Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast - We watched JJ McCarthy at OTAs again (Part 2)

Episode Date: June 3, 2025

Matthew Coller talks about takeaways from OTAs and answers questions from Vikings fans and discusses Justin Jefferson's interesting answer about leadership.See Privacy Policy at https://art19....com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Can we ask the new intern, uh, Maggie is waiting and she'll be jumping in very soon here, by the way. She's got a lot of great stuff, uh, prepared for tonight's show, but I don't think that she's going to be asked to break down the punter battle. Uh, we did see a little bit of Oscar Chapman today, weightlifting. And let me tell you today's punters are not punters of yesteryear. He could beat you up very easily. That's really the best I got. I mean, I watched them punt the first OTAs next to each other. Ryan Wright can definitely punt it farther than Oscar Chapman. I don't think there's any question about how far Ryan Wright can punt but the thing is now here, this is a,
Starting point is 00:00:46 here's a, okay. You guys, you asked, I'll give it to you. Okay. If they're going to have these kick returns, if they go out of the back of the end zone or are kneeled down, if they're going to bring guys out to the 35 yard line with the offense, this is going to have a result on the punters. I'm telling you, you have to be more finesse than power. You can't just be a raw power punter if you're starting at the 35. Because if you get five yards, you're at the 40. Now you're talking about almost coffin corner. You get one first down and have to punt.
Starting point is 00:01:19 You're in coffin corner mode. So yeah, this might make it challenging for Ryan, right? I still think he's the punter by far, but Oscar Chapman is going to have his shot. And, uh, if we get Maggie out for a training camp practice, that'll be one of her main things for that day is to track all punts. Melkill says a bold prediction, someone other than JJ McCarthy or JJ will be team MVP next year. That could happen. That could be well, it's really hard, really hard for anyone other than
Starting point is 00:01:52 Justin Jefferson to be better than Justin Jefferson. But I did think of if some of those pressures that Jonathan Grenard got last year turn into sacks and he ends up with 15 sacks or something, that's possible. He could be the team MVP Sean says this year prediction models on division winner slide now that rag now has retired I Don't think it's gonna change. I Don't think so. I don't think that I Learned this a long time ago with one player leaving or one player getting injured that usually that's not moving the scales a lot unless it's a quarterback. The quarterback is what's
Starting point is 00:02:31 really going to change things. Just think with Detroit and look their defense is stacked, their offense is also stacked personnel wise, but so much of their success was built off their offensive line over the last couple years. I think it's going to be harder. I don't think that they're going to fall off the map. I don't think they're going to win way less games. I just think it's going to be a lot harder track for Detroit. And we could talk about that a little more with Maggie as well. So why don't we do that? Bring in Maggie Robinson,
Starting point is 00:03:01 intern Maggie who formerly worked behind the scenes in production with the National Football League, going back to college to focus on doing this here, hosting. So Maggie, you put together a lot for tonight. Where would you like to begin? And guys, feel free to keep asking questions I can answer and talk at the same time. I'm good like that. So where do you want to begin, Maggie? Okay. Well, to back up a little bit,
Starting point is 00:03:26 I want to begin with punting, because you mentioned in pre-season, if I come up for a game or a practice that I could track punts, I would also like to position to you a punt-off between you and I. I know we've never met in person, but I think this could be fun.
Starting point is 00:03:40 And listen, before I left the NFL, it was supposed to be me versus the next-gen stats guy, who's's the director of next gen stats. And he was a punter at Yale and I was a goalkeeper at Penn. And so we're like, guys, this is perfect. Unfortunately, that never happened. But if you want to be in the punt off with me, I'm just saying I'd be a willing participant and it'd be great content. But chat, let me know what you think. You are certainly willing to try that, but you will win. Like I, you know, I have, I have one freakish athletic skill, which is shooting a shooting a basketball.
