NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Jayden Daniels, Jordan Love, Puka Nacua and Lions RBs Join NFL Daily

Episode Date: February 7, 2025

NFL Daily is live from Radio Row in New Orleans, where Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue of the Athletic gear up for Super Bowl LIX alongside some of the biggest stars in the League! Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels talks about the honor of winning Rookie of the Year, Lions RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery share how their off-the-field chemistry helps them perform on the field, Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua opens up about his increased role in the offense and Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love shares what he’s learned from the rest of the great QBs in the league!NFL 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. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we are excited for the first time to welcome a member of quarterback Island. On to the show. Oh, and by the way, like another franchise quarterback and another couple of the the greatest players in the NFL. It's a big time show here on Radio Row, and I'm with my friend, Jordan Roderig, of The Athletic.

Are you ready, Jordan? I am so heck and fired up right now, Greg. Like, this is just, it's a paradise today. Honestly, we get this beautiful stage that I heart built for us. We're here with some really great people. Eric is behind the proverbial glass, even though it's just air at this point.

And we are talking to some phenomenal people today. Yeah, we had a great team dinner last night at Jocamo's. ever been to New Orleans, been to Jocamo's, you know what I'm talking about. That to me, like, made me feel like, okay, we're here. Super Bowl Week has started. It's New Orleans. Greg hit the Greg zone. The alligator cheesecake was popping, and now we're back. And look, it's all like the best cut to meet today. We got Jaden Daniels to start the show. We have David Montgomery and Jemir Gibbs coming up together. We got Puka Nakua, another all pro, and then we're wrapping up the show with Jordan Love, and I'm looking forward to it so much that I don't feel

like I got to say much more, right? These guys will do all of the talking, and I cannot wait to hear them. Okay, so Jordan will be with me on this ride with all these interviews. Let's start with Jaden Daniels. So excited to be welcoming into the show, the Pepsi Zero Sugar rookie of the year. We got a big ass trophy right in front of me. That trophy's taller than I am. Jaden Daniels, welcome to the show.

Man, thanks for having me. How are y'all doing? Oh, thank you for asking. We're doing great. We're really excited to talk to you. You are our favorite player all year. We do a segment called quarterback Island. You were the first rookie voted on to quarterback island this year.

Yes, you were. I appreciate that. She says that to everyone. I don't. That you're a favorite player. No, I'm just kidding. I heard, just to start out, and we'll talk about the award that you won,

but I know that I've heard, you know, through some birdies that you're a hooper. And I hate that the NBA is kind of stealing the NFL shine right now. I want your take on like what's been going on, the Luca trade, the Jimmy Butler trade. Like, what's your thoughts here? It's been crazy.

I'm a Laker fan, so I love that Luca is on the Lakers. We're based in Lakers. There we go. Good answer. Yeah. I love that Lucas is on the Lakers now. I can't wait to go to a game. I was going to go to the game regardless of LeBron,

but now you got LeBron and Luca. So it's like, man, I got to go see that. How's it going to work? Like, what's the distribution look like with that offense now? Oh, man, move out the way and let them get buckets. They're great players for a reason. Everybody said the same thing about Luca and Kyrie. Obviously, it went to the finals, so I like Luca and LeBron, too.

I love it. It's a little Jane and Daniel, Terry McLaurin, actually. They got a little something like that. You can share the ball. What's your style on the court? Do you guys play the commanders? You got any? We do not play.

I'm going to just go on the record and say this. Bobby Wagner, please tag him. I will beat Bobby Wagner. In a basketball game, he thinks he's better to me, so... Okay, Jaden, I'm so glad you said that. On my notes, I said, I have it written here. You can see it. Bobby thinks he can hoop.

I covered him. You said a key word, then thinks. Yeah. Thanks. You join this team, the commanders, and, you know, nationally, there's expectations about you, obviously, coming into the league of what you can do, what you can't do. And one of the things watching it, obviously, the team improved throughout the course of the season. But one thing I thought just watching you, we could.

to week was some of the things people thought maybe were things you got to work on when you came into the league. By the end of the year, it seemed like you really had improved a lot. I'm actually thinking of a very specific play. It really sticks in my head from the NFC championship where you just ripped that ball in the middle of the field to Diami Brown. And I'm thinking about how coming out as a prospect, they're like, well, we don't know if he's going to be able to read the middle of the field, whether he's going to go to the middle of the field. Do you feel like you were able to improve doing that during the season? What else do you think you got better at as a pro? I think I just got better.

as a, as a player. You find things obviously come out of college, going to the pros, you've got to find different things to improve on. It's a totally different game. So, I mean, all the college prospects, you know, people are probably going to criticize what they can and can't do. But by the time you get to pros, man, kind of where you just learn and you just get better, especially that comes with practice.

It's cool because you could see the way that this offense really matured and manifested around you and what you can do, not just your leadership, but your ability. and it looked like Cliff was putting pieces into it every single week and Terry was putting pieces into it every single week. That offensive line that you had, I know you love those guys, putting pieces into it. We have Sam Cosmy on our personal show, all pro team, first team, by the way. There we go. There we go.

And I just, you know, we, I wanted to know how that worked. Like you were a true collaborator in that. And you could really see that about midseason onward. It was showing up on the field, all of the input that you personally had in that offense as well. Yeah, I think that's just, that's kudos to Cliff, man. You know, you could go somewhere as coaches where, like, this is my scheme. This is my system is my way. But Cliff, man, he just wanted what's best for the players.

So he's a true player. Coach, he always wants us to go out there, be our best, play fast. And people had ideas or people had input. You know, he'll listen to it. And, like, ultimately, if I didn't like a play, he would take it out. He don't want us to run any bad plays that we didn't feel comfortable with. That's cool. Do you feel like you got better at avoiding hits?

