Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio

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0:46Find select shelving and tote storage up to 15 % off at the Home Depot to organize every room in your home, from your garage to your attic. Visit homedepot.com. How doers get more done. This is the Rich Eisen Show. So please, welcome the greatest performer ever to embrace this earth. Rich Eisen. You know, there's entertainers and there's competitors. And I totally understand that. And my job is to compete. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Throws to Cass Park. Touchdown Bears. I kind of set the tone for the team, the season and everything. Earlier on the show. Six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

1:28Still to come. Host of Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio. Overreaction Monday and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen.

1:39Rich Eisen:Hour number three of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. And as I told you at the outset, we talked about in, I believe, the end of hour number one. This is show one of two for me today. Right here on the Rich Eisen Show, wrapping this hour up. And then tonight, I'll be heading to downtown Los Angeles to host SportsCenter for the first time in 22 years. And let's go. That's going down tonight. That's going to be great. It's going to be, I assume, like riding a bicycle. I imagine. I mean, you've sat at a desk. You've worn ears. You've spoken to a microphone. You know, not to go all Hoosiers on you here, but, you know, you just measure the camera to the desk and the microphone to your tie.

2:20Rich Eisen:The prompter still works. Pretty much, right? and one of the individuals who kindly wrote about it and left an Easter egg in there that I did not know when I invited him on the program is a man who constantly thinks that I'm telling him to go get a shine box and I would never do that to Mike Florio but the creator and editor-in-chief of Pro Football Talk and of course the author is joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show. Big Shield, I believe, is coming up. Mike, great. Your book? Big Shield tomorrow, Rich. It drops tomorrow? Yeah, and you can still pre-order it, and the pre-orders are much more significant than I would have thought they would have been.

3:02But my bar was low, so I'm very happy with what it's done so far. That's before anyone reads it. Once they read it, they may regret it, but at least for now, I've persuaded a significant number of people to plunk down. 99 cents for the e-book, 14.99 for the print. The print is selling well. Like the e-book is ridiculously priced and I thought people would skew that way. But the print option is is doing well and we'll see. We'll see how it goes. But it's a big week. OK, it's a it's a week of a lot of anxiety.

3:31Rich Eisen:So are you saying people are holding in on the e-book? You're basically saying there's a whole there's a lot of hold ins right now on the e-book. There are plenty. There are plenty of hold ins. I don't know whether or not those folks have legitimate injuries that would cause them to skip work. and stay home and read the book but if they if they can get a note love it yep right yeah i get it absolutely listen man i mean you've been at this just as long as i've had right i mean it's like a mad lib every year we just change the proper names and you change the proper names of the teams and the players although there's one specific mad lib involving the cowboys that includes like why aren't they signing this person that we know there's going to sign but um it just strikes me that we're not even close to midnight for some of these deals and the one that involves trey hendrickson now actually involves the bengals uh taking offers for him like that just makes no sense for me i'm just going to give you the floor on on what you think again we we've talked about it uh in the by the way multiple times in which you've appeared this month on this program that it's going to get done, I feel, but you never know, I guess.

4:42Rich Eisen:What's your two cents now that we're here two weeks before the season? You know, I think we are up to three this month. The over-under was.5, so that one sailed a long time ago. Hammer the over. Wow. The reporting from yesterday that the Bengals are listening to offers, That is a subtle yet, in my mind, significant shift from the reporting back in March. And the timeline's important. Yes. Max Crosby got his new deal from the Raiders at$35.5 million per year, new money average. Immediately after that, Hendrickson got permission to go seek a trade. And I believe the calculation by the Bengals was, let him find out that nobody else wants to pay him what he wants.

5:28And I believe he found out no one at the time wanted him to pay what he was looking for. But now, now we've seen Miles Garrett get to 40, TJ Watt get to 41. The fact that the Bengals, according to the report, are listening to offers, that implies that there are one or more teams out there that are willing to give Hendrickson something he would accept. Whereas that was not the case earlier in the offseason. reason so the question now becomes will the bengals take whatever the best offer may be and will they be unreasonable about it because richard a certain point if the bengals are saying well we want this we want that it's like whoa whoa if you think he's that great then what why don't you keep him right why don't you sign him so they need to be reasonable and if they're willing to be reasonable it sure seems like listening to offers is a precursor to getting a deal done so but you

6:21Rich Eisen:know how this works too man like there's got it there's a number it exists the question is is how do you split it up of what's guaranteed what's not what's new money what's not how much is up front how much isn't all of that sort of stuff the number's got to exist um and unless you know he wants to reset the market and it said and by the way that goes the same for mcloran i imagine with the commanders and these are the two teams that are playing tonight on monday night football to wrap up preseason week two. Mike is a different story. We know he's going to reset the market. That's going to be 100%.

