In short
Hour 3 of The Rich Eisen Show mixes NBA playoff analysis (Spurs vs. Thunder, Game 3) with NFL contract/roster news (Tom Pelissero on Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers) plus Rich’s “burning questions” Top 5 and a win-loss game call.
Guests and backgrounds
Jamal Crawford, NBC Sports analyst and former NBA All-Star guard; Tom Pelissero, ESPN/NFL insider who covers league contracts and team news.
Key claims
Crawford says Spurs should keep using Isaiah Hartenstein to frustrate Victor Wembanyama, while OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will adjust by playing “on his terms” (more off-ball, behind-the-defense attacks) and minimizing turnovers. He praises Wembanyama’s “burning desire,” comparing it to Jordan/Kobe/Tiger. Pelissero explains the Rams’ Stafford extension adds a year for protections and cap timing, with incentives and no guarantee of a major 2027 raise; Rodgers’ “one and done” comments likely signal his final season and a locker-room message.
Notable examples
Hartenstein vs. Wembanyama matchup; OKC’s adjustment to get SGA going off-ball; Knicks’ 2-0 Eastern Conference Finals run (Crawford’s take); Pelissero details Stafford’s 2026 year and cap acceleration if the deal expired.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VODiscussion on NBA Playoffs and Jamal Crawford's Insights
2:06 to 3:20
Rich and Jamal discuss the intensity and dynamics of the NBA playoffs.
“And he's become one of my favorite Knicks of all time.”
Game Strategies and Player Performance Insights
3:20 to 6:10
Jamal shares his thoughts on game strategies and player performances for the upcoming games.
“Listen, I'm going to, again, just glow about your analysis, just listening to you, Reggie, and Mike sit back and call these games that I could not be enjoying anymore sitting at home.”
Wembanyama's Unique Style and Competitive Spirit
6:10 to 9:00
Rich and Jamal analyze Wembanyama's playing style and competitive drive.
“Let's have him pick up a foul or two to get him out the game earlier.”
Comparisons with NBA Legends and Future Potential
9:00 to 12:20
Discussing Wembanyama's potential in comparison to NBA legends like Jordan and Kobe.
“He was, like, clenching his teeth the whole time.”
SGA's Impact and Game Three Predictions
12:20 to 14:03
Insights on SGA's performance and predictions for the upcoming game.
“Wants to just rip your heart out and show it to you pumping.”
Jamal Crawford Discusses Player Performances
14:03 to 17:44
Jamal Crawford analyzes the performances of NBA players in the playoffs, focusing on Shea Gildius-Alexander and the Knicks' success.
“Did you, I don't know if you were there, if you could hear it, because obviously he's so loud.”
The Knicks' Rising Confidence
17:44 to 19:01
Crawford highlights the Knicks' newfound confidence in their ability to come back and win games.
“All right, I got to ask, being a fly on the wall, when you're having a conversation with those guys, who's the most alpha?”
Team Dynamics and Player Roles in the Knicks
19:01 to 23:10
An exploration of how different players on the Knicks contribute to the team's dynamics and success.
“to come from 22 down in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks did have a dominant run on Cleveland again that the Cavs could not make up.”
The Importance of Game Feel Over Analytics
23:10 to 23:24
A discussion on the balance between analytics and player instincts in basketball, featuring a memorable quote from Jay Wright.
“And this series has seven games written all over it, last possession written all over it.”
Tom Pelissero on Matthew Stafford's Contract Situation
25:35 to 28:02
Tom Pelissero discusses the implications of Matthew Stafford's contract extension and its impact on the Rams.
“The flavor is the thing people keep coming back for.”
Show all 18 chapters
Matthew Stafford's Future with the Rams
28:02 to 30:20
Discussion of Matthew Stafford's contract situation and implications for the Rams.
“Matthew Stafford, as a admittedly grumpy Sean McVay said over and over on the night they drafted Ty Simpson, Stafford's our guy.”
Aaron Rodgers' Last Season Insights
30:20 to 33:16
Analysis of Aaron Rodgers' statements and potential motivations for his final year.
“So I'll just now that you've heard him basically say I'm I'm one and done for Pittsburgh this year.”
Rich's Top Five NFL Questions
33:16 to 33:49
Rich introduces his top five burning questions in the NFL ahead of the season.
“Before we finish up and throw the break for a couple of win-loss games, I've got a top five for you.”
In-Depth NFL Burning Questions
33:49 to 37:23
Rich discusses the top burning NFL questions, including player trades and quarterback readiness.
“Here we are on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.”
Win-Loss Game with Dustin
41:02 to 42:00
Dustin participates in a win-loss game predicting the Patriots' season outcome.
“I do believe Dustin in Arkansas was the one who called into the program and said the Pats are going 0-17 and he's on line two right now.”
Predicting the Patriots' Season Record
42:00 to 45:21
Listeners will hear a lively discussion predicting the New England Patriots' performance for the upcoming season based on matchups.
“Dustin, are you ready to do this again, though?”
A Deep Dive Into NFL Player Performances
45:21 to 47:11
The hosts analyze players' potential improvements and impacts on their teams, including MVP discussions.
“All right, Dustin in Arkansas, dropping the Super Bowl hangover on us.”
Tribute to Kyle Busch
47:11 to 48:06
A heartfelt tribute to Kyle Busch and condolences to his family following his passing.
