NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Choose Your Own Adventure & Gene Deckerhoff Joins the Show

Episode Date: February 3, 2021

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Gregg Rosenthal and Patrick Claybon get you up to speed with everything happening in the league before Super Bowl. The heroes discuss opening night coverage, (8:02) Matthew Stafford and Jared Goff switching teams (19:42) choosing their own QB adventure (31:02). To close the show, Bucs play by play legend, Gene Deckerhoff, joins the show (48:21).Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, 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 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. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

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. The Big Bad Blocker Boys. Welcome to another edition of the Air Force. Around the NFL podcast presented by Truest. My name is Dan Hansis.

I come to you from a room filled of heroes, Mark Sessler, Greg Rosenthal, and Patrick Claibon. What is up, boys? Super Bowl week? This is the week where we take what we normally do, and we just try harder. You thought we were trying hard before?

Now we're trying harder. All right. And on the subject of trying harder, we all wish west was with us right now and we've talked about this over the course of this season he brings in the haydan off the top until west is back somebody else has to step up this is a leadership move and patrick you're a frequent guest but i don't expect you to be that guy it's got to come from gregar markled wait hold on usually me but when we have a guest i kind of let's see if they want to jump in it is i don't it feels it feels odd it feels difficult to do it as as the guest

in this point. And so I was just, as you said then, I was going to leave it up to the Clayvon's not a guest, though. At this point, Claibon's not a guest. He's, you know, well, he's an honorary hero, but at the same time, he can't be expected. He can't be expected. I mean, I just know that if you're one of these people on NFL.com who logged on to, like, a gigantic motherboard computer in your house to watch this, you're thinking this show is off to a roaring, roaring start here. I do, I do think about that sometimes. Because I don't know how many podcasts you guys listen to, but I do find myself fast forwarding like the first three or four minutes of a lot of podcasts where they're just kind of like screwing around before they

really get to it. And I do wonder, you know, I would think I would like our first three or four minutes, but I do wonder how many, how many people like, yeah, maybe not these, but how many people are like that, like me, just fast forwarding until they get to the real stuff. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I always listen to every second of a podcast. I even listen to the ads. I actually slow down the playback on the ads so I could really soak in. We don't do ads for some reason on our show with the NFL, but for most people, that's a part, a component of doing a podcast. Anyway, Mark, I look to you.

I've worked with you for over a decade now. I would like you to step into that void until West returns. Now we're just going to ask for it. You don't have to help me, but I will. I will, but it's a sharp right turn from the semi-tradition we had established over the past couple of months. And I thought, you know, Greg, he's been a management figure before. He understands adult responsibility.

And today he just went totally silent. So it's like, quick. Now it's Mark's issue to deal with. Well, not thankful for that. All right. So we are a well-oiled machine, obviously, as we hit Super Bowl weekend. Yes, this is it. There's a big game coming up on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Patrick Mahomes against Tom Brady. incredible stuff and you know on that subject and we got a great show coming up very excited a special guest a guess that you know what it's a it's one of those moments it's when like okay we're doing something right because we got jean deckerhoff coming up later on the show the voice of the bucks but before we get to jean before we get to the news including one of the biggest quarterback trades in the history of our league let's share some opening super bowl thoughts great Get us going. Yeah, this was the same show a year ago that we were on a boat.

It was a controversial show. I don't know if we're going to have as much excitement in this show, as much controversy, especially when my opening thought is just about Patrick Mahomes, and this feels like the most obvious hill to be on. But I just want to like appreciate this moment with Mahomes now in his second Super Bowl, in his third season, because we kind of, assume okay this is just what it's going to be from now on we don't know that i mean we kind of thought that with brett farb when he won three straight mbps he'd be in the super bowl a lot we thought with

dan merino you know not that i was around back then but maybe the only quarterback um that has started his career as fast as patrick behomes uh when he got to the super bowl in his second season like okay this guy'll be back in like we don't know but this is the greatest player i've ever seen it's the player just in terms of pure talent that's given me like the most joy of just like i can't believe i get to watch this guy play football of course getting to see him do it against brady is like amazing but i'm just not assuming it's always going to happen like this is his third season and it's the third time he's gotten into a monster game the second super bowl but against this awesome todd bulls defense where it's boom or bust like i'm just going to like enjoy the mohomes of it all

soak it in that's what i'm looking forward to there you and fairness there is a lot of assumption on your part with that particular player you said about two years ago he's the greatest quarterback of all time So I would think you're already spinning forward to another 12-14 years of this. I've seen, but sometimes it's not all about the quarterback. Things can happen and who knows what could happen in his future. But we got him right now. We got him right now in an amazing game with him at his peak. So I'm looking forward to that.

I do find it like slightly shade-throwing that Greg just went on like a four-minute speech about Patrick Mahomes when the quarterback he's playing Tom Brady from his favorite team essentially made his young adulthood into adulthood. a football paradise. I don't know how Tom Brady would respond to that. The way you phrased that, Mark, makes it sound like Tom Brady is Greg's dad. He birthed the adult Roosevelt. In some ways, he is. I do think about Brady in his third Super Bowl and kind of what the difference were then.

It is crazy to think about, like, no one thought Tom Brady was one of the five best Super Bowl, one of the best quarterbacks in the league entering 2004 in that playoff run, which is where I think Brady started to go to another level, was that playoffs. And then basically every spot onward. But, like, no one even thought he was a top five quarterback back then, like in the entire NFL. Like, at the time, not just accomplishments, but, like, that year. And now to think where Mahomes is in his fourth season, it's just crazy.

Yeah, Mahomes hit the ground running as the best quarterback in football in the second year. If you really, listen, we're not going to have issues with Andy Reid. Everything's played out pretty well. But he kept Alex Smith as the quarterback for the entirety of Mahomes' rookie year. You got a feeling he probably would have pulled. to Justin Herbert if he got that opportunity in year one, but I guess we'll never really know. All right, Mark, your opening thoughts of Super Bowl Week.

Or excuse me, let's go Claibon next. Sure, go Claibon. Yeah. Okay. Well, fitting that I follow Greg, and it's no surprise that we're kind of on the same wavelength there. And my thoughts kind of the same as it always is coming into Super Bowl week. And it's wonderful, right, that we get to invest so much energy

and intensity into this game. And the winner deserves all the praise. right? You dream about winning a Super Bowl when you're a child. You dream about playing in a Super Bowl. But once it's over, and especially if it's close, like last year, we need to remember that the winners aren't like selected by destiny or, you know, picked by some deity itself. We play the game and we remember the game for a reason. And I know after the fact that you can look at a team like the 49ers from 2019 and say, oh, you know, they had holes, X, Y, and Z. and they didn't do this but they were still a really good team and they deserve to be remembered as a good team and I don't think it's going to be that much of a problem now that we have a Super Bowl winning quarterback

with a Super Bowl MVP and we have of course the greatest Super Bowl winning quarterback of all time on the other side but my thing is if you take all those things away Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady is still Tom Brady and Bruce Ariens said last week that he needs a Super Bowl win to validate his career

And it's just such a, to me, it's a defeated way of looking at sports. And I think sometimes we look at these teams that have won a conference championship, they've accomplished so much, and they're remembered as losers. And the guys who wind up on the other side of the scoreboard get to have chicken banquets for the rest of their lives and talk about all these memories they're shared with their teammates. And the other guys don't get to do that. And I just think that that's an unfair level of importance that we place on winning this game, even though it's great to win the game.