We worried about you early on. We were like, we got to get this guy on quarterback island. Don't get hit, please. Not for sure. Because now you got to think about, like, in college, you're trying to fight for, to get drafted. You know, you got maybe play through some injuries, stuff like that. But now in the pros, it's like, I got to play 17 games. I got to play hopefully longer than that, so I got to be available.

and that was kind of my message. I've never seen someone quite like you, though, that on the sidelines, you're pretty smooth with it where you looked so relaxed. This is the thing that got me with you that sometimes you were doing things that you almost, I thought I looked better as the pro than you even in college,

and part of it was that running ability. Like, you'd get towards the sideline, and you'd almost make the defenders laugh at just making them miss and then just kind of like slide out of bounds. Does your heart rate not beat a little faster when you're coming out of you? Not at all. If somebody gets a good hit on me, like, I'm going to let them know.

Like, all right, you got a good hit on me. Like, as long as I'm not seriously injured, that's a different story. But, like, I mean, I bounce back up every time and move on to the next play. You're so calm, and we just get a kick every time we watch you play. Like, you're so beyond your years. I often say you're, like, a 40-year-old quarterback and, like, a 22-year-old's body. The way that you read the field, the way that you're calm and you galvanize people, I wanted to ask you about some of the speeches that I heard from Terry.

Okay. So Terry, some of his hype speeches that we've seen clips of and some of the ways that he addresses teammates in the locker room, what is that like for you learning about him and getting to know him as a teammate as a leader on that team? Man, Terry is very passionate. Like, those clips that they posted, I'd never seen them. So I never knew like Terry would say stuff like that before going out to the game

because we, the quarterbacks go out before they do. So we're already on the field. But, man, Terry is a great human being, very passionate. about the game and what he does. And I think everybody just sees that, like, through the clips. Like, he's talking from his heart. And that's really how he feels. And he loves this game.

He gives this game everything that he has. We just loved watching you guys all year. The commanders, such a breath of fresh air in every phase of that building. From the coaching staff to the front office, to the players on the roster, that perfect blend of veterans and young players and free agents, one of our favorite players on this show. And another one of our first team all pros on NFL Daily, Frankie Louvue.

Man, big oost. What's it like going up against him in practice in Cam? Scary? Man, where he wears a blacked out visor. He just runs around. He has a knack for being around the football.

But he's a great person. Like, a great person. You could talk to him by anything very down the earth. And I think that's just how our whole locker room was. You got guys that been in the league that's done stuff. accomplishes a lot of things and they have all the right to, you know, be, have an ego.

But everybody, once you walk the door, everybody drops the egos and everybody's just going to work and cares about each other. And Jaden, one of the reasons you have that trophy that you earned every, like, centimeter of that trophy, a beautiful trophy in front of us right now is because not only did they bring you in to their fault, but like you led them. For sure. And so there was such a mix of personalities. I remember this shot after one of your wins earlier in the season.

and Bobby and Frankie are just sitting there arms crossed as you're with one of the sideline reporters and they're so fired up, like they're ready to run through a wall after the game for you. And so I guess taking all of that energy and channeling it as a leader, how did you learn to lead all of this mix of people,

veterans and young players in that building? Yeah, I just think that came with who I am and being myself and having a way to connect with everybody in the locker room and just really just being available. Like I wasn't coming in thinking I was better than anybody because of where I was drafted at, it was more so like, hey, I'm a rookie at the end of the day, man.

Y'all been here. I still got a lot to learn. I can't wait to meet you guys and stuff like that. And that's kind of how that relationship built. And over time, people start seeing, like, me and Bobby are banters and after games, teammates waiting for each other. It's just super excited and happy to be with each other. But now you're here. You got some peltz on the wall.

You got this beautiful word. You got very close to this game here at the Super Bowl. Yeah. Are you ready? First, I know you've gotten to know the commanders fans, but man, I've had a lot of Washington fans in my life and the improvement that you have given to them and just their daily demeanor.

They're so much happier now that Jaden Daniels is in their life after what they've been. We call it Jaden Therapy. Right. Been through. They're just like, they're just lighter. Like, are you ready for about seven prime time games next year? Like, at least one of them is going to be against the Eagles. Another one of them is going to be against the Cowboys.

And it's going to be like kind of that next step. You ready to carry all that and carry these fans in their hopes for the next handful of years? I'm ready. Me personally, I like playing night games. I don't know. It's just something about just being. Well, because you started in the Pac-12. Just saying it's Arizona State grad.

You know, Pac-12, you play at the dark. You come to LSU, you play only nighttime game. So now I'm just like accustomed to it. It was kind of different now. I have to play at 1 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. It's different, but I like playing prime time games. It's going to be tough to top your first one there against the Bengals.

Yeah, yeah, that was a crazy one. And that one and then Sunday night against the Falcons. Like, that was another crazy game. But I'm excited because, I mean, that just gives everybody all the fans a chance to come out and really support us under the lights and pack out the stadium. Oh, man. I used to always always suck. The NFL, even when it was like Jim Zorn's team and Mark Brunell is starting back.

And they would put them in prime time five, six times because it's a NASA. team when they weren't any good. Now they got Jaden Daniels. You got the Pepsi rookie of the year. What does it mean to you to get this award? We're taping this Thursday. There's another award show NFL honors. That'll be Thursday night. I have a feeling you're picking

up more hardware, but what does it mean to win this award in particular? I think this award in particular obviously is like our draft class, obviously there's a lot of different weapons. I cover with my friend. Well, everybody's my friend in the draft class, but really close friends, two of them that were up

for this award, but this is more so because it's voted by the fans. So it just shows that the respect I have other people's fan bases, and obviously, you know, Washington has the best fans in the country. Wait, so who are you, who are the close friends? Wait, teammates? Teammates, you have ex-teammates, Malik Neighbors, and Brian Thomas Jr. Did you just send him a selfie of you holding it? Not yet.