6:56But the other two, that's the only caveat.

6:59Rich Eisen:I just don't know if those guys are doing that right now. Well, and structure is so important. You know, last year when the Bengals were going through a hold-in with receiver Jamar Chase, they made him an offer that would have made him the highest paid receiver, new money APY. But the structure, I was told at the time, was horrendous. So if you're only going to guarantee the first year of the deal, which they've reportedly only been willing to do with Hendrickson, what's the point? And if somebody else is willing to guarantee at least two years or maybe more than that as a practical matter, those are all the details that rarely get mentioned in the initial burst of news about a report or about a contract being done.

7:36That comes afterward where we really understand what the deal is worth, because all that matters is what you're guaranteed to get the minute you put pen to paper. And you've mentioned, Micah, a couple of times. Rich.

7:46Rich Eisen:Yes, sir. I've been saying all along the Cowboys, I believe, and I continue to believe, and I think the Easter eggs are there and the things that Jerry Jones says. I think they want to pay him$24 million this year and dare him to cite back tightness or some other malady that keeps him from playing. They're going to dare him to not play football this year, and they're going to squat on$24 million. I firmly believe that's the play that the Cowboys are trying to engineer. Why? Why? Why? Because they can, because it's cheaper than paying him. And look at it this way. If he's serious about being traded and he's done nothing to indicate in the 17 days since he posted on Twitter, that very lengthy and seemingly heartfelt explanation that it's time for him to move on from the Cowboys.

8:34If they are willing to trade him, what are they going to get for him now? That's all that different than what they would get for him after the season. They get the same first round picks right you can't use one now so i think from their perspective we we treat him as being under contract because that's what jerry says why are we talking about a new contract he's under contract he's under contract right he's got the fifth year option he's committed to the cowboys this year so he has to choose do i play football for the cowboys or do i play this game week in and week out where i have a back injury or some other problem that keeps me from playing They get through the season, see how much he does play, and then trade him then out from under the franchise tag.

9:12I think that's what they would like to do. I don't really want to trade him. I think they want to kick the can. You know, they only do deals when they absolutely have to, and I think because Micah showed up, if he'd held out, it's a different story. But because he showed up, I think they believe they can kick the can to next year, and I think they'd like to do it. Wow.

9:30Rich Eisen:That just doesn't make – it just doesn't compute, man. Listen, I understand what you're saying in terms of, you know, it's less cash out. But, I mean, this is a team that doesn't, you know, I mean, it's about winning it all. And to have a standoff. Is it, though? Is it? I know that's always the question about the Cowboys. Isn't it about the Forbes number more than another trophy in the case? You know, I understand that. But at the end of the day, though, it should be about winning. And I do believe it is at the end of the day. Makes no sense to have a standoff unless there is that part of the iceberg that we don't see that's going on behind the scenes where he's a pain in the ass.

10:17Rich Eisen:And some of the coaches from last year and some of the players from previous years are like, you got to hold Micah to account. And this is Jerry doing that on their behalf. That otherwise, why are you kneecapping Ibra Floos in his first D.C. and your new H.C. like this? Why are you doing that over 20 million plus per year? Right. They're assuming and we're assuming he won't play. I think that they believe when push comes to shove, he will play. One of the common themes that we see in these contracts, teams will use the players love of the game, love of the teammates, love of the hometown. love of the favorite team against them t higgins contracted he ultimately did with the bangles when you scratch it and look at it it really wasn't that great of a deal given the leverage he had but he wanted to play for the bangles he grew up rooting for the bangles i think teams will use that against a guy and they will use and i believe they're using micah's love of the game against him and daring him to do this week in and week out will he play won't he play and think of it this way rich and i thought the the quotes last week from jerry jones at the premiere of the the Netflix series that drops tomorrow.

11:30I think his 365 day a year soap opera soliloquy, I think that is so telling as to what he's ultimately motivated by. And that is keeping the Cowboys front and center. And so if they do this, 24 million for Micah and don't make him an offer that he'll accept before week one. And one of the storylines every week, will Micah play? Will Micah play? That just guarantees all year long. If they weren't going to be one of the short list of teams we talk about all the time anyway, they definitely will be. What's up with Micah this week? What's up with Micah this week? And at what point will he play? And I think they are banking on him when push comes to shove, showing up and playing for$24 million.

