NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - NFC New Year's Resolutions and Colleen's Christmas Cards

Episode Date: January 1, 2025

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Colleen Wolfe and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic to give you New Year's Resolutions for every NFC team. Find out what the Eagles (04:50), Cowboys (09:08), Saints (16:32), Rams (24:55), Seahawks (31:14) and every other team should be trying to achieve in 2025. Plus, Colleen wraps up the year with a reading of the Christmas cards NFL Daily listeners sent in (34:05). Note: time codes approximate 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. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we broke our New Year's resolution on New Year's Eve. I'm Greg Rosenthal. I'm here. In the Chris Wesleying podcast studio with my friends, Jordan Roderig of The Athletic and Colleen Wolf. Hello.

And yeah, I didn't have a plan for how I was opening that show until I was talking. And it's true. I got a parking ticket this morning. And one of my New Year's resolutions was to make it through an entire year without getting a parking ticket for the first time in Los Angeles. Impossible. And I literally made it till this morning and parked and didn't feed them. meter while I was getting a smoothie because it was going to take like six minutes and somehow got that ticket in the six minutes. They were waiting for you. You didn't feed the meter when this was your

new year's resolution. Well it's December by then you've forgotten about it and it's like it's just one of those things. I was like I want to make it through one year. It wasn't the only one year without getting a copious amounts of like tickets and stuff like that and it's gotten better and then it happened and I was like this is too much. I love that you're giving up already. No, it was last year and I'm saying I made it Until now, I was so close. That was my first thought, too, though. It was like, ah, screw it. That's what I mean.

I was so close. Oh, that's impressive. You would think that being that close, you would remember to feed the meter for six minutes, but that's just my one person. Right, no, because then what happens in life is you try to improve at certain things, and then you do, and then you just get a little too comfortable in yourself,

and you start going back to the bad habits of like, yeah, it's only a couple minutes. You know, what does it really matter? I'm going to be in and out. Way to go. It mattered. Turns out. Welcome to our last see you next Tuesday of 2024, although we will see you next Tuesday, I believe. Colleen will be here.

She's back after being home and she's wearing a sparkly New Year's Eve type of hoodie. I love it. It's a sweatshirt that has sequins on it. So I can be casual and fancy at the same time. She contains multitudes. Exactly. And how is your Christmas, your twin Maddie was here? Maddie was in town, yeah.

You have a twin? I have a twin, yeah. We ripped around a little bit. Yeah, she is now headed to another scientific expedition for the next six months, so I won't see her. Very proud of her. Yeah, Maddie. Where's she going?

I can't tell you. Oh, even more interesting. It's very like 1990s sitcom, like the twin sister and one of them is like this crazy secret marine biologist, whatever. I don't even know, making secret missions. And Colleen is back from home. How are the wolves? They are great. Great. Everyone is good.

How is Tim doing? Tim is very good. I spent two days with my family and developed a case of Rosé Show. Okay. So. No. Okay. So this is, it's going to be a big show. It's a very festive show.

We are going to be doing New Year's resolutions. Last week, Jordan and I had reasons for joy for the AFC. But it felt like resolutions was more thematic. So we will do NFC so that if, you know, all the AFC fans heard of their teams talk. about last week. We will do NFC this week with New Year's resolutions. And then we're going to read some of the Christmas cards that are listeners. You guys. And then we're going to get out of here and go celebrate or do whatever you want to do. Just chill. Okay. I actually teared up when you posted the pile of Christmas cards. I know. I'm a sappy fool. I know. But it just was so

nice. You teared up. I was like crying in the locker room. And I'm like, I hope nobody will in right now because you're going to be like, what's going on with you, Colleen? Are you okay? I was just sitting there. The show had ended. I sat at my locker and cried reading these cards because they were really, really nice. Okay, I'm going to need you to save that emotion. That was really good, but save it

for the segment. Well, it's not fake, Greg, so no problem. Bring it back and really lean into it. We're trying to get the family crowd here for the holiday season. But yeah, we'll do resolutions first, and we're going to go through just quickly. Each team just kind of throw out a quick resolution. We can

comment on about last last week it worked well we did not have a clock but we just decided we're going to move at a quick pace and if if eric believes we're honking too much he can play a little sound to just sort of move us along i love how best of that is every week and so we've assigned all the all the teams out and colin you got an extra one yeah i know that was your extra present i had to decide will she be offended if she has one less or offended if she has one more i went with one more because you missed last week, so you have catching up to do. I figured. I figured that was the reasoning. And you're going to start