“That's a shot at not only me, but your son.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Tom Pelissero:Ian Fitzsimmons here, and I'm going to be brutally honest with you. I was skeptical about ordering plants online. Like this is actually going to show up alive at my house. But after my wife and I ordered from Fast Growing Trees, convinced. They have this thing down to a science. They've built a whole system to protect your plants until they arrive. They even have a lab where they test against cold, heat, humidity, you name it. Any condition, they've got it. And they thrive. We couldn't believe how good our plants looked when they arrived at our doorstep. And everything showed up exactly how we expected.
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1:18Tom Pelissero:And the slam! No do-overs. No second chances. No more Mr. Nice Guy. This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app. 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.
2:05Rich Eisen:God do I love Jalen Brunson. And he's become one of my favorite Knicks of all time.
2:09Tom Pelissero:This is the Rich Eisen Show.
2:11Rich Eisen:I love watching this team.
2:14Tom Pelissero:From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Josh Hart, the sniper of the night. Earlier on the show. 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk 18-year NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse Coming up, latest news and more And now, it's Rich Eisen
2:36Rich Eisen:Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air 844-204-RICH is the number to dial If you are on hold, stay on hold We will find the time as best we can to speak to as many of you I know that's kind of a mealy-mouth way of saying I can't get to all of you, but we're going to. Tom Pelissero is going to join us in about 20 minutes time. What does the Stafford contract mean? What happened with Aaron Rodgers? Anything else going on? I've got a top five list of most burning questions remaining in the National Football League as we head into June. But we're upon Memorial Day weekend tonight. Game three of Spurs and Thunder.
3:14Rich Eisen:Love the coverage on NBC. Jamal Crawford is back here on the Rich Eisen Show. Good to see you, sir. Good to see you as well. I'm good. How are you doing? Awesome to see you. Listen, I'm going to, again, just glow about your analysis, just listening to you, Reggie, and Mike sit back and call these games that I could not be enjoying anymore sitting at home. It's incredible, the intensity, the action, the drama, the flopping, the hair pulling, the mauling of Wembonyama. I mean, it's just, it's epic. What is it like from your seat, Jamal? It's incredible because every single possession, there's something to look for.
4:04There's something off ball, on ball, on the sidelines. You just see the adjustments from the coaches. You see the action of how things are going on. You're seeing the highest level. And it's crazy, Rich, because you're looking at something, and you're like, man, if everybody stays healthy on both sides, you could be seeing this for the next 10 years because they're going to kind of have to go through each other and and to me they're the two best teams and i know we can say there's 30 teams in the nba but when i say team i mean like by saying together everyone achieves more these are like two college teams old school college teams been together four years playing the pros like they have that kind of chemistry culture and i think that's what makes these two teams special
4:48Rich Eisen:Yeah, and they're that young, right? Yeah, and they're that young, right, right. You know, if the NIL world was as potent then, even just a couple years ago as it is now, some of these guys might still be in college looking for a sixth year of eligibility. Literally. They are that young. So let's, I guess, start with specifically Game 2 and how you think it will manifest itself in Game 3 now that it's in San Antonio. I imagine the Spurs put together a montage of the great vision that the NBC crew is putting together of Hartenstein draped all over Wembanyama and sent that to the league office. Jamal do you think that the idea of let's just put Hartenstein on Wemba Nyama for 90 percent of the minutes and have him defend him the same way do you think that would be successful in game three Jamal I think if if I'm okay seaside I'm saying Hartenstein continue to do what you're doing try to frustrate him hopefully one of those grabs pull something gets him out of character and he gets frustrated, you know, and if he happens to get very frustrated and get tossed, that's a win for us.
6:05So Hardenstein is there to do a specific job and it's very obvious. If I'm the Spurs, I'm saying, Wimby, don't get caught up in that. Let's get him in space. Let's get him moving laterally. Let's have him pick up a foul or two to get him out the game earlier. There's always a counter to something, right? And it's always an adjustment. Even with OKC, you saw the adjustment for them getting Shea to get going was getting him off the ball. he let jay dub bring it aj mitchell whoever those other guys you bring it up i'll get behind the defense so now when i get it i'm very direct they don't really have time to kind of bottle me up because i was in front of the defense and now if you're the spurs you say okay you want to do that no problem wherever he catches it we're sending to and we still can go get him so there's adjustments in the chess match going on i'm just interested to see how it plays out game three because i'm I'm sure both those things for both sides would be on the table.
6:55Rich Eisen:And I'm just wondering again, how much of it is what I guess Greg Popovich and the rest of the Spurs organization told Wembon Yama after the elbow throw got him ejected, or how much of it is just his nature to not complain. He doesn't, he's not asking for calls. He's not screaming for calls. He's not yelling. Hey, do you not see what's happening to me? And I'm wondering how that affects the whistles. or not. I think part of it is kind of the Spurs way, the Spurs culture. Think about Tim Duncan. Think about David Robinson. I'm sure Pop, you know, he's been very involved in the playoffs, being present, talking to those guys.
7:34I'm sure I heard watching a film. Don't know for sure, but I heard that. So, you know that's part of it. But Rich, when you go hang with the monks in the summer, you can start to have a different level of discipline as well. For sure. That may be the infinity stone he's using right now.
