PHLY Philadelphia Eagles Podcast - Brandon Graham poised for HEROIC return for Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl

Episode Date: January 31, 2025

After practicing Thursday for the first time since he suffered what we thought was a season-ending injury in November, Brandon Graham appears set for what would be a memorable return in the Super Bowl as the Eagles prep for Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The man who has already made the most important play in franchise history is ready to add to a defensive end rotation that has done well in his absence.Zach Berman, Les Bowen and Bo Wulf discuss the development and the arc of Graham’s remarkable career with the team. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

And welcome to the P.HLY Eagles podcast, a little bonus episode on a Thursday night, Bowulf, Zach Berman, and Les Bowen, presented by Bet365 and True Mark Financial. You know then at Bet365, it's never ordinary. Use code PHLY365 to sign up, whatever the moment. It's never ordinary. At Bet365 and with True Mark Financial, you know what you're getting, baby. We talk about it all the time. True Mark Financial slash compare for full details and to apply today.

True Mark Financial federally insured by the NCUA Equal Opportunity Lender. And we've got some news, gentlemen. You know, we've had about four days this week when the Eagles haven't done didly poo. But they practiced today and there were some news. Zach, let's do it. Yeah, Brandon Graham was back at practice today on a limited basis officially. I spoke to Brandon after practice and he expects to be a, a full participant or participating in team drills at least tomorrow.

So Brandon sounded extraordinarily optimistic. It sounds like he's going to play, just like we've been talking about, unless there's some type of setback or something that is some reason that he can't. But he says he feels good. He keeps saying that this injury feels better than the lower body injuries he's had. It's the best injury he's had, if you can say such a thing, he said he understands the risk and the risk is re-tearing it.

But there's a chance to win the Super Bowl here. He's not worried about the risk. He thinks that's just something that they have to tell him. Les, first of all, how are you doing? I'm great, Bo. How are you? I'm doing well. Good to see you. We're very happy that you're going to be joining us in New Orleans next week. That will be very fun.

Let's take some time here to settle in on this, on this Brandon Graham story. Because it's wild. I mean, Brandon Graham's stories. His art itself is, with the Eagles, is ridiculous. You know, he was written off as a bust. He makes the most important play in Super Bowl history. He's already played more seasons with the team than anyone ever has. And now he might return with this triumphant return in the biggest game of all.

With Tom Brady there, it's wild. With Tom Brady there. Yeah, that's really cool. Yeah, I hope this is, I hope this happens exactly like he wants it to be. I was struck by, there was something about, didn't he say it was a four-month, he was told of a four-month timetable and it's been two months? Yes, yeah, yeah. That bothers me a bit.

What can you say about that, Zach? Yeah, he said that as, but as he was after the surgery and he was, he was going through it with the massage therapists and that they said, said that this would be possible. Now, not that it would be likely or probable, but that it would be possible. Those were kind of the whispers behind the scenes and that it really became a target for his and it became something that they were working toward. And look, like this is, he, it is clear there is a risk of re-injury here. But how often do you have a chance to win the Super Bowl? Right. So that's the approach he's taking. And he was going to be retired after this season anyway. So if there's a re-injury. I mean, it's not like it's going to keep him from going about his day-to-day life.

I'm assuming that he's thinking this will be his last game if he's able to play. What do you think, Zach? I don't know about that. There's been increasing chatter that he could come back next year. I mean, Vic Fangio has been on the record saying that he wants him back next year. I don't think it's going to be something that will be financially burdensome. I do know the Eagles are prepared to make some hard decisions this offseason financially. But I don't think that Brandon Graham will be something that will be prohibitive from a cost perspective. So it's a matter of if he wants to play.