with the Eagles. I gave you an easy one. Oh, wow. All right. So here we go. My resolution is I'd like to show more patience and kindness towards Nick Siriani. Oh. You know, there are plenty of things that I'm just like, why? What are we

doing here? What is happening? The whole thing with Zach Ertz, like I guess like there was a high five that was too much and then comments were exchanged after the Eagles and commanders games so they need to be pulled apart and then taunting your own fans after winning against one of the worst teams in the NFL by four points wearing the beat Dallas shirt that wasn't great being criticized for bringing his kids to the post game press conference to be used as shields so you know there's plenty of things that we could talk about that are kind of annoying

here and there it feels like a little immature and petty some of the things that he does but I had this realization and I was like, you know, the things you hate in others are the things you hate in yourself. And I'm petty and I'm immature and I have no filter. Thank God I do in front of a mic. But I'm always ready to throw down as well, especially if someone is going after my friends and family. Only I'm allowed to do that. Okay. So what I'm saying is like, you know, Nixiriani deep down, maybe I am him. And I'm going to I'm going to stop with this mirror now and look past the mirror and look at his achievements and what he's done with this team and the success that he's had listen he has the highest winning percentage of any head coach in eagles

history the six highest win percentage of any head coach period with at least 50 games coached in the NFL 47 wins through his first 67 games as a head coach only three coaches in the super bowl era i did some research on this have more wins and that's george seafurt chuck knocks and Matt LaFleur. Oh, wow. She got the hank right off the bat. All right. That's it.

That's it. Also, re-signed Zach Bonn. Yes. I love what you said at the beginning. The comments were exchanged. And I just thought, can we now refer to him as Nick comments were exchanged, Syria? Yes. You know what?

There is something about him. I think that just rubs people the wrong way. Yeah. I don't think that you have that in common with him. But a good point about the accomplishments. He is 47 and 20 as a head coach and has made. the playoffs every time is that right and went to the Super Bowl like just saying Kevin O'Connell and Matt LaFlor and all these it wasn't me good point okay all right

next move on to the commanders you're up Jordan I love this okay Washington commanders I'm speaking from the perspective of somebody else well it's a new year and I'm feeling the love my team has completely flipped the narrative from its toxic haunted house vibe of the last era We even saged the place and fumigated the old owner's office. I nailed the coaching and general manager hires. See, Ben, we don't need you after all. My franchise found its quarterback of the future, and I even got Cliff to start wearing socks.

My home crowd was chanting my name, Josh Harris, on my team's way to its 11th win. Our first double-de-win season since that Wonderboy and his Wonderboy staff and RG3 graced the halls in 2020-12. this is owning an NFL team this is so much fun I resolve not to ruin it Adam Peters cook

Dan Quinn cook I'll just stand in the back enjoy it all and throw money at you when you need it I thought you were going to say I'm going to stand back and not ruin it like I am with the 76ers listen I have some feelings about Josh Harris

all right in general he's a turncoat that it's all a great point like you think about where they were and not just as a franchise with Dan Snyder but even just getting turned down by Ben Johnson and everyone's making fun of Cliff. Wait, is the socks like a real thing? What is that?

It just bothers me. Every time I see a photo like of him on the sideline or like in his house, his really fancy Cardinals meme house, he just doesn't look like he's wearing socks. I'm like, aren't you cold? He does the no-shows. You know, aren't you cold?

It's like a young offensive coach thing. None of them are very good at their socks. But he is very good at bringing out the best in Jane and Daniels. I know. The second half of that game, like they were so creative. He's beating.

all of the allegations. All right, I'm going to go with the Cowboys here, and I wasn't nearly as creative as you guys with these resolutions. I kept it simple, and my resolution for them is, let's just trade Micah Parsons for at least two first-round picks. Now, I'm talking selfishly from my perspective. It'd be great content. I think it would be an exciting part of the off-season that it's not just them kind of like showing a little leg here. Ooh, Michael Parsons might be available, and they end up keeping him. No, let's actually trade him. You shouldn't be trading the best pure pass thrasher that I've seen come into the league in the last 20 years. But if a team was going to, they are maybe that team.

They're really good at draft picks. They do have a lot of huge salaries that are already on the books. And like if Kaleo Mack can get two first and a third with a second coming back, I actually think Michael Parsons could get a couple first. And it would be great content, February, March. Yeah. So let's do it. Cowboys are all about that content.

