NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Cam Newton to the Patriots: Winners and Losers

Episode Date: June 29, 2020

A bunker filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal are joined by Mike Garafolo to break down the Patriots new quarterback. The heroes throw out some winners and losers and also discuss the latest fine to the New England Patriots from last season. We wrap the show with 8 o'clock delight to make sure you get all of the latest news around the league.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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Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast needs a hero in the mountain time zone. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis. Coming to you from a country filled with heroes in bunkers. Mark Sessler, Greg Rosedathal.

What is up, boys? Yo, we actually have some football to talk about. There we go. Yeah, bro. Greg, with a little bounce in his step, I can tell, right now. He's pumped up. No doubt. No doubt.

I mean, who's honked more about Cam Newton on this podcast than me? believing that this man was destined for a greater career than really he's had when you break it down. Now it's time. All right. We're going to get into it, of course. Everyone knows the big news that came about this weekend. Cam Newton signs a one-year deal with the New England Patriots,

the throne of Slees thriving. And this is, so everybody knows, you know, Greg, obviously, Ricky, maybe a bounce in her step. We'll get to that in a little bit. But you know what, Mark, you can have a bounce in your step too. because this is our last show before our little mini-summer vacation. Don't get angry at us listeners, but we're taking off the rest of the week after today's show,

and we're going to celebrate Fourth of July with the family and just get a little bit of a breather, and we'll be back next Monday. But this will be your last show first and only show of the week. Mark, I know you fought this behind the scenes. You kept on coming back to Greg and I, and you're saying, no, no, more content, more football talk in June during a global podcast.

pandemic. Give us what we want. Give us what the listeners need, but we had to beat you back on that one. Yeah, no, I know, I think it's to my nature that I push to maybe go five shows this week and get back to that mode that we were in when Cam Newton was, you know, jettison from the panders. It doesn't feel that long ago, but that's a full three months ago at this point. So we have buzzed through this offseason at high speeds. Our daily shows feel so long ago to me. When did those end. I honestly don't remember. Was it May? Well, we were counting them at one point. No, it ended after the third day of the draft. Okay. So yeah, so about May, basically. We did it for a month and a half. That feels like another lifetime ago. Yeah, it does not feel like yesterday

to me. This has been the longest year of my life. And I know I'm not alone on that front. Anyway, so yes, we have a lot to get to some news, but of course the big news is around Cam Newton. have it just in a little bit, the great Mike Garifolo is going to join us, one of the NFL network insiders and a guy who is plugged in on these matters. But before we do that, it makes sense to just kind of have a conversation about it. Because, you know, we just did our last NFL network show. And one of the segments we did was kind of storylines that are going to be sticking in our heads a little bit when the NFL goes quiet during the pre-training camp weeks.

And the one I mentioned was the two quarterbacks that are on everyone's minds. One Colin Kaepernick, no other explanation needed there. I don't think why that's on people's minds. But the other one was Cam Newton and just this idea that the former MVP, one of the great stars of the last decade of the NFL, was going to potentially head into July. and maybe into August and who knows when without a job. Well, that ended officially on Sunday when Newton signed a one-year contract. Ian Rappaport of NFL Network said it was a bare minimum deal worth up to $7.5 million.

So he does get a job and he didn't need to wait until he was able to get in front of a team for a workout. The Patriots essentially, Greg, take a chance on Newton, but not even that big a chance. It was a, this seems like a perfect fit for both Newton who not only goes somewhere but has a chance to start and the Patriots who, whether anybody wanted to believe it or not, and most of us did not believe it, had a major hole at quarterback, maybe not anymore. Maybe not. I mean, his health, Cam Newton is, is the ultimate X factor. And it's like, it's not just an asterisk. It's just sort of this thing hanging over this entire conversation along with, you know, will there be a season? But if he is healthy and he's looked healthy in those.

workouts and his arm looked pretty good you know last year i i think everyone forgets and you know including me i sort of blocked those games out he did play you know in the preseason a bit you got hurt against the patriots and that that's where it all started uh but his arm looked good in camp and the arm is is one concern and the foot injury that knocked him out that liz frank you know that warlet i mean not a good lady evil scorpion woman you know he that's the reason he's out and i have heard and i've tried to ask people about this and there's some talk like, look, if he got hurt again, is that going to be it for Cam New? And there's that sort of talk about him. And that's why no other team offered him a contract. There is a report that he

literally had no other offers. And I've seen a lot out there. It's like, wow, he only got Marcus Mariotta money. And it's like, no, he got Jared Stidham money. We haven't seen the details, but the Patriots only had $1 million in cap space going into this weekend. And so that tells me, maybe they'll move some things around, but very likely he's expected to be right around the minimum, as Ian Rappaport said. So he's making about $1 million. Brian Hoyer's making about $1 million, and Jared Stidham is making about $800,000 or whatever that is. The three of them combined are going to cost about a third on the cap for the Patriots as Tom Brady will this year. So that's why it was such a no-brainer for the Patriots. Like that's obvious, but I think it's also a no-brainer for

Cam, because I believe his main goal is to revive his career. And I really do think it's not me just being a homer that it's hard to imagine him finding a better situation right now, not just a path to play, but a path to potentially succeed and kind of restart the second half of his career after two really disappointing years for him. Yeah, I think a path to becoming a pretty easy. pick for comeback player of the year, if he's healthy and things went well. And people are asking, you know, what kind of offense will New England run? Well, all that can be sorted out. I think

it's an awesome opportunity for Josh McDaniels to show what he can do. I agree with you, Greg. First of all, this is what the Patriots do. No other team, they say Cleveland made a call at one point about Cam Newton, but that didn't go very far, that no other team here in late June, inquired on any level about Cam Newton and the Patriots did and if you get a healthy version of that player and what they can do on a team that by the way like everyone's talking

about how bare bones the offense is I just think that they'll I don't agree with that right now when you look at the roster they are a team that to me is a playoff team if Cam Newton if you get the good version of Cam Newton no questions asked

I think I you know when I heard the news I was kind of ambivalent about it I always whenever anything happens regarding the Patriots or the Jets I get a bunch of like tweets like wow Dan anybody want to check on Dan see how he's doing it's the endless check on fill in the blank person I know it's like man out and we're going to have we're going to do some winners and losers uh the cam newton signing after we talked to uh Mikey G but I think this was the other

shoe that was eventually going to drop but we all expected it to and maybe not a lot of teams are kicking the tires on cam. And I wonder why that is. And maybe that's a question. We'll ask Mike. I do want to play, Ricky, do you have Steve Weish, our buddy,

was on NFL Network, talking about the signing. And he had a nugget that was eyebrow raising to say the least about why some teams or most teams or all teams, except for the Patriots,

one reason why some teams were scared away. Let's listen to that. If I spoke to people from a handful of teams who said, not every team wants Cam's presence, whatever that means, whether it would be the scarves over the head,

the fact that he is a big persona in their locker room, whether the coaches couldn't handle it, or maybe the youth or whatever, the culture of their locker room, couldn't necessarily deal with that, especially Cam wasn't the starter. Well, as we know, the Patriots don't care about that stuff. The Patriots don't care about this stuff. And also Cam Newton, and that's the other part of this, Greg. And I know you wrote about this on NFL.com. Cam, if he's healthy, he's going to be the starter.

