NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Mailbag! Who will be the surprise team of ‘24?

Episode Date: March 28, 2024

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler get caught up on news from around the NFL, including some great sound from new Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh (04:16), Tre'Davious White signing with the Rams (07:39), the Panthers signing Jadeveon Clowney (09:59), the latest surrounding Dak Prescott and the Cowboys (15:30), and more! After the break, Conor Orr joins the show and the heroes open the ATN mailbag (27:30). Note: time codes approximate.  NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast. Gets pretty podcast privilege. We do. Sessie. From the Chris Wessling podcast studio, it's Around the NFL. I am Dan Hansus. We've got a two-hander today.

Joined by my longtime friend and colleague Mark Sessler. what's up mark i'm sitting in uh the chair uh for you two purposes they've scrunched us closer together yeah i'm sitting in the chair uh where greg normally sits yeah and uh it's you know from a bodily angle very awkward i don't know where it's i've no i don't i understand why i sit where i sit and greg sits where he sits yes yeah just a just out of the gate something to deal with that's something to fight through and i think you will because you are a professional broadcaster in fact um it did just occur to me uh we're probably coming up on, what would it be?

I mean, we're talking about maybe the 12-year anniversary of the first show we did, the original iteration of the Around the NFL podcast, which was the ATL debate club, me and you in the old closet there in the Culver City offices. Things are very different now, but I think back of those days and always am thankful to Dave Damashek for giving us our start on the back of the Dave Damashchak football program and those initial wild episodes of the debate club, which, you know, was the embryo of this program.

And it was, you know, I think it was an appropriately appropriately sized project and scope. It was about 11 minutes long each time. And I think you can't even find them anymore. But like when they were available, like a couple years ago, I went back and listened and we're so like, it's like we've never spoken on Mike before. I think it prompted Greg at one point

to tell us that if we were going to take on a project of that scope to do it professionally I'll never forget that comment from Greg? Right. Greg said that. Yes. Okay. When he was our... Like the master broadcaster that he is. I always found with bosses and Greg's on vacation still in Hawaii.

Well-earned vacation. And he'll never listen to this. And don't anyone tell him. And this is a good advice to everybody. With bosses, you can listen to some things they say and some things you just give them a little nod and be like... Do I think we? I think we have that tactic down in the current times. Today's episode is a good one.

By the way, developing news, speaking of Greg. At the beginning of our last episode, I said, I've got to take this opportunity with Greg out of the office and off the continental United States to dig in on Delaware, his high school band. And we have major, major movement toward the longstanding goal of hearing his high school band. Yeah, talk about 12 years in the making.

This has been a long-going, ongoing investigation. We put out a call, we had named names from the band, and we have heard back from certain individuals directly tied to Greg's high school band. And I think we are closer than ever, Mark Sessler, to hearing Greg singing. And perhaps that will be an opportunity for you to say to him, if you want to be in a band, perhaps...

It comes full circle. It's time to be a little more professional. That could be an opportunity. No, that would be, that'd be an open door for that. I find it interesting that, like, really all it took was announcing on the show that we were, this mattered to us. And this investigation that's been so important, there was probably a five-year gap where we never asked anyone to unearth these tapes and it showed up within 24 hours.

So that's a lesson to us on the investigation front. In fairness, we've gotten to this level of investigation of the past and then we didn't take it home, but this is different. Well, he also, I think, you know, stuck his fingers into it and blocked it on someone. When he's gone, look how much progress we make on this front. Absolutely. So stay tuned.

That's all I'm going to say. Stay tuned because major developments. On hoboh-ha. Okay, let's get into it. We're going to welcome our old friend Connor. or in to the show in a bit to hit the mailbag. But before that, let's check in with John Harbaugh. He of the proud ownership of a RV and do a little news.

It's been great, you know. I mean, being myself, you know, like I always wanted to do that. It worked out great. I'm 100 feet from Greg Roman. He has an RV as well. He's got a better part. T-Ros got a really, really, really, good RV yes Jim Harbaugh the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers is currently

living in an RV not a home he's a multi-millionaire I'm sure it's a very nice RV my wife is long pushed for the Hanses family to go on an RV vacation I push back I don't like driving long distances I don't I don't get the she could drive a little bit maybe perhaps but I think I'm excited like you know we started to make Club 12 years ago. We've been doing the iteration, ATN iteration since 2013. So we remember very clearly the Jim Harbaugh days with the San Francisco 49ers, but it's sometimes easy to forget, Mark, that there's an entire generation of young football fans that weren't really following the sport in 2014 when he left the team. Like, you guys have kids. You guys have no idea what

you're in for. This guy is an interesting dude. and he's a little bit out there and I kind of get the feeling based on early vibes around Jimmy Harbaugh and his return in the NFL that he kind of maybe is cranked up the weird meter even a couple more notches

we might be off the traditional one to ten chart at this point and it can only I don't know what it means for Chargers their future and the fans in terms of excitement although I understand why you're excited because he's been a winner everywhere he goes but I'm telling you it's not going to be boring with Jim

Harbaugh back. No, and it's like an interesting study in brotherhood because like we both have two sons and their personalities can be similar in some ways, but very different. Like John Harbaugh is very different to me than Jim Harba. Like I think of when they flashed in the Super Bowl and it was like these are totally different cats and like Jim Harbaugh, I think you're right. I think back in the NFL he likes to up the dial a little and kind of zone in on that weirdness that he, that really only he can bring. But I also think he's going to change the Chargers. I really do. Who's got to better than us. Nobody.

That's Harbaugh, nine. Now we're up to 11. Like people, I think we're taken aback by Dan Campbell as an example. We mentioned the lines when he was very outspoken and maybe spoken a little bit of a different way than other head coaches, Jack Nicholson and Batman, 1989. Wait, did they get a low to me? All right. Oh, let me hear a little more Jim from that press engagement.

This is a good one, too. You know, just that mentality of that group. I mean, that's like a fist. You know, there's five of them. One, two, three, four, five, you know, playing is one on that offensive line. I just, I love it. I just love it. All right, let's get to it.

Let's start with good news for the Rams, who add a decorated cornerback to their secondary. It is Tredavius White, formerly of the bill, signs a one. one year, $8.5 million contract, the bills dealing with some cap issues, cut ties with White and the former first round pick, tremendous beginning to his career mark. But he's dealt with some serious injuries and staying on the field has been an issue. But you kind of get him here at a bargain. You get him on a prove it deal for the Rams. So I think from their side of things, you know, have a backup plan if White is not able to stay on the field

make sure you have depth in that room, but he makes a lot of sense as someone to take a flyer on and maybe you hit big and he gets back to his old ways. Yeah, like, why not, right? And I think, you know, some of the signings that have come in in the last 48 hours are signings that makes sense to me and I kind of like that time and free agency to pick up these veterans.