12:18He played for$3 million last year. I mean, think about it, Rich. they're potentially going to get two years out of Michael Parsons for$27 million, $13.5 million a year, two of his prime years. If they trade him next year, so be it. But they're going to be able to say, hey, we got a great deal here. Everybody else is paying the high-end defensive players$35 million,$40 million a year. We got Micah two years for$27 million. I think that's part of the calculation, along with the talk about us, talk about the Cowboys, pay attention to the Cowboys.

12:48Rich Eisen:Well, I mean, in terms of the Micah stuff, Mike, you know, people that I talk to tell me he's just a different cat. He will hold out like he will. Basically, he's the type of guy that that will zag when everyone else is zigged back into the fold that he's he's just a different guy. And he's very prideful. And in the same way that Jerry might be obstinate, like we had a handshake agreement. he'd be like, wait a minute. I'm not apologizing for asking for my agent to come in here. And I know you feel like a handshake's a handshake, but I'm also, you know, the only guy other than Reggie White that's had these many sacks in the first four years of a career.

13:30Rich Eisen:And I'm Mike of frigging Parsons. And so be it. Like, and that's where this thing can really go down a rabbit hole right there. You know, it just makes no sense for, it doesn't, And I know you're a Seinfeld guy, right? Isn't that line, it's not good for anybody? You know what I mean? That's not going to be good for business. That's not going to be good for anybody. That's right. You know what I mean? That's the relevant Seinfeld line here, Mike, right? Well, you know it's not a party until Mr. Marble shows up. But Rich, and I know there's two schools of thought here, and the Micah strategy was I'll show up and I'll be a distraction, right?

14:15First of all, Jerry doesn't mind distractions. He welcomes distractions because it's just another reason to talk about the Cowboys. I believe Micah should have held out. The two guys in recent years, Ezekiel Elliott in 2019 and C.D. Lamb last year, you hold out, you force midnight to come as of week one if you hold out. The hold in, again, they have a can that they can kick into 2026, and I think they're going to try to do it. He would have been far more likely to get the contract he's trying to get, $45 million per year, new money APY presumably, if he had held out. But guys are less likely to hold out now.

14:51You know, those daily fines, although they're waivable for a guy like Micah, that money adds up. You lose if you're a guy under his fifth-year option. the fine for missing a preseason game is a game check so it's 24 million divided by 18 that's the fine now i don't know if the cowboys are going to play hardball there but mike had decided i'm just going to show up i think he would have been in a better position to get the long-term contract if he had held out the way elliot did and the way lamb did well neither elliot nor lamb were

15:19Rich Eisen:you know told by jerry you need to be a better of a leader although maybe zeke was i don't know but that wasn't part of the lamb conversation last year and that was why from what i again in the conversations that i've had that the micah showing up is him saying you want to be a leader i'm here leading by my presence as opposed to being like cd last year and i was told that was part of the handshake you know one-on-one conversation that apparently again is still lingering today as a major sticking point in the conversations that aren't being had between Jerry and Micah's team. I was told Micah showed up because this was his way of saying, you want me to be a leader?

16:02Rich Eisen:I'm here, even though it might be better for me not to, in your respect, Mike. That's what I was. And Rich, look, I don't want to give the Cowboys too much credit because I believe that they are very short-sighted and cheap and not as smart as they think they are when it comes to dealing with these players who need and deserve and have earned contracts. But, hey, that leadership talk got him to show up. And they have a lot more leverage over him if he shows up. And they can do this$24 million for 2025 thing if they believe they can pull it off. So this goes back to a report from the Cowboys flagship radio station in April of 24 that his act was wearing thin.

16:49And I look at it this way. If you have problems with Michael Parsons, then trade him because there will be teams out there that will tolerate a guy who does a podcast and talks about his team. I mean, he is good enough that you put up with that. So if you're not willing to put up with it, trade him to someone who will. And that could be the end result after this season. I'll be very surprised if he's traded before the season or during the season. I think that this lines up for a possible possible get through 2025 and then tag and trade in 2026.

17:23Rich Eisen:And I think that tracks again. You're saying of the Easter eggs that Jerry's saying number of times, Jerry's like, why do I got to talk to him? I mean, he's under contract. So, I mean, that he keeps on referring to what you're what you're referring to that 24 million for the year. Before I let you go, Mike Florio, what are we not talking about from preseason week to? what jumped out at you that you think actually does auger anything for the 2025 season or has something to do with a win or a loss mike florio i give you the floor what do you got i'm curious about your jets okay when aaron glenn is repeatedly saying how sloppy the offense looks and justin fields didn't have a great night in the snoopy bowl i don't think they do that trophy anymore They probably got rid of that after Mark Sanchez got reinserted into the game.

