In short
This episode of The Rich Eisen Show (Hour 3) features former Raiders executive/podcaster Mike Mayock and Rich’s NFL segment. Topic 1: Rich’s “Top 5 NFL comeback player candidates” for 2026: 5) James Conner (return from injury; fit in new offense with Mike LaFleur in Arizona). 4) Malik Neighbors and Cam Scadaboo (bounce-back; both tied to Jackson Dart’s offense). 3) Jaden Daniels (stay healthy after a strong rookie year and injury-hit second season). 2) George Kittle (bounce-back after a knee injury). 1) Patrick Mahomes (bounce-back; Chiefs performance when he was hurt). Topic 2: Mayock’s NFL Draft talk.
Guest background
Mike Mayock is a former NFL GM (Raiders) and longtime draft evaluator; he discusses QB development, roster “infrastructure,” and draft positioning.
Key claims
Raiders’ Kirk Cousins signing gives cover for rookie Fernando Mendoza’s development; teams should avoid forcing first-round QBs too early.
Notable examples
Aaron Rodgers sitting behind veterans; Jordan Love’s patience; Mahomes sitting in KC; Russell Wilson drafted in the 3rd despite Matt Flynn signing. Mayock also highlights tackle/wideout draft runs and flags Ty Simpson’s one-season starter risk.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORich Introduces Mike Mayock
1:30 to 2:14
Rich brings on Mike Mayock to discuss his new podcast and insights.
“From his footprint, he looks like a big fella.”
Mike Mayock's Experiences and Insights
2:14 to 4:16
Mike shares his unique experiences with NFL personalities and interviews.
“Joining me here to kick off our number three of the program, longtime friend, ladies and gentlemen, back here on the program, former Raiders executive, now, I believe, a podcaster, Mike Mayock.”
Max Crosby Discussion
4:16 to 6:01
Mike discusses Max Crosby's career and the future of the Raiders.
“Yeah, when I was a freshman at BC, he was a 16-year-old high school junior in downtown Boston with having issues with the segregation in downtown Southie Boston and the busing stuff.”
Kirk Cousins and Quarterback Development
6:01 to 11:32
Mike provides insights into quarterback development and the Cousins signing.
“My best guess is that Max is sticking around, but one of the things I mentioned to him afterwards was just kind of, I think Howie may have too, I forget, but was just work your ass off like you always have.”
NFL Draft Insights
11:32 to 14:03
Mike shares his thoughts on the upcoming NFL Draft and player evaluations.
“You like, you know, okay, who are the teams with two picks?”
Evaluating NFL Draft Wide Receivers
14:03 to 16:46
Discussion on various wide receiver prospects in the NFL draft.
“This Omar Cooper from Indiana, he's also climbed up and it's forced me to watch some more tape of him and appreciate him a little bit more.”
Ty Simpson's Draft Outlook
16:46 to 19:51
Mike Mayock evaluates quarterback Ty Simpson and his potential situation.
“I had second-round grades on all three of those guys.”
Draft Day Anecdotes with Mike Mayock
19:51 to 22:45
Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock share humorous stories from the filming of Draft Day.
“Yeah, and I called him E the whole time because I couldn't figure out how to pronounce his first name.”
Mike Mayock's Honest Movie Review
22:45 to 23:20
Mike recalls critiquing Ivan Reitman on the set of Draft Day, leading to a funny exchange.
“He's like, Mayor Culper, we ran out of money.”
Listener Calls on Sports Predictions
26:33 to 28:00
Rich engages with listeners discussing their sports predictions and opinions.
“Let's go to Sharon in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
Show all 20 chapters
Listener Call: Sports Month Highlights
28:00 to 28:31
Listeners discuss the excitement of sports events happening in April.
“Mike has no reason in everything in life.”
Discussion on Draft Day and Wisconsin Football
28:31 to 30:19
Rich and listeners analyze the unrealistic portrayals in the movie Draft Day and Wisconsin's quarterback history.
“And, you know, I just wanted to say, like, I've got two things.”
Cleveland Browns Fan Frustration
30:19 to 31:30
A Browns fan shares his frustrations about the team's lack of success and Rich offers his opinion.
“If they only had Bo Callahan in the real, in real life.”
NFL Player Insights: Travis Hunter's Future
31:30 to 33:14
Discussion revolves around Travis Hunter's potential and injury recovery prospects in the NFL.
“gotta let you go or you turn please turn your radio or TV down.”
Rich's Top 5 Comeback Players for 2026
33:14 to 34:35
Rich reveals his top five players he wants to see bounce back in the NFL next season.
“which is not why you draft somebody second overall unless he's going to be one of the best corners in the business, which he still can be, obviously.”
Detailed Breakdown of Each Comeback Candidate
34:35 to 39:28
Rich discusses each comeback player on his list, sharing insights and hopes for their future performance.
“Top five players I'd love to see bounce back in 2026.”
NBA Playoff Insights from Mark in Atlanta
42:22 to 43:58
A caller shares thoughts on the NBA playoffs amid tanking discussions.
“Mark in Atlanta has been hanging on for quite some time.”
Rich's Upcoming Appearances and Events
43:58 to 45:28
Rich discusses his upcoming events and the excitement around them.
“That was a very rational phone call right there, caping for the NBA.”
Upcoming Guests and Show Highlights
45:28 to 48:43
Rich reveals exciting guests and segments planned for the show.
“It's Saturday, and then Sunday is SportsCenter.”
Murder at the U Podcast Promo
49:06 to 49:36
A promo for the 30 for 30 podcast episode about a murder case.
“Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Rich Eisen:Last night, you spent two hours deciding what to wear to the party. This morning, it'll take you two minutes to list it on Depop and make your money back. Just grab your phone, snap a few photos, and we'll take care of the rest. The sheer dress and platform heels you'll never wear again? There's a birthday girl searching for them right now. Your one-and-done look is about to pay for your next night out. Or at least the ride home. Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Depop. Where taste recognizes taste.