Well, the loser, the loser gets the chicken banquet. The winner gets the steak banquets going forward. But, you know, there's an old thing. I think Francesa back in the old days used to say, you know, it's much worse to get to the Super Bowl and lose it than to just lose in the conference title game. I agree. I think because you,

You have to stick with that being on that stage. I think that's one thing, Claibon, like, it's so amplified. This is the center of, like, American culture around this game. So the stakes are so high to lose that game. And conversely, to win it, it just changes your life because football and this country in the Super Bowl is such a big thing. It's not just like any other game. Well, and it is what Ariens as coach, you know, he does have a Super Bowl.

an assistant i believe um but you know you believe them too this is this is what you want and and it it's unfortunate but it's one of the great things about sports too is that there's no ambiguity listening to players and coaches talk about it that have lost like one super bowl like you believe them that it that that that is that's unfortunate but it like it it is part of the the deal that this is why he's been coaching all this time is to win it's to win a game like this Mark, I want to tee you up by letting the audience know what we learned right before we started that Mark watched two hours of NFL's opening night press conferences on Monday. Two-hour coverage, he was plugged in, so no one is going to have a better insight on this week

than Mr. Sessler, Mark. Well, I mean, number one, I thought that we were all doing that. You know, signals crossed. I guess I took the bullet on that front. But I quite didn't. I watched part of it. All right. So Greg watched part of it.

But I, Greg's TV is always on NFL network. Right. I mean, great. It's just like passing by. Yeah, mine as well. Locked on 24-7 in Greg's house. I mean, here's the thing. This whole season, I think, has brought forth some really good things.

I don't think less, we get the less access for reporters is a nightmare. And there are a lot of things about media night. If you've ever been there and we've been there to 10 in a row, it's an absolute circus. You can't hear yourself think. But there are quiet conversations with players. and especially the coaches that I always thought were a great setup for the week. And for me, I know that you can go find some of that stuff, but that's what I missed. But what I liked was the compact nature of how they did it in two hours.

And part of me was like, this was so much, this was so far more painless than the ones that we've been to. And I'm not trying to complain about them. And just I wonder if they would ever think about tweaking in general some of the media approach to the NFL season. And it would, for me, media night, it would start right there. I will say one other thing, I love the coaching matchup of Andy Reed versus Bruce Ariens. And they spoke last night, and I love what they had to say and just be able to concentrate on the two of them. I remember when Wes and I once went to cover the Harbaugh brothers, right, the press conference for that. And it was like we were watching like two inaugurations at the same time.

It was so overdone. And, Wes and I were thinking, what are we possibly supposed to write about this event? It's so overblown. I just like taking some of this and putting it a little bit more perspective. it's a game it's a few days from now these people can speak and we do the game i don't know if i need to have you know lady gaga like shouting from the rooftops while i'm trying to hear eight other people talk anyways um listen i i you are more of the minimalist uh by nature in a lot of ways i love that the super bowl is big and gaudy and overblown that's one of the things i love about

the entire operation so i disagree even the media night i'm not i actually haven't been to the last couple i kind of got out of that assignment Well, there you go. But when I first started covering it, though, I thought it was like a thrill. I felt like I was in the middle of everything. And I do, you mention that, like, it's not so much the guys on the risers at Media Night that matter, because that's when it gets stinky and the body odors and it's really compact. And in a pandemic world, you wonder if that's something that needs to exist.

But it is those finding the defensive coordinator sitting off on his own on the bottom level of the arena and you can get up to him and get 10 minutes with them on your own. Like, all that stuff, that melts away if you turn this into a big Zoom call every year. Well, that would be my bigger point. Like, I'm not trying to, like, take a shot at the event. I think they could tone it down. But the reporting opportunities are pretty special at that kind of an event. One last little thing, and then I will shut up.

If I, blinding lights, we get it, the weekend, sings it, and he's going to be singing it this Sunday. They played it for, I'm not kidding, I think, 35 minutes during that presentation. I don't know what the strategy is. If I'm the weekend, I don't play that song during. the Super Bowl just to throw everyone for a massive loop because it's like I've heard the song 460 times now I really like it but I mean it's like Hotel California I've heard the song I really liked it and now I'm like I don't need to hear it for the next three years now I'm done my takeaway from this is Mark would enjoy I think opening night in any year even if it was

pre-pandemic post-pandemic if you were just watching it at home on your TV I think I was going to say, it almost sounds like Mark's all set with going to Super Bowls going forward. I don't know if that's in play right now. No, I like a nice quiet hotel room. I mean, I can, that's, I'm missing that right now. We've got kids running up and down the hallway. Okay. So things I didn't see coming in the last 10 months other than the global pandemic and everything that's come with that.

And at certain political events that have unfolded in a, it's been a weird 10 months. Let's put it that way. One thing I haven't seen coming, I have a whole new appreciation of Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr. Never thought that would happen. Never in a million years as a Jets fan tortured by the Patriots. But I find myself rooting for him this season, especially during this playoff run. To me, he's the biggest story of the Super Bowl by far. And I think it's truly incredible you could play for one team for 20 years and have all the success he had in New England.

leave in free agency, do the Joe Montana to the Chiefs move. And if he did that, then he went to the Chiefs and he went to the Bucks and they went nine and seven and he played pretty good football and they maybe won a playoff game. And that would have been a really big story about him winning a playoff game. And then he got dispatched in the divisional playoffs or even the conference title game. That to me would have felt like a success at this stage for a 43-year-old quarterback. and that would have been an acceptable outcome. But instead, he plays at a level this season that has approximated his peak.

And he takes this new team to the Super Bowl. And I just think, and you guys, I know are all on the same page with this, I think, that this is a remarkable sports story. And I think it's building potentially to a storybook finish. Maybe not. And maybe none of these things, but the way the story is being. painted. That won't have an outcome on how the game is played. But imagine if Tom Brady does win another Super Bowl, how incredible that would be. It kind of goes to Claibon's point, too,

about remembering the winners. And in the comparison of Montana going to the Chiefs is different in terms of age. But they went, I think 17 and 8, I just checked quickly when Montana started games. They went to an AFC championship game. And yet, I think in the history books, you think he led the league and like interception percentage and played really well in the chiefs. It does go to show like sort of what you remember. And I think the fact that they won this last game and so much of it is the offensive line

and the defense and everything else and Brady playing extremely well. It's like history, you do end up remembering the guys who get to this game. And especially you're right, Dan, if they won this game. Man, I just want a lot of points. Just give me the points.