Starting point is 00:04:11 I'm very, very good at shooting a basketball. I am good at almost nothing else when it comes to sports wise. And I played soccer until the age of, I think 11, and I was horrible at soccer. All things related. I've tried kick kicking field goals, all things related to kicking very, very bad. So I don't expect myself to be able to punt the ball anywhere near as far as
Starting point is 00:04:34 you, because that was like your main thing as a soccer goalie was getting it and then punting it. Yes. I just think you have time to practice with preseason games like in August, we could get some reps in, you know, Yes, I just think you have time to practice with preseason games like in August. We could get some reps in, you know, you could see if you could go inside TCO and indoor facility when they're, when they're outside, if you need a little movement break mid practice. Yeah, that's what I'll, that's what I'll spend my summer doing, learning how to
Starting point is 00:04:57 punt. That seems like a great idea. Um, probably not though. Okay. But, uh, we can certainly focus on how good the actual punters are at doing that when you come out to practice. Absolutely, but I do want to kick it off with some OTA headlines. And OTA headlines pretty much means,
Starting point is 00:05:14 let's talk about the overreactions of OTAs. It has been four months since we've seen football. Everyone is freaking out. Beat reporters take the tiniest bit of knowledge they can find on a field and then blow it up out of proportion into crazy stories and big headlines. So I pulled some from around the league and I just want to pose them to you. We can chat, we can agree, we can disagree. There's some good ones in here. There's some really hard hitting football and then there's just some frivolous, juicy, fun ones. So we're going to kick it off with
Starting point is 00:05:42 some real football though. It was a tweet saying the Saints could have a top O line in the NFL and the O line they're referring to is Calvin Banks Jr. at left tackle, Trevor Penning at left guard, Eric McCoy at center, Caesar Ruiz at right guard, and Taliesa Fuaga at right tackle. Okay, those names, great. They're all top round picks. That is awesome. However,
Starting point is 00:06:08 three of the five of them have not been able to play a full season due to injury. And one of them is untested as a rookie. That's Kelvin Banks Jr. He's coming out highly acclaimed from college at Texas, but he's untested. We don't really know. Tallyase Fuaga, he's the one guy that we're like, all right, he's got it. We can trust you to get the job done. The other three of them, great in their vets, but like stay healthy. My God, I can't trust you to go through a full season.
Starting point is 00:06:35 And with Penning, he's already moving positions, which is a super big red flag when you're talking about somebody in their second year, third year, second year? It, third year, second year, third year who's already moving positions and they wouldn't have had to draft other linemen had Penning actually been any good for them. So I do have a little bit of trouble believing that he's going to be an above average left guard. But also we've talked about here on the show how I think that the Vikings have a pretty darn good offensive line.
Starting point is 00:07:05 We could project it forward based on Ryan Kelly's been great in his career. Will fries is emerging and Donovan Jackson's a first round pick, but we can't really judge an offensive line from OTAs cause they're not hitting each other. So how good is Kelvin banks going to be? We have absolutely no idea. Yeah. Right. So yeah, I think that during OTAs,
Starting point is 00:07:27 here's what I'll say for everybody covering teams is that you can't project injuries, you can't project calamities. And this time of year, it's the easiest time to be like, this sounds good because it all looks good on paper. And if we went through all 32 teams, I mean, there's optimism abound. It's one of the things that makes the NFL so great.
Starting point is 00:07:47 I'm not buying almost anything. New Orleans saints. I mean, I think if you were taking all 32 teams and going, who is the most screwed out of all 32 teams? I don't know that they're dead last, but they are close to dead last. The only reason I would say they're not dead last is because they could draft Arch Manning next year or whoever the first overall quarterback is. but they are close to dead last. The only reason I would say they're not dead last is because they could draft Arch Manning next year or whoever the first overall quarterback is.
Starting point is 00:08:08 That's about the best I could do. And I also saw some reporting on Tyler Shuck, like, oh, he's really showing off his physical skills and everything. I'm like, I don't know, man. I don't know. Like, we're going to have to see a little bit more before we decide that he's all of a sudden a good quarterback when he's what 26 years old and was a second round draft pick. There's not a lot of great
Starting point is 00:08:29 markers there. Yeah. Meanwhile, Spencer Radler peaked in high school. Awesome. You got a great, you got a great two for right there. I also wanted to call out this offensive line, give up 37 sacks. That's 20th in the NFL. Those are terrible numbers. And they had eight different players play over 25% of the offensive snaps and that's first in the league. They did not have a consistent lineup. So who are we to claim that's delusional optimism is what that is.