0:30Mike Mayock:Amazon presents Jeff vs. Taco Truck Salsa. Whether it's verde, roja, or the orange one. For Jeff, trying any salsa is like playing Russian roulette with a flamethrower. Luckily, Jeff saved with Amazon and stocked up on antacids, ginger tea, and milk. Habanero? More like habanere, yes. Save the everyday with Amazon.
1:00Rich Eisen:This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is The Rich Eisen Show. From his footprint, he looks like a big fella. Live from The Rich Eisen Show's studio in Los Angeles.
1:38Mike Mayock:Mendoza, let him sit down. No, let's be a leader. Throw him out there. The Rich Eisen Show. Let us see what he's got.
1:45Rich Eisen:Earlier on the show, actor Olivia Munn, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Coming up, former NFL general manager Mike Mayock. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air here on ESPN2, everybody. We're on linear cable because we can be. Sirius XM Channel 80, ESPN Radio is how you can listen to us. Disney Plus and the ESPN app as well. Joining me here to kick off our number three of the program, longtime friend, ladies and gentlemen, back here on the program, former Raiders executive, now, I believe, a podcaster, Mike Mayock. Are you a podcaster, Mike? Are you a podcaster now?
2:32Rich Eisen:What's up, Mike? Sumer Sports. Did I see you had Max Crosby on as a guest? What's happening, Mike? What's happening? What do I call you?
2:43Mike Mayock:Yeah, I know. I do a pod with my daughter, as you know. And Sumer Sports is doing this really cool thing where we're going position by position. And we went out to L.A. and we did a whole bunch of episodes. and they asked me for some help in getting some guys to come on the show by position. And for instance, some of the favorite interviews I've ever done in my life were Howie Long, about 30 minutes Howie gave us. And he just opened up on some stuff he never had. Max Crosby, you know, I mean, Max is so transparent. We all know what he went through. But he opened up on a lot of things, including for football people.
3:24Mike Mayock:Why is he so good? What are the things he does to get so good? You know, we talked to Steve Smith. He was awesome. I had Luke Keekly went off on all kinds of stuff with the linebacker position. And I kind of, you know me, I'm always trying to figure out what makes some of these guys great. And I think they all opened up. It was fun.
3:47Rich Eisen:Well, I do know you, Mike. And I know that you have connectivity to almost every name that you just mentioned right there. Obviously, BC with Keekly. And if I'm not mistaken, because I remember everything that comes out of your mouth, Mike, did Howie Long not, was he your, I guess, recruiting guide on a Villanova trip for you back in the day, Mike? Or is it the other way around?
4:15Mike Mayock:The other way. Yeah, when I was a freshman at BC, he was a 16-year-old high school junior in downtown Boston with having issues with the segregation in downtown Southie Boston and the busing stuff. And literally his grandma moved him out of Boston because of the violence with the busing and moved him out to a suburb. And they didn't really want him in the Boston area where a lot of his boys were. and he went to, he, he tells a story, uh, you know, his, his pro day workouts and how the Raiders timed him. I mean, he's just, how he's been a dear friend. One of my best friends for 50 years now, which tells you how old we both are.
4:59Rich Eisen:Yeah. So I understand life was a different back then. You sure you didn't turn them off on BC? Mike, you be sure about this? You didn't sent him to Villanova? Not a great time on campus? Are you sure about this?
5:13Mike Mayock:He had a pretty good time, and I'm not going to share that, but he had a really good time. I told, I was at his house this summer. DMOC, yeah. I was at his house this summer in Montana, and I told a couple of his sons the story, and they were like, Dad? That was Dad? I'm like, oh, hell, we were roommates at the Blue-Grey All-Star game, and he took on a bunch of Southern guys that were giving us abuse in a bar. I mean, just how
5:37Rich Eisen:was the best i love the guy was the max crosby chat after the gambit with the ravens and everything
5:45Mike Mayock:like that it was before in advance of all that yeah it was taped before all that okay what's
5:49Rich Eisen:your guess then what's happening there mike that uh are we are are the raiders resetting to try and get as close to what the ravens gave them for crosby or is max sticking around what's your best guess on that?
6:04Mike Mayock:My best guess is that Max is sticking around, but one of the things I mentioned to him afterwards was just kind of, I think Howie may have too, I forget, but was just work your ass off like you always have. Be who you are. Be all in on the Raiders, but be prepared for anything because you can't control it and you got to be ready to move no matter what.
6:29Rich Eisen:But he could control it if he's like, I still want out, right? Like you could say something like that behind the scenes.
6:36Mike Mayock:I would think a couple things. One, yeah, I mean, I don't think that's him as much. He wants to make a decision and go. And I think he's, I'm guessing, he's all in on the Raiders right now. And especially with the infrastructure they put in place around this offseason. You know, the only I think with Kirk Cousins signing, it gives I would guess it gives them some hope that they can win some football games as a bridge with Mendoza. I think they've done a lot of really good things this offseason. And I think I'm guessing Max is pretty excited about it.
7:13Rich Eisen:Your name came up on the show the other day, Mike, with with Cousins willingly signing with the Raiders, knowing that they're going to draft a kid first overall at the position after being in Atlanta, where he got acquired, signed by a team, unbeknownst to him, they then drafted a kid at the position, and how you and I were on the set together in Radio City Music Hall when his career began with him being the other kid at the position for a team that had already drafted Robert Griffin, and it just seems like a through line for his career, that and being paid like he's a Major League Baseball pitcher, being everything guaranteed, you know?
7:49Rich Eisen:But it's kind of wild. What do you think is happening at that position in Vegas with him, knowing he's going there and Fernando Mendoza's coming? Mike?