I think with White though, I mean, he's played 10 games in the last two years. He tore his ACL in 2021. and then last year tours Achilles and if we want to whistle Dixie about the fact that

Kirk Cousins doesn't it doesn't matter that he tore his Achilles because he's not mobile that's not his main threatening which I agree with by the way no I'm not too but like a cornerback is going to need

to show us the coming off in Achilles that he's going to be able to do but much less just not get another injury he's just not been durable and let me rephrase that about cousins it does matter you suffer a catastrophic lower body injury and you're in your mid-30

We'll see. But I think he's just well suited to be able to recover from that without losing too much of his game. But you're right. As time has passed even again since when we started this podcast, if you tore your Achilles as a skill player or a guy that's based like running backs, for instance, it's been seen as a death sentence for a lot of players or it was. And as a cornerback, you worry about do they ever get back their athleticism? And that's a real question mark. And we'll see. But I also think there's, and we know there's been. a lot of advances in the treatment and recovery process from that type of injury. So hopefully White is on the right side of things. In other news, the Panthers bring in to Davian Clowny, the edge rusher formerly of the Ravens and many, many other teams. He's become the preeminent mercenary of his generation where he started his career as a first

overall, heavily hyped prospect, went to Houston and had a nice run. there, but you know, he dealt with some injuries, never quite lived up to the LT like potential put on him. But it tells you that the fact that he continues to stay in the league, even if he's never gotten that second big long-term contract, he's always welcome wherever he stops. I know he's been with the Browns. He's been with the Seahawks. Now he is stop over the Ravens. And now he's with the Panthers who get him. And he gets a second year. And I can't remember the last, I think this is the first time since that initial rookie deal that he has a multi-year contract. Two years, $20 million. We'll see if he plays both seasons with the Panthers. But this is a team that

needed some help there after Brian Burns was traded to the Giants and Clownie coming off perhaps his best season gives them something. Yeah, they lost Frankie Louvre as well, who is, you know, showed up in every game. Yatorre Gross Matos went to the Niners. So they absolutely needed an edge. Clownie is awesome against the run. I think he's just one of the more one of the tougher players around he had micro fracture surgery and that would end people's careers talking about injuries and he came back from that last year

nine and a half sacks with the Ravens. That did come under Mike McDonald who seemed to like turn up everyone's production to the maximum. So you always kind of wonder if you're going to go to this team but Evereaux is a good defensive coordinator and I think they needed that piece to put along

Derek Brown and DJ want them. So why not? I think the Panthers should be adding everyone they can. They've got a lot of needs. maybe that second year got added because it had been widely reported that the jets were very hot on Clowny and very motivated to sign them, sign him to replace Bryce Huff. So the Panthers perhaps going that extra year is what got the deal done. So Clowny goes to a team that's very clearly rebuilding, but he gets a little bit more financial security.

I don't actually see the terms of the deal in terms of, you know, if he will get to a second year. But the fact that he signed a two-year deal is different for Janadian Clown. In other news, this was interesting, Mark. We talked about on Tuesday's show with Connie, the major overhaul of the kickoff in the NFL. And by the way, did you, I read this. And we did talk about it at the night of the Super Bowl. And Greg had mentioned he was sick of the kickoffs producing nothing.

Oh, I know where you're going with this, yeah. All 13 kickoffs in the most recent Super Bowl were touchbacks. So it's funny how the playoffs, we talked about the pass interference rule that was one and done. That was a playoff game. We talked about the overtime rules changing after the Bill's Chiefs classic in the divisional playoffs or Josh Allen didn't get a chance to get on the field. That led to a change.

Those postseason games, because there's so much on the line and there's so many eyeballs on it, it's that round of football that really produces the most. change. And I think that's, that's what's happened here. After the 13 straight touchbacks, um, you now have a new rule where we're going to see a huge boost and kickoff returns. So the idea that the Steelers are getting quarter L. Patterson, arguably the greatest kick return or ever, uh, if not, obviously in the top five in that conversation or he should be that matters a lot. NFL Network's Ian Rapp report reports that the Steelers agreed to terms with a veteran formerly of the Falcons on a two year six million dollar deal and Mark, he's 33 years old.

so he's an older player, but he's also someone that has always been either a gadget player or part of a scheme. So I don't think he has a ton of tread on the tires. He's coming off a run with the Falcons where he was in a rotation at running back. So this feels like a smart signing for Arthur Smith and that's Steelers attack. And I don't know if it happens necessarily here versus somewhere else without Arthur Smith because if you look at how he was used and you know, Pittsburgh's a different team with different personnel. But I think Cordela Patterson probably was told you were going to have more than just the kick return roll here. He had 1100 plus yards in 2021 on the ground through the air, 11 touchdowns.

In 2022, less yardage, but 14 touchdowns. So I think he's got a larger part than just kick returner, but they are silver and gold now because I think we're going to see a rash of teams looking for this role, obviously. And we don't know how impactful they're going to be, but there's a world where like it takes defense as a time to figure out how to special teams, how to defend this kickoff return, and it could be wild. And I also think it's a great news for some of those draftable wide receivers who are maybe smaller,

but lightning quick, but not seen as like a true two or three. They have real roles, and I think it starts to change things in it, for everyone on special teams. Yeah, I can't wait to see how that all plays out. It actually makes the,

you know, I've never been a big fan of the preseason, but you're going to get an early look in those games. So we'll see how goes. Unless they want to hide what they're, like you don't want to, almost don't want to give too much away, but you're right. We're going to see in general what kind of...

But those teams, you want to hide it, but also they have to work on it. You got to try it. A little catch-22 there, Seth. That is. That is a classic. Classic catch-22. How about a catch-22 for the Cowboys? What else is new? They're all in, right?

What does Mike say? What does Addy say? ETP, behind the glass? Buy into us. Right. They want to, they want to finally get over the hump. They want to get back to the Super Bowl. the first time in a quarter century and cowboy's fans are dying to get back to the

super bowl and they want this to be a big splashy off season but they have so much salary cap challenge because of the the big names on their roster and the big salaries that are either currently do or are coming due down the line dac prescott's at the front of that line so he's their star quarterback and he has a massive cap number uh that dallas is trying to rework his contract to help free up space to do other things. So the Cowboys is originally reported by Field Yates converted Dax 5 million roster bonus to a signing bonus and that cleared 4 million in cap. And I'm not going to try to dig deep on what this means for their ability. There's someone else better than that out there. It sounds like a really boring podcast, but I'm sure you could find

a salary cap driven podcast that could satiate your hunger in that situation. But I can tell you that his number is now slashed all the way down, Mark, to 55.45 million this year. So still incredibly prohibitive in some ways. They want to perhaps do a new deal that changes and kicks the can down the line. But that has not happened yet. But here's a little bit of relief.