I have, I don't think they know I got this yet. We got to get that to him. I got to FaceTime, you. Appreciate you, Jane and Daniels. Everything obviously that you've given. We were saying all year kind of. We told everyone so. Commanders, to me, was kind of the story of this season with you leading the way.

So I appreciate you. Thank you guys for having me. Thank you. All right, Jordan, I think I'm in love. Jade Daniels. That's my guy now. I felt like I was going to pass out. We're such fan boys and girls.

I know. We threw out all journalistic responsibility. That's fine, though. I don't care because Jada Daniels is so special. I mean, how brilliant. I mean, he just came in. He was so comfortable. Some players come up here and they're so nervous.

I guess we shouldn't be shocked because this is just how he's been, you know, when we've seen him play and on the sideline. But, man, what a great, great young man. He's so present, you know, in a way that I'm jealous of. Yeah, you check out sometimes. No, just like he's in the moment. He's not thinking about anything else. And it's so stupid because we don't know him.

We just spend 13 minutes with him or whatever it was. But even in that short time, you can just see how he is someone that you adroitly mentioned would follow. You know, that he is a person who just by the way he carries himself is going to have 35-year-old Zach Ertz talking about looking up to him. And that, you kind of can't teach that. And to be fair, that was what the commanders were saying. And a lot of people around the NFL were saying coming into the draft of like, yeah, we know Caleb. is great and Drake May is great, but this is why Jaden's great in a different way and why he's our guy. And right now, all those people look really smart. I was going to, I was so happy. We got to

tell him that he was our first quarterback, our first rookie quarterback on quarterback island this season. And I also didn't throw you under the bus and say, you tried to get Caleb Williams on before the season started. Even, even though you, I know, if you wanted to throw me under the bus, you could said that even last week, I was talking with Nate Tice about whether you'd take Jake me ahead of him. I can't do it now. I would never do that to you, Greg. No, he was great. And he said it's such a value add when a quarterback like that comes into the league. I remember it with Justin Berber. I think Jayden Daniels is at an even higher level, but just knowing that this guy's going to be in your life, especially with that team, which I talked to him a little

bit about the NFCE. It's going to be a lot of commanders. I'm looking forward to it. Also looking forward to one of the new America's team, the Detroit Lions, they suddenly came into our lives the last few years in large part because Jamir Gibbs and David Montgomery proved that front office right that they are going to be one of the best backfields in the lake for a long time. They are joining the show next. All right, we are here on NFL Daily with two of my favorite running backs in the league who just happened to be the best running back duo. in the league here with Bounty Jamir Gibbs and David Montgomery and I got to say even before we started you guys are you're a vibe you're like beatboxing together you're

helping each other out you're your teammates all the time no for sure for sure this is this is my dog my brother anything that that means in close quarters this is this is my homie so just being able to you know have somebody like that and I think it's a special and I'm grateful question separately for each of you you spent a lot of time with each other this year spent a lot of time with each other on radio row i know you guys are so busy doing the circuit this entire day with bounty is there anything you didn't know about each other that now you know or you're going to sort of file away and maybe a maybe a moment that you shared together that you had to be okay now i know that about this guy now um yeah to be honest when i first met jimir

i didn't know like his story and and i met his parents and i'm like okay i get it now and he said down and told me about it and I just appreciate it and respect him so much more for the things that he's been through to be able to be like in the position he is to be who he is you know it's definitely like it's a beautiful thing to see Jemir we saw you really help him out we're not going to say how we saw you really help him out before the show you guys tell him you could tell the story we witnessed it it was a wholesome a wholesome moment let me tell him well jimier had a bugger and I had no no no he he had a bugger and I was helpful I have to This is what happens when you let him tell the story.

Yeah, I'm not doing that again. Me and Greg do this all the time. Like, we reframe it. What have you learned from David? How about maybe his running style or as a pro? Like, what have you learned from him? He's going to like this, you know? You know, Demos, you know, the bigger guy, you know?

Sure. But, you know, he moves extremely well. So when I first seen him move, like, you know, make a juke. I was like, I was quick. I like the face that you just made. That was some skepticism right there. And then, 235? 2.30, some days.

Whoa, glazed. But yeah, as more, you know, the more I'm, you know, with him, it's like, it's more of a, like, I expect him to do this now. So, bro, can you stop hitting me with your knees? I have to move around. I have to move around. You're better by making people miss in the, in the hole. He just wanted to touch me, bro.

I can't be still. Come on, bro. I have to ask, so when you guys. all through this year when plays come in when you guys are installing game plans and stuff was there anything that surprised you because i feel like after certain number we had so much fun watching the lines this year because it just was any given day you'd see some stuff that you just didn't believe was still going to be pulled back from you know 1970s football or they would do some formate ben jons would do some formations where you'd be like wait is that is that the wingtie

what's going on and and he would do little trickerations out of it is there is there ever how did you discuss those things is there anything that ever surprised you guys I mean there wasn't really no discussion it was like we're doing this yeah he put he was just show a video he was like y'all like it but yeah we're doing it even if we didn't like it we were still and then we just then we just practice like then we go one-on-ones we see if it works on them sometimes it did sometimes it didn't but we're still running the game for brothers so how did you guys decide that he that Jemir got to be Sonic

and you were knuckles. Yeah, it's pretty evident. Is it? I don't know. What it was, he runs like a four, three, dog. I ran like a four, five, four six. But it's like knuckles known as slower. I don't know.

Well, knuckles is fast also, but that people don't know, like, all hedgehogs are, most hedgehogs are fast. That's what I'm saying. I didn't know that they were separate. Yeah, but he's, he's known for his speed and his quickness and swiftness, like, but Nuckles is also fast too.