8:02Mike Mayock:Number one, he's willing and able, and that's really important. Number two, regarding the development of the rookie quarterback, at some point, Rich, there's an intersection between a young kid being ready to play in the NFL at that position, and, just as importantly, the team being ready for him. And by that, I mean an infrastructure in place where they can run the ball a little bit, the pass protection is figured out, they've got an offensive coordinator that knows how to call plays, protect the quarterback, put them in the best position, you play a little bit of defense so you're not playing from behind all day.
8:37Mike Mayock:And when those two things intersect, both sides are ready. Rich, that might be week one. This kid could be ready. It might be week seven. It might be next year. But the cousin signing gives them the insurance to allow this kid to develop in a natural time frame. And I thought the cousin signing was was outstanding and needed.
8:58Rich Eisen:Me, too. Me, too. It gives them room to roam. There's no pressure. They just hired a coach. Right. So it doesn't it it takes the lid off the pot a little bit here, for the lack of a better analogy. But, you know, how how will they be able to determine if Mendoza is ready? They see it in a meeting room. They see it on a practice field. They see it in a preseason game. How do you suss that out in this day and age where reps are precious, Mike? I mean, I think development is interesting.
9:33Mike Mayock:You look at Green Bay for the last 25 years, and Aaron Rodgers fell in their lap. And then Jordan Love, when he came out of Utah State, was in no way, shape, or form ready to play. And now he's on the cusp of being a really high-level quarterback because of their patience. Mahomes sat for a while in Kansas City. Every kid is different, and too many times in the NFL, we force first-round picks to play immediately. We bow to all the pressure. The head coaches and GMs have job pressures. If you don't have a franchise quarterback, you're just another day closer to getting fired. You've heard me say that a bunch.
10:12Mike Mayock:So I think what this does is it allows them to take a look at this kid who's really cerebral. He's got a high football IQ. And the way you figure it out is in practices and meeting rooms and preseason games is can he run an operation from A to Z? Can he put our offense in a position where everybody's in the huddle not looking at him like, we got no freaking chance with this game? I mean, he's got to run the operation. He's got to know what he's doing. He's got to give him a chance to win football games. And you've got to compare his development versus Kirk Cousins at age whatever he is. And to evaluate the rest of your team, you need competent quarterback play.
10:58Mike Mayock:It's not just about him. So they'll know what that intersection is. They're going to look at each other in a team meeting. Take week six. say they're, you know, they're two and three or whatever, or they're coming off a bye and they're look around the offensive meeting room and they're like, Hey, you know, this kid's come on. He knows what he's doing. He knows what the checks are. He knows how to get us in the right protections. And by the way, Rich, don't disregard the move of signing Tyler Lindobahn at center, who can take some of that off of a young quarterback, which again, they overpaid for him and they needed to they had to I thought that was really smart so everything's in place I think for the development of both sides of that equation I hope we see him earlier than later but more than anything I hope the Raiders just take their time and make sure they do it
11:47Rich Eisen:at that intersection well part of the reason why they could pay overpay uh Linderbaum wasn't just because they had the cap room they also thought Max Crosby's salary was off the books it's just crazy man just crazy mike mayock here on the rich eyes and show 13 days out your board looks like what what does your board look like 13 days out what's it look like it looks like um it's funny you ask that i was looking at i know you yeah you know and i'm like okay where's rich going why do you look like i'm trying to get you on something man oh no no i don't mean that at all
12:22Mike Mayock:You and I are way beyond that. Okay. I mean, but you like injury. You like, you know, okay, who are the teams with two picks? Where are they going? What's Kansas City doing? Because now they're all coming off 6-11, but they have two picks. Where are they going? I'm trying to anticipate where you're going. And one of them was just kind of like, okay, on my board this morning, I was going, I got seven tackles, offensive tackles up fairly high. but when they dry up there could be a run in the first round there could be seven tackles taken in the first round because after that there's a fairly steep drop off you know I don't think I have a grade on a tackle to the third round after that so if you're a tackle needy team and all of a sudden Maui Noah, Freeling, Fano were gone you're looking at Proctor, Miller, Lomu and the kid from Arizona State, who I can't pronounce his name, Ian Hatcher.
13:19Mike Mayock:Once that run starts, teams are going to get nervous towards the middle to the end of the first round at the tackle position. I think the Freeling kid from Georgia has probably moved up more than any other player in the draft since the end of the season. He was a one-year starter, so NFL people were still gathering information on us get a one-year starter at left tackle for Georgia. I think he's going to be the best left tackle coming out of this draft three years from now, but he's young. He's inexperienced. He's going to go higher, I think, than people think. I mean, I could see him as early as six to the Browns.
13:58Mike Mayock:So I think the tackle position is really interesting. I think the wideout position is interesting. This Omar Cooper from Indiana, he's also climbed up and it's forced me to watch some more tape of him and appreciate him a little bit more. I think he'll probably be the fourth wide out off the board. There was the combine rechecks for medical this past week, you know, and Maui Noah looks like he came out of it okay. I'm curious to see Jordan Tyson, who's had, you know, this is an immaculate athlete. He's really special at wide out Arizona State, but he had an ACL a couple of years ago, followed by a collarbone, followed by missing a couple weeks with a hamstring, soft tissue.
14:42Mike Mayock:So he had a medical recheck, which I haven't heard back yet on from some of my guys. So just a quick glance around my board and those kind of things hit.
14:51Rich Eisen:So what is your evaluation of Ty Simpson, Mike? Because he strikes me as one of the more fascinating figures in this draft right now. Where do you peg him?
15:03Mike Mayock:Here's where I am on him. He's 6 '1", 2 '12", and he started one year. There's a lot to like on his tape. I like him more than I thought I was going to like him. For instance, when ESPN's guy Orlovsky came out a couple of weeks ago, and everybody killed him and all. And you know what? Orlovsky does the tape. He deserves to have an opinion. And to be honest with you, there's a lot to like about Ty Simpson. He's got a good arm. He can drive it outside and deep. He's got quick feet. I think his eyes and his feet are tied together, which are really important. He knows how to take care of the football.