7:51Rich Eisen:he's hanging with the monks in the summer yeah you know leads him to just and he also raises his hand to say i fouled i fouled somebody like he's never yelling at the refs he's not complaining he's just i he's zen i guess and yes and when i spent time with him uh away from the court i saw how zen he was then i'm like this isn't normal this is not normal he i'll tell you he read 50 books that summer and he didn't even tell me that stat it just came back to me so that's a book a week think about that's over a book a new book a week he's reading like he's a he's a totally different thinker so so you're right that is in he lives in that zim place for sure but he may have to get out of there and tap into that kg badge when he went to work with him and give some little couple of you know like hey i'm not going for that as well well we did see a lot of that in game one and that might have been brought out of him because he watched sga win the mvp award where Where were you when that was happening?
8:47Rich Eisen:Getting ready, settling for the broadcast? Yeah, we were at the table, and Reggie and Mike and myself talked about it. We saw his, like, laser focus. He looked up one time and didn't look up anymore. And then, like, during the anthem, Reggie and I saw it. He was, like, clenching his teeth the whole time. Like, he was, like, the whole time. We were like, oh, my God, okay. This is going to be an epic one. And we had no idea it was going to go out like it did and where he shot it from and just that masterpiece, that master class that he put on. But we could see the venom inside him just kind of like brewing like he was going to go crazy.
9:26I want him to be more aggressive tonight earlier. Last game, you know, I know knowing Vic, I knew he wasn't going to come out and try to repeat that performance in game two. Because he's all about team and all about his teammates and just winning however, whatever it takes that day. but I thought he waited a little bit too long to kind of assert himself. He had three shots going in the second quarter. Like you got to not fire it up. You don't have to be me and just Chuck, but you have to come out and kind of establish, Hey, you know, I'm still rolling. And then the teammates kind of follow that.
9:56Rich Eisen:Yeah. I want to put a pin in Wembon Yama and come back to that in a second and linger on castle a little bit here. Jamal, I'm listen, those high ankle sprains. I know in the NFL, that's a several weaker in the NFL to come back from. Let's just say De 'Aaron Fox is able to, in any way, shape, or form, show up here. And, you know, obviously, Harper will keep an eye on that for later on, but it's not looking good. And 20 turnovers from Castle. And it's, you know, like this is, he can do it, and he's really good. My God. He's a star in waiting for sure. What's your advice to him? Just value every single possession.
10:43Just be solid. And you can see, Rich, if you're like really close to it, you can see every single turnover bothers him. He's not like, oh, I threw that one away. That's it. He's like, oh, my God, I can't believe. Because he knows OKC feasts off turnovers. They want to be aggressive. But some of these turnovers aren't even like it's weird because some of the turnovers aren't due to their pressure. It's due to just being casual. and sometimes that's where inexperience comes in at this level because every stage every round gets tougher every round they let you be more aggressive and I think he's making that adjustment he will not have 10 turnovers tonight there's no way I do not see it happening I think he's watched film I think he's beat himself up enough about it and he knows for them to have a chance to win this series he can't turn the ball over especially with no fox there because you're the primary uh ball handler you have to take care of the rock now and then this moment just pop it up
11:33Rich Eisen:on the screen i mean right here oh my god just threw it down on heart rich i knew something bad was gonna happen if you go back and replay it before when he start heading towards the back i said uh-oh i could see it i could see it coming i could see it coming because i saw when he got to his launching pad he's a left right jumper when he jumps left right which is awkward for defenders most right-handed guys that dunk like even jordan he was right left he would take off uh anthony edwards right left takeoff but kobe was a left right dunker too so he put his left foot first right foot and then he exploded up and when he did that he kind of caught the defender off guard but i could just see it see it coming because once he hit that launching pad it was over with and then you mentioned kobe and jordan uh yes unpin the uh wambanyama conversation listen i know i i the the the analogy i made sitting here is based off of again what he did in game one you said you know he's gritting his teeth through the national anthem and he he's he's just pissed and and then he's using it and he balls it up and drops a 40 20 piece um in game one right with that three from from the logo and all that stuff but i i'm like it's so rare in this day and age certainly for somebody this young to have that burning desire where game 35 as much as it means as much to him as game five in a playoff series.
12:57Rich Eisen:Doesn't want to lose. Wants to just rip your heart out and show it to you pumping. I said that did remind me of Jordan and Kobe and Tiger, young Tiger. And I don't know if I'm just over my skis here. No. But I'm wondering if we're witnessing something, not just watching something. You're absolutely right. He has that fire that they have. Like knowing him, I'll give you a story, Rich. We played when I was there working with him. I don't even want to say working. I was working with him. And we played a quick game with video guys and a couple assistant coaches and just people around the facility.
13:35And I just jumped in there, and we lost. And he was so mad. It was a meaningless half-court game. The only other person I've seen get that mad and a meaningless, no doesn't matter no effect on anything no effect on the outcome game was michael jordan when i was working with him in hoops back in chicago so he has that burning desire he has that and that's why he will be one of the greatest there's no there's no other way there's no other way to say it he works too hard he's too focused he's too locked in he's too uh extraterrestrial he's too everything like there's no way to say it he will be one of the greatest players he he's doing things we've never seen before i'm talking to t-mac mellow vince we're on the plane yesterday these are hall of famers right so some of the best players ever played and we're just shaking our head reggie we're like how how it doesn't even make like proper sense so we're seeing something witnessing something as you said that we've never witnessed and by the way when he did that game that was his first western conference finals game ever what 22 year old could do that yeah
14:42Rich Eisen:exactly all of that jamal crawford here on the rich eisen show uh sga is pretty damn special in his own right um so what do you think here for game three he's he he's so good at you know obviously um taking games over and and also uh facilitating he's really a savant when it comes to that i'm wondering what you think his approach is here i just love how he's telling everyone to calm down, you know, calm down. Calm the F down. Calm the F down. Did you, I don't know if you were there, if you could hear it, because obviously he's so loud. Did he tell, was it McCain, to stop yelling at him while he's shooting?