So if you were a team, and I'm not. I don't buy into, I buy into Weish's report. What I don't buy into is this idea that he was going to be somebody who's dragging a team down because of his persona. But the reason the Patriots make so much sense is you don't have to worry about plugging him in as a number two and then not becoming a soap opera behind the scenes or in the media. He's going to be the starter.

Jared Stidham is not going to beat out a healthy Cam Newton. And Brian Hoyer might not even be on the team. Right. I don't think that's a question. It's about Cam Newton's health. But I do think it points to one reason. and why the Patriots sometimes have an edge over other teams. And they're not the only ones.

I really believe they're not worried about everything else having to do with Cam because he's not going to be the leader. Bill Belichick's the leader. Like, I know Tom Brady was the leader, but there's only one of those guys still left. Like, ultimately, that's his team. And Cam Newton's going to be part of it. And there's no reason to think with Cam Newton's competitiveness

and leadership that basically, every one of his former teammates talk about that it's going to be a problem anyways, but ultimately, like the Patriots have shown time and again, Randy Moss is another example. They're not going to sweat that, and they're not going to be tied, and I think this is where they're different than some teams this offseason, to some plan that they feel like that's the way they have to win the game. Like that's the way they have to be the season. Like Denver, like, we're all in on Drew Locke, and that's the only way we can win.

No, the Patriots, they just want to figure out a way to have the best team. And it might be with Jared Stidham starting games this year. Not that he's going to beat him out, but just because it doesn't work out with Cam. I mean, if they believed with all their heart in Cam, they wouldn't, they would have prevented him from signing with any other team if any other team had showed up over the last three months. But no one did. They just offered a minimum contract and figured, hey, it's worth a shot.

Yes, they're going to, I anticipate, expect that Cam is going to be their starter. if he's right, but they're not locked into it. They're going to have plans for if Jared Stidham is the starter, too, because how could you not? They are always willing to adapt. And I thought this year they're going to try to win with defense and their running game and their offensive line, I think, looks really good. At least has a chance to be one of the better Patriots' offensive lines that they've had,

and that's how they're going to win. And I do get a feeling like McDaniels, maybe this is a little bit off your point, But he's, you know, there was rumors he wanted Lamar and, you know, he's watching all these other teams, like, beat their defense and give them problems with the athletic guys. And you do get, I do wonder if McDaniels has been looking at that the last few years and getting a little itchy. You know, wanting to get that Tim Tebow playbook out from 2010 and say, hey, I was doing some things with quarterbacks that really weren't like the greatest passers of the world a long time ago. Give me Cam Newton. And then we can fly. Well, weirdly enough, a lot of the Tim Tebow stuff came under John Fox, but I hear you on that.

Right, but no, McDaniels was, you know, calling the plays for him, right? Well, he was dispatched as head coach at that point. But I think that your point is he drafted Tim Tebow and knew that he'd have to deal with him in a different way. And he, Cam Newton is, you could say, why didn't 28 other teams go and look into Cam Newton? This is the perfect fit for him with where we are right now with this team. I mean, and I don't think it's a we simply lost faith in Jared Stee. It's just like find out more about Jared Stiddam, but to me it just advertises that any concept of Bill Belichick wanting to win with nothing at quarterback, you know, and our friend Chris Wesleyan

made this point, you know, demonstrably a few times too, that that the other shoe had not dropped. And ultimately, Bill Belichick is not taking a season off. I think his latter legacy later years with the Patriots matters incredibly to him. And this is a team now that if you get a good version of Cam could be 12 and 4. without skipping a beat and maybe outperform Tom Brady. That's asking a lot. Why is it still asking a lot for them to be 12? You know what?

This is why it's asking a lot. This is why it's asking a lot because you're really going out on a limb to make that assumption that Cam Newton's healthy. And this is how the NFL world reacts. This is a marquee NFL team that is in a post-Tom Brady world. So they're so fascinating. Cam Newton is one of the great superstars of the last 10 years. So when they come together, there's this temptation just to be like, yep, all right, he's going to be the Cam Newton.

Everybody remembers. The Patriots are going to go 15 and 1, as Mark predicted on Twitter yesterday. But the reality of the situation, there's so much, there's so much unknown right now. And that's part of the reason I'm ambivalent as a Jets fan or as a fan of a team in the AFC East that's not the Patriots, is that before I get all pumped up and all downtrodden about the Patriots going on another long run, we got to see how this guy looks because he looked very good in the beginning of the 2018 season and they jacked up his shoulder and had a serious shoulder surgery. And then when he came back the next season, his feet gave out and you cannot underplay.

And 31 is not old as a quarterback, which is what he is now in 2020. But when you talk about a shoulder injury and you talk about lower body injuries and the physical way he played the game, everyone's like Dan Orlovsky is a guy we all respect a ton, was talking about how, what he can bring Cam Newton to this offense is even though they don't have explosive players, his ability to run the football evens things out for an offense that doesn't have a lot of big-time playmakers. We don't know if he's that guy anymore. So until we see him that way, that will judge how panicked I am and the rest of the

AFC should be. I just think we're not there yet. No, that's fair. I said if he's healthy. If you got Cam Newton playing 16 games, the idea that the Patriots would be 12 and 4, I'd be disappointed if they were eight and eight. If you get him healthy for 16 games. He could play, but if he's still the same player?

I mean, there is a, there is a in between there as well. There is, but there's also the same guy. The idea that everyone's overrating him, I just am thinking if you get the good version of Cam, 31 other teams decided he wasn't worth it.

So I don't think he's being overrated. He's signed a bare bones contract. I think the Patriots have a good chance to come out of this, us thinking, oh, wow, they've done it again in the middle of December. I just don't think that's a crazy reality. One other really interesting part of this, because everyone's going to look at all the rosters

that could have had Cam Newton as their backup slash future quarterbacks. They could have looked at it. But the problem is that Cam, and this is through no fault of his own, but he's almost too big a star. And I get why teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are a perfect example, everybody's like how? And Shaq is having a meltdown. How was Cam Newton not brought in to be Ben Rothersberger's backup in his future,

the future of the franchise? Because Ben Roblesberger can't have Cam Newton in the room. I mean, and maybe he can, but I totally get why teams would be like, this guy is too big. He's an MVP. He's larger than life. He's going to bring in a ton of, it's going to be a media circus if we install him as the backup.