15:43Mike Mayock:I hate to kill a kid because other people have failed in his shoes, but the history of first-round quarterbacks that have played one season or less is abysmal. And what we do in the NFL is we push quarterbacks up higher, and we force them to play too early. And this is a kid I'm very worried about. He ideally would go on the second round to the Rams and sit behind Matthew Stafford for two years, and then it'd be all systems go. However, are we going to push him up in the first round? Or is your hometown team going to take him at 16? They have a bridge quarterback with Geno. Again, how much pressure when they start losing games to play him?
16:30Mike Mayock:He's got a lot of work to do. And, you know, sitting for a year or two would be the best thing in the world for him. I don't think his skill set's a whole lot different than, say,
16:43Mike Mayock:Bo Nix or Jackson Dart in that range. I had second-round grades on all three of those guys. Obviously, I was too low on the two that are in the league right now. But it's all about the situation you end up in. It's not about going as high as you can possibly go.
16:59Rich Eisen:How much do you think 2027's quarterback class looms over this draft, Mike?
17:07Mike Mayock:To a degree at that position, it certainly does. But what we learned last year is you can't count any chickens. I mean, everybody thought we were going to be talking about Manning, and we haven't brought his name up once. And there's the kid from Oregon. He decides to stay in and get paid millions and millions of dollars. There's different dynamics at work today than there used to be. You can't hang your hat. You've got to keep swinging. And I think back to the, who was it, Russell Wilson. Seattle takes him in the third, even though they had just signed Matt Flynn to a big free agent contract.
17:45Mike Mayock:Really smart. Continue to take swings at the most important position in all of pro sports. And the problem, as you know it, Rich, is supply and demand. I would say there's 14 to 16 competent quarterbacks in the league that you could win a Super Bowl with. So what does that mean for the other half of the league? Yeah, right.
18:08Rich Eisen:That's why you're in a constant search. Correct, and you panic. Right. And you push value up. But, again, you can't count chickens, but you can also see the draft choices that everyone keeps amassing in next year's draft, the Jets in particular, right?
Read the full transcript
18:22Mike Mayock:Yeah, Jets have three.
18:24Rich Eisen:You could see how that's materializing. Mike, so are you going to be in Pittsburgh? Am I seeing you in your home state or what? Are we going to see you there?
18:37Mike Mayock:No, I'm actually going to be in Atlanta doing the first round live for Sumer Sports. Okay. All right. Who's the host? The host is our Lindsey Rhodes. Okay. All right. And I'll be doing it also with our data scientist, Sam Bruckhaus, who played linebacker at Tulane, which is a crazy combination for a, quote, data scientist. And I love this kid because he brings some practicality to all the science piece of it because he actually played.
19:08Rich Eisen:Well, you know what, Mike, you've been around me for a very long time, vice versa. You know how much data I have. I might start referring to myself as a data scientist. Would you evaluate that? I'm a, you know, my journalism degree is a master's of science. I could be a data scientist. What do you think?
19:27Mike Mayock:Well, I think with the bald pate and the serious look, you could be called a scientist. Thank you, sir.
19:32Rich Eisen:I appreciate it. Absolutely. The evaluation is the name of the show that you're referring to, correct? There it is. There it is. Awesome. Look at you. Yeah. Look at you. Look at you with the lid and everything. I like it. I like it. Yeah, check it out.
19:45Mike Mayock:Max Crosby did an amazing job. I think they have about 18 minutes of the interview in there. It's supposed to be pretty cool.
19:51Rich Eisen:Okay. And the host is former wrestler Big E? Yes. Okay.
19:56Mike Mayock:Yeah, and I called him E the whole time because I couldn't figure out how to pronounce his first name. I didn't tell him that until today.
20:02Rich Eisen:But let's be straight up here. Somebody had to tell you who Big E was, right? Like, hey, we're going to do this show with Big E.
20:08Mike Mayock:Well, the cool thing is he was a defensive tackle at Iowa, so immediately my thought process went way up on him. Okay. And, you know, we could talk a little football, which I thought was cool, as opposed to somebody just coming in cold saying, hey, I'm, you know, tomorrow I have the dating game. And next week, you know, I've got, you know, somebody's pod and like the guy knows some football.
20:30Rich Eisen:There you go. I love it. Chris, what is tomorrow is the anniversary? Tomorrow is the 12th anniversary of Draft Day's release, Mike. Yeah, man. You and I shot that together in Radio City Music Hall. Yeah. That was, you were funny that day. Dude, I was funny. You were hilarious because. No, I wasn't. Mike, Mike. Not intentionally. No, I will never forget this moment. I'm telling this story right now. No. You know what story I'm telling, right, Mike? Yeah, I do, I do. So one of the only movies you know cold is Stripes, okay? And here we go. I've been Reitman. All right. And who was the director of Draft Day?
21:13Rich Eisen:Ivan Reitman, who comes out and has a little meeting. I'll never forget this. We're in the orchestra of Radio City Music Hall. It's me, Mike Mayock, and Ivan Reitman, okay? And Ivan's going through the beats of what he's looking for both of us here. Look how ready he's getting right now. This is awesome. And you told him how much you love Stripes. And he's like, thank you so very much. And then you're like, but the second half of the movie, when you guys went to Germany, this wasn't very good. It's what you told him. To his face.
21:44Mike Mayock:It was honest.
21:49Rich Eisen:Do you remember his answer? Do you remember his answer?
21:52Mike Mayock:Yeah, they ran out of money.
21:54Rich Eisen:They ran out of money. The movie, the budget ran out of money. I was right. But I turn to you, I'm like, Mike, not everything in life requires an evaluation. But that's you, man. You only know one speed, man. that was 12 years ago tomorrow Chris that's what you're saying? Yeah 12 years tomorrow oh my gosh that's crazy the two stars of Mike Mayock, Rich Eisen and Kevin Costner the stars of draft day two of them right on the screen right here love you Mike we'll chat again soon ladies and gentlemen there's Mike Mayock right here in the Rich Eisen show that happened that's hilarious he said that to Ivan Reitman I'm like Mike not everything needs an evaluation.
