Games with Names - NFL Legendary Players & Coaches Stories

Episode Date: April 12, 2026

NFL Players and Celebrities share more of their favorite stories about some of the NFL's most legendary players.Support the show: http://www.gameswithnames.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than No Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most consequential driver strike and plenty of other mishaps, scandals, and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, dumpster fire

for more than 75 years. Listen to No Grip on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Serving Pancakes podcast, conversations about volleyball go beyond the court. Today we have a little best friend compatibility test. Okay. How long have we been best friends? This is the day we met. As the League 1 volleyball season heads towards its final stretch, there's no better time to tune in.

You'll hear unfiltered analysis, behind-the-scenes stories and conversations with leaders making an impact across the sport. Whether you're following the final push of love season or just love the game, serving pancakes brings you closer to the action and the people shaping the future of volleyball. Open your free I-Heart radio app, search Serving Pancakes, and listen now. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I-Heart Women's Sports. Ten, ten, shots, five, in City Hall building. How could this have happened in City Hall? Somebody tell me that.

A shocking public murder. This was one of the most dramatic events that really ever happened in New York City politics. I scream, get down, get down. Those are shots. A tragedy that's now forgotten. And a mystery. That may or may not have been political. That may have been about sex.

Listen to Roershack, murder at City Hall on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Kahn, the singer-songwriter behind the multi-platinum global hit stick season, and one of the biggest voices in music today. Talking about the mental illness stuff, it used to be this thing that I was ashamed of. Getting to talk about this is not common for me. Right now, I need it more than ever. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Games with Names. I'm Julian Edelman, and we got a brand new compilation highlight reel starting now.

Now, John Gruden talks about coaching Jerry Rice and Tim Brown on the same Raiders team. It was awesome. You know, it's a funny thing is I was always very perceptive to the ball distribution. I never wanted. So Tim, you'll appreciate this. The Z lines up to the call in our offense generally. And let's see here is slot, zoom or X. So anyways, Jerry played Z for the 49ers, same system for about 15 years.

Tim played Z for me for three years. So we moved Jerry to X. So during mini camp, we would break the huddle and Jerry and Tim would be over there at Z. I'd be like, God damn it, Jerry, you're the X. Oh, don't yell at Jerry. You know what I mean? Hey, excuse me, Jerry, you go. But at the end of the year, I think they both had over 90 catches.

You can quote me what the stats were. They both had over 1,000 yards. And I think they both had the same amount of touchdowns. Let's see here. 1,000. That would be 2001 Raiders. Let me see, here we got. Jerry.

Jerry had 40, no, he had, oh, on, 83 catches, nine touchdowns. Tim Brown. 91 catches nine touchdowns. They both have over a thousand? Yeah, and they both went over a thousand. Granted, Jerry was 40 years old right here. The braids were back here. Yeah, the braids were back there.

I had this office in Alameda, and I walked in. We played the Titans, I think it was, a Monday night football. And we had this play double post. Two posts, the tight end would clear out the poach safety, and Jerry would run the post. Tim would run the quarter beater. Quarter's beater. And we had somebody coming underneath, you know.

And we had 22 personnel, two best. two tight ends, just one wide out. So I ran double post and I go, let's go 22Z. Let's go Jerry Rice. And Jerry runs the double post. The next day I walk in my office and Tim Brown's sitting in my chair at my desk. Drew Dock, you took my double post, man. He didn't like that.

So I'm like, I'm sorry, man. But I'll never forget, first preseason. Did you complete? Did he complete? I just said, no, I just said, hey, it is Jerry Rice. It's not like, you know, some slap deck out there. I mean, you know. But I remember the first preseason game, we had Jerry and Tim.

And I told him, I said, we're at home. I said, I'm going to let you guys play the first three plays. That's it. First play of the game I called H2 double go. And Gannon is a bad at. Gannon looks to me, he goes, hey, who do you want me to throw it to? I go, that's your fucking problem, man. You know what I mean?

You got a free safety in the middle of the field. You got Rice and Brown. You know, so there was some of that that Gannon has. had to deal with. You know, it's not as easy as people think. No, that is not, especially just at the point to where they were in their career. Now, Corey Dillon, on the unbelievable way, he found out he was traded to the Patriots. We know you as a Cincinnati Bengal. Yeah. That's what this game is, but let's talk about your, when you went to New England. Oh, wow. Let's talk, how did that happen? We all, we know, but I want to hear from you. I want to hear from you. Well, well, here was a situation.