And he can, yeah, he hit hard too. Yeah, and he hits and that's the thing. Nuckles. I mean, you hear it in the name. It's physicality. It's force. And I know that, you know, you take a special relish in playing that kind of football. I know you like to run down people.

No, for sure. For sure. I think for me, I think I do appreciate, like, my running style of being able to run people over. But it's kind of like Josh said, too, I can move to. You're going to like that. I can really like, I didn't drop a couple people, like, mixing them. But they don't get a lot of credit just because of the name. Because you're 240.

Yeah. I was just. Cut that. He said because he's two-fourth. Two-thirds. Delays, again, number two. He's making donuts over here. Now, you know who you remind me of a little bit sometimes in terms of making people miss in like a small hole, but a physical, but a bigger guy.

Frank Gore. Frank Gore. I'm with that. I can work with Frank. Or like. Well, who did you not want to say it? Say it. Say it.

Don't say nothing, because. What is Earl Campbell? Earl Campbell. What? He's just big. I don't know. What's the next question? He's thinking of the largest people.

Like, where he just want to be funny, I see your face. I see what you're doing. I have a good view of like what you're doing. Frigerator Harry or something. Like, who are you trying to come up? That's crazy work. I was going to say that, but that's too much. That was a joke.

That was a bad joke. I feel bad. I feel bad about that joke, but I actually want to make an apology. Oh, yes, you need to. I know what you're doing. Oh, you do? Okay. Oh, I am aware.

You guys, you guys are the subject of the worst tweet I ever had. And Lions fans have never let me forget it. Rightfully so. this time meeting you guys for the first time. The worst tweet I ever had was after they drafted Jamir, I said the difference between Gibbs and Montgomery and their old crew, Jamal Williams and Dandre Swift, was not that big. And it was partly because I like, I like those two players. They're not bad players. I thought they were good. But I got to take a big out. And the reason I know I tweeted that is because every time one of you guys scores a

touchdown one of your lions fans comes at me with that tweet just saying saying how wrong I was so can you can you tell them to get off my back like we we've been saying how great you are for sure a couple years I think you need to eat that for a lot long I am I think they should stay on you yeah yes because you were wrong but I'm apologizing we all make mistakes you've had negative plays you guys have probably had yeah but apologies apologies don't erase time I thought I fumbled that I didn't that that was good and you know what I did not delete it it's still out there So every time, once you delete it, once you delete it, I'll talk to like management. Yeah, so I have like constant secondhand shame for this because it does come up often and I have to say, hey.

Did you agree? Yeah. No, God no. Did you like the tweet? I mean, it took me like two weeks to be like, oh man, I messed this up. But you know what? You know, credit to you, like I'm not mad at you at all. Like you don't understand like when Jamir got drafted the like everything.

that we he took I took and it took a while for us to put like the horse binders on of how much they hated us without even knowing us like but it was okay like we appreciated that so every time that we had an opportunity to showcase what we were capable of doing it together we had so much more gratitude and appreciate you felt you felt that too you felt that hate just like damn I'm sorry to hear that I mean I didn't hurt my feelings I'm saying I just see it I'm feeling I'm like I was like yeah I don't miss me I was like whatever it's just so cool though because I was we were talking right before when you know you were

dealing with your Kleenex situation oh you're talking about your mirror bugger not see it's his and we were just saying you guys play with such joy there's force there's physicality there's like elite vision there's speed there's all the moves and and it just works so perfectly especially behind that O line I know you guys love those guys so much but there's like this joy too and there's like this free you guys just play so free but so controlled at the same time. I mean, and to do that as a tandem, too, where you're lifting each other up, you know, I mean, I know we troll and all of that, but like, you're lifting each other up. I just,

I love that. And I kind of want to know, like, where that comes from. Why is it so, you just fell into step, like, immediately with each other. Yeah, I think, I mean, we're both pretty selfless humans. I mean, I come from a real rough, like, background, you know. And when I was a kid, I didn't have anything. Um, I kind of alluded to to Jamir's story. He had a tough, a bringing also so like for me I can speak with myself personally when you're not used to having things when you do get things like you show so much more gratitude and appreciation for it so like me being able to like have somebody like Jemir and me to be in a position to where I'm in the NFL and I'm on a team that's really good like when I was a kid it was just a dream it was merely a dream it was merely

a thought that I didn't have no pathway no like rhyme or reason of how I knew I was going to get there but it was a dream but I got an opportunity to be placed in this position. you know Yahshua being who Yahshua is for me and bless me with such a you know amazing person I think it makes my job so much easier it makes me come want to come to work to be like the best version of myself because I what he went through and I know what I went through and it's like you got to show some kind of appreciation to your life for the thing that you've been through when you get to a place where you can showcase who you are how you can help that's beautiful and I think you

found the right coach you can't even troll you you can't even troll it was so beautiful yeah more credit we were saying And David's a good talker. Before you go, tell us what you're doing here this week with Bounty. Want me go? This is you, Javier. Come on. You got to step up.

I'm going to add in there. Yeah, so me and Jemir recently partnered with Bounty, obviously. And again, if you guys ever have a mess, you know, to go to Bounty. And another thing that you know, you can't have football without wings. You can't have wings without Bounty. Yeah, so. Yeah, that I mean. There you go.