And I think that played as big a role as people just saying, like, I don't think he could play anymore. I think there's too much of the time. That's making decisions scared. That's making, like, decisions. And I think for. Pittsburgh. Actually, I would disagree with Shaq. Ben, Rathesburg is such a unique situation, a Hall of Famer who, frankly, if he's healthy is better than Cam or, you know, certainly in the same

ballpark, I would put that to the side. It's more of the teams with the young ones where the coaching staff or the young guy they felt like couldn't handle it, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me. There is a real question, even as someone who's believed that Cam could be a Hall of Fame player. And, you know, he hasn't been to this point. because he is a transformative guy. I've never seen a player like. There is no, there's never been a player like him. He looks like a defensive end. He is, he was the greatest short yardage runner in the NFL for the last decade. That includes every running back. He was the biggest difference maker in the red zone inside the 10 yard line of any player. Adrian Peterson, whatever it is,

Cam made a bigger difference. And if you're not getting 80% of that, and I think that's what you're getting to Dan of like is he going to be the same guy with you know at post foot injury then it is different now I think he can still be good and even 80% of cam would be really interesting and I think there's a real strong argument to make that he had a pretty bogus coaching staff for most of his career I never believed in Mike Shula he he you know he hit aces for one season but it fell apart right after it wasn't that impressive before and I don't think they really knew what to do and they didn't really know how to surround And whereas with the Patriots, the receivers aren't great, but, you know, he's had worse groups.

But the running game, I think, could be solid. The offensive line is good. And more importantly, the coaching game is good. But it is not unfair to point out. Newton played 2016, 2017. And I went back and looked, you know, at my notes and QB index and stuff. And, like, he struggled those years. And a lot of bad things happened around him.

It was the coaching, the injuries around him. But he was kind of a mid-level quarterback. He has not been a top 10 quarterback, other than that first half of 2018, where he did look pretty good, you know, for a while, for five years. And so he's an X factor. He's always been an X factor. But I also don't think he's going to have to be that cam. You know what I mean? Like if the defense is good and the running game is good, and Belichick kind of can hide weaknesses and play to strengths, it's like you can win games.

Just like I thought they could win games with Jared Stidim. I thought they were kind of co-favorants, maybe like 1B. You can win games in different kind of ways. Right. I would trust Jared Stidham in New England 10 times more than I would trust Jared Stidham in Jacksonville or somewhere else. And I feel that the issues that you had with Cam Newton's surrounding elements in Carolina, wipe it off the board.

I mean, he's going with the best play caller in the entire league and the best head coach. So, well, I don't think that's what about me, bro. Kyle's your boy, you just put Kyle in the hall last week. I think Josh has got to be, you know, I'd wanted more information to rank them. But I think that you'd have to say Josh McDaniels has proven as much as any human being can prove for that spot to argue for that spot. And I love the idea of him being paired with Cam. I think you guys are almost, I'm surprised that you're almost a little more down on the move than I am. No, no, I'm so excited.

I'm trying to hear it from Dan's. I'm trying to admit that Dan's perspective makes sense that there is so much unknown. As a fan of Cam, like I love, of course, and as a fan of the Patriots, of course I love it. Because I think the ceiling is outrageous for a guy who's available at this time. I mean, it's just unprecedented. Even 90% of the ceiling is outstanding. I mean, it really is like picking up Randy Moss for a fourth or fifth round pick. He doesn't have to play like Randy Moss for the move to make all the sense in the world.

You know what I mean? Like the upside is outrageous. I have a sneaking suspicion. The Patriots are going to. come out looking good in this move. That's just my intuition. Perhaps I'll be wrong. They could. Ricky, what if I told you that you're going to get 75% of Cam Newton in 2020? You still take that over Jared Stidham or Brian Hoyer? I think you have to. I mean, I have my reservations about him in general, and I'm sure we'll get into that in a little while. But

I think at the end of the day, like, yeah, it's just, it's Cam Newton. And, and, you know, like what you don't like the font on his social media it's like okay that's why i don't like no i i think you know i am kind of i was excited yes i think it's it's a good move and it's a smart little juice it gives a little juice that they were lacking for sure definitely absolutely so i feel good all right you're over the tom brady thing now and you're moving forward as a fan is that what you're I'm not over the Tom Brady thing, but, you know, that did, that did soothe the sting a little bit. I'd ask you this. Cam Newton has beaten the Patriots twice in two appearances.

How many times has Tom Brady felled New England? Zero. So advantage Cam right out of the gate. Plus, what are the odds that, you know, it's like you went from Farve to Rogers, you know, far to Rogers and there's a couple MVBs, what are the odds that you go from Tom Brady to a quarterback that's better looking. Who would have thought that happens? I'm just saying it's been out there.

I mean, that's an opinion. You can make the argument. You can make, you can certainly make that argument. There is no job that Cam Newton is a hot man, but is he hotter than Tom Brady? I don't know. That's up for everyone's debate. I don't know.

Yeah, I mean. Anyway, that feels like a good time to get to Mike Garifolo. We'll ask him that as well. Let's welcome Mike on right now. Let's welcome him in. He is the hardest working man at NFL network, or at least in the top seven. Mike Garifolo joins us. Hey, buddy.

Welcome to the around the NFL podcast. Just ranking my, okay. Does that include behind the scenes? Siciano's in there. I mean, you got to give it to wrap a port even though you don't want to. Pelliseros in there. Weish. Well, what about all right?

Oof. Weish. You guys, do you guys count as one or would I have to? I mean, you could add all our work together and count that as one body of work. Yeah. But also, Mike Garifolo is also that he's doing the Pat Summerall thing now where he's both host and analyst at once, which puts them in kind of rarefied air. So it's great to add to here. Yeah, listen, the more you can do, you know, it makes it harder for them to get rid of you.

if you got, you know, your hands and everything. So it's, but it's been fun. I noticed he didn't put, like, James Palmer on your list. Lazy. You guys, you got to stop. James Palmer. Did anybody work harder down the stretch last year, James Palmer? I wouldn't use an example if it were.

I've been trying the less you can do method, and it's, um, the results are there. I can promise you. I love you, James Palmer. I know you're watching. Let's get into it, Mike Arafolo, because you are as plus. in as anybody, when this news goes down on Sunday, was that something that was bubbling? And we haven't even gotten to the Patriots caught in another scandal and get punished for it. Storylines to this, 16 minutes apart, the two news stories.

But was this Cam Newton to the Patriots thing, something floating around behind the scenes, or did it kind of drop out of nowhere? I mean, it was always kind of there. But the timing of it was, I would say, one that not a lot of folks would have expected. right around now. But, you know, a lot of this stuff is happening now that the virtual offseason is over because it's kind of been an awkward thing for a lot of people not realizing whether or not we're going to have the OTAs and mini camps.