They are. Right. They've got their hooks into you early, Greg. They got your hooks into you early. They want you to talk about them. Well, I think it's a realistic because he's kind of known as a little bit of a high-maintenance guy behind the scene. After that Bengals game, like watching him walk off the field, I think it was that game. I mean, I kind of felt like really awful for him.

It's like I kind of want to get him out of there. Right. And he's not really the type of person you should be trying to trade. But I'm fine if the Cowboys make a big mistake. Who do you want to see go get him? Ooh. That's for another show. Colleen, you have the Giants.

I have the Giants. And personally, I think the Giants are doing everything right. No notes at this point. That is why I gave the Giants to Colleen. Or run it back with Ben McAdoo. Yeah. Okay, bring him back.

That's an option. But I think, you know, getting a quarterback, they should do that. You know, leave whatever offering to any deities that they need to, make things right with the universe. That could be another resolution for them.

But obviously, Sequin, Barclay and Daniel Jones, these were massive mistakes. And then having hard knocks there for like all to document and hear the fallout from that that can now just be replayed over and over. Okay, okay. But they did get Malik neighbors. So that's a positive.

So things could be trending in the right direction. But considering their week 17 win, move them down from number one in the draft to number four in the draft that's right outside Shador Sanders, Cam Ward, and Travis Hunter territory, not really sure what they're going to do. Maybe they go after one of the quarterbacks that doesn't stay in Minnesota, whether it's a J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold. I don't know. But honestly, I think they're doing just fine. And you're kind of in a win-win situation as an Eagles fan this week. Maybe have the backups loose to them and make their draft pick even worse. You should have just left

it as you're doing great. Don't change it. Just end it right there. All right. Lions in Jordan. I've got the Lions in 2025. We, the Detroit Lions, resolved to stay fun. Big changes our head. We might lose our mad scientist, offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson

to a head coaching opportunity. We're in the process of sneaking out one page of his ideas notebook at a time, photocopying it, and then reattaching it before he notices that anything is wrong or missing. And brilliant defensive coordinator, Anne Glenn,

is also going to be a top candidate at this job cycle, too. Those guys would be so hard to replace, refilling coordinator jobs after a deep postseason run as tough as it is. But we know what we're about. We're fully alive, an electric guitar power cord of a team with FU energy. But like in an enthusiastic way, on offense, we play with our food.

We're smarter and stronger than you. On defense, we hit hard and we take no pity for our injuries. We're the goddamn Detroit Lions. We're going to stay fun no matter what. I like that. I love that. I love that. I can't.

Ben, could you please stay. I know. It could happen, although hold that thought. I can't remember a team. And tell me if you can think of one that had more support nationally from fans that were not their own fans than this Lions team

that we've sort of seen grow up and like everyone is rooting for it. Like I'm genuinely worried about their situation and I'm like not really a Lions fan. They sort of are America's team. I really think they are right now. Yeah. I'm going to go with the Bears.

So sorry, Jordan. Our resolution was to go, yeah, get Ben Johnson. I think it makes sense. Oh, no. I just think, I had my doubts. Just make it happen. I had my doubts that he even wants to be a head coach, which I would totally respect if he didn't want to

or if he just wanted to wait for a long time. But Tom Palisero was doing the coaching rumor slash reporting buzz type of story on good morning football and the way he put it Ben Johnson sounds interested in the Chicago Bears job specifically because of Caleb Williams which makes a lot of sense and because of the resources and the picks and all sorts of things going on there and so that really really made me think that this could happen as long as the Bears want it to happen it it sounds to me like this is the team

he's been waiting for a team and this is going to be that team and what a crazy division that would be to compete in but make it happen if the best offensive mind one of them certainly in the game wants to coach your team just make it happen

the bears are so far behind these other coaches in terms of securing like that dude for the future right right they're already so multiple years behind on this process so bringing someone in taking a huge swing at someone

high caliber whether it is signing Ben Johnson or trying to trade for somebody like that is absolutely what they need to be thinking about is the biggest swing possible here. Can you imagine Ben Johnson coming in and turning around the Bears because they have the talent there?

The division would just be such a powerhouse. I love that storyline-wise that there's just this division where there's all these great offensive coaches. But I kind of worry about it for Ben Johnson. Fair. Just because the Bears seem to ruin everything and I don't want them to ruin Ben Johnson.