Question. Like, what if I am the mess? Is Bounty going to fix that, do we think? Bounty actually picked up a lot of my message, too, outside of Slows. Oh, all right. Yeah, don't order that shirt. We'll talk offline. The best duo in the league, and yes, the key to my son Walker's juggernaut fantasy team,

both these running backs, Jamir Gibbs and David Montgomery. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Jordan. Well, we did it. In just 12 minutes, we distilled the Montgomery Gibbs. vibe to its total essence and I understand them completely now I love them I can't believe you brought up

your take from after the draft first of all second of all I I physically died next to you as you did but I thought they handled it great and you handled it great second of all I loved their dynamic they were such siblings like little brother older brother like Jemir was like trolling David the whole time you know they were picking on each other they were like I just loved it I mean I'm half kidding about distilling to the essence, because you kind of saw it all. You saw how much it means to them, but you also saw their playful dynamic. And Montgomery came up here so serious. I was like, oh, what is this going to be like? And then I realized, no, he's like the straight man that seems really serious, but then he's funny as hell, which I should have figured out

when, like, within 30 seconds of meeting me, he's like, man, I got a big ass booger. They helped each other out. That was great. I am a bigger fan of those two guys now after listening to him. We're going to take a quick break. We're going to come back. on the other side with Puka, Nakua, really excited about this one. Hey, this is Matt Jones. Now I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL cover zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different.

Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to. get. Listen to NFL cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more.

What's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on game day. Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full.

picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Back on NFL Daily. And yeah, the stars, they keep coming out for this big show on Radio Ro, Pooka, wide receiver of the L.A. Rams, all pro. through two years, he's done a lot. Welcome to the show, Puka. Thank you very much.

I appreciate it. Puka, I'm so glad to see you in a different setting. I was just saying you got your NPR look going here today. You're ready to podcast. A little bit. Try to switch it up, right? Radio Roan requires a different little, a different uniform that I'm used to. Yeah, we do not need you podcasting anytime soon.

Keep playing. Keep playing, Pooka. Keep you on the field. Was it really interesting year from you, Pooka, because obviously you missed that time. But one thing I've been talking about on this show, we do our own little. pro team and I had you we made sure to have you on our second team because you missed that time but on a per snap basis like a per target basis that was one of the most efficient wide receiver seasons I've ever seen that the numbers back it up so I was curious like what

subtleties what things do you think you got like better at from a rookie year to your second year because I think that got slept down a little bit this season I think yeah trying to be more efficient at the top of the routes at the line of scrimmage I thought I think I caught the ball out more consistent rate man and just trying to be as physical as I can after the catch I think that's a it's a big part of my game when it was in my first year and I think it's a it's always going to be a part of my game that's how I love to play the game of football it brings it brings me excitement and joy when I get to hit somebody so I hope yeah yeah and it's cool puka like you you were you had this record-breaking rookie season and I remember talking to you after it

and you were so mad at yourself and I couldn't figure out why and you're like the drops I I want to get those. I want to make those better. But not only those, you didn't just fix those. You also change your body, too. You've been open about this, the way that you trained, some of the throwing up that happened, you know. But you really dedicated yourself to basically finding even the smallest things that you weren't personally happy with,

despite all of the accolades and success, and going about fixing it. What was that process like for you? I think if it's a huge tribute to the people around me, I think of all my support system in the Rams facility, in that organization, the relationships that I've built with my teammates, with my coaches, and the people in that staff, and then my family. I come from a football family. I have five older brothers or four older brothers, and my little brother, who's in college, is always even sending me tips and reminders. So I'm constantly reminded on things that I can do better, but I'm also, I receive a lot of praise and support from those people. And it makes going about to try to be better that much more exciting, one, because I want that for myself.

but then also the people around me are helping me be the best version of myself so I can achieve those things. I saw your little brother playing on the Polynesian Bowl, I believe. Yeah, pretty cool. Shout out to the Steve Weiss in the Polynesian Bowl. Yeah. Underrated event on NFL Network every year. You played on that once.

I was thinking about your season just now. Do you have a favorite catch? Is there something that pops in your head when you're proud of that that was a great moment? I think of the one that Tom Brady in the Bill's game, we had an over-the-shoulder catch on the sideline, and for one of the best quarterbacks of all time to say that that was a pretty awesome catch for one of the ones that he's seen it. I know he's seen plenty of them. So that was really cool.

So our producer, Eric, is a Bills fan. He's over here shaking our head. But my son said it back in your rookie year. It's actually a sound drop that we use on the show that we watched your game. It was against the Vikings of your rookie year. And I had to call in and do a little report after the game from the stadium. and my nine-year-old son at the time shouted you out. Oh, really?

I love that. Who can the cool rules? So that pops up on the show. So we should have played that too when you made that catch against the bills. Okay, and Puka, you know, because of all the blocking work you do, you know, I have to ask, and I bug you about this a lot, but not on this front, not on this desk in front of all the cameras. Favorite run play? Hmm.

I think there's no better run play than duo. I think it's just, it's as simple as, uh, uh, uh, football gets in the in the best way possible and I enjoy I enjoy the the challenges that that play presents and the excitement that it also presents what are they because the average fan does not know what you would be doing on a play on a duo play so I guess it kind of depends we have what formation if we're if we're in a three by one trying to run duo or in a two by two run duo but for the most part in two by two do I normally have some kind of short motion to

line up to execute my job and then I did honestly it doesn't matter if it's a corner or safety or a linebacker who's ever in front of me that's wearing the opposite color will eventually get hit by me on that side. That's my job. I'm not going to pass up color because that guy could potentially block, end up tackling Karen. And that's my, I can't let that happen. Yeah, one of my favorite things you said all year was, well, I do love to run duo. Yeah. You know, Puka, you also run so much pre-snap. And I've compared it with Matthew at times that you're running the 400 meter around the curve. Some of those long, looping motions into those digs that you run like did you feel better this year more you know like the cardio was maybe a little bit

because you had you ran probably like several thousand yards before you would even run your route yeah i mean uh i think so it definitely provides a a fun little challenge and it requires the best of my stamina and my uh conditioning but uh i think there's definitely room for improvement in me that i mean i it's hard sometimes you got to make sure that the motion is believable or when i am actually motioning and uh to get to the motion prep that's required to be able to run around after that after motioning from one side of the field to the other or trying to motion and then insert in the C gap there are a lot of moving parts when you get into the alignment and stuff like that so it's always uh it keeps me on my toes because if I'm not I will end up