In the 30s, back and forth. Just like the AFC championship when it was Patriots Chiefs in 2018. seen last guy with the ball wins that's the game on the subject of tom brady and his continuing greatness uh at age 43 but once upon a time he said 45 was the goal he was asked during media day if now he could he could see a scenario where he plays beyond his 45th birthday here's what brady had to say yeah definitely again it's a physical sport and just the perspective i have on that is you know you never know kind of when uh you know that moment is

just because it's a contact sport and there's a lot of training that goes into it and again, it has to be 100% commitment from myself to keep doing it. It's just 45, Mark. You're right around that age, so. I'm a little older. It increases my total respect for him.

And I like what you said about Tom Brady and we're on the same party line there and I have to wonder in general. I mean, Greg, I get your fascination with Mahomes and I think I get the nation's fascination with Mahomes. it shouldn't be taken for granted or normalized what he and the chiefs are doing. But if you're in your 40s, how are you not rooting for Tom Brady to pull this thing off? I just find them to be, this is one of the most remarkable sports stories of any sport or round.

This is when the body breaks down from mass chunks of the population. We saw what happened with Brett Farve in year two with the Vikings. It was tough on the eyes. Brady at 45, could he play to 46 or 47? He's the one athlete where I would say, I will not doubt this guy until. he literally, like, locks himself in a storage cabinet away from the NFL because it's, like, he's going to keep playing, and he goes to Tampa Bay, and Bruce Ariens, it's not hyperbole.

The belief he instilled in his teammates and everyone around him triggered this. That's a huge part of this. You don't just plug in any quarterback who's good. This is a Tom Brady effect in Tampa Bay. It's just as powerful as his play itself. I almost feel uncomfortable because I'm rooting for both teams. It's, like, no fun to root for both teams. All right.

Men, a major trade went down in the NFL in the last couple days. Detroit Lions sent Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Gough and multiple draft picks. The Lions will receive a third round pick in 2021, a first round pick in 2022, and a first round pick in 2023. It is the first exchange, Patrick Claibon, a former number one overall picks ever. uh since the beginning of the common draft era it all becomes official uh when the new league year clicks in on march 17th when you heard the news patrick what was your first takeaway on the deal

my first takeaway when i heard the news is oh god i have to go turn the camera on and do work but then i realized that cal montgomery uh was actually working on saturday night uh we eventually uh came in on sunday to a special edition of nfl now but that's that's all kimono open stuff but my thought was oh my gosh, they did it. Les Need was, we were running sound of Les Need all week, last week, where he's alluding to this beautiful mystery of what happens with Jared Goff. And we knew through John Wolford starting in the playoff game and potentially starting in the second playoff game, if he was healthy, that the relationship between McVeigh and

golf, the football player, seemed like it was coming to an end. And so they did it. They went and got a quarterback who could perhaps do those things that Jared Goff hasn't we'll say, and we don't know what it's ultimately going to look like, but they did it. They're trying, and that's really the dichotomy of the discussion is win now or a crew picks to try to win later. And as a football fan, I'm always going to side with the teams that want to win now because these hypothetical picks, I don't know who these 19-year-olds are or these 18-year-olds

that are going to play in 2023, but I know who Matt Stafford is, and I'm excited to watch and play in SoFi next year. Yeah, I am too. It's just such an interesting trade for so many reasons that they thought Stafford was that much better. And I tend to agree that they had to do something. They couldn't continue along this path with Goff. And so the trade terms are so outrageous that you're taking aback at first. I look at it like Stafford, and especially if you look at all the other offers around the league, was maybe worth a first and a third. And then getting rid of Goff's contract was worth a first. And so, you know, it sounds like a lot together. And I know Goff, you know, he's spoken with Michael Silver and he's obviously going to be hurt by this. And there's a lot of people who are saying, no, the Lions really wanted Goff. They really view him as a big part of it.

That's fine. The entire NFL evaluated Stafford and Goff that was involved in this trade. basically like the Rams did. You know, like, no one wanted Goff. That's why you had to pay that much to get rid of him. And the Rams didn't want to get stuck having him when he had $45 million guaranteed the next two years. And a lot of people wanted Stafford,

partly because of the contract, because he's not too much money at all over the next two years and reportedly doesn't want more money. So he's just going to stay on that contract. So that was part of it. And everyone's critical of the Rams for trading away the picks. I'm somewhere in the middle, but just recognizing that they've done this now for five years

and they've been one of the best five or six teams in the NFL. So we always say like we want teams to think differently. They think differently. They have not cared about first round picks and it's worked. You can't really argue with the fact that they've been, you know, a top team with this approach. And this gives them a chance to compete next year. I'm with you because, you know,

I've had my issues with the Rams since they moved to Los Angeles. but this changed that because I like Les Sneed and Sean McVeigh, A, being on the same page and rolling the dice and being gamblers to get what they want. The mistake would have been to go through another season with this semi-divorce with Jared Gough happening while they have John Wolford and others on the roster. It was becoming too big of a talking point. Lesneed, though, I will say this, because his name is on this thing, and there will be people tracking this for a while, depending on how Stafford does.

They gave up a first, a second, and a third to go up and get Gough in the draft. They've given up a third and a first and a first to get rid of him. I mean, by all, take away the Super Bowl year, by all accounts, that's a costly, that's a player that costs a lot of draft capital and mistakes. But at the same time, from a football watching side of it, and this is just me, two of the most annoying quarterback situations in the league have been fixed. Goff in L.A. was driving me crazy. Matthew Stafford in Detroit felt like the same thing

45 years in a row. I love shaking it up. Jared Goff to me fits the Detroit Lions perfectly. Go enjoy yourself. As a bridge quarterback, you're in the right city. But the Stafford and the Rams makes them intriguing. There's so much pressure on this team. This is a Super Bowl or bus team.

If this goes south, it's going to be very interesting in Los Angeles next season. I do think. I think you get half of what you want because I don't think Jared Goff in Detroit is going to necessarily be a fun, even if he's a bridge. We'll see how it goes. Well, it takes them out of L.A., I mean, but yeah. It takes them out of L.A.

And I also, I'm not giving out any lollipops to less need because less need was behind. And Sean McVeigh, who has a huge voice in that organization, and ownership, of course, we're behind giving Jared Gough a huge contract extension in September 2019. That was not very long ago. even if it feels like a long ago. So this trade was paying for the sins of that contract. I think a lot of people were missing that when it went down. It's like, oh, you're giving up all those draft picks in addition to golf?

Well, they had to, it was the Brock Osweiler trade from a few years back on steroids. And who knows, this does feel like a great experiment for the Rams. Also feels to me desperate, ultimately, that they're going to do this and get Stafford and be like, now we'll win a Super Bowl. Well, you, I hope you take the next step because we, Patrick, you mentioned you never know with first round picks, but many of titles are built on teams that use the draft wisely, especially their first round picks. And they drafted. Jared got first overall in 2016, as we've noted. No first round pick in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2021, 22, and now 2023. Matthew Stafford, better stay healthy or this is going to get, this is going to turn into a trade that,

potentially gets everybody fired, maybe even on both sides. Well, you mentioned the draft. In terms of getting the picks, they used their pick on Jared golf, right? And that didn't work out. So you get it here. Did it work out or did it not work out? Because he had some big seasons, stuck him to a Super Bowl. I feel like acting like he was Mark Sanchez or something is not quite fair either.