15:20Rich Eisen:You know, like. Stop yelling. Well, Shea lives in a flow state. He doesn't want anything to be like, hey, hey, hey, relax. We got this. I got this tonight. So, you know, he was like, calm down. But to your point, I watched in the series against Phoenix because I was on the call a couple games there, and he made the right decision every single time down court. Like he was playing perfection basketball. Most guys from my era, when they ISO, they were ISOing the shoot. He ISOs for the team. So, okay, you want to double? I'll kick it. You want to play me man to man? I'll go get a bucket. But the difference was what I saw in game one and game two was Shea does everything on his terms.
15:57Everything. Game one, he was reacting to what the Spurs were doing. It wasn't on his terms. Game two, it got back to more on his terms. And I think the adjustment, like I said, was getting off the ball, getting him behind the defense and letting him strike. Then they're in drop coverage. Then he's going direct. Then he's just keeping you off balance and got to his spots. So for me, he's going to try to do more of that. He just has to do it for, you know, three more wins if it's possible.
16:23Rich Eisen:And then there's the, you know, the fact that he's on the floor. I was having fun the other day saying he's on the floor so many times falling down to the floor that even Joel Embiid sitting at home saying, damn, that's a lot. Do you have any opinion on this, Reggie? You just mentioned you're there with Vince Mello. I mean, you talk about this part of his game as well? We do. I mean, obviously, there's two sides to that, right? Like, yes, he's trying to fall on the floor. Not trying. He's falling on the floor at times. At times, he's rewarded for it. At times, he's not. A player at this level is going to try to do what he can to win.
16:59If he thinks that's going to draw attention to his shot or getting fouled, he's going to do it. But what people don't mention on the other side of that is, let's say they don't call a foul. Now it's a disadvantage because you guys got the defense has numbers going back. So he has to be selective with that as well, because if you're on the floor, we have a five on four going back. So he must be thinking he's getting fouled. If the refs call it, they call it. They don't. They don't. But Chauncey Billups told me a long time ago, it's gamesmanship at that level. You're a championship point guard. You're trying to manage the game.
17:31You know, I was never that. I never made it past second round, so I'm getting as much information as possible. But it works two ways, right? He can get rewarded for it or it can hurt his team. So he's going to keep doing it if they're going to keep calling it.
17:44Rich Eisen:All right, I got to ask, being a fly on the wall, when you're having a conversation with those guys, who's the most alpha? Who's dominant in that conversation when you're on the playing channel? I won't say the most alpha, but the most outspoken, like he's saying it whatever he feels and he'll figure it out later is definitely t-mac we all laugh at t-mac t-mac is definitely saying what he feels mellow is very intentional vince as well reggie as well but reggie's gonna show the most emotion okay but mac is like hey this what's going on this is that's t-mac and that's why we love him okay i don't know if i'd have guys would you if you had ranked him these five or four would you have said tracy mcgrady would be the one in that regard.
18:29Rich Eisen:I would have gone Reggie. I don't know. I don't know these guys as well as obviously. Yeah, just personality. We're talking strictly personality and opinions on something. It's definitely going to be, I think, Mac and Reggie are the top two for sure. There's no doubt about it. Reggie would be no surprise. Before I let you go, I'll give you the floor on what you're seeing in the Eastern Conference Finals. What are you seeing? Knicks up 2-0 last night. another massive run, albeit not 44-11, to come from 22 down in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks did have a dominant run on Cleveland again that the Cavs could not make up.
19:09Rich Eisen:What's your opinion on what you're seeing in that series? The Knicks' belief right now is like something I haven't seen from them, especially with this group, right? They've had different iterations of this group. It's been changes. You have the Julius Randle group. You have now the Cat and Jay LeBron's the lead group. it's it's different now because they believe they can go on this type of run every game right it's they just believe it like you can get up no problem we'll come back and that's what the championship level teams do they believe they'll find a way to win but the knicks believe we can go on this kind of explosion with the pace we're playing with the way we're shooting it it could be a different guy it could be og it could be cat it could be of course jalen brunson but then a guy like Josh Harden, Mikkel Bridges can go off, right?
19:55Deuce can come in and hit a couple of big threes. Jordan Clarkson can go on a run. They believe they have a chance against anybody with the style they're playing. And they're so connected right now. You're not seeing, I'm looking at little things. I thought personally during the course of the season, Cat was kind of like, well, I don't really feel a part of this. And he was making adjustments to his game. Now I feel like he's, everybody is like on one page, on one accord with that belief. They feel like they can be anybody. So that's what I'm seeing watching the Knicks now.
20:23Rich Eisen:And, you know, watching this, being a Knicks fan, and, you know, obviously talking to a Knick for a while, that you were in 2004 to 2008, it's a pleasure to chat with you on this front here. Looking at how would they match up against the Spurs and the Thunder, with all due respect to the Cavs, who were down 2-0 to Detroit and made this series here. But I look at Josh Hart, and I'm like, that's the guy who could be sort of, you know, because I know you guys are all marveling, rightfully so, about what Caruso's doing off the bench, how he's doing everything. He can shoot a three. He can lead a break.