Starting point is 00:08:55 It's just like, if they're free titles, we'll just make a bunch of assumptions that aren't really true. They were 32nd by PFF by the way. So yeah, the saints are going to have a ways to go for their offensive line. What are their, uh, what are their headlines we got moving it up North we have in Buffalo. Here's a headline that I'm just going to read it straight off. These are not my words. This is the headline Buffalo bills wide receiver, Keon Coleman turns
Starting point is 00:09:19 head with ripped physique at OTAs. That's everyone's in a while. Every once in a while, if you're watching like, I don't know, sex in the city on the E channel at one o'clock in the morning, not that I would know this. I just philosophically speaking, uh, the, the each channel, like their news will come up. And most of it is, uh, like, Oh, this celebrity was spotted walking down the street, wearing something or look at so and so celebrities beach bod. I feel like that's how that, that sounds to me is like, yeah.
Starting point is 00:09:53 He on Coleman is ready for summer. He can join Stefan digs on a boat if he wants to look at how good he looks. Uh, so we've been doing a little bit of this with Jalen Naylor. Now, Naylor did go clearly into the off season with the aim to get bigger because I don't think he had ever done this before. So that is newsworthy to some extent, but the funniest part about the Keon Coleman photos is, I don't know if you've ever watched the office, but there's a meme where Pam says, it's the same picture and I'm looking at it and I where Pam says it's the same picture.
Starting point is 00:10:25 And I'm looking at it and I'm like, it's the same picture. That's the same person. I don't see any difference from Keon Coleman. I also think the bills just in general, like they're trying to make Keon Coleman happen and I don't know if that's actually going to happen. I'm not so sure that that, that he is really going to be the receiver they think he is. Someone in the comments said, bro, it's corny. That's a great adjective.
Starting point is 00:10:48 Absolutely. And to your point, he showed marginally more what quad muscle. I think they're saying he led a ripped physique. Mind you, he's wearing a Jersey, a long sleeve shirt, gloves, helmet, black, violet. You have maybe this much of his legs and a tiny bit of bicep. It looks like he put on a solid 10 pounds of muscle. That's awesome. He drank his protein shakes.
Starting point is 00:11:09 He followed his trainer's regimen. That's what you're supposed to do in the off season when you're going from rookie to second year. This is not news. Is it this slow of a time that we're commenting in this? Again, it feels like I'm picking up a magazine while my mom's checking out at the grocery store and I'm scrolling through and it's like, Oh, Keon Coleman. He's jacked.
Starting point is 00:11:27 Awesome. Ready? Well, I was also going to say vocal. Vike might also mean I'm corny for watching sex in the city at one o'clock in the morning. I am married though, by the way, I think if you're doing that alone, then maybe you got some problems. But just with in general, I think if you I think if you're in a place like Buffalo, so think about New Orleans and Buffalo.
Starting point is 00:11:48 They couldn't be more far on the spectrum of competitive NFL teams, right? The Saints are very, very bad and the Bills should compete for a Super Bowl again. But in both circumstances, if you're covering those teams, you're scraping for stuff because with Buffalo, it's like, yeah, you know what really matters with this team?
Starting point is 00:12:08 January, like we are very far from what matters. So you're just trying to pick up on anything and the Saints, they're like, hey guys, keep reading my coverage. Please keep me employed in the off season, I beg you. So he does have big shoes to fill following Safan Diggs, obviously. And he put up good numbers.
