Green Light with Chris Long - The Steelers Puzzling Decision To Bring Back Aaron Rodgers + Zaire Franklin Interview

Episode Date: May 19, 2026

Aaron Rogers gave us some NFL news to talk about - he is resigning with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chris breaks down the decision to run another season of Rodgers and how it bodes for the future of the Steelers. Chris, Beau and Macon then run through each NFL teams schedule and assess their season outlook following the schedule release. Then the Green Bay Packers new offseason acquisition joins Chris to talk about his new team, the Packers defense, his time with the Indianapolis Colts and his resolved beef with Jason Kelce. Enjoy! (00:00:00) - Intro (00:07:55) - Aaron Rodgers Returns to the Pittsburgh Steelers (00:26:39) - NFL Schedule Review (01:14:00) - Zaire Franklin on the Green Bay Packers, Career with the Colts & Beef with Jason Kelce Have some interesting takes, some codebreaks or just want to talk to the Green Light Crew? We want to hear from you. Call into the Green Light Hotline presented by Zone Nicotine and give us your hottest takes, your biggest gripes and general thoughts. Day and night, this hotline is open: ‪[phone]‬ With the return of the Layup Line, make sure to check out the playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1olmCMKGMEyWwOKaT1Aah3?si=YP1-ffQ3T_yUDRnJRhDtOw Check out Green Light's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can catch all the latest GL action: Green Light with Chris Long: Subscribe and enjoy weekly content including podcasts, documentaries, live chats, celebrity interviews and more including hot news items, trending discussions from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA are just a small part of what we will be sharing with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That's my soapbox for today is like, I know it's easy to say, well, like, you got to rip the Band-Aid off in tank for the Steelers. One, that's not what they do. I don't think Omar Khan's timeline lines up with that. And so I just look at the Steelers, and they're not an organization I expect to tank. You know, I just told him, I'm like, bro, like, in order for our defense to really go get one of the banners, me and you want to be the best, too. Yeah. You know, that's what we've been working for. He's a grinder, too.

He's putting that work in, and he's pushing each other than better, so that's all you want. We need to come out with the word that's kind of like prime time, but very much not stand alone. But not stand alone for the morning games. Stand alone. Prime time. Hold on. Something that, don't say stand alone. Don't say standalone.

Stand alone. Hey guys. Hey guys. Hey, Chris. Bo. Good to see you. Hello. False start.

The first fucking play of the game. Tan man. How is everybody, huh? we're good we're good schedule schedules out all the way so we can we can really beat this to a pulp and uh and and and we'll talk about aaron rogers a little bit i think that's the most of the football today

and then we have a guess zaire franklin that i just recently booked by recently i meant i mean this morning so um we got we got a guess um that'll come later in the show without further ado Hey Chris, real quick, Zaire Franklin. Do you remember when we were in New Orleans? We saw him at the Super Bowl. We took a selfie with him.

Absolutely. And we sent it to Jason Kelsey. We basically squashed that beef. And I'm glad that we got a chance to extinguish that thing. Because two guys, we like a lot. Two really good podcasters, too. We can't have podcasters out here fighting in training camp. You know what I'm saying?

Fuck raw room. No, they're coming to town soon. Did you know that? Yeah. I heard rumblings, but we have a long-standing beef, you may remember. Would they make fun of you? Yeah. What'd they say?

Bacon was just saying that he's so much easier to get along with, and then he just comes in the bodice. Fuck raw room. They said they could beat me up. God? You weren't going to handicap the fight? I mean, don't underestimate the heart of a champion. What I have to say.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight. size of the fight in the dog you know you got another ism that you like to say on here which is uh i can't can't make a fist because of an injury that i had as a child but why would you want to and a dear friend when i when i said this said why would you ever want to yeah you know so i mixed messaging here yeah hey what was the thing you were saying about your you're becoming easier to get along with yes like the last 16 18 hours i've just been pleasant to everybody and what spurred this um uh an outing you know you know a school function you got to go to these things with a bunch of parents a bunch of little kids

running around and normally somebody comes up says how are you i would just say something like we don't we don't need to do this let's just let's just stand here you don't need to you don't like small talk pleasantries and then yesterday i was like what do you do you know kids you know some shit like this you got kids at this school exactly right it can be that simple dude fuck small talk seriously i was just I was I was on fire it was fun yeah it was in a good mood it carried throughout the evening into this morning you know have you been watching Instagram reels I saw a reel this weekend kindness is free yeah that this guy was like hey here's the key to appearing really smart four second pause anytime somebody asked you a question is that what you've been doing I think so

but like did you get that from Instagram or you're just trying to sound smart naturally no no no I think that's just my built-in divergence. But no, I think it does help to take a beat or two. I'm going to try that. Last show, I think you were asked a question. Oh, he did it. He did it. That's what I'm saying.

And then I saw the reel and I was like, yo, this guy. He's basically just ripping his personality from reels. Honestly, dude, I can't watch reels. And thank you for sending me so many of them. I can't really get through them. I don't know. It just doesn't. It's not something my brain consumes.

now a 50-minute period piece once a week I can't tell if you're doing a bit I'm not doing a bit just a bit you're like anti- ADHD you're trending away from all of the short attention span media that shit does help I do like that shit does help I do like the Twitter website

other than that I'm not really consuming all the new school stuff Twitter might be OG at this point for millennials Dude, I'm trying to take a four second pause. You keep talking. My bad. How are you?

I'm not bad. I had... There's a situation this weekend. We went to the pool and we had a really nice server, a young lady who was in the military. And so I was like, you know, hey, thank you. And the whole thing. And when it came time to close out, this...

I think she was a Marine. She is a Marine. It's time to close out, right? I put $10 on as a tip because I just wanted, and the gratuity's already included, so I'm tipping on top. Wow.

The troops. This is like thanking a troop at the airport. I mean, like, this is the next level. So I write $10. Write like T-E-N-D-O, all right. 1-0.00. I look up in Penn, obviously. I look up at the total.

The total is $59. So. She thinks you're down to clown. No. So the, the troop got $20. I turned the one into a two. Rather than send the bill in at $69.

It'd be like this fucking scumbag, dude. He had his whole family there. And he's giving me a $69 app. I mean, this guy's a total scumbag. That's funny. How do you know she is a troop? Because I asked her. You just ask random people if they're in the military?

Yeah, generally. Okay. No, no, no, no. It just kind of came up in conversation. Okay. She said, we were talking about tattoos. She just asked me about my tattoos. She had some tattoos.

I said, where'd you get that one? She was naming like these places. And I was like, it was portsmouth. And it was like a Navy type tattoo. And I go, let me guess the branches. She's like, It was Popeye the sailor, so I go, Navy. Smart.

She goes, you're right. Yeah. So she's in the Navy. She was in Navy. Marine. Yeah. So anyways. I keep saying Marine.

Aren't those different things? I'm glad you asked. Navy is the branch. Okay, you can be a Marine inside the Navy. Yes. Can you be a Marine inside the Army? No. Okay.

They have like Rangers and that sort of thing. Army Rangers. Yeah. Yeah. Special forces. Air Force. Green Berets. Air Force.

Separate branch. Separate branch. Okay. They're in the airplanes. Navy people are in the boats. But some Navy people are in airplanes. It's kind of confusing. It's kind of confusing.

Anyways. That's enough on the branches of the military. Let's get into Aaron Rogers. Speaking of American Patriots. Aaron Rogers is back. Aaron Rogers is back. I have some thoughts, but I figured I'd give you guys the floor for a second

to see if you like it or dislike it. Who else was it going to be? Like, I like. Drew Aller. Yeah. I don't like it. Howard. Why don't you like it, Bo?

Don't do that. We can't do this the whole podcast, dude. Well, Chris, to me, I think it's, you're just kind of, I mean, I understand. the desire to reunite Aaron Rogers with, you know, Mike McCarthy and everything like that. But to me, it just feels like, what's the point? You have an incredible quarterback draft class coming up here in 2027. Like, we've been talking about this quarterback draft class for years.

I think it's kind of one of those situations where you reunite to, you know, a coach and a player who are both kind of past their primes. I wasn't necessarily a huge fan of McCarthy hiring in Pittsburgh in general. I was kind of hoping that they go for a younger, flashier, like offensive talent maybe. You know, that's what a lot of teams are doing these days. But you just feel like they're going to win like six or seven games and have the most highly paid defense in the NFL

and continue to underperform and then not end up with the quarterback that they want in this upcoming draft. And that's, I mean, obviously it's a gross oversimplification. But to me, it's like, play one of your young guys, try to develop them a little bit, lose a bunch of kids, games and then hit a home run with a young coach and a new young quarterback tandem you know that's kind of that's kind of why i'm at with it so um i get it you know like it really comes down to tanking right like that's what we're talking about and the irony is always that people fans kind of thumb their

nose at it i mean i know some fans who are maybe fans of their team are hoping their team lose they hope their team loses games to to move up the draft board and that sort of thing but i think fans generally are anti-tanking because it fucks up the product and I think for players you know like you tank in the NBA dudes are getting paid it's guaranteed money nobody's getting fucking nobody's getting speared in the back like it you're playing basketball for 82 games and it's it's over and a lot of times the the good players aren't even playing but in the NFL like short earning windows um you know the the physicality of the game like players don't want to tank I was on teams that were maybe covertly tanking,

but I didn't pick up on the bit because being a football player is fucking hard. And you're always trying to win the game, the drill, whatever it is. It's harder to tank gracefully in football. Or I should say this. It's harder to just all-out tank because the players are going hard. And so that's the first thing. The second thing is you mentioned the amount of money tied up in that defense. I mean, they're near the top of the table when it comes to, you know,

allocation of resources on that side of the ball. And on that side of the ball, you have some legacy players, T.J. Watt, Cam Hayward. I just don't think organizationally that's who they are. That's really never been who they are, right? Like, the Steelers are one of those charter franchises and they don't like doing it this way. And, you know, Bo, you said, hey, they probably end up with six or seven wins. I don't think that's the worst thing in the world. Like that's still mission accomplished

in a quarterback draft class that's supposedly deep as fuck. I mean, like, you can still find a franchise quarterback winning six games in a season that precedes a draft class like that. I will say, however, I think the thing people are worried about

is winning 10 or 11 games, getting in the playoffs and ending up in the back half of the first round, kind of like they were this year. But I would caution people that just think it's a simple equation where it's like tank find the future and then go on your merry way it's not that way like look at all the great i would say and if i forgot your quarterback i'm sorry but i'm going to go down a list of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL and obviously these are not equal talents i mean matt stafford is is not is not jordan love but i'm but they're both on the same list okay

Stafford ended up in LA via trade. Josh Allen, QB3 in his draft. Okay, QB3, seventh pick. Prescott, fourth rounder. Drake May, tank baby. Herbert, QB3 in his draft. Sixth, okay? Lawrence, Tank Baby.

Darnold, free agent, Caleb, gifted from the Panthers because they wanted the first pick in 2023. And effectively, they had to tank. They offloaded some veterans and that sort of thing. the year they went 3 and 14 and 22 so like you know that's a he's a tank baby indirectly golf trade burrow tank baby but andy dalton started 13 games for him the year before you know they probably were a lot of people they were saying hey don't don't don't put this fucking capable veteran quarterback out there we want a tank well it worked out that way anyways

Lamar QB5 he's a multiple time MVP 2018 he's a 30 second pick in the draft. Mahomes, QB2, 10th pick, 2017, Jordan Love, 26 in that 2020 draft party, Mr. Relevant Baker. He's on a one-year deal his first year in Tampa. Bo Nix, QB6. That's the closest corollary to this draft coming up. Bo Nix, franchise quarterback. We'll see what happens with the ankle. QB6. Okay, you could, and he was drafted 12th. There could be an early run on quarterbacks. Jalen Hertz, QB5, he's won a Super Bowl in Philly. Okay, he's the 50 third pick. I say all that to say, there's just no one way to get a quarterback.

And when people start angling to get that quarterback, unless you have a bad fucking team, and it's not going to take a lot to tank a la Cincinnati in 2000 and, what, 19, before they drafted, uh, um, borough, borough. It's, it's not as easy as it seems. There's a lot of talent on this Pittsburgh team. They've made some moves that I think make them better than they were last year.

And there's nothing wrong with going for it. The only thing I would say is I wish in this draft class where they had a bunch of picks that they would have sent a couple somewhere to acquire some capital in next year's draft to be able to move up. Say they're picking 20th in the draft next year. You know, they go to the playoffs, they lose the first round. and maybe they have some more capital next year. They could be more upwardly mobile had they done that. But they didn't.