No, I don't think, but that's what they did on the way out. And maybe perhaps they could have saved the pick in terms of making the trade. if they were a little more, hey, yeah, we signed Jared for a reason. We like Jared. Jared's our quarterback. But that's how the Rams didn't feel that way about them. As Greg said, other people in the league didn't feel that way about them. So maybe, unless Needs' eyes, you prefer to have a known quantity than another shot at another quarterback.

Right. I mean, Stafford's young, though. I mean, we don't know how good Stafford's going to be with McVeigh. It'd be interesting. I would love to know what Anthony Lynn, who was coaching Justin Herbert a couple months ago, Went to Detroit to coach Matthew Stafford, and now is coaching Jared Gough. What does Anthony Lynn think about these turn of events? It feels like a step down in terms of your quarterback to work with in my book.

He didn't get any credit for Justin Herbert, so why is he going to get any credit either way for Jerry? Well, you're right. Well, yeah. I think Detroit, Detroit taking on golf is crazy, isn't it? I mean, it's a really fascinating move for them to take on Gough as part of it that they wanted him. That's fascinating. and the money involved is interesting, but I guess a team that is rebuilding

is not going to be high in, you know, going nuts at the free agent market. So I guess they felt they could take it, take it on. It also is interesting, a team that is so focused on blowing up the machine, in addition to having golf in that contract, they only got in 2021, just a third round pick out of it. So the true, like, marquee draft picks don't come until next year. I guess if I'm a Lions fan,

I don't know. I guess I feel okay about the trade. You got the draft assets out of it and Goff is not anyone's idea of an exciting quarterback, but certainly you could do worse as a bridge guy. I would give the lines the edge on the trade, but I also see how it could potentially backfire if Goff continues to regress. Everyone's going to look pretty bad, I think, in that building. You're a Lions fan, though. You've spent your entire fandom of a certain age watching Megatron play a long career in Detroit and nothing came of it. Barry Sanders, long career in Detroit, retired earlier than he needed to. Nothing came from it. Matthew Stafford, another piece like that. So Jared Gough is a bridge. I love what Brad Holmes did to get the draft picks. I think he learned a lot from Les Sneed and got a lot of value from Les Sneed. And they honestly, I know this won't happen. But if you look at the whole Deshaun Watson, thing. Detroit is a, I'm not, I don't think this would ever, this would be the case, but you've got the draft picks to make a play for anything else in the league to move up, to go for Deshaun Watson to get the quarterback you want in the draft. I mean, I think golf was, I do agree with the Brock Osweiler side of this to some degree, except that it might be a little bit more elongated where you get golf for a year, but this is not their final destination under center. Right. I think golf is most likely going to struggle. I mean, I, I think,

he's set up to totally fail. And Dan Campbell is talking about you're not going to be able to evaluate this team for a couple years. Like that's the long game. And this is like, I don't think that works in the NFL. Like we've seen teams with multiple drafts. And, you know, if you have a great coach and a great front office that can put together a huge team, like that's great. But it's not like the dolphins are hitting on all these drafts. They've had a ton of drafts.

Some are working. Some aren't. But you have to have like a great. organization and build that up. And that's just whether Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes ultimately have the goods. Gough is set up for failure. And the last thing I just wanted to say on like the Gough contract was such a mistake. And I've seen a lot of people say like, well, you know, the Rams shouldn't escape being blamed. Well, no, of course. They're admitting that they made a huge mistake of, like they made a massive mistake in giving GERLY that contract

and Gough that contract. And they're doing the Patriots like thing, which is like, We're just going to get out of it. But, like, this trade is admitting that we made a horrible mistake with that contract. And this is the best way that we think we can get out of it and still compete next year. And they probably will. They have to really prepare for their defense to regress. I think that's part of it, too. They're not expecting to be a dominant number one defense.

The offense is going to have to be, like, a lot better. It's amazing how quickly things changed with the Rams and their quarterback. Gentlemen, let's continue talking quarterbacks. There was an old book series. Choose Your Own Adventure. This was kind of like an 80s and 90s theme book where Mark, I know you were a big fan of them. I used to read them all the time.

They actually do, they, basically you read the book, and then you have a fork in the road, and you actually get to choose where the story goes by navigating to the page that it tells you to go. They have it now with my kids. I watch it on like Netflix shows and stuff. They have these similar interactive type shows where you could choose to go one way or another,

which is, you know, a sign of the times. We are going to do our own choose, your own adventure, QB style, Mark. We're going to kind of go around, take turns. But you get us going, like, as we try to figure out what happens, we know Matt Stafford's in L.A. He's not going anywhere. Gop is in Detroit. He's unlikely to move.

What's next in our adventure of quarterbacks in this very interesting offseason? Well, it's my portion of the adventure so I can start it as I wish. I think an adventure should be, you know, it can have some contrast and some issues, but it should be pleasant in the end. And I'm thinking what makes me enjoy football? It's this show, doing this show. And so what would make this show more intriguing? How about this? Deshawn Watson, I had to think about this real hard, because I think this is the next big piece to fall. It can't happen two months after free agency. It's happening at some point. The Texans say, no, I don't believe anything the Texans say. So here's the thing, Deshaun Watson, not to the Niners, not to some other team. He's going to the New York football Jets, all right?

The Jets for so long. There we go. I don't think this fit a month ago. It's funny because we talked about this when these reports started to bubble up. And I thought the Jets with no coach and questions at ownership in a roster that needs help, I just don't see it. You can't wish cast them to New York. But Robert Sala changes everything.

Their draft capital makes them an ideal trade partner. And I, you know, we don't need to go through the trade terms for all these things. But I would say that you've got to move three first. And I think maybe one other little additional pick. You get Deshaun Watson. Maybe they throw in like a nice 20, 27th rounder is just a little tiny hors d'oeuvre for you down the road, the Jets. And maybe an autographed headshot of Jack Easterby. And there we go.

Deshaun Watson goes to New York and bang. The adventure is off and running in Florham Park. I love it. Very interesting. We talked about, well, we've talked about this a lot now because ever since the report down in Florida surface that the Jets were the preferred destination of Deshaun Watson, Rich Zemini of ESPN.com has since said that that's not necessarily the case. So I don't know where all this stands, but that doesn't matter because this is choose your own adventure. And in this reality, he has been moved to the New York Jets changing everything. As I said, it would change everything. And it would be all because of of the great Robert Sala that had happened. Let me go next. Okay, so now the domino is falling. The Jets have the Sean Watson. The first thing they're going to do,

let's, yeah, let's say. Maybe it cost them three first round picks. Maybe that's what the cost was. Now they have Sam Darnold on their roster. The first thing that Joe Douglas is going to do is to recoup some lost draft assets. He moves Sam Darnold to the San Francisco 49ers. Kyle Shanahan quietly was looking for,

a fresh start at quarterback. So he sends a second round pick back to the Jets for Sam Darnold. And now the 49ers have a situation because Jimmy Garoppolo got a nice contract a couple of years back, but he's been banged up and hurt a lot. I know he got to the Super Bowl last year, but apparently like Sean McVeigh with the Rams, quietly unhappy with Garoppolo and thinks he can get the most out of Sam Darnold, who would be potentially a great fit in that West Coast offense. So Patrick Claibon, they now have two starting quarterbacks in that building.