22:41Mike Mayock:But was he lying? No.
22:44Rich Eisen:Ivan said we ran out. He's like, Mayor Culper, we ran out of money. So they basically got to get an RV and probably make parts of California look like Germany and finish the movie. Oh, my God. Man, that guy, that Mayock, he is as pure as a driven snow.
23:03Mike Mayock:That's like Frank Costanza having lunch with Steinbrenner. Gavin the phone call.
23:08Rich Eisen:What the hell you trade Jay Buna for? Right. They called George's parents. George is dead. What the hell you trade Jay Buna for? John Bennett is here. George is dead. Call me back. Oh, my God. We'll take a break. Phone lines are lit. We will empty them best we can. I've got a top five list, everybody. Top five NFL players I'd love to see bounce back next. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
23:36Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. I've traveled all over for some of the biggest NFL moments you can imagine. Conference championships, Super Bowls, draft weekends, and everywhere I go, the city just feels different. It's buzzing, packed, electric. Now, take that energy and multiply it by the entire world. That's what's coming this summer with the FIFA World Cup. Fans from every corner of the globe are going to be traveling to experience it live. And when that many people come to town, they're all looking for a place to stay. And that got me thinking. If you live in or near a host city, this is one of those rare moments.
24:10Rich Eisen:You already have a space. This summer, you could list your space on Airbnb while fans are in town for the FIFA World Cup. Not as a full-time thing. Not as some huge lifestyle change. Just during an event when demand is naturally high. When I travel for big games, I just want a comfortable place in a real neighborhood. and that's exactly what so many visiting fans will be looking for. If you've ever thought about listing your space, this summer is a great time as we welcome FIFA World Cup fans. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Rich Eisen here.
24:48Rich Eisen:The April 15th tax deadline is coming fast, but don't worry. Hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today. You know how April feels. Everything speeds up. games matter more hoops and hockey schedules tighten your phone won't stop buzzing and somewhere in the middle of it all there's that quiet little reminder taxes you'll get to it tonight or tomorrow or after the weekend and if you handle it the old way you're refreshing your inbox like it's breaking news waiting wondering hoping everything's squared away that's a lot of mental bandwidth with into a turbo tax expert full service you can match with a dedicated expert who understands your specific tax situation and handles your taxes for you start to finish.
25:29Rich Eisen:You can do it all online or meet in person at one of their new tech-enabled store locations. Have your tax forms imported directly into the app and hand everything off to your TurboTax expert. While they work to get you every dollar you deserve, you can go about your normal routine, giving you time back to focus on what actually deserves your attention, like rooting for your team to make the playoffs. April 15th is not waiting, people. Visit TurboTax.com and hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today. In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style. He is just driving the kids to soccer practice.
26:06Rich Eisen:Make every day feel epic in an all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid with up to an EPA-estimated 619 miles of range on select trims, advanced tech, and class-leading interior space. Because when you're hauling kids' gear, snacks, and backpacks, space matters. And so does comfort. Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seats. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. Before Rich, number to dial. Let's go to Sharon in Las Vegas, Nevada. I've been hanging on for a while. What's up, Sharon? Hey, fam. What's up? What up, what up? How are you, fam?
26:42Mike Mayock:I'm good. Hey, I'm a friend of the show. I love the show. Thank you. I want to congratulate you on being on SportsCenter on Sunday. It'll be fun. I have my key reminder set. I have my calendar set.
26:53Rich Eisen:Thank you.
26:54Mike Mayock:Sunday's a busy day for me. But anyway.
26:56Rich Eisen:Very kind.
26:57Mike Mayock:I am a fan of the Lakers and the Cardinals. Okay. And I have a what's more likely. So what's more likely? So Lakers making it past the second round or the Cardinals having a better season than the Raiders?
27:15Rich Eisen:Oh, wow. Chris. Cardinals better than Raiders? Cardinals better than Raiders or the Lakers make it to the Western Conference Finals, which is very difficult to see right now with Luka out of the country trying to find the right path back from his hamstring. And Austin Reeves out for potentially all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
27:36Mike Mayock:I know. Hey, you've got to have hope to stay alive.
27:40Rich Eisen:So I'll go Cardinals better than the Raiders this season. That would be what's more likely here right now.
27:46Mike Mayock:Okay.
27:47Rich Eisen:All right.
27:48Mike Mayock:Well, finally, TJ, I lit a candle for you.
27:51Rich Eisen:Hey.
27:51Mike Mayock:Chris, I love your Masters update. And Del Tugo's out there, but I happen to be a Dodger and Yankees fan with no reason.
28:00Rich Eisen:Okay. That's fine. Mike has no reason in everything in life. There's no reason. Are you single? Are you single? Because Mike could be in Barstow going 90 miles an hour in your direction right now. I don't know. For some reason, I'm okay with Sharon being fans of the two. Just not Mike. I'm with you on that, TJ. Well, what happens there stays there.
28:24Mike Mayock:My life's like it's golden here in Las Vegas. So, you know, that's all I'm going to say about that.
28:29Rich Eisen:Thank you very much, Sharon in Las Vegas, Nevada. Appreciate the phone call. Let's go to Ron in Florida. What's up, Ron?
28:38Mike Mayock:Hey. Hey, guys. And, you know, I just wanted to say, like, I've got two things. One, April, how great of a sports month is April? We've got the NFL draft coming up. The Masters is going on right now. The NHL and NBA playoffs are winding down, and they're going to start their playoffs. Major League Baseball is in full gear right now. NASCAR and MLS are still going on. April, I've had this conversation with people before, April was by far the best sports month on the calendar.
29:07Rich Eisen:Well, you also missed Michigan winning the national championship, another way of saying that the men's final four is.
