In short
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald discusses a dramatic win over the Rams (including a successful backward two-point conversion), how his team “reloads” after mistakes, and what’s next for the Seahawks’ playoff push. The show also pivots to NFL Playoffs outlook and OU vs Alabama.
Guests
Mike Macdonald (Seahawks HC; former defensive coach, known for “death zone” mentality). Earlier in the episode: Tom Pelissero (NFL Network insider) and Texans HC DeMeco Ryans.
Key claims
Macdonald says the team’s growth is play-to-play resilience after turnovers; Sam Darnold embodies the “tip of the spear” mentality (killer instinct, confidence). He emphasizes the decision to go for two because a tie would not help Seattle’s tiebreaker vs the Rams, and because getting the stop/field goal would win.
Notable examples
Rasheed Shahid’s 58-yard punt return; Charbonnet recovering a loose ball; the backward two-point conversion; 88 defensive snaps; planning with Brian Ayers for late-game “go for it” scenarios.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VORecap of Previous Hours
0:31 to 0:52
Rich Eisen summarizes previous discussions and welcomes the audience.
“And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds.”
Recap of Previous Hours
1:30 to 2:13
Rich Eisen summarizes previous discussions and welcomes the audience.
“From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.”
Interview with Mike McDonald
2:13 to 3:18
Rich interviews Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald about the recent game.
“At any rate, you know, I shouldn't say that.”
Coaching Reflections Post-Game
3:18 to 4:48
Coach McDonald shares his thoughts on sleep and game reflections after a win.
“I kind of feel like a noob here on the Zoom.”
Handling Adversity and Team Confidence
4:48 to 7:10
Coach McDonald discusses strategies for maintaining team morale during tough times.
“and we'll get to that in a second, but I'm not ready to turn the page from last night.”
Offensive Strategy and Player Dynamics
7:10 to 8:08
Discussion on offensive game plans and key player roles during the game.
“Listen, I'm a control freak just hosting this show, which means I'm probably like a tenth of the control freak that you are as a head coach in the National Football League.”
Sam Darnold's Performance and Game Change
8:08 to 10:41
McDonald praises Sam Darnold's resilience and the team's response in critical moments.
“And so there is a balance there, and I felt like we called it a good game.”
Game Analysis and Trade Deadline Insights
10:41 to 14:01
Insights on game decisions and the impact of player trades leading to success.
“don't worry, you got the Rams right where you want them.”
Game Strategy Insights from Coach Macdonald
14:01 to 16:45
Learn about the decision-making process behind going for a two-point conversion.
“because it was going to be a tie ballgame.”
Reflections on Playoff Implications
16:45 to 19:19
Explore the importance of playoff positioning and strategic game management.
“And then if you feel like you can tilt the scales a little bit in your favor on the two-point play, then now you're looking a little bit over like a 50-50 proposition.”
Show all 24 chapters
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Matches
19:19 to 21:15
Hear Coach Macdonald's thoughts on upcoming games and team preparation.
“I was about to say, so I guess Sunday you're watching Bucs versus Carolina to scout a team that I'm not to tell you how to do your job, but I'm sure you're going to do it anyway.”
Historic Moments in NFL History
21:15 to 22:38
Discover the significance of the first successful two-point conversion in overtime.
“But we'll be big Phillip Rivers fans, you know.”
NFL Playoff Scenarios and Future Matchups
25:33 to 28:00
Discuss the potential playoff scenarios and upcoming NFL games.
“Back here on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance.”
Analyzing Week 18 Playoff Scenarios
28:00 to 28:51
Explore potential playoff scenarios and implications of Week 18 games.
“because they don't want teams just pulling players because our season's over or we have nothing to play for with seeding anymore.”
Key Games to Watch in Week 18
28:51 to 30:02
Discussion of critical matchups that could determine playoff outcomes.
“Because I don't think the second place team in the AFC North is going to get a wild card.”
Detroit's Playoff Chances and Scenarios
30:02 to 31:10
Breakdown of Detroit's chances and possible scenarios heading into Week 18.
“I think back in the day they thought maybe Philadelphia and Washington would be it.”
Rivalries and Their Impact on the Season
31:10 to 33:05
Discussion on the significance of rivalries and their influence on playoff stakes.
“Chicago, as we know, has got Green Bay this weekend.”
Aaron Rodgers' Future and Super Bowl Implications
33:05 to 35:19
Speculation on Aaron Rodgers' future if the Steelers win the Super Bowl.
“Baltimore at Pittsburgh, winner in, loser home.”
Melinda Calls in About Jalen Hurts
35:19 to 36:16
A fan shares her love and appreciation for Jalen Hurts amidst criticism.
“We'll probably have to wear a robe and go down.”
Melinda Calls in About Jalen Hurts
38:51 to 39:54
A fan shares her love and appreciation for Jalen Hurts amidst criticism.
“Check engine, ABS, or maintenance light on.”
Michigan Football Coaching Speculations
40:00 to 42:01
Discussion on the future of Michigan's coach and the Alabama game.
“Luke in Virginia wants to chime in here.”
Oklahoma vs. Alabama Preview
42:01 to 43:36
Discussing the implications of the Oklahoma vs. Alabama game and the coaching dynamics.
“If Georgia wins its quarterfinal game, does that mean they go straight to the finals because it means more?”
Special Teams Strategy Discussion
43:37 to 45:28
A caller shares insights on special teams play and game strategy.
“Zach, I'm going to be very honest with you.”