Starting point is 00:12:28 He had 29 receptions, 556 yards, and four touchdowns last season. So I do think the added muscle will help and it sounds like he's quicker because of it. That's great. If this works to his benefit, that's awesome. I just don't think this is news here. Something else I don't really think is news,
Starting point is 00:12:43 but I think is really fun and I'm gonna hit you with regardless. It's called Stupid Observation of the Day from NBC Sports Philadelphia. The new long snapper they just signed, this is the only long snapper on the Philadelphia Eagles roster. He is coming from the Cleveland Browns
Starting point is 00:12:57 where he was the longest tenured player. Charlie Hewlett was seen filling in his kick returner and was tossing the ball as a backup, backup, backup quarterback, an easy 30 plus yards. So maybe there's a trick play coming for the Eagles. I wouldn't put it past them. I don't see. Riani has some tricks up his sleeve, but what do you think there? I think one, we love long snappers on this show, and I can tell you exactly why. Because you're familiar with the Minneapolis miracle, right? Mm-hmm. Okay, so the Minneapolis miracle,
Starting point is 00:13:31 did we talk about this, was caused by a long snapper? Oh, you mentioned it, but I don't know if I got the whole breakdown. Okay, I might've told you this off the air. So the Vikings long snapper got hurt toward the end of the 2017 season, so they signed a backup long snapper, and in the end of the 2017 season. So they signed a backup Long Snapper and in the Minneapolis Miracle game, he messed up the blocking assignment that allowed a punt to
Starting point is 00:13:52 be blocked, which opened the door for Drew Brees to come back in the game, which ultimately caused the Minneapolis Miracle. So it was caused by a Long Snapper. And since then we have had a little bit of an obsession. Plus the Vikings have the literal best long snapper in the entire league now, Andrew DiPaola, who has been all pro for the last two years. So I love that a long snapper is messing around and getting punts and also throwing passes. And it reminds me of in 2018,
Starting point is 00:14:21 where Brian O'Neill was catching passes in warmups because he had been a tight end. So they were running some plays and drills for Brian O'Neill to catch touchdowns at the goal line. And I made a bet with another reporter, like over under one touchdown for Brian O'Neill during the season. And I won the bet with under that just tells you a little bit about OTAs when people are saying to us like, how does McCarthy look? What's going on? And Philadelphia is like, Hey, long snapper, you want to catch a punt? Sure. Or take a kickoff here. Throw a pass. Like that's kind of where we're at with OTAs.
Starting point is 00:14:58 Yeah, I think that perfectly sums it up. Another crazy one. This was a great headline. I've seen 1000 Shador Sanders highlights and zero lowlights. He is him. Are you kidding me? What are we doing? There is in, in what world is Shador Sanders him? I'm sorry. He's not legendary. His dad is, and we can end the conversation right there. We won't, but we could. We might be able to, uh, we'll see what happens with his career. We can't call it, but the amount of fifth round quarterbacks who have ever turned into starting
Starting point is 00:15:35 quality quarterbacks, the NFL is very low. Although opportunity could be a bound in Cleveland if they're going to start Flacco and maybe lose the first six games of the season and then maybe Chidurah Sanders ultimately gets to play. So we'll see. I don't want to call it yet on Chidurah. I don't want to be a hater, but I did last year get into a war of words with the Cleveland media over joint practices. And for the long time followers, they will remember this,
Starting point is 00:16:02 that they had brought me on one of their shows and asked me how it was going in the joint practice. And I said, well, your offense is just atrocious. You know, Deshaun Watson, and he was throwing interceptions, looked like he was getting sacked constantly. The Vikings defense was thrilled with their performance, but some of that was because Watson was looking so bad. So then they were like replaying my comments and having every beat reporter come on and say that I was exaggerating and everything. I was like, uh, no, I know how to watch a practice that anyhow. It's supposed to look with Deshaun Watson. So of course him being the worst quarterback in the NFL last year, I, uh, may have enjoyed a little bit of that, uh, being right about it. But that,
Starting point is 00:16:46 that Cleveland media over this thing, what else? It's like the saints. Okay. We got to grip onto something, but they have, they have a celebrity. So grip onto the celebrity and just lean into it and take every single click you can get. Cause that team's winning nothing. So that's, that's what I, I, you know, I might do the same thing. I mean, I don't think I'd be as Homer-ish about it as some of them have been with Shadr Sanders. Cause again, it's OTAs.
Starting point is 00:17:12 So with every McCarthy OTA, we come back and go, now look everybody, it's an OTA. And like, let's just take this one day at a time and we won't overreact. And Cleveland media is just like, I tattooed Shadeddar on my face. Like it's out of control, but also they have to be. What hope do you have?
Starting point is 00:17:32 You have no immediate, you have no future. You have fans that have waited a hundred years for Otto Graham to come through the door again. You've got nothing. You might as well lean into it and just hope and pray to the football gods that maybe he becomes a halfway decent quarterback because otherwise
Starting point is 00:17:51 you are just lost out there in the NFL as the most irrelevant and sad and pathetic franchise. So best of luck with Chaudhuri, who was not even the highest drafted quarterback in the class. Very promising stuff. That you summed it up.