I mean, we saw Cleveland do this with Deshaun Watson. I mean, we've seen a little bit of that with Mahomes. It's like, this is the way. You sign these massive contracts and you keep pushing the money down the line. line. And in some cases, until the next GM and coaching staff have to deal with it potentially. In this case, the GM is not going away. It's Jerry Jones. And I think if they truly believe in DAC, the one problem is, is that with each calendar year, how much more expensive does it

become to sign your star quarterback? I don't know. It just feels like the Cowboys have had the weirdest offseason possible based on what they told us heading into the offseason. And I know Mike McCarthy. He was very zaddy like during the owner's meeting saying like I welcome the challenge like I'm not looking at this is you know something I'm not willing to take on but I mean how have they gotten better and how have they

gotten worse and it's like I don't know I can't take them entirely serious as a Super Bowl candidate but also just because of exhaustion. I agree with you. Because in years past we've said we would not and then like we all get we all get pulled back in. That's what happens.

I'm not doing it this time. It's not happening. They got you last year. They finally got you last year. I don't buy into double cross the cess dog. They did. And that adds, you know, that makes it more malicious. Very successful brand, though. That cowboy. Can't, can't question that. All right. Let's pause right here

for a minute and take a break and then get back to the news. 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 IHeart 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 diehard 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. All right, we're back. in other news let's hear God Save the King ETP

what do you think about ETP as a nickname Eric the producer I like that I've been looking for one for a while I like the way it comes out nickname free and now that's not the case A type hey no maybe not

with the southern draw ETP a little creepy that's a little bit of heat to it pop to it a little sizzle ETP hey all right let's get Were you actually requesting something from him I am I'm looking for the

the national anthem of the United Kingdom because our good friend Henry Hodgson general manager of all things UK football and a major figure with the International Pathway Program we got another fun prospect here he is

European rugby star Louis Rees Zamet and I apologize if I have that incorrect I like the name though you could be but anyway the campaign But anyway, the Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to contract terms with Rees-Semit, who is from Wales. He participated in the NFL's International Player Pathway Pro Day last week. Ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash Wales is a part of the United Kingdom. Did you know that, Maher?

I did. I lived in the United Kingdom, so I was very well-versed. Did you? You've never mentioned that. I'm very well-versed. And don't forget, Diana, Princess of Wales, Mark. Nailed it. Anyway, he made visits to a handful of teams before agreeing to contract terms with the chiefs.

And it ties back to Mark's story we just talked about because this man is a very talented, dangerous player with a rugby ball in his hands. The chiefs, according to ESPN's Adam teacher, ticker, will look at the player as a running back or perhaps a wide receiver. and he could be a special teams player. So I think the chiefs can rest easy now they have found their weapon for Patrick Mahomes and we move into another successful season. We do. I mean, kind of a perfect landing spot

just because it's completely a mystery how he'll be used and you'd kind of trust they'll find a way. He's 6-3-194, played for the Gloucester rugby squad. Gloucester? Gloucester. Because I knew, that's how I say it, because when I did live in England, there was this nursery rhyme going around at the time. I mean, it was ancient, but it was in the early 70s? Yeah, and like my brother used to say it, but it was Dr. Foster went to Gloucester in a puddle of rain.

I don't know any, I don't know the second line, but he visits the queen and does a bunch of other stuff and there's a cat involved at some point, I think. But so, he played for that, where that nursery rhyme took place, he played rugby for that group. and Nanny's fast, like, I don't know. There have been a few rugby players during our time in NFL that tested the waters, and it kind of worked and kind of didn't. But I think they're all in a better position in like the player

pathway program is exploding. I had an ex-girlfriend in college up in Boston that was a big fan of a seafood restaurant in Gloucester, Gloucester, Massachusetts. She had a lot of seafood. Which is on the North Shore and mass for people that are from there.

I believe it was called the Rudder. So if you, I don't know if it's open anymore, it's 20 years ago now, but go check out the rudder. Send us a photo if you check it out. Please do. All right. Oh, so we'll see. And shout out to Henry Hodgson because.

Future commissioner. It's a interesting, I think this is the next step for the NFL. You look at a sport like baseball, which is populated by so many players from throughout the glove. I'm wearing my opening day for the Yankees and the rest of MLB. This is the dugout, which is the bar where my. brother, Kevin Dangerworks in the Bronx, right outside Yankee Stadium.

So go say hi to him at the dugout if you're a Yankee fan. But anyway, the NFL wants to continue to bring in these international players and make it a global sport. And we'll see how... It's like there are large people and fast people in places outside of America, so it kind of makes sense. Yeah, look at the NBA. I mean, geez.

My goodness. We're going to take the gold home even anymore in the Olympics, Mark? Let us know. I don't know. I think that's a great question. I'm not like a finding, like the dream team days. We may be in our place beyond that at this point. Media minute.

The Eagles will open the season in San Paolo, Brazil, on the Peacock Network. So all those things you saw it were the playoff game last year. It was the Bill's Dolphins. That game was also on Peacock. Chiefs Dolphins. Chiefs Dolphs. It was that fourth coldest NFL game ever. Yes.

So this game, if you want to check out the Eagles, we'll be on Peacock. Amazon will also get a wildcard game, so they will get that game like last year's game at Arrowhead. Hopefully better weather. By the way, there was some news that came out. This is not obviously anything. Oh, do you want to hit it? Go ahead, Eric.

It's time for the latest. Always forget the script. Go ahead. You got it. It's time for the latest edition of the Media Minute with Dan. And Hanses. Very good. ATP.

You know when I played it, I totally was like, damn, I have no idea what I'm supposed to say. You know what you do? After the show, this would be a good thing. Go record it with this. Right. And then you hit the drop and there it is. We have the technology. Although I have to say, I do like ETP struggling through it a little bit.

Yeah, I think that was part of the fun. So let's not do that. Okay. Anyway, so Amazon gets the wild card game and peek out. This is the future, man. This is that they're going to play games overseas more and more. more, the streamers are going to continue to get a piece. So that's what it is.

It's people, certain people were freaking out over, especially the Eagles opener like Mad Dog went nuts over it. And I kind of get it for certain, but these games are still available for people to watch. They're streamed elsewhere. And like they, I mean, you can get to it without having just to get a subscription, by the way. I mean, it's on NFL Plus as well, which does cost. So are we. We are as well.