All right, Packers. You're up coming. Learn how to beat the best NFC teams in general. in January, but in the postseason overall. Packers are 0 and 5 this year against the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles, 11 and 0 against everybody else. And three of those five losses, they've been by three or fewer points. So they've come really close in these games, but they're just like, they're on the precipice

right now. And they just need to get over the hump. They're going to have to go through these teams, too, as a wild card. And currently as the seventh seed, they would go on the road and face the Eagles. So they need to kind of figure out what to do here. Obviously, they faced the Eagles in the first game of the season for them. And we saw what happened with Jordan Love. So now that they have Jordan Love and he's healthy and he's dealing, I don't know.

Different results probably. I hate that matchup for the Eagles and the Packers. I do too. I don't love it. I just worry. I would love for them to not be the seventh seed. All right. Let's take a quick break. We're going to come back and we'll do more of our New Year's resolutions for the NFC South and NFC West.

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 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 podcast i'm marcus grant and i'm michael efflorio and together we host the nfl fantasy football podcast ready to dominate your fantasy league this season then you need the nfl fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Back on NFL Daily, it's all been leading to this. show is just been leading to December 31st and Colleen reading those cards. It's going to be the capstone of our NFL Daily season. All right, Jordan, you have the Saints.

It's a short one, both a personal resolution and a PSA from me to me and from me to you. Wait at least four games before getting excited about the Saints in 2025. Remember September when the Saints averaged 44.5 points over their first two games? Yeah, then 16 points per game over the next 14 games. Clint Kubiak, everybody. The league average in 2024 is just over 22 points per game. Let's just sit back on the Saints this time. That's fair.

They're going to become that team now every year when someone looks really crazy good. Surprisingly, after being 2 and O, everyone's going to be like, remember the Saints with Derek Carr? It's like, oh, yeah. That was a, that was quite. You don't want to be one of those teams. You know who's one of those teams for me is the 5 and O Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings? Or around the NFL podcast fell in love with and made the team. of the Iran and then they didn't win another game for like and then everyone was so gun shy about

actually crowning a team of the ATN after that it's true uh the saints were kind of that team i feel bad because yeah i had our friends from the saints uh black party podcast on after they were 2 and after that it just fell apart okay i one thing i do want to be better at is just staying organized and paying attention to details how's that going uh it's not perfect because i actually have the vikings next oh i thought we were done with the nfc north for some reason The teams are out of order here. And so I forgot the Vikings one year at the draft when we were doing like shoutouts. We had like a roll call for each division.

And I just completely forgot about the Vikings. So I got booed the whole time. That's a thing. Like they were talking about it on the broadcast this weekend. And Kevin O'Connell, I'm knowing Kevin a little bit. Like he for sure has that chip on his shoulder. Like what about us? They are.

This is the What About Us week for the Vikings. Although it's going to quickly turn into everyone's picking the Vikings. to beat the lions this week, so they're going to have to handle that. And so now that they're becoming one of the favorites, maybe the favorites, since they're the number one seat, if they win this game,

I'm just going to say, just enjoy this journey here, Vikings fans and the team. This is a special team. Arifasan wrote a good piece about it this week on his substack and he's a Vikings guy and kind of telling all the fans to embrace, enjoy it.

Don't be worried about the other shoe coming to drop. The problem is, I want everyone to appreciate the journey and realize, like, it's okay if it doesn't end in New Orleans. You know, if there are three really great teams in the NFC, I think. If you lose to one of the other ones, you can be pretty disappointed. But if, like, the Eagles go to the Super Bowl or the Lions go to the Super Bowl, like it happens in sports.

And this has been a magical journey that hopefully you have been appreciating the whole time watching them just play this well, play so smart with so many great players and they're not going anywhere. Like, just appreciate it, even if it doesn't end in New Orleans. Sam Darnold, you know he's been my guy all season long.

You didn't. I feel like, so I, if I'm recalling correctly, you touched down back from Summer of Connie and the very next show, I remember we talked about it, the very next show you did, you were like, the Vikings guys. Yeah.

And you were all in and you were right. And you stayed right. That's a thing. I was like, but going into the, this season. I couldn't understand why no one else was looking at the Vikings as a team that's going to be good. Because come on. They had Greg's voice in there. You're a sear. All right, let's go on to the Panthers. The Panthers. Okay, here we go. Hold on. I got to turn my computer back on. All right. Panthers. Provide Bryce Young with some patience and stability for

2025. Look, things are looking up for Bryce Young. He's been playing better. He's had a 100 plus passer rating in each of his last two games. He only had two in his first. He only had two in his first 25 starts. We can see it just watching he looks better. He looks more comfortable. Keep Dave Canales. Why don't we curb the coach firing

just for a year? See how that turns out. Maybe, listen, I feel like a lot of the great franchises they have patience. And we know that the Panthers do not. But the benching of Bryce Young earlier in this year,

maybe it did actually work for him because he came back and slowly we've seen those improvements. And they have this young offensive core with Chuba Hubbard, with Adam Thieland's not like Young, but they have a good, Xavier Leggett. I mean,

they have some pieces that are all coming back in 2025. And they're going to have a top pick too. Right now they're slotted to be sixth overall. So they can add. And I mean, their run defense is terrible. So they could probably use something on defense. But also it's like just keep building around Bryce Young. Yeah, they need a pass rusher.

Derek Brown should be back next year, which would help. But once he left their defense, they just became a sieve. Crumbled. I think that one thing that I think Dave Canales has an advantage in coming into this year is he hired a lot of, like, relatively unknown assistance as well. So he'll be able to keep continuity. Lack of continuity compounds failure and failing franchises in this league, especially rushed to judgment firings.

And continued continuity actually helps, which is kind of redundant to me saying it. But it actually really does help set this foundation that they badly need. Well, then they should keep a Giro Evera, too, something to watch. I'm not sure if he'll stay there or not as a defensive coordinator. All right, Jordan, you have the Cardinals. Once again, me not really being on my details. We're just going all over division-wise. Okay.

Oh, my God. In 2025, we, the Arizona Cardinals, resolved to develop a clutch gene. Sure, we need better players on defense, and we have to have a really big conversation about the quarterback, at least according to the media chatter on the ground in Phoenix. But mediocrity can't be our ceiling anymore.

I mean, we fizzled out in a wide open NFC West in a 49ers down year, for God's sake. We have big ideas offensively and big players, except for the quarterback. We're ascending defensively. The epitome of our uncletchness was our shot at playing spoiler and antagonizing. Our NFC West Big Brothers literally bounced away off the helmet of our best player, who's one of the best players in the league. That's how not clutch we are.

In 2025, we need to become clutch. It's a good call, and they've had some nice continuity now. They're going to be building. It's that ever-important kind of third year with the same regime. but they have done it in the way that you want to do it. They took over maybe the worst team, talent-wise, in the NFL. You played above your talent the first year, whatever, four or five wins, but actually kind of look fun doing it.

Now you went up to seven. It's another three-win jump. The hard part's doing the next part. Yeah. It's got to be a little more clutch. I like that. Second half, I just feel like they collapse a lot in the second half. Not clutch.

Just in general. Yeah, not clutch. All right. Got to figure that out. I am going to go to the Atlanta Falcons whose season, I've never felt like a team season feels more over when it's totally not over. But with the bucks playing the Saints this week,

it just feels like the Falcon season is over. So I'm looking to the off season. And it's just get younger on defense. This is a more block and tackle type of resolution. But the worst thing to be is old and bad and kind of expensive. And that's what the Falcons are. This was supposed to be a win now type of roster. People put this on dating profiles too.

Yeah. Old, bad, and expensive. On offense, they're not that old. But some of the offensive line is, but overall, it's not old on offense. But their starting defensive line was Grady Jarrett, Eddie Goldman, David Don Yamada, and Matthew Judina, who are all over 30, some of whom are pretty expensive. In the secondary, like, Jesse Bates is still their best player, but he's getting up there. Justin Simmons, that was like a one-year older guy. And so they just need to get a lot younger and a lot more talented on defense.

And yes, Rahim Morris needs to know how to use timeouts. The two word phrase of the season for a lot of teams. Yeah. It is funny, though, playing Michael Pennix these last three weeks is going to save the vibes. It is funny how good a move that is because now just the fact that he played and you saw that he's good, is like, okay, this season wasn't a waste. We're going to be good in the future. You made some incredible throws in that game.

That was such a fun one. That was one of the best. All right, you got Rams. Ramping it up here. All right, here we go. Show up before the buy week next season. How about we try that on? This is a pattern now.

Back to back years, they've done this. This year, before the buy, they lost to the Bears and the Cardinals. What are we doing here? I understand a division game, but really, like the Bears? This is a team... It was also by like 30 points to the Cardinals or something crazy. I mean, ultimately, it didn't end up mattering because they're in the playoffs and they won the division. But with a better, faster start, at this point, they could be competing for a two-seat.

They could maybe have another game or two at home. So they just need to figure out a way to not stumble out of the gate. I think to that point as well, the monumental effort of climbing out of a one and four hole with an 11% chance of making the postseason at that time, that takes a strain. That puts a strain on a group. And yes, the vibes are good.

It's a great locker room. It's a bunch of great young players. and then some very, very savvy old dudes who could still roll when they're feeling good. But it's just so much. It takes so much out of you that you really wonder what juice do they really have because of how significant

that strain of just like climbing rung over rung like out of the pit was, you know? It reminds me of like how I prepare for shows. Like I know a show is coming and then like I just procrastinate until the very last minute and then I will cram 18 hours of work. work into like two hours.

See, I don't need to do that. I was thinking if they were like a living embodiment of a person or a story, it's like Matthew Stafford or some of these older quarterbacks who say like as you're getting older, you know, in the league, the day after the game, it takes you a little while to get to the bathroom in the morning. You're walking slow to, you know, getting out of bed and getting to the bathroom. Like that is them as a team at the beginning of the season. At the beginning of every game, like they stink in the, like it takes them like 20 minutes

of every game to just kind of like knock the old bones out or whatever is happening. I hope. We got a shimmy from Greg. Let's go Rams, Colleen. I just think of Ram. Damn it. We threw them off. We did it. Happy New Year to me and you, Colleen.

49ers, Jordan. Okay, my resolution, more so advice for 2025 for the San Francisco 49ers, rest, sleep in. Practice a little self-care. For God's sake. Kyle Shanahan, eat something. Oh, I know.

Then phone up Jerry Jones and ask to borrow his copy of how to stay unbothered while your quarterback's pending contract is in the news every single day. Deep postseason runs and their two Super Bowl appearances in recent history, both losses, it takes a toll. Deep postseason runs and recovering from those runs, burnout, maintaining a coaching staff that's getting hired out of, losing coordinators, making decisions for veteran players, making roster decisions for a team that is getting older.

All of this takes a toll, especially in the Mahomes era of football. So my resolution for the 49ers is just get as much rest as you can now that your runways nice and long. I think that's super helpful for them. I think they've faced all the problems of a dynasty in terms of winning Super Bowls without any of the fun of it. Like the money, the selfishness, just the wear and tear on your body, except instead of having the, you know, the Super Bowl ring, you have these crushing disappointments. So it's like, it's a tough combo. I'm with you. I think the rest could really help them.

It's good they didn't make the playoffs. Yeah, treat yourself, go on a vacation, just do what you need to do to get right. It's what makes Andy Reid all the more impressive to me as a slight aside because I saw up close, like, what happened. Even when you win the Super Bowl and you just completely crash out mentally the next year, like imagine doing that over and over and over and over again, win or lose. That's what these two teams, the Niners and the Chiefs have been doing. That's what I really think subtly happened to the Eagles a couple years ago. it is a full-on body crash. You don't know why it's happening to you,

but it's happening. Oh, almost got me. Man. And, yeah, keep growing that hair out, Kyle, you know. Be the over 40 guy like me who's like, oh, let's grow it out before it's too late. They showed like a tight shot of him the other day on the sideline. And I was like, oh, my God.

I mean, I've been watching these games, but like I guess I haven't been like really keyed in on like Kyle Shanahan And what's going on with him is, is he okay? Do we know? He has like a haunted. He has like a haunted vibe to him. I know. I'm worried.

And just put his freaking dad in the Hall of Fame, by the way. It's like Mike Holmgren, we get it. We were all there. He's having so much fun back there. Buck's easy. This one's awkward. Don't let Liam Cohen leave. You could do two things.

You're an ownership group that's rich enough to, you know, invested in Premier League teams and you're billionaires. So just pay an outrageous amount to just keep Liam Cohen as an offensive coordinator. If that's not an option, you have to think about a really difficult one, which would be pushing him to be the head coach. But I think it's really important to not let him leave because he might be the one offensive mind in the entire league, including Ben Johnson, that I think could create the most with the least, because we've seen it.

So I just don't let that guy get out of the building. I'm encroaching on our friend Dave Damashek's territory where he thinks like an offensive play caller is worth more maybe than a quarterback. I don't know if that's true, but it's close enough that I don't think you can let Liam Cohen leave. You got to throw what we in the biz call the Ben Johnson bag at him. Like you got to throw the pile of money that they paid Ben Johnson to not leave.

Phrasing was regrettable. I heard it. We all heard it. We just want to make sure Liam Cohen gets that amount of money. and stays intact in TIPAA Bay. Now I can't focus at all. Take care of your own. When was the phrasing uncomfortable?

We're going to skim right past it. Oh, no, I must find out now. Listeners. I overthought it to my detriment. Right in and let us know if you know what she was talking about. One last one before the New Year. Let's wrap it up with the Seahawks. Okay, all right.

I'm trying to Google it the other thing right now. Okay. Seahawks. Don't Google. Let's leave the land of mediocrity. Okay. Because four straight years, they have ended between seven and nine wins. So they're not good enough for a high draft pick, but they're like not in the playoffs either.

So they just are like stuck in this limbo. And it's like football purgatory a little bit. Like what are we doing here? They need to, I mean, when you look at them, actually, we're just talking about the Falcons. And they are a lot like the Falcons because the Falcons have done that too. I think the two of them are tied for the longest streak of finishing between seven and nine wins. So it just feels like they need to either,

are they going to do a full rebuild? I know they brought in a new coaching staff, but like what are we doing here? Are we going to build around Gino? Are we going to not have Gino? Are we going to essentially shit or get off the pot? Like they need to make a decision one way or the other, what they're doing.

I hear you, but I think it's perspective. Don't let the Pete Carroll years infect what is a new coaching staff. You know what I mean? Like, first of all, they could land over nine wins. They could get to 10. Everyone's acting like, how did you let the Rams, like, win this division? It's on some cockamamie fifth tiebreaker. If they win on Sunday, they're going to go 10 and 7.

They had an over under win total of seven and a half. They're going to tie the Rams in, you know, record, conference record, division record, common opponents. And it goes to this crazy thing. So it's not like that. It's a very Seahawks way to miss the playoff. Right. I totally get that. The victory.

And then my thing is, I think they did. start to build something on the defensive side this year. Everything you're saying is absolutely true about the offense that it's in this bad stasis right now. But for a first year head coach, I feel like the disappointment locally, because I listen to your co-worker, Michael Sean.

I listen to that podcast, and they really think it's such a disappointment, like how this season is gone, because if you're going to fire Pete Carroll, it's got to get better. And I think that's a tough way to evaluate a new head coach. I think the reason they say that is because they have, to endure watching this offensive line.

Okay, you know, it's the Seahawks. It's one of the very unofficial teams of the podcast, but, yeah. Well, for you. They could, they could get. Yes, yes, well. Coming next week, quarterback island. Oh, my God, yay. Yes, we got to do a regular season recap of quarterback island.

And it's not looking great for my guy, Gino. He's made it. He's made it this far. That's an achievement in itself, but I'll just be real. It's not looking great. But your decision not to put Matthew Stafford on the end, which you took a lot of grief for after that Bill's game, it's looking just fine now. I mean, the last time they scored like two touchdowns in a game was a month ago. All right.

I don't know if that's true. They did score twice against the gym. It will have been last year by the next time they play. Let's break out those Christmas cards. Let's play some festive music. We've talked enough football on NFL Daily. in 2024. And so do you want to set this up, too,

you know, for listeners that maybe weren't with us a couple weeks ago? I don't even remember how this came up, but I was saying that I hadn't gotten any Christmas cards yet. And Christmas cards are like my favorite thing of the holiday season. I love to get them. I hang them on my door or if I have a fireplace over the fireplace, it's a whole thing. And I was just like waiting and going to the mailbox every day.

It was so tragic. But don't worry, I did get a bunch of Christmas cards. from my actual friends. Yeah, people are last minute with them. It's a day loose suddenly right around Christmas because it's hard. So I end up doing a show right before Christmas Eve, game day morning. I think it was on the 22nd. And in the corner of my locker, there was just like a pile of cards.

Oh. Oh, what is this? And then I started opening them up and I was like, oh, my God, these are the Christmas cards from our listeners. So don't show addresses if you don't mind. No. There's no. addresses. Okay. So I got, I mean, I got the fun ones where I have pictures of people's family and their cats too. Oh, a falcons and giant's household. Yes. It's been a tough decade for that

household. I'm so sorry. Seneca, Julie, meatball and marmalade. Meatball and marmalade are wearing jerseys too, which is so fantastic. And Julie wrote me like a really sweet note. It's, she's a big fan. She was an ATM listener. from upstate New York. She apologized that I haven't gotten any Christmas cards yet. And she wanted to say

as a female NFL fan thank you for all you do and I'm so happy to hear you on NFL Daily. Really sweet, very nice. Oh my God. So I love that. That really, I started to cry

when I read that. I got actual like cards from even like a one that's sent out, a mass one. This is like an individual card that has little notes all over it. And really, really sweet. Just, I don't even know.

I feel like, what does this one say here? I think, PSI want. I submit. Okay, he wants an episode with an all vibes island. That was your idea, the all vibes island. Yeah. So I love that one, and that one was from, oh, I don't think it's signed. Submissions, he said.