What happens next? Well, the starting quarterback, if the 49ers believe in the acquisition of Sam Darnel, which of course happened because these are the adventures that we have selected today, then that takes away my landing spot for Matt Ryan to be reunited with Kyle Shanahan to play out the remainder of this contract with the Atlanta Falcons. So Matt Ryan needing a home, the Falcons looking for a new start with Justin Fields, one of the two quarterbacks from the outer Atlanta area

in this draft, along with Trevor He is selected there, and Matt Ryan is traded to the Chicago Bears where we see how Matt Nagy's offense will operate in the future, in the post-Tubisky world where they have been looking for consistency. They've been looking

for somebody who could perform. They tried to do that in Nick Foles. It did not work. The Matt Ryan era united with Julio Jones. Perhaps Julio could be on the move as well, the new era in Atlanta. But I would say, Matt Ryan, Chicago bound after we've seen a couple of these quarterbacks in this adventure, again, that we have chosen, that could potentially have been bears at one time. Finally, Matt Ryan in Chicago. Spice.

Wow. All right. Okay. Let me just, before we get to Greg, let me just reset things here. Watson to the Jets, Darnold to the Niners, Matt Ryan to the Bears. So now we have two quarterbacks in San Francisco and an opening in Atlanta with a lot of draft capital. Greg. Yeah, I think this would be a tough, you know, test of the Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, the trust in San Francisco. Because, you know, there's some thought they might want Kirk Cousins, their old buddy.

You know, they don't get Matt Ryan. They do get Sam Darnold. And then there's no point of having Jimmy G. So you just call up Bill Belichick, who never really lost his love for Jimmy G. And, you know, Bill loves a deal. He just loves how it looks that he traded Jimmy G for a second round pick. And he sends, you know, he gets a third round pick to get him back. He sends a third round pick to get him back.

They would be thrilled. Third round. Wow. Third round. I mean, no one's giving up that much for these guys. I don't think Garapel on this contract guy. Maybe a second or third round. Maybe it's that second round.

Either way, he returns to New England, and they have some faith that he fit well in their system. Did not in Kyle Shanahan's, but I think they'll evaluate him based on what they know about him and they loved them. And I think that is the quarterback. If the Bill Belichick gets his choice of choosing all his adventures this offseason, that's just my suspicion is that's his number one choice, is getting Jimmy G. back for a relatively affordable price. That's how they move forward. Greg, you know, I have to say, you know, I enjoyed the report that surface that Matthew

Stafford said, I will literally go to any team but the Patriots. And I know in a way that that hurt you because you're thinking to yourself, man, things have changed. In New England, it might not be a place people want to play anymore. Well, I think this is like a lot of Patriots stories. You've thought about it a lot more than I have. But, yeah, this is what happens when you bring Matt Patricia back. I mean, who needs Matt Patricia?

That's for sure. I mean, I did not look for, you know. Matt Patricia would be nowhere near that quarterback room. Right, but that's, you know, if you're Matthew Stafford, yeah, if you're Matthew Stafford, you want to stay away from him. I don't think that was, it does sound like there was a lot of teams in on Stafford. We didn't get into that. There was about six or seven teams, you know, if we're to trust Albert Breer's reporting, and why wouldn't I? It's really interesting who went hard after them.

The Patriots were pretty, were very not in the ballpark of the Panthers or the Rams who went super hard. They were, they were trying to get, they were trying to get them for cheap. Right. They weren't even close. So it wouldn't have mattered. Do we want to keep going here, Mark? Do you have another spin? I do, I do.

Another spin. Go ahead. Yeah, when. Let's go around one more. When Deshawn Watson went to the Jets, if I had to guess who would be the most annoyed person out there, I would go Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper. I think they're going to make a hard push for that. I think they want a quarterback that they can basically go right into the skies with.

I mean, we saw the Teddy Bridgewater signing. I don't think it's about let's draft someone. So here's what I've cooked up here. Tell me what you think. The Dallas Cowboys have a Dak Prescott situation. Okay, and Dak Prescott, in the shadows right now, is annoyed, okay? Like, A, you signed everyone else on your offense to long-term deals while leaving Dak Prescott out there.

He gets hurt. Jerry Jones sends a bunch of nice things about, hey, we're going to bring them back. We're going to sign him. He's our quarterback forever. Uh-uh. In this offseason, something stunning will occur, all right? This is what I predict will happen that the Carolina Panthers, they will, number one, wiggle their way up in the draft from number eight to number three, the two.

dolphins pick. They will use some draft capital. And everyone's thinking, oh, they're going to go after their guy at number three, whether that's Justin Fields, whether that's, you know, it could be anyone, whoever they like. It's going to be a quarterback, though. But instead, Zach Wilson. Instead, they basically ship that pick along with other draft picks to the Cowboys for Dak Prescott. They solved that situation for the Cowboys who are in a bad, like it's like a Dishon Watson super light scenario there's not it's not quite as nefarious but that Dack Prescott who has been franchised by the cowboys goes and signs a new deal with Carolina for five years they've got their quarterback forever and the Dallas Cowboys use that

number three pick and we can get into the draft stuff later but I would peg them as taking Justin Fields at number three with the New York Jets out of the mix for a quarterback at number two all right love it very interesting let's let's stay in the nfc east then the philadelphia eagles you know there's a love affair obviously with uh howie roseman and management and carson wence so we're told and they they chose wence over doug peterson on some level well that's all smokescreen they got to trade wence they got to get him out of there they're trying to keep his value up um i know was cost prohibitive with some of the certain things with the cap. But they'll figure out a way and get the fresh start and move forward with Jalen Hertz

and Nick Siriani is the head coach. So they send Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts, a Colts team that just had a one-year experiment with Phil Rivers. And I read a report this week that the Colts are not looking to bring in some rookie to groom. No, they believe they have a Super Bowl window that's open right now. They want a veteran quarterback. and follow the dots here.

Of course, Frank Reich, the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl champion Eagles is the head coach of the cult. If Frank Wright can't fix Carson Wentz, nobody can. So he gets that fresh start and Indy and the Eagles also desperately get the fresh start they need and get that toxic business. Not necessarily Wentz, I'm not saying he's toxic, but the entire situation is toxic with the new head coach and these two quarterbacks. get rid of that problem, and you've got maybe a first-round pick out of it. First round, man. With that contract, it'll be tough. But it wouldn't shock me.