29:12Mike Mayock:Yeah, I forgot about college basketball and the Frozen Four. I completely forgot. That's true. Thank you, Rich.
29:17Rich Eisen:No, you're very welcome, Ron. You agree with Brockman, which is frightening, but it's okay. By the way, is your last name DeSantis? Oh, wow. I'm just wondering if you're the real, if you're the Ron.
29:27Mike Mayock:With the movie Draft Day. Okay, he's just right past him. The most unrealistic thing about the movie Draft Day is that a quarterback from Wisconsin is in the conversation with the company.
29:38Rich Eisen:Wow.
29:39Mike Mayock:I am a Wisconsin native and a lifelong Badgers fan, and outside of Russell Wilson for one season, Wisconsin has never had a good quarterback. If they would have had a good quarterback, like with the running backs that they've had over the years, Ron Day and Melvin Gordon, John Clay, James White, if they would have had any kind of competent quarterback play in any of those seasons over the last 30 years, we'd be talking about Wisconsin the same way we talk about Alabama in terms of national championships. But it just hasn't happened. And so to me, when I first watched the movie Draft Day 12 years ago, I'm just like, this is pretty damn hilarious that a quarterback from Wisconsin is being talked about as a possible number one overall pick.
30:18Rich Eisen:Yeah. Ron in Florida coming, coming, coming for the Badgers football program. Bo Callahan. If they only had Bo Callahan in the real, in real life. Their all-time leading passer, you'll never guess. Daryl Bevel. Okay. How about that? If he only called more run plays. I know. Billy in Cleveland, you're here on the Rich Eisen Show. What's up, Billy?
30:44Mike Mayock:Nice to talk to you, my friend. Billy. First off, about draft day, I'm from Cleveland, a diehard Browns fan. Been a season ticket holder for 15 years up until this year. And I'm just wondering, how does the Browns not get it right on winning? I mean, I'm a mechanic. I tapped on the starter the year the Browns went to the playoffs, and they beat Pittsburgh. Since then, the starters conked out on them, and they can't seem to do nothing right. The over and under is under six every year. Your opinion?
31:23Rich Eisen:Oh, God, my opinion on why the Browns can't. I don't know, Billy. I'm sorry. gotta let you go or you turn please turn your radio or TV down. Yeah, Brown's win total is six and a half right now. There's 27 minutes left in the show. I don't think we could finally drill down. We need another three hours. We blew through the commercial breaks, which we can't do.
31:44Mike Mayock:What was that guy who talked real fast? John, the Micro Machines guy? He'd have to speed talk through
31:52Rich Eisen:via the litany. I don't even... Obviously, it's organizational. I mean, that's the end of it. I know Yeah. Haslam pushes back and we're not dysfunctional. I mean, turn through head coaches. They didn't know they held on to Stefanski for for a good long while. And that was a kind of a surprise. John Machida. That's all right. Well done. So, you know, I wanted to see Travis Hunter when offensive and defensive rookies of the year. You did. I even mentioned that to Liam Cohn. He's like, why not? Let's speak it into existence. And I called the Jaguars-Rams game in London where the Rams boat raced the Jaguars, but the only bright spot on the day was Travis Hunter having his first 100-yard receiving day.
32:40Rich Eisen:And just love watching him play both sides of the football, but with that knee blowing out last year, it looks like the dream is over. James Gladstone, the general manager of the Jaguars, talking about Travis Hunter's usage and future.
32:55Mike Mayock:As far as Travis Hunter, without getting too far into it, is he tracking to be ready to go for whatever final line you guys have established for him to be a full cover?
33:05Rich Eisen:Yeah, he'll be, for all intents and purposes, a limited participant throughout the offseason program with eyes on return to play at full tick in training camp. Now the report's coming out that they're just going to have him as a corner, which is not why you draft somebody second overall unless he's going to be one of the best corners in the business, which he still can be, obviously.
33:25Mike Mayock:And that could just be a 2026 thing while he gets back to 100%.
33:29Rich Eisen:I hope so, man. I want to see a unicorn in the NFL playing both sides of the ball at a very high level, at the highest level possible, just like Deion had in Colorado, just like he coached him up to be, just the reason why he won the Heisman Trophy. Man.
33:46Mike Mayock:But I can remember, I forget who it was. I think it was a Saints player who was a D-back that said, It can't happen just because of the amount of time that you have to spend in training. I mean, in just different rooms. You can't be in the wide receiver room and in the D-backs room at the same time while meetings are going.
34:04Rich Eisen:Well, we were talking about it. Like, you know, coaches would be probably pulling at him in the hallway, but he did it in Colorado. It's not like Colorado didn't have different meeting rooms. Yeah, but that's college and approach. I understand that. There's more grown-ass men in the professional ranks. I get it. but what a bummer if that's in fact the case i wanted to see it um and it it lent the idea for this week's top five uh he's not on the list though uh top five players i would like to see bounce back in 2026 hit it high five one two three four five riches top five presented by Hyundai, everybody.
34:45Rich Eisen:Top five players I'd love to see bounce back in 2026. I'd like the music, please. Gives me inspiration. Number five on this list, there's some injured players on the list. Well, they're all injured, but there are some who I don't know. I'm a little bit partial to. We've interviewed him back to his Steelers days, and I love James Conner. And when he went down last year, like he did. Arizona did not have a healthy answer for him. I want to see James Conner back. Good one. I like that. I want to see James Conner back in the new offense of Mike LaFleur. I want to see him do that in Arizona. You know, wouldn't that be great?
35:30Rich Eisen:He comes back and he's got like a I mean, even look it up to see what his status is right now because it was a pretty horrible injury that he suffered. But I'd love to see James Conner back and be a comeback player of the year candidate. I like that one. So next up, number four is, I got two. Because I want to see them with Jackson Dart. I want to see Malik Neighbors and Cam Scadaboo have a bounce back season. I couldn't separate them in the same way I was you were saying if I put Travis Hunter on the list, he's got to be two different players. Travis Hunter the corner and Travis Hunter the wide receiver.