on my back looking up at the sky and I'm a football dork so I pay attention to all the next gen stats and the in the numbers and they back up everything you both are saying that whatever the rankings are for the most amount of motion run or the most amount of of catches in motion or any type of motion that it's like Pooka Nakua and then it's a deep fall to number two so they they have you on the move that the catch that stands out to me probably because it was so recent was that one on the sideline in the snow against the eagles which you know obviously what happened after that you're not going to say that's your favorite catch of the year but explain to me what playing in that game and then what that moment

what you're feeling like after making that catch on on a drive in a game like that. Yeah, I definitely wouldn't say it's one of my favorite catches. Sorry. But it was a bad ass catch, though. Yeah, I guess, yeah, just yeah, that was a play. We had an opportunity to take a shot. We needed a play at that time. And that's my job to try to come down with it.

And then just the feeling of the site of the job's not finished. We're right there. One explosive play doesn't get you into the end zone all the time. So I'm like, man, we're right there. We have another opportunity to make a couple plays. And then the last play was obviously thrown to me. So that's why that catch definitely does sting a little bit because I wasn't able to come up with the one that was potentially going to make the game different game making play for us. And so that's another motivator added to the list in the offseason workouts to be here.

Next time I come to the Super Bowl, I want to be able to be in one of the jumpsuits that I just barely saw on the on ESPN. And I know everybody in our Rams organization feels that way. See, I just want to, I want to normalize remembering great plays. Even if they end in a losing effort, the Julio Jones catch in the Super Bowl, that's one of the best. Yeah, that's what it reminded me of. So I want to remember the Jalen Hertz performance in the Super Bowl, yet that, yes, they ended up losing. But he was incredible.

Nobody's arguing with you. It was a great catch, great. That's all I'm saying. But we could do this with you forever, Puka, because we just like hearing how you think and how you see the field and how you study. And how is that part of it opened up, not just as a receiver, but you're looking at all the layers in the run game. I know it's a passion of yours as well, is to look at all of those layers and how things unfold. And how is that grown for you?

I think it's been so fun. I think of the people who I've been around in the facility that Matthew and Coop and the guys who and Tyler Higbee and Rob Havenstein and the guys who have been playing football at a high level for a long time. And they understand the nuances and they understand the variances and how everything is, it looks different. but it ends up maybe feeling the same when you're actually executing some of these things. So to be able to watch it and help communicate and, man, you try to understand what somebody else is doing so you can not, I don't want to use the word empathize, but you can understand them more. I can help, I can help motivate you or do maybe not do my job differently because I can't

go block the defense, the defensive end for you, at least not all the time. I mean, it's definitely, it's definitely happened maybe once or twice, but the, the ability to discommunicate with everybody and make sure that we all are on the same page trying to execute our job, bring satisfaction to me. And I know when we do, because it normally ends up with us being in the end zone, everybody else is satisfied. To that end, what did it mean to have someone to watch do what he does in Cooper Cup? He obviously announced that the Rams were trying to trade him. You had a post about it. Like, what does he meant to you? He's been the best mentor for me in my life. I come from a big family and never knew what the football, the world and that journey and the NFL experience would be like for me.

But from the moment I stepped into the Rams facility, he's been nothing but welcoming. He's taken me right under his wing. He's telling me what it's like to be a professional to go out here and to train hard in the offseason, to train hard in season, to prepare for every game as if it is a Super Bowl on Sunday. And just to take care of be a great teammate, be a great father, be a great husband. And I've been able to witness all of those things firsthand. And I do feel truly blessed to have the relationship I do with Cooper Cup. Tell us about go bowling.com you're talking about this week. You also got Pepsi.

You're the first person. You got a double jacket here. You get it done that. You got a jacket with both of them on it. Pepsi and Go Bowling. So I'm teaming up with Go Bowling and Pepsi. We have a bowling event going on tomorrow. I just barely got my bowling ball shipped out here for this event.

I took a bowling class in high school. Wow. My basketball coach taught our bowling class. So I spent a decent amount of time at the bowling alley. I would say. And so I'm excited. I say I bowl about a 200. Of course he does.

Save some for the rest of us, cook that God. No, I'm excited to see everybody come out. And hopefully if people have some of their bowling balls too, I got my Rams bowling ball. That'll be nice out there. Hopefully I can get Lane 16 and it's by the wall. I don't know how the bowling alley is set up.

But it'll be fun. And if you go to go bowling.com, you can get a free coupon for a free game. And everybody deserves a free game and bowling. It's nice to get out there on the lane. and get a strike. So I'm super excited. And I'm blessed to team up with these two people. And I'm super excited for everybody to come out to the event tomorrow.

Out here, New Orleans, come. Please. If you want to see Mebo, really great, I think I can potentially do that for you. And if you want to hang out and drink some nice cold drinks, you guys are welcome to come to. Like literally, what can't this dude do? We can now confirm in person, Puka Nakuha rules. Puka Nukua rules. It's official.

Thank you, Pukkah. Of course, thank you guys. I feel like we're three for three. I don't want to, I don't know what jinx it, but this has been a great day here on NFL Daily, no matter what happens. And of course, the next interview is going to be great, because it's with Jordan Love, one of my favorite quarterbacks just in terms of style. Like, who is Jordan Love? We'll try to find out. All right, wrapping up the show in style, only high quality guests today.

This is amazing. We have another franchise quarterback. Jordan Love, meet Jordan Roderick. Hello. We do spell it differently. Mine is J-O-U-R-D-A-N. Yeah. Okay.

So, you know, just saying, just saying. Mine's not as fancy. Your name in full is much cooler than mine, and your life is much cooler than mine. So I think you win on this one. And your watch is fancy enough. We talk about you all the time on NFL Daily. I have enjoyed watching, you progress over the last couple of years. Like, what was different for you the second time around coming back as the starter this year?