It really wouldn't. I think one thing people missed on the Nick Siriani Presser after they were done kind of making fun of him, you know, and being a little nervous was, man, they were non-committal about Carson Wentz. I have not bought this narrative that they're only hiring the head coach to rehabilitate Carson Went. The fact that they're putting him and Jalen Hertz on the same footing, that they hired a QB coach with a history with Jalen Hertz, I think if they can get the right offer, and that just might be any offer for Carson Wentz, I think they might move on for him. So I don't think that's a crazy one at all. It feels like if anything, they've done whatever they can to pump up or not allow his trade value to sink even further.

If it's clear you're moving on, you get him for nothing. But if it's like, this is our dude, we've got his life-size poster in Howie Roseman's office. everyone loves them oh we wouldn't think of trading them but you blew us away with an offer well there you go um all right claybon you are up the denver bronco fans are like please talk about us uh we don't believe in drew lock anymore please give us something new and that's the problem uh damn because i think they do believe in drew lock and so they stick with drew lock going into another season of all of this chaos is going on everybody's moving around the Denver broncos are are sticking and they are true to drew lock they are locked on to him, if you will, but all the turmoil going on in the South. The Dallas Cowboys,

as Mark said, have their eyes on a quarterback, but they also need, they need a bridge. They need a bridge to get to Justin Fields. They would like to wait in this circumstance, this adventure that we are chosen, that we have lived in. And it just so turns out that there's another quarterback that's been maligned in this very trade situation with the Carolina Panthers, and that is Teddy Bridgewater, finding another team, another. team and another gear and another oddly enough for him bridge situation. Teddy Bridgewater back in the South and the Dallas Cowboys in a loaded offense with so much talent around him trying to fend off the rookie in Justin Fields. It's going to be something

for them to talk about in the metropolitan area down there. There is a there is a irony to Teddy Bridgewater's career becoming the ultimate bridge quarterback. I love that. The bridge over the water. Here's my one thing on that. Don't they already have like one of the top bridge quarterbacks in the league in Andy Dalton? I know he's a entering free agent. He knows the offense. He did some things.

The man is, do we think that Bridgewater is a big upgrade on Andy Dalton? I don't know. Well, he's going to start for the Broncos. So, you know, get excited, Denver. No, I've not really doing that. Who knows? There might be a

market. There might be a market for Randy Dalton services. But I'm going to throw in one last one we're talking bridge quarterback. One of my, one of my favorite little subplots just following Saints' Twitter. Talk about, you know,

things change fast. They changed fast in New England after Brady died. I mean, after Brady left. Wait, a second. Yeah, I'm saying his career after he died. Much. Yes, it is.

Everything makes more sense now. Everything makes more sense. Go ahead. Let's like, bye, bye, bye. After that, after that all went away. The new trend, like people are worried that they're going to lose James Winston. They're like, I don't know. There might be competition for James Winston.

And I say no. I say you live on. James re-signs with the Saints and puts Tase of Hill on the bench. And we're going to get the seat at James Winston. Hey, that's what, that's what Tom Brady Sr. said, right? That these careers, they always, they never end well. I mean, or there are like, it's like, oh, Tom Brady, you could split his career. to three parts and he's a Hall of Famer.

It's like maybe there are just like the real Tom Brady who his human body ran out like in 2007 and we've got multiple sort of synthetic half-robot versions of Tom Brady being opened up and released every four or five years. Greg, you did noble work. There's just a new one all the time. You did noble work, Greg, soldiering on there

after that incredible revelation about like what goes on in your mind. Can you say it again though? Because I wasn't able to process the other footballists. What, he's on the mass, he's under the mass turdent pike with those balls in Peter McNally, the deflate gate guy. You know, you said something about James Winston? Oh, yeah, he's going to return to New Orleans. They're a little worried that they might lose them, but I say no. I want to see James Winston in this scenario and that he ends up being their QB.

That's all I need. And I will put a cap on it by saying that the Broncos will give. Drew Locke, the same four-year, $134 million extension with $110 million guaranteed that the Rams gave to Jared Goff in September 2019. So you don't have any issues. That's going to happen. It's mean. One little note that the listener should pay attention to.

While we were doing this segment, Tom Pelliserra reported that the Falcons intend to trade Matt Ryan during the 2021 season or year leading up to it. So I'm just telling you that, you know, you maybe just can take a next. mapped during the entire off season. We might have mapped out everything that will occur. It was the total opposite. Before we move on, the report from Tommy P.

was the Falcons do not intend to trade Matt Ryan. I read it wrong. Nobody intends to trade anybody. I read it wrong. Gentlemen didn't sign Odell to trade him. So. All right. It's a live show.

I was attempting to spin it. Patrick, this is when we say goodbye to you. You are a busy man. You have to be on the network and be, now you have to put on your, you know, Tom Brokaw hat. And you have to be the face of the news operation. We thank you, though, for your opinions,

your levity, and your general disposition, which is always pleasant. Oh, thanks, Gus. All the same to you, and I look forward to a fun Super Bowl week of watching y'all's coverage. Virtually as we do.

Very good. All right. Coming up next, we have Gene Deckerhoff. Call that goes towards the end zone. It is a Cod ball. Touchdown Tampa Bay by Diamonds. What a way to start the football game in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Get the block to the right side.

Tell another block to the five, three, two, one. Touchdown Tampa Bay. Touchdown, Buccaneer. Fort Nett refused to go down. Scotty Miller in the oven. Makes the catch. Touchdown Tampa Bay. Scotty, Scooter Beller, and Brady puts it right on the spot.

Godwin running to the three's got the first down. Bucks are going to win this football game. Bucks win. Tampa Bay is heading to the Super Bowl. Oh, my goodness, I can't even begin to tell you how excited we are to have this man on the show right now. Every Sunday night, the flagship program when we play the highlights. He was the unquestioned play-by-play MVP of the 2020 season. You know exactly who I'm talking about.

It's Gene Duckerhoff, WFUS. Welcome to the Around the NFL podcast. Seriously, Dean, we're pumped up right now. Yeah, be pumped up. How about this? You got Mitch Holtage doing the Kansas. Touch the Kansas. and touched up time of that he can't fire the cannons at super bowl 55 i wish we could

and by the way that's a vote jean at those calls a week ago the cannon powder wouldn't fire in 28 degree weather in green bay wisconsin no we didn't have canadian jean so um we're good friends of matt money smith uh who is the voice of the chargers you mentioned you mentioned mitch holtis over with the chiefs it feels like a fraternity with the radio guys are they their rivalries? Are there some play-by-play guys that don't get along? Are you all buddy-buddy, are there meetups and non-pandemic times? Take us inside the world. Well, I know this, that during the pandemic, we have remote broadcast, so I haven't had a chance to visit with some of my colleagues that broadcasts. But Mitch, I first met Mitch when he broadcast Kansas

State football and basketball. And coached by the name of Lon Kruger had been at Kansas State and had taken the job at Florida. And I was working television at the time, Channel 6 of CBS affiliate in Tallahassee and so I called and Mitch was I did an interview with Mitch by the phone talking about you know Lon Kruger and what kind of code and Mitch at that time I never thought Lonwood leave Kansas State but he did so then probably about five six years after that conversation Mitch became the the voice of the Kansas City Chiefs and he's been doing a great job ever since and he's he's he did a Super Bowl last year he's got a chance to do back-to-back

Super Bowls and I go 18 years in between Super Bowls I don't know if I'll be around another 18 years. Gene's been doing it, boys, and listeners out there, since 1989 for the Bucks. And he also double dips with Florida State, where he's the voice of FSU. So Gene is a legend down there in Florida. Oh, yeah, I learned all this on jean-deckerhoff.com. People should check out this website. It's hot.