College Football Playoff Predictions
45:29 to 46:46
Predictions and discussions on potential upsets in college football playoffs.
“We're coming in Monday talking about, man, that college football playoff committee nailed it.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00This Father's Day, do more with dad and spend less with low prices guaranteed at The Home Depot. Get him fired up with a new grill and accessories, like the Nexgrill 5 Burner for just$299, so you can spend more time together while he becomes the grill master he was always meant to be. Or build memories with savings on top brand power tools so you can tackle projects side by side. Gift more and do more together this Father's Day with help from The Home Depot. Exclusions apply. See homedepot.com slash price match for details. Study and play. Come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds.
0:40Get the Unreal College Deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn more at windows.com slash student offer. While supplies last, ends June 30th. Terms at aka.ms slash college PC. 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.
1:19Our 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. The quarterback threw a backward pass. Which is recovered in the end zone. From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I've never quite seen anything like what happened on the two-point conversion. The refs are the worst. Earlier on the show, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. Texans head coach D 'Amico Ryans. Coming up, Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald. And now, Rich Eisen.
2:00Rich Eisen:Our number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. We just had a great two hours on linear cable. Does it feel different doing the show on linear cable to you rather than streaming on Disney Plus? Yeah, I definitely feel something a little bit different. I kind of miss linear cable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At any rate, you know, I shouldn't say that. We love being on Disney Plus and ESPN. I don't doubt about that. Hello, ESPN Radio audience. You're still with us. Presented by Progressive Insurance. We also love being on the SiriusXM Channel 80 feed as well. If you missed the first two hours, D 'Amico Rines, the head coach of the Houston Texans, joined us, as well as Tom Pelissero, and we were chopping up, if you will, the game of the year.
2:44Rich Eisen:Game of the year, huh? Thursday night football, game of the year. That was better than week one? Bills-Ravens? Yeah, 100%. Really? Of course. Get out of here. What's it, steak? Week 16? First ever Thursday night game with two teams of 11 wins or more. The division's on the line. The NFC won seeds on the line. It was incredible. It had everything to it. And the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks is joining us right now here the day after, as I believe, the game of the year. He's Mike McDonald right here on the Rich Basin Show. What's up, Coach? How are you doing? Hey, great. Good to be with you, man.
3:22Rich Eisen:I never ask you. I kind of feel like a noob here on the Zoom. This is the first for me. What do you mean? You don't do Zooms or what? What do you mean? No, I do Zooms, but I'm probably not very good at them. I don't know. Listen, you know what? Just for a second, here's what we're going to do. Just turn the evaluation thing off for a second. I know that's your default. Coaches are just evaluating your breakdown. Hey, man, you don't have to play a game for another week. You know what I mean? I'm breaking down every second of this, Rich. I can't turn it off. I never ask this of a coach, but I'll ask it.
3:56Rich Eisen:What time did you go to sleep last night? Well, it wasn't like a steady sleep. You know, I had quite a few people at the game, so we got to hang out around the locker room after, and everybody got to see everything, which is cool. But, you know, you fall asleep, you wake up, you're excited because you won. You're, you know, was it real? Okay, it was real. Oh, but then I went back to sleep, and we gave up these plays, and maybe that was a bad play call. And so it's kind of like a hot and cold all night, but not the best sleep of all time. But we'll take it every time. So you wake up again, just like everyone else, you're a human being.
4:31Rich Eisen:I mean, just the day before washes over you like, oh, yeah, that happened. We won that game. Yeah, that probably happened at least a half dozen times last night. And then you and then you also think about some of the ones you want back to, which is inevitable. Sure. And obviously there's there's still time to work on that with two more games to go. and we'll get to that in a second, but I'm not ready to turn the page from last night. Not by a long shot. So what do you tell your team in the locker room of a game that you're down in, but not too far out? It did feel to me, again, watching the game at home, that you were down more than just by six based on what happened in that first half.
5:08Rich Eisen:What did you tell your team in that locker room, Mike? Well, defensively, I think we needed a little shot of confidence that we could make a couple adjustments and be on the right track and just make sure we're all on the same page going to the second half. And I think the guys were great. They knew what we needed to do. And then Jay Reed was awesome. He's been great just sending the message to the guys before games and at halftime and really gets guys ready to go. And it was really that simple. But, you know, it was going to be a big drive with our offense coming in, and that was a lot of focus going into that drive to really come back and put the game within reach.
5:46After everything that went happened, to be only down six, we felt like we were in a good position and go down and score a touchdown. It was huge for us.
5:53Rich Eisen:Yeah, and I'm sure Kenneth Walker, he had a big play for you in your first drive of each half, and that had to breathe some life into the team. How do you handle situations of adversity yourself in front of your team when turnovers begin to start coming in bunches? certainly for your quarterback who has had games like this against this franchise coach how do you handle it well I think I think part of our growth as a football team and probably me included it's just how do we reload from like a play-to-play basis you know and I think early in the year and sometimes last year we let some of the results when it didn't go our way affect us or even maybe if we were in a lead that affected our play.
6:43And it's been a pretty big focus on, hey, let's just go to the next play. Let's just keep reloading, keep attacking it. You know, defensively, we talk about death zone football, like coming alive when, you know, the times are tough and some of those tough situations. And our guys, they've really bought into it, you know. And I think it's galvanizing. It's almost like when things don't go our way, sometimes we do play our best football, which has been a lot of growth. and it just makes it such a fun group to coach no matter the circumstance.