Now, as I said, and I've been consistent with this, like, you should play professional sports as long as they let you know as long as you can. It's a good way to make a living. And then it's a good life. And then once you, once it's over, there's no getting it back. That's it. You don't have regrets. Yeah.

that you don't want to think geez i could have done this yeah a year or two you know that said it's it's hard to write a better script than what this could be like you you talk about walking off in the sunset um this is like the the perfect story coming back from injury your your willis read moment like both said with uh you know against the coach that drafted you with tom brady in the house it's like it's it would be it's you know like leave well enough alone if they win the Super Bowl yeah Zach I'm curious what is the what is the little scoopy scoop that you're inferring there with the Eagles are prepared to make some difficult decisions this off season oh I think the Eagles know that they can't bring everyone back number one I mean we've already

talked last week about Darius Lay right I mean that's You know, there's guys who've been a part of this team. I'm curious that, look, we'll have, we have a show every day this offseason. I'm curious to see what happens with Dallas Goddard. I think that's one that might be moving. But there's about Milton Williams. What do you think is going to happen there? Yeah, I think they would love Milton Williams.

I think Milton Williams is a case where he's going to have a big market. And so, Milton Williams is going to have to, it could be like a hard grave situation from a few years ago where if there's a number that someone else is willing to pay, you can't get to that number. but I know they like Milton Williams, and I know Milton Williams likes Philly. But that could affect BG's situation. I mean, the defensive line, I know it's not exactly the same position, but you want,

if you're losing Milton Williams, you kind of like to keep BG, I guess, in that group a little bit. Yeah, I mean, I think in BG's future now, I don't think any decisions they, I think the decision with BG will be independent of it, but Josh Sweat's a big one to watch too. He's a free agent.

I don't know if Eagles fans realize how coveted he's going to be on the open market relative to last year. I see Bo rolling his eyes. I didn't roll my eyes. I sort of squinched my face. Yeah, me too. I was doing the same thing. He's going to be like a top 15, top 20 in the free agent market.

Now I raise my eyebrows is what I did. Yeah. And I think pay attention to the Arizona card. The team that could go after Josh. Okay. Jonathan Gannon. Wow, Zach making calls already. This is great.

Well, I guess the guy we have to sign him. I don't care what it costs. I'm curious what you think about that, Les. We've got a Super Bowl game to come up, and we're already looking past the Super Bowl game, but I think that's okay. Zach Bonn, Milton Williams, Mackay Beckett. The three, like, looming free agents will put Josh Swett to the side

because I actually, whether or not he's coveted, I feel like Joshua has probably decided that he'd like to go somewhere that actually wants him and maybe not in Philadelphia. We'll see if that's how it plays out. I don't know. I don't know. But let's say those three guys, Milton, Bonn, Bechtin, I guess how would you prioritize those and knowing Howie as you do, how do you think that Howie will approach those three? Well, Bonn, I can't imagine how he doesn't think he's number one. I mean, how in the world? That's the best season by a linebacker since I've been around the Eagles and probably since God knows what. You know, I don't know who would have had a better season as a linebacker than that in Eagles history.

A little bit of concern that it's only one year, but does this defense work in any way without Sackbon? You guys are down there a lot more than I am, but I watch the games. and I don't see how that goes. I just can't imagine that they won't sign Zach Bond. Now, the other two guys are kind of interchangeable a little bit, I guess. I think Bechton is amazing as a run blocker. I think I still see him get confused a little bit on twists and stunts as a pass blocker. I still see him take some penalties like that down the field thing a couple weeks ago.

that was really bad penalty to take. They have Tyler Steen. They drafted Tyler Steen to start. I don't think Bechton would bother me a whole lot if he left, but I think I would love to have him. I think his reclamation story is a great one, and I think he's done for a guy who never played guard before. That's the one thing I'd be concerned about is,

can he keep getting better as a guard? you know, and we're hiring out those problems that I think he has in pass blocking. And Milt, I love Milt, but, you know, I think Zach was, you know, they'll probably have a number there and it's not going to be the top of the market, probably. Yeah, so my view here on this, they like Bonn, Bonn likes them. but and you know howie very well less and so do you Bo there's a you're looking at a 28 year old linebacker okay uh who has been outstanding he's outstanding for for not a lot of mileage on in though no no I'm just saying in terms of like the the time frame that you're paying for and then you're talking about a 26 year old defensive lineman and a 26 year old offensive lineman

from like an organizational priority perspective. And again, it's all about the number. One thing I'm curious with Bonn is if they feel that they could pursue a certain profile of player in the free agent, like a player that they found already. You know, they found it in Bonn. Not to say you're going to get equal to or the same. Sure. That happens all the time.