And now that we're clear through that, it's like, okay, everybody knows, you know, either we're reporting the training camp on time or this thing's going to continue to get kicked down the road a little bit. But now you at least had your clear direction about whether we were having a spring or not. So that's where it was for Cam Newton, whose other option, only other option in this, I'd been mentioning, would have been to wait to see if a quarterback got injured and then be the Sam Bradford for the Vikings, uh, via signing, not via trade, but, but same type of deal. But that would have been the situation where, you know, it would have been a little bit

desperate, uh, or a team would have been desperate and all of a sudden, maybe you get the number that you wanted to get. So it was either sign now for the Patriots, pretty much walk in the starter, as long as you're healthy, or, you know, go the other route and sit there and wait and maybe somebody gets hurt at some point. Do you have any info on, like, what you think you might see in terms of the contract? Because there hasn't really been details out there. I know Ian said up to 7.5, but I'm just curious because they, you know, part of the reason I, you know, I didn't expect him was it was going to take him being a minimum salary player

for the Patriots to get him unless they made some crazy move like trade. Joe Tooney, because they, you know, supposedly they only had about a million dollars in cap space entering this weekend. Yeah. And that's where the guarantee is going to be right around there. And everything else on top of that is going to be starts, you know, performance, wins. We have to see the breakdown. I haven't quite seen it yet in part because a lot of times these things don't get filed and sent in until they're officially signed. And we're not there with Cam. He's still got to take the physical. And that was my question, really, was how did the Patriots make this move not knowing what to expect from the physical standpoint.

And my understanding is, you know, they've gotten a read on it from afar. They still have to take their close look. And until that happens, they won't be announcing anything. But they are confident that they've got themselves. The Cam Newton from 2018, okay? Because, and I've been saying this on the air today, I don't know that we're ever going to see 2015 Cam ever again. But if you see 2018 Cam, this is a team.

that feels like now they could put themselves back in the championship conversation because he was playing. And that's obviously early 2018 before the wheels came off. It certainly sounds like Belichick's interviews with various people around the league like Norv Turner had an influence on this too. On Cam Newton the person, Cam Newton, the game preparer, the whole A to Z. But, you know, Greg, you mentioned the cap room here. Are there other dominoes to fall, Mike, where, like, you know, you brought in Cam, they maybe still want to add some pieces. Have you heard anything about the Patriots making other moves that might draw headlines in the next couple weeks? Not to this point, because some, you know, listen, the big,

the two big ones would be guys that have already been there, which is Josh Gordon and Antonio Brown. And from what I gather, there are other teams involved right now that would make, at least for Antonio Brown, if they're confident in the off-the-field stuff, would probably make it more worth his while monetarily. So I would be surprised at this point if that winds up being the case. But listen, they'll be, that's via the free agent market. There will be opportunities to make trades for guys as it goes along. And Belichick has never been shy about doing that.

So wouldn't be surprised if that might be an option for them. But we've got to get back to work. I mean, like, there's so much stuff that's on hold until we get back to. to work. Let's dig in know on what you just said about Antonio Brown, just because I'm curious, what you think that there's teams out there that are going to pay Antonio Brown decent money if he gets back into the league. Yeah, I do. Because I know they're going to have to, because this is a guy that's still, and listen, the, you think he's going to be back. Basically, let's, let's just do a hypothetical. Let's say the NFL suspends him eight games. You think this guy,

you think he's getting back into the NFL. I don't know that they're going to suspend him eight games because, and I know you're just throwing out a number. or for whatever right but the tone in what roger goddell was saying about antonio brown when asked about him at the super bowl i keep going back to that it was not a punitive tone it was a um what's the word i'm looking for it was all about really helping antonio brown as the person if he's willing to help himself basically rehabilitation yeah rehabilitation i guess is the word i don't i don't love using that word because you know it's tied to other things that Alden Smith was dealing with.

And if you notice in the letter to Alden Smith, when he was reinstated, it was all about how the program can work for him and how he's shown that he wants to stay committed to it and how he could be an example for other guys. That was something that they communicated to him. So now it's all about, excuse me, it's less about this program, this drug program and this other programs as a penalty for players and more about something that can help them be better players and better people. I mean, I know it sounds corny.

I just, I just, the tone, what I remember hearing that answer and saying, whoa, that was not what I really expected. And it was more of a forgiving tone to Roger Goodell. And the other thing, too, is these allegations against Antonio Brown, they have to be proven. You need a little bit more of he said, she said in these cases. Richard Sherman had very strong words about the Cam Newton deal. He called it, quote, disgusting, which is obviously very strong language. Is that something, are you surprised as someone that's been covering this league for so long,

how this has played out with Newton? And of course, as long as you've been covering the league, you never had COVID-19 to deal. So maybe this is just one of those timing situations. But then there's also the questions of this contract, and I guess we're going to get more details as they go along, but did Cam get anything else out of this, like maybe protection from being franchised if he ends up having a big season? Have you heard anything about the contract and your thoughts about Richard Sherman's comments? Now, the Patriots have agreed to that before.

So if he did get that, that wouldn't surprise me. We'll see once everything comes in. But it's, it's, I understand what Richard is saying. And I agree with it to a certain extent. But I would say that the reason that teams didn't make this – because early on – let's go back. Early on in free agency, Cam Newton had a certain number in his head for what he was going to get. The problem is you need – What ballpark do you think that was – I mean, it was – I'm sure it was in the 20s.

I mean, that's what – you know, everybody knows top starter money right now is in the 30s, the low 30s. So I would say it would be in the 20s. And you look at some of the guys making money in the 20s, I'm sure he's sitting there saying I'm way better than that. these guys. So I don't blame him for one of that. Now, it all comes down to situation and circumstance, too, because even Nick Foles, that's the one that people have kind of been holding up against,

saying, okay, well, why didn't the Bears bring in Cam Newton instead of Nick Foles? Nick Foles had to rework his contract. Okay, he had a big number left in the deal, and they had to work it a way to spread it out so that it's not a huge number over the next three years. And the other

thing is they still have a guy in Chicago that they want to win the starting job. make no mistake, the bears would love Mitch Trubisky to win that job, they continue as a quarterback, because that's a guy that they've invested so much in and they want to be right. In the end, they want to be right about Mitch Trubisky. Whereas in this case, with New England, it was an opportunity that presented itself because they really didn't rush to go out and trade for Andy Dalton or sign Dalton once he became free or plug somebody in. They took the more patient approach. Now, I did ask this.

I said, how quickly did this thing come together with the Patriots? And I'm told that it came together really quickly. Asterisk on that. Nobody knows how long Belichick himself was kind of monitoring this by himself. So all along we've been talking about, yeah, they seem like they're kind of, we can't rule it out. But they're not making a strong push for Cam Newton. It's because Belichick was kind of monitoring it the whole time. And probably waiting to the point where Newton said, you know what, I'll take this deal.

you know what? I can come in and I can play for the best coach in the league and reestablish myself, show everybody I'm healthy, and now I can hit a big number next offseason. There was a note out there from Adam Schaefter that the Browns had inquired. Don't use those words here. I mean, if Ian was on the show right now, he would just blast you into space. But even with Mike, it can be tough. Well, another newsman out there offered this up that the Browns had looked into Cam Newton, in which the timing, you know, needs to be unpacked, would have happened after they signed Case Keenum if you go by the time when the Panthers said goodbye to Cam Newton,

which I find to be an interesting wrinkle. Now, I was also told at some point by Andrew Berry, because I was asking about something, and I had a conversation with him at some point. And he said, you don't, like, we're, I'm in on everything. And he worked with Howie Roseman, who is in on everything. You ever notice how many times the Eagles are linked to a player? because they're in on everything because you just never know

what you're going to come up with if you investigate. So I believe it was more along those lines and Barry being new on the job there. There's like 20 other teams that could have. Joe Douglas is from the Eagles tree. That's why he picked up the phone when the Cowboys called. Come on, Jamal Adams. That's what smart teams do.