And that's fine. I think that's my soapbox for today is like, I know it's easy to say, well, like, you got to rip the Band-Aid off and tank for the Steelers. One, that's not what they do. I don't think Omar Khan's timeline lines up with that. You know, there's also a consideration of putting asses and seats up there, which Nolan pointed out, and we were talking about this before the show.

Like, their, their local market is very important to them. And so I just look at the Steelers, and they're just not a big, they're not an organization I expect to tank. And I thought Aaron Rogers had a pretty live arm last year. I do think there's some excitement around the McCarthy thing

because I think McCarthy's going to fit him better offensively. I know they've been together, and the last time they were together, Rogers was a totally different player because he could move and that sort of thing. But he's going to run more 11 personnel. They're going to be able to get the ball out. They're going to be able to get more people out in the route. They didn't get people out in the route last year.

They had big bodies on the field and that sort of thing. They did not do a lot of six-band protection. If they can play with more timing. And also guys like Pittman being a part of this deal, more yak. The kid they drafted Bernard. Jeremy. from uh from bama um he's supposed to be a yak guy more yak that doesn't mean he has to spend all day in the pocket and also receivers that block like pitman allow you to get in lighter sets and run the ball so i i think

they're going to be better off i just don't like the whole like hey you got a tank to find your quarterback because it's objectively not true and i think the thing about that too just real quick is like i don't know how strong the the afc north is this year And they probably realize that too. Like as disappointing as the Steelers were at times last season, especially their defense, like I've talked about how much more I want out of their defense, just being, you know, somewhat star-studded,

a little bit aging, but like really good group, obviously expensive group. I don't think the AFC North is really scaring the Steelers organization, you know, because what, they won the division last year and they weren't even, you know, like they weren't at their best at times at the end of the year. So I think they're kind of seeing it as an opportunity to win with a head coach, legendary quarterback duo, you know, without having to, like, I don't think

they feel like they have to tank. I think it'll be better. I think the AFC North will be better, but I also think they think their defense will play more like the defense they expected it to be last year. Yeah. I think Cincinnati's going to be better. I've been saying that for years now, and they always find a way to either because of injury or losing close games and vetting new ways to lose ball games, not win that division.

I think Minter is going to make Baltimore better. But I understand the sentiment. Go prove it. You got to prove it to me. And as you said, these are football players who go out and try hard. Teams who have tanked historically. It doesn't always work out. The Giants in multiple years have tanked really well weeks one to 14 and then gone two and two weeks 15 to 18 and really screwed up the whole tanking idea.

And who knows? That late in the season, Mason Rudolph or Will Howard or Drew Aller could get competent enough to win some game. Could fuck around and win him some games. And behind door number 25, you could have a Brendan Sorsby supplemental draft. That's right. Where you assign a first round pick to him, should you want to do that.

The other thing is this, look at all the draft classes since 2000 and do this mental exercise where you say, certain drafts, there wasn't even one guy that you would say was worth sabotaging the prior season for. And that's like, like David Garard's draft. He's not the first quarterback off the board, but he's the one guy in that class that I would say is a, you know,

borderline or a franchise quarterback. You might just be tanking at the wrong time and not even know it. You know what I'm saying? Like now I understand next year, deeper class and that sort of thing. But that supports maybe going for it because you can still find a guy later in the first round. Yeah. In my opinion. And I can't divorce the fact that I'm a football player from this state.

It's so easy for me to say, you know, as a fan, like, well, fuck it. Just mail it in for a year. But number one, players don't, it's not easy for players to do that. Number two, and probably the most important thing is we're talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers. And you don't hire Mike McCarthy to tank. No offense. And I'm not saying it's right. It's actually really fucked up.

But customarily, you hire like Steve Wilkes to tank, right? Which is fucked up. but McCarthy's not that guy. Another thing that makes me bullish about McCarthy, McCarthy has spent an entire year living in Pittsburgh, crunching tape. He knows everything about that team. He probably has a lot of information about what was working,

what wasn't working in the building before he even took the job. Not to say it's like rocket science breaking down film, but you know, you also need to hear things about what's going on in the building and I'm sure he was hearing those things. I don't know how long he was angling for this job or thinking that it might happen, but this is like a dream job for him, being from the Pittsburgh area,

and he's going to pour everything into it. I also think having a hiatus for a coach can help. So, yeah, I'm not saying, I don't think they can win the Super Bowl necessarily, but, you know, Denver in 2000, what was it, 15? Hayden? Yeah, or 14. What was the year?

Payton's last year was 15, 16 was Paxon Lynch. Well, so, you know, Denver wins a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning couldn't turn his head. You know, like, you know, Aaron Rogers still has a live arm. Yeah, it's a leap of logic to think that they could be like the no-fly zone next year on defense, but maybe they're a lot better. And so, yeah, I understand doing it. I still think you can find your guy, but none of this matters if they can't protect.

None of it matters if they can't protect, which makes the tackle that they drafted in the first round, like kind of the most important player on the field. you know we're talking about all this stuff but like if that guy is a turn style it's going to be more the same so yeah i think it's a really interesting i reading about all this i like the ron wolf thing where you pick a quarterback every year in green bay they used to it was like qb you know um scratch a lot of ticket every year and i i am all about that i am now i'm sure some draft nerds that and I mean that, like, as a compliment that spend more time on the analytics of drafting and that sort of thing,

would tell you that it's such a waste, like, to give up one draft pick every year on a quarterback, but I just think the importance of the position. And until you have, I kind of think of it like dating for those of you who are still doing that. You know, play the field until it's time to settle down. And when it's time to give that quarterback a second contract, that's kind of when you settle down and take the foot off. the gas pedal with the QB money ball. But until then, I don't buy this thing in modern football where it's like, well, if you draft a quarterback in the third round, it's going to fuck the quarterback up that you drafted

a year or two prior, it's going to mess his head up. Well, maybe he's not the guy. You know what I'm saying? Like, every other position has to deal with competition. And I don't think quarterback should be any different. And I think once you clear that bar of having a franchise quarterback, your life gets a lot easier. So why not throw the kitchen sink at it?

it. So they were. And they did. And they took Drew Oller, who, you know, if they can make him unlearn everything he learned in college, then he's going to be okay. And maybe they have their franchise quarterback in him. I don't think so. But we'll see. So I think it's a really interesting kind of intersection of like strategy in today's NFL. And also, I just think the NFL is better with Aaron Rogers in it as just a fan of the game. Like I would much rather turn on the TV and see a 42-year-old Hall of Famer trying to put it together, who's still got a live arm. There's a storyline to that relative to seeing the next installation of Duck Hodges in like a primetime game.

I just don't want to see it. I want to know what kind of Aaron Rogers we're going to get this year. I feel like each season he's got some, you know, some new big media talking point. I'm just curious to see what we're going to deal with. Well, we'll see if he's going to be on McAfee's show. I don't know. But I think guys legitimately like playing with Aaron Rogers. I do.

People don't realize this. Playing with Aaron Rogers isn't listening to him on a spot for the Pat McAfee's show. It's not, you're not listening to his, maybe at the lunch table you're hearing geopolitics and that sort of thing. We talk about all types of things in an NFL building. Players don't hate Aaron Rogers the way the general public does. And that's not sad. I agree with a lot of what he said or hasn't said, but I think he's, He's a far more polarizing character

outside of locker rooms than he is inside locker rooms. One guy who has come across my screens is the cat who imitates him. Have you seen this guy? No. He's good. It's amazing. And Aaron's aware of him.

And Aaron thinks he's amazing. They've met. It's beautiful. Oh, well, shit. Well, maybe Aaron should hear my song, dude. I should have saved that. I was worried he wasn't going to sign. So I do, you know.

So anyways, that that's my take on Rogers is. I think it's good for the game. I don't think it's as easy as, hey, tank, and then you'll find your dance partner. So why not try to win games? You got hundreds of millions of dollars tied up in that defense. There are guys. And another thing is, culturally, the Steelers are one of the few teams that have like a culture,

right? And we'll see how long that lasts with Tomling on. But they have defensively, from Dick Leboe on, valued certain positions, certain types of players, and they have a way that they do things culture. in that building and I think the t.J wats the world the cam haywards of the world are important in continuing that that that uh tradition and if you dump them the year you find a new coach like what happens to the culture do you think it's a pride thing too that maybe they don't want to

be seen at the top of that draft like i sometimes i think that the fucking steelers made a deal with the NFL where it's like you're not allowed to tank but we're gonna we're gonna take care you in some way yeah yeah i don't know what that way is um But they have been looking for that franchise quarterback for almost a decade. So I understand Steelers fans saying, like, come on, like, let's get one already. But it's just not that easy. And the con thing is relevant, okay? Like he's been with Steelers since 01, okay?

He's entering year five. If he decided to tank, he'd be admitting he failed. I mean, we talked about that in the group text this morning. It's like you have to realize that for a lot of these guys working for these teams, like they're not thinking like fans. They have jobs to do. They're not going to be there to enjoy the fruits of their labor if they, if they, you know, enjoy a three and 14 season necessarily.

Rogers Realm at Rogers Realm. That's this, this is the guy. Highly entertaining. Yeah. I thought you didn't look at Instagram Reels making. I don't. I admitted one thing. has gotten through and it's this cat he's brilliant all right let's talk about this schedule shall we

how do we want to do this let's go division by division but which division we just start with i want to let's start with the nfccc dude we know where our bread's but i want to say like so much uh you know much ado is made out of the schedule release i think part of it is just because of where we're at where there's no fucking football all we have is you know the draft from a month ago and then the guys are in like phase two of offseason program which is just working out there's nothing like you know the the even the coach reporter scandals fizzling out so i do love to see some of the social media stuff that the teams put out the one that i like the most was the chargers they've kind of been killing it i feel like they've been doing the best on this i don't want to get in this too

much but i just love the halo three stuff i don't know if you saw that i thought i didn't what can you explain the the concept to me they just did like it man if you're not a gamer or it'll be hard to it'll be hard to explain but the halo three back of the day like man red versus blue it was like this whole internet culture around how big halo was and they they really leaned in to with their schedule and like threw some deep cut jabs and their routines and stuff that was my favorite one it was so halo you can throw the sticky grenades right that you toss a grenade and it sticks on somebody and then they they die they did that to bone nicks and attached it to his ankle oh shit that's crazy that's crazy funny yeah that's crazy funny yeah

Yeah, yeah. It was like tons of deep cuts. I saw the bills one just a minute ago, and I showed you guys this, but like, I think the bills, and we were just talking about this, have a superpower and that their franchise player is funny. Like, so you can just put him in skits. Like last year they put him in the stadium this year, he's like, you know, they're sitting in a pitch meeting for the schedule release. I thought they kind of, it had that Tim Robinson skit vibes where they were pitching car. ideas if you don't know if you don't know that skit you should go watch it you have no good car ideas um but but i i didn't get into the schedule releases to the degree i have in in years past good on you i skipped it good that's that's a good thing i mean the cardinals just totally mailed it in i was going to go through all of them and it started with the cardinals because it's alphabetical a minute

a half into the cardinals when i was like dude i'm not doing this there's just no way yeah it was like a Zoom meeting with the mascots with the chat bar on the side. Fuck that shit. Okay. Fuck all of this shit. Miles traveled. The teams who are traveling the most live on the sides of the fucking country. Knock me over with a feather.

Yeah. Yeah, but they're also going to fucking Australia making. You know, you got to factor that out. Elburn, week one. Okay. Schedule. Speaking of one corner of the country, let's do the NOCs. Okay.

Yeah. We'll start with the Eagles. What did they get? 17 games, I think it is this year. Two apiece against their division opponents? I think something to think about is like, I think of the schedule, we talk about rest. Let's start with the rest thing overall. The Warren Sharpe's been going on and on about this rest thing.

As the NFL goes to more of a like, you know all over the you know the weekly calendar whatever day whatever country like there's going to be inequities in rest time that's just i don't know how the NFL fixes that you know um but warren sharp was tracking rest deficits um he did it in 2025 he did it this year um i do think there's something to that it's interesting as players the the main thing we we did lament was like, hey, we got a primetime game a short week here. We got Thursday night football. Players hate Thursday night football.

You know, hey, why the fuck do we have two straight road games and then a prime time game after that? Things like that. So I do think this is useful. Yeah, in 2026, the NFL has done a good job per sharp. Eliminating three games in 10 days.