Let's go out and get another one. But point being like, you know, are you expecting Zach Bond to be a, you know, it would really be a Halle Roseman exception to spend $16 million or $18 million on a linebacker. And I understand they're not going to have a high-price corner next year. But this is Vic Fangio's defense. It's not Halle Roseman's defense. This is, howley Roseman's everything. This is, especially if they win a Super Bowl. Vic Van Gio is going to have a lot to do with whether they win a Super Bowl.

And I think Vic can walk away from here in a minute if he wants to. I just can't imagine a universe in which they are not aligned on this. That would actually be an incredible irony if they win the Super Bowl and then Vic Vanjo surprises the Eagles by retiring. Yeah. Well, you know, if you're not going to pay attention to his priorities and his priority, I mean, I have, I don't cover the team every day, but I have a pretty good idea of what he's had in other places. And he's had a linebacker who's like an all-pro. And if you're going to say that, well, that's not Howie's way of doing. You know, I, howie's just going to have to figure it out, I think.

I think that, I mean, listen, it's not as, it's not as interesting as the game itself. But I do think that this, this looming, these looming decisions are fascinating. The Bond one to me is, I think if Bonn were 25, he would be gone. The Eagles would not match the price tag. Why? Why would that be? I would think they'd be more likely to match the price. Because I think that then he would go for $22 million or whatever, you know, $20 million.

The reason that I think Bonn could come back is that I don't know that the league is going to be as bullish on the one-year exception of a guy who is a little bit older and really just excelled in this. specific defense? Is this as translatable? The second part, especially. I think there might be some and he doesn't have, I mean, I mean, he was a third round pick, but this is not like Roquan Smith hitting the market. There is not the pedigree there that I think that there might be a little bit more skepticism that brings his price down to where the egos would be comfortable, knowing that this specific fit is so good. With Milton, listen, I think we've, I've been saying for two years, why haven't they extended Milton Williams yet? Because there was an opportunity to get ahead of it.

Who knows if that was even a conversation? I'm sure that at some point they approached that. I think they would like to have Milton Williams back. I do expect that he's going to cost a lot. I think he's going to cost more than Zach Bond does. And then Beckton. I think with Jomo, you could plausibly say that Jomo's there. Whereas with Zach Bond, somebody brought up in the comments there

on the little greeny thing underneath my favorite. I'm in face there, that Nkobie Dean isn't playing next season. I'll tell you that right now. I think that is a real, yes, that is a real problem. So what the hell are you going to do? That's just ridiculous to me. Right, you'd have to replace two starting linebackers. Yeah.

And then the bet, the Bechtin one to me, I think you say, we did a great job there. Let's find somebody else to bring into Jeff Stuyling University. Unless it's reasonable. Yeah, unless it's reasonable. It's just that they're going to have to extend Juergens, next year. They're already paying three other guys at the top of the offensive line. Hadn't thought about that. You're right. Yeah. You want to pay. And it's like you got to go, you got to go not cheap, but like you got to make,

you got to get something out of somebody somewhere. So one thing I will say about Howley is when Howie drafts somebody to start, like he drafted Tyler Steen, that guy's going to start unless he's really bad, you know. And, you know, I, like, Conorstein's sitting there. So, yeah. Yeah, I think the thing to watch with it with Beckton, though, well, there's two things. You mentioned Jurgens. I think Jurgens that's going to be similar to Landon Dickerson last year.

I think they're going to sign them to a contract extension, like as soon as they can. This all, like, I think that would be one even before the market hits that they would try to lock up Jurgens. Regarding Bechtin, the one thing to watch here is if they view Bechtin as Lane Johnson's replacement. and they want to get ahead of it now because it's really hard to find, you know, it's really hard to find these types of players. And from everything I hear they really like him behind the scenes. He's fitting well with that group. Now, they might think he's more of a guard than a tackle.