7:11Rich Eisen:Well, I mean, again, how much do you... Listen, I'm a control freak just hosting this show, which means I'm probably like a tenth of the control freak that you are as a head coach in the National Football League. Do you go to your OC, Clint Kubiak, and say, are we getting the ball to 11 tonight or what? Like, do you do stuff like that or you just delegate and you stay out of it? Yeah, I mean, that's not really my harsh style and how we want to do it. I mean, we have a plan going into the game offensively. We felt like, you know, we could just – we're kind of just moving and shaking within the plan to kind of deviate.
7:44Of course, we're trying to get the ball to Jacks. But, you know, I think there's opportunity to get the ball to other guys too. You know, K-9 are coming to life in the past game. You know, getting the ball to A.J. early was really helpful for us. And then, you know, just like I said last night, it's – it turns out Jacks is a great way to move the ball, you know. Yes. And so we want to give him the ball as much as we can, but you can't force it either, you know. Right. And so there is a balance there, and I felt like we called it a good game. We stayed attacking. We took care of the ball for the most part until some of those throws.
8:16And then obviously, you know, it's pretty good to Jacks, where he just keeps playing and running the routes and blocking it. I thought he blocked great last night. And then eventually the ball finds energy in those critical moments. you know all of a sudden he's got the ball on his hand with a chance to go win it well and let's
8:34Rich Eisen:linger on sam for a little bit here before i start getting into the the specific plays of last night's game is because you're saying that your your emphasis is about you know taking it a play at a time and flushing the negatives and just keep matriculating and things of that nature how does sam darnold personify that in your estimation well i think you nailed it i think he's kind of the tip of the spear when it comes to that mentality. It's funny, you know, you can't help but notice some of the narratives that, you know, go around with your players, especially Sam. But my message to everybody is just been like, look, this is the guy that we know that we've had in our building from day one and how he's handled his business and how he practices on a daily basis is that guy.
9:19You know, he's really the same guy every day, ultimate competitor. He's got like a, you know, he's got some nastiness to him, you know. He's got some swag to him, and he's got confidence. I think the player resonates with our players, and the way he treats people and how he leads is just constant. So you can't help but respect his mentality, and you can't help but root for him. So I'm really happy to see the fruits of his labor come to life late in the game and come through like we knew he could.
9:49Rich Eisen:You are aware of the narrative, though. You are, right? Yeah, of course. I mean, you try to, you know, you're not spending time figuring it out, but kind of it happens through osmosis. What do you mean by nastiness? Give me an example. He's got a killer instinct to him. You know, he just takes no prisoners. And in those moments, I mean, even when we decided to go for two, you kind of look at his body language and seeing how the guys feel about it. And it's kind of like it felt like he was like a closer in baseball with that mentality, like taking the mound, just, hey, give me the ball. Let's go close this thing out.
10:24Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I was reading in the moment. And that was part of the reason we went for it.
10:30Rich Eisen:Mike McDonald here of the Seattle Seahawks, the head coach of the team currently, the one seed in the NFC and controls its own so-called destiny in that regard here on the Rich Eisen Show. If I had told you when Kobe Turner picked off Sam right on the goal line, don't worry, you got the Rams right where you want them. What would you have said? because you did, as it turned out, from there. Well, it was, I mean, that's a tough situation, you know. You have some hope and you're saying, okay, if we score here, it's an X amount of point game and how we would handle it the next series. And all of a sudden, you know, your kind of life changes before your eyes and the circumstances are completely different.
11:13But, you know, to your point and your question earlier, you know, it's my job to make us, put us in the best position possible given the situation. so that's where my mind goes okay well shoot that sucks but you know let's the only thing we can do now is try to get a stop and get the ball back and make this a one position game so that was the mentality you're not exactly happy about it but you know the game is a long way from over hopefully everyone shared the same mentality let's just keep fighting and see what happens
11:44Rich Eisen:Rahid Shahid uncorks that one for 58 yards and a punt return after your defense has the Rams go three and out from that interception. What were you – I'm really going to hit the way back machine here to the trade deadline. John Schneider says we got a chance in him. Were you involved in that conversation? Because, boy, what a massive, massive help he has been to your team since coming from the Saints, Coach. He has. Yeah, he has been. And, you know, it was a cool process, the trade deadline. You know, this is only the second time that I've been through with John and really, you know, just kind of being a part of it as a head coach.
12:23But, you know, Rasheed was part of kind of in our sights for a while. We knew that he'd be a great fit for us. And really, you know, John pushed the envelope with it. And, of course, we were on board from day one. And obviously, Clint's experience with Rasheed last year, Clint really thought he was a great player and really liked him as a person. He felt like he was going to be a great fit with our team. So you kind of put all those things together and shoot, I was, I was praying that we were going to be able to pull it off. And as it became, you know, it came to fruition and we're obviously, you know, we're fired up because we felt like it could be a game changer for us.
12:56And it turned out it was.
12:57Rich Eisen:Yeah. I mean, the, the 58 yard punt return leading to the least talked about two point conversion you had last night successfully. And then a three and out followed by the end around from Shahid that led to the Barner touchdown. And then the two pointer, everybody's talking about at what point last night, did you know, oh, wait a minute, that two-pointer that didn't work out might actually go our way? Walk me through that moment for you. Well, you know, we were lining up to kick the kickoff, and it was going longer than usual, so you realize that something was up, and then the officials let us know that they were looking at it.