But see, that's the thing. That sounds like a very sound purchase. Mm-hmm. All right. For anyone who's listening up on the third floor from this building, I couldn't be a bigger backer of the product. Finally in the news, Hard Knocks News. My favorite football show,

Colleen Wolf and the old Zuzzer have done a Hard Knocks podcast the past two summers. Hopefully we'll do it again with a team to be named later. I'm hearing the bears being floated this year. Now, since 2013, they've had a strict set of rules in place for who is hard knocks quote unquote eligible and they've changed it this year for the first time

so it used to be teams could avoid being selected for hard knocks that they qualify in one of three things no head coach change right they've been on the show in the last 10 years or they've made the playoffs in each of the last two years either of the last two years which always felt like a weird one they got rid of that. So no longer, uh, is that a rule. Now it is first year head coach in place. Um, they're participating in the in season show during the upcoming year or the following season. And then they knocked it down to have appeared on hard knocks in the past eight years. The other change that they're making is the in season hard knocks, uh, which by the way, that opens up from three to 16 teams now eligible with the, with that change. Hmm.

about the playoff teams no longer being impacted. The in-season hard knocks is reportedly going to a division format, which is worth a try. Well, I kind of like that only because I thought when they had the cults on in-season, and I think in-season is tough to deal with when you're like in football all the way long. As a huge hard-knocks fan, I've always found that challenging just because you're in the season and there's so much other football to take in. what makes the off-season training camp one so special is that it's when you're

most starved and excited for football season it's just perfectly timed i always thought i yeah i think the division one works though because uh just a lot more happening and i i don't know that for me that that might solve that that shows issue in in season but it also covers you if if the team falls out of contention right right or there's not a lot of juice so i think um i think you're on to something with the bears i i don't know if they seem like they would I think it's certain teams just if they embrace the concept. Like, it's good for Matt Eberfluse, for people to know more about Matt Eberflus.

You would have a rookie quarterback that's a lot of heat on them, but they did with the Browns and Baker and others as well. But now it's like, could the Texans or someone like that be in? It's like a lot of intriguing concepts. All right. We'll see what happens. And we'll be all over that when the announcement comes out. That's what's happening in news.

Let's take a break. And then welcome an old friend. 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 IHeart 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, podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Heat and Light podcast.

I am your co-host, Mark Sessler, joined as always by my co-host, Connor, and Connor, we're equal co-hosts. Just I think that just that the people understand the power structure, we're equal co-hosts. that's always how when we set out to do this a long time ago and inform people about the ways of the world, that's how we set it up. Yeah, I think it creates a sense of partnership there. You know, we often when I see you, we're on the road because you don't live here in L.A. and I don't live where you live. And so you're a man that travels to and fro.

Have you ever been to, in your reporting days, to Antarctica to cover any sort of a story? No, because I know the true danger. that exist there. I mean, beyond the ice and snow, there's a good chance that we're looking at deep cities beneath the caverns of ice, potentially a group of, you know, crystal people, something dealing with the future of energy and deep government secrets. So I try to stay away. Yeah, I could see why you would.

You know, you aren't, you know, alone in your concerns about this part of the world. And I was doing some reading. We like to deep dive into these subjects. And this kind of tracks back to the winter of 1947 when Admiral Richard E. Bird claimed on a trip to Antarctica to discover a massive, like, hundreds-foot-wide hole that when he sunk his plane into it, essentially found that the ice and snow disappeared.

It was a lush, warm, forested world with animals that had not been seen by the human eye. To your point, these crystal palaces, he met someone called the master. that warned the Earth about nuclear technology. Connor, I want to just let you know because, you know, we're here today, not just to drag up old information,

but I actually have some new information. All right, we are back. And yes, as promised, we're going to bring in One of our very favorite men, a longtime buddy, also a former colleague, and a great damn journalist, Connor, or welcome back to around the NFL. Always great. Thanks for having me, fellas. It's great to fully realize the part three of my plan, which is to take Greg's spot and exact a full 180 revenge from back when he was my boss at NFL media.

A lot of Greg Boss talk today. I think that that's soared it up well right there. And almost like a lot of either revenge or plotting against him. It's almost like he's made enemies along the way. But he's on a well-earned vacation. Maybe a permanent one. Perhaps permanent based on this appearance. Connor, how are you, buddy?

What's new in the life of Mr. Orr? What's happening? You know, everything is good. Just dealing with a lot of flooding and power. outages here in western New Jersey, but we're living the life. It's rustic out here. We've had a lot of storms as well and poor weather and more coming in here in Southern California, which is very unusual.

I wonder what that's all about, maybe something for you guys to discuss on your, whenever you come back with your famous offshoot podcast. The heat and light podcast. Yeah, whenever that might be a good topic. Dan's struggling for the name of the show. Call it what it was. please thank you all right with connor here we we like to dive in and and connect with our audience over the mailbag side and as always a disclaimer if this doesn't go well as a segment it is not

on us not at all it is on you uh we typically have to save it uh you know out of the gate right so either either the questions weren't good enough or people that are listening to be like this sub the segment sucks well did you send in a question so it's really um it's really um it's it's we're just calling calling it like we see it being honest with the listeners you know you've got a man up sometimes and if the segment swims beautifully well that's that's me and mark and connor just being professionals and being broadcaster so now that the everything's set let's hit the first question it is from brandon lorry uh i like his his handle brandon is right but that w r it if you had absolute control over the competition committee what

rule changes would you make i like this one connor i thought and we you know we gave the nfl some flowers uh on our tuesday show in that uh the league and and west always said this the league has never been shy about taking chances to uh improve the product and make changes not all of them work but at least you give them give them a shot i i will say my longstanding Connor call for more protection for the officials on personal fouls for roughing the passer for defenseless receiver. The game moves so fast that getting more help there and from upstairs would only help. But that's one for me.

What about you? I've long been. So I'll blame Tom Pelliserro for this. I love Tom. The Pellraiser himself? The Pell razor like maybe it was last year or the year before. had noted accurately, you know, how the NFL was really considering the fourth and 15 onside kick alternative.

And I prepared so much content on my end based on just blind excitement, all the possibilities. And to have it be, and again, this is a knock on, like Tom knows more about football than I could ever hope to know in the inside mechanisms of it. but got me so excited for it and then to have it never happen was such a letdown and it's the perfect rule like and for those who don't know right

it was the in lieu of an onside kick you can go for it on your own 25 yard line and it's a fourth and 15 basically and if you lose possession the other team basically gets the ball right inside the red zone NFL owners

who don't have Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are terrified of this and they won't vote for it because most of their quarterbacks suck. And I understand that. But just imagine like the entire cottage industry that could be built around that single play. Like you could find like a massive like Cam Newton type human being

who's only really valuable for that play where he can just like carry a bunch of bodies for 15 yards or like but maybe throw a pass. It's like there's so many amazing things that could happen just by virtue of that moment. And you could get these great NBA jam-type moments where maybe these teams are hitting two or three of these in a row and they're bonkers.

And you can't do that with an on-side kick. And the Eagles particularly have been trying for this for years. I think it's like 10 years in a row or something. And no one, I think there is some fear out there. You're right. And I just want to add one other thing. And I don't know, Mark, did you have one? I have two quick ones.

Yes. One, because I know I don't claim to come up with everything in my own. We mentioned Dave Damashak earlier. I always thought this was the most ingenious concept to prevent tanking, to prevent teams taking a dirt nap and folding tent for the last month plus of a season, is that you take the two worst teams that are vying for the number one pick, and you have them square off. And in this case, the timing of this would be unusual,

but I thought maybe just a little Wednesday in between the wild card and divisional round. Not everyone needs to track it. Well, we have Wednesday football now, so that checks out. That fits like a glove. They would play each other and the winner gets the number one pick. So it's like you have to fight right down to the end. We could do it. You know what you could do it actually.