I think it wouldn't have been, it might have been smart for the Jets to be in on Cam Newton. That's the type of team where I mean it, where it's like you're being a little afraid of making a good move. I mean, no, no one would even consider it. You have a plan you want to work. You're Chicago. You want this plan that is not working according to our eyesight.

It must work. And so you don't go out and get the better quarterback. I think that's why two thirds of the league are not competitive with New England. And I think it's important. Yeah, I just want to say to Greg's point, the Jets love Sam Donald, Greg. You don't, you don't seem to like him so much. No, I like him, though. So you have to understand that.

My point is having, right, but they have to, at least, and maybe they don't, but they have to live in a world where there's other, you know, options. A, Donald can get hurt. But be like, what do we do if we're six games into the season and it's going terribly? Like, have other routes to maybe possibly. Just be open to, you know, open to, like, would he come in for $2 million? But no, I can get why Joe Douglas would not be confident in Adam Gase to handle that situation. So, I mean, that's sort of, that's what I mean.

you have to play afraid when you're not confident in your own building. I would just go back to what Richard Chairman was upset about and what other folks might be saying about, well, how did the Patriots let this happen? Could you imagine, I mean, go back. Let's stick with the Jets. Let's stick with the Jets. Go back to Tim Tebow coming in behind Mark Sanchez.

If you don't think that was a net negative effect on Sanchez, who really. The circus. Exactly. Well, and what was the line? One time Sanchez led his guard down. It was like on a Friday, it got a little bit of attention. He said, oh, selling seats. Somebody asked him about Tebow, and he's like, selling seats, man, like basically saying it was a promotional thing. And you could see the frustration on his face when he said that. And it was just a little peek into, of course he didn't want this sideshow there with him. But they both weren't that great playing quarterback. And that would have been true no matter what. need to find a quarterback that is good at playing quarterback and have options and not be afraid. Maybe it didn't make sense for this Jets team in particular, but I just mean in general, like, why be afraid of winning different types of ways? Having other plans if you're a plan is not working. And listen, Belichick is not afraid in ways that other coaches are afraid, right?

Right. And they could still, I mean, this is a low guarantee contract. Theoretically, Jared Stidham could still beat out Cam Newton for this starting job. But as I described it on the air earlier, my belief, based on the conversations that I have had since this thing went down, is it's Cam versus Cam. If Cam comes in and is healthy and shows that he can play good football again, it's Cam and a runaway. There's no question about that. Despite the fact that now you're going to have to tweak your offense, okay, and you're going to have to do it in a year where you didn't have a spring, and you're going to have maybe a not maybe you're definitely going to have some kind of abbreviated training camp and maybe two to no preseason games so this is a team that's not afraid to do that

because they've done it for 20 years now granted they did it with brady a quarterback but the point is they trusted the guys around brady to be able to make those adjustments and not only year to year week to week and quarter to quarter drive to drive be able to make these adjustments if something's not working scrap the game plan and let's go back to year some of the stuff that maybe we haven't done since training camp that's why the timing i think is crucial because they now have this month to to get that offense ready and of course they're going to be planning like an offense into richard's initial point i think we've talked about this he kim's had a lot of bad luck i think in his career he certainly has with the injuries the last

couple of years this off season was bad luck to be any quarterback looking for a job i mean andy dalton getting if you had told me at the beginning of the office and annie dalton was going to sign for two or three million, I would have been shocked by that. Now, Cam, I think, is another level. But if you look back four or five off seasons ago, there's a lot of off seasons where Sam Bradford coming off in injuries, the bell of the ball at quarterback, and there's seven teams looking.

Or Kevin Cobbs, the bell of the ball, and teams are going to give up picks for her. Brock Osweiler is going to get them with, like, three teams going after. Whereas this year, there was almost no teams looking for quarterbacks, and there actually were decent players available. I think it's all combined to hurt Cam. You've got to mention Mike Lennon there, too. Mike Lennon, that's actually the best example.

I blew it. Mike, what are you doing Fourth of July in Jersey in a very strange year before we say goodbye? Well, we're going to be down the shore, but I'm trying to think. We're going to have a – I'll keep it to the bare minimum facts. We are going to have a baby reveal, which I'm sorry. Congratulations. Thank you. I'm sorry I didn't allow you guys to break that one again.

That's right. Awesome, the first time around when you guys had that school. I thought that was our corner. Yeah, right. I got to spread it out. I got a lot of mouse to feed. So we're going to do a baby reveal over the weekend. We're just trying to figure out where and how.

Is there going to be like a gun involved? You know where like streamers come out of the gun? Not a real gun. But like people get pretty crazy with this stuff now. We're working on it. We're working on it. Did we lose Dan? What's happening?

He is returning. Are you not one in the people. program, Mike, just roll with the punches here. Mike, you're not one of the people, you know, this is happening on both coastlines that have just been setting off fireworks every night since, like, May 8th. Are you, does that something that I could pin on you

or is that not accurate? No, no, that's not. Okay. I'm just trying to figure out who's doing it. You guys are funny. Listen, we've had. I'm kind of guilty with this laughter. We've had, we've, we've,

we've had a, we've, we've had a, I've got a couple of things rattling around my head right now. That's fine. Neither one of them do I actually want to say. So I'm just going to plead the fifth on this one to text you offline. How about that? Okay. There you go.

Mike Garifolo, thank you so much for joining us. Congratulations on another child. Hey, by the way. It goes well. Thank you. Thank you very much. But I like to preach accountability. I've got to follow my sword.

I've been itching to get back on here with you guys because I think I left you the last time with Greg asking me. We were in Indianapolis and he said, Philip Rivers is going to wind up the quarterback of the cults. And I got too cute because I knew that they had already had talks with the Jaguars about Nick Fowles. So I said to you, I don't think so. I think it might be another veteran quarterback and I didn't lead on about who it might be. And they did.

In the end, it was Rivers Falls, Rivers Foll. And they decided, let's just go at Rivers and not go up any draft back compensation. But that's been eating at me because it was right there. Oh, I had to say yes, nobody would remember. But I bet you more people remember that I said, no. So none of us, none of us would have remembered what your first answer was. But that is why you're a pro. That's why you've gotten to where you are.

Things like that keep you up at night. Thank you for clearing that up, Mike, and enjoy the time with the family. And we love having you with us. All right, boys. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Happy fourth. Thanks, Mike.