Starting point is 00:18:07 One other quote from the ESPN Cleveland radio quote, I think Shador Sanders is the most talented quarterback in the Cleveland Browns roster. I mean, that is a low. There is no way. I mean, that's like saying that you're the most talented person at punting a football and this. Livestream like, yeah, I mean, that's great, but you know, you're not like a You're the most talented person at punting a football and this live stream. Like, yeah, I mean, that's great, but you know, you're not like a team, USA's goalie or something.
Starting point is 00:18:31 I'm not, I wasn't that good. Unfortunately. I also have one more question for the quarterback room. So they can only have three quarterbacks active on a game day roster. Correct. I think that, well, I mean, I think that you can have as many as you want, but normally they have two active and then there's like the extra quarter guy. Yeah. So that's how it usually works.
Starting point is 00:18:53 So in your mind, let's say it's game one, who's your top three? I can tell you my top three. I think it's gotta be Joe Flacco based on his experience. He even came out to the media and they asked him, are you trying to be a mentor in this room? And Joe Flacco is 18 years in the NFL. The man has seen it all. He's going to give you the most blunt answer to the media. So he said, I'm going to be honest with you, I find it offensive when you ask that I want to be a mentor because that assumes that I won't be playing and that all I'm here for is experience. And he was like, no, I'm not here to be a mentor. That also makes me look rude and mean and some words I can't say on air. So what's he supposed to do?
Starting point is 00:19:30 I do think he has the most experience and he's the most talented guy here. I think you got to put Kenny Pickett in second. And then honestly, it's still in Gabriel, you drafted him higher. I think Shador and Deshaun is out of the picture. I'm not even, I don't want to say his name on here, but I don't know. You just kind of sit with Siddorah and what do you do with the guy? He's dead weight a little bit. Yeah, I think what they're probably going to do,
Starting point is 00:19:54 and we'll see about Gabriel, Son of Beavers. I also saw that the media has just hated Dylan Gabriel, which makes sense because he's not a celebrity. So you're not going to get the clicks from Dylan Gabriel. You're going to get them from Shader Sanders. And I'm not at those practices, but I also don't trust them watching practices after last year. And the one radio station seems to be very trolly when it comes to this,
Starting point is 00:20:18 uh, Shader Sanders thing. So congratulations to them. They have no winning and the Cleveland Cavs weren't even good either. And I don't think that the Guardians are that good. So anyway, they're Cleveland. What can you say? But I think the way they should probably handle it is to have Joe Flacco versus Kenny Pickett as the camp battle.
Starting point is 00:20:39 And whoever wins will start, probably Flacco, but Pickett's terrible. So I don't know, probably Flacco. And then after like four or five weeks, you just go to Chador if he looks at all competent, but it's hard to do that. One of the reasons it's hard to do that, even though it makes sense philosophically to just throw in a rookie and everyone wants it. Why don't they just throw in the young guy? Like that when Kellen Mon was here, there were people who were like,
Starting point is 00:21:04 why don't they just throw in Kellen Mon like that when Kellen Maan was here? There were people who are like, why don't they just throw in Kellen Maan is like cuz he's horrible But you once you do that if the guy can't play your offense is a nightmare and you can't even Evaluate the other players you have like you don't even know what to do with the stats of the receivers the linemen like I mean That is one thing I'll give the Saints and their offensive line Even though I believe in it about as much as you do. Like the thing about that is, they were playing Spencer Rattler last year. It's like, who can look good when blocking, receiving,
Starting point is 00:21:33 whatever, when they're down to a third or a fourth quarterback. And that's a reason to play Flacco for maybe the majority of the season, even if you're struggling, is to just make sure you're able to evaluate. Kind of like with Miami when they were tanking for two, uh, and they had Ryan Fitzpatrick playing, like, he's not going to win you a championship, but he's
Starting point is 00:21:50 certainly going to let you like be in games and figure things out about what you have going forward. Cause that's the only real position that they're in. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there's not much more to be said. I feel like it's already been, that conversation's been had, but something that I do want to talk to you about, this one's juicy. This one's kind of pop culture-y playing into my little Gen Z pop culture sphere. Stephon Diggs, the boat, the pink substance in a bag that looked like Pop Rocks, but definitely
Starting point is 00:22:21 was not. Albert Breer came out and said, quote, everything's on the table for the Patriots after Stefan Diggs viral boat video. A lot of people are questioning, is Vrabel gonna kick him off the team? Will he still be here? He was back at OTAs.