Yeah, I think, you know, year two being in it, you kind of know what you're getting yourself into. You've walked the, you've walked in those shoes for a year. So you know all the things that are going to be asked you throughout the season. And then obviously, you know, having my contract extension, it just got amplified even more stuff. So, you know, I'm still finding my way and navigating through it. But I'd say just having a better understanding what I'm getting myself into and what a full season of the starting quarterback is going to be like. It's cool because you guys, a lot of you, are growing up together on that roster. And you're leading people, you know, into battle every

weekend, but you're also, you guys are all growing together in many ways. So I guess how do you balance that, the line to walk between you're also learning, you're also growing, but you also galvanize people. You have to take them with you out of the huddle. No, I mean, that's, that's the fun part about it is we got such a young team and had that my first year. And like you said, we've been able to kind of be in this thing together and grow it and develop with each other, which is, it's fun. It's fun to be able to build these memories with the guys and just kind of kind of know where we started and know where we're working to. And we're still not there yet. But, you know, there's a lot more work. But it's a fun process to be around. It's a great group to be around. A lot of young

energy. You're so calm, though. Like, one of the reasons we love watching you play is because you can make the craziest throws we've seen in a long time. But you're, you're so collected and you're so even throughout the course of a game. Now, I've covered your coach, Matt, for a while. And I've covered that whole coaching tree. And I know what they are like in the headset. Safe space. Like semi-safe space. Nobody's listening to, right.

So what is he like in the headset? And it must be so unique. And you hear this all the time from quarterbacks everywhere. You can't talk back. So how do you tell him, how do you tell him, okay, I got it, you know, when using body language that, you know, national television is not going to be covering? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, I mean, I think to start with that, I mean, I was able to learn from someone who did an all-time, great job of doing the, you know, the body language on the field when you can't talk back to a coach.

And I was able to see that communication. Elite. Elite. But, no, I think Matt's done an awesome job. I think his time with Aaron and someone who's, you know, a Hall of Famer and been in the league. And he's so composed on the field, too, and handles himself a certain way. And Matt, you know, fed off that and was able to build this thing with me. see my personality out there. Like you said, I'm a very calm player. I try and be as calm as possible on the field. So, so Matt knows that. He knows that I'm kind of in the zone when I'm out there. And he gives me the information I need and it's kind of drawn at that. But, you know, you'll see me doing some body language like, I'm good. I got the player or, you know, I need it again,

things like that where, you know, Matt's been doing a long time. He knows how to communicate with quarterbacks on the field. Well, when he loses it, it's usually in the direction of the official. So I think everyone's safe from that. Yes, yes. Not going on in my helmet. Yeah, you're such a fascinating player. I think about the preseason games that you played when Aaron was the starter, because that's my first introduction to you at the pro level. And it was an interesting window, I think, into what you've been as a starter, which was, man, you had some crazy throws as Jordans were talking about.

You had some, like, really high highs. You had some downs. And I think about some of those throws that you make in terms of the difficulty. and trying to go for that. And I almost have a problem, like coming up with a comp for you. Do you have any, like, players that you would comp to yourself? Because I remember thinking watching those preseason games that's coming to the process. Like, he's a really unique style.

Usually you can kind of pair him with someone that came before, but I struggle with that. So maybe you can help me. Man, no, I don't have any comparisons. I don't like comparing. You know, I'm trying to stay away from the comparison game. Like you said, this could be my game, you know, this can be my own way of playing. but I don't know. I think to that point, I'm just, I'm a confident player. You know, I play with confidence. I throw the ball with confidence and I believe I can make a lot of

throws. It works out. Sometimes it doesn't work out, you know. And that's how you got to play quarterback. You know, you got to live and learn and grow. But you can't go out there scared. You got to be confident in what you do and go make those plays. See, I love that. And I'm not, I'm not comparing you at all to anybody, but, you know, I've covered Matthew Stafford as well for a long time. And he knows because he believes he can make any throw. And I feel a little bit of that. energy with you as well. You can really any arm angle and then you can also create out of structure. You can do all of these things that just make these gorgeous plays unfold. But you you try things that a lot of people wouldn't try. And it's very cool because you're so young.

And so you have this confidence where you're like, whoa, he just tried that. And when it works, it's amazing. How do you assess risk when you're playing? That's a great question. Well, I think to that point, like I said before, being behind Aaron Rogers, and that was an eye-opening experience coming out of college and just seeing, all right, this guy is making no look passes. I mean, how is he weighing these risks and reward, and he's making everything work so easily? And so I got to see that. And I was like, man, I want to try some of this stuff. I want to try implementing some of this into my game.

And, you know, you try it in practice. If it works, you know, you might keep doing something. If it doesn't work, you might, coach might be like, hey, don't try that again, you know. So I think practice is the perfect place to try some of that stuff. that it's such a fascinating guy to bring up actually because when I think about his career I actually think about that what how you put at risk assessment that he's had different parts of his career where he was really going for it there were some parts of his career people thought he was like too conservative so it's like figuring out that balance has it been exponential

actually get into play because it's something that I do wonder you're such a unique player in that you probably had the talent to play faster than then you did how how how was that time waiting for it, like waiting to play? Like, how did that help you? Yeah, it was a, it was an interesting time. It was, you know, the longer it went on, the tougher it got, because you're eager to get out there. You want to be on the field with the guys. You do all this practice and you want to go showcase your talent as well. So, but it was great. It was a great opportunity for me, great experience to be able to sit behind Aaron, watch the team we had. We had a phenomenal team my first couple of seasons in Green Bay. And just watch how it all unfolded. And to be a part of it,