36:04Rich Eisen:I'm putting both of them right here. Scadaboo coming back and being the tango to Jackson Dart's cash, or is it the other way around? I don't know. But the fact that Jackson Dart gets in, he starts, and it was kind of a surprise that he started so quickly. And then he and neighbors connect and basically played, like, one game together. That's it. Yeah, if that. Not even. Yeah, that was a bummer. I would love to see what this looks like, and obviously John Harbaugh's there now. So I'd like to see these guys bounce back. Number three on the list is a kid who had a dynamite rookie season and a second season that was a disaster because he couldn't stay healthy, and the team went right down the tubes.
36:52Rich Eisen:Jaden Daniels, let's go. Let's see Jaden Daniels come on back. Man, I thought that might be number one. Oh, no. Number one is as clear as day. Jaden Daniels, there he is for the Washington Commanders. Let's see what we got going on right there in the Mid-Atlantic. I want to see the guy that we saw in the first year for his career. Let's just stay healthy. Let's go. That's number two on the list, and I'm very partial to this guy because you could choose a handful of 49ers. I mean, Fred Warner just jumps out at you as well. Let's get Kittle back here, man. Let's get a bounce-back season for one of the best humans and best dudes and best guys to root for in the National Football League.
37:34Rich Eisen:Let's get George Kittle back out there. top of my list of who I would want to see bounce back in 2026 is a guy who raises all boats for all of his teammates and the entire league. Here's a guy. Here's a guy who just blew out his knee. Let's get Patrick Mahomes, get a bounce back season for Mahomes. Here's a guy. Bounce back. He was playing great when he got hurt. What are you talking about? He wasn't having a Mahomes-like season. Definitely not. Come on now. this team was going up and down, left, right, and all over the place. Anytime they got traction, it just didn't work. Listen, I understand that you don't like it.
38:15Rich Eisen:Maybe this could work better. Hold on. Let's go out.
38:22Rich Eisen:Here's a guy who can come in and take the Chiefs to New Heights and take them back. And the whole league didn't do well without Mahomes, you know? thank you so much wow oh alright we'll get one more bounce back I gave you two giants in number four so for the one more I will give you 51 jets
38:50Rich Eisen:52 jets anybody not named Brisson any jet not named Brisson oh man that's pretty good and there's some not even on the team anymore like Elijah Veritaker. He's on yours. I know. Any Jet not named Brees Hall. And you could also include the coaching staff. All of them. Every last one of them. Bounce back season from any, because Brees Hall had one of his best seasons. Truly remarkable. That he actually got through it. And then they, you know, then they tag him. God bless it. Any Jet not named Brees Hall, part of the list of top five players I'd like to see bounce back in 2026. Golf clap. That's brought to you by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
39:36Rich Eisen:Learn how it makes everyday epic at HyundaiUSA.com. We'll wrap up this show and tell you about our next, the weekend and next week and so much more. It's a very exciting seven-day period in this neighborhood. Don't go anywhere to wrap up this show on a Friday. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
40:02Mike Mayock:Need parts fast? O 'Reilly Auto Parts as fast. Need them now? We've got now. No matter what you need, we have thousands of professional parts people doing their part to make sure you have it. We're O 'Reilly Fast. Just one part that makes O 'Reilly stand apart. The professional parts people. O, O, O, O 'Reilly Auto Parts.
40:33Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. The April 15th tax deadline is coming fast, but don't worry. Hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today. You know how April feels. Everything speeds up. Games matter. More hoops and hockey schedules tighten. Your phone won't stop buzzing. And somewhere in the middle of it all, there's that quiet little reminder. Taxes. You'll get to it tonight or tomorrow or after the weekend. and if you handle it the old way, you're refreshing your inbox like it's breaking news, waiting, wondering, hoping everything's squared away. That's a lot of mental bandwidth. With Intuit TurboTax Expert full service, you can match with a dedicated expert who understands your specific tax situation and handles your taxes for you, start to finish.
41:16Rich Eisen:You can do it all online or meet in person at one of their new tech-enabled store locations, have your tax forms imported directly into the app and hand everything off to your TurboTax expert. While they work to get you every dollar you deserve, you can go about your normal routine, giving you time back to focus on what actually deserves your attention, like rooting for your team to make the playoffs. April 15th is not waiting, people. Visit TurboTax.com and hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today.
41:49Rich Eisen:For small businesses, every hire counts and so does your time. Hiring can quickly become overwhelming from sorting applications to figure out who's truly qualified. And this is where LinkedIn Hiring Pro can help you. It streamlines the process so you can focus on connecting with the right candidates, not managing the noise. Hire right the first time. Post your first job and get$100 off towards your job post at LinkedIn.com slash Eisen. That's LinkedIn.com slash Eisen. Terms and conditions apply. Where shall we go? Mark in Atlanta has been hanging on for quite some time. What's up, Mark? Hey, how's it going, Rich?
42:30Rich Eisen:Thanks for hanging on for much of the show.
42:31Mike Mayock:First time caller. Hey, thanks for calling in. Wanted to talk a little NBA, man. Why not? You know, seeing the media, you know, everybody's been talking about the end of the regular season, how it's been ruined because of tanking, tanking this, tanking that. Have you guys been watching the fact that we've been having a straight all-time standings race for the past two months of the season? in the nba in the east every single night we're getting playoff teams battling it out in great
42:59Rich Eisen:games and all i'm hearing about is tanking tanking tanking let's let's focus on the fact that we're
43:05Mike Mayock:going to have a great playoffs this year agree we have multiple teams with different stories we got the hawks who were a terrible team made a trade thought that we were punching on the season now they're going to be in the playoffs you know what i mean you got nicks and celtics that are probably going to be a rematch again in the second round. You got Wimby. What's he going to do? I mean, so many storylines, and all I hear about is the Jazz aren't trying. I don't care about the Jazz right now. We can talk about the Jazz after the season's over when the draft is going on. I want to talk about the amazing positivity of this league right now.