I mean, poor Gene, they got him work in Florida State BC Eagles Tuesday night. It feels like that's going to be a letdown. I am curious, Gene, because you know Tampa more than anyone. I don't think people from the outside knows what the Tampa sports scene is like. What would another Buck's championship look like? Because you guys are kind of the city of champions right now, or at least making the championship. This is three in the last year that you've made the finals.

Yeah, Tampa Bay Lightning, you know, won the championship in the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup was held high over Tampa Bay. And I'll tell you what, the Tampa Bay Rays came, oh, so close, oh, so close to winning a World Series. So they finished second, I guess, to the Dodgers. And here we are, the Tampa Bay Buccaneer football team. We're playing for the Super Bowl championship for trying to add one more Lombardi Trophy. I heard Merckaster on NFL Super Bowl channel on Sirius satellite radio last night, and she was talking about, you know, this is the city of champions.

This is title town, Tampa, Florida. And, oh, by the, you know, the Toronto Raptors are playing out of Tampa because of the COVID pandemic in Canada. And she said they're going to try to lure them down to Tampa after the pandemic is over. Hey, tidal town sounds appropriate. We just played in tidal town, Greenback, just north of the Florida border where I live in Tallahassee, which is about 28 miles to the Georgia border. But Val Dostra is known as Wintersville, USA for their high school football program over there. So, yeah, a lot of titles being thrown around.

That's salt in the wound. Gene to Packers fans that are listening to our national broadcast. Well, what they want, 18, 19 championships? How many more do they need, you know? That's fair. That's right. I think you, just reading about some of the stuff you've done, we mentioned Florida State, you had a show with Bobby Bowden,

who I grew up, you know, that's sort of the earliest inroads I had with college football, and that you worked with Bert Reynolds of all people, and now you're announcing games with Tom Brady. Do you still love football as much as you did when you started all this, is it still is much of a joy to you to cover it? You know, my wife keeps telling you, you work too hard, you work too hard. I'm always in my office, which is in my home. And so, and she's retired.

She's been retired 10 years. You work too hard. Why do you work all the time? Can't you spend time with me? And I said, you know, honey, if I was hammering nails for growing rivets, I probably would have retired 10 years ago, but I'm doing something that I really love to do, and that is broadcast sports events, particularly football. And, oh, by the way, I'm a basketball, Jones.

I played basketball. I never played football. But, yeah, I enjoy broadcasting sports events. And I hope to keep doing it for a while. The Lord will tell me when I have to stop. And he hasn't told me yet. You know, Gene, I mean, Mark mentioned it. I have to ask.

And unfortunately, he passed away in 2018. But Bert Reynolds, one of the all-time legends. He used to appear on the Bobby Bowden show with you as the host. And do you have any Bert's stories? Do you ever hang out socially with Reynolds? Oh, I've got a lot of birds. story. Rest in peace.

I'll give us one. Buddy Reynolds, 82. And his college teammate at Florida State University back in the 50s was a fellow by the name of Vic Prenzy. And they were best friends. Stayed friends after Bert went off to star in movies

and everything. They stayed in, and Vic and I broadcast Florida State football. And then when the USFL came into being, the Tampa Bay Bandits, the franchise in Tampa, was part part owner was Bert Reynolds. And Beck and I did their games because of the relationship Big Head with Bert.

And we're broadcasting a game in Phoenix, Arizona. I had just taken the job to produce Coach Bowden's TV show and also act as talent and continue the play-by-play announcing. And he would always come up and do a halftime interview. And we're in Arizona. I'll never forget, Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe is where the Arizona franchise played. And Burke comes up to the booth. in that stadium. They weren't watching a halftime show. They were waving to Bert Reynolds in the press box, and he was waiting back. When I got back to

Tallahassee, I dropped a note in the mess. And thanks, you know, so much for coming on a halftime. It was always great seeing you. And I've got an idea about Bobby Bowden's television show that I'm now producing. And would you be interested in doing a few things for Bobby? And he said a letter back. I wish I had that letter today. I don't. I don't know what happened to it. But he said, anything Bob he needs, you just let me know. And I came up with great moments in Florida State football and wrote the scripts and did the research. And we recorded in Jupiter, Florida. We recorded in Beverly Hills three, four times. We had a place at Bel Air. We recorded there once just in the L.A. area.

And one time we did it in Atlanta on a location when he was doing a cop and a half we did in Tampa. He was doing another movie in the Miami area. We went down there and met all the stars that were in the movie and everything. But it was a great relationship. He did that for 26 consecutive years. Now, you had that up. If he was getting SAG fees, we'd have been paying a fortune. Wow, the cop and a half reference.

I remember that. It was Ronald was a cop. Yes, and a young precocious kid. as his partner in crime about 1991. He said after that, T.P. Philips, he said after that, don't ever star in a movie with a youngster, because they steal the seeds. That's true.

Do you have a favorite call from this year's team? Like, you know, either a favorite call, it's a favorite moment from these 20, 20 bucks, or like a moment you realize, wow, this team actually might be as good as we thought as we hoped going into the year or they might even be better. In 32 years of traveling from Tallahassee to Tampa,

It's a four and a half hour drive. And my wife and I make it every Sunday for home games, obviously this year. But back on November the 15th, the one and only time I've had an accident driving to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. I ran over a mud puddle that dropped off about a foot and a half and I'm dragging metal for the next 77 miles to Raymond James Stadium. And I'm glad I got there. It didn't spark on the turnpike, didn't explode the vehicle. But we got to the stadium and I got there and was fortunate to broadcast the only 98-yard touchdown run. in the history of Buccaneers franchise.

Brady, hard count, hands the ball off. Rojo pops at free. Across the fed's head to the 50, Rojo to the 40, Rojo to the 40, Rojo to the 50, Rojo to the 40, Rojo to the 30, high seven to the 20. It'll be a 98-yard touchdown run by Ronald Jones the second.

Touchdown Tampa Bay. That was Rodo. Rojo, Rojo to the 30, Rojo to the 20, Rojo, touchdown, Tampa Bay. 98-yard touchdown. Carolina, but we've got to have a lot of California. broadcast for Tampa. But that has to be the highlight. Now, almost every one of the touchdowns

in the postseason this year have been really, really outstanding plays by outstanding players. But, you know, it's not just the touchdowns. I know the highlights package that you had was touchdown Tampa Bay, touchdown Tampa. Be bucks are going to the Super Bowl. But there were two or three third down points in the New Orleans game and also in the Green Bay game where the Buccaneers converted. You had guys answer that. We had a rookie by Tyler Johnson, I mean goodness, two games in a row, he's made huge third-down catches from Tom Brady. And Scooter Miller, Tom gave him the nickname as Scotty Miller, but he calls it Scooter. But he made a big play at every go.

