. It's unbelievable. It's truly unbelievable. I can't believe it. And when it's all said and done, guys, it's just going to be the one and two seeds winning this weekend. Oh, really? It's just going to be the four best teams. Really? Yeah.
41:05Rich Eisen:Sorry. Are you going high register because you don't believe it, or are you making poo over there? What was that noise you just did? What was that? I don't know what you're talking about. Okay, very good.
41:18Rich Eisen:What do you got over there, TJ Jefferson? I just said the words making poo. Adorable. And I don't mean Winnie. What's up, TJ? What do you have over there? You know, when I was a kid growing up. You were a kid? Yeah, man. You know, living in Pittsburgh, my winter gear, guys, used to be a starter jacket, Tim boots, and jean shorts. Okay. I didn't care about the cold. Jeans shorts and a stud. I'm talking eight inches of snow. It didn't matter. 20 degrees. I just didn't like pants. And then I moved to Los Angeles. And all of a sudden, that kid stayed back in the east. The blood's thinned out. Blood is thinned out.
41:52Rich Eisen:So I'm thinking about this. It's going to be cold in Chicago. This is correct. So with the possibility of single-digit weather Sunday in Chicago, the cold, it's going to keep Los Angeles out of the conference championship. Oh, so you're saying that that's going to be the difference. When you get used to this Southern California weather and then all of a sudden you got to go into some cold, no matter how you used to adapt to the cold back in the day, there's a little bit of a shift now. Are you going full Irvin tweet on me right now? That's what you're doing right now? We was cold. Why not? Man, in that cold weather.
42:25Rich Eisen:When we played in that cold weather, we was cold. It's cold out there. And these cats ain't used to that.
42:31Albert Breer:Two degrees, 20 mile an hour winds, maybe snow in Chicago.
42:35Rich Eisen:I don't know, man. We got Blake Corum on tomorrow's program. I mean, he didn't play in Southern California. That's true. I'm just saying. But he also lives out here. I understand now. He lives out here now. And our blood, like you said, blood thins quickly. Did you come up with one on the spot? I did. What do you got? Jalen Johnson is going to be able to lock down Puka Nakua. Oh, okay. I like it. Okay. At the end of the day. You never know. You never know. I'm going to go opposite of you, Chris. Opposite. Well, you remember last week, every single pundit, every single expert we had on, I said, hey, I'm setting the over under at three and a half road wins for the wildcard weekend.
43:13Rich Eisen:You take in the over the under and everyone's like, I could see all of them winning, but not most of them winning. And at the end of the day, four of them won. If you took the over in my silly gambit, you won. I don't know what you'd win other than just a laurel and a hearty handshake to use the blazing saddles phrase. And it would have been five if Adams Bears didn't pull one out of their Ben Johnson orifice again. By the way, great fantasy team named Ben Johnson orifice. Okay. So I'm going to go high register and say, you said the one and two seeds are going to win anyway? Yeah. So, you know, no road teams win.
43:50Rich Eisen:You say, I'm going to say, once again, I think more than half the road teams are going to win divisional weekend too. Which means three. It means three of the four. Like last week, call your shot. of the four. Call your shot. I'm going to go everybody but the 49ers. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That's what I'll say. What? What are you smiling? What are you smirking about over there? Maybe TJ should bring back the jean shorts. Maybe she should bring back the jean shorts. Maybe you shouldn't. I'm sorry. Wait a minute. Maybe you shouldn't. Maybe you should not. I don't know. The weather is a big factor.
44:28Rich Eisen:I think the Texans could absolutely beat the Patriots I think you could be absolutely in trouble I think the receivers might have a trouble getting open and I think that Drake may you know may be running for his life and that could be a main engine of your offense but if it's a snow game then guess what if if Will Anderson can't get off on on Will Campbell and use his advantage um you know SEC on SEC then old man winner takes that away from the Texans. And if the defensive backs who can plaster don't have the ability to get their footing, that takes that away. And the Rams love winging it around.
45:06Rich Eisen:If it's two degrees out, that takes that away. You know? So I have no idea. But I'm thinking maybe three of the four road teams win this weekend. We'll find out. Maybe it's somewhere in between. Where are you going to watch the game? You want to give any more shoutouts to your buddies? Yeah, I'm thinking probably the Naughty Pig. It's on Sunset. Cool spot. Oh. I like there. I like Geno's East. What was that noise for? The Naughty Pig. Yeah, and you went, hey. That's not creepy at all. Just an interesting bar name. But the truth is I'm nowhere near as nervous for this game than I was for the Pac - Oh, so it's house money now.
45:45Rich Eisen:It's house money. I still think we're going to win, though. I really genuinely believe that. But now you've got a shot. Now this is for real. Yeah. Now this is for real. And you could get the Niners in your house or you can go visit Seattle for another NFC championship game. Why not at this point in time? And you can feel the confidence building with the team with Caleb. Colson Loveland, by the way, is a star. You were right about that, Rich. I was so upset that the Bears didn't pick Tyler Warren. And what did I tell you on the spot? You told me he's going to be a great player. Yes, sir. And I'd already rather have him than Warren right now.
46:17Rich Eisen:I think he's going to be a I think right now he's a top three tight end. He's that good. More. I can feel it. More hot takes from Adam Chud when I told him it wasn't so hot when he was first thinking it on our next edition of the Rich Eisen Show. All right. You can call the phone lines again, everybody. That'll wrap it up for this program. Bear down. Blake Corum, Christian Kirk on tomorrow's program with Tommy P, Tom Pellicero. 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.
47:01Rich Eisen:From 30 for 30 podcasts.
47:11Albert Breer:Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami, gunned down. The key to this case, it's Brian.
47:20Rich Eisen:an hour before he died he was on the phone arguing with somebody this might be a hit you want the truth they just want a conviction being placed under arrest we had a killer amongst us murder at the you listen now
From the publisher
Sports Illustrated/The MMQB Senior Writer Albert Breer tells Rich what the two main factors were that sold John Harbaugh on taking the New York Giants vacant head coaching job, why Mike Tomlin walked away from the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 seasons and if we’ve seen the last of him as a head coach, and breaks down the key storylines heading into the Divisional Round Rams vs Bears, Bills vs Broncos, Seahawks vs 49res and Texans vs Patriots matchups.
Die-hard Chicago sport fan Adam the Call Screener rejoices in the Bears’ Wild Card win over their NFC North In this week’s ‘Higher Register’ Rich, Brockman and TJ present their less-than-ringing Divisional Round predictions.
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