21:00Rich Eisen:He can be an emotional leader. He can do everything. Hart does everything for the Knicks. You know, he's one of those guys that could do everything. And he's also a guy that I think can keep things loose. Did you see this exchange with Carl Anthony Towns postgame last night? When they're talking about analytics. Yeah, let's just play it here. Go ahead and play it for Jamal, if you don't mind here on the program.
21:25Tom Pelissero:I'm never a huge analytics guy. At a certain point, they're a lamppost to a drunk person. You can lean on them, but it won't get you home. So at a certain point, you've got to have a good feel for the game.
21:44Tom Pelissero:I'm not going to lie, that was Gerald Wright, his quote, man. So shout out Jay Wright.
21:51Rich Eisen:Wait, hold up. No, we're not moving on from that. That's a great quote. Oh, my God. Analytics drunk.
21:58Tom Pelissero:Lane post to a drunk person? It ain't going to get you home. You can lean on it, though. I was with Cal, so I didn't hear that. You ain't even go to college.
22:08Rich Eisen:As he's chewing on a slice of pizza. Jamal, right? Yes, Josh was in full podcast mode right there. but I have to agree with him I'm glad you played it because I saw the actual quote but I didn't watch the actual interaction but I agree with that because I think analytics are like they're so relied on heavy in the regular season but in the playoffs you just want to move the scoreboard I don't care what it is like imagine saying a guy like SGA or Cass or whoever can't take a mid-range shot since that's the one we kind of frown upon it would hurt the rest of their game like that That shot keeps you at a rhythm and keeps the defense honest.
22:45So I have to agree with him with that. But a lamp hole for a drunk, that's a new one.
Read the full transcript
22:52Rich Eisen:That's a Jay Wright-ism, apparently, from the Nova Knicks there. Yes, he learned something there. He learned something there, Nova. And then he tells Carl Anthony Towns, you're one and done. You didn't even go to college. Yeah, he didn't go to college. That's a laugh-out-loud line. Jamal, I look forward again to listening to you guys and watching Game 3 on NBC tonight. And this series has seven games written all over it, last possession written all over it. I hope that happens because that means I get to watch some great basketball and listen to you guys. So have a great cast. Appreciate it. Thanks so much, Rich.
23:25You bet.
23:25Rich Eisen:That's Jamal Crawford right here from NBC on the Rich Eisen Show. Yes, sir. All right, let's take a break. Tom Pellicero, kind enough to spend a couple minutes with us getting ready for his weekend. The Stafford contract, what does it mean? And so much more. That's next right here on the Rich Eisen Show. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors are the experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them, which means working with a great company that builds and installs a quality product with real pricing, real simple, really beautiful.
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24:24Rich Eisen:The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
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26:12Tom Pelissero:Grab a Bucked Up and fuel like a million bucks.
26:18Rich Eisen:ESPN Radio is back. Tom Pelissero is here. So hit me on the Stafford contract. What does it mean? Is that a, this means Ty Simpson waits two years? Walk me through it. What are the what's the fine print in the dollars and cents tell you?
26:31Tom Pelissero:Well, back after the Rams won the Super Bowl in February 2022, they did a four year extension with Matthew Stafford that went through 2026. But with a lot of older players, Matthew Stafford is 38, certainly falls into that category. You're going year to year at this point in 2024. They gave Stafford a raise 2025. They gave him a bigger raise. Now we're in 2026, which would be the final year of the contract. And so what they did was they tacked on one more year to the deal. It gives Stafford some level of protections based upon how they structured it. I have not seen the full contract at this point.
27:07Tom Pelissero:My understanding is this is not a deal that gives Stafford a significant raise in 2026. It does add some incentives in both years of the deal tied to performance. And again, when you tack on a year, it also gives you a fallback. There's ways you can structure guarantees in the event that something would happen to Stafford. For the Rams, it removes a lot of those questions, which you'd be having through the course of this year of what's going to happen. Is Stafford going to leave in free agency? Do you need to tag him? It takes away all those different things. It extends the window for them to give Stafford time after this season.
27:41Tom Pelissero:If he once again contemplates, does he even want to continue to play? There's cap consequences. If his contract were simply going to expire, all these future numbers that they've pushed out based on prior negotiations would all accelerate onto 2027. having that year sitting there allows you to extend that. And so I wouldn't say this is a sea change by any stretch, Rich. Matthew Stafford, as a admittedly grumpy Sean McVay said over and over on the night they drafted Ty Simpson, Stafford's our guy. This is Matthew's team. He was always going to be the quarterback for 2026. This deal, and it's one year,$55 million in new money, can earn up to$60 million with incentives.
28:19Tom Pelissero:It does not necessarily mean Stafford is playing in 2027 or playing in 2027 for the Rams, but it does avoid this kind of doomsday scenario where all of a sudden the Rams would have this pressure point after the season. We got to do something by the start of the league here where also all the cap acceleration happens. You would need a decision by Stafford at that point. And it also keeps this year from becoming a storyline about what is Stafford's future. It made sense for everybody involved. Just get this done. all options still on the table as we look into 2027 but if the money that is guaranteed is
28:51Rich Eisen:only paid on the beginning of a new league year in 2027 that that does mean that the rams and and staffer could go their separate ways right that the rams uh don't keep him for 2027 that is 2026 um isn't worth 55 just some odd million bucks or um his year is so significant again And the trophy's in the case, and they all want to run it back again.