18:10Right. They probably decided, let's not have anything at stake in this game.

18:15Rich Eisen:You left out the relevant end of that sentence of the facts, Mike, and got hurt. Right, right, right. And got hurt. That's very relevant. But what else intrigues you about them then? What do you got? Well, I mean, you know, the week one schedule, the eight games at one o 'clock Eastern, without question, Steelers-Jets is the biggest one. Like, how is that not a standalone game in week one? And I think Mike North, the schedule guru, said if we had known for sure that Rodgers were going to the Steelers, that would not have been a one o 'clock Eastern game. That is huge. That is huge for the Steelers and Rodgers going back to MetLife Stadium and Justin Fields facing the team that he was the week one starter for last year.

18:56and we just assume that Aaron Glenn's going to go in there and flip a switch and some of that Lions DNA is going to turn the Jets around and I like where the Jets are going I just don't know how quickly it turns around so some of his comments from that preseason game both at halftime and afterward it just makes me wonder how much Aaron Glenn and the new coaching staff can really do to get the Jets to dramatically improve right away and a lot of it's going to depend on what Justin Fields is able to do. It's the first time ever, if Fields is the week one starter, and there's no reason to think he won't be, first time ever that two quarterbacks who started for a team week one one year were starting for the opposite team in the game where those two teams were playing each other the next year.

19:39Rich Eisen:No doubt. It is big. And, you know, we just saw some other ones, too. I mean, Bucs, Falcons is pretty damn big. The Bengals and the Browns are now going to start. Joe Flacco is pretty big. I mean, there's some other great week one games. And, you know, I guess when Ravens-Bills and Chiefs-Chargers and Cowboys-Eagles are the standalone games, that's how a Jet-Steeler matchup, that piece of filet mignon winds up as a 1 o 'clock Eastern banger. You know what I mean? It's going to be great. And it's coming quickly. That's right. Isn't it amazing? We wait and we wait and we wait, and then all of a sudden it's like, holy crap, it's here.

20:19Rich Eisen:I know. So exciting. So exciting. And I feel the same way about Big Shield. It's here. It's here. Well, we'll be tomorrow. Tomorrow. You can preorder it right now, wherever you get your books, the e-book. Let's get those numbers up, people. But in this day and age, people want to have an actual book, paper, read it. That's pretty cool. That's old school. I'm going to send you a copy. OK, I'm going to sign it with this pen. Take the pen. And it's going to say, add this book to the pay no mind. No, stop it. We'll put it on the desk. That's absurd, man. Send the pen. You know what I mean? Send the pen, too.

20:56Rich Eisen:Take the pen. Take the pen. Take the pen. The right's upside down. Oh, yeah. That's right. Well, you know what? This one doesn't write at all because I had a meeting down here on Friday. I left a freaking cap off of the whole weekend. So this pen will not be signing anything. That's an off-season move, man. Come on now. Season's here. Thanks again, Mike, for all your time. And we'll chat in February. Thanks again. Appreciate it. All right. That soon? Mike Floro here on the Rich Eisen Show, everybody, from Pro Football Talk. Always fun. All right, let's take a break. 844-204-RICH, number to dial.

21:29Rich Eisen:I do believe during that conversation I did see O'Shea Jackson Jr. lurk. He came out here and flexed and then went to the back. I missed the flex part. What did we do?

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23:35Rich Eisen:Limits apply. Save 20 % on a micro guard or micro guard select engine air filter when purchased with this Syntex special. Phone lines are lit. We're about to take your phone calls. But welcome into the program a man who flexed in my peripheral vision while interviewing Mike Florio moments ago. One of the co-hosts, co-stars, along with TJ Jefferson of No Contest Wrestling on the Rich Eisen Podcast Network, O'Shea Jackson Jr. Good to see you, O'Shea. Good to see you all. Thank you. Great job hosting the program on Friday while I was on Walkabout. Yeah, man. You called me. It was like 1130 at night, and I had kids in the car and stuff like that.

24:09Rich Eisen:What were you calling me about when you were back to the show? Because, Rich, Shay do good, and I needed to hear from you that Shay do good. Is that right? Yes. So you do good? Shay do good. I'm a do-gooder. Well, you did. You did good. Good. Shay booked good. Shay booked good, too. Well, I mean, Shay booked great, actually. I wrote down here. Okay. Here we go. Ice Cube? Yeah, that was a tough one. How'd you book him? Why was he there in person? You know, he had the big three in Dallas. So he was zooming in from Dallas. Yeah, yeah. He was gracious enough to bless us with his presence. Okay. And you also had Marshawn Lynch in studio.