13:34And, you know, in my mind, at that point, it's a two-point game. We get a stop, a field goal wins the game. I mean, if we didn't get it, the game's going to play out. both sides are going to play a different style of play going through. So it did change the dynamics of the game by getting it. But once we realized that they were looking at it and then the replays were going on on the sideline, you realize that the ball was going backwards and we had a clear recovery. It became pretty evident that we were going to end up with the two points because it was going to be a tie ballgame. So, yeah, it was a wild sequence.
14:07I don't think it was probably an unprecedented thing that's happened before, but it is what it is. Ball was going backwards, and New York made it right, so that was cool.
14:15Rich Eisen:Okay. So you thought, okay, we're just down two, and then somebody tapped you on the shoulder, or an official comes up and says to you, we're looking at it? Look, it's a little hazy. I wish I knew exactly what happened. To my knowledge, the officials came over and told us. And then Brian, you know, Brian Ayers runs game management for us. He's talking one ear, I'm talking, you know, there's a lot going on. But once you realize it's going on, it became pretty clear that we'd probably end up with the two points. And it's a coaching emphasis of yours to pick up any loose ball, right, coach? Right?
14:44Every time. Yeah, I mean, on defense, that's standard rules.
14:48Rich Eisen:Yeah, but Charbonnet's on offense, though. He's on offense. Let me introduce you to a guy named Zach Charbonnet. This guy is an absolute stud, and he gets it. And all those little details he does right all the time, that's him. And so I'm not surprised one bit that he did. Well, you know I'm a Michigan man, so I know who he is or where he used to go before he went to UCLA, before you got your hands on him. And that was just a massive moment, obviously. And now over time, let's just flash forward. At what point did you think, I'm going for two? Well, again, to bring up Brian Harris, this is something that he brought up a few days ago, knowing that, hey, this game, with the implications of the playoffs online, possible division lead, you know, first seed, you know, implications might have to be a decision that we're going to have to make late in game.
15:42Do we play for the tire? Do you go for the win? So, you know, we were marinating on that for a while and, and, um, going into that last drive, it became, okay, look, you know, it's funny how these things come to life after you bring them up, but, uh, it became just pretty clear. Like, look, I like our, I think we got a pretty cool play call and, uh, let's go for this win. Let's just let's go for it. And let's go with this thing and go go out with this thing with the bank. So that's what we did.
16:09Rich Eisen:Right. But other than the analytics, maybe, and the gut feel that a head coach needs, was part of this decision thinking at any point, hey, a tie does not give us the tie break over the Rams in any playoff tiebreaker. You know, yes, yeah, it does. You are thinking that at that point in time. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, if we kick the PAT, you play it out, the Rams have three minutes to go on a sudden death, more than ample opportunity to get out of the field. It's going to be hard for us to get the ball back and go back down and score. So it just felt like there was a lot of downside by giving them the ball back.
16:45And then if you feel like you can tilt the scales a little bit in your favor on the two-point play, then now you're looking a little bit over like a 50-50 proposition. It feels like that's the best decision to make.
16:56Rich Eisen:And do you, I'm just going to go outside the lane here a little bit in my few minutes I have left with you here, Coach. Would you want to expand overtime in regular season for an extra five minutes where the ten minutes, you know what I mean? Like at this point in time, you know, ten minutes might not be enough. I mean, this is a massive game, and it damn near came down to a tie here. Would you want an extra five minutes if you could tell the competition committee that, Coach? Well, it's funny. I'm kind of like a tell me the rules and let me try to play by him better than everybody else type of guy.
17:30So I think it's good. I like the change that we made by making it like the playoff model. I like the fact that teams get both chances. I like the fact that like it really it's almost like a toss up now on who gets the advantage based off of who wins the coin flip. I think it's a it's more of a fair model than it has been. So you get into like more play. We ended up playing 88 plays on defense. You end up with a couple of those throughout the course of the season. You really start to add up some plays as well. So that's really the first thing that goes to my mind is I kind of like the way we have it.
18:06And it protects the players, I think, in the long run.
18:09Rich Eisen:Yeah, I hear you. And then, you know, you did win the toss. So you liked going second because you know exactly what you need. And obviously we saw what happened, right? Is that was that your philosophy on that? Yeah, that's the main course. I mean, if you go the other way, it's about, okay, well, you know, it's a flip argument, right? It's just we just prefer to have the ball and knowing what we need to do. But there's also a case we made the other way as well. And there could be a circumstance where we decide to do that. But that's the way we kind of looked at it throughout the offseason and felt like what fits our team the best.
18:44Rich Eisen:All right, before I let you go, a simple question. Now what? Now what? You know? Now what? So we talked about reloading from play to play. That's what we need to do this weekend. I think one of the first things we need to do is get some rest and get our coaches out of the dang office. Okay. All right. That's number one. It's a good opportunity for us to kind of zoom out a little bit schematically and with our personnel and really refocus on what we want to do going into those last couple games and make it clear for our players and then come back fresh next week and put a great week together and get ready for Carolina.
19:20Rich Eisen:I was about to say, so I guess Sunday you're watching Bucs versus Carolina to scout a team that I'm not to tell you how to do your job, but I'm sure you're going to do it anyway. You know, I've got to say, hey, the Rams lost there. They took the Rams. The Rams helped us out. Let's not let them help the Rams out, right? I mean, like that's a way to kind of get ready for Carolina while watching them play the Bucs. They need it too, just as much as you, right? I mean, look, we respect that. They've won some big games this year. And honestly, Rich, I think part of the reason we're in the position we're in right now is we really haven't made it about who we're playing and the circumstance.