But if this is to use something you know well, less, if they view this as the Sean Andrews plan, where, you know, you're going to be guard. and then you're going to move over to tackle. I mean, Mackay Beckton is so young, right? You know, there were players in the draft last year, offensive tackles who were, you know, two years, you know,

only two years younger than Beckton. Becton, you know, if you drafted at no tackle and you made him wait three years, you know, Bechtin, Beckton could potentially be the starting right tackle here at age 28 or 29 years old. I agree. So if they view him as potential right tackle,

I think that changes the way they, could pay him. And of course, this bonus episode presented by TrueMark financial and Bet365, download the Bet365 app and use code P-H-L-Y-365 when you sign up, whatever the moment. It's never ordinary at Bet-365 and visit trumark.com slash compare for full details and to apply today, TrueMark Financial, federally insured by the NCUA, equal opportunity lender. Les, how do you view Howie in this? And do you think that this is his finest work?

Oh, God, yes. I mean, I think I wrote a few weeks ago about the last 30 draft picks at that point, 22 of them were playing a substantial role. And since then, I don't know, maybe I didn't include Trotter or something. I don't know. But, yeah, it's, you. It's by far his best work. You know, he went away for a year, came back, and his signature move was the Carson Wentz trade up and draft, which, you know,

eventually looked like genius and then turned to rubble right in front of him. And he had to get out of that, which was an incredible escape act. He did get out of that. But while he was getting out of that, he also drafted J.J. Arthago Whiteside and Jalen Rager and out of Andre Dillard and, you know, mixed record during those years. The last three years have been superlative in terms of the draft. Last year, I thought he didn't have a great year in free agency, you know, and Kevin Byards and the guys like that that couldn't play.

But this year, holy crap, you know, I mean, I don't think anybody's ever had a better year than how he's had this year. Can anybody think of one, considering the moves that were made and the draft picks and how it's all aligned? What would be better than this for one off season? Certainly not in my Eagles history. Have I witnessed anything like this? Win or lose in New Orleans? Yeah, we talked about earlier this week sort of the moves that led to this roster.

And to me, this roster is less about this offseason specifically. Now, you know, Zach Bonn and Sequin Berkeley have been unbelievable hits. But it is the foundation was laid with the roster that they were able to make those moves like that, which, you know, Sequin Barclay, as I argued, is maybe not quite as anti-Hawie-Rosman move as it might have been perceived because it is a star and he is a star hunter. But he would not have been willing to do that if there was a more pressing need along the line of scrimmage, right? True. He wouldn't have done that if he hadn't already done Bryce Huff first, right? And that allowed, like then, okay, now we can make our swing on what is ostensibly a luxury pick. Obviously, it has worked out magnificently.

But it is the foundation of those two extra picks from 2021 and 2022 that turned into AJ and Jalen Carter that has allowed them to do some things that were maybe a little bit. less Howie on the on the outside but it was all set up by the foundation. But if I think there, so Bo, that's good. If I can tie these two conversations together and it's interesting, I didn't prepare to have this, to have these conversations tonight, but this is fascinating to me. And I love talking about roster building. And you've been preparing for it your entire life.

Yeah, and I love talking about Howie too. It's just something to pay attention to when we talk about guys like Bonn and when we talk about last. off season. I think that when Howie kind of takes self-inventory of 2020, so 2023 and let's say 2018, I think one thing that he might be careful of is the run-and-back approach. Like this guy had a great year last year.

We need to keep them. And now that wasn't the plan with James Brett. Like that wasn't an initial thing. He said that in 2023. Yeah. But so that wasn't necessarily the plan, but like the 20-23 off-season would look differently if they signed Zach Allen, let's say, right? Or, you know, some of these guys they were looking at. So maybe, look, Zach Bond's been incredible and I think they're going to try to keep them.