You could slot it in in the old Pro Bowl spot. That's Sunday before the Super Bowl. I thought about that except that you're asking like a team to, they're kind of like doing the college thing where you're off for like 20 something days or something. Well, don't finish amongst the worst two teams in the league. Stay out of the toilet bowl. Here is my other one. you're talking about fear

this would take the opposite no commercial breaks we get through these games in about an hour and 45 minutes and it's a this is not Russia okay well I'm just saying I'm trying to think at what I want

that would be what I want all the dads that like DVR games and they wait like an hour and a half in to like fast forward so they don't to deal with commercials it's like they don't have to do it anymore and you just want the games to end as quickly as possible I get it but and all the people that are like

like, oh, and let's get rid of the chain gangs. Get off it. Can we, in this world, this digital world, uh, where we're increasingly controlled by bots and robots and, uh, microtechology, can we just get a couple of bros with two sticks and a chain figuring something out still? Like, can we keep that? Can we keep that?

Can we make the world simple in one way? That's all I'm going to say, Connor. That's all. That's all. I don't know if I'm breaking any news here, but there are computer chips in the chains. I think you are breaking news to the two of us. I don't know if a lot of people know this, but whenever anyone's like, they need to get rid of the chain gang, it's like, we have all this technology. It's like, yeah, the technology's in the chain.

So we're good. Like, yeah, sometimes does the chain break? Yeah, like once during the Super Bowl, I think. It happened twice during the playoffs last year, if I can't remember, if I can remember correctly. But yeah, like the technology is in there. We're good. That is, I mean, breaking news for the podcast. So thank you, Connor.

And that, like I said, in the intro, this is a very talented journalist. It is great sometimes. Occasionally like the chain gang guy, A or B, you don't know which one gets, you know, not paying attention, gets whacked by a player coming off the field. And it's just a delight to watch. Let's hit another question. We'll finish this in about two hours. with this, right? Bo Brooks asks,

will Jordan Love win more Super Bowls than Aaron Rogers? Well, he just needs to win two, but there aren't a lot of quarterbacks that have ever won two. What do you think, Connor? He's got a bright future ahead of him. He's already probably 25 or 26, right? So you got that as well to consider.

I say no. And the reason I do is because every time a team ends a season with some vague semblance of promise, we get on this just path of stupidity where we project things in an upward trajectory for no, like, you know, oh, they're young and contracts and I'm pretending to talk like a GM and everything works. And like, it doesn't. We don't know how good the Packers are going to be.

They'll clip this and they'll show this to me at the Combine next year, I'm sure. But I don't know how good. Part two. I don't know how good the Packers are going to be in the future. but like winning two Super Bowls for any quarterback that isn't, you know, this sort of, you know, colossus of a human talent like Patrick Mahomes or, you know, Tom Brady or something like that, it's difficult. It's hard. So I would say no. And like the career of Aaron Rogers kind of proves the point. He won one right away.

And it's like, oh, he could win five or six. And you could say the Packers probably should have gotten there a number of times. But TBD. while we're here yeah let's might as well address it because we did play it on the show last week I believe that in my opinion an ambush

by the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jason Light on Connor or do we have that let's play that Jason Connor from Sye how are you? Hey good Connor how are you I'm doing well thanks how's everything good

yeah we uh you guys have a history no no we just we won a lot more games than what he predicted us to get last year Yeah, you had us for two. I haven't hanging up. I haven't hanging up in my office, yeah. There it is.

Connor, what was the general vibe between you and light in that spot? Was there any real tension or was it all in good fun? No, it was funny. I mean, like, so to deal everybody back behind the curtain, when you're at, when you're at the combine, a lot of times, like, if the GMs do the podium stuff, and if you just want to have like a casual conversation with that, and you know not have it be quoted somewhere sometimes I'll ask to talk to a GM or a coach or if it's like a really niche question that I don't want to bother anybody like you know you're trying to yell in a pack of people you ask them off to the side and so I asked for Jason light thinking like we were talking off the record and so we like you know everything gets

shuttled I never saw a camera and so him and I are talking and like he brings it up which every right to do it. I mean, it was a horrible decision on my part. I picked them to win two games. They made the playoffs. But do you think it was a coordinated attack? Like they had this in mind that they were going to have this ready and they were going to play it up on social.

See, this is what's wild to me. So they would have to assume that I was there. Right. And then so I asked the PR guy. I was like, hey, can I get Jason just for a second? And he's like, yeah, no problem. So then between Jason walking off the podium and then, And, like, traveling the 11 feet over to where I was standing, they had to have, like, briefed him on this.

And then flagged down a social media person, concealed the camera. And then I posted it five days after it happened, which is like, or maybe it was like three days after it happened. But that was the funniest part. Like, I was on a jog with my neighbor. And I get, like, text messages sent to my phone. And, like, I'm getting dozens of text messages. Like, I can't believe they did that. Are you okay?

are you okay what's going on uh like people from high school that i hadn't talked to um in you know 20 years and then i i was like like my i've no idea it was filmed and so i uh i did i did get a kick out of it my parents liked it uh everyone thought it was funny but it was just like in that moment i was like were you like hide where was the camera that's all i wanted to know really it was like where where was the device who was filming it and then Like in the back of my head, I'm like, okay, is all the stuff that I asked him? Like, did they post that too? I don't know.

But yeah, no, it's fine. We're good. As a Syracuse graduate, one of the great programs of journalism in the country, you know, the perils of gotcha journalism. I think that was really on turning it, turning it around on the reporter. Not too far away from like muckraking journalism, which is the danger of its own. But I would say in some ways fair play by light and company. Here's my thing.

Now, you've created the public gripe about my season predictions. Every year from here on out, I'm going to predict you to win 16 games. And so, what, would you rather live up to that? Or would you rather have poor little bulk guys? You know what? I see where you're coming from. But I also have to say, just respectfully, don't let them impact your true feelings. because that means you're going to end up adjusting all of your win total for all their opponents

where you might alternate it might be a swing of eight to ten games in your actual mindset. Don't let them win. You know what I mean? I hope that light approaches you at every future combine with the similar, you know, yes or no scenario. All right. Next, Daniel Crespo asks every year there is a always a team that surpasses expectations. Who do you think will be the surprise teams of the NFC and AFC? So we're, you know, who are the Texans this year?

Who are the Rams this year? What do you think, Mark? You know, I was looking at the list, and there aren't a lot of great options here. NFC, I thought that maybe the commanders, I thought they've added a lot of interesting pieces. I think Quinn has experienced. It's not a total fill in the blank on what kind of persona he is. We kind of know that. They have the chance to add a quarterback that could make a big difference out of the gate if he plays well.