20:03And, hey, we've got to get up for this game, but maybe we don't have to get up for that game. It's like, no, it's just our mentality here is every time we take the field is we are chasing that version of the team we want to be all the time. And we've made some mistakes this year by having it make it more about our opponents. And that's something that I've learned as a head coach of really doubling down on that philosophy. And I think that's resonated with our team. And that'll be our approach this week. And, you know, as we go into the playoffs.
Read the full transcript
20:28Rich Eisen:And then you would like the rest of the country will watch the Niners, who is your final opponent, take on Phillip Rivers. How about that? If I had told you, right, if I had told you what would be crazier, that you would be going for two in the greatest comeback in the history of the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter on a Thursday night football game. And Eric Saubert would catch it right in overtime. Right. Like that would be it. And I don't know if you're aware, this is the first ever successful two point conversion in the history of NFL overtime. That's never happened. You got it. That's on one side.
21:04Rich Eisen:or you'll be watching Monday Night Football rooting for Phillip Rivers to help your team out. What do you think? What's crazy? That's a pretty crazy proposition. That's the NFL for you. That's why we love it so much, right? That's just what makes it so special. But we'll be big Phillip Rivers fans, you know. I've always been a Phillip Rivers fan up until this past week, but I'm back on the Rivers flag moving forward. That's crazy. Phillip Rivers coming in your house, and then he's on Monday Night Football to help your team after five days. That was great. He's talking back like the old days, you know, talking crap to us after a touchdown throw.
21:38It's not a good feeling to be had, but I respect it.
21:41Rich Eisen:He talked crap to you? He did? You could feel it. He probably just sticked the dagger at us on that touchdown pass. Oh, my gosh. That is so great. Hey, listen, I appreciate the 20 minutes you've given me. I'm sure you're still, you know, soaking in last night, but you're already trying to turn the page and get some rest. So it's great to see you. I don't believe the last time I saw you was at the Combine so here you are on the show I greatly appreciate that as you know so thanks thanks for the opportunity oh you got right you got it there's Mike McDonald fresh off of the win of the year game of the year win of the year I mean I could have gone on play by play for about 10 more minutes it was so much fun last night it was just one thing after another it was one battle after another a four hour game that didn't feel like it and I just was sitting there the entire time after Puka runs one in.
22:34Rich Eisen:I'm like, they score. They got to go for two here. Yeah. I didn't know the exact 88 defensive snaps. Last thing they're going to do is like, let's kick the extra point and put 88 defensive snaps on the middle against Stafford and Puka. No. No, and again, a head coach is sitting there thinking a tie does us no good. We would lose any tie break to the Rams. they'd still be the five seed right now in a tie. Instead, they're the one seed rooting for Philly Riv after beating them. 844-204-RICH, number to dial, phone calls galore, and setting up the rest of the weekend, college football tonight on the Family of Networks.
23:25Rich Eisen:While the world watches the stars at the FIFA World Cup, Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent, future stars who are already turning heads at age 14. Because Next doesn't wait for an invitation, and neither do we. Hyundai has always moved the future within reach. We did it when we made advanced safety standard on every vehicle and engineered EVs with ultra-fast charging capability. And we're still doing it every day because the future isn't some far-off concept. It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. A bandwagon fan. The biggest insult in sports.
24:00But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup, it's an invitation, America. Never watched soccer before? Perfect. Think a corner kick is a karate move? Sure, why not? Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks? Now we're talking. So grab a bag of Lay's and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated.
24:21Rich Eisen:Lays, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Rich Eisen here. Take a second and look at your city's calendar. Everywhere I go, there's always something coming up. Games, concerts, conventions, tournaments, the kind of events that bring people in from all over. And when that happens, you can feel it. More energy, more fans, and a whole lot more people looking for a place to stay. So here's something to think about. If your city has that kind of buzz, if big events are on the way, listing your space on Airbnb could be a great opportunity. If you're already planning to be out of town or you've got a trip coming up, why not make your place work for you while you're gone?
25:00Rich Eisen:You've got the space and you're not using it. It could be earning you some extra cash. I know when I travel for these big events, I'm not just looking for a place to crash. I want something comfortable and safe. A place that allows me to experience the city like a local. And that's exactly what you can do by offering to list your space. No big lifestyle change, no long-term commitment, just making smart use of the space you already have. So the next time your city draws a crowd, think about listing your space on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host.
25:38The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
25:41Rich Eisen:Back here on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance.
25:45Brockman:Is he coming back this Super Bowl?
25:47Rich Eisen:O's the mentalist. If he is in Santa Clara, we are going to have him.
25:52Brockman:I feel sick.
25:54Rich Eisen:We will have him every time. So there's that. I was great with Mike McDonald right there. I like him. He's awesome. Dude, he knows how to coach. Sure does. And they're now 9-8 under him at home. Isn't that crazy? That is crazy. They're 13-2 on the road. Their last two are on the road. which is why you got to sit here and think the Seattle Seahawks are going to win this division in conference. But if they win in Carolina and San Francisco wins its next two, Monday night against Philly Riv in Indianapolis, and then the following Sunday night at home against the Bears, then week 18 is for the division and maybe the conference.
26:48Rich Eisen:which is why that could be the final game of the weekend and of the season. You're taking a look at right now. Screw it. Let's do this. I always love doing this. I'm into that. The last game of the regular season. It's always flexed, right? You pointed out the Patriots at the Ravens is the first flex game of the year, which, by the way, I don't know the last time that was nothing got flexed in and out of. Nothing's been flexed. Yeah. I mean, you could kind of guess, see this one coming. Because the Sunday night game originally was Cincinnati and Miami. So, you know, a freshly eliminated Bengals taking on a freshly eliminated Dolphins.