Bye, bye. See you. There he goes. Mike Garofolo. Gender reveal. I just missed that. I think that really good. got big right after well yeah you you know I mean it doesn't mean everyone has to or will I can

guarantee did Wesa Lakeisha do it I would never do that she just wouldn't not be into yeah they did it on our show yeah they did it yeah it oh yeah that's right remember they poured the wine and it was blue I don't think you know Lakeisha was very organized on the pregnancy front I don't think you were getting through that process without a gender reveal and that was a big 10-bill moment gender reveals were invented for Lakeisha Jackson Wesleying to have have a child basically um all right let us uh get to some winners and losers wrap up this cam newton conversation with some winners and losers i'll start that i'll start it out uh maybe we'll share a one or two each a winner the bill belichick is playing chess

while the world is playing checkers mob i mean everybody was wow the pats have done it again well it's kind of like that's the same thing with the patriots drafting tom brady with the one hundred and ninety ninth overall pick sometimes it's just things work out in your favor and and the and i don't think the patriots if the patriots were smart they would have they would have gotten this guy a long time ago and not risked waiting all this time because they really would have been a very good chance let's face it unless you really think jard stidham's going to develop into a player there was a real chance that paths are going to be caught with their pants down this season it wouldn't have gotten him for one million dollars which is all they had i mean well if you're saying that like

If this is a quarterback position, the most important position on the field, if they really thought they needed Cam Newton, wouldn't they have found a way to make it happen? They didn't think they needed Cam Newton. I think to me, that's my takeaway a lot with Patriots. And that's why, like, I'm making the case for the Broncos. The point isn't that you need Cam Newton. The point is, let's just try to get better. Oh, see, that's so, no, you're way off on that.

If they thought they needed Kim Newton, you're right, they were ready to go into the season with Stittam. they still would be because they were prepared obviously for any team if they had wanted to to sign Kim Newton at any point. But at this point, it's like you stop looking, you know, you stop ignoring value at the behest of like whatever they were planning. It's such a different situation though. I mean, to say that the Patriots situation, and you can compare the Patriots and the Jets, you can't because the Patriots had a clear need at starting quarterback. and the Jets, and I think Mike was getting to that point as well, if their guy is Sam Darnold and they bring in a star like Cam Newton in there, that creates not just, yeah, it makes the roster better, but at what cost?

And that's why I think the Patriots, it was a slam dunk move for them, because it makes them better and it doesn't have any of that negative stuff that would have come with a do sign with the Jets or the Steelers or whoever else. But the only thing, I mean, your initial point was that everyone suggesting that Belichick plays chess while everyone else is learning how to play checkers still, but he is and he has been for a long, I mean,

are you actually saying that that's not what Bill Belichick's history is? I'm saying this was a no-brainer for the Patriots. They should have done this. But they showed no panic, though. I don't think they had, I do think that there's something to what Greg is saying about the fact that, like, it wasn't like there was a stress and an element of panic to adding Cam Newton

to the roster. I think they waited until the price was right. There a cap-strapped team, and no other team acted. So it became more and more of a reality. I don't think it was a master plan to do that either, but the timing now fits. And I think three months ago, people did not know where we were with Cam Newton's health even more than today. There was information gathering too.

I don't know how much more we know now than we did three months ago about how health is. Well, we've seen him working. There's, you know, and what it was built, Bill Belichick knows more than the media does if he's talking to people around Cam Newton. But, yeah, I don't know. I just think it's a little. it's underheaded to have the viewpoint that only Bill Belichick saw that Cam Newton could make his team better when there were a lot of different factors that

came into play that allowed this to play out this way but that's just mine how about who's got another one well I would give you a loser and it's similar to what you're talking about a little bit Dan that we're we're about a month away probably from a devastating quarterback injury to occur and I think that a lot of the league and you know we it'd be great to find out where people were on Cam Newton how close any teams really got to signing him. But it seemed to be that Cam Newton got slotted into the, someone's just going to sign them, make him their starter

when, you know, quarterback A goes down. Because all these teams didn't want to deal with Cam Newton, the backup creating all the business we've talked about, the drama. I mean, that kind of planning is now out the window because I really actually completely agree with Greg's take that Cam Newton being added to the right time of team just makes that quarterback back room look so much better. and all these teams with iffy situations avoided it.

And now he is gone. He's gone to the team that he is going to thrive with most. So all these other teams, the past, I think, are going to be a talking point all season long. And I'd start with the Panthers because I like Matt Rule a ton, but I think that there was an element of if you really want a fresh start in Carolina, does it make sense to start over with like the Patriots? Matt Rule is the leader of that team, not Cam Newton. and the split, which is very messy, happened very quickly.

It was tough. It would have been tough there, but I also think he would fit into that Matt Rule system. I'll throw some winners. How about NFL fans who are, you know, seeing the Patriots in primetime four or five times? Because that was a bit of a risk here. And so if you have Cammin prime time, that's a lot more exciting. How about a winner, Julian Edelman? Oh, yeah.

I don't know necessarily like, hey, he's going to get more balls with, with Cam Newton or not. But I do think the Patriots are, and this is where I'm being a homer, I don't think the receivers are as disastrous as kind of it's been painting. Now, if Mo Sanu looks like he did last year when he played through a high ankle spraying the second he got there, that could be part of it. And if Nikiel Harry is a total bust, which feels like it's on the table because it was a disconcerting first year out of a first round pick, like I get it.

But Edelman, Sanoo, Harry, a couple of rookie tight ends. I don't know. I've seen worst wide receiver groups. And I do think Edelman fits pretty well with Cam Newton who throws well up the seams. I would take issue with the prime time thing a little bit because I think that there was, there would have been an audience, a national audience gripped by the idea of Jared Stidham being rolled out there. And we want to watch it burn, right? So if they're just going to be a playoff team with Cam Newton, okay.

But it's fascinating. Even if you're a relatively, and I think a lot of Cam Newton fans who hate the Patriots, there's a lot of people who just like watching Cam Newton play football, including me, who aren't Patriots fans, they're just kind of like, all right, this will be fun, you know, let's watch this. If we got a Stidim Hoyer poo poo platter and neither guy could play, that kind of enjoyment of watching the Patriots fall flat would probably wear off by the time they were two and five. And they had five playoff.

They had five prime time games scheduled right now. A lot of their time. Your house, I think you would enjoy that wire to wire. I don't think you'd be bored of the agency. I probably would, but I'm saying, yeah, I would. I would probably enjoy it all season long. But also, like every AFC team feels that way, too, after the last few years. I mean, their early schedule, too, is tough.

I mean, their toughest games, you know, with the Chiefs and some of them are all early in the season. A big winner is the, the shamelessness meter for the Patriots. It busted past the 10 meter, and it's all the way up to 12 now. It's just, it bursted with, it burst with the, announcement, 16 minutes apart, ladies and gentlemen, 16 minutes apart, the announcement of the Cam Newton signing, 16 minutes before the Adam Schaefter report that the Patriots were fined $1.1 million and will lose their 2021 third round pick for filming the Bengals sideline in connection to one of their team-produced shows.