be in practice, you know, doing scout team and have my little time that I got to, you know, work on my skills and try and hone it all in. And like you said, the preseason games are kind of my, my baby to go out there and showcase what I can be. So it was an interesting time. Like I said, the longer one on, the tougher guy, the more eager I was to be able to get out there on the field. Well, yeah, and part of it's probably, I mean, you're stressing these DBs out. Like, I'm sure they're in the locker room like, we had the worst day today because we're supposed to be on scout team and he's just dicing us up left and right and all of that. But one thing that's not stressful is, like, you're the face of this

franchise now. And that's a story franchise. And I know that the fan base loves you. And I saw some things in the winter months. There was some snow. You were like helping people get their cars out of snow or something like that. Last year. That was last year. Yeah. But like, I mean, what is it like for you? You're really in the community. And like, people are like, that's Jordan freaking love. Oh my God. Oh, okay. Yeah. No, you don't have to help push my car. Please, no injuries like you know those kinds of things what does that like for you being in that community it's awesome it's an awesome place to play an awesome place to live you know i think it's a very small town it's not like any other NFL place and i tell people all the time i think everybody in green

bay is a packer fan and they know everybody on the team oh yeah they'll tell you they love football they love the team uh you know they're gonna stick with us the kind of the ride or die fans right there and uh you know they show up for the games and uh let us hear it and give us that support and they're awesome you know they're they love football I think is the heart of it is they love football, love enjoying the games, and love the players. Yeah, I think New Orleans is almost the closest comp. And New Orleans is so much bigger, but the connection that it does feel like a small town here and just how much they love their team and when they see their players in the community.

I'm curious. So you're pulling off throws that are impressed us. Who makes you gasp? Like when they make a throw, who makes you go? Playing right now? It could be now. It could be in the past. I mean, there are so many quarterbacks.

Like, so the fun part is about playing quarterback is you watch film every week and you're watching every other quarterback. I like to try and watch as many quarterbacks as I can and just see what they're doing. And obviously, I think Patrick Mahomes is the start of that. You know, the guy has proven himself so many times and he's trying to do a three-peat. But, I mean, the plays he does, the phenomenal

ways to keep plays alive and somehow just have that magic is always something that you love to watch. And I love to watch quarterbacks that can create off schedule and, you know, play outside of the system. Because that's, I like implementing stuff like that into my game. So

it's fun to take notes and things like that from these guys. My dream for some great, like, theme for a sitcom or show is, like, all of you guys are in a group chat together, and you're, like, talking. It's just about the group chat. You guys are all talking. It's like, no, no, no, everyone's in a group chat together. And, like, you see Patrick Mahomes now sometimes draws a little criticism for the way that he understands the rules and extends plays in certain ways.

But, like, are you guys all secretly, like, nice job, man. That was awesome. Like you're saying. No, but maybe one day we'll start that. For sure. That's awesome. Jordan, you're here with Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Tell us what you're doing with them.

No, so I got started with Toyota about halfway through the season. You know, there was some cool buzz going around about a Toyotathon and conspiracy theories that I'm a Toyotathon merchant. I play better during this. Statistically true. Statistically is very true. I saw all the numbers from last year, this year. Trust me, I've seen everything. And it's just a, it's a very cool opportunity that I think the fans, in green.

Green Bay actually started and, you know, started drawing these comparisons, putting stuff on social media. And it was just a very cool way that this all came about with Toyota that they reached out and wanted to, you know, work together. Well, they better repaying you because you got them more more free pub before you even working with them than anyone. Because yeah, I was hearing about Toyota. It took me a second here. I know. I'm like, you sat down and I literally was like, oh, Toyota thought. Yeah. That's how strong the brand is at this point. That's what you want to do, though, because that's the money time of year. Oh, 100%. That's the time of year you want to be good.

Yeah, exactly. I mean, Toyotathon, someone was telling me we got to extend the date to the Toyotathon to go all over to Super Bowl. That's fair. That's fair. I'm so happy right now. You're basically taking that portion of our program. You're our last guest on today's show. Appreciate having you, Jordan.

Thank you, Jordan. There goes Jordan, love. We needed, I'll say a double to complete the cycle. No, because they were all. To go four for four. That's the better. Yeah, for home runs. And it happened.

Good vibes. I know. What a great day. Oh, my gosh. And he was so nice. I knew he would be because you don't push strangers cars out of the snow if you're a mean guy. Like he just, I like him a lot. It's cool.

I didn't have the heart. You know, we told Jaden at the start of the show that he was our first rookie on quarterback Island, didn't have the heart to tell Jordan that he had moved off quarterback. But it was because they, you know, he had some injury things. It was injury related for the most part. I love that he does not comp himself to anybody because he is so unique. To your point, Greg. I mean, he is such a unique player.

And he's been in the league five years. That's the sneaky part. Yeah. But he's only been the start of two years. That division is absolutely loaded. The show was absolutely loaded. Our show on Friday is absolutely loaded as well. We got Jonathan Taylor coming up of the Colts. A lot of great guests. I'm like trying to think of them all. I know. We have like right now. It's like totally burning. It's been such a gift. My brain, we're going to have a show on Friday. We'll even have some extra because we have some more interviews even come in we're going to drop that on the saturday feed uh but today uh it's been a joy we need to go uh off into the new orleans night what do you what do you got going here i'm not telling

anybody got things jordan jordan's got things secret life parties sources agency this is why she's making the big bucks she is the insider uh but it doesn't get any more inside than jaden dados jordan loved pocauca yeah why not david montgomery let's hit that hit that music Eric, let's get out of here. Yes, we will be finishing our time at Radio Row on Friday. I want you to say it. When you bat for the cycle with every single guest and you rip it all day. You know football is back.

Rip it like a Jordan loved row 35 yards across his body. We'll see you Friday. Everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 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. This is an IHeart podcast.