But maybe they look at what happened to James Bradbury or they look what happened to Alshon Jeffrey. And they say that don't fall in love with the years. And there's no comparison of those players. sorry. That's not even... I don't know. James Bradbury was the second team. I think Bradbury is actually a fair comparison. Yeah. James Bradbury is a second year. Really? You do? Really? Now, he wasn't a defensive player of the year candidate, but he was like, I mean, James Bradbury was, was one of the four best corners in football that year. Right? If he was second team all now, he was viewed as one of the four best corners in football. Did you watch the Super Bowl that year? Well, the Super Bowl hasn't happened yet, but if it happens to Bonn. I, no. James Bradbury was

a decent player. It was kind of smoke and mirrors. I think he was totally exposed in the Super Bowl, not just the holding penalty at the end. He couldn't cover. You know, I think Slay was really the star of that secondary. And I just,

I think Bradbury, Bradbury's a nice man who's very pleasant to talk to. And he's had some good seasons. He wasn't anywhere close to, what Zach Bonn has been this year on the field for the Eagles. And neither was Alshan Jeffrey in the Super Bowl year, frankly, even though Alshan was a fine player.

But I remember, you know, I was really plugged into what the Eagles were doing after that Super Bowl at the end of the 2017 season. And the decisions they made there, they were talking about much older players in terms of their, you know, the guys they brought back, it was sentimental, but it wasn't really thought out. well, and they didn't have the young infrastructure that they have now behind those players.

The big, one of the big negatives when things started going bad in like 2018 and 2019 was they had a really old defense, if you remember. And it wasn't, there was nobody on deck. You know, it was like, what are they going to do now? And that is just not the case today to me. But the best free agents that they've signed, the best players they've signed are guys when their values relatively depressed. Like you're not paying top of the market for that guy.

I mean, Sequin, you're paying top of, like, Sequin Barclay's value was a bit lower than it should have been. Hassan Reddick's value was a bit lower than it should have been, right? Right. That's a good thing to be able to do, yeah. Yeah, you know, Zach Bond's value will never be higher than it is going into this offseat. True. Who knows if he plays as well next year under contract to the Eagles, maybe under the, what you call it. You know, you could always franchise him. You know, if he's this good. Well, but the franchise tag number for linebackers takes into account edge rushers. So it's a crazy high number that they couldn't do. We'll see. They could transition tag too. Yeah.

Yeah. Now, Zach, we've talked about Brandon Graham. Who else? This is the first time we've talked to the Eagles all week. Who else spoke today? What else did you glean? Yeah, it's interesting hearing AJ Brown speak. And for both you guys who are veterans of the hoopla of the Super Bowl,

AJ Brown said that he felt like he was a paid actor at the last Super Bowl. He said, like, it was never really about the players. Like it was never really about the game. And it was all the stuff for the media and all the stuff for the fans. He said even during the game, like with how long the timeouts are. Yeah, it's a different thing. He said, I feel like they should have prepared him for that. Yeah, but it's one of those things.

At this point, who goes to the Super Bowl and it's like, oh, my God, you know, I just don't, I understand what he's saying. Yeah. But I think you spend this week pounding that into everybody's head that next week. that next week is going to be a zoo, and the game is going to be a zoo, and you just have to remember, you know, what you came here for. Yeah.

But he said there was a play in that last Super Bowl that's really sticking with him. He didn't want to say what it is in case they run it again. Oh, I thought that I thought he was talking about the NFC championship game. Is that the past game, the NFC championship game? I thought so, yeah. All right, well, well, then I know there was a play in the NFC championship game after Austin Echler fumbled.

after Austin Ackler fumbled and they recovered it. There was a play when it would have been a 40-yard touchdown, but he missed the check from J-Wen-Hertz. And I know that because AJ Brown said that on Twitch last night. Look at you hanging on Twitch. I'm not hanging on Twitch. Someone sent that to me, actually. Twitchy, Zax, and Twitchy Twitchy Twitchy.

And he just said that to like a commanders fan. It was like the one. I think that is what it is then. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I was wondering if it was the Super Bowl or last game.