So it was that for me in the NFC. In the AFC, I think this was tougher because, like, I was looking at last year's record. And, like, the Chargers won five games, yet expectations seem high because of Harbaugh and your quarterback. So that's my answer there. I just didn't see a lot of other options. I'll go, you know what?

I'll throw them some flowers because I really did like their most recent move to get Sneed in the building. The Titans. If Levis does take a leap here, they have given him some structure. So that team could surprise in the AFC if a couple things go their way. What do you think, Connor? I think the Colts are going to win the AFC South this year. I think the Colts are going to be really good.

I think Anthony Richardson is going to be great. And if I were to pick a team in the NFC, okay, let's say surprise, in air quotes, like if the Carolina Panthers go from a two-win team to like an eight or a nine-win team, would that be a, I think that would be a surprise, generally, given that they weren't really able to upgrade much this offseason. But I think there's going to be a lot of improvement there, too. What does Anthony Richardson learn from that cameo in terms of protecting himself, but still remaining a dangerous ally?

I think it's a big time subplot around the cults, because he's got to stay healthy for them to make that leap. Next, Malbag. All right, this from Simon King is West Broms. Are you aware of what's going on around the NFL and, and West Bromwich, the soccer team? I, vaguely, like, I remember

learning about this dishwasher man from this podcast. So I do, like, I'm sort of vaguely in the know here. Well, anyway, the guy in my fantasy football league owns this team. And so now they are the football team of AATN. But anyway, so is West Brom's boiler man mascot better than every mascot in the NFL?

So for people you're watching YouTube, you can see, but it's quite literally a boiler that you would find in your basement or on the side of your house or what have you with legs and arms sticking out. And that is a wild mascot and the boing-boing. I support everything they do. So I'm going to say that is a great mascot. In terms of best mascots in the NFL,

I have three. I really like kind of, he doesn't get a lot of pop. But I like Steely McBeam of the Steelers. Does any mascot get a lot of pop? I feel like they kind of... I'll give you one. I'll give you one.

Jackson Deville of the Jazz. Oh, you're right. That one. He is probably the biggest star of the moment in that world. But I also like, and I met him at the international series. And him. Very nice a man or a slash creature. Captain Fear of the Buccaneers also.

I quite enjoy him. Anybody have a mascot take? Sir Per. And I'll say why. I don't know why I still. Sir Per of the Pan. Panthers. Panthers.

There's like a, there's like a, there's like a Panthers in-house video from like nine years ago that I recently stumbled on where he's just in the office doing regular cat stuff. Nice. And it is, it's so funny and I watch it probably once a week. So Sir Per is awesome. Quick sub question. Is your friend who owns West Brom like like a Packers fan who says he owns the Packers or is this a real like you're you're in a fantasy football league with like a billionaire uh the second

one whoa yeah his name is shellin patel and uh he's seen as a savior by the fans of uh the boing boy cool yeah um and before we move on if you're going to bring up sir purr and the panthers you got to hit us with one connor hit us with one hey pound it next never gets old Can we cut that as a drop? Thank you, Eric. A.P. Guy Tomlinson asks, with Christmas so far away, does Connor watch Hallmark films through the years with different events, i.e. Valentine's summer holidays, the 4th of July and what have you.

Great question. People that are maybe new to the show and don't know that Connor every Christmas comes on, he and his wife are religious about, no pun intended, about watching every hallmark type holiday film they can get their eyes on starting i believe the day after thanksgiving or maybe the day after Halloween something insane like that day after Halloween yeah that is insane but i love you for who you are and then all the way through to uh christmas and uh is do you does it carry over to other holidays that's a good question so it's funny about that is my homework obsession has now it's created like shockwave effects through my immediate family and so my in-laws have it on

all the time. And so every time we go over there for dinner now, it is on like 24 hours a day. And so by virtue of that, we have now become aware of and are very much fans of sort of the, there's like a New Year's collection, a Valentine's collection, a spring collection, a summer collection with kind of all your favorite stars. And they just sort of spin it forward into different times a year, which is great. Have you ever thought about as a side job writing reviews for the vibrant publication TV guide I think that my

reviews of Hallmark movies would be so glowing that coming from me it would be interpreted as like a very mean satire right and it's really not like there there was the there was that really well meaning lovely woman from like the Dakotas who reviewed an olive

garden like 10 years ago do you remember this and there was never like an olive garden in her like state and she reviewed it as if it were this like breathtaking five star Italian restaurant and everyone made fun of her she was like in her 70s and but that's she was serious she loved it and imagine having an olive garden breadstick for the first time in your 70s like it's unbelievable buttery heaven yeah so I think that it would probably come off a little bit like that and I would be worried about affecting my current relationship with hallmark which is very good

I think that's very fair I do feel like watching a spring like springtime version of that type of That's like scraping the bottom of the barrel. Like, what is the hook of your, what is your hook at that point? Well, they don't, they don't, there's a lot of people involved in the productions, actors, actresses, directors, camera people. They don't, right. Like, what's the inciting moment? Like the trees are blooming? All right.

Next. Love. T. Mack asks, where do the Vikings land on the pain rankings and why are we cursed? What spirit walks the halls of U.S. Bank Stadium, a true unsolved mystery. Now, fans of the show know that I have a real. I feel like a kinship with Vikings and their fans. I'm again going to nominate them as a team of around the NFL, which feels like a curse in its own way.

Good luck with that. This season, especially of Sam's at QB. I'm going to refrain from answering this one, guys, because I do think this summer on around the NFL, we're going to revisit the pain rankings nine years after the publication on our fair site. But the Vikings are still, There. I'll put it there. I'll leave it there. Let's move on. But the pain rankings,

we're going to hit that this summer on this podcast. There's a tease. Next. Colin asks at Mets, speaking of cursed, at Mets, please save me. Carl, here on opening day, the New York Mets aren't going to save you,

but I say that with love. But we don't know when he created this handle, but it's never been successful. Unless you were, unless, you know, 1986 worlds or something. all right anyway what under 500 team in 2023 is under the most pressure in 2024 um you know the the jets jump out to me obviously because they are so win uh you know they are so in for this season and there's so much pressure around Aaron Rogers and making that work is there

another team uh that jumps out to you mark as a uh high pressure team coming off a losing season uh this was another one where i thought a lot of teams that we're in turmoil had coaching changes or have or about to draft quarterbacks where there's a fair amount of freshness or hope there. The Giants stood out to me because I think you're just in a situation where you went from coach of the year, playoff, surprise playoff birth to, you know, the owner speaking kind of hot and cold about Dayball and Dayball taking it very well. And I think Dayball is a good coach. You might take over play calling duties. You know what's going on a quarterback. So I think the Giants are in these in a bit of a strange zone right now.

What do you think, Connor? I would go, I don't know, this is good. I would go the Bears because if you think about what Ryan Poles has had going on, he's been able to artfully keep extending the prestige moment where he has to show everyone what he's been working on, you know? And at some point, you know, certainly if they don't win this year, you replaced the head coach. It was under my, like November, I thought they were replacing the head coach. I mean, you know, there was a lot of people who did. So I think if they don't, if they don't win, you're at least replacing the head coach.