29:15Tom Pelissero:They'll be right back in the same spot again, and you're negotiating a new deal. But the way that those cap hits work, when they keep restructuring it to free up cap space, they're rolling the unamortized bonus peroration, which is a long way of saying the part of the signing bonus that doesn't count now counts later. Well, if the deal expires, if the player's not on the team, that all accelerates and would hit the cap next March. It would just create a challenging situation and a time crunch where the Rams would need an answer for Matthew Stafford. This eliminates that possibility here. Again, we've got to see the final structure of the contract.
29:47Tom Pelissero:But from what I am told, they were working off a structure where Stafford, who was due$40 million in the last year of his deal, is probably making roughly$40 million still. There are incentives that can pay him more than that based upon performance here. And we'll see in terms of they've used March roster bonuses in the past to kind of create artificial triggers. I would not surprise me if they've done those things. But again, all options still on the table for 2027. This just is beneficial for everybody involved based upon the multitude of ways this can go with a player who's pushing 40.
30:17Rich Eisen:All right. And then before I let you go, you were in the chair here when Rodgers showed up in Pittsburgh as you were pegging as the date. So I'll just now that you've heard him basically say I'm I'm one and done for Pittsburgh this year. What's your what's your opinion on everything? What do I need to know more that I don't know?
30:38Tom Pelissero:Aaron Rodgers never says anything accidentally. Whether he is, you know, a decade ago telling people to R-E-L-A-X, when it is calling out teammates, when it is making certain points about or not about football, everything that he says has a reason behind it. Which leads me to believe that, yes, it's certainly possible. This is Aaron Rodgers last year. We got a caller the other day, or maybe it was Brockman in What's More Likely, talking about this is Rodgers' final year. And I said, yeah, I would lean toward it is, but it's Aaron Rodgers. He can always change his mind. He'll be 43 by next offseason.
31:15Tom Pelissero:It seems like this is it. But even if there's a 1%, 5%, 10 % chance in Rodgers' head, it makes sense for him to deliver this message right now. Aaron Rodgers has spoken many times in the past about the value of older players. and when you're going into a final year and you feel like this is it, you've got the motivation. Maybe you wring that last bit out of yourself. For him, that's certainly the way that he's going into this and kind of this beautiful reunion with Mike McCarthy. But by saying, yeah, this is it, this also puts the rest of that locker room on notice. I need everything out of all of you because this is it.
31:54Tom Pelissero:This is the last run. Aaron, again, he thinks through these things before he says them. I believe that and maybe he is just absolutely telling the truth and there's not more to it than that. But I would not be surprised at all if Aaron in his mind is thinking, I want to make clear to everybody, this is it. Not because I need a Derek Jeter style farewell tour and every team's giving me a gift. That doesn't happen in football. There's not time like there is in baseball anyway. This is much more in my mind about him delivering the message. Yes, he says it publicly, but he means it so that everybody in that locker room hears it.
32:27Tom Pelissero:This is it, guys. 2026 is my final year. I am not back for money. I'm not back for publicity. I'm back to win it all right now. So whatever you got, leave it all on the field. Do it for yourselves, but know that I'm doing the same for you. To me, this is all about Rodgers trying to create this beautiful ending. He didn't feel like he got New York. He didn't feel like he got it his first year in Pittsburgh. He's back with a coach he knows well. In a scheme he knows well. On a team that's got a lot of talent and veteran players, It's going to be a relevant football team, Rich, this fall in Pittsburgh.
33:00Tom Pelissero:It only makes sense for Rodgers to make sure everybody knows, hey, I don't have three years, five years, two years left. This is it for me. We got to do this right now.
33:11Rich Eisen:You're the man, Tom. Have a great weekend. Really appreciate the couple quick hits right here. Thanks, Rich. That's Tom Pellicero, everybody. All right, brother. See you, buddy. Until the weekend. All right. Before we finish up and throw the break for a couple of win-loss games, I've got a top five for you. Top five NFL questions still burning. Odd that I would ask these when I just had a guy who would give us answers. But the whole point is just to ask the questions. Because the answers are still burning. I'm going to ruminate. All right. Presented by Hyundai.
33:41Tom Pelissero:High five. One, two, three, four, five.
33:44Rich Eisen:Rich's top five. All right. My top five NFL questions still burning. Presented by Hyundai. Here we are on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. And I'm still wondering, number five, why is Brandon Auk still a 49er? Right. And will he be a commander by the summer? What's going on? I mean, we're just holding cards, just waiting. This could be a June 1 thing, too. Maybe. I don't know. But why is he still a 49er? What's going on? He doesn't want to play there. They don't want to. Odd. And obviously, him being a commander makes things a little bit more interesting. That's number five. Number four, which quarterback will be ready for training camp?
34:20Rich Eisen:Mahomes? Michael Penix? Daniel Jones, just to name three. See? We got some photos up there just to support. That's called production value. That's right. Indeed it is. Which quarterbacks are going to be ready for training camp? Don't know. We're going to go through the OTAs and the mini camps. It'll be like, I did a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Let's see it. Mahomes will be like, I'm working on it. Daniel Jones will just be, what? Because he doesn't answer questions. Number three. Here we go. And this is going to be a question as well. certainly with Atlanta if Pennix is ready or not.