Playing the game. That is, I mean, it is, listen, I'm not even missed. Public relations masterwork is what it is. I'm not even mad, but this organization, they just, they, they, they're sure and you got to, you got to give it to them. And I will say just like, because somebody's got to say it, it's just the latest in what's been a major part of this, what this legacy is for this organization. I'm sorry, you could have the greatest coach and the greatest quarterback and all the rings, but this is now, by my count, the fourth major scandal connected to this team and then a myriad of smaller ones. but you had SpyGate in 07, you had the AFC Championship game, DeflateGate in 14.

This videotape scandal is not nearly at that same level, but again, they got busted for it, and it's a substantial fine in the draft pick that has a lot of value in Patriotland. I'm not even going to get into Walkthrough Gate in 2002 before the first Super Bowl, but it's part of their story, and it should not be ignored.

I know that everyone acts like this latest thing was, I think there's a fair amount of exhaustion when you hear a news story about the Patriots, You're doing something with a video camera anywhere. You're just like, all right. But, I mean, to me, if the league decided that the penalty for what they, for the wrong, was a third round pick in $1 million, what do they, what are they claiming behind closed doors happened here? Is it not similar suspects, suspicious behavior that looks like other Patriots taping issues?

Because if it is, shouldn't the penalty have been wholly different than this? I don't understand what they, here's the investigation. We've come up with the idea that they've done this and it's only worth a third round pick and, you know, like eight pennies out of Robert Kraft's pocket. I need to know more. I think part of it that at least in the reasoning that you heard, you know, back when they were investigating it, is that they're going to get punished extra for any infraction because they're a repeat offender essentially in doing this.

So maybe if it was a team that had never done it before, it would have been, I don't know, Are they saying this is nothing, or this is more of the same? I saw the third round pick, and I, as a, I'm surprised, I'm surprised more isn't being made of it. And in the CAM news is certainly a reason. Is there certainly a reason why? Because a third round pick is significant, you know, this was kind of brushed off pretty quickly. And if you look into what was happening, you know, no one has a hard take of like what it really meant. But a third round pick is a big loss.

No one's given away third round picks just for fun. I mean, that's, that's like, those are very valuable picks. And anyone who's followed the NFL that has a pulse knows that part of the reason the Patriots have stayed great all these years is because they make the most of those mid-round picks many times. Yeah, just for the record, the SpyGate scandal, Belichick got finned, find half a million. The Patriots got fined $250,000 and they lost their first round pick in the 2008 draft. Deflategate, it was a million dollars for the team.

and they gave up their first and fourth round picks in 2016 and 2017, respectively. And now this year it is, I guess, the highest finally faced. And maybe it's just a pattern. Maybe it's basic inflation or just the pattern of escalating behavior, but $1.1 million and the forfeiture of the third round pick. Ricky, this is the team you root for. Maybe people are mad. How do you sleep?

Immediately afterwards, they fell apart and their offense was terrible. So maybe that was bad juju. How do you sleep, though, Ricky? I've wondered. No, it's upsetting. It's not a good look, for sure. Ricky, do you want to, I know you had another thought on Cam Newton. Might as well share it now.

Something that's giving you pause here. I just feel like the way that he, you know, reacted to that female reporter saying it's funny how to hear a female talk about routes to me is, is it's bugged me since the day it happened. and to stand behind someone where especially if you're coming to play for a New England team where that fan base you say all you want but like we give everything to our team like it's such a homer place

and like for me it's like you expect half of just females in general in the Boston area to stand behind you and be like oh cool like this is I don't know it just it's really wrong way. You want to play it for people that may have forgotten what canceled a couple years ago? I know you take a lot of problems

and seeing your receivers play well, Devin Funches has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and making, getting those extra yards. Does that give you a little bit of an enjoyment to see him kind of truck-staking people out there? It's funny to hear female talk about

routes. It's funny. Yeah, not the camp's finest moment, but you can't, I mean, come on. Maybe you just had a, maybe had a bad day? You're going to give him a pass on that or is that it for him? Yeah, I mean, I'm not, it's not all of a sudden, like, oh, cancel culture is so stupid, blah, blah, blah. But it's like, if you're on a podium where you know, like, you're blatantly have that much disrespect to embarrass someone who asked a very legitimate, great question, it's not, that's not him, you know, locker room talk.

And he said that, like, he was on a stage with cameras everywhere. And he literally decided to do that. So to me, it's, it's, of course, you know, it could have just been a bad day. but it's not cool. No, it's, it was, if I can, I'm trying to think, but like I've almost never had a problem with stuff Kim's done off the field. And that was a low, that was like a low moment for him.

That was a very low moment for him. I mean, but the fan base is going to be into him if he plays well and not if he doesn't. I mean, Tom Brady once, you know, was trying to sell that water could help you with concussions and stuff. It's like, people can say some crazy stuff. I'm more interested. It's like the Patriots haven't had a board.

black quarterback in my lifetime that was like a starter which is interest you know to me it's different and it's it's definitely different in that region and i think it'll be exciting and a quarterback who's you know his personality he's got a big personality and winning is gonna is gonna make that all go fine and if they're not winning and he's playing then then it'll be you know fascinating to watch that's a big part of it is what will his personality be in new england will it be tempered at all because I don't think the free willing press conferences are probably in the past to your pleasure, Erica, too. I wonder about that.

I had that on my losers list, Cam's fledgling new hieroglyphics language. I wonder if this is a one-year contract, and Cam is a guy whose career in the way he's played, he plays with a lot of passion. He's a very colorful guy. He is almost exactly the opposite of what the quote-unquote Patriots way players should be like. And I know they've brought in big personalities in the past, but also we've heard from prominent players before that went to New England and said, I didn't like it there. There is also a scenario where Cam plays well and decides maybe this place isn't for me and I'm going to take this leverage of getting my career back on track and I'm going to go sign elsewhere. So there's there's a bit of a.

assumption here that not only was this a perfect signing for the Pats, but he's going to be healthy and be a star, and he's going to be their quarterback for another seven years. So much has to play out. I think it's a, you wouldn't look past this season, but it is a perfect springboard potentially for Cam Newton. No, I think that's a good point that even if he plays well, Dan, that he might not be the long-term quarterback because he's going to have options and he's not going to necessarily be that cheap. The thing I would say in terms of the Patriot way, though, is they've had a million colorful characters. And Mike talked about him talking to North Turner and stuff. It's like if they want guys that are ultra competitive and like love football to their core. And I don't think anyone's ever

questioned that with Cam Newton. And it's different. It's different when your quarterback is out there and is a little different. But it's like I don't think anyone's, you know, they shouldn't have questioned that with Cam Newton. And I think that's why they feel like it's a good fit. While we're talking quarterback, so. Should have fallen on that ball on Super Bowl 50. But yeah, otherwise I agree. I do. You were saying, a loser here, you know, those of us on Stidham Corner here,

we'll take back. But for me, I love Cam Newton, far more than I've ever loved being on Stidham Corner. And I do think, to your point about Cam Newton, that it might be,

you know, a one-year thing. It's like, A, there's a decent chance you'll see Stidham this year anyways, possibly for a lot of the year. I mean, we just don't know.

with Cam Newton's health. And then B, like, he's a second year, fourth round pick. It's very possible that he's in the mix, like, at a later date. There's just not much reason to believe, as Mike said, as anything logical, it said that when we're reading these quarterback battles in August, then we will. It's like there will be no reason to think that a healthy Cam Newton is not their starter. It's like, how is Jared Stidham going to be a better player than Cam Newton right now?