I got hurt in 03. So I think I, you know, partially tore my, what was it, MCL, tore my groin. So I was, I missed like eight games, man. I was on the show. And this is back in the day when running backs were getting like 800 carries a year. Yeah, so I was on the shelf. And RIP to my guy, Rudy Johnson, man.

He came in and stepped up and he played very well. So I was thinking like, hmm. And I'm getting up there This is like my seventh season And there was rumors of I'm sitting at home There was a rumor of The Bengals trying to trade me to Dallas

And I'm like really I said okay okay I said no problem I mean I'm just saying in my mind I'm like yeah just keep that same energy When I get all healed up And I'm gonna finish out the season And we're gonna reopen this situation

And yeah, I went in, I was speaking to Marvin Lewis, and I was just like, you know what? It's been nice. I think my time is up here. I like to move on and go somewhere. And it was just as simple as that. And I'm just looking at it from a standpoint of seven years, man, I was, we didn't win that much. And I'm kind of, you know, looking in the mirror and looking at my career of, man, I probably got two to three more left.

Where do you want to go with this? What you want to do? So, and then as you know, like, I heard this. I heard this a lot. It was media play of the Patriot Way. I didn't know what the hell that was. They got a coat over there or is it something militant, some kind of, you know, I didn't.

And the media was like, oh, yeah, Corey's not a Patriot Way guy. that would never work. And I'm just thinking like, shit, maybe I don't want to go there either. I don't know. You know, I just like to play football. And Rodney Harrison, we had the same agent at that time. I give him big props.

I think he went in there and spoke on my behalf, you know. And that's where the interests kicked up. And you know what? I didn't think I was ever going to get traded. To be honest with you, I was just talking shit. Like, yeah. Yeah. you know, give me up out of here, whatever.

And it picked up. It picked up. And next thing I know, I'm actually chilling at home. And I see across the ticker like, oh, man, Bengals trade, Corey, to the page. That's how you find out? Yeah, I'm like, bottom ticker? Like, I'm sitting there with a piece of chicken. Like, wait, wait a minute.

Like, what? And then, you know, I get the call. I get the call. my age he's funny man he's funny he's like yeah man it's going down so you're a patriot now and that's a whole whole different experience man to be honest who calls you first from the Patriots actually let me kick back

until how really like transpired I actually went down and seen Scott and Bill first I didn't I'm just meeting them and just saying you know hello And they asked me a couple questions like, you know, you know Bill's straightforward. Yeah, Corey, I know all the shit going on in Cincinnati. And I just, I told them straight up, I was just like, man, it's all predicated on me just wanting to win, win football games. And he asked me one more question. He said, you know what?

You think you could play for us? I was like, absolutely. We kind of, it was like a two to five minute meeting, got up, left. never thought about it, never thought about, you know, they actually trade, trade for me. Kind of left it alone until it came across the ticker and was like, oh shit, it's going down. So, yeah, it was, it was simple.

It was just a simple process of, I don't know if that was tampering back then. I don't know. I don't know, but it was Scott Piole and Bill. And, yeah, two to five minutes, man. And we're out of there. Bill just needed to hear you say, I just want to win. That part of it.

That's all he. That part of it, man. Because 1,600 yards, 12 touchdowns, your first season. That's all he wanted to hear. Well, that is well. But he just wanted to see it. If he was about winning, then he believed that his environment, he would adapt to it. There you go.

He would see Tom Brady. He would see Rodney and everybody else. And then, you know what? The whole thing about the Patriot, well, you know what? I just kind of figured out is. just doing your job which I was pretty damn good doing my job and being quiet

and you know I'm like yeah I can do this absolutely so it worked I think my personality kind of matched like what they what they wanted you know because all I wanted to do

just go out there and play football and I didn't really care on how it looked as long as we're winning I'm good with it so you're coming from Cincinnati what's the first thing that comes through your head when you enter New England because they already they just won the Super Bowl they just won the Super Bowl

yeah man you get into you get into New England what do you like fuck pitching yourself that part of it I'm like yo like that's a man I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna be straight up man that's a lot of

pressure dog man it was a lot of pressure because I'm thinking like, damn, they just won a school bowl. What in the hell did you need me for? You know what I mean? Yeah.

So that's a lot of pressure. And then it was the whole thing of me leaving Cincinnati going there. So that was a story itself. And then the Patriot way, is he going to fit in or not? But once I got there, man, you know, I don't played against these guys

for a long time. I know some of these guys, man. We're cool. So the thing I loved about it is like from a, from an organization and players perspective, they welcome me. You know, it was cool. They made me feel at home.

And that kind of took some of the pressure off and some of the stuff I was thinking. And then when it comes down to it, man, to me it was like, man, all I got to do show up and play ball. And that was the only focus on my mind. And if I do that, man, everything's going to work itself out.

So, and that's basically what happened in 2004. I just showed up and played ball. What was the first encounter with Bill like? Oh, man. You know what? After you guys signed. Hey, I kind of got the feeling like Bill is not the person to be fucked with. I'm dead serious.

He had this fear factor with the players of like, man, he is not playing. playing no game. So if you ever said in some of them them team meeting rooms with him, he is funny as I don't know. I mean, got a funny sense of humor. But he'll tell you like, hey, man, you don't want to do it my way. I will walk you to the door myself. And he's serious. So I took that man very, very serious. And I was like, man, I do not want to do anything to get on his man bad side. Yeah, it was a self-checker for me. Like, man, I'm always on top of my game

because he will call you out. Oh, yeah. Next, Steve Smith on the toughest cornerbacks he ever lined up against. Before we wrap up, I'd love to ask you a question. This season, you went on to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Tyla is a friend of the show. I would just love to hear going against Tai Laugh

what that's like. It was dope. Like, Tyler is very skilled. I end up, man, going against him in the Patriots was cool because we had this whole deal we weren't going to get pushed around like they pushed around the Colts

and I was like bro they are mm-mm-mm-mm that is not happening with us but Ty like he went to the Jets we had like a little I had a motion and it was a play coming this way

and he recognized it by a line man assignment and shot the gap and I got yelled at I was like man so I just remember he was like really smart Oh yeah. Real smart. He's a Hall of Fame, man.

Yeah, but you know what I'm saying? Like, it's just like, there's a little small things that like, you know, you're like, oh, he's a good player, but they were like little small things. It was like, man, this dude. If you're a Hall of Fame corner, you're a guy that knows the game. If you look at all the Hall of Fame corners, they were all, Revis is going to be one. He's a.

Yeah, he is one, though. He's in. He's in. I hate going, I hate to go against Revis. Because he knew. When he was with you guys... The Pats? Yeah, the Pats.

We were battling out, bro. You had a good-ass game. Didn't you score it? In the first half, in the second half, we got... Adjustments. Yeah. Now, Ernie Adams talks about a few NFL legends. He wish he had drafted.

Do you remember any guys that you wanted in the draft that we may not have got that went on to be great players? Oh, sure. I mean, it's, but, but, you know, you're always the thing about the draft, particularly. Or you thought you were going to get? Like, I'll tell you one, that I remember just studying, and I say, this would be the guy for us. He'd really be a good player. I don't, you know, I always kind of like to just hear, are there names that are, I mean, if everybody's name is around,

that tells me everybody's really looking at him. But if I'm not really hearing the name around, maybe we have a chance and there was one guy, I felt totally confident this would be the guy for us. I think we got a chance to get him at the end of the draft. And we took him, and that was Logan Mankins. And then I came here afterwards that a couple of the teams right behind us at the top of the second round, they were ready to call them and, you know, you're our guy, but I just said, you know, this is a, you know, would be a perfect player for us.

And, of course, you know, Logan goes on to be one of the best, you know, I mean, if I'm putting my all-time Patriots team together, the guards are going to be Logan Mankins and John Hanna. Yeah. You know, two, you know, two greats right there. But sure, there are some players, you're down at the end of the draft. You know, well, this guy's going to be in the top five. And so why don't you trade up and get them?

We don't, you know, we'd have to trade our whole team. What about a guy that? What about a guy that, like, you thought that was going to be there that someone snagged? Oh. There's got to be the one that got away. You know, sometimes. The one that got away. Because everybody in the league is looking at, yeah, the big, oh, it's that 800-pound tuna.

I've been fighting for 11 hours. All I got is a bucket. Well, your buddy, you got to put a bucket on the end of the hook, huh? happened to me once. But there are 32 teams all looking at the same players. So you just figure, like if you trade, if you drop back in the draft, you really, you can't say, hey, we'd like this guy here. Let's see if we can drop back five places and still get them.

You know, is everybody else is looking at the same group of players you are. So you just never, I'll tell you, because I know you had him as a guest. For instance, one that we didn't want to get away was your friend Matt Light. And of course, it's where the year he came out, I don't know what number, it's in the middle of the second round. We're picking the team ahead of us as the Jets. And then ahead of them is the Lions. Okay.