34:55Rich Eisen:Do we have a quarterback competition here or no? Or nah. Nah. Quarterback competition or nah. Or nah. Minnesota. Oh. Is that a quarterback competition? Or is it really? It's thank you for your participation last year, nine. Right. We got Kyler Murray at$1.3 million. Thank you for your rehab, Michael Pennix. Beautiful wedding you had. Yeah. Batua's here for$1.3 million. And then Cleveland. This is for you. I think it's Deshaun Watson's gig, but you heard Todd Munkin yesterday talk about how Chador has come miles. Miles? Speaking of miles, number two on the list. Number two on the list. Let's just play the soundbite if you take the music down for a moment here, Jay.
35:38Rich Eisen:So Todd Munkin is doing his press conference in Cleveland and gets asked this question if he's had a face-to-face meeting with Miles Garrett yet.
35:46Tom Pelissero:What record have you had? Any face-to-face with Garrett yet?
35:51Rich Eisen:Miles? No. So, okay. First of all, Miles? What are we talking about? Like Brad Garrett? Also, we're talking about, you know, Raymond? You know what I mean? Remember Leif Garrett? Leif Garrett. He was big in this. Oh, yeah. Is that the Garrett? That? Jason Garrett? Yes. Garrett Morris? What are they doing? And then he's just like, Miles? Like, Miles? No. Radio can't appreciate him. Like, sort of like, why would you even ask me that? You know the answer. I haven't spoken. We need Colin Hanks back. What type of stepfather is Todd Munkin? I don't.
36:26Tom Pelissero:He passed the clicker. Number two of the NFL burning question still remaining is,
36:31Rich Eisen:what is up with Miles Garrett in Cleveland? Okay, we pushed a payment to him deep into the summer. Restructure. There's nothing to see here. but he still hasn't met with the new head coach yet he's been the head coach for like four months who what todd todd what bridges what are the todd todd todd todd todd yeah todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd todd richard what miles number one the most burning nfl question remaining in the nfl is a but one is, is A.J. Brown going to be a Patriot in the next few days or what? Like, okay. Hey, Brockman has to.
37:18Tom Pelissero:Today's Edelman's birthday, by the way.
37:20Rich Eisen:Hey. Happy birthday, Jewel. You know what I mean? Jewel, give him the blessing. Jewel's. Wear 11. Let's go. Oh, I don't know about that. That's a tall order. Go number one. I don't know. Why not? Go about two. Okay. That's the number one burning question that's remaining. That one could be answered the soonest out of all. Okay, one more.
37:37Tom Pelissero:Oh, one more.
37:38Rich Eisen:Jump the gun a little bit. This may not be burning. There may be no. You go there and you're like, do you smell anything burning? I don't. TJ's candle. Nope. It does smell good. Is anything burning in Vegas with Max Crosby? I'm going to keep banging this drum until we see week one hit and Max Crosby's out there for the Vegas Raiders. That's it. Okay? The Vegas Raiders, week one, home for Miami. Are we seeing Max Crosby trying to track down Malik Willis in his Raiders uniform or not? or are we going to just hear like, you know what? He's still a little pissed. He's still not happy. That happened.
38:13Rich Eisen:He's just happy to have been back. He's now, it's June. He's healthy. He hasn't spoken yet to a, you know. No podcast. Outside of his podcast. Yeah, no, yeah. So those are the burning questions still remaining presented by Hyundai. As a matter of fact, the top five is brought to you by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. Learn how it makes everyday epic at HyundaiUSA.com. We'll sneak in a win-loss game or two as we go out the door of Memorial Day weekend. This is the Rich Eisen Show, everybody.
38:47The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
38:54Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. You ever notice what happens when something big rolls into your city? A major tournament, a can't-miss concert, a high-stakes playoff game. Suddenly, fans are everywhere. It feels like everyone's trying to get in. Streets are packed. Hotels book up fast. And finding a place to stay? Not so easy. That's exactly why this can be a smart moment to think about your own space. If you're planning to be away, you can list your space on Airbnb while all of that's going on and earn some extra cash at the same time. You're not changing your routine. You're just making the most of the moment.
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40:38Rich Eisen:Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed-rate monthly payment, no fees required, and as soon as the same-day funding. That's right. Pull off your own debt-defying stunt with a SoFi personal loan. Visit SoFi.com slash trick to learn more. Loans originated by SoFi Bank and a member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. Chris, no matter how bad your Otani take is currently, no matter how bad my don't trade for Giannis take was years ago, it can't be worse than calling into the Rich Eisen show to play a win-loss game and say your team's going 0-17 and they go to the Super Bowl.
41:21Rich Eisen:I do believe Dustin in Arkansas was the one who called into the program and said the Pats are going 0-17 and he's on line two right now. Dustin, is this true?
41:33Tom Pelissero:Rich, I'm not here to discuss the past. I'm here to be positive. Dustin, let me ask you.
41:40Rich Eisen:This is on behalf of my son, Cooper, who is a diehard Patriot fan. He wants to know, are you really a Patriot fan? He's been dying to talk to you for like a year.
41:51Tom Pelissero:Yes. You really are? Probably the biggest gut punch. Yeah, the biggest gut punch of my life was 07, that helmet catch. I've never seen the highlights of that. I refuse to watch that.
42:01Rich Eisen:0-17 last year? For real? Really? I thought we were going to be terrible. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Dustin, are you ready to do this again, though? Yes, absolutely. Dustin in Arkansas is back. We have a chance to do something legendary here, Dustin. Dustin, you know what to do. You know what to do, Dustin. Do something legendary, Doug. What happens opening night in Seattle? That's a loss. Oh, no. Well done. Atta boy. No, I wanted 17-0.