That's tough. Yeah. Reducing four games in 17 days to only one such situation. Reducing negated by weeks and reducing number of played after a road Sunday night or Monday night game. The delta, though, in rest is plus 15 net rest edge for the Chicago Bears, who have the hardest schedule, and minus 24 net rest edge for the Los Angeles Chargers. So I don't know how you make that more equitable, to your point, based on the calendar,

based on playing every day of the week, based on playing all over the globe, it's just not always going to be fair. What's more important is, does it matter? Not just week to week, but on a grand scheme. And all of this, the one thing that moved me was the team entering the year with the most difficult strength of schedule based on last year's winning percentages. The last team to win a playoff game was a 2016 Atlanta Falcons. I saw that. I saw that. And the Chicago Bears own that, that unfortunate. That designation. That's a long time. Now, I looked at that and I said, okay, well, that could be like winning a playoff game. Like that could skew a little bit.

But like seven and the last 10 teams didn't make the playoffs. Right. Right. So there is something to it. I do think that we get a little bit like too hyped up about last year's record. I think the more useful metric would be like, what are the Vegas win totals this year, say, about the schedules? But we don't do it that way. I'm sure somebody has done it that way.

And also interesting, Chris, as players, it's like, when you're a player and you get the schedule release, you're kind of just like, okay, when's the bye week? Do we have a Thursday night game? When is it? How cold are some of the games late in the year? Do we play on Thanksgiving? Do we play on Christmas? That's kind of all you really care about. And now in our retired era, we're talking about net rest edge and, you know, distance traveled and all this shit. It's like, God damn, when did this fucking happen? But I mean, you're talking about the Eagles a second ago, right? Or the NFC East. I'm looking at this graphic that we just threw up, which is the, this is the like the net rest edge graphic here. And they're at the bottom of the list. And I think one thing that kind of stands out for me is like they have like the birds have four teams that are coming off a biweek.

And I think that, I mean, that does make a difference, especially in week five. They're playing in London, come back and play the Panthers. in week six who are coming off a biweek like that to me is a combination of two very bad things you know so like while i don't put a ton of rest a ton of stock in you know rest i guess i'm not like as up to date on that but like that situation just fucking blows in general like from a player's perspective like you're flying you know internationally straight into a team that's coming off a buy week like that's about as bad as it gets yeah and it's interesting to go international and not and not get a by week following it you can still pick that though right and you

you can pick that like for instance when we get to jacksonville there's a whole other consideration they they had to build their schedule out based on like the Trevor bank yeah uh renovations they go like 40 days without a home game yep um i think the interesting thing when you look at like philly what's the key to success for this team next year what's the offense taking the next step because i think the defense has established itself under Vic Fangio as like a perennial top five to 10 unit right so you got a new offensive coordinator he's a young guy Sean Mannion you're trying to get the quarterback to try some things he hasn't done in the past you know the the start of the season I think is pretty friendly in that regard you know Washington Tennessee Chicago it gets tougher with L.A but the first three

weeks of the season you know I'm not saying it's seven on seven and Chicago had some really fun blitz packages, really tough on third down despite not having a bunch of big, you know, great rushers last year. But these are not, these are not elite defensive units to start the season. So that's one thing I look at is like if you've got a new quarterback, if you have a new offensive coordinator, like how does a schedule lay out for that player or that coach? You know, I think it's going to be fun to see them play the Bears because the other side of the ball, Ben Johnson gave them a pretty, a pretty, a pretty, serious ass kicking last year. I haven't seen the Eagles defense look like that in a couple years.

The way they played Chicago, the way Chicago had them chasing ghosts out on the field. Like I look to see Vic closing the gap in prep in that game. And then obviously you got Seattle, Houston, and then at San Francisco to finish before the Giants in week 18. That's not an easy deal. So the Eagles being a team that has won a lot in recent years are going to play a lot. a lot of prime time standalone situations and and they got a little fucked on the on the on the on the rest uh the rest delta this year but i think the cowboys the late by for me week 14 that's a tough one we talk about like by weeks just being able to get to the edge of the pool when you're struggling to swim week 14 is kind of late um they they end up with Baltimore and rio houston Tampa bay and

in a 12 days man hold on chris real quick they play it they're playing baltimore in Rio and then they have to turn out and play a road game against the Texans a week later like you're in Rio Baltimore flyback and then Texans like that's one team you do not want to play on the road like with that defense that's a tough fucking stretch for that's a tough stretch man that's a tough stretch and then you get the Parsons rematch in week six yeah definitely interesting giants end up with four prime time games four of the first six games at home which I don't even know if giants have a real home field advantage but it's better to have it early in the year when the when the hype is real right yeah when the stadium's full and and people are expecting a lot of the team you get the the the daniel

jones and the day ball revenge games you get dallas and you know philly to finish so for some reason they're in this race you know they're going to have a chance to to knock off two of the best teams in the division at the end of the season um yeah i i don't know what you make of the schedule you being the resident uh giants fan remember to pull pause. I like the start. Like the start. Yeah. I know home, home Dallas at LA Rams is no picnic, but Tennessee, Arizona, Washington, New Orleans, you could get on a little bit of a role. Giants similarly are facing a bunch of teams coming back from international games. Yeah. Which is, is, is, should be useful. But for me, it's impossible to predict. Who knows if

a week eight buy is going to be better than a week 14 by based on, who's healthy and not healthy when. So I don't know. I don't get too worked up about this. I think the Giants' primetime schedule is as much about the head coach as it is about the personnel. I know it's getting a little fun with Dart and neighbors. Scat. No, they're a fun team.

The NFL is hungry for the Giants to be good. and this is as close as we felt like the floor is raised yeah so so they want to put them on tv the thing you know you look at washington you talk about how you start the season how you start the season with an you know a new coordinator um trying to do some new things offensively at eagles at cowboys versus the seahawks do away division road games like to start to start the season that sucks man especially with like how their young quarterback's been playing are you know been all banged up and stuff like that's like right into the fire man in 2026 i mean shit they better be thankful that daniel jones might not be in in peak daniel jones shape because you're talking

about the you know you follow that three game stretch with with the colts division game with the giants at nineers uh by week eagles rams giants bangles holy shit if washington is in this thing in um in late november they're pretty good good team. If Washington is in this thing in late November, they are a pretty good team because that's tough. That is tough. So there's your NFCE. Let's move to the NFC North. We talked about the bears. This is the ultimate prove it year for them. This is the ultimate prove a year. You talk about having the rest advantage, but you know, you've got the second year quarterback who plays really well. Now by some metrics, people would say, hey, like if you look at the statistics, completion percentage,

that sort of thing maybe not an elite quarterback but but when the game was on the line he's probably the last guy you wanted to face last year ice man i mean he legitimately was and they have the toughest schedule at home seven stand-alone games seven standalone games um you know we talked about the the drought for teams of the toughest schedule the last last one to win a playoff game is Atlanta in 2016 so ultimate prove it year last three games in division that to me is is a nice opportunity for a team like that. Like we love to say as, as, you know, when I was in St. Louis and we always were out of it, we always did say because it was technically true.

Everything we want to do is still in front of us. The later you can say that into the season, the better. And when you've got three division games to finish, you know, your coach is telling the truth. Like you still have a chance to do something if, uh, if you're in, in the race. Fewest miles travel, Chicago Bears. Well, they're in the middle of the fucking country. 10,676.

Yeah. Hey. The thing, I was going to say, the thing that stands out for me, the Bears is like, they open up on the road against the Panthers and then they have three straight home games. Yeah. Like that's, I mean, that's always, if you can, you know, if you can rattle off three home wins start of your season, I mean, they got division game against the Vikings, and they got the Eagles, the jets, all at home.

They can, you know, go three and one. That four-name stretch, like, that's a, strong start for them man the only thing that sucks about that is like and i know eventually they're going to be the indiana bears and they're going to play inside in like the bears dome just so they can get more like justin biebert concerts and shit like it's so stupid but they're going to lose out on some cold weather games late in the season because they're going to be playing at home more so early in the season i mean that's a major advantage for them being at home late in the season they do host again two out of those three games in division late but the but the season ends with those three

division games and then you go to buffalo uh before that um so so yeah it's um i believe in the bears i do but this is a prove a year talk about a team that i still believe in the lions i still believe in the lions but the first five new orleans buffalo the jets carolina arizona respectively 28 eighth 32nd 24th and 27th those opponents are um in defensive dv oa last year so that's a big help for petting and I didn't include 25th. So, you know, if you average those out, it's definitely, you know, bottom third defense that you're playing pretty much every week to start the season. I know some of those teams will improve on defense, but that's helpful to a new offensive coordinator. And then the Lions opening the new Bill Stadium. That's a lot of fun. You get the

Ben Johnson holiday revenge game. Yeah. You should go to that game, Chris. The holiday revenge game? No, at, uh, with the bills. Thursday, September 17th. That's a Thursday night game. I'd fucking go in a heartbeat. New stadium. Jump through a table. I've never been to that.

I've never played. That's like one of the three or four places. I'm saying I've never played at a Bills game. Understood. It's fun, dude. It feels like a college game. So Packers, again, you talk about this like having an advantage of Packers, Lambeau Field, cold.

I think this is the inverse of kind of what Chicago has going on with three out of four on the road early that that's that's tough but if you're the packers you know it's going to be fucking colder than a well diggers ass marty in um in december you want to play at home and they are getting four out of five to finish at lambo uh they open with three teams with quarterback questions minnesota the jets Atlanta i don't mind this schedule for them i don't and they play good ball early in the season i feel like packers chris like what we were talking about earlier you know when you're a player you look at the schedule and you're like okay what you know we have a thursday night game like we play on christmas like blah blah blah the packers have a fucking ridiculous schedule this year

they have two thursday night games they have a friday game on christmas and then they have a wednesday game in week 12 against the rams like i was looking at this i was like how do you like i don't know you know how the the season is so routine based you know you have your you know your your tuesday off day your wednesday you know early down run about like how do you pre you pre you pre you know for that it just seems so bizarre to me I don't know it seems like they've kind of been and you got to have a very good sports science department you have to have progressive coaches that can think about like schedule making and a really I think about the Rams because I had Reggie Scott the trainer like they're pretty progressive in the way that they think about

player recovery and that sort of thing and sports science you know teams like that have a leg up in today's day and age of like how do we tackle this problem so yeah they're going to have to get busy in that regard. And then the Vikings who are going to be an interesting team. I think the most interesting thing about this is like, Kyle Murray is going to presumably get an opportunity to start the season, right? Who do you play off the bat? Like, how does that shake out for Kyle Murray? Like, is it a soft landing zone? You can play Green Bay. You're going to play Chicago. You're going to play at Tampa. And then you get Miami and New Orleans and Indies. So this is a total question mark for me. I don't know what to make of the Vikings.

but they do go to Mexico. There's a tough stretch week eight at Detroit, Buffalo, at Green Bay at San Francisco, two primetime games, giving way to two short weeks. We'll see. Let's move to the NFC South. Falcons, on the road, three out of the first four weeks of the season.

Could this be Tua's team? We will see. I actually is reason to believe that he might perform well. in Atlanta. I just want to prepare you for that. I want to brace yourself. I mean, they've got some talent on that offense. It's going to be playing indoors. If Tua wins the job, they maybe have three cold weather games the whole season. But as brutal as the first half of the season is, this team could be flying south for the winter early, dude. You've got at Pittsburgh, at Green Bay,

versus Carolina, at New Orleans. There's a lot of road games to start, as I mentioned. You got Baltimore, Chicago, San Francisco, Tampa, Cincinnati, Kansas City, and then get to the side of the pool for the by week. Cincinnati's in Madrid, by the way.

They're playing week nine, Bengals in Madrid, and then coming back week 10 and playing the Chiefs. You know, they kind of fucked themselves by playing so well last year internationally in that game against the Colts. Like, they did the league a big favor.

And so you kind of, You know, it's, we seem to do it once. We're going to expect it from you every year. They're going to put them right back in there. A circle week 14, you get Stefansky Bowl. And then week four, you know, kind of a like, why do we have New Orleans hosting Atlanta in a Monday night football spot? It was because of the 20th anniversary of the dome coming. That's when they were out of their stadium because of Katrina.

And then our boy, Steve Gleason, blocked a punt in front of a national audience. My hair is standing on end just thinking about it. It's one of the crowds in college, man, which is nuts, 20 years. But yeah, some Falcons, wrinkles in the schedules. Panthers snapped the streak, hadn't been on Sunday night football in a decade. They played Detroit ahead of a week five by. You also get the Caleb and Bryce Bowl looking forward to that. Saints.

Three prime time games, Chris, for your short king, man. The short king is he's earning his way into these windows, dude. He really had to earn. No, it's primetime game since 2016, which was Cam Newton's heyday. Yeah, dude. Panthers are relevant. You know, Saints, shuck, they, they, they, they slow burned him last year. They got him, they got him on a timeline that was QB friendly last year.

The first two weeks are going to Detroit and to Baltimore. So, you know, it's going to be like time to go right away for this, this offense and this, this team, which people are thinking are going to be a lot better. The bucks are interesting, Bo. three out of four early at home, which is a good thing because it's hotter than hell in Tampa, and that's a major advantage. But this team has fallen apart as the year is going on customarily. And I think anybody who watches the Bucks knows this.

Here's this stat. It's a Baker stat. Since Baker was their quarterback, 12 and 5 in weeks 1 to 6, and 12 and 6 in weeks 13 to 18, but in the middle of the season, they are 3 and 13. These terrible losing streaks that they deal with in the middle of the season, It's bad news for them. They've got to stop that shit. And six out of the 11 remaining from week seven on are divisional games.

So that's a good thing, right? You get your hot games early in the season at home at Raymond James. And then all your potential is backloaded. You can still win the division no matter what happens with all those division games late in the season. But they have the AFC North. That's a tough draw. And they're winless against that division. in dating back 2019.

And Chris, you're talking about how they've had their, you know, there woes with the middle part of the season. So after week four, they got the Packers at home, then they have a Thursday road game in Dallas. Then they got Steelers, Panthers, Falcons, and Bears after that. I mean, that's, they got to get that shit figured out because those are two, that's a stretch where, you know, like you said, they've struggled and that's a critical stretch for them with, you know,

two road games that are against division. Hard for me to figure out why they've struggled in the middle of the year. It really is. Abuka was very different, second half last year. The lineback in play was terrible, and people caught on to torching them in the middle of the field. Baker got hurt. Bucky Irving. But it's more than just last year.

But it's more than just last year. So, you know, NFC West, your Super Bowl champion, Seattle Seahawks. They're going to start with the Pats. They're going to beat the Pats. It could be ugly. And I like the Pats, again, but I just think, I just think. Too much distractions going on in Foxboro, Chris? It's, well, there's the problem.

The Pats last year were that team that had the easiest schedule. Everybody knows that. There were allusions to it in the schedule releases. People were calling them cupcakes or whatever. I think the Chargers did. The Chargers alluded to them having a cup. cake schedule, which I wouldn't really do that because they beat the dog shit out of you last year in the playoffs. But I think the pads are a good football team. I think they're ascending strangely,

but the schedule got harder this year. And it starts on the road in Seattle. And that is a really tough place to play when a team is raising that banner and the energy in the building is palpable. It's tough to go to Seattle and beat them. I don't think they're going to do it. I think Seattle, what they get out of the rookie back is going to matter because Charbonnet, early in the season is not going to be a part of the equation. Another interesting thing is the Rams and Hawks don't play until Christmas. Will, do you think, losing Clint Kubiak be for Seattle like losing Ben Johnson was for Detroit? I don't know if it's to that degree, but I think it's going to matter.

I think it's going to matter. You take away Kenneth Walker, Charbonnet is on the shelf. A lot of what they did last year was predicated on a run game that, you know, you know, you that could kind of keep you afloat and set things up in the play action longer developing routes that type of thing like the way they protect him is going to be important um i do think they take a step back at least early um but i still think they beat the pats uh and there'll be an adjustment period like like any any team is replacing the coordinator but the rams okay first five weeks melbourne melbourne and three primetime games and a visit to philly

that's that's tough that is tough it's a gauntlet that's a tough early you know um they play on wednesday Thursday and Friday in the second half of the season the schedule does soften before a nice by-week week week 11 that's a very nice buy week so and that's ahead of the Wednesday game yeah giving eve I noticed this this stat was interesting uh the rams will travel more miles in the first four weeks than 24 different teams will travel all season. It's nuts. Good thing their owner is absolutely loaded. Probably flies them well. And again, I alluded to this. They have the mindset. McVeigh takes care of his players. The training staff is real progressive. They have a mindset that they're going to try to keep the players fresh and

on the right page. The nice thing about Melbourne is you're not following a game going that far. Like you can get there whenever you want, you can be in whatever kind of condition you want to be to play that game. But it's getting back on the horse. I said this last week, you know, bet the week two opponents against the spread of the Rams and the Niners. Speaking of the Niners, they're going to start the season without George Kittle. I think that's pretty interesting that you have to, you know, plan around that. That's something that they're not used to. I mean, he's been hurt intermittently.

But to start the season without him is going to be interesting. And obviously, if you're a Niners fan, you don't love going to Australia to open the season. But dog, after that, home Miami, home Arizona, home Denver. So it's up a little bit. Yeah, it does. It certainly does. They're going to be on the West Coast lunch after that stretch in Australia. I mean, like you said, but, I mean, they're not going to leave the Pacific time zone that eight-week span until Falcons.

I think. Cardinals. Cardinals third hardest schedule. They'll probably be the sweepstakes leaders after week 10. That's all we have to say about that. Although I think they could be stubbornly tough. And for teams that want to see them, you know, one or two wins on the season.

Jacoby Brissette might have different ideas about that. They thought they helped. They thought they were better after he took the reins. I saw the center last year. They did. And, you know, like, if Kyler Murray was the quarterback of this team starting the season, what would your outlook be? I mean, seven, seven, eight win team, nine-win team.

They thought they were better with Jacoby Brissette. So, um, look at their first 12 games. Like, they can beat the Giants. Come on, man. They can beat the Giants. They know petsing pretty well. They get Detroit at home. Um,

Yeah, they're going to have to do a lot of work on the back half. Back half the season. They could end up with five, six wins. That's the way this thing. They could. I don't think it will. No. Maybe not.

I'm seeing the jets. I'm seeing, you know, people's quarterbacks get hurt. Some big quarterbacks available in that 2027 draft, though, the Cardinals. Hey, hey, pimps. Would you rather play a primetime game on the road or at home? at home sure yeah

at home for sure of course are you sure the plane ride back from a primetime game on the road is terrible that's the part that no matter when to lose

well yeah because the game ends at like one in the morning like you're just not going to sleep and if you don't go to sleep till 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. after you do the hardest thing during the week like that totally messes your your whole rhythm up and you're still feeling that like try that now

you know as an older person No, I'm not playing any football games, but I think being old kind of like, kind of like, kind of controls for the delta between physical activity. Like, I feel like shit now. I felt like shit because I was playing earlier, but now I feel like shit because I'm 41.

Stay out till 6 in the morning. Don't even drink. Stay out till 6 in the morning. See how the rest of your week goes. The Buffalo Bills have two Monday night games on the road. Yeah, that sucks. In a Sunday night game on the road. That sucks.

That's not great. It's a tough schedule. Speaking of the bills, Houston, Detroit, Chargers, Patriots, Rams, Baltimore, Minnesota, all before week nine. That's a lot of aggressive pass rush, a lot of man coverage, a lot of blitzes. You better have your shit tight. They are making it hard on the bills this year. Lots of primetime games. Kansas City on Thanksgiving, which is fantastic because it gives the NFL insurance just in case the game suck early in the day.

You're getting Josh Allen and Mahomes in the evening. The Pats, road warriors, three out of the first four on the road. Welcome back to having a normal schedule, not the easiest schedule in the history of football. So we will see. I don't know what else you see on this schedule worth talking about. It's a tough start for them. I mean, you mentioned that they're on the road, but yeah, they got four. Goodbye week as well, week 11.

The Jets, there's really nothing to talk about with the Jets. You know, somebody mentioned their interception streak still alive. Like, when does that end? That's probably the thing we're looking at. I mean, like, Cam Ward doesn't throw a lot of picks, but he is aggressive. It could end week one, or it could end week five against Cleveland. The Finns, three out of four on the road to start with a new quarterback, including Minnesota. Good luck.

I still think the Finns will surprise some people this year. You get the Green Bay homecoming for Jeff Haffley. Let's move to the AFC North. Baltimore Ravens. They are on the road a lot early, but defense travels. I really believe in Minter. I think that they're going to be better defensively. I don't think it's the toughest stretch in the world to start the season.

They get a late by. What weeks they're by? 13. Yeah, so that's not ideal. but I kind of don't mind their schedule. Schedule's not bad. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Sincey, Pittsburgh. Yeah.

So I don't hate Baltimore's schedule. I think Sinci got a really physical stretch early in the season. They have struggled, remember, in the month of September, and they're playing Tampa, Houston, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville. Damn. And, you know, the physical stretch between Houston and Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh, is just, they're hosting KC, which is something they haven't done.

Yeah, they haven't played customarily. This is a real treat for us. And they're also hosting Baltimore in a primetime game. The NFL low-key kind of took them out of that primetime window. They only have three. I don't know how many. They have three?

Is it two or three this year? Four, if you count the Falcons International. There's just not a lot of prime time windows for one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. We need to come out with the word that's kind of like prime time, but very much not. Stand alone. But not standalone for the morning games. Stand alone. Prime time.

Hold on. Breakfast football. Something that don't say standalone. Don't say standalone. Stand alone. 30 is scheduled for Cincinnati. I think Cincinnati's going to be good this year. Shocker.

I think they're going to be good. Steelers. I need to win some fucking games in September, bro. I'm over it, man. Come on. I'm not over it because I'd hate to jump off. the bandwagon this year and all of a sudden they win the division which steelers big gamble putting them in so many primetime windows this is crazy this is the ultimate like parlay situation for the NFL like

they are just pushing all their chips the middle of the table for aaron rogers is going to be 43 years old in december we do like erin rogers being on the field for the steelers but boy this is a gamble paris two sunday night football thursday night football monday night football i mean not to me it's hard staying up late, dude. At my age, it is hard staying up late. I'm imagining being 43 and having to be up that late five, six times a season. That might matter. Yeah, you're right. They do. Well, now he's got the old ball and chain, too, to deal with. What ball and chain? Well, his wife. Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. But I don't really refer to a wife as a ball and chain. More like, like, um. Easy to get along with Macon does. Yeah.

Yeah, exactly. Last 18 hours. Browns, easiest schedule in the league. Easiest schedule in the league. We'll see. AFC, some Browns fan is going to be like, what the fuck? All we get is a we'll see. This is a schedule release pod, dude. You've got to earn it.

AFC South. Houston, three out of four at home early. They're a tough team to play when you're getting your shit together. Defense is usually ahead of offense in the NFL, like in training camp and that sort of thing. like defense is always ahead of offense. We'll see if that's the case because three out of four at home early, four out of six on the road to finish. That's the trade-off.

But dog, three out of those first four at home is Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott. No, I understand. That's where you want to play them. You want to play them. And they have had Buffalo's number. They have had Buffalo's number. And I don't know if Dakota Prescott has what it takes to go in there.

and get the job done against these Houston Texans early in the season. But I do think Dallas is going to be good. Indy, tough to start the season at Baltimore and at Kansas City, Houston at home, at Washington, London, then at Pittsburgh. Jonathan Taylor, get your wheels warmed up because Daniel Jones is coming off in Achilles. Like, yeah, you got to run the football. Hey, dog, suspect the spread. Bill's at Texans, week one.

Texans by one and a half. Bills by one and a half. Okay. That's interesting. Public team. Yeah. Well, they adjusted for that. So Indy, we talked about that.

I think that's going to be interesting to see how Daniel Jones comes off that injury. Jags, Cleveland, Denver, New England, Eagles, and Houston, all before an early by. Defensive tests there. Renovations costing you 40 days. One home, two games in London. Back and back. This is Red Flag City. And I'm not doing this because Nate, when he comes on the show and he's, you know, Mr. Jags and everything, he's going to think I'm trolling.

Yurt. But this is, is the schedule brutal? Europe? Like, are there a lot of fat? And this is also that team that, like, caught lightning in a bottle last year overperformed. Are they going to, are they going to be this year's Washington? Hey, it's not, hey, hey, buddy. It's not prime time.

It's downtime. down 10 in the morning downtime on Sunday primetime games that's right for the jazz and then then you get the Titans here I'm excited about the Titans

Jets giants Colts Browns they could have four wins by the by dude they could have more wins than that by the by just naming some teams I think they could beat they get the Raiders can I say one thing about the Titans schedule real quick Chris just talking about the Packer schedule

from a player's perspective how you're like what the fuck like when do we even play Thursday Wednesday dude tight in schedule uh all of their games are on sunday 15 of their games are at 1 p.m. they have a buy in week nine it's about as vanilla as a guess you know straight forward yeah a liar that's great they're in that zone where they're they're they're under the radar enough we know they're going to be better but the league is not asking too much of them because they're not marketable yet in a year they might have four prime time games dude i'm just telling you this

this quarterback man i mean not that this is a you know you know a secret. But I'm going to be betting the, I'll be the sucker, and I'm going to bet their win total over. On the guitar strings on both their sleeves can't be overstated. No, they are overstated on the sleeves. You also get a Derek Henry revenge game. And then our last division, the AFC West,

what is all this talk about the Broncos being persecuted, Reed? People are saying, oh, hey, the Broncos have to go on the road. They shouldn't have to because they had a good, and it doesn't matter. It's just one game. Yeah, it's one game. That's just one game. You know, one game to start the season, big deal. Nix is coming off an ankle.

I think that's the most important thing. Like, what Spag's going to throw at him week one? Like, I'm really interested to see that. Hey, on the internet, is that what his leg really looks like? No, that was Alex Smith. Okay, chill, dude. God damn, you're looking Alex Smith's leg? That's why I ask.

All internet professionals over here. Clickbait. Listen, get to the buy in good shit. and you can really reel off some wins if you're Denver. I mean, before the buy is tough, okay? Really hard front half of the schedule, one of the easiest second half of the schedule. Yes.

Now, I'll say this, the Chiefs, it is so important week one that you, and they got a brutal schedule, but they're good. The Chiefs are going to be good. It is important that week one you regain control of this division. It has not felt like they've had a vice grip on it, the last year or two, especially in this matchup, right? And I know that that's just a year or whatever,

but like it feels like five years because of what we're used to with Kansas City's dominance. Like they need to reassert themselves in that matchup. That is a huge game. It's not just one game. It's a division game. It's, you know, and there's two teams in your division now that they could legitimately win it.

And Denver is one of them. But, you know, it's a brutal schedule for the Chiefs, Just look at it. Dude, check out this stretch. I mean, I was looking at their Thanksgiving game, you know, at the Bills. And then I was kind of, my eyes were gazing after that. But they're playing at Buffalo for Thanksgiving. And week 13 after Thanksgiving, they're in L.A., playing the Rams on Thursday night football.

Then they're at Bengals. Then they're playing the Patriots at home for Monday night football. Then they're playing the Niners. And then they're at Chargers, week 17. Like that is a gauntlet that starts on primetime Thanksgiving and just continues through the through the end of the year. Now that, you know, the one plus is at that point. Hopefully Patrick Mahomes will be in Patrick Mahomes form. It starts week 12 and Thanksgiving.

But damn, that's a fucking hell of a run right there. An early by week two, week five. Boy, boy, what do the chiefs do the NFL? Not enough, apparently. Yeah. And so Chargers, you get the, it's two interesting ones. like two of the teams that have just have uh curb stomped them the last couple years in big spots you get the you get the pats November 29th uh Sunday night football and then you

go to Baltimore for Monday night football um I'm bullish on the Chargers and uh you know it felt like just yesterday I was saying never again but uh they're addictive you know home Arizona home Vegas I should be 2 and 0 well let's just get off to a good start justin uh because then you got a good chance though in seattle and Denver and kansas city needs to be 2 and then and then the rams and then houston and then baltimore whole good it needs to be to and out for that's got to be in the running for toughest stretch golly that is a murder's row so if you think about it right the a fc west is good like it's a pretty deep division no question and like it just feels like their crossover games

to our tough man. And so that's another thing. Like when we talked about the Rogers thing earlier, and I didn't mention this, I think the Rogers thing means, means more to the teams in division. Them not tanking could cost two teams that could be in the running for home field advantage,

realistically, you know, the easier path, the two automatic wins in division where you're playing a team that's Drew Aller quarterback or something like this. It's not going to be that easy for those teams. teams. And, you know, it definitely could end up. You think about an AFC power that's not in one of these brutal divisions. Okay, I think the AFC North is tough. I think the AFC West is tough.

You think about a team like Houston, if they, if they got going, and they're in the AFC South, and maybe Jacksonville takes a step back or that sort of thing, or Tennessee's cagey, but they're not, they're not a 10-win team like, or an AFC East team. The Pats take a step back. The Buffalo Bills. It's tough of their schedule is. you know, the ascending nature of AFC West supporting cast and Pittsburgh not being willing to die. And Cleveland may be having an easier schedule, getting better. If you're trying to be the number one seed in one of those two divisions,

it's going to be tough. It will be. So anyways, that was the schedule. Raiders. Oh, Raiders. Pull it up. I'm so sorry. Raiders, Dolphins.

Donnie, Burroughs. week one that's gonna be fun that's gonna be fun that's a bevel conway if they if they play it right got a couple of bevel conways early if they if they're played right well the dalton's won't play it right no they won't um but i don't know shit that's a late buy week for a for a young quarterback you know i this this begs the question like who do you start to the season with run it run it up to the top here Miami, L.A., New Orleans, Kansas City

New York, there's just not a there's not a soft landing spot for the QB. Week 12. Well, that'll be Kirkland. Chains early, right? What is that what we're anticipating? What are we anticipating? Kirkgo early? Yep.

Aren't we, yeah, we're anticipating Kirkgo chain. But usually we try to spot the soft spot where you would put the quarterback in and Big brain right here at Cleveland. Give them a buy week the next week that's one two three four five six games to watch them want to start them off against miles garrett i think we start

him um sunday october 25th hosting the rams against that ferocious pass rush baptism by fire and then you get the jets on the road you don't want to start the guy on the road

jets san francisco murders row for two weeks you get cleveland I mean, listen, you got to play the kid at some point. What are you going to do? Wait until the by week? That's tough. I got no problem with waiting to the biweek.

But they're not going to do that. Week before the biweek. I think it's going to be earlier. I do. I think it's going to be earlier too. I do. Shit, maybe it's New Orleans. Maybe Kirk's totally shot physically, and we don't know it.

Maybe it's week one. Maybe it's camp. Listen to this. Listen up. Maybe his camp is nails. Yeah. We got to start this guy week one. Yeah.

Well, I'll be on Twitter seeing practice throws. See how he's looking. I know we have, Macon's got to go. He works for a living. And we've got Zaire Franklin. From T-shots to game-winning goals and buzzer beating baskets make every moment unforgettable with BetMGM. BetMGM gives you access to second chance promos, odds boost tokens, same game parlayes, and so much more. Check back every day for new promos and offers to take advantage of.

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All right, back again. About two years to the date, time flies. We had Zaire Franklin on in 2024, and now he's back and he's a member of the Green Bay Packers. What's up, dude? Bless. Glad to be here. Good to see you, as always.

Great seeing you, man. I think the last time we talked, see, if you remember this, me and Bo at the Super Bowl, all fucked up. Yeah. Trying to connect you and Kelsey, trying to squash the beef between you and Kelsey, dude, on the phone. Yeah, we sent him a middle finger for sure. Yeah, that's what it was.

That's what it was, a little selfie. You know what's so funny. I actually stay in so much beef that I forgot that the Kelsey thing even happened. We got an old lineman on our team, D.K., he was on the Eagles, and he brought up, because I guess when he had got to the Philly, that's when they told him about me and Jason's whole squabble. I'm like, I stand so much. I got too much beef out here. I can't keep up.

I got love for Kelsey. My only thing what Kelsey is, I just see, like, I'm happy for Kelsey. He's a Philly legend. There's nothing but respect. He's obviously one of the greatest centers of all time. My only thing with Jason is If we're ever in Philly And we just had like a dive bar together

We ever just end up being at some We gotta just run a fair one-on-one fight That's just where I'm at But other than that we like super cool Or you guys could run it You ever see that you're seeing those things on online Now where those dudes and like the Polynesian dudes Are running 100 yards at each other

Did you seen that shit? Yes I have that's TT waiting to happen Oh not waiting to happen It's happening brother It's happening. That shit is insane. As a football player, there's few things that make me like, no, I'm good. That's definitely one of them.

Yeah, dude, just a good, just a good, friendly fair one, and then you make up and then your friends again. Yeah, because I actually have the clip. I had to tell them, I told the story of everybody. I showed them. I did threaten Jason, though. I did. I did.

You know, it's joint practice. Timbers of the record. I did do something and then walk through the whole. line and say do something about it right and then jason obviously did something about it he did something yeah yeah well i seen the video too we don't need to talk about the video was great but based off the video it's like all right just give me a fair one that's all i really you guys i mean holy shit and he's like a little tank dude you know so if you don't really see him coming it you know yeah i mean he had 30-yard build-up like like again just let's know it's

mutual respect because i never put the video up absolutely well the thing is people forget you're like a, you're like a Philly guy and everything. So this is just not supposed to be, this isn't supposed to be an issue. And it's not because we squashed it Super Bowl week. This is what I do. I extinguished beefs, man. Then you got any other beefs you need extinguish? Like, what do we got?

I got a lot out there. I'm gonna leave that B though. I'm gonna leave that B. Drake out my villain phase right now. But you and Tigger good after that whole thing? Yeah. I mean, I got nothing but love for TIG in 520. Like, you know what I mean?

Dog, I love that fucking podcast. Yeah. They're so good. They're so good. We were just talking about podcasts before he came on. I just think Teague's got a cool brand. Like his brand is not, he doesn't seem like one of those ego guys until he, he started taking shots at football players.

Yeah. Yeah, but Teague, and I'm going to tell you, 520 is elite. I ain't a lot. I love that show. I love all the guys. I love the whole cash out of Lou, Mike, you know, all the guys. They treated me like, you feel like family until the last day, I guess. But, no, I love to see them win.

I ain't go a lot. I really do. I like Behan and DJ. I still root for them. I just see they had someone with Colin Carrow. Like every time they got something, I'm a fan of like they organization. Because I just like Tee because he from the city, you know, he got us homies that he grew up with and he genuinely like puts that city on. So I just respect that about the infamitya whole situation. And he was a really good player. I think he was super underrated. And y'all are both underrated players in my opinion. I mean, you've had the accolades all pro and that sort of thing. But I still think underrated when I think you. And I think about it with Teague too. too. But that's great. I mean we're going to talk about podcasts and all day. I think 520 is great. But I'm excited to talk to you about Green Bay, man. Traded to Green Bay. One of the things I found interesting was the process between you and Ballard, because not every process is like that. It sounded like he was kind of like, hey, Zaire, like, let me know what teams are on your short list. I'll try to get you there. What kind of went into that for you? Yeah, you know, I would just probably say, you know, when it come to me in Chris relationship,

I think, like, me being an indie for so long, I think it was one of those things where I had an influence on the team before they even knew I did or even understood I did. It was kind of like, you know, my third year or there, I was voted a captain and I was playing zero defensive snaps. And they just kind of like, why the hell is Iyer Franklin the captain? You know what I mean? Like one of those type of things. Yeah.

And, you know, just kind of as I grew and progressed, you know, I wasn't, and I'm be honest with you like, Chris, you know, there's guys in the building, they kind of run back to the GM all the time. You know, that's just kind of how they handle it, you know, with a GM or a coach. You know, I would go talk to Chris once a year, literally. At the end of the year, me and him would sit down. But, you know, our conversations was always direct and honest,

you know, on both sides. And, you know, we had our conversation and stuff like that. And I just felt like, you know, a lot of times he told me a lot of stuff about myself, you know, off the field that, you know, helped me grow. So I always appreciated it. So, you know, just kind of when the opportunity came up, you know, obviously Green Bay has really been, even when I went to free agency the first time, Green Bay had been trying to trade for me for like six years. Guddy said that this is not news.

Like, they've been literally trying to trade from me before I was even starting. Really? Oh, yeah, Green Bay has been wanting me for a long time. So them getting Gannon, who I was kind of hoping he would maybe come into indie. But I was looking to get back with Gannon anyway, so it's just all worked out. That's awesome, man. And I mean, like, so many times you don't have a say, and, you know, you put in the work and you're almost a decade in.

You end up in a new place you don't want to be or that sort of thing. But the fact that they want you there, you know, like that means a lot. Like, you know, because as a player, I might not be everybody's cup of tea, but it sounds like they had coveted you for some years. So that you probably felt that when you walked in the building. No, no question. I mean, the thing is, like, you know, Green Bay, they just been the youngest team in the league for the last two, three years, you know, so it's funny.

They really look at me like the old. I don't feel like that old. Isn't that funny? I don't really think that. I'm like, why y'all think that I'm so much older? But I get it. When I talk to every single person I'm me, I'm like, damn, what is this for you? They're second or third?

I'm like, damn. You're unk, dude. Are you unk? No, I ain't unk. I'm big bro for sure. Come on, bro. You're onk, dude. I heard they lowered the standard for unks.

No, they didn't lower it. They raised this. Look, I'm big, bro. I ain't unc yet. You feel like me? I ain't there yet. I think I'm north of Unk. Yeah, you are. You are old.

You're old. I think I'm north of Unk, dude. You old head, man. Old head, dude. But it's funny because, like, when I played, the league was getting younger after a couple CBAs, you know, the vets are less common. They try to get younger and younger. I remember being 28, 29 with the Rams and having the closest parking space at 28 years old, dude. And I was like, you know, that Green Bay team, I think it's interesting you bring it up because,

it's a young league now anyways for them to be the youngest. I mean, that wide receiver room, you know, with Wixie and all these guys, I know Wixie's gone. He's in Philly now, but like that was a young group. You had a young quarterback the whole thing. I mean, that's cool, though, to walk into the building and be that vet.

Well, it's cool, too, because, like, you mentioned the receiver room. Like, they're all really good players, too. And it's, like, it's cool to see, you know, because I was with Kenny and Pid and Buck and Grove. Like, we were together for a long time. So, like, it's cool to see these guys, walking in to their first big money. You know what I mean?

Shout to the Jay Reid. Jay Reid just got that bag. So, like, I know what it feels like when y'all all right around their tuck, right around that time, you know, Kup, like, it's a lot of good, why, a lot of really good young players that's like, you know, they just got it one more time and they, you know, now they they're making, you know, however much. So it's like, it's cool to see, you know, just like that growth and, you know, you see that vision for these guys.

But it's a lot, a lot of talent on this team, though, for sure. No question. Starting on the defensive side of the ball, I mean, I'm a big. big Reed fan, you know, you just mentioned him getting the bag and everything, but you mentioned Wyatt, big fan of his game, the guy that I'm really excited about, and I don't know if everybody knows, but if you watch the Packers play, and people are expecting me, talk about Michael Parsons or something I will, this Cooper guy is a fucking dog. Yeah.

What makes him so special or potentially so special? Man, he's just rangy, you know, he's just, he's that linebacker that, you know, he's that, you everybody's coveting now, you know, physical, long, he's taller than I thought he was, bigger than I thought he was. And, you know, even like, it's funny because when you go to a new team, I'm watching some of Green Bay's defense just to learn the guys that I'm going to play with. And, you know, he's physical, he's nasty. You know, he got something that in him too.

So I just feel like our games just complement each other perfectly. It's kind of how, I won't be too messy, but it's kind of how I always seen some of my years of Andy going, with just him being. like just a rangey, you know, you know, athletic guy and obviously me being more style and physical. I just feel like it's just a perfect compliment, you know, just kind of going forward and just really something to build, you know, the defense around. Not to walk you into, you said, messier, but I don't want to do bulletin board material, but I feel like y'all have a shot at being, is there a team with a better off ball middle

of the field than you guys? No, there's not a, no. I'm literally, I'm like, I'm not joking. when I got traded, you know, he followed me, hit me, you feel me, just showing love. And I told him, I said, listen, we got to be the best linebacker in the league. And, you know, I love, like, being at Green Bay, like, already just because, man, it's just such a real standard of winning and tradition of winning.

And, like, I'm the type of person, like, man, put the bar up here and let me live up there. Like, you know what I mean? Raise the bar for me, raise my expectations, raise my standard, and make me, and force me to get up there. You know, I love that type of stuff, but, you know, I just told him, I'm like, bro, like, in order for our defense to really go get one of them banners, me and you're going to have to be the best, too. Yeah. You know, that's what we've been working towards.

Obviously, you know, some things I want to, you know, I don't want to preach to him too much as only me, you know. But, you know, he's a grinder, too. He's putting that work in, and we're pushing each other to be better. So that's all you want. And the safety's behind you. Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, McKinney is an established dude. He was established when he got to Green Bay.

but I think, I think damn Evan Williams is, is ascending. Like, leap on air, for sure. I mean, he's a real versatile player. He's kind of a Swiss Army knife. Yeah, him and Bull. Him and Javon, man. It's just like both of them on the opposite side. Like, you know, I love Ev.

I think, you know, another, you know, physical young player. And that's what I'm saying. It's so cool to see these guys, like, you feel me, they at that point where they really realize and understanding who they're, you know, are in this league like you know they got that confidence because they made plays on big stages and big games you know and now is at that point where are can we come together as a team can we believe in what you know we're going to run and who we're going to be and really take that next

step to go get that you know get them two trophies behind you know what I mean like to me that's what it's really all about I want to get to my I want to get to Mike I got to ask about Micah but I'm excited about you and JG Jonathan Gannon getting back together Obviously, he didn't work out as well in Arizona. I didn't think he had the personnel to employ his scheme personally. Now, he's made comments alluding to, hey, my scheme's going to change wherever I am. Like, I'm a player's coach. It's about the players and their skill sets.

But what are the foundational things as you understand in this scheme? Man, you know, JG, first of all, I think he hit the nail on the head. You know, he's not the type of person who lives. who lives and dies by a system. You know what I mean? He's not one of those guys that's just going to come cookie-cudder and make everybody adjust to how he sees football.

Like football doesn't exist in multiple universes, which I think is great. He's already just been implementing and putting things in, for me personally to play my best ball, you know, for Edge to play his best ball. Like you mentioned, X, Evan. And then obviously, Michael Parsons, is going to be put in the best position to be, you know,

the best version of himself. There's the scheme right there. You need Javon Hargrave, too. I'm going to give Jvonne, you know, some love too. He hasn't, you know, we haven't met necessarily yet, but I've always been a fan of his game. I know who he is in that middle, you know, a big guy like that that can move like that.

I haven't been around a couple of them, you know, so you don't just get 10 sacks by accident, so, or however many he had. So, no, he, JG's definitely committed to putting guys in the space to where they're most effective, you know? Yeah. And I think, you know, just where all that comes, together obviously with his experience that's what's going to make it special when you look at the schedule release i know with the d lineman we were talking about this earlier me and beau like what we

would think about and there's some universal things like bi weeks and rest time or do we have an international game what are the things you look at when you see the schedule come out well first of i'm always looking at week one you know that just sets my intention you know in the offseason and leading up to the schedule release i'm just very self-scout and very internal learning a defense learning myself pushing myself but once they set that opponent for week one now that's that you know you know who we who we need to look at who we need who's on who's on the hit list necessarily so that's just kind of where I'm at you know figuring that out but also too you know when I see that schedule release man it just you know just goes to show you know the type of organization that we

are part of first of all like that you that you getting put on these stages you know that's not nothing to blink at you know like that's saying something everybody not not on Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's a little different, you know. You know, but it's a responsibility to come with that, you know, and there's nothing wrong with, you know, expectations, you know. Pressure made diamonds, that's what you want. So I ain't going to lie when the schedule release.

I found out we had that Christmas boy. I mean, I was in the wait for doing astronomical things. It just turned you up a little bit, turn the music up a little higher. Like, because we got a party to go and get to. But, you know, we're going to take it one week at a time. We're going to get to it, you know, focus on getting better every single day. So that's really the intention.

So you actually, you get a little fired up, getting to play on, you know, Thanksgiving Eve. You get the Rams and then Christmas Day, Chicago. You're not thinking about, hey, how I'm spending my holiday. It's a work day anyways. Come on, baby, it's the NFL. The NFL is the holiday. I know, dude.

When I was growing up and my dad used to play on, you know, holidays or whatever practice or whatever, he used to tell me and my brothers that Christmas was like a totally different day. That's smart. yes but we'd go to school and be like hey merry christmas and fucking people would be like hey fucking christmas i don't know what you're doing in your house but they would move holidays around your brother might be a little like off like how y'all didn't know exactly dude i don't think i could get that off of my son i ain't go like me up dude you're like yeah yeah my son's four he was like yeah if i don't do this i'm like we're getting any gifts on christmas i'm like man it's may He's thinking ahead, dude.

But you got so, like, you got two holiday games, you got six primetime games. It is. It's a privilege, man. You know, like, I'm sure every year in Indy wasn't a bunch of prime time games. You're probably not really used to having this many. My last Thanksgiving game, my last Thursday night game was Matt Ryan versus Russell Wilson, Denver at Denver on Thursday, That was my last Thursday, and the score was like nine to six. The Denver game was a legendary rock fight.

Stefan Gilmore made the game winning PbU and they said Indy never again. Dude, I love that game. I love that. I had a great game. We won, so I was cool. I think you did ball out, yeah, dude. But, I mean, I like those rock fights. You all were definitely, but you don't have, like you said, I mean, there's a couple ways of looking at it.

I think the hard thing about prime time games, though, was this. and I tell people this, when you go on the road to play, a Sunday night or a Monday night game, that really can fuck your week up a little bit. Like, you know, if you don't get your sleep on the plane, if you're getting home at 7 in the morning, you know, a lot of these coaches don't give you rest on the back end of that thing,

that's where it can get tough doing the prime time games, in my opinion. No, I agree. I agree. I would just say that kind of goes with being intentional. You know, I feel like, you know, this team, you know, just since I've been here literally day one, every single, since I walked in that building for the first day, every single thing has been about winning the championship. And they're not afraid to say that.

You know what I mean? Like, we've been in teams and had a year where people are afraid to say championship. You know what I mean? I love that about here, you know? Yeah. And so that being said, I just feel like we're on a bigger path. So understanding that, you know, optimizing to taking advantage

of our schedule and making sure that, you know, the guys are ready to play. That's gonna be priority number one. I have no question about it. Definitely. And then you being a vet, I mean, like, you're probably figuring out ways to take care of your body that you didn't think about when you were younger and all that stuff. And, you know, like, I mean, I'm not making you out to be an unc, but, like, you're a little bit sore at 29 than you're at 23. And let me ask you this.

Here's one. And this, this, I'm fucking dead serious about this. When I was picking as a free agent late in my career and when I went to Philly, part of it was a we play on grass. Yes, 100%. 100%. I love the grass. Bro, yes, 100%. I ain't gonna lie.

Every team that I was considering actually was grass, believe it or not. But it's funny because it's funny you said, because I'd be telling Koot, I'll be like, I'll be like, Kube. He doesn't know it now. I know, he's going to this 30, he knows nothing.

So I'll be like, cool. I'd be like, the things that you forget to do sometimes, like, oh, I forgot to roll out or I forgot to stretch this more. I get the cold time. Every day. Yeah. Yeah.

It ain't no bill. I forgot to get a massage. I just showed up. Like, nah, no. I'm coming back to the facility. Do it again. When you go home, I'll be back. No lie.

No lie. But that's the love of it, though. You know what I mean? Once you get kids, you learn how to wake up real early. So it is. No question. They always said there's two elevators. There's your physical and your mental elevator.

And like when you're in your prime, they're here. Right. So like your physical elevator, your recovery, all that stuff goes down as your. And what? what you don't know you don't know when you're young like coop he has no idea right now because he's just so fucking athletic right you know but that's just the game that's the way it is but but you got the perspective of being almost 30 now and picking a team based on grass i tell people on this podcast all the time it really matters but chris the crazy thing is though like i'm gonna be honest with

you like it's such a different situation because like last year people don't last year i had surgery I wasn't even walking at this point last year. I didn't start running until maybe a week or two before a training camp. That's too cool. And like literally I missed with a new scheme, you know what I mean? And I don't live with excuses. I really don't. Like I don't put that in my world.

But when I look back and it's just like it's cool this year to be able to like work forward. You know what I mean? Like I'm getting better rather than I felt like all last year, even like up into the first four weeks of the season, And I was just trying to get back even. I was just trying to get back to myself, let alone be better than I was the year before. So, like, I'm just thankful for the health. You're thankful that I'm able to compete and go out there every day.

I don't think people understand that just because you're cleared to play doesn't mean, like, you're good. You don't feel like yourself until you really get in the groove and you get, like, a month or two under your belt. At least that's the way I feel like coming off surgery and that sort of thing. Literally. And then lose schemes, lose schemes complicated, right? I ain't go lie I was definitely the most complicated scheme

I don't got no complaints but it was one or more complicated schemes I ever played in it was good though he got some he got some heat in there I ain't gonna lie you do he seems cool too yeah he got some heat for sure

seems like cool dude he came on the show one time he actually told me he's not a morning person he's a he's a true New Yorker he's a true like every mean dude you ever met on the New York train at East Pizza that's Lou

I ain't gonna lie so I appreciate that though I appreciate it for me yeah Well, back with J.G. And one of the reasons you're, I mean, you've spoken on this, and I'm glad you did because I think the guy's really good. But I think for some reason, the football world doesn't want to give him the status he deserves.

Jordan Love. You said one of the reasons you ended up in Green Bay was Jordan Love. I think he's one of those dudes. He's got a chance to be one of those dudes. Like, what is it about his game that excites you? You know, first off, you know, just the ability to make all the throws, you know. Man, he's got, you know, he throws a beautiful ball. You know, the deep ball, obviously, is going to keep everybody on their heels.

And he's got a guy to throw the ball, too, and Christian Watson. So, you know, I just feel like, you know, he's just a part of that growth, you know, and it's cool because, you know, we were connecting the other day. I was telling him how I didn't play for my first four years. You know what I mean? Like, I know what that felt like. And we was laughing because it's like when you were a guy and you was the first runner, wasn't you? Yeah. Yeah, so I hate you a little bit.

Yeah, it's ingrained in all you late rounder guys. When you were a guy that had to wait years, like to even practice. Yeah. You know, to even run your own scheme to like, man, once you get out there, you're like a kid that had to miss recess, you know what I mean? So

I just feel like his growth and his maturity, just moving on and as he continued to build his career, he's definitely special. And it's cool. Every time on my timeline, I see another joint love highlight. I love that. I love that for me. Yeah.

No, I mean, the guy can rack it up. When he's on, he's as good as anybody. And yeah, you mentioned it. He can make any throw. He can make any throw. And it seems like a good dude and a hard worker. So, yeah, franchise quarterback for sure. You get to see Chicago twice a year.

I got a figure playing against Ben Johnson. I don't know that you have. Last year, y'all didn't play Chicago. I have. I played him when he was in Detroit. In Detroit. The middle of the field seems like a tough place to be when you play a Ben Johnson offense because of all the window dressing and all the eye candy.

Or do you think it's simpler than people make it seem? I mean, with Jared Golf, maybe. Jared Golf is a little surgical. Yeah, he's surgical. I don't know. I mean, I played Caleb. It was probably like his third game. So he's probably grown a lot since then.

I mean, obviously, Ben Johnson is one of the better play callers than the league. you know, he's had success. I love it. When we get into vision, bro, hey. It's funny because it's real beef. Like, that's a real beef, like, but they don't know. I'm a real, like, gang member. Like, I really love that shit.

So, like, I got to kind of ease my way, because I can't just jump in to something. I ain't been there, you feel me? But I'm waiting for the moment, though. I really am. You're in a real funny spot because you want to jump in. Yeah, I do. But you're like, well, I haven't hit anybody in this uniform.

Yeah, so I don't enjoy it yet. Yeah. But also. I can see the look on you. This is what I love. When I talk about the bears, and I'll ask you something about the lines too, you're just going to be like,

yeah, kind of fucking unimpressed because they're in my division. I can't really fucking, I can't gas them. I love that, dude. Like, who are we going to see him? That's great. All right.

Well, let me ask you this. Jemir Gibbs. Mm-hmm. You kill me. Hey, Javier Gibbs. One of the most. valuable non-quarterbacks in the league would you agree yeah most likely yeah for sure i like him bejohn it's a lot of great new running backs in you got bejohn last year i'll give you one that maybe you can praise

because in alana you saw bejohn in germany uh what makes him so tough is it is it just the stop and start bijan yeah man bejohn's got that elite contact balance yeah like you really have to hit him square wrap him up like he will balance you will balance you know you will balance you guys he will off of a tackle and redirect. He's a true receiving threat out there too, like one of those guys that can line up and run an option or will or, you know what I mean? When you cover in them and the quarterback breaks contained,

you gotta cover them for 15 seconds. And man, a lot of, like that home run hitting speed, man, like that type of stuff, like you really can't leave a slither out there. But I would say when I was studying B-John last year, and we obviously got him again this year. His contact balance to me was like, it's up there, like with Cameras and all those other guys. The way he's able to bounce off a tag was it could keep going, keep his momentum. And like you said, start up again and accelerate.

Like that's rare. That's rare area he got. And it's hard to know until you actually hit the guy. Like, you know, you watch him on film, but like you probably didn't realize like how hard he was to get down until you actually like get a, what you thought was. I don't say he's going to say. I'm sure you got him down. He's a good player, though. Yeah, he's a good player. I ain't going to say all that.

compliment over you're like fuck bro compliment over giving him a minute of no he's a beast gives is a beast i just don't know how in today's game like backers you guys got it tough man like there's just a lot of great receiving fucking running backs now and like think about the way the offenses are sideline to sideline you know when i got in the league linebackers were still like 260 it felt like things have just changed a lot and i don't envy you all that you know i don't envy you all right you know job, although it would be pretty cool to be a starting lineback for the Packers. All right, well, tell me this. You played in Berlin.

We're talking about Bijan. Are you anti-playing international, or do you think the league's getting kind of like OD with that? You know, I think just from my business side, you know, I can understand, you know, the desire to grow and expand the game internationally. You know, the more the game of the football grows. we all benefit. So from that standpoint, I understand. I think you got to be intentional

with the travel specifics. Last year was the first year in Indy that the players flew first class. Before that, the players was the economy and everybody in the staff and the coaching was in first class. So it was like opposite. No, I know.

This is the bullshit that I'm talking about when I, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. That was crazy. Like, even like they would bring their wives on the trip and the wives were saying first class that we would be in the economy. I'm like, that's out of pocket. The coach's wives are in first class.

That's what it was now. They changed it. But that's what it was, though. That's what it was. And they got like the Matt Pryors of the world back there and coached, dude. They give them a whole row. It's crazy. No, they did that in Philly too.

But you know who didn't do it was Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick put us up in the front like we should be. Bill was back in coach, bro. If the goat is in coach, like I'm pretty sure any other coach should be in coach. No, for sure. Bill probably don't even like all that space, though. He seemed like... No, he doesn't... I don't know. Yeah, exactly, dude. No, Bill was a sick coach.

He actually, like, low-key took care of us in a lot of ways, but that's a big pepee for me. And the international thing is tough because I don't know, man. Jetlag is a motherfucker. You talk about a team playing in Australia? That's absurd. I ain't gonna lie. That, to me, that's where I feel like what are we doing a little bit? because it's not an exhibition type of ordeal. It's not boxing where we could just show up and have this match anywhere.

There's a lot that goes into this. And even, too, like, you ruining guys' entire pre-game routine. I got a whole weekly routine about how I go about this stuff. That's where I'm saying. That's what this stuff kind of gets tricky. But, excuse me, Germany was a great host. I love playing in Berlin. That was probably one of the highlights of my career, if I'm really being honest.

It's fun, but it's something that you're like, at least for me, going to London was like, I did it twice and I was like, I don't need to do it five times. Yeah. I'm really glad I did it, you know, but just not every year. I'm going to take a stab at a couple people from last year to see what you thought. And I know praise is hard to come by, but you blew out the Titans twice. You're not in this division anymore.

Maybe you can speak plainly. How good can Cam Ward be? I thought Cam Ward had an extremely, like, undervalued. rookie year because his receivers just dropped the ball the whole time. I agree. Like, I'm not going to lie. It was times when we played them. I remember we played them the first game.

They're like on the fringe of the red zone. We got a blitz. We don't necessarily drop the right way. He hits his tight end square in the hands. He drops it. A lot of Titans might score. But he just flat out dropped. His receivers and tight ends dropped the ball more than anybody else I've seen.

So I thought Ken Ward was actually especially, obviously, he got to learn how to play on schedule. and all that stuff. That's, you know, kind of part of the growth of a young quarterback. But I do love Cardinal Tate over there. I think that's great for him. Yeah. I think Cardnell was a great young receiver from Ohio State.

And I think he's going to be great. Definitely helping be in that deep ball threat. They got the young kid from the Giants. Yeah, yeah. Kind of as a slot guy. Juan Dale. Yeah, yeah. He's going to be a good player.

Obviously, he's going to get more opportunities in Tennessee now that he's, you know, he's a money guy. He's being featured. so, you know, his production will match. And then I always was a fan. And I gained a lot of respect, honestly, for the running backs. Tony Powell, when he came in, has and bowels him. And I like Taji Spears a lot, too.

Yeah, it's a good group. I'm just a bit. I'm a fan of Cam Ward. I think he just carries himself like a fucking adult. Like, I don't know if it's the fact that he was at, like, four schools or, you know, spent five years in college. But, you know, to me, he just seems like he's got it. And he's a strong dude.

I've seen him shake off some tackles that I'm like, you talk about contact balance. There's just some guys are hard to get down. Yeah, I mean, he seems like one of those guys. You got him, though? Did I get the kid? I tried to get a dirty sack. I came out of coverage and got on one.

And I sent it in, but they didn't give it to me. Damn. We all race to put our hand up. Dude, that is the thing. Everybody fucking does that. And people who don't play don't know this, but it's almost like in a D-line room, the code is, if you didn't make the play,

Put your fucking hand down, dude. It was three of us on that one play. Three guys. Yes. Everybody. Everybody running away from the pile, bro. So which team would you hate to see win the South? Like, who was Jacksonville the rival?

I absolutely despise Jacksonville. I hate everything about the city. I got first cousins in Jacksonville. I hate the city. I hate literally everything. I don't even. City's too big. I don't really get along down in Jacksonville.

I'm beyond, like, I do not like Jacksonville, like, at all. Like, Trevor, like, every time, like, we would go down there. He just had this worst fucking laugh at, like, because he's just like, it was just weird. I hate it going down. I hate that place. If I never go there again, my life is made. Honestly, I got that Jacksonville. I only want negativity for them.

Honestly, I really do. I wish my co-host was in here. Dr. Fax, who you see on the clips, he's a Jacksonville fanatic. Is he really? Oh, he's a fanatic, bro. I thought we were going to fight during the Bills and Jags game because I love the bills and he we were screaming at each other he's a fucking he's delusional yeah he's delusional I really do um it's crazy you played Pittsburgh Rogers just made the news he's he's in it one more year

the only be I don't want to say I don't want to disrespect him but they beat you because of the turnovers it wouldn't like yeah what did you see you he's 43 years old this December I think the arms still there big time it's just they got to protect him arms for sure there him and being with McCarthy is going to be significant, in my opinion. You know, I felt like not that he was necessarily handicapped because, you know, I do think that injury, you know, kind of brought him down the earth a little bit, to be honest, but you know, disrespect to AR, but, you know,

I definitely think him getting back with McCarthy being able to be in a system where he's familiar with, they speak the same language. It's not so much of Aaron presenting plays that he likes, you know, that everybody's got to learn just because Aaron likes it rather than it's like, oh, McCarthy and Aaron have had success running these plays. Let you know, let's implement that stuff. I know they upgraded the receiving room. Shout out to my guy, Michael Pittman.

Pits a beast, dude. Pit is perfect. Like, it's funny because I feel like the guys that left Indy went exactly where we should have been, like, or should go. You know, Pittman, he's a, he's a California kid, but he's weird as shit. Like, yeah. Farms, like, he loves being outside in the cold. He's going to be out there with no sleeves and a turtleneck. Like that makes sense.

Like, that's my guy. Like, we fought a bunch of times. You know, that's my boy. I love him to death. But I feel like Pittsburgh is like, he's a tough-ass player. That's like the perfect city for him to go and play. Yeah, he's like a blue-collar guy. And I think he's going to help them a lot blocking, dude.

Like, you know, you can tell he's definitely willing to stick his face in there. Sure. And that's short and intermediate stuff too. He's going to be able to do more in Pittsburgh than he was able to do indie. And obviously, D.K. is out there. and Freedom of too. I like Friedman. Yeah. No, I think they're going to be pretty good. And if Rogers can stay in one, they just have to protect them.

I thought it was, by the way, I had Latu on last week. I love Latu. Dude, what a stud. I love Latu. What a great dude. And what a, like, if you know Ball, like you know Ball, you've watched Rushers your whole career, like, he's got a multitude of moves. Yes.

Like, he's a technician. Yes. I think he's going to go off. this year. Yeah, true pass rushers. Like, it just, I feel like people don't understand. I feel like the same way that they give quarterback's grace as they grow in development of the league, I feel like you need to give the same thing to pass rushers because it's truly an art and a skill. Like, people who don't understand, like, when you're in college, even if you plan, you know, pro-level, you know,

type of talent, you're still that much faster than them. You're still stronger than them. Like, you know, but when you go up against a tonsil, when you go up against, you know, Elaine John, like, bro, they don't care about all, like, bro, they're going to put their hand. Like, it's just a different situation. You got to grow into it. I think lots of, I mean, then he had three picks last year. That was, like, different.

He's like, I talked to him a lot about being a ball guy and just, you know, like expanding a game. I feel like the sacks is going to come just because that's where he's talented at, but, like, I just love how, like, T.J. plays. T.J. Y., like, catch the pick, the pig. the fumbles like that stuff really changes games like don't just get the sack go and change the game that's the thing that's hard to teach you know the the rush you develop and certainly for me two years i think i had 10 sacks my first two years total and then the next four i had 40 you know it's just like you

make those jumps you have those realizations but then as far as the ball skills are concerned you kind of either have it or you don't like either you have a nose or you don't for the football and that's the one thing when you watch Latu, getting in the passing windows, getting a hand up, finishing a TFL rather than being the guy that disrupts it where you clean it up, he's finishing it. Like he's just a good football player. Anyways, a tangent to say, I really love interviewing him. I thought he was a fucking great dude too.

He's the best. He's like one of those best. Like, it's so funny. So last year in the locker room, oh, I had, so before we played Kansas City, I had the whole defense come over my house. Like, because we were coming off a by after Berlin, we were number one team and like going to play Kansas City at Kansas City off the by felt like an anointing. Like it felt like we kill the Kings where we could be the new Kings, you know? So I wanted to get the whole defense together.

I had the whole defense at my crib. It was a good time. And leaving somebody took somebody slippers. So one of my teammates went home without shoes. So I'm like, bro, like I'm going to see and everybody out. I'm like, bro, how you leave without shoes? They like, bro, somebody took my slippers. And they was, like, really pissed about it.

Like, yo, like, we're going to find out, like, who took my shoes. And then we found out it was a lot to. And then, like, everybody just was like, oh, all right. He's good. He's good. It was an accident. Like, yeah, lots of who could do, like, oh, lots of such a good guy, like, water under the bridge. If it was anybody else, no law, Chris, I would have to break up a fight.

No question. No question. But also, like, who's wearing shower shoes to your house? Well, that's my thing. It was, this is November in Indiana. like put some shoes on that's how i look at it but i can't judge i don't know what it's it's a socks and sandals thing in november that's crazy um how fun was the rivers thing i know it wasn't a good situation but was it like crazy to be i don't want to i don't want to i don't answer the question

in the question but was it fun to see a guy who's got a chance of getting a gold jacket like coming out cold and like kind of just slinging the ball around i know he didn't have the arm tiling anymore but y'all damn near won a couple of those games i mean And fuck, dude, you go to Seattle. It's 1816. He lit it up on Monday night. Was it weird? What was it?

I'll probably say for me, I mean, now I love Philip, like, probably the best teammate I've ever had. Right. I've only played with him for two years, but he just loved being a teammate that much. And I have that much legacy on your name and be so down the earth and just be so willing to just meet anybody where they're at. And he just loves ball. So I love seeing Philip there. And obviously, we were in a tough situation, so we appreciate him coming.

But I don't know. Like, I loved him coming. You know, I really wish we would have got that Seattle game. You know, I talked to Philip a lot before the game, and I knew. I'm like, bro, it's just going to take one hit for you to get up and know that you're okay, you know, and then you're going to be in it.

And that's really all it was. Like, they got to him one time, and he dirted it and he got hit. But then he got up, it was like, I didn't break. All right back. Let's go play. You know, I thought it was cool. We really should have won that Seattle game, but I don't know.

Like, it was cool to see Philip there, but, you know, we was in the middle of a losing streak. I really wanted to, like, win the game, you know? Yeah. It was cool. And I was glad that Philip was getting those flowers because he really deserved that, you know, both off of his career and the things he'd been through. But at the end of the day, we're here to try to compete and get to the playoffs and win the championship. I feel like I focused got a little off, you know, towards the air.

Yeah, well, it's hard. I mean, like, you guys have such. try hopes and you guys were legitimately one of the best teams in the league and then all of a sudden the rug gets pulled out from one of you and like as a team and as a defense it can be hard because you kind of try to sometimes you try to overdo it you know like you you play you try to do too much you know you guys can be trying to try to make the play the wins the game because you get impatient with the offense or you know all the sudden changes or whatever like you just all the sudden like the stability of complimentary football gets taken away.

And I, you know, I've certainly been in those situations before, but I felt for y'all because at one point, I did think you guys were legit Super Bowl contenders, and it probably felt that way. We was. And it was, I would say, that's probably, you know, one of those we're going to look back in what if type of thing. You know what I mean?

You know, Danny, it's like in, again, I'm telling you, like that's, that Kansas City game felt like the season. You know what I mean? You know how when you're in it, and it's just like, man, like, every game felt like, that's just where we was. Like, we were just such a week-by-week team, so like every game felt like it meant everything. So when we found out Danny had something going on, it was like, hold on, bro, like, we need you for this game, you know? Looking back, it's like, damn, like, maybe we could have said him, you know, or figure that out.

Obviously, Anthony being hurt, I think, hurt the whole situation. But, yeah, no, you feel me? It was cool. Like I said, I really wish we could have got that Seattle game defensively. I feel like we should have closed it out. And then I knew he was going to light up San Fran because he played against Gus and solid his whole career. his whole career was going against that defensive to charge. So we knew they was going to light it up just defensively.

We couldn't do our part. He was killing him, but those uniforms are so fucking ugly. The black and, uh. Holy shit. You look like Duke. Did you not, dude? Were you trying to make those work? I love the black helmets.

I really wish we would have did some of the black helmets. So I love the black. I got two of them. Don't, sorry, Frog. But I love, well, yeah, I got, them black helmets was like that, though. Well, on TV, maybe not similar from where I was sitting. I was seeing Duke. And you'd be an ACC guy now.

You kind of know what that means. So, well, now Duke's pretty good. I just want to finish with this because I've asked you a million football questions. I know we talked about basketball the last time you're here. Who are you hoping wins the finals, man? We got game one of the Western Conference finals coming up, I guess, tonight. I take it one day at a time. That game seven last night was terrible, dude.

It was terrible. It was awful. And I'm a next year. fans so I feel pretty good. Oh gosh, no. What's wrong, dude? Let me just say, bro, first of all, and you know it was crazy, I wasn't even going to do this.

But like, yo, like Josh Hart and like Jalen Brunson, let me just say that. Jaila Brunson is a real dog, so I don't got no this dog. He's a like Jaylen. Jalen brunson is really that boy. I ain't got no disrespect. He is. And y'all did my six-ers. It's cool. It's cool. Y'all did my sixes. We didn't even expect to be there, so you know, congratulations.

Yeah. Josh Hart, talking about Philly not a sports town. Like, bro, put your chest back in, bro. He's trolling. You're not that guy. He knows that's not true. I know that shit hurt my feelings when he's the, because they did, the six are so bad. I can't. Because they're Nova guys. I can't. That's what I'm saying. I'm like, you were part of it.

Like, what you're talking about? But I know, that, that ignited me. Like, every time I see it, I had to lock my phone because I'm like, I'm a professional athlete. I can't be arguing with other guys like this, but. You know what happened? That was out. He can't, he can't speak. He can't speak on Philly like that. That was a little disrespectful. But it's cool. I get it. They did it. So what can

we say. But that's fucked up, but you know what happened probably? He loved being in Philly. They're all Nova guys. They come back. Somebody, people are talking out of pocket to him and it hurt his feelings and so then he lashed out instead of just being like, hey, it's

part of the game. But Chris, yeah. You played in Philly. There's four professional teams there. Of all the teams there where New York feel like they could take over, is only one team. I hate to say that that can actually happen to. It's just basketball. They're not doing that at no Flyers game.

No. They're not doing it at the link. I don't know if the Phillies, I haven't been enough. They're not doing it at the Phillies. And the Yankees not coming down. I'm just saying like how they took over and they do all the stuff with rock. Like they're not. Oh yeah.

It's just the Sixers like this. But like you feel me? But again, they did my six. So I'm really sorry. So you're anti. You don't want the Knicks to win. I don't want the Knicks to lose. Like I put the Knicks are currently in the same bucket of Jacksonville for me.

Okay. Wow. Yeah. Currently. It's a little person. Like he made like Josh Hart made it personal for me. That's what I'm saying. As a fan.

So this, so Josh Hart holds the cards for you that Josh Hart is going to ruin your home. I like Bunsen game though. Like, you feel like I'm a team USA guy. So like, you know, Brunton, we need you to bring back the goal. But yeah, Josh Hart, he took it a little far for me. Okay. So in order. This is me speaking as a fan.

So in order of teams you hope win, who are you hoping wins down through four is the next? You said before the next? Who's your number one? Who do you want to win the finals? I think I want O.KC to win just because Shea going back-to-back MVP, you know, for him to go back-to-back MVP champion finals MVP, that puts him in rare air.

And I feel like I'm one of them dudes that appreciate and accept greatness as it comes. So I would love to see him step into those because he's going to make a lot of people uncomfortable. He's already making people uncomfortable with these back-to-back invo-vPs. Oh, dude, there's some uncomfortable. conversations happening. Yeah, there's some conversations that's probably going to need to come up around SGA. So I'm rooting for them. I probably Wembe.

And honestly, if they don't get it, I would love to see. Just because I love Wemby, like, Wimby's got that mentality that I just respect as an athlete of just wanting to be better, want to be the best version of yourself. Like when I see Wembe and I hear him talk, like, it's inspiring the different things he's willing to do or try to, you know, go after to, like, truly maximize himself from a mental like all in one he's one those dudes that believes in the all in one like mental spiritual physical all

aligned to be great I love that about Wemby so probably him and then the Cavs just look like boring even though I do like Horton I would love for Horton to get it but you know what I like Mitchell I like Mitchell a lot but the thing you said about Wembe it's kind of ironic

he's in San Antonio because I think Pop who doesn't get to coach him but like met him on the tarmac after he threw that fucking halasia's elbow like they really they really that he's the right kind of guy for that program like you know what I mean like you know he wasn't just the the best prospect it's kind of like the best place for him with pop still involved in any in any way and I would love to see if the Knicks don't win it which it probably won't uh I would love to see pop see another title because like he doesn't look that good you know like you know his back's so fucked up it guys

going through it but I'd love to see him see that like the torch has passed and that that program because that was a great program man even though they beat my Knicks in the 99 I think it was 99 or 2000 finals swept us but yeah no I I I'm pulling the question I wanted to ask you

was and I love Anthony Edwards but what the fuck is going on with the handshake thing? Oh him shaking people hands eight minutes left? Yeah yeah I don't I ain't first of all I I didn't watch. I don't know why. I knew that had the chance to be a great series. I didn't watch one game of it. I don't know why it was just. Because it's late? Because late at night? Yeah, you shaking everybody in hand. I mean, I don't know. Maybe he just thought they was truly the

better team. Maybe that's where maybe that's how he carried it. Maybe he just thought they was better than them. I don't know. Eight minutes just sounds like a lot of time though. There's just this debate about football players and basketball players and how all the guys on, uh, on, on, what's the name of Richard Jefferson and Chanting Fry's podcast, road, road tripping. They were talking about, again, how, like, they could all play in the NFL. And I'm like, yeah, it doesn't look from a mentality standpoint. You're saying something, too, though, like, and even think about that, though, like, Wemby, and that's one of the reason I do love Wemby, though, is because it's like,

think about the type of guy that goes to a program like that, and embraces that culture, and embraces that history, embraces the Tim Duncan teaching, the David Robson teaching, the pop teaching, and doesn't just go and says, okay, I'm some generational prospect from France. And obviously I can do things that none of them can do. You know, but he wants to be a part of that. He wants to be aligned in that.

And I feel like when you go to an organization like San Antonio, like a Green Bay Packers, you know, I feel like that helps, you know, with the success. Okay, Wembe. Okay, Wembe. I can pine now, Chris. Don't, dude. I can get my shit off.

Yeah, dude, I know. One of the best on and off the field, man. It's good to have Zaire Franklin on the fucking show again, man. Hey, good luck this year, man. I'm sure we'll talk again, but come on after a win or something like that. No, 100%. Got to. Yeah.

Yeah, man. And yeah, enjoy. Don't eat any of that Hollandeau sauce. They put on everything up there. You see that white sauce they put on all their breakfast and everything and on their eggs up there? Yeah, don't try it. Stay away. Just don't.

It's fucking disgusting. They put it on everything. Have you not had a meal up there? I mean, I hit, I win the, uh, legendaries. That's the wing spot out here. Okay. I hit that on. And then I hit, uh, downtown, what's the breakfast spot?

Creamery. I think we went to the Creamery, too. Z, appreciate you, dude. I'll catch you soon. For sure. Appreciate it. Thanks, bro.