27:29Rich Eisen:And the best part, too. I guess they saw that one coming a couple weeks ago. Week 18 right now, every time is TBD. Like, nothing's been said. Well, they do that because you never, the reason why it's all TBD will always be TBD. not because of the flex game, but they need to make sure that there's no scoreboard watching and pulling of players. So there's a bunch of games that will always be handled at the same time. They will always like, hey, the one o 'clock games, we're going to wrap up these divisions and storylines and playoff scenarios that one or two we can't control will affect the late window games because they don't want teams just pulling players because our season's over or we have nothing to play for with seeding anymore.
28:14Rich Eisen:So that's going to affect a possible playoff appearance for another team that's playing them. They will always come up with a Week 18 schedule right after Week 17 is over. So once that happens, once the final Monday night game of the season goes down, it will be all over. once Rams at Falcons is finished. We'll find out what the rest of the schedule is going to be. But at any rate, you take a look at some Week 18 games that could be the last game of the season because winner is in. They want a de facto playoff game. They want winner in, loser goes home. Ravens at Steelers could be that. Could be.
28:59Rich Eisen:Because I don't think the second place team in the AFC North is going to get a wild card. So that could be it. um and i'm sure the league and nbc wouldn't mind a a raven stealers game potentially rogers's last as a stealer if they lose it yeah um another one is carolina and tampa winner and loser goes home because i don't think the second place team in the nfc south is going to be a division uh a wild card participant yeah i think you're right about that um chargers in denver could be for the conference and division if not the conference every time i say that i always think of the stepbrothers line about you just ruined the uh the dinner and possibly the evening the adam scott line you know could ruin the division and possibly the conference i don't know why that sticks in my head that way um indianapolis and houston once upon a time could have been that.
30:01Rich Eisen:I don't think that's going to be it. You've got what else you've got here? No, that's about it. Green Bay and Minnesota won't be it. It won't be Buffalo and the Jets. I think back in the day they thought maybe Philadelphia and Washington would be it. And then there's Seattle and San Francisco. That's a possible. Right there. Could be for the division and possibly the conference. Those are your choices right now as we sit here on the outset of the bulk of Week 16 activity. Love it. Love it. Which one would you want? Oh. The AFC North, winner in, loser home. NFC South, winner in, loser home. Denver and the Chargers for the division and possibly the conference.
30:53Rich Eisen:I think if the one seat is on the line in the NFC, I want Seattle at San Francisco. Oh, here's one more I have. By the way, Seattle at San Francisco is not a bad one. I lost Detroit at Chicago. That could be a win-in-in situation for Detroit, right? So here's the scenario. Chicago, as we know, has got Green Bay this weekend. If Chicago loses that game, again, I know I'm not welcome in Chicago right now. I can hear the cursing from the wiener circle all the way to the lake.
31:30Rich Eisen:That if... That's a real sentence. By the way, I think also geographically sound. Yeah, I think you're right. That the Bears lose to Green Bay, that would mean... And Detroit beats Pittsburgh. Okay? Yeah. Now they're just a game apart. Right. And then the Bears... Then it wouldn't matter. If the Bears lose one of the next two, and Detroit beats Pittsburgh, and then on Christmas, on Netflix, they win at Minnesota. They just need to be one game separate. Then week 18 would be for a wild card spot or home. Detroit at Chicago for winner and loser goes home. I think we have a winner, right? You want a winner and loser goes home.
32:24Rich Eisen:As opposed to, hey, somebody could be the one seed or the five seed. That was exciting last year between Detroit and Minnesota. It was. But I don't think last year there were any win in, lose out situations. I don't think so. I don't recall right now. Which is why it was the Minnesota game. TJ, which one would you rather have?
32:47Brockman:Dallas at the Giants? I was going to say that until yesterday. But no, man. I like the idea of one person goes in. the person's got to call up U-Haul and go we need 53 trucks can't crack them up or how about this the window is closed for the person who loses what do you mean just something I'm trying to work in the window being closed
33:13Rich Eisen:oh you mean like their Super Bowl era's over for the year I don't know for the year forget coming up with a cutesy turn of the phrase what do you which one would you want to see? Here are your choices again. Baltimore at Pittsburgh, winner in, loser home. Tampa, Carolina, winner in, loser home. The Broncos and Chargers, winner conference, loser wild card. San Francisco at Seattle, winner conference, loser wild card. Or Detroit, Chicago, winner in, loser home.
33:55Brockman:I just, you know, being from Pittsburgh, I love that rivalry. It gets nasty. It does get nasty, man. And they're just going to beat the crap out of each other. Oh, man. And they pray for each other's downfall. That's a good one. I like Steelers. I'm going to go Detroit-Chicago. And another rivalry that, like, they don't like each other.
34:13Rich Eisen:Yeah, Ben Johnson and the Lions. Down to the last drop. Yeah, yeah. Down to the last drop. I kind of like that one. But you, TJ, make a great point. Nasty rivalry. Division win, loser out. Is more than wild card win and you got a ticket, loser out. That's true. Like, you got a home game. Plus the possibility of it being Rodgers' last game. Mm-hmm.
34:45Brockman:Unless they run it. So let me ask. If what I said and what's more likely, or I'm sorry, high register yesterday, what's more likely? Yes. I said the Steelers are just going to go on the run and run the table. If Rodgers and the Steelers do happen to win the Super Bowl, is he, that's it, sayonara? Or would he, if he's coming back, be like, let's do this.