43:39Mike Mayock:And also, one more thing. I heard a caller earlier say that April was the best sports month. It's not. It's October. Hands down. October's the best sports month.
43:47Rich Eisen:I'm with you, Mark. Mark, and as much as I love the NFL draft, you can't have a sports month be the best sports month when there's no football being played. You just can't. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you, Mark, in Atlanta. That was a very rational phone call right there, caping for the NBA. He's not wrong. I mean, we're focused on Doug Christie fouling Seth Curry, you know, purposefully to send him to the line when the Warriors are down one. And everyone's, it's a valid question to say, why are you with three minutes to go up one following another team to put yourself down one? It's insane.
44:21Rich Eisen:Duh. Yeah. You know, like that's, that's the, and so maybe when that's all out of the way, then we could just focus on the teams that wants to win. It'll be great. And after the final double header of the season on ESPN Sunday night, see how I'm turning it to the right thing here. And after inside the NBA, catch me on SportsCenter on Sunday midnight Eastern and that'll be a day after hopefully I'll be, just watch my body language in the chair, hopefully I won't be nursing anything from the day before I'm running my 40 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital if you're in the area in Memphis, Tennessee, come join us we're going to be on the campus at St.
45:04Rich Eisen:Jude, a whole big to-do I'm told they're putting a 40-yard dash feel together Like I said, I'm telling the staff of St. Jude, I want you out there. I want to see lab coats. I want to see stethoscopes flying. I want to see it all. Of course, I can't wait to see the kids there and give them all hugs and tell them let's spend the day. Apparently the weather is going to be nice, so we'll do that. That's awesome. It's Saturday, and then Sunday is SportsCenter. And then Monday, you'll be back here because you have no contest wrestling duties, correct? Yes, sir. All right. And that show that we thought was counter-programming us to counter-broaring the Masters is not until 5 Eastern time.
45:46Rich Eisen:Yeah, 2, 2. Well, you know what? So you're on ESPN 2 from 12 to 3, and then you're on ESPN News from 5 to 6 Eastern. That's the way it works for you. It's still a good day. Okay, it is a good day. Slacker. So listen to the sonic boom. Listen for the sonic boom at some point later on today. And then Monday we'll be doing the show from New York City for two days. I'm going to miss that. Our first guest is going to be Whoopi Goldberg. They shoot the view just down the hall from the Get Up studios from which our show will emanate Monday and Tuesday. After Whoopi, the Joy Behar of NFL Network, Ian Rappaport, will be in studio.
46:25Mike Mayock:Can you please save that line for Monday? Why not?
46:28Rich Eisen:See Ian's face? Repurpose that. Yeah. The edgy Jewish guy on NFL Network. It's not me. I am a bit bummed I'm not making this trip. What are you laughing about? I can say these things. You just sit there and laugh. The Joey Behar of NFL Network. Rich, you might be having a conversation Sunday night with Rory McIlroy. No, that'll be, I think Marty Smith does that. Oh, you're not going to talk to the Masters winner? No, no, no. I'll be, the schedule is Scott Van Pelt will join. Me and Bristol, him and Butler Cabin. Okay, great. Yeah. Great. Rory, what's going on with Rory? Jay Feli play my music.
47:08Rich Eisen:Rory McIlroy. Rich is on what we call a heater. Okay. Birdie's on two, three, and four. Fantastic. Rory sits at eight under par. Three clear of Justin Rose. Justin Rose. And Sam Burns. Always there, isn't he? But Rory. Rory with house. You can't call it house money. You call it butler cabin money, right? I would say Rory just play. Clubhouse money. Free and clear now. The elephant is off of his back, and he has just been levitating all week. Love it. And now he is dominating this course right now. He wants to come up with a whole new menu next year. A whole new menu. Wouldn't you run back the same menu?
47:47Rich Eisen:No. Well, you 100 % would, just out of respect to the golf gods. Yeah. All right. Thank you very much. You're welcome, sir. Good use of springtime romance right there. Springtime romance. Our Tuesday guest from New York City, Tony Shalhoub, will be in studio. Andrew McCarthy.
48:05Mike Mayock:Nice.
48:06Rich Eisen:Ready to hit him up about some 80s movies?
48:10Mike Mayock:Can't wait.
48:12Rich Eisen:And all that good stuff. TJ, give me a list. I am disappointed.
48:16Mike Mayock:I know.
48:17Rich Eisen:But at least on Monday, you will have someone with dreadlocks on. And that way, I won't be missed so much. Ian. Is that what he's going to do over the weekend? Someone with locks. I am excited. But Whoopi Goldberg is a sports fan. She's got a whereabouts. By the way, when we come back, we're in studio on Wednesday, and then Thursday from this studio is the debut of Season 2 of Women's Sports Now. Awesome. I mean, it's a big six-day period for us. We're going off into that Bristol Beyond coming up. 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 +, and on the ESPN app.
48:56Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
49:05Rich Eisen:From 30 for 30 podcasts.
49:15Mike Mayock:Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami. Gunned down. The key to this case, it's Brian. Boy, he's ripped it. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody. This might be a hit. You want the truth. Biggest one of convictions. being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us.
49:34Rich Eisen:Murder at the U. Listen now.
From the publisher
Former Raiders GM Mike Mayock and Rich discuss Maxx Crosby’s future with the Raiders after the failed trade with the Baltimore Ravens, how Las Vegas QB depth chart with shake out with veteran Kirk Cousins and rookie Fernando Mendoza, if we could see a run on offensive linemen in the first round of the NFL Draft, why he’s torn over Alabama QB Ty Simpson’s chances to succeed as a pro. Rich reveals the Top 5 NFL players he wants to see bounce back from disappointing 2025 seasons including Patrick Mahomes, Cam Skattebo, Jayden Daniels and others.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices