NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - ATN Owners Meetings Day 2: Les Snead, Dan Quinn & John Harbaugh

Episode Date: March 27, 2018

A room filled with heroes- Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Gregg Rosenthal & Chris Wesseling- are live from the Owners Meetings in Orlando, and sit down with Rams GM Les Snead and his wife Kara Henderson, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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That's Spartan.com backslash Around. The Around the NFL podcast is in litigation over courts of thunder.com. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis. I am joined by the room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and. And Greg Rosenthal, what's up, boys? Hey, Dan.

Day two, show two, from the owner meetings in Orlando. Oh, this is great. Anybody have anything to say? Day four, really. I'm getting a little wistful here. This will be our last production that we tape here in Orlando. We've had a lot of people come through here. We're going to drop some interviews on Thursday's show that we taped here today.

We got so much content. How have you liked your time here in Orlando, Chris Wessel? You know what? Talking to the coaches and the one GM that we spoke to, it was more fun. They are extremely nice guys. They are very football heavy in their interests in life. Maybe we could have gotten a few more, you know, outside interest, comments and thoughts from them. Well, they might not have them if you're referring to some of the individuals I think you are.

Yeah, they might be football. That's one of the takeaways I've had. Football 24-7. Yeah. We have them for 10 minutes, too. Mark, at any point, jump into the show. I'm just sort of letting it all seep in. You know that you're on with us, right?

I am on. It's funny, because we're sitting in a room and there's six seats, and I'm separated by two from the other three, and I do feel that way, but I've had a great week. I think we are showing the effects of, you know, we've been doing this for a few days now. There's been some early mornings. There's been not super late nights, but, you know,

later than we would be back at home. Not Cold Town work, but also, you know, a bit of a grind. It's been grinders, like Gruden grinders a little bit. We've been very tame on the party scene. Yeah, it's been tame. I'm just saying, I think you're seeing some of the fatigue showing up. We learned about each of these coaches. I mean, I love these coaches from a distance, but I don't really know any of them.

And I think it's cool that we spent probably about 90 minutes plus with these guys. Yeah, I now feel like I know everything about all these men. And, like, I can make total judgments about their character. We're much closer to that point. It only takes about 10 minutes. We're much closer to be able to full judgment and being correct in our judgment. I entered Central Florida. Dauphin, sorry you're not making the playoffs.

I entered Central Florida playing football checkers. I exit a chess master. Wow. All right. Coming up on today's show. Oh, yeah. You know him as the NFL network insider. Ian Rappaport's joining us.

Good stuff. Also, you're going to hear from Les Sneed, the general. manager of the Los Angeles Rams as well as his wife Kara, former NFL network employee and also now married, did I say wife? Married to less. It is the same

thing hanging out with him as his wife also married. Longtime anchor of NFL Total Access was a reporter on NFL Network, you know, for newbies. Stud. And also, don't forget about oh yeah, they call him the Rage in Irishman, Dan Quinn.

And he's like, I'm my own one-man bling-ring. John Harbaugh. All right, let's get into it first, though. So stupid. Let's get into the news, though. And to do that, we will welcome in our first guest. Let's do it. Here he comes now.

He was at the Combine. He did a nice job. So he said, grab him in the hallway, bring him back. He is the heartbeat of the news operation for NFL media. He's in that select group, that Forever Fraternity, The Insider. Ladies and gentlemen, Ian Rappaport, the rap sheet. It's hard to take it seriously with this music going on. I mean, I know, like, that was a good intro, and it was, like, drama instead.

stuff, but it's really, I feel like it's just like the beginning of like a love scene or like a redemption scene in the 80s movie, you know? Greg Likin did it's like a Skinimax feature. It really sounds like yonnie, like through the looking black. It's funny you imagine. It does sound like the McRoover love scene, which is one of the most touching. And just to make it clear to the Shadowy League figures, it is not from McRoover. It is from stock cleared music footage.

I'm looking directly out of Shadow League figure. into the eyes of all right rap sheet you're the man with the news and and you started monday morning with a bang here at the owners meetings you're on good morning football and you tweeted it out uh odell beckham and the giants it's it's turning into what i would classify as a tense standoff rap sheet reported monday uh on gm f that beckham will not play without a new long-term deal, Ian, I'm going to quote you from that program, he's not going to set foot on the field without a new contract agreed to whether the Giants or whether anyone else, interesting. Your thoughts.

Expand, please. Yeah, it's interesting because it really shouldn't be surprising, right? Like, we've known that it feels like it's a big deal. And when I heard it yesterday, I sort of took it like a big deal. it should be obvious. Of course he's going to want a new deal. Of course he's going to need security before he hits the field. You know, last year stayed away during most of OTAs.

And it was kind of a thing, you know, was it contract, was it not? Like, of course it was. But this does seem a little different. And I think what, like, my read on this is this is Odell's leverage. This is his only way to take control of the situation and try to, like, have some say. Like, and if, like, what the Giants did, see. It seems pretty clear. Like they mentioned the words

Odell and trade in the same sentence. Don Mara, their owner. Their owner. In front of cameras. Not like, didn't pull anyone aside and whisper it. It was like on camera with the lights on, on the record. And whenever you use those words together, you're going to get trade speculation.

And I'm sure he knew what it was going to be. And so, you know, that to me signals the giants are at the very least open for business, open to listen. And, you know, Odell's. Sort of way to handle that is to say, well, if I'm going to get traded, I'm going to make sure I'm taking care of and I go to some place I want. And so that's his leverage. And that's kind of where we are. You think they're trying to scare him a little bit? I mean, like putting that out publicly. Odell trying to scare the John Mara. Putting that out publicly has to be a message at Odell on some level that, hey, you're tradable. Yeah. Yes. And I asked a giant person that just basically like was this sending a. message and the response was no it was he knows where we come from anyway he if he doesn't get the message by now then like what are we doing right and so i think it's beyond like call him in

him talking to it's beyond sending a message to the media at some point it's like is this going to work or not and i think that's kind of where they are is like are we going to go forward or say we had a great player and it didn't work out and he's ready to move on and so are we and john marr also had a comment where he basically said, I'm tired of talking about Odell's behavior. And it was, you know, he came here and pulled no punches. Well, good luck getting a contract done. He's going to want $20 million be the highest

paid receiver in the league, which makes sense considering what he's produced. But he's coming off of an injury and has all this stuff that the Giants aren't that happy for. Like, what are the odds they even could possibly coming to an degree? It reminds me of a lot of the last time there was a super talented mercurial, wide receiver that

was entering the final year of his deal. You go back to the year 2000, the Jets and Keishon Johnson, and had a standoff that was very similar. They almost get a deal done. It falls apart. And then the Jets trade Kishan to the Bucks for two first round picks, which I don't think would happen today. No chance.

But O'Dell also is a way better player than Kishon was. But Kishan was viewed as one of the top wide receivers in the league at that time. I'm wondering, I know this is, you know, you get excited. It's like, oh, O'Dell could be traded. But it doesn't seem crazy to me if they could get back something big. But we don't think it could be a bounce. do you like that 18 years? That's about Browns.

Come on, Cleveland. So what, but then he'd have to want to go there. And he'd have to want to say like, I'm, Jarvis Landry's there. That's true. Yeah. There's also a lot that's not there, though. Right. There's not a long-term quarterback there.

And you can say they're going to draft a quarterback one or four, probably. But you don't know who that is. And, you know, O'Dell, I think his reputation is worse than he actually is. Like, he doesn't seem like a guy who whines all the time about getting the football. Like, I think. that's at this point everything he does is magnified so much that I don't think he's really like this however putting him on the field with a rookie quarterback who's never played like that's you know that's a gamble for him so you know would he even would he even do that and then it's like

let's say you're the giants you're not going to get two ones but what would you be willing to take that would make it worth it to trade away a like generational talent a receiver like what would actually make you say all right we we're okay doing this two ones or a top five pick because O'Dow Beckham is the best receiver. Depends on your frustration level with the guy who's the most talented player every time he steps on the field. And, you know, judging from beat writers over the past four years, what the Giants have said, what their coaches have said, this guy has to cause head, ear splitting headaches almost

every week, it seems like. Yeah, it's been, like, kind of fascinating because he's not, definitely not a bad guy. He's different. He's just different. Right. Like, it's never been like, you know, I mean, we, he had the dog celebration thing, which was, I think, generally annoying, but not necessarily bad or mean-spirited. Like, you sort of had to be in on the joke, and I don't think everybody was.

Planet O'Dell was in on, like, the kicking that joke. That was a big hit on Planet O'Don. That became highly tedious, very fast. But at least he embraced his, like, the ridiculousness. But no one's question is competitiveness. Not at all. He never, it's never like. So get over it.

You have a Hall of Fame player that you just drafted, make it work. I used to say that, too, but it is possible that these guys are so annoying to everyone that they come into contact with that you just can't take it anymore. Well, let's track this. We're going to continue to track the Beckham because it is kind of a fascinating subplot around the Giants. And speaking of the Giants, they made a big trade. One of the top players on their defense in recent years, Jason Pierre Paul, JPP, was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a third. round pick in 2018 number 69 overall and the fourth round pick number 108 a fourth round pick goes back to Tampa as well Ian I'll start with you on this one too was this something that

was surprising around the league or was it known that JPP might be on the block it was known that the bucks were looking for a pass rusher like at one point I thought they were I can't remember what day was the combine but like I thought they were going to trade for Robert Quinn and then it ended up being the dolphins the next day. But I kept hearing that a buck's deal was going to happen. And so I thought they were real close. And so then, you know, they end up signing Vinnie Curry, but they're still kind of snuffing around on a pass rusher.

And this is one where like it's a big deal. And when it happens, like, whoa. But it actually makes a lot of sense. Not great scheme fit. You know, it makes a lot of money. He's not maybe quite what he was, although he's still. really good, but I could see the value not making sense. It's just from the giant standpoint, like, you know, a third round pick is good.

Like, that's, like, a legitimate getting something back, but you're paying all the money this year also. Fifteen million in dead money on New York selling cap. Clears two and a half million this season on the cash. And if you're the bucks, like that this is a move that an organization makes when the guys are worried about getting fired, I think. I mean, which makes sense that Jason Light's been there. Dirt Cutter, you know, barely survived.

Mike Smith last year, and you signed Vinny Curry. They have to win this year, and they sort of know it. And I don't think, I think it's a good move for them, actually. They get a, that's been one of the worst positions in football for so long, and they get two pretty good starters. I don't understand how it's so, how it's been so bad. Like, they have talent. Last year, they had one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL who they ended up firing after a year.

You know, and it's just, I mean, it's, it's been surprising how they've struggled to make that work on the whole defense. struggled in general. It feels like someone on their defensive line, they just take turns getting injured every week. They're never healthy. Right. And their linebackers last year, too. Kwan Alexander was out for a while and Beckwith was out.

But they've got my attention now with this front seven. Their lineup is intriguing. I mean, they spent last offseason focusing on offense, adding players on that side of the ball. And now they're doing on defense. But you're right, Greg. If it doesn't work, I mean, it's surprising to a lot of people that the coach is there this year.

Whenever a team sucks being on hard knocks, it's hard for me to get in on them the next year. I think they were good on hard knocks? No, I thought they were great, and I thought they were promising. Oh, so? It sucks after being. I thought you meant actually, because I thought that was a pretty good hardnogs. Oh, yeah, no. I went after that season finale, I was like, oh, 19 and no, no problem.

Yeah. But it didn't work out that way. And they, in fact, quite the opposite. They were a dreadful team. But we'll see what happens with an approved team. But the last two games, James was healthy. They had no players, and they looked pretty good. It's funny how those week 17 or the last couple weeks end up making such a difference.

I think it helped, as we heard from Adam Gase. I think it helped, not from Adam Gase, from Andy Reed. I think it helped the Patrick Mahomes and Alex Smith trade happen the way that Mahomes played in Week 17. And I think that Bucks win, because I've heard this from a few different people talking in Tampa, the fact that they beat New Orleans in a game that New Orleans had to win in a really exciting game. Like, I think it changed this season for the Bucke. I just wonder if Bengals, too.

Is that a good thing, though, to focus your decision on one out of 17 games? Well, look at Tony. Tony Kahn was in here yesterday. I was just going to say this. And the Jaguars, you know, in 2016, that December, their defense was phenomenal. So you could see signs. Then again, I remember when Jamarcus Russell closed out the year with a fantastic stretch in December.

And he was terrible the next year. We'll hear from December doesn't, you know, you never know. Hans has already moved on. We'll hear from. Can you just wrap it out like we're done talking about. No, it was good. All good points. I just want to point out Tony Kahn will be on the show a little later today.

Next up in the news, and Domican Sue still without a job. as of taping here on a Monday morning, but it's looking closer to a gig with the Rams. The New York Jets popped up heading into the weekend with the report that they had offered the most money, but then it was announced by the Jets or Christopher Johnson, the team's CEO, talked to Mike McCagman, and they decided to rescind the deal.

So now, Wes, it looks like Sue is back in it. And Ian, on your, you reported on Twitter that they are indeed the frontrunner. He hasn't ruled the Titans or Saints out, but those close to them are still open-minded. What's that all about? Yeah, I mean, I think, bro, there you go. Who are your sources? Sue is a different dude. And so I think people are very careful to be like, he hasn't made up his mind.

like, yeah, he's leaning this way and it looks like it could happen, but, you know, something could strike. It's just, he's just different. And the fact that he's taking so long to make this decision, I think he's probably driving everyone a little crazy. But it does feel like it's going to be the Rams. I mean, I think their offer was good enough,

not the highest from what I understand, but good enough. And, you know, it's going to be a lot of money regardless. I mean, it really is going to be a lot of money. And I think for them, you know, that's a really good defensive line anyway. And it's going to be really, really good. You think it's going to be, like, a long-term thing,

or it's just a one-year, you know, more like a one-year and we see? My guess is it's probably like a three-year. We're, like, guaranteed money into the second year. I mean, he's 31. I can't believe we're spending this much time in a 31-year-old defensive tackle with no sacks, but he did play well last year. So, I don't know.

It's, I did not foresee this sue prolonged saga like this. Were Mike McCagnan and Chris Johnson, C.J. 2K, that's what we like to call him. Or were they just simply not on the same page here? It sounds like he swooped in and said, no, no, no, you're not offering this money. No, I think it was more like they weren't going to get them. You know, I think it was, and I sort of heard this. Like, the Jets thing came out. Sue actually said it a couple days ago.

But I think it was by that point basically dead anyway. Like they, you know, did they make an official offer? I don't know if it really ever got to that point, but they were definitely interested. Bowles definitely talked to him. It was just like he's not going to choose them. Yeah, it was. Sto's camp was like,

how can we use this to get more money from the Rams? Possible. Another quick question. Do you have female groupies being as powerful as you are? Interesting. I would say my wheelhouse of groupies might not make the final edit of the show,

but interesting question. I would say definitely older women. Like grandmothers and great-grandmothers. I'm big in, here's sort of my... They're into insiders? Here's sort of my people. It's older women, big in that demographic. I would say TSA agents, really big there.

Wow. Sort of people who deal with rental cars, I'm huge in that community. These are sort of like my people. These are sort of like my people, yeah. Um, there you are you pleased with the answer, Mark? Yeah, I mean, it just sounds very strange man. You hear him. Both, both very strange guys.

Uh, less need, by the way, coming up a little later on the show. So we'll ask him about the Sue situation. All right, a little free agent roundup. We mentioned the Jets. Terrell Pryor agrees to a deal, uh, with gang green. Uh, Wes, uh, I know you like Pryor as a player and you think he just needs a fresh start after a lost season in Washington. And I just need somebody competent throwing the ball there.

Yeah. This wasn't my favorite match for player and team, but the Jets, to me, got a talented receiver, and whoever is their next quarterback, I guess Josh McCown will be throwing to him. That's a nice receiver core if Robbie Anderson stays out of trouble with Jermaine Kerriss had a pretty good year last year. It's got to be tough for Wes to watch one of his favorite quarterbacks

and favorite wide receivers throwing the ball to each other on the Jets. I might have to change his opinion. I really enjoy it. I wouldn't say Josh McCown is one of my favorite quarterback. Oh, come on. The dolphins continue to make interesting moves. Frank Gore, the 35-year-old running back, signs a one-year contract with the dolphins. Minimum.

The minimum deal. And Brock Osweiler, who he's got to be approaching NFL record territory for how many teams he's been on in, you know, X amount of time. What do we have to? Is it four teams and 18 months? Four in a year. Four and a year plus. How about that? Minimum deal also.

A minimum deal for Frank Gore, I guess. Is it just? no guarantees that he'll be on the team but Frank Gore gets a shot to continue his career. I think from what I understand Frank Gore was like I want to be here what will you give me okay fine let's just do it like nothing

right I mean and like that's home you know I think they could be good I think they're going to be good probably like they were two years ago you know we'll see what they do in the draft but I think they're going to be good and so he was like let's just make it work here and I'm sure his agent kind of was like oh okay

Like, you know, because you could have kept them longer, could have kept him out last year. Like Adrian Peterson, have we discussing a draft week. You know, is he going to get $2 million or $3 million? But I think Frank was just like, let's just do this. Find me a job. Let's go, you know. Alan Hearns signs a two-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. A rap sheet has a two years worth $12 million.

Does this affect, Greg, in your opinion, the Des Bryant situation at all? No. I think all the contracts that came in this year kind of helped Des Bryant when. Paul Richardson is making $18 million, $20 million guaranteed. Marquis Lee is making $8 or $9. Suddenly, Dez is $12.5 million this year didn't look that bad. Alan Hearns is a secondary receiver. Right.

And Dez is making, what, $12.5 million? 16 cap number. Cap number. But that's ultimately the cash that they're paying out. Like, they need someone else. Alan Hurons isn't a bad guy to take a shot. Who gets benched with Dallas? Where does he play?

I just don't see the fit. Terrence Williams? No. They just paid him, what, two off-season? And the salary is guaranteed. My guess is Cole Beasley ends up being the odd man out there. Interesting. Because he had a really good year in 2016 but didn't do anything last year.

I'd be curious if they talked about possibly dealing him around draft time. I feel like that will be a sort of buzzy name where they drafted his replacement probably. Make some money. Slot guy. I could see that being discussed. Tremont Williams also returns to the Packers on a two-year $10 million deal after a short, forgettable stint in Cleveland. That's what's happening with the Free Agent Roundups. And then finally, Bennett Brother News, and there's a lot of it.

And oddly, it broke on the same day, two very different stories. Oddly or? You think Martellus Bennett was trying to change the story? Well, let's get to the stories. We'll start with Michael Bennett, who was indicted on a. felony charge in Texas. And this dates back to moments after the alleged incident moments after the Patriots and Michael's brother Marty won Super Bowl 51 over the Eagles.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office accuses Bennett of injuring a 66-year-old paraplegic woman who was working to control access to the field during the game. Prosecutors claim Bennett injured the victim after he pushed his way onto the field after being told to use another entrance for field access. Let's start here. Isn't the upset of this that Hanses didn't get this on video? I feel like that's sort of like the... That would have been my school.

But I was busy, as you recall, at that sort of will break in big news as the ATN insider. But why did this take so long to become a case? That's my first takeaway from it was. I mean, there is a... I don't know if this is true or not, if he's guilty or not. I know he was indicted. but I don't know if he's guilty or not.

That said, there are a lot of legitimate questions about this. Just logistically, like, you know, you make a big deal of it, NFL player gets indicted, but you spend 13 months trying to get here. Like, I'm sure there are other priorities, but stuff must have been really important. There's no video. There's a lot. There's a lot about it, including they quickly sort of changed the word, made clear with the wording that he actually never pushed the woman.

they sort of tried to pin down the shit and the sheriff's comment everything about it is very questionable but it'll play out and it's one of those things or how about this how about like the darrell revis news a year ago where I feel like yeah made a splash and then eventually it just wasn't a story anymore and he nothing except he was indicted and right but like how about this when it happens you know the paraplegic person is injured there's no commotion not saying the person wasn't injured. I'm just saying like you call an ambulance when someone is paralyzed and injured. I don't just. I mean, in general, on the field after a Super Bowl, there's a lot of commotion anyway. I mean, who knows? I don't know. I just, yeah. It's a strange case.

Howie Rosen is going to talk today and I'm very curious what he, what he ends up saying about this. Yeah. And Marty Bennett on the same day this comes out announced that he was retiring to take on like a full time role in, I've always a little confused what he's doing. He's the founder of the imagination agency. It's something to do with animation and children. But Marty Bennett ends his career after 10 seasons, bounced around a lot and a disappointing final season where he thought he was catching a ton of passes with Aaron Rogers, goes to the Patriots, and that doesn't work out, and he had an ugly exit from Green Bay. But a nice career mark as a really talented pass catching tight end.

intriguing personality than maybe even a good player. I mean, but he, we talked about him on the last episode that he kind of broke out with the New York Giants after starting relatively slow in Dallas. And I think, you know, I've taken a little bit of a look at some of this animation stuff that he's up to and he's legitimately talented. So we'll see, yeah, we'll see what happens there. Is he the animator? I really got to dig in on this.

I'm not plugged in. I will go to Ian for the further details on that. Ian, the source on this. my favorite thing about Martellus Bennett is you never quite know what in the world is actually going on so when he puts out this statement I get an email from our desk being like hey you know we think he's retiring can you confirm and I'm like okay like I'll just double check reach out to his agent and he says I don't know man so is that the real report is he was on he was on the bill like Pelliserro emailed him and he

was like yeah I'm retiring I'm like okay well then it's good but that The agent was like, I don't know, I hadn't heard. I'm like, well, he put out a statement, I think. Like, I'm pretty sure it's retirement, but you never quite sure. Could it be like I don't want to do training camp, but I will sign with someone on August 28th or something? I think when he goes, I don't know where he's going to go, but it's going to be someplace. I'm sure he will be unreachable in someplace weird in August. He was on the Bill Simmons podcast last week.

It was a really interesting episode. It was the two brothers together. And he was talking about football in a way you would have never thought that he was going to retire. that week. I'm not sold yet. No, mind. Let's see what happens.

River or hearsay. I always will think of him as a guy that could have and almost caught the game winning touchdown in what would have been the greatest play in Patriots history, maybe from Tom Brady. He talked about how him and Tom talk about that all the time that Tom really, Tom Brady really regrets not putting the ball up a little higher. What are we referring to? The play that would have won the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons,

they called pass interference. It set up the James White touchdown. but he just the play before so you're wistful and you feel bad that you didn't get a chance to experience i'm not he he he would have done a game winning touchdown play before the game winning touchdown no but if you were life what a life another sliding doors example for a tough luck franchise i couldn't care less but imagine if you were tom brady or martellis bennett wouldn't that they wouldn't that just be of course it was marty bennett for sure yeah tom brady's not going to have enough highlights on his hall of fame video all right rap shi you got to get back in the lobby you're

You're moving and shaken. Oh, yeah. And this is the money time. Got a lot of people to stock. It's getting busy out there. So thank you for coming on. We appreciate it. And God, you're in that fraternity, bro.

And once you're in that fraternity, you're in there for life. All those herds agents. Elderly ladies, Hers agent. Alma. TSA. Dollars. Ian Rappaport, follow him at Rapsheet. I know you already do.

National. all right there goes ean off to break some news but we keep going and yes we just talked about indomicon sue and what's going on so what great timing that we now get to speak with the general manager of the team that everyone is connecting the big defensive tackle too let's throw it to that conversation all right this is different this is special uh now joining us in suite 105, he's the general manager of the Los Angeles Rams, the surging Rams, Les Sneed, and with him, his lovely and talented wife, Kara Henderson-Skneed. Welcome to the Around the NFL podcast.

Thank you, guys. I can't believe this is the first time that I've been on here with you guys. I've admired you for so long. It's been great, like, working with Kara and now seeing Kara at league events that we bumped into at the Rams playoff game, had a great conversation, and now, Les and the Rams are like one of the big teams in L.A. And it happened really quick. So I ask you this, you use the word surging big.

How come when you introduce her, she got music? You know, it was like Rick. It was like Rick Flair coming out. The music was for a tag team chance. Actually, Les the suspicions were correct. That was for your life. Yeah, I think that was produced. I've requested.

That's like the first couple of Los Angeles football music. Oh. How do you like that? Do you like that? Do you like to be known as? that but can we start that i want to go with the uh keeb to lead line and you know i don't do nicknames that's for you guys all right hey while we're here we have a bunch of stuff to get to but uh there is some news we had rap sheet on the show earlier today and we were talking about

indom kinsu and how the jets very publicly rescinded their contract offer everyone's saying it looks like it's the rams can you give us anything confirm it what what i did do is tell uh ian to let me know when he finds out so that's what i can confirm what's and i was just getting a text so it could have been ian and he might have found something out but feel for you to check it i mean if you want to do some breaking news of finding out suicide on the podcast that'd be fantastic probably best not on that situation do you want me to check it and then i can break it and it's just like old days i think it's a great idea yeah um and we were you know in dominican sue a different type of guy I know you're in the midst of potentially working things out with him.

Like, what's it like been talking to in Domkensu? Like, and talking about a potential deal and all that. Can you get a second website? Always a fun thing about getting to know a player is you bring him in and, hey, we play footballs. It's what can we do as a team to help you accentuate your skills and what can he do to help us? So it's always fun to bring someone like him in and say, okay, with Wade Phillips, a 3-4 defense, he's always played in a four or three. And let Wade and his staff explain to him,

this is how we're going to use you in base, in nickel. And in some of the situations when you get into nickel or when you're rushing the passer, what you might be able to do with him partnering with Aaron Donald. So those are the fun things to talk about football and culture and do we provide what he's looking for? And does he provide what we're looking for? Do you go out to eat?

You go out to eat all while you're there? We did go out to eat. So, yeah, I'll give you the, I'll give you the, The good story. That was a great GM answer. And you guys are like, okay. It is about football. It is about football.

This is why Cali gets the music. Right. And it is about football. I mean, you go through all of this and you can get involved in this and that. And then at the end of day, you're like, okay, but what is he going to do on the field with Aaron Donald? And how does he help our team? But we went out. We had done an event together.

And then we stopped at the dinner when he came into town with his girlfriend, who is so cool, by the way. She's like six foot two. She played basketball. She's amazing. So I spent my night talking to her, but we had Indomicon, we had Stan Cronkey, Josh Cronkey, Kevin Demoff. So we had, you know, Sean Nick Bay. We had the whole group assembled at Nobu, you were asking, in Malibu, which, I mean, if you're going to take somebody and show them L.A., like, that's where you're going to do it. So Les and I walk in the front door.

It's about football. Les and I walk in the front door, but we're still recruiting at this point, and we walk in the front door, and there's James Corden. Like literally, like we bump into him at the front door, and Les says, hey, good to see you again, because he had done. done a skit where he was an L.A. Rams cheerleader at one of our games and quickly became clear to us that he doesn't know that much about football and doesn't. So we're sitting here trying to wait, do we bring him back to meet Indomac and Sue or not or he's even going to understand. He didn't. So we just let him go on and have his dinner and then you pass by a table and there's David Spade and Chris Rock and you're like, oh my gosh. This is like, this is like L.A.

fever dream if you're going to parade, you know, Indomac and Sue through there. I thought the story was going to end with you guys doing carpool carry. with Sue in the front seat and you guys in you know what that would have actually been see we needed you he would have signed by now yes he probably probably would have liked it but it was a it was a really fun dinner and you know you could really see it and you anybody who follows in domic and sue has seen you know him with Buffett and you know how he's interested so he and Stan were really getting into some you know some deep conversations and that's the kind of guy that he is and the great moment and I'm

gonna I'm gonna give a little bit of thing away the great moment of the night was just waiting for this no he knows what I'm going to say the great moment of the night is Stan pulls his chair over right next to endomican and goes okay now I'm gonna play the part of Indomican's agent and I'm gonna ask some tough questions so then he started peppering questions to Sean to answer for Indomican and it was hilarious and it was fun and it was you know it was a great night but you know he's a really really interesting guy who has a lot of broad interests and obviously very

analytical as we sit here on day number what of the endowment quit counting yeah quit counting i spoke to his mom for a mother's day piece and she informed me that he was like a killer lego talent as a kid so if that helps with your scouting at all was a pure talent at the building even at a young age so trying to think how that relates i just i just i saw like a great like left turn humble brag by mark he's talking to his mother it's pretty good part of the job Well, he was also obviously a big soccer guy. I mean, we all remember when he, I think it was at the game,

when he missed the extra point, when he had to kick the extra point, right? Yeah. Oh, my goodness. So he, you know, he and Stan obviously could bond on that, too. He's a big Arsenal fan. I'm just impressed Stan Prankay can do improv. Oh, he was, no, see, that's what you guys don't understand. He's really good at that.

And he is, when you get him in a situation like that, like, he's a fun, dynamic person to talk to. I feel like if he signs, it'll be because of all those celebrities. that were that's at least how I'll put it there I mean that that's LA coming through for you like when I was like 22 years old friend visited me in LA he's like and he was like can you bring me somewhere maybe a celebrity would be and we went to the newsroom and Jennifer Love Hewitt was at the table next door and like I was a hero for life right there and I think that's the same thing that's

going to happen to you very interesting well so is he waiting for more celebrities like so no you're 22 that was it that was the most what about what less with with the team and I respected because because there's a lot of GMs, like you guys really had a nice season last year, got to the playoffs, didn't work out against the Falcons, but it seems like you have this great core in place. Some front offices might kind of sit tight, but you have went the route of making changes, making big decisions on players.

Coming out of that season, did you still see the team as very much a work in progress, and that's why we've seen so much action and free agency? Excellent question. I think it's complicated answer, but no doubt last year was fulfilling. And the fulfilling part of that's, hey, 11 wins, NFC West champions. But I think after successful seasons, you really, to move forward, you need to take step back and go, okay, why did we lose five? Why didn't we host a playoff game?

Why didn't we get a buy? How can we make sure that we repeat as division champs, not just rest on your laurels? And those are, you've got to be very critical. You need to take some time and get away and get the emotions out of it and sit back. How do we get better? And one of the reasons, I think coming into the 17th season, we said goal number one was find the right head football coach.

I think we got that done, right? Goal number two, fix the offense. The offense has been our Achilles Hill. So obviously think we got that done. Didn't plan for it to go from one or 32 to one or whatever. But we always knew, hey, let's don't forget. forget about the defense list. Don't forget about the special teams, but I think coming into this year, if you, you know, bold it down to one goal is let's make sure that our defense keeps up

with our offense. Because our offense is young and our defense was, there was some aging parts and there was also some parts that weren't the best fits for Wade scheme. And, and he's in charge over there. He's proven to be very good. And if we can get that, that defense up to his speed, then we got a really good chance to do some of those other goals. Last year, there was a lot of talk about Sean McVeigh being in Jared Gough's ear, you know, with 30 seconds on the clock and then talking him up to the line of scrimmage. On one hand, we think, okay, that's kind of new and this is part of the reason behind golf success. On the other hand, coordinators have been doing this for a while. How much of this was revolutionary and how much of it is just

typical NFL quarterback? I think you're right. You have up until 15 seconds to talk to your QB. That's why they put the QB to coach system in the helmets to do that. So I think it's nothing that's revolutionary. But like anything, there's 32 different head coaches, 32 different offensive coordinators and how they utilize their time with the QB before the snap is probably where the differences, you know, occur where edges are gained or not. And really, really good coaches take advantage of that. Was there, you mentioned there were some guys maybe not great fits. Was that the decision with trading Alec Ogletree? Because you had just given him an extension.

I know he was very highly thought of as a leader. That was probably the one that I think probably surprised Rams fans the most. Yeah, it was that one, I can say this, great leader, great human. We resigned him because he was one of our best football players. But when we sat back and really analyzed, talked about disgust, what makes Wade's defense go is the corner position. And interestingly, we did. did the Marcus Peters trade before we did the Akib Taleb trade. But once Akeeb became available,

how do you fit him within the parameters of your salary cap with other things like Aaron Donald extension and things like that coming down the line? Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get gains. And that's how that occurred. As we sit out this off season, we said, look, we need to solidify the corner position, whether that's bring back Tremaine Johnson. Because we got we got some young players we like but there's some injuries there whether that's drafting someone but we knew we need to solidify that position and then once we came up with that that vision that goal we we attack the offseason and then every now and then there's some adjustments you make halfway the nfc west is kind of interesting right now because to me anyway and we've talked about a lot about it on the show

it seems to be in transition and the rams surging i just like that word i like connecting surging to your organization that's cool right that's a good verb is that a verb surging no that Lessa, actually, oh, uh-oh, I'm not, you're Duke. Tell me what the heck surgeon is. She's like a transitive verb. I've got like this bubble over my head trying to figure it out. I wasn't going to bring up Duke today, by the way, Kara. But now, since your husband did.

Thanks, it did come up. Can we bring up Auburn, too? Well, you went to a better school than all of us. But here's what's in my office, right? It's, I got a nice frame and it's a Duke diploma or degree. That would be, you don't, and people always go, oh, you went the Duke and I go. Always read the fine print. it's got her name on it so the Seahawks we got so used to them being the powerhouse in the west and they're a team in transition the cardinals it's hard to make sense of where the Cardinals are right now as a team but then there's the 49ers who if I were a betting man and I'm not because I work for NFL media can't be prohibited that feels like the new rivalry on the rise in your division how about that little Rams Niners for the next six to seven years?

It's interesting that anybody in your division is always a robbery, so I'm not going to single out as much fun as this would be those guys because, yes, what I can say that I respect about what Kyle, John, that organization's done is, hey, they've attacked, you know, their offseason. They've tried to get better. They're trying to come, you know, take the division crown. But on the other hand, yes, the Seahawks may be in some sort of transition as every NFL team. is but they still have what makes them go and that's Russell Wilson at the end of day I that guy makes them go that's been their heart and soul and their defense has been their heart and soul but Russell's a tough out and they still have him and as long as he's there they're there in it they got a chance and I think that you know I what I really respect about the Cardinals is they hired a really good I think head football coach that's gonna have to replace that's big footsteps to go in and replace Coach Aaron's and his

But I think, you know, like any team, they're fighting, they're going to try to contend. There will be some rivalry elements, though. I mean, I think it's a lot of fun when you, you know, poke Sean about it because he and Kyle are like brothers. Yeah. And they are very competitive with each other. And it's hilarious when you start down. I get them confused, actually. So it's good that it's a little more because now they're rivals.

You mean it just when you see them? They're just like, is that the same guy? No, that's Kyle. No, that's him. They don't look at anything alike. I know. Well, this is on me. working out. We saw you at the playoff game

when Chris and Dan and I were there and I know the result. And I was pacing because it was not it was it was a tough moment. The thing I would say though because you know you came from NFL network but you seem to be having the time of your life watching because when you guys linked up the Rams were not a surging team

in the same way you guys were growing and so I'm wondering. Y'all never used the word growing. Okay you were you were a work in progress but I would wonder for you what is it like to go to suddenly be linked to one team where your Sundays are so much about it and to not be viewing it as a broadcaster.

How long do we have? However much you want. Kara didn't use the work in progress either. It's interesting. I think in one way it was like I went to graduate school to then be married to a general manager. Sometimes I'm sure he wish I didn't know as much because I go home and ask all the tough questions

that you guys. He has a press conference and he better tell me the truth. So I always tell people it's like the iceberg effect when, you know, there's only 10% above water. That's what I found out going from reporter to being on the inside is before I was like, oh, yeah, I've got this. I know everything. And I'm going to report everything I know. And I'm like, I didn't know anything. And I was still reporting everything I know.

Now I know everything, and I can't tell anybody anything. But I love being a fly on the wall for, you know, we were in Hawaii when the Marcus Peters trade went down. And I'm just sitting there. I'm like, you know, what's going on? What are we doing? who's you know and so I get to I get to now live it and you were saying I was having the time of my life it's awful I didn't trust that actually yeah I mean I'm sitting here pacing I'm like you know it's one thing to have all your adrenaline before and after a game when you're covering it but when

it's in it and you have zero control over the outcome and it's your whole life it is so difficult we're at the owners meetings they just had this amazing amazing panel with you you know, some of the women who are the founding mother's owners of the NFL. And you've got the sense there. You're sitting there watching it. And you're like, wow, they showed their timeline. And you're like, I'm in the middle of this timeline when you're just literally in it to win it. And as much as it's like the most painful thing you can go through, you know, like, this is the time of your life you're going to look back on.

And this is the time where, you know, and now when you start winning and you've been through the lean years, Gosh, it means so much. And, you know, when you've been through so many losses, you know, you really, you know, bond with the people you go through this with, and it'll be that way for the rest of your life. So it's a pretty poignant thing to go through. You better be taking notes for that book you're going to write in a few years. You know, I have a book in mind, and it's, it'll be a good one.

It's called Fathered by Football, and it's about all the coaches. And Leston grew up with a dad in his life, and really the football raised him. And the coaches raised him. And when you go through all the different coaches and, you know, what they taught him about being a man and, you know, living your life well, like, that's what football can do. I mean, I know football can take some hits. But when you see firsthand in your life what it can do for someone, like you can take the opposite position as well. Love that book. I would read it.

Follow-up book. All the secrets I know. Yeah. The 90% of the iceberg. At one point thought I was going to write a book called I've seen Tom Brady naked But you know I think that would sell You know it's probably the best If you want to sell it that's probably the best way to go

Yeah I wouldn't be you know I don't know that that's going to be the one Before fathered by football might be better Les I know you're very busy so we got to let you guys go and carry I know you busy as well I'm really not are you guys gonna go work out again to get today together is there any rivalry there by the way 645 a.m. We saw you guys go into the gym gym very early in the morning what we didn't tell you was we actually never made it to the gym but because we ran into Sean and Sean had just come from the gym so we actually got the shine off of Sean having worked out and we were to work out close right in the secret to me

if I have I have not worked out in the morning the day just gets awfuler and awfuler and at some point that's why I was this interview is like that third awful right now and that's why I was trying to look at the afternoon session and go okay What can I skip the still-down workout? Got to sneak out, yeah. All right, before we let you guys go, it is the Crucible portion of this interview. It is 8 o'clock to light our speed round.

You know what crucible is, right? I can figure it out. Yeah. It's hard. Here we go. It's the tough thing. Hit it. Netflix and Chill or dinner in a movie.

Netflix and Chill. Favorite hip-hop artist, either of you try. Who's supposed to go here? Well, you can go. I'd love to hear it. Yeah, hip-hop artist. It's really, I'm gonna, is Jay-Z one? Yeah, absolutely.

Yes, Jay-Z. I mean, I'm, I'm into Travis Scott these days. Okay, greatest SNL cast member. Will Ferrell. Did Oswald act alone? No. Have you ever seen a ghost? No.

I think so? Me too. To be continued. To be continued. Okay, can the kicker be the coolest guy on the team? How about, go ahead. No, go ahead. If he makes the game winner.

Yeah. It's tall. Most important jewel song. It's up to you, Kare. I can't remember that song. The answer is foolish games. Name a movie you've seen at least seven times. Seven times?

Yeah. Glory. Don't say game film. Rocky. Les, this is for you because I respect your hair so much. Preferred hair care product. I look up to you, Les. Whatever Jill I ran out of this morning.

He ran out of it this morning. I get nervous about tomorrow. You know what? Who has better hair in the league other than you? Ryan Pace, we were just discussing this while they were taking the GM picture. Hair rivalry, he won. He won. Finally, what does Kara do when she needs a little Kara time? Oh, that's a great question. Are you asking me or him?

I have a lot of Kara time. I don't know if you guys know, no, I retired. What is your caravan? What is less than Kara's Karatime is? I think, well, her time, she loves during her time is reading. And she can read a book really. There's about three a day she can read. So during the course of a week, it's 21 books and makes me a lot smarter.

So that's probably what she does in her time. That's her time. All right, hold up your card. But not date time. No, that's, no, it's very true. I mean, that's all I do is read. And that's what we talk about, how the things that I read relate to football. The answer, though, is you should be writing that trashy tell all.

See, but it's not that trashy. It's just got the name to. hook it's like clickbait it is just clickbait and there's really nothing to it right well maybe I mean I've seen Lesneed naked is is not probably going to be the same seems like okay same that for a drop and that may change that can sort of be in parenthesis look at him okay the bubble over his time to go artists you've lost control just so you know it's going to be institutional control artist Twyman our PR director uh Lesneed thank you very much good luck this season Kara you're the best we love no you guys

are the best. You enjoy it. Thank you. What a love fest. What a delightful couple, Greg. It's how everyone wants their marriage to be. I totally agree. I mean, it's a fascinating couple.

It's like listening to her talk about like grilling him when he gets home from work. It's like an amazing dynamic and people, you know, maybe they're listening to this or they're thinking, oh, they're getting, they're getting a little too close to the Rams, the team of around the NFL. Like they're in the bag for the. Well, we are. Hey, go shut it. It's a good looking team. It's a good looking couple. It's a, it's a fun team. It's a fun team. They're in our backyard. And you said, eat it. You say, all right, calm down. The dynamic. It is fascinating because you have a one of the guys at the top of his sport in terms of management for one of the better young teams in the NFL. And his wife is this extremely polished media personality who it's like you're talking to him. And then you have her like offering almost analysis on his team and she has the best source possible well husband. Yeah. And it's kind of like a funny thing to to be in conversation with that type of tandem. And we were watching, you know, less need provide the answer to Namik and Sue was a very buttoned up. And I thought here. Here it is 35 seconds. It's going to give everyone else. You'll wait and find out. And then she says, oh, no, let's actually dig into the dinner we had with Sue and all the stuff that happened. And he's just looking at her like. Oh, man. The same look. that we have when our wives do something that we'd rather than not and be honest mark be 100% honest i'm always honest or sometimes if someone if someone sent you a free copy of the tom brady

naked book are you taking a look oh i'd open it i'd read it i'd probably read it a second time pass it on to a friend then ask ask for it back read it or just gawk at it yeah purve i mean i You know, whatever. What a great setup, Les Need has. He reads books through osmosis through his wife and works out by osmosis through Sean McVeigh. He doesn't really have to do any. He's got to figure it out. I don't know if Les would be in for it, but we should try to set that thing up as a regular segment.

We should try it. Okay. Up next is Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons, their head coach entering his fourth season. And you will notice that we spend a good 30 to 40 percent complaining about how early in the morning it is. which yes speaks to us and that were you know a bit amateur hour ultimately but i mean in our defense it was early i for the first time ever uh on my way to the set i was the first person at starbucks i waited for the door to open and i got the first drink how about that i didn't think i'd ever be that guy it's impressive it shows i think it shows that you're not an amateur

you're an absolute professional so i have the Atlanta falcons PR team and dan quinn to think Thank for that momentous occasion in my life. Let's throw it to Mr. Quinn. All right. Up next, he is the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Oh, you know who it is. It's Dan Quinn. Well, I'm pumped to be here with you guys today.

I mean, this is the earliest you're going to hear electronic dancers. Or the latest. Full disclosure, by the way. We are recording this at 630s morning. which vaguely ungodly who was behind this? Well, the scheduling, I've got to say, is a bit of mine. But from my electronic dance music is from my New Jersey background. So best love.

Were you, if we go back to like season one of the Jersey Shore, when we see a youngest fan, Chris. No, I think I've outdated myself for that one. You know, I was pre-cell phones, Jersey Shore growing up. But, no, living there and growing up, it was a blast. And even in the hometown, you know, like all the youth coaches and, you know, growing up there, like that's kind of where, like, my love of football began, like, watching the Giants and Bill Parcells and, like, that crew, like, that was a big deal for me. And, you know, seeing that group coming up.

And, like, even where I grew up in Marstown, there were so many people, you know, that kind of, you know, helps you and backs you along the way, like, youth coaches that you wouldn't know their names, but, like, had a huge impact, you know, on me early on. Is it a competition to kind of get that, you know, earliest possible interview? Because I saw Mike McCarthy on the way over here. He looked like he was already two or three interviews deep. He was ahead of you. He was up earlier. I did see him down here earlier, so I was disappointed that, you know, we weren't able to get the earliest slot. But, no, it's just a cool week this week.

And so having this experience and going through the whole thing, including the media this week, it's all part of us. We might as well, you know, kick some of it out early. That is, this is the first, we've done this podcast for five years. We've done like 650 episodes. The first thing we've ever done before the sun came up. But that's like, for us, it's like the biggest deal of other. We've been worried about this for days. But coach's life, this is what it's about, right?

All you ever hear about is 5 a.m. I'm on the treadmill, six, I mean, this is a normal day for Dan. We clearly totally lack professionalism that we're making the entire idea about that. You know what, like sometimes you need those little windows and you guys know like either whether it's working out or whatever it is. Sometimes those little windows of a half hour or 45 minutes for like, It's just your time. Those are big ones because as a head coach, you know, there's going to be things that come, you know, across your desk. You're like, where do that come from?

So sometimes those early mornings, you know, they help. We just talked about the Andy Reed tree before we started here today. Who's someone, if you get into a jam outside of your organization, you've got to pick up the phone, call a coach who's been through it? Who's the top of your dial list to help you out? A bad phone. Yeah, for me, that would be Pete Carroll, you know, and it was my time. time in Seattle that we just really connected. I had a blast, coaching with him. But that was, and certainly, you know, through my first year, if there was stuff to come up, he would have

been, you know, the guy and would still be somebody say, hey, man, has this ever come up? And, you know, those are the moments, you know. Is he that willing to help the Falcons? For him, oddly enough, just the connection for there is deeper. And I'm sure he's one of those guys that a lot of people, you know, feel like they could call. And, you know, I got this situation. Can we talk through it? And I guess the second guy is Mike Tomlin. He's somebody that he and I've been connected for a long time. My first year coaching was Mike's senior year of playing. And then after that year, we coached together the next season. So we've been friends for, you know, 20 plus years and just a really cool guy. I like the idea of like the dark side of

Pete Carroll, who's this personable, upbeat guy. But you call him after taking the Seahawks job. And He's like, lose this number, you're now the enemy. Yeah, he went in that way. Yeah, he was pretty cool about that. And, you know, it certainly wasn't that way. Guys who you have long time, you know, connections with, you know, it's past, you know, one game now. The week we're playing now, like, yeah,

we ain't calling each other that week. So it just happens, like, this time of year. We don't share draft stuff or evaluations on players, but, you know, getting back to it, if you had something to come up, he'd be the guy, him, Mike Tomlin. You mentioned being a Giants fan, growing up. And when I think of those teams, the first thing is defense. You start out 2016, the best offense, maybe in history, in modern history, just putting up crazy points. But then

last year, at the end of the year, you're a defense team. You're one of the fastest defenses in the league. Is that sort of the blueprint? You want to be a defense team? We just want to be a really good team. And that's really where it comes down to. We don't want to be known, hey, this is just an offensive club or a defensive club, but just one that really puts out, kicks ass, battles for one another and so we did add a number of guys defensively so now I've always felt there can be like a big jump from a player from year one to year two year two to year three and we just so happened that we had a number of guys on the defensive side that were probably in years three or four and under and so that connection that plan there was definitely some on-the-job training for

some of them in 15 and 16 so now as 17 was coming through they were ready to flip and you know be the one that was the hammer instead of the nails so to speak. So we're looking forward to a number of these guys making another jump again. Wes mentioned the offense and how incredible it was in 2016, 2017. Steve Sarkeesian replaces Kyle Shanahan and offense not quite as explosive. My fantasy team, I waited for Matt Ryan to have statistical games like we had in 2016. You're not the first one to hear about this fantasy team.

I'm really upset about Matt Ryan's fantasy season last year. But my point is there was criticism around the offense. Was it always to you, it was going to take time to get maybe back to where you were in 2016? Well, I've never had expectations, okay, we can surpass what we were. The things that I was pleased with, we were better on third down, the things that we weren't was scoring. And we've always had really good balance. That's really important to me, the run game, the play action, the keepers that goes with it. I would say probably the biggest disappointment we had was our turnover margin.

One of the reasons I like that as a stat, it's a team status, not just, you know, the offense turned the ball over, but it's also that to get in the plus and a turnover margin, you've got to create takeaways. So we've had a number of good explosive plays, but our scoring was down. And as you go through the offseason to audit, you know, okay, what do we need to tweak, so to speak, as we're going through it? And that was a good part and fun part of this offseason. But we've got some really explosive guys, you know, certainly led by Matt. He is a real competitor. The guy is a straight wolf in sheep's clothing, you know, like he loves to battle, loves to fight. So we hear on the parabolic mic sometimes.

Matt Ryan is an intense competitor on the field. Will he be motivated by dance? I didn't know there was a Mike. What's it called? Parabolic Mike? Yeah, that is new for me, too. Yeah, he is, yeah, if that mic really said everything, it would be definitely a show. And tell him that it's cool, me and them, they're cool, we're cool.

It's just a tough season. Would that be a motivator to find out that the dance fantasy results were not up to par? Yeah, I'll bring it up. Yeah, we'll see where it goes. Fire in the belly, man. Is it possible to overpay for a franchise quarterback in the NFL? Yeah, it would seem like, you know, at that spot, it's almost like a whole other, you know, cap is needed, you know, for quarterbacks because they're so unique in what they do. And when you have one, you know you're how fortunate you are.

And so for us to have a guy like Matt who not only is a really good player, but like what a kick-ass competitor or the right guy in the locker room. So we're fortunate that he's right in the middle of it. And, you know, the league, you know, in terms of the structure, the way the cap set up to have, you know, you know, opportunities not only to have him, but guys, you know, to bring along with them. I think they got it set up in the right way. You're known, you know, for somewhat your hip-hop playlist before the game, which is almost, it's a little condescending. It's like, wow, hey, a head coach actually knows hip-hop.

It's like, you know, this music isn't necessarily all that new. It's like Tupac and Biggie, you put it on. But what does it mean? You're definitely putting my age into it now. You know my wheelhouse of where I'm at. But do you, you kind of, you reside kind of in the epicenter right now of hip-hop in America. in America so like is that is that important to you are going you going to like me are you like megos or Gucci we are going we do and it was really cool like even you know with the super

bowl being in Atlanta this year I think it was Bruno Mars who had said was it Bruno Mars who had said you know I hope they do something you know regarding you know all the artists that are from Atlanta and not just hip hop you know but like Zach Brown is a huge Falcons fan so like you know like where we're at like obviously the hip hop world is big and like it's really cool how it started in Atlanta, you know, like from the club scene to how the music, you know, come through. So, um, it is pretty cool. Like, uh, living in Atlanta is a cool spot. Like football in our state is really important. And so high school ball, college ball, pro ball. Uh, and then the music scene there, it's a, it's a pretty lit space, you know, to live. It's cool. Like,

Mike Vic got a cameo in Atlanta. I feel like you could work on that. You know what? Um, I wish I'd had it, you know, just a little shot at something, you know, that was in the Sopranos. You know what? Yeah, there was a good, you know. That's a good, you know. I don't know. The man genius, as Tony said. All right. Before we let you go, Dan, it is time for our speed round. It's called 8 o'clock delight.

Are you right? It's literally let's call it 6.30 delight. You ready? I'm down with it. Go. Name a movie you've seen at least seven times. Forrest Gump. What does Dan Quinn get up to when it's time for a little me time?

I'll have to say, two-five. Least-enjoyable pay-your-do's task as a young coach in the league. I would say it wasn't in the league, but my second year coaching, I was at Virginia Military Institute. Back then, you had to bring the film to the airport. So driving from Lexington, Virginia, the Roanoke Airport, and sometimes at like 4.30 a.m. I remember telling the wife Stacy at the time, someday we're going to look back at this in the number where we didn't have to go to the Roanoke Airport. Yeah, now here you are with us.

I would have to say, it might not been the NFL part, but that was certainly. Best stadium in the NFL beside Jerome. Besides Mercedes-Benz, for me it's always been fun, you know, going back home in New Jersey. You know, so I was like to say, because of family and friends and for me, you know, growing up in New Jersey, and that's kind of like we're a lot of level of ball again, I have to say. From a nostalgia standpoint, I'd like the Medal. Speaking of the Meadowlands, best Springsteen song. Mm.

That's a cool one. I saw him for the first time last year, and the amount of juice that he brings, uh, You know, at a concert, I was blown away. This is, like, lit from, like, the time one show, the one song ends to the next one, like, one, two, three, and right back to it again. No filibustering, though. What is the best Springsteen song? Well, you're also going to date me back to, like, which is the best video? I mean, Thunder Road.

Class. There you go. There you go. I can't argue with that. Dan Quinn, you survived the crucible that is. 630 delight well the 630 delight let's see if somebody can top it but yeah really cool to be on with you guys thanks dan best of luck to you in 2018 all right thanks guys thanks dan thunder road is an excellent bruce springsteen song the definitive springsteen song is born to run obviously I would

go west and I know you're a springsteen fan as well as most white male sports writers are in their 30s 40s and 50s but uh jungle road would probably be my favorite bruce song jungle road is in the top 10 I think of any great Springsteen file. You got to have Jungle Road in there. Do you have a lot of more road songs? It's just Jungle and Thunder. A lot of road, bro. He wrote about cars a lot.

Racing in the streets. Cars and girls and factories closing. That basically makes up about 94%. Any other takeaways from Dan Quinn? Wes and I, when we covered these Seahawks two years in a row in the Super Bowl, really fell for Dan Quinn. I mean, anyone that listened to those podcasts back then, and probably found us quite annoying in how much we liked Dan Quinn.

But we promised to have beers with him or wanted to. That did not happen during this interview. I didn't hear you guys even ask. We didn't even ask. It was 6.30 in the morning. I was not really in the mood for a beer, to be honest with you. But he was a delightful conversationalist. Well, you can see when just his energy,

and I think this is true, the media believes us, other coaches believe us, just like they like being around Dan Quinn because of his energy. You can see when he gets into an interview, for instance with the Falcons that you're like, I just got to give my team to this guy. I did want to ask him because, you know, these things go by quick,

but he was a record-setting hammer-thrower at the collegiate level. He looks like it. I just wanted to know if that skill set still paid off in any way. Bit of a missed opportunity now that he's out of the room. Well, these interviews, you know, suddenly it's like, bang, we're out. He's leaving, so, you know.

All right, moving on. So thank you to Dan for joining us. a Super Bowl winning coach for the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh. We had a lot to talk about with John, who the only guy that rolled in no entourage at all, which I thought was kind of a ballroom. Super confident in just coming in on his own,

not scared of us. Sonshtaraj. Yeah, I like that. Well, done. Sure, sure, why not? Let's throw it to John Harbaugh. All right, now it just got serious in Room 105, Sweet 105.

We have a Super Bowl winning head coach. He is John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens. This is his introduction music. John requested it. Is that like a drum roll? What is that? Nice little EDM hit. Yeah, a little electronic music, a little dance music here.

In your younger years, pre-family, did you ever have like a club period? We were like hitting the clubs. No, we were never allowed in clubs. The Harbaugh's just seems like we got banned from everything. everywhere we were ever at. Is it all Jim's fault? Of course.

You can come, but don't bring your brother. You're a veteran at these owners' meetings. You kind of had the strategy that you came in as late as possible. Is that because you've done so many at this point? Probably, yeah. Come late, leave early and keep a low profile. Don't be seen. How did you guys find me?

We have our sources. We have the tentacles with the shield on our side. That's how we track down, John. I mean, it's an interesting time for the Baltimore Ravens, right? I mean, three years without the playoffs, we've gotten used to, the Ravens always being in the mix. Is there in the organization, and for you, just a sense of pressure as we head into 2018 to end that dry spell? Well, yeah, I mean, you don't, I mean, you want to make the playoffs. We want to be relevant.

You know, we're not too happy with the fact that we're not in there, you know. And I thought we were in there last year, you know, and obviously you get your heartbroken. This is a great thing about the NFL, about sports. It's drama, you know. you never know what's going to happen next and any crazy thing can happen and I think that's why it's uh you know people watch it but you know it can be it can be the incredible happy joy high I was at the Super Bowl I was rooting for the Eagles you know I'd coach there for 10 years and pretty much know everybody in the organization and man I was I felt like I was as happy as they were you know

you get that not not quite yeah not as quite as happy as I wasn't 2012 but but happy you know and then you have you know like us and we fought our way and clawed our way back into the thing this year and then we got knocked out right then And you're referring to the week 17 loss to Cincinnati, and is it extra annoying, obviously a painful loss, but then, and not that the bills are doing anything wrong, but then that becoming the big news story the next couple of days, them celebrating after the Andy Dalton touchdown.

That probably was unnecessary at that point. Well, it probably would have been if I'd have watched it, I paid attention to it, but I made a point not to. You know, I kind of shut it, you know, close the doors, pulled the blinds down and didn't read it or listen to anything for a while. I still haven't seen any of their celebrations. Did they celebrate? They were happy.

They deserved it. You know, the city deserved it. I didn't notice. You mentioned you were in Philadelphia and you were enjoying that game, you know, considering your time with Andy Reed. We talked to, you know, Andy earlier. Like, what kind of influence, even just seeing like that Eagles win, do you think he sort of had a part in that Eagles win and just the influence kind of that he's had throughout the league? The Godfather. I do.

Yeah, he is. And, yeah, I do feel that way. I mean, I feel like, I kind of feel like the Eagles are kind of back to the roots now, you know. Andy's first year, you know, Doug was the backup quarterback. He was my holder and, you know, all the coaches that were there. And I think there's, I just feel like, you know, with Jeffrey and how he's been there forever. And I just feel like it's kind of the way the Eagles are supposed to be. And to see them have that success and to have it kind of flow back around through Andy is very appropriate for you guys to notice that.

I mean, all of us who are part of that, I know we feel that way, you know, so you feel like you. And, you know, you want to have a little stake in it probably. Maybe they don't feel that way. But I think they do. I think that it really, if you're honest about it, it goes back to Jeffrey. I mean, Jeff Lurie is the owner. He's the leader. And he's built that, you know.

And it's pretty awesome to see it all come together for them this year. Something I've always wanted to ask you because we were at the Super Bowl. You won. Incredible game. But when the lights went out. Well, yes, it was my job as his. But when the lights went out, what was the first thing that went through your mind? I remember my wife was down in the stands

and I'm thinking, what on earth is happening in this building? Did you have more knowledge that that could happen? I mean, I don't, it's... Well, I heard the story. I heard the story the next morning that they talked about some switch, some switching station outside the stadium. You know, I was a little skeptical. Well, your boy, Ray Lewis, he's on record saying it's a conspiracy.

Designed to let San Francisco get back in that game. You know, my first thought was like, maybe it was like some kind of attack, you know. You first thought, you know, and I didn't, I don't. know that I thought of that. Someone might have said that to me, you know, and I'm like, oh, man, you know, we're kind of exposed out here. Yeah. But, uh, no, really, you really, in just being straight up, you really, it's just kind of like another thing, another obstacle. I mean, yeah, it's crazy. What the heck's going on? This has never happened before. This is ridiculous. It's not really what you think about. What you really think about, and that is a head coach is,

how we're going to deal with this, you know, how we're going to have our guys ready. Unfortunately, we didn't do a very good job, you know, because we were up 28 to 6 and they came roaring back. you know, they got their guys more ready, you know. We were over, I was over there on the sideline, and toward the end of the whole deal, they were trying to tell me that my coaches weren't going to be able to go back up to the press box or something. You know, I'm like, well, you know, it's like, I'm going to tell you how it's going to go here. You know, we're going to play when we're ready to play, and it's not going to be before our coaches in the press box. And there's nothing you're going to do about it.

You know, you know, you're going to, you know, you're going to call the game? I don't think so, you know. Yeah. So that was kind of, I got to yell to the one guy, Mike. Mike Kensal, by the way, he became a local legend in New York City, right? Everybody knows him, he says when he goes to the 7-Eleven, so we laugh about a lot now. But it was crazy. Then I look out there and I see my brothers in the huddle with Cap, call him to play.

You know, it's like, I don't think he's allowed to be out there on the field right now, you know. It doesn't surprise me that he's out there, but it was just pretty cool the way the whole thing you look back on it now. And I think even Jim feels that way, you know, it was a pretty amazing deal. Did you ever get like a, you know, one of the guys that came back, that helped the 49ers come back in the game, Michael Crabtree, now playing for you. Like, what kind of, like, special intel do you get from your brother when you're possibly signing you one of those guys? Oh, he told me to sign him, man.

He loved him. Yeah, I talked to Jim about him. He's like, he's like crab is a man. You know, he's tough, he's rough. He's hard-nosed, you know, you want this guy on your team. He loves crab. He once claimed that Crabtree has the best hands ever. Yeah, yeah.

Well, I'm all for it, man. We need guys that can catch. I mean, you know, that's the last time I checked. Isn't that the main, like, trait of a wide receiver? That would be behind the list. Catch that ball well. You are steeped in special teams' knowledge, so you can speak with authority on this subject.

Has anyone ever had a better two-year kicking window than Justin Tucker just hit? No, nobody ever has. You know, the funny thing about Justin, it's not just the stats. And, you know, I had a great kicker, we, Andy, David Akers, okay? So one time I thought David Akers was a machine, and he was. And Tuck, and Ake comes to our training camp, and he actually works with Tuck sometimes. And he's amazed by Tuck, you know. It's not just the fact that he makes every kick.

he makes every kick in practice you know and we just like the rare time he misses it's like we just love it because he's such a good guy and he's not going guy but he's such a perfection it's like singing and everything he's perfect at everything this guy does nothing wrong he's perfect and you can ask him about that he'll he'll probably tell that to you too so he's a swag for a kicker as well perfectly humble yeah he's a totally major confident guy so uh when he does miss in practice led by terrell sugs you know as a chorus of we just all really appreciate the fact that he's not actually perfect that ever they're right dan is always making the case there is no one in the league he would trade Justin Tucker for

that that is Dan's number of guys points I'm like the biggest Justin Tucker fan in America well you're probably ahead of it but true but my my daughter me I tell all the all the Baltimore girl fans you know the teenage girls that's probably even bigger than you and I just the Tucker figured it out there you go he did it what one of the kicker who did it what one thing I wanted to ask you is that you're one of those coaches I feel like has a lot to say at these owner meetings that you speak up like there's a you know the rules are being talked about and I feel like you have opinions, you have feelings on those rules and you let them know. Well, they spoke to me about that. So I've, oh, really? That's why I think I've been

muzzled late and leaving early. That's right. All right. So this is the part of the interview. I call the Crucible. It's the speed round. It's called eight o'clock delight. Are you ready? I'm so bad at this stuff. I don't know. It won't be too painful or maybe it will. Let's hit it. Netflix and Chill or Dinner and a Movie. Netflix and Chill. I love Netflix. Favorite hip-hop artist? I don't know any.

Best Seagall movie. I've never seen any. How dare you. Hot tub, relaxing bliss or cesspools of filth? Cesspools of filth, actually. Greatest SNL cast member of all time. John Belushi. What's one thing most people don't know about your quarterback?

he's really opinionated do you believe that if you say so I believe it speaking of rules and stuff did they fix the catch rule this proposed change they did they did it's not perfect but it never can be is this the new muzzled Harba

did Oswald act alone yes have you ever seen a ghost no I don't believe in ghosts you know Sessler is a major Oswald conspiracy guy you and Michael Lombard I'm also a Browns fan, so.

You and Michael Lombardi. I'm worried about the grassy knoll just a little bit. There might have been something over there in the grassy. I'm with you on the grassynoll side. The greatest generation, accurate nickname or needlessly braggie? Accurate nickname. Is there intelligent life beyond this planet? Yeah, it's spiritual.

Best Tom Petty song. I won't back down. Ooh, that's very good. Can the coolest guy on the team be a kicker? It is. It's proven. Adam Gay said no with authority on that one. He doesn't have Tucker.

Exactly. John Harbaugh, best of luck to you in the 2018 season. We will be watching. Thanks, guys. You guys are great. Thanks, John. I appreciate it. There you go.

John Harbaugh. And I like the idea that Justin Tucker is just a guy that everybody wants to see fail because he's perfect, which isn't a surprise to me. My goal one day is that the Ravens go an entire season and only Justin Tucker scores. that's my goal they've been getting they got closer to that goal last year i feel like there seems achievable it's almost happening and that might be why they end up drafting a quarterback in this draft but we shall see any other takeaways from mr harvall i had promised at one point to gift wesling a train system from l.a to tybee island called the mouser and to fund it would we would melt down the

baltimore ravens to pay for it i have to say i still like the idea but um it was a little tougher to comprehend after hanging out with John Harbaugh because, you know, another signal that we are very easily impressionable, I started to like him and feel a little less angst towards the Ravens coming out of it. Between that and you forgiving Art Modell, it's been an off-season of it's been an off-season of healing for Mark and the Ravens. And you know why it is? Because Mark thinks the Browns are on the right path. He won't say it, but he feels like things are going better for the brownies, and he could start letting go. This is ultra-projection. I don't feel of people there's only one direction they can go is that a 1116 dig yeah one and 30 one and

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it's all up there somewhere I think all the all the like shittiness and math has paid off with like opening up ram space

for bits and other types of voices I think bully grasshopper is one of my favorite um bits now whatever that guy was

yeah it's sort of like a bullish a bullish Grasshopper. It's like, what, what, you walking around, you little ant, your little spider? I'm a grasshopper. You can't jump like me, bro.

Oh, my God. We got to get out of here. Next time you hear from us, we'll be back in the studio in Culver City, God willing. But we'll also have more great content that we collected here. We're going to hear from Tony Khan of the Jaguars. And, of course, Andy Reed of the Kansas City Chiefs, who was a real peach. Andy Reid. It was great talking to him, The Godfather. So that's coming up Thursday.

Thank you for listening. And now it's time, Mark, and Wes, especially Wes and Greg. Let's get a little shut-eye. Yeah, let's do it. We'll get a little shy. Time to go. Time for a rest. Or maybe up by the pool.

Take that shirt off. Stan Hansis. Signing off for the quiet storm. The old boss, the mailman, and Lindsay Fulton on the table until Thursday. Take your shirt off. Yes. Usually wait until the show's over. Hey, everybody.

Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move to Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team-building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape,

talk to decision-makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand. and the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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