Come on. But all the reporting also talks about how they, to your point, they've not given up on Jared Stidham. And I think it's actually just a better situation to find out who Jaron Stidham is in another year to develop. He's not a first round guy. I don't think he didn't draft him to think he's the heir apparent to Tom Brady. I have one more loser.

And Greg, you alluded to it, the Bill's AFC East favorite status. I actually saw a tweet right before the show started. I don't know if it's a Vegas wide, desert wide thing, but the Patriots are now slight favorites in the AFC East after the Cam Newton signing. which maybe is the best thing can happen to the bills who now probably don't have to worry about falling into that trap of expectations being so high. It's not easy to be the favorite,

especially if you don't have any experience with it. And now the Patriots, I think there will be a lot of people, especially if Cam looks good if and when there's a training camp. The bills get to kind of go back to that, you know, we're hunting for the division title rather than people. And it was wrong to do it in the first place, but you kind of were getting the feeling that people were handing in that title. So, yes, the favorite stuff,

status is over, but that might actually be a good thing for the bills. I think it is a good thing. Also, there is definitely a, like a hipster movement, a foot also, where it's like, I don't really care what New England did. Buffalo's still running away with this division head and tails. Yeah. Nothing is changed to my stand. Colleen likes the bills. It is, it's at least it makes the AFC more, you know, interesting. Just at quarterback, it's so much more interesting than it was a few years ago. I'm not down on Darnold. because he's the guy, the type of guy I usually fall for that he makes three throws every play, every game that like almost no one could make.

To me, he's just a total wild card where the ceiling is so high and the floor, you know, might be fairly low still. And then you have Tua, and then you have Josh Allen who makes people crazy, but to me, in a best case scenario, he's a poor man's Cam Newton, and then you actually have Cam Newton. Right, that's nice. Hey, Ryan, Fitzpatrick, don't forget about our favorite, please. We got Fitzmagic in the mix. Yeah, the Patriots, I don't need to see the Patriots win another division for the rest of my life.

But I do as a football fan, I kind of'm into the Cam Newton in the division thing. It's kind of, it's a fun storyline. The Patriots were, they were shaping up as a brutally boring team. And now there's some juice in the building. All right. All right. Anybody got another one or do you want to move on here? Let's move on.

All right. Before we say goodbye, because, again, we are going away for a week. So why don't we do a little 8 o'clock lightning, Ricky, just to 8 o'clock to light, excuse me, just to hit any other news, and then we'll say goodbye. Mark Davis is unhappy with the decision to sell ads, not seats the fans in his fancy new stadium. Greg.

I mean, this is just the beginning. If Mark Davis is coming after the league because he thinks like society should be more up and you might see some political back and forth among the owners. Might be interesting. You like that. A little raiders sizzle there.

Matt Ruhl says to everybody and maybe me, Teddy will go deep more in 2020. 6.2. Attempted very nice. Why not? You got Robbie Anderson. Matt Ruhl knows Robbie Anderson well. I think this is a little bit has to do with Rule

when he came on our show too and had to answer Teddy questions. Everywhere he goes, it's Teddy questions. And typically questions doubting Teddy, so he's telling you, stick it. We're going to throw the ball. And for those, Teddy Bridgewater's averaged 6.2 intended air yards for attempt last season.

In other news, Zika Elliott still hasn't worked out two weeks after getting the COVID-19 virus. Greg, hmm. This is the whole thing with Corona that I think people are underselling. What are the long-term impact's going to be for these players.

For the 37 Clemson guys. Also, the Hall of Fame game and ceremony were canceled. July 28th, still the target date for training camp. We'll see, Mark. We'll see. We'll see. All right. What are you guys going to do this week? Anything?

I'm still in Texas, of course. I'm going to enjoy it here at the lake. Kevin Danger Hansis, my brother is coming into town, actually, and he's going to stay with us in seclusion here at the lakehouse, and I'm looking forward to it. That should have a similar Cam Newton in New England effect. He tends to spice things up when he arrives. That's well put. I can see some controversial press conferences, hairstyles.

It all is on the table for danger. Kevin Danger Hansis and my brother-in-law, Tanner, are still the only people in the history of the Super Bowl and the Super Bowls we've covered at the Around the NFL podcast, where we go into the stadiums, Ricky, as well, And we, on game day for the Super Bowl, we get there about three hours, four hours before kickoff. And we're in that building, what, three or four hours after the Lombardi Trophy is handed over. So when we leave, we're sometimes close to the last people out of the Super Bowl stadium.

And to this day, only Kevin and Tanner were the only Super Bowl family guests that were still awake when we got back to the hotel at three odd a.m. in the morning at T. Friday's hammering down drinks, talking to girls, getting in trouble. I think they actually convinced TGI Fridays to stay open later because they're like, there are people coming back. This place is going to be rocking. And, you know, we close the place very early in the morning. Anyway, your plans, guys, for this week? And lady?

My plan, I really have no plans. It's like other weeks, but less podcast. I do have an update, though. I don't know, Erica, if you wanted to share the poll that you put up, on your site. On her Twitter page, she said, who's better looking? Fettle an argument.

Greg says, Cam, right now, over 550 votes, Cam dominating 68% of the vote. Yeah, it's a big. It's a big loss for me. I really, you know, hit the table that it was Tom Brady earlier. And, you know,

maybe like Cam Newton, I can change. Well, I will, let's just give Brady this. A lot of people are better looking at 31 than they are at 43. right well plus trusting the american public in an open vote isn't always proven to be like you're choosing the right guy so well there's a lot of people are going to just vote against brady because they can't stand brady but i think the cam is a fair uh challenger there sorry i didn't have an answer

for what's happening this week i don't know if mark cams hot we are we're going to um to lake arrowhead as a family for two two nights or so nice that's a nice you got to be careful here by there by the way, Erica, you're a young lady, and I know what's been happening in L.A. since I've been gone. You guys can't stop partying, you millennials, and it's caused a spike in the Los Angeles County region. What are you doing here? Texas is pointing fingers. Yeah, I know, right? Seriously. I rented a house up in Joshua Tree National Park. So I'm going to go up there for a little bit and get out of the city and see some stars. Very good. I call no land home anymore, Mark. I don't, not Texas, not California, not New York. I just, I'm a wander at this.

stage of my life. And I think that's just the best way to do it at this point. I hope that got into the newspaper article that we've not heard anything else about. I'm waiting. We're waiting to find out. Let us know. Tees. That's a nice tease for next week.

Come back. Come back to find out the stirring conclusion to the Gatesville Messenger. What a drama. Oh, no. All right. Good stuff. Dan Hans is signing off for Quiet Storm. the old boss

Ricky Hollywood enjoy the fourth everybody see you next week Hey, Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move to Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college

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