So you always call like 10 minutes before. If there's a player, you know, he's on your radar. You know, you want to make sure first of all, they're still alive. I mean, the Patriot, they did draft the player in the early 60s who was not alive. From the Southwest Louisiana, they had the name. You know, they're named names in newspapers. You know, they don't have quite, not everybody had a cell phone. So are you still okay?

How you doing? So, you know, we're on, we're behind the jets who are behind the lions. We call Matt Light. Hey, Matt, we're really interested. How are you doing? Hey, coach, the jets just called me. They're going to, they're going to take me. So we know right there, it's very cut and dry.

We're either going to get a trade executed with the lions so we can get Matt, or we're just going to sit there and watch the jets take him. So we call the lions. You know, we're really trying to work out of trade with them. the guy they want is, you know, is the center from Nebraska, Dominic Raola. They said, look, we got Damien Woody. We're not, don't worry, we're not going to draft the center. Okay, that's not going to happen.

So we get the trade executed with the Lions when there's, you know, when they're on the clock, we jump up and we take Matt Light. So, I mean. Did you guys have intel that the Jets we're going to take? So before that, both. The Jets had called Matt. Before that. Before the, yeah, it's all.

You guys are sniffing out there, though. Well, but it's like, you know, they may have called like three minutes before us. You know, because it's, I mean, everybody does, you know, you can't keep in touch with people. So, you know, we got, yeah, we got the solid intel that if we want Matt, we got to get in front of the jets. And to get in front of the jets, the only way that can happen is if we do a trade with the lions. There's no other way we can get in front of the jets. Is there any guys that you, you have. you evaluated that probably wouldn't been that great that turned out to like, oh, shit, this guy

is a monster that you missed on the other way? Sure. I mean, you know, you're dealing with human beings. First of course, how are they going to react to coming into the NFL? And particularly when you're talking about the first round, that's, does this guy have the right mindset that we can entrust him with a big contract? Because it's not, you know, if we draft the guy in the seventh round, it's going to going to be the rookie minimum.

You're talking about, Ernie. I got a $36,000 signing bonus. That was kind of high, don't you? I mean, but if you, you know, it's really important if you're going to take a guy to top the first round and make a big investment in him, you know, the guy can't. He can handle it. He can handle it. And that doesn't always happen.

But some guys, like for instance, You think you know a player. You try hard. You do the psychological evaluations. You interview them. But when you've had him in camp for about 10 days, that's when you know. Right. I mean, some guys, hey, this guy's got the right makeup, the right stuff.

He's actually got a chance. This other guy, this is not really going the way we want. He's not really our kind of a guy. And you don't get to have him in your training camp for 10 days. before you draft them. Yeah. So it's just like, you know, you be, you know, as a veteran, Julian, I'm sure, you'd be watching them pretty carefully to see if they've actually,

is this guy going to be one of our kind of guy, or did they screw it up in the draft? I was convinced for a while. And I almost mustered up enough courage to go into Bill's office and tell them, if you're going to take someone in the first round or the second round, that's going to be a skill position player, I need you to send me out there to look them right in the first. fucking eyes. Well, it had to be said for that.

Thanks for listening. Remember to tune in every Tuesday for a brand new episode and every Sunday for another games with names highlight. Ready for a different take on Formula One? Look no further than no grip. A new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the under-explored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sports most

consequential driver strike, and plenty of. of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent, gumster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no grip on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Serving Pancakes Podcast, conversations about volleyball go beyond the court. Today we have a little best friend compatibility test. Okay, how long have we been best friends? Since the day we met. As the League One volleyball season heads towards its final stretch, there's no better time to tune in.

You'll hear unfiltered analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, and conversations with leaders making an impact across the sport. Whether you're following the final push of love season or just love the game, serving pancakes brings you closer to the action and the people shaping the future of volleyball. Open your free IHeart Radio app, search Serving Pancakes and listen now. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. 10, 10, shots five in City Hall building. How could this have happened in City Hall?

Somebody tell me that. A shocking public murder. This is one of the most dramatic events that really ever happened in New York. city politics. I scream, get down, get down. Those are shots. A tragedy that's now forgotten. And a mystery that may or may not have been political.

That may have been about sex. Listen to Rorschach, murder at City Hall, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Kahn, the singer-songwriter behind the multi-platinum global hit stick season and one of the biggest voices in music today. Talking about the mental illness stuff,

it used to be this thing that I was ashamed of. Getting to talk about this is not common for me. Right now I need it more than ever. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.