And I think at some point, people start wondering, okay, is this, is this the right thing for a GM as well? And I'll throw the Falcons out there as well. This is a team that has been trying to get back and trying to, you know, work their way back to being a truly relevant team. And they've had pieces around the last few years, but then the quarterback kind of killed them. now they have the quarterback that they have to develop a defense around the QB and we're going to see if they can because Arthur Blank obviously

is counting on this team returning to the playoffs I think with cousins given the amount of money they gave the quarterback. All right next. AFC East where is it going? Have Buffalo and Miami peaked? How long will the New England rebuild take whither the jets?

All right. Let's I that's a good one Connor. Like with the New England rebuild we know the Jets are very high low. We don't know where they're going to fall. So they're a tough one to figure out, obviously. The Patriots are a team very clearly

in a rebuild. I am very interested to see. I guess I still think Buffalo is a playoff team. Are they a top echelon team? And the Dolphins to me are one of the biggest mysteries in the league. If I had to handicap the division today, I would probably

say that Buffalo wins the division. the Jets come in second because I do think even though it's a high, low, I really do think Robert Zoll is a good coach. I think that he's able to, I mean, to get seven wins or whatever they did out of that team last year was pretty phenomenal. And then I would see it being Miami third and New England a pretty distant fourth. I just think that what Miami conceptually is trying to do, it works, but it does not work for the entirety of the season.

And I just think they're a little bit fundamental. fundamentally flawed. Like, I think that they need to develop more of a power element. And I think the drop off at DC this offseason is pretty stark. And you would, it's a very, you know what, I respect it because you're hanging onions with your annual preseason, you know, guess of everyone's schedule, you go through every schedule and pick every game. You got dinked a little bit on the Patriots as well this season.

So you're not going to be in on New England in 24, it sounds like. Yeah, Chris Broussard called me foolish on Fox, which was something that everyone really liked. And I'll just say this. Hey, you put yourself out there for a living, man. You know, people need to respect you for that. And it's one of those things where, like, all my friends were texting me after the Jason Light thing. And they're like, oh, my God, I can't believe how well you're handling it. My wife's like, I really can't believe how well you're handling it.

And, like, inside my mind, I am plotting, like, I'm reading every reply. plotting the absolute demise like someone put the curb your enthusiasm music on and I was like I'm gonna find where that person like I'm gonna find their house I'm gonna disconnect the power lines I'm gonna just let you know I'm gonna start moving chairs around at night while they're sleeping like it gets it you know the the the the violence of the old or you kidding me Connor is still very much alive in there I love that guy I love that guy so that the the all 272 predictions is a tough it's a tough thing how long does that take I mean, are you just kind of rip it going off the top of your head?

Or you're just, you're going to great? It takes a really long time. And then every year I get done and I have like 274 wins and 270 losses. And then you have to go through every Gershtarne game again and try to figure out where you. Oh, my God. It's an absolute nightmare. Yeah, it's the worst. Oh, my God. I struggled enough when I did the power rankings and I was coming up the list of 32.

And I kept on being either 33 or 31 is like, who am I missing? Who did I put in here twice? It would like stop me down for half an hour. I don't even know how you did. One year I got, I did all the records on like loose leaf paper and I turned them in and they were accurate. And then I threw them away. And then like a week later, my boss was like, hey, the social team wants to post the individual records. And so you have to go.

And I was like, I don't even know. Like that would be like backtracking the equation for like the black hole. And so I literally had to start completely over again. And it was, yeah, I was, I was a bad. And he's got floods happening, the basement's flooding, there's weather, there's a warrior. All right, a couple more questions to take a break. And then we'll finish up with Connor.

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 IHeart 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.

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All right. All right. All right. Connor, thank you for taking a crack at that one. We've been... See? It's like that when I got floored by that.

When the task is thrown at you, we realize it's a bit thorny. Let's hear. Let's hear. Mark's attempt. All right. We're back. The show is continuing.

Do we have Colleen's? Excuse me. Do you have Gregs? Oh, right, everybody. What is so hard about it? I don't know. Like, I take it as a good sign that it's not an easy thing to imitate. That's how I look at it personally. No, you've perfected it.

We're just chasing your abilities on that one. All right. we're back a couple more questions and then we'll say goodbye for the week winfellas asks are the texans more likely to regress or progress in 24 i think uh connor that kind of hits on something you said earlier the wide assumption the widely held assumption seems to be the the the texans are going to make that leap and be a powerhouse this year but a lot of things have to go right for that to happen and the development has to continue the obviously the draft is still ahead of us uh i would say it's more likely that they do build on the

last year, but the grand assumption, and in general, the idea of having a ton of expectations heaped on you, that could be, that's a different vibe than they were last year as well. So there's a lot, don't assume, that's all. It's a different, it's a different situation. And I remember, like, I would, I would compare C.J. Stroud's Theatrix towards the middle and the end of that season, like when the rookie of the other candidacy really started to build through the end of that season, it was a lot like early Herbert. and then I think we spent the last three years wondering when Herbert was going to elevate

to this like more consistently theatrically incredible player or when the offense was going to get built around him to be able to facilitate that. And I do think that, you know, we forget how amazing C.J. Stroud was situationally last year and those performances are sometimes like a once in a every few years kind of thing, you know, and they don't, you don't always get them in back to back to back weeks. and we don't know if he's Steph Curry yet. He might be, but I think the rest of that division is getting much better and will be a lot more challenging.

They'll have a different schedule. That starts right there. But I like the fact that Bobby Slowick wasn't hired away somewhere else that there's consistency. I get worried about quarterbacks good or bad when there's a lot of coordinator shifts. But they lost Tank Dell for a big chunk of time last year. They lost Stroud for a bit for a spell

and lost a game in the middle of all that. And I trust this coaching staff a lot. So they don't feel like a regression candidate to me. The way that like a year ago, the Giants certainly seemed like they were the Vikings winning a billion like, you know, one score games. Like they were legit thumping people. And both sides of the ball is a lot to like. All right. Next.

Oh, from our buddy, Dave Ely from the newsroom. Hi, guys. First time, long time. Okay. With football not on, what are y'all watching right now? He's from North Carolina. Excuse him. I know Greg was big into love is blind.