35:06Rich Eisen:No, if the Steelers win the Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers. It's a wrap. It's a wrap. He is literally, next thing you see him is wearing a wrap, staring at the sunset in Malibu, man. Wearing a wrap. I mean, he didn't know that photograph. I think it was a robe. Was it a robe? It looked like an Afghan. I go, oh, hold on. We'll probably have to wear a robe and go down. Right now, Hoskins is furiously searching for that. Because we had that photo on. We weren't sure what he was going to do. We had that on replay. We had that ready to roll. It kind of does look like a wrap.
35:41Brockman:Well, I think, first of all, he'd go to the banks of the Monaco. What is that? That's like a blanket, I think. The Steelers win. That's like a giant blanket.
35:48Rich Eisen:Steelers win. This is Rogers. Rap situation. that's going to be him at the point point state also he's going the wired wired headphones by the way i love it look look at the daily mail uh you know caption solemn aaron rogers strolling along
36:03Brockman:a beach he was pondering his future i get it we tried that with different music and made it seem very different i remember that all right week 18 around the corner melinda in philadelphia let's
36:14Rich Eisen:sneak in a call before we take a break here on a friday what's up melinda hey rich how are you What's going on? Hey, thanks for taking my call. First of all, I just want to say I love your show. I listen to you every day. And as a fierce Eagle fan for the last 50 years, I am so happy with your optimism and talking me off the cliff about two weeks ago. So thank you. You're welcome. But the reason why I'm calling in, I've been trying to get you for two days, is to tell you how much we appreciate and love Jalen Hurts. Outstanding. The way his calmness is, we have enough that we freak out of over in Philadelphia.
36:48Yes. To see our quarterback hold that poise, control the media. And I was really kind of taken back when Chris said or insinuated like that Jalen Hurts doesn't care. To me, he cares more than anybody on the field. He doesn't see how he, you know, Jalen Hurts hypes up the team, how he sits up there. Like when Brandon Graham got them two sacks, he was the first one over there screaming. You know what I mean? So I just want to make sure that everybody understands they can't speak for us. I'm speaking for us. We love Jalen just the way he is. And I just want to say to Chris in the words of another famous Philadelphian that said to another Chris, but I'll say that in a nice way, just please keep my quarterback name out your mouth.
37:27Ladies and gentlemen, Melinda in Philadelphia.
37:31Rich Eisen:Do not lose our phone number right back at you. Thank you. There goes Melinda.
37:35Brockman:That's why I said the other day, Eagles fans need to call and weigh in on this. How can we answer this question?
37:40Rich Eisen:That was fantastic. I'm glad we got to Melinda before our break.
37:43Brockman:Keep Jalen Hurts' name out of your mouth. Was I about to get slapped? Very close. By the way, guys, here's one thing about Philly I know. I've never met someone from Philly who can't fight. That's a good point. Just keep that in mind. I don't know.
38:00Rich Eisen:I think Big Dom's more of a lover.
38:02Brockman:I mean, probably. But he puts the pause on you. It's a wrap. I got Jay.
38:06Rich Eisen:Jay didn't see that one coming. I got him. All right, let's take a break. We'll wrap up this Friday show in a moment right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's go to break before the visual actually sinks in for everyone.
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39:26The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
39:29Rich Eisen:Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a great program that I love talking about. I care deeply about pediatric cancer research and awareness. I'm sure you do as well. You might not be aware that for over 27 years, however, every Hyundai sold has helped fund life-saving pediatric cancer research together with over 850 dealers nationwide. They've raised more than$277 million, supporting over 25 ,000 kids in their fight against cancer. Visit HyundaiUSA.com and search Hyundai Hope on Wheels to learn more. At Hyundai, hope is not optional. It comes standard. Luke in Virginia wants to chime in here. What's up, Luke?
40:03Rich Eisen:Your father. Nice. Luke? Hey, what's going on, Rich? What's up? I went to Michigan, just graduated in May, and I haven't heard much about the coach recently, And I'm wondering, are we waiting for the Alabama game tonight? Are we going to have a coach on Monday? Great question. Don't know. Don't know. Coach tomorrow, that guy you just had on, do you think he'd come back to Ann Arbor? Definitely not. Definitely not. Definitely not. Why would anybody go from the pros to college football right now? They'd be out of their minds. And Mike McDonald has one of the 32. And, you know, Jesse Minter probably wants one of the 32, and he's on track to do that.
40:42Rich Eisen:Why would he leave to go to college right now? Certainly, all I want is the law firm that's looking into everything to move fast. Although we have no idea what the coaching search is going on behind the scenes. I've heard nothing. It has been nothing but radio silence. And I'm assuming that is not because they're doing nothing. Let's just put it that way, Luke. I don't know. But if you want Kalen DeBoer, I would do what we didn't do in week two, which is root heavily for Oklahoma. You know, thanks for the call. Luke in Virginia right here on the Rich Eisen show. I have no idea. But Kalen, why?
41:23Rich Eisen:I don't know. So Kalen DeBoer isn't welcome. And what's the narrative here? He's not welcome in Alabama anymore. He's not Alabama material. Is that what it is? The waters are a little too deep. But what does that mean? Waters roll deep in Michigan, too, man. It just means more. What is that? Stop it. You know that. You're doing that to trigger me. And it worked. The SEC just means more. Oh, I didn't know that. When it just means more. You win a game, it counts for what? 1.2 wins? Is that what it means? I think so, yeah. Because, again, you root for Georgia because, you know. I do root for Georgia.