It's from Jim, excuse me, Jamal Williams. Jamie Alexander wrote this. Uh-huh. And his vibes island is George Kittle, Jamal Williams, and Jamie. I thought it was Jamie like the Irish I thought it was like the Jamie, the Irish film. Okay, and then we'll do Handwriting is hard.

Relax, you got time, it's the holiday. I know, I feel like I'm getting wrapped. Caroline and Tyler Phillips, they also sent like a nice card. Nice peach. I know. Oh my God, look at that dog. I know. Yep, that's where it gets me.

Here I go. This one was really sweet, and she called me Connie, so I know that she's a real one, Caroline. And she said, me realize it's okay to belly up to a bro-filled bar and talk ball with confidence. I love that. Here I go. I know.

I know. So I was like a pile of mush. And then I got this one. Okay. Which this year my Christmas card is a celebration of the semi-feral cats and other creatures living in the neighborhood. All the cats are fixed and we put out food for them every day, although they don't anyone get close i can use a laser pointer from my window to play with them wishing the entire wolf pack of merry christmas and it's the 12 days of christmas with all of the

all of these creatures and a picture of the feral cats so this was the last one i opened and it was perfect because i let me see this was so sentimental and mushy and crying and then i opened that and it made me laugh so hard so i actually had these hung in my house on my front door i was going to I'm going to say, keeper. That's a keeper. Yeah. Also, you know, we might look for the address and register it with NFL security, just to be safe. So, like, Michael Wu is fine. It's cool, it's cool, but. That's so cute.

Let me see it. That's hilarious. Oh, that's really sweet. So thank you to all the listeners of NFL Daily. You've made, uh, look, our first, our first year, 2024 since we got going here, uh, really special and we couldn't do it without everyone. listening and we couldn't do it without Colleen and yeah before we let her

go she does have a birthday coming up in just a couple of days so let's bring out we got her what I think she like. Hair spray. Two things that I think she likes the best. Thank you Chris who's done a great job for us stepping in for Randy some donuts. What could be

donuts from sidecar? Is there really donuts in here? There are so many donuts in there You have to actually eat them all. You can't share them with everyone. Are you kidding me? You guys, this is so sweet. Look at these donuts.

And yeah, this is not sponsor, but if you're out there, sidecar. Sidecar is so good. It's my favorite place. Do you guys you know that? And then on top of that, so I'm giving, you know, hopefully your two favorite things, like a good sweet. And then I'm also going to give to you, Colleen. Oh, no. Evidence that you were right.

You, you were right. Sam freaky. Darnold, I, yes, we do, because I would love to remind you, Greg, that I've been talking about Sam Darnold and the Vikings since before the season started. I've been getting a little too high on the Vikings, and I feel like I shouldn't be. It's sort of the forbidden strain that I've been going with here, but the Vikings, like, Sam Darnold was always the plan for the Vikings.

They were never going to go the other route. He was always going to start the season. And he's gotten almost all of the first team reps from the offseason program up until now. Justin Jefferson's out here telling Diana Rusini that he surprised how good Donald's arm is, that his passes are right in the hands and feel like a soft pillow. That is true. That is a direct quote. So maybe I'm crazy, but everyone who is just already writing off the Vikings and saying that they are going to be worst in the division, I don't know, man, you got to think hard about that one.

So just for some context, too, that last clip was, we were supposed to be things that we were getting a little too high on. So I did, I really leaned into the part. You nailed it. I didn't even know that was the bit until we were actually taping it. And then I went along with you and that was absolutely beautiful. But yes, that was, those were the very clips that you just organically happened to bring up earlier in August and in September. You were right. Thank you.

That is the greatest gift of all. This is the most thoughtful gift that anyone has ever given me. Thank you. Let's go. Love it. Thank you for another. Thank you. NFL Daily and yeah, yeah, the year is ending, but the week is not.

We still have our preview show. Coming up on Thursday, hit, hit the music. Wait, you're going to Miami, aren't you? I'm going to Miami. Oh, my gosh. Less than 24 hours. Miami. It's a first on NFL Daily.

We broke up the music because we forgot. Yes. So celebrate your birthday. Yep. Happy birthday. Thank you. Happy birthday, coffee. We're back next week with stories, I'm sure of it.

Enjoy. Yeah, we'll be back with Nick Shook in the studio, along with me and Patrick. And Steve, that will be Thursday when we're wrapping up 2024. You know football is back. You guys, that's so nice. 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 in 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.

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