Any pop culture, Rex? I will throw out a couple. I am, I want to give some serious flowers in the podcast game to Rob Harvilla of the Ringer. He just recently completed his 60 songs that help explain the 90s series that actually ballooned into 120 songs that explained the 90s. And it was, I thought, it advanced the medium. I will, I will say it like that. He was a great, great storyteller, kind of a.

an essayist, like, where he wrote on not just the music and the song, but the, you know, the era, but also his personal experiences and being a lot of the reasons why, like, I do a, a music podcast with my buddy Bob, the throwback podcast, where the music becomes the soundtrack for your adolescence, and it brings, has this powerful nostalgia that kind of keeps you connected to it as you grow older. And he really, I think Harvilla nailed that sentiment while also giving you a varied look. It started as, I think, more slanted towards alternative rock, which was my wheelhouse when I was a teenager. Harville is a couple of years older. But it became as the show developed and progressed, like our own podcast, it turned into

something else. And it was a deep dive into all different genres and a look, a great look at music and life in general. So 60 songs that have been in the 90s. By the way, what does, what does wheelhouse mean? What do you mean? What is the definite? I understand it means like it's it was a place that you thrived in in a certain time, but why is it called wheelhouse versus like hot zone or I don't know. I don't know. We can answer that another time, but like red basket. Yeah. I don't know, Mark. I don't. How about you, Mark? It feels mechanical. I think Connor might like this. This is, I don't know how I stumbled upon this because I started watching it like it's on like

HBO Max, but it's called seeking sister wife. And it's these like couples that are trying to like find like a second or third or fourth mate. And it's it's, they're not traditional like, that's typically like a Mormon thing. Yeah. I've done those. But it's people just in society trying to do it. And it's like total chaos erupts.

It's a roller coaster ride. I don't know. Where can you find this? It's on HBO Matt. It's like, you know, the serving through 4,000 things. And I was like, I'll give this one a shot and kind of pulled me in. A little zest dog deep on HBO Max on a. 3 a.m. I could, I could sense it.

I could feel it. Calm down, Connie. How about you, Connor? Can I do a book or is, yeah, anything? Yeah, anything. He needs to bring back his Instagram cooking show, by the way. It was really, it was fantastic.

He'll be thrilled to know that you just cited that. So, nice job by you. I know. I know. Yeah. So I'm, I'm halfway through Lonesome Dove, which is a book by Larry McMurdy. and it was it's known as Stephen King's favorite book ever and it's from 1985 it's a it's like a classic Western but it won the Pulitzer that year and it is the first book I think that I can ever remember that made me laugh out loud like it's it but it's there's a lot of things it's like a Western there's drama there's romance there's like there's a mystery there's a

plot and it there's a lot of things about life but it's also very very funny so So I would say, like, Ely should read a damn book for once. So there you go, Dave. That was also a TV show. Shame on you. For years. It had like, look at this. Who's in this?

It was a series. Robert Duval, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane. And it goes on and on. Powerhouse. Diane Lane. Special, special person. All right, one more. Eric Blazell asks, what are your all-time favorite sound drops from the show?

Top three for me are hanging onions. I hope maybe you try these onions You'll like them You're real sweet onions Hot Puts agony Always a favorite And of course

The great Chris Wessling Standard It's about me It's about me Those are all great I love all those I thought this would be a good occasion I had Originally had asked Eric

To send me a couple Of my favorite Cesslerisms And that very quickly turned in to, we have to do a top 10 Mark Sessler drops on the podcast. Maybe on it, maybe I

just take that show off and not you can, there'll be plenty of me as is. Without further ado, the top 10 Mark Sessler drops on around the NFL. Number 10. What a manufactured joke. Number nine. I'm having a weird day.

Number eight. I'm annoyed now. Oh, I love that one. I think that might be, should be higher. I'll have to think about that number seven i feel power prompted that number six i am begging you to shut up yeah yeah that one that's a good that's a that's classic number five i always return yes he does you know that one brings me peace when i when i sometimes lose mark he's off the grid um i do i when i think to myself what does he always say i always return probably was in response to a voice

concern of yours. What are we at? Number four. Number four. Heavens to Betsy. My grandmother used to say that. That's where I picked that up. He says that after every time we use it. He explains why he said it. My grandma used to say that. We need a drop to explain him explaining the drop. Number three, metal stand. Check you later, Brock. Uh, number two. Good for you! Oh boy.

let's get a little timpony drum here for the number one mark sessler drop that is a you know eric the producer when i said i need the good for you scream he didn't know it was you he didn't realize that's mark's voice it was a different version of me i listened to it and i was like because he's asking for mark dropped and i'm like this can't be it so i have to make sure and i'm like that doesn't even sound like i'm in his explanation different period of mark Different mark, period.

Give me a little timpony drum for the number one Mark Sessler drop on the Around the NFL podcast. And so many choices. And thank you to it. Everyone. Hit it. Football is completely different than basketball. I knew that.

I mean, that was going to be in the top 10. But thank you to everyone. Thank you to me. I produced those 10 sound bites. You sure did. So, you know, let's start right there. um Connor you've said it all

is there anything else you want to add any plugs anything you want to get out there anything about yourself your family advice to that tens of thousands of listeners use this bully pulpit as you will

um I would just say you know keep on keeping on you know I think that's spoken like a true a dead end friends fan keep on trucking everybody you know you're going to see dead in company at uh the sphere in Vegas uh so maybe i uh the the philly show felt like the culmination of i had avoided seeing

them for years i had never seen them before and they're my favorite band of all time and then i saw them because it was like the final tour and i brought my best friend with me and we both are obsessed with it and i was like okay now it's over and that chapter of my life has done and it can't be any better than it was and so part of me is like do I spend $900 to catapult myself back into Las Vegas after I just escaped

and do it again I don't know that's matured maturity yeah yeah I think I have to let it go good and finally on opening day in Major League Baseball Baltimore Orioles over under 94 and a half wins oh over but

And I'll keep this very short. I finished the book about the Astros, winning fixes everything. And I was like, my God, what a bunch of horrible people. And then at the end, they're like, yeah, they're all running the Orioles now. And I was like, oh, that sucks. So, like, I'm kind of like, I'm a little conflicted, you know? Like, a little bit. You know, this is, I would have rathered us do it in a plucky way, but Maryland needs this right now.

So I'm rooting for a big season from the O's. All right. Connor. Thank you, buddy. Thank you. Bye, guys. There he goes. The legend himself. Mark, I will be now heading off on vacation, and you're really the anchor in a lot of ways here,

because I will leave. Greg will return, but you will be the calm and the storm. Yeah, and I vow that we will not be constructing any pranks with you at the center. of it while you're on a vacation. I don't think that. Greg deserved that. Check you later, Brock. Just like Jason Light, fair play, if there's any type of schemes that Greg wants to hatch. But really, it's not, I think the whole thing with the Delaware investigation, it's completely

something that is a service to the audience. Oh, I think so, 100%. And like that across our studio, the football that you received from Clemson for your public service to apparently a group of people. The orphaned youth of, uh, that's what? what it's morphed into, but I would put this what this investigation right over on that mantle to.

All right. It the music. Thank you to everybody for listening, as always. And we'll be back with two shows next week. You'll hear from us Tuesday. ATN will be back on Tuesday and then back to three times a week in the march to the draft. Till then, he the call.

This is an IHeart podcast.