41:59Rich Eisen:The mother of your child would kick you out of the house otherwise. Georgia means a happy house. I understand that. So does it mean more? If Georgia wins its quarterfinal game, does that mean they go straight to the finals because it means more? If Texas A &M beats Miami, do they go straight to the semifinals because it means more? Tonight's win, does it mean less for the loser? Yeah, they're out. Yeah, they're out. Who wins tonight? What do you think? What do you got? I like Oklahoma. I like Oklahoma, too. I like Matier. I like that dude. He's a good player. Absolutely. I like Oklahoma. And if I'm Kaelin DeBoer, I look across the way and I go, do I really want to be here anymore?
42:40Rich Eisen:You really like Oklahoma. I have been told Kaelin DeBoer would be great for Michigan. And by the way, that's not because I'm reading it somewhere. Literal, like, real deal, knows coaching type of people, knows how good Kaelin DeBoer is. Because, again, it's tough for some Michigan fans to wrap their arms around. So we're going to take the guy we beat for the national championship and then went to Alabama and wasn't good enough material for them. We'll take that guy. I've been told you want him over and over again. Okay. So I'll be rooting for Oklahoma tonight, which is great because Zach Rosenfield, publicist of the stars, is a diehard sooner.
43:21Brockman:I was literally right before that about to say I'm afraid to pick against him because Zach will try to choke me out.
43:26Rich Eisen:Well, again, he's in charge of my image, and he's the one that posts video of him flipping the bird at Texas football. He hates Texas. Which is not a good look for people who are in charge of people's images. Zach, I'm going to be very honest with you. He does not like Texas. It's a great example or a bad example. You like it. Jay likes it.
43:42Brockman:Well, it shows loyalty.
43:43Rich Eisen:You've got to look at it that way. I'm going to attack Zach right now. You guys winning tonight. Okay. It would also make for a much happier Gerald McCoy on Sunday morning.
43:51Brockman:That's true. Remember Gerald McCoy was zooming in one day, and I mentioned Texas? who came in and he got mad just for me saying it.
43:59Rich Eisen:Oh, I know. So unhappy. Let's go to Rick in Seattle to finish up since this show is all about Seattle. What's going on, Rick? Hey, I just wanted to mention that last night you watched – well, I was at the game in Seattle. And you watched him kick the kickoff out of the end zone every time so as to avoid the return. And, you know, you're giving up like 15 yards, 10 or 15 yards right there. every time. But yet, in the fourth quarter, you punt it right to him. Oh, you're talking about the Rams to Rashid Shahid. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. So, special teams meeting, you know, where was the punter, right?
44:39Not listening, or maybe I'm missing something, but, you know, it turned out to be the pivotal point in the game. And, you know, he should have punted it out about it. Are you a Rams fan in Seattle, Rick? No, no. I'm totally a Seattle fan. Oh, you just
44:56Rich Eisen:don't like bad special teams play. Is that what you're saying, Rick? I'm a high school coach type guy.
45:04Brockman:I wanted to just walk through the front door. Tell us who you are. It's Coach Rick. I figure if the special teams is committed to kicking it out of bounds, they should kick it out of bounds every time.
45:16Rich Eisen:There you go. Rick in Seattle. Chiming in. He's kind of like the Peyton Manning of watching special teams. You know what I mean? I can't stand watching bad special teams as Rick in Seattle.
45:29Brockman:Offended by bad quarterback play, man. It's visible. It hurts his soul.
45:35Rich Eisen:You gotta love that, right? Any upsets this weekend? We're coming in Monday talking about, man, that college football playoff committee nailed it. What's more likely? No, no upsets. Zach did chime in. Quote, very confident. He's very confident. Tonight. Okay. Not confident. He's having a minor procedure, which causes... By the way, it's called a minor procedure when it's on the outside. Which has prevented him from traveling to the game. Oh, dang it. He will be convalescing in front of his television this evening. If they win, they play Indiana at the Rose Bowl. Oh, boy. He ain't missing that.
46:19Rich Eisen:It didn't go well for Oklahoma last time in a Rose Bowl. Yeah, that's true. That's the Georgia fan over there. Yeah, triple overtime. What a game that was. Insane. One of the best games I've ever been to. Right? I think you would attest to that. I definitely, Sony Michelle was there. Incredible. Nick Chubb, Baker Mayfield. Oh, my goodness gracious. It was unbelievable. It was great. All right. I'm rooting for you, Zach, tonight. Because if it makes the coach of Alabama wonder, should I still be here anymore?
46:44Brockman:What am I doing here? Rich, I'm just saying, there is a coach out there who sits on a college football show. He's got a bunch of national championships. All right, this guy over there. End of story. He's free.
46:55Rich Eisen:We're wrapping up this program. Okay. Great point. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
47:20You can't reason with the sun. Trust us. We've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's OmniShade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion. You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever.
From the publisher
Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald and Rich discuss Seattle’s overtime win over the Rams in Week 16 to take over 1st place in the NFC West, reveals why he has 100% faith in QB Sam Darnold’s “killer instinct,” what his team must do down the stretch to secure the #1 seed in the NFC, Philip Rivers’ improbable return to the NFL, and more.
Rich, Brockman and TJ debate which Week 18 game would be the most compelling matchup as the NFL’s final regular season game.
The guys discuss Alabama vs Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff and if the Crimson Tide’s Kalen DeBoer could be Michigan’s next head coach.
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