These are guys you don't hear about a lot, but they have been very, very instrumental. And the Buccaneers advancing to Super Bowl 55. Do you ever just sort of walk around your house and maybe, you know, the wife is taking out a can of peas. She's opening it and putting it in a ball. I mean, do you get lowered into that kind of chatter around the household? Do you keep the announcer stuff to the booth? Not too good play-by-play in household chores, but I do find myself. I have to confess, I talk to myself, and I say, gee, you're talking to yourself.

Come on. Well, you know, that's what I get paid to do is talk. But, no, I don't do play-by-play on my wife's. But basically, you're talking to the guy that carries out the trash, does the dishes, does the cooking. No, Ann does a little bit of that, but no, no play-by-play at home. That's right. There's a story out there right now, kind of a scary story, in fact, that because of the pandemic and the far fewer flights, that pilots are falling out of practice because they're not getting enough air hours, that will never happen with Gene and his play-by-play call. One last question, because you know you're a busy man, Gene. November 29th, the Bucks fall to the Chiefs, second consecutive 2724 loss. They enter their buy at 7 and 5. They obviously haven't lost since. Back around Thanksgiving time, which I'm sure you were in the house and handling the bird and doing all this stuff because you're a man. Did you still see this as a possible outcome as a Super Bowl team, the Bucks?

Well, you know, this pandemic season, we have a large family. I have six grandchildren. I have three sons and their wives. But this was the first Thanksgiving and the first Christmas that we have not gotten together as a family. Social distancing, no big crowds. And so you had that as a downer. And then you drive to Tampa and Kansas City lays one of those 27-24 things on you. And that first quarter, I was about ready to wave the white flag.

Tyreek Hill had 203. It scored two touchdowns. The first quarter was still going on. So it was a down event for the family, a out-event for the announcer. But then, you know, you mentioned the following week was the buy week for the latest buy week that I can. It's got to be the latest buy week the bucks I've ever had. And I don't know what happened during that by week. If it's, you know, the NFL is a grind on a, not so much on announcers, but on the players themselves and the coaches.

And I think getting away from football for a couple of days, maybe getting fresh legs for a couple of days before getting back into the grind. It certainly benefited the Buccaneers. As you mentioned, we have not lost since then seven straight wins going for our eighth in a row. And, you know, if you go into the Buccaneer media guide, you can't find seven wins in a row anywhere, go all the way back to 76. six in a row once under Tony Dungey, but seven in a row, counting postseason. We won the month of December, undefeated in December for the first time in franchise history. We only played three games.

But I'll take it. You'll take it. But something happened during that buy that has made this a more complete football team. And we fell, we beat Minnesota out of the buy. We went to Atlanta and fell behind 17 to nothing. Now, take the buy week, okay, refresh to get out of the grind, go on the road to arrive, team and the NFC South get behind 17 to nothing and then come back and win that football game. The combination of those two, I think, has elevated the Buccaneers to the most confident.

I've seen the Bucks play and most complimentary, offense, defense, special teams since I've been broadcasting Tampa Bay Buccaneer football. And it's a, it's a thing of beauty when a team gets hot and a team gets confident. I mean, there's no better thing in the world to play that game or broadcast that game and say touchdown Tampa Bay. I'd like to say that about five times. All right. Awesome. So very exciting, Gene. And best of luck, of course, in the game. It's not your first Super Bowl, as you noted. But I'm sure there's butterflies and excitement building up to it. And we wish you well. And one final factoid about Gene, Gene Deckerhoff, that people need to know why this man's a legend. He was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. That was 21 years ago. And the man is still on top of his game. Wow. I'm going to have to dust that little. I'm going to have to dust that little plaque all. off. It's over here in my office. And now I'm going to have to dust it. It's 21 years old. I'm not to dust the thing off. Put a little bit of that portraiture policy.

It's always great. It's always great talking Buccaneer football. It's, uh, it's been, uh, you know, a big part of my life for 32 years and, uh, hopefully a little while longer. And, uh, I, I, I called one Super Bowl and here's, here's what broadcasters should never do, fellas. It's late in the third quarter. We're wearing out the Oakland Raiders. We finally went 48 to 21. But we've got like a 31 to three lead, and Dwight Smith picks off a pass from Rich Gannon, runs it right down the gut of the field and scores a ton. And while he's running to the end zone, I said, Smith's got the interception. He's going to score a touchdown. The bucks are going to win the Super Bowl. And it's only the third quarter. Rich Gannon and then through three

touchdown pass. And all of a sudden, that margin got to like 11. I'm saying, my, how can you say such a thing. And then Dwight picked off another pass and Craig took off another and the Bucks won soundly 48. But don't ever say the Bucs are going to win the Super Bowl. This is only the third. I will say that, sir. I promise. Good tip. There again, another, Gene learns from his past to be great in his future. Gene, thank you very much. And again, good luck. Can't wait for the game. Go bucks. Say well and stay safe. We're a mask and

social distance, fellas. All right. Thank you. That's a touchdown. Champa, buddy. Gene Deckerhoff, what a performance. And we can't, we can't lose. When it comes to the Sunday night flagship program, the next time, the end of this season, you will hear us either come into the game and the show with Mitch Holtis or Gene Deckeroff. Either way, you can't lose. Or maybe your impersonation of Mitch Holtis or Gene Deckerhoff, which has been spot on, especially the Deckerhoff. I mean, icing on the kick, yes. here here is our week to come before we say goodbye for Tuesday tomorrow Wednesday we have a very special Q&A with fans of the around the NFL podcast unfortunately if you're not in

the guest list you can't get in but if you are we can't wait to see you and to talk to you and to have a grand old time on Wednesday I don't know what we're calling it the ATN fan hero summit I don't know it's a little late in the game to brand it but that's what we'll call it. Thursday is going to be our official preview of Super Bowl 55. We have a bunch of great guests lined up for that show. So we're going to blow that out and make our official predictions for The Big Game. And then, yes, Sunday night, we will be back the final show of the 2020 season, 2021 season Super Bowl recap and Can't Wait for it. And also Sky Sports. We're doing a bunch of stuff with Sky this week.

It's all looking good. And what did we learn here today? Tom Brady, dead, maybe to one man. Tom Brady's dead. To everyone else still alive. I've been rooting from this whole season I was on the bandwagon. I picked them each time in these games, by the way. Freud would have told on yourself a little bit there.

Who was, you know, I was, what did we used to call it when we were on an island hero pick with the bucks the last two weeks? So give me a break. You just said the guy was dead. So I don't know. It kind of undercuts some of your. rooting interest in him the season. Matt Ryan will not be traded that we also have out there. Yeah, that's good to be known.

Thank you to everyone for watching. And this is Dan Hansen signing off for Quiet Storm, the old boss, Patrick Claibon, Ricky Hollywood, and the whole gang until Thursday. Thank you. 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 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. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

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. This is an IHeart podcast.