And then when he said in case we run it again. But yeah, it adds up. So that's one thing that AJ said. Sequin, I wasn't in on Sequin. I listened back because I was working in the locker room at that point. I found Seekoine to be extraordinarily insightful about like an array of topics. Like I was just. I mean, it's going to be a runaway.

this year for the Osprey for Zach's dove bird of the year. I mean, it's gonna, is Seguan might as well, might as well accept that at the NFL honors. That's what next one. I was just texting with someone before the show, just how. Sequin. How insightful Sequin is.

How, I haven't covered a star. Look at you, you're drooling. I haven't covered a star this, this like insightful and introspective and helpful since, since Michael Vick. I mean, well, obviously, Jason Kelsey was a star. I think of like a skill position player. Like,

you're blushing. I mean, Sequin is a joy to cover. I got to say, Seekon is a joy to cover. But some of the, the things that, you know,

Seekon said it in today where actually, you talk about the hoopla. He was at the Super Bowl when the Eagles played last. He was in Arizona. He was doing the radio role thing. And he said, but he said, but yeah,

this is better. He was actually on the flight back from Arizona. when that game happened, he couldn't stand the Eagles, or he was like rooting against the Eagles. The Eagles had just knocked them out. But like now that he's with this team, he kind of feels the pain that they felt. And he says that he could feel in his own body

how it felt for them to see the confetti fall in the wrong color. So if he talked about that, he was asked like. For somebody feeling something in their own body. He was asked like how your, your, you know, you have this reputation being such a good teammate. You know, where does that come from? And he kind of talked about like it's perceived as being a good teammate, but it's just, it's just kind of like the way football is.

Like it's not being a good teammate when you know that you need others to win. And he said that's something that's, that's, that's kind of lost in today's world when it's like this player versus that player, how much goes into it. And that kind of ties into something he's spoken about. on a number of occasions this year, and he talked about today, he didn't realize how unhappy he was before he got here. Or, like, you know, because everyone's, you know, his parents, his friends, his teammates have talked about, like, how he's smiling more and just how, like,

happy he seems this year. And he's like, he didn't know what was so obvious, you know? So many people told him that. So, yeah, so I thought there was some good perspective from Seekle. on today. And I haven't listened back to Zach Bonn or Jordan Milata yet. I will listen back to those. I will be writing something on AJ. And man, there's just there's so much good stuff to write and so little time. I feel like this week, I feel like one of those, I mean, not to say like I'm like a head coach, but you know how like a head coach is like I just want to get back to like

coaching the offense, coaching the defense. Like we, not not me, we, you know, Bo, Julia, me, we've been doing so much planning, then it's like, what I like to do is like roll my sleeves up and report and write and talk. And so I'm excited to like do the job and not all the other stuff that goes with it. That's fair. But also, let's not let's not talk roll your sleeves up like you're, you know, Mr. Blue Collar. Well, quite literally, right? No, no, no, I mean, roll my sleeves up and like, right. Here we go.

All right. Time to get my fingers, dude. I mean, like, Rick was born, I mean, write and report and not deal with, like, administrative stuff. Of course. Well, you know, this is a little bit of a tangent, but I'll jump in with it anyway because we've got a lot of time to fill. I'm looking forward to next week because I've only been to the Super Bowl in two guises. One was in 2005 when I was the Daily News and I worked probably 16 hours a day at the Super Bowl. I didn't go to the media party.

I had a nice room there in Jacksonville. Back then, by the way, the Beat Riders stayed in the team hotel. Yeah, I'm envious. So I would see like Corey Simon or somebody in a bar. He would have under Seguan's door. Yeah, or we'd actually have like little. little things with Andy Reid, like for a few minutes, just the four or five of us, you know. They don't do that anymore, but, you know, but it was, I was, I was writing three or four

stories a day. I was exhausted by the end of it. And then I went with Zach in the Enquirer in 2018, and Zach was the, Zach was writing the gamer, which I envied him so much for. I really, I would have loved to, Jack did a wonderful job. He prepared. for it relentlessly, as he does for everything. And he did a tremendous job, but I envied him that so much. I wanted to do that job more than you'll ever know. But I was kind of off to the side a little bit. I wrote Doug Peterson off the game, which was fine.

But, you know, the problem with that set up was there were so many of us from the inquire that you fought over who got, if you didn't get to the table quickly, you might not get fed, you know. I mean, it was really hard to find something that was your own every day. So I went to extremes. One was I was doing everything. The other was I was kind of like, what am I doing? How can I get in here? I have to find like Sackertz's mother, which I did one day. You know, so this will be a little bit different with the PHLY crew. I look forward to actually taking in the week, you know, and being able to sort of choose from the menu a little bit. Yeah, you'll have a lot of creative freedom. That's one thing we can say. Like, whatever you,

yeah, there's a story you like. Except for Sequin. You can't, you got to leave that to that. Yeah, can't talk. Yeah. Segoan might be sick of me. I went up to Seqa on Friday and I got a very specific question. And I was like, all right, Sakewan, I'm going to let you be right now. Yeah, it was a follow-up to a story I'm trying to think of that I was thinking about for Sequin. We're looking for like 75 degree weather next week in New Orleans. I took a peak.

That Minnesota was not quite like that. No. Let's, let me ask you this. Which, which chief story, as a storyteller, as someone who's aware of of what Eagles fans like to read and talk about, which is more interesting to you from, you know, if you had an hour with the Chiefs? Is it the Andy Reed angle or is it the Carson Wentz angle?

Oh, well, those are the two. The problem is neither one of those guys is going to really open up to you. With Andy, I mean, I have a pretty good relationship with Andy. I still text with him here and there. I've been many months since I did, but I could. I kind of feel like, you know, I would be on firmer ground with that, but wince to me is more fascinating because I still don't understand what happened.

And he's 32 now, and he's settled into this life of, you know, backing up Stafford last year, and backing up my homes this year. if he ever really was honest with himself and with us, he's got to think I could still do this. I mean, he was in such, I know he deteriorated, but he was in such bad situations after he left here. Indianapolis looked like it was going to be a good situation. It really wasn't.

Part of that was his fault, but it wasn't. And Washington was a disastrous situation for anybody. and then he's consigned to backup life, you know. And I just wonder if he wonders, if he ever thinks he was going to get that chance again, you know, and what he would do with it if he had it. I think he has deteriorated physically, and he wouldn't be what he was seven years ago.

But I would find that more fascinating than Andy, because I know Andy's, we had the anything two years ago. Yeah. Yeah. Andy's not going to talk about the things I would love to talk to Andy about, and I don't want to get in trouble here, even though this is a podcast and not a broadcast network, but about his family and the toll on him and what has happened with his family and his sons and how he processes that and how he's got these three Super Bowls, but this horrible burden. And I don't think I'm going to be able to talk to Andy about that. So, you know, but yeah, is it incredible that the guy who created the Eagles of the modern era as much as anyone else who coached them for 14 years has now been, now the coach that they faced into the last three Super Bowl? That's crazy. That's ridiculous. It really is. It's absurd. It's crazy that he's the best coach in franchise history and is a better coach somewhere else.

Yeah, yeah, because of Patrick Mahomes, large. Sure. But yeah, he's a very good coach. When he got to Kansas City, they'd had a hard time making the playoffs for a while, got them right into the playoffs. Didn't have a lot of success. Didn't win any AFC championships or anything until he got Patrick Mahomes. several years in, you know. I went and covered a playoff game there for the Inquirer. They lost to the Steelers. And it was the same, you know, time problems, problems handling the clock. They had a lead. They blew it. You know, I mean, until Mahomes arrived,

and I'm not denigrating Andy when I say this, but Mahomes was the difference for him. And I would imagine he would acknowledge that, you know, if you asked him. Otherwise, he's a guy who knows how to get teams into shape and knows how to create a winning culture, but I don't know that he knows how to win championships on his own. All right. We're going to get ready to put this bad boy to bed.

We're going to have a lot more time to discuss these angles next week. We're going double barrel action. That's the plan from Radio Row. But we do have a super chat first. Chase Daniel Plainview says, Have the head coach regimes of Johnny Gans and Shane Stuyken changed your perspective of the 2021-2020 years? Have they not had success because their orgs are weird and dysfunctional? Good question.

You know, I think in Shane's case, that this year was a clear step back, right? I mean, he was there for his offensive mind. He had picked his quarterback. They showed promise last year, primarily playing with the backup quarterback. And then this year was a disaster from a quarterback development perspective, right? They bench their quarterback mid-season for a game. They put them back in. They kind of collapsed at the end when they had a chance to make a run.

But, you know, in Gannon's case, I think the Cardinals were viewed as like more of a rebuild at the time than Indianapolis. And they did show progress from year one to year two. But still, it doesn't change the way I view it because being a coordinator is different than being a head coach. I don't think that was a team that was, you know, if anything, I think it should make Eagles fans appreciate Siriani. Maybe Sariani's not built up by his assistance. Maybe Siriani has something to do with Eagle's success. Yeah, that's very well said. I would say I don't like the Indianapolis organization, and I think it's been a graveyard for coaches here lately.

I think Ursae is kind of a nut, you know, and I just, I don't think the journalism. I don't know how much of it is Shane Steichen's fault, but on the other hand, I think Gannon's done a pretty good job. I think that is another organization that's just really, it's never done anything, really. It's gotten to the Super Bowl on a fluke here and there. I saw a video come across my timeline of Larry Fitzgerald, surprising. Michael Bidwell yesterday to let him know that he had been inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. I mean, what a low bar. That's got to be. Yeah.

But I'm guessing there's some funding by the Bidwell family behind that. I think Gannon's done a pretty good job there. Again, I don't think they had a great team, and I still don't think they have a great team. But they're kind of like Gannon. They're kind of Yeah, Gannon's a little bit of an up and down kind of guy, and they're an up and down team, frankly. They're an emotional team. They're dangerous, but when at the end of the year comes around, you don't see him. I think he's done a fine job. I don't think he's done a bad job.

I don't know about Stuyken. I just think that's a, that organization. Yeah, I mean, the whole Richardson thing is kind of ridiculous. You can't take the guy with the least experience for a first-round quarterback in NFL history and then have that short of a leash with it. Right. And you don't have the people around him. You know, you just don't.

All right. And then we also have from the comments, Shea, letting us know that there's been some talk with Bean Girl for all the people hanging on for the updates with Lady Bean. But no concrete updates, just some good conversation on the phone. So congrats to the beans. incremental steps, Shea, you got to think, like,

you know, the only motivational sign that Greg Popovich has in the whole Spurs locker room is about the stone cutter or chips away, and it's not, it's not the hundredth time

that broke the rock, but 99 times before, 99 strikes before. So, yeah, just keep chipping away at it. What's your favorite bean, Zach? My favorite bean?

I feel like we maybe have had this conversation. Yeah, I think you've asked me it. Well. That's really sad when you get to the point where you've asked someone what their favorite bean is on more than one occasion. A cocoa bee. I love chocolate. I think this is exactly how the conversation is. Those are excellent beans.

Yeah. How about the, how about of the more savory variety? Let go peckness migrate Pinto, black, and lima. Lima. I'm probably migrating lima. Yeah. Limea wasn't a good choice. I am nesting the black bean and then the pinto.

Yeah, but I would probably go like a green bean over any of them. Yeah, a different kind, yeah. Okay, yeah. I'm not huge. Less, never bean. Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean. Nice.

Yeah. All right. That's going to do it for this. What? I was going to say Billy Bean, actually. He's probably my favorite bean. that's true there you go yeah that's a good one that'll do it for this bonus episode of the p hl white eagles podcast presented by bet 365 and true mark we are back for one last show this week tomorrow at

two o'clock the professor dana is joining us in studio and then we are off to nalans and we've got a lot of stuff to do a lot of work to do a lot of content to bring you so buckle up we will we will be ready lentils. Some love for lentils coming in at the last... Are lentils beans or are they peas? I don't think that... I don't think that lentils are beans. That could be wrong. And amame, you know? Yeah. All right. We're good for tonight show.

Garbonzo, of course. That'll do it for this episode. Thanks to everybody for watching. Thanks to Julia for making it happen. And as always, we love you.