42:40Tom Pelissero:No, I want the other way again.
42:41Rich Eisen:No, 17-0. This is legendary. Steelers are in New England. You know what happens. Do it.
42:47Tom Pelissero:That's a loss. Yes. Roger's going to be good this year.
42:50Rich Eisen:0-2 at Jacksonville.
42:53Tom Pelissero:That's a win. I can't pretend otherwise. To quote Michael Cole, the streak is over. It's over.
43:00Rich Eisen:He had the Patriots losing 19 straight. Oh, my God. At Buffalo.
43:09Tom Pelissero:That's a loss.
43:11Rich Eisen:One and three home for the Raiders. That's a win. All right. Then doing three home for the Jets.
43:20Tom Pelissero:That's a very close loss. I think the Jets are going to be really good this year.
43:25Rich Eisen:The Jets? Yeah. Yeah, own it, Dustin. Own it. Two and four at the Bears on a Thursday night. That's a loss. Stop it. Two and five at the Dolphins. That's a win. Oh, yeah. I mean, you could back. Three and five home for the Packers. That's a win. Four and five taking on the Lions in Germany. that's a loss I thought it was springtime for Dustin in Germany at the Chargers that's a win okay 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 5 and 6 home for the Bills that's another loss 5 and 7 home for the Vikings on a Thursday night that's a loss Carlos coming in to make them 5-8 going to the Chiefs going to the Chiefs
44:29Tom Pelissero:that's a loss
44:30Rich Eisen:5-9 at the Jets
44:34Tom Pelissero:that's another loss this is how legends are made
44:37Rich Eisen:5-10 home for the Broncos
44:43Tom Pelissero:that's a win that's going to make the Denver people mad
44:46Rich Eisen:Cooper will be happy because his friend Ryan would lose to the now 6-10 Patriots Dolphins at Pats.
44:55Tom Pelissero:That's a win. Miami's not getting anywhere close to doing anything productive this year.
44:59Rich Eisen:So, hey, Dustin in Arkansas has the Patriots plus seven, according to him. Right. Seven and ten. Seven and ten. So, again, you are really a Patriot fan. You're not trolling us two years in a row now.
45:13Tom Pelissero:Yeah, but you know that teams, when they lose a Super Bowl, they don't usually get back the next year. So, I don't think they're going to make the playoffs this year.
45:21Rich Eisen:All right, Dustin in Arkansas, dropping the Super Bowl hangover on us. Okay. Oh, I cannot wait to show that video to Cooper later. Patriots win total nine and a half. He's going to lose his mind. Nine and a half on the win total. I would take the over on that right now. I would too. Come on now. Did he have the Jets sweeping him? Oh, my God. When was the last time that happened? You know what's not happening? That is not happening. That's a real Patriot fan, Chris.
45:52Tom Pelissero:last time the Jets swept the Patriots was 2000.
45:57Rich Eisen:Ergo, the year Tom Brady was drafted. I don't know. I find this so funny. Yeah.
46:03Tom Pelissero:I mean, we're a pessimistic people by nature. Dude. Bold strategy, Cotton.
46:09Rich Eisen:Well, 0-17 meant Super Bowl, so. Do you think they lose the opening night in Seattle? I would assume they lose. That's going to be a tough assignment. One, yeah, that's tough.
46:20Tom Pelissero:but then they come home although you know the patriots lifted a banner one year and the chiefs
46:24Rich Eisen:waxed them that's so it it can't happen oh man dude that's just not the thing is it's a tough
46:35Tom Pelissero:start got to come out of that two and they're over 500 at the very least on the season yeah i mean i would be 10 and 7 i would expect to be this don't just fall completely off no drake may is going to be better. I think he's going to be better. When AJ Brown comes, AJ Brown and Romeo Dobbs is a vast improvement over the wide receiver room last year.
46:58Rich Eisen:Correct. And if he just cuts down on the turnovers just a little bit. Yeah, a little less fumbles maybe this year. A little bit. I might vote for him for MVP. I hate you. Oh, do you? That's a shot at not only me, but your son. Be careful. hey listen he's got he can handle it he can handle it passionate rams fan passionate rams fan is what he calls me and he's way off on that and he knows that he absolutely knows that all right does he uh yes he does i mean he lives with you and he thinks okay that's a good all right tj um have a great memorial day weekend everybody yes sir and i just want to say again i am so and i didn't know him And I'm not locked in on that on motorsports.
47:52Rich Eisen:But Kyle Busch. That was a gut punch yesterday. Oh, my gosh. I just want to send my condolences to the entire family, the Busch family and obviously his wife, his family. May he rest in peace. And they find some peace this weekend. 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.
From the publisher
NBC Sports’ Jamal Crawford and Rich preview Game 3 of the Thunder vs Spurs Western Conference Finals, discuss the Cavaliers’ chances to claw back in their East Semi vs the Knicks, and more.
NFL Insider Tom Pelissero and Rich discuss a possible timeline for the Philadelphia Eagles to trade WR AJ Brown, how Matthew Stafford’s contract extension impacts the Rams’ long-term QB plans, and Aaron Rodgers final season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rich ranks his ‘Top 5 NFL Burning Questions’ which includes 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk, the Browns, Falcons and Vikings’ QB competitions, Raiders DE Maxx Crosby and more.
Rich plays the ‘NFL Win-Loss Game’ with a Patriots fan who one year ago predicted New England would go 0-17.
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