Starting point is 00:22:35 He made an appearance, said hi to the media, quick little, hey guys, how you doing? As he ran onto the field, just had to make his presence known. He's here, he's practicing. What do you make of the boat situation? Is he going to get cut? I don't think there's any way he will, but I want to hear your perspective. It's very funny that like on this such podcast, if you say, what do you make of the boat situation? People think of an entirely different boat, which I'll have the audience know
Starting point is 00:23:01 that I did suggest to you when a funny boat thing came up to go look at the Wikipedia of the Vikings love boat. And, um, I got a reaction to that. I got educated in things that I didn't, I, I was, this was pre-phone for me. So I was not aware of that whole situation, probably for a good thing. It's, um, a lot of, a lot of things happened on that boat. And I think still things are happening on the NFL boats, uh, with Stefan digs, I would guess that they don't really care outside of the fact that people found out, uh, if no one found out and they had never put it on whatever
Starting point is 00:23:40 program they put it on, whether it's Instagram or tick tock or whatever. program they put it on whether it's Instagram or TikTok or whatever. Cardi B's friends decided to live stream him slapping booty and doing drugs. I mean, my guess is that there are other NFL players and it's just the guests who have engaged in similar partying at some point in their lives and still are able to strap on a helmet and go catch a football. The NFL decided years ago it did not care about this stuff anymore and it just moved on. And the thing is with a headline like this, as soon as Diggs puts the helmet on and goes and practices and catches footballs and whatever, no one will care. I'm not endorsing this type of behavior, but what I would say is from being around these guys for the last decade, there are many players who live a very different life than you and I.
Starting point is 00:24:32 Like you and I don't party in Miami with famous rappers. Okay, like we go to our jobs and live our life and I eat pizza as like a party night and watch sex in the city at one o'clock in the morning. Like this is not how the NFL players who make millions and millions of dollars carry themselves but also I think that we've probably in the past massively overrated like what things like this do to on the field. I mean player they used to suspend guys for the weed and so forth. That was ridiculous.
Starting point is 00:25:08 I mean, that wasn't enhancing their performance and whatever the substance Stefan Diggs was using potentially or handing out to all of his friends. I don't think it's going to affect performance either. So this will be one of those things that we laugh about years later and are like, Oh yeah. Remember in OTAs when people cared about digs in his boat? Uh, I will say though that they need, they need him. Like they've got not a lot there still. They've drafted guys, they've thrown a bunch of dollars at it.
Starting point is 00:25:37 Oh, does she know what sex in the city? I'm offended. Please. Know that it is, but it is quite old. I sex in the city. I mean, you watch it. So I lived in the West Village in New York until last week. That was, I had to know it was happening.
Starting point is 00:25:51 Oh, okay. Yeah. Well, that makes, that makes sense. Uh, classic show though. I think it's a very funny, but, um, you know, it's not me partying on a boat in Miami is the point that it's just these people live, they run in different circles, they live in a different universe. One time I was in Miami Beach and there's this long stretch of clubs that you walk by and I emphasize that I walked by because there's no way anyone's ever letting me in there
Starting point is 00:26:21 nor would I ever want to be in there. And you think about the athletes and everything else that are partying in these places, they make millions of dollars. And it's just, I mean, that's a life that people are living that I'm not and lots of athletes do it and then go play. How about the Dennis Rodman stories from the last dance and stuff? It's just, this is the way that some people are. So the only thing I was thinking about digs though, is if the Minneapolis miracle never happened, does he date Cardi B?
Starting point is 00:26:54 I mean, he was a really good receiver for the Vikings, but the Minneapolis miracle changed things for him in terms of his celebrity and being out there. And I think it also changed things in Minnesota with the way he even viewed himself within that franchise. And in 2019, it was very toxic around him where he said one of the great lines I've ever heard in my life, which was there's truth to all rumors. He said when he was asked if he wanted to be traded, he said there's truth to all rumors, he said when he was asked if he wanted to be traded, he said, there's
Starting point is 00:27:25 truth to all rumors. And I'm like, okay, I'm going to use that forever for the rest of my entire life. And I have, uh, but his demeanor, I think was a little bit different after that. And I've always been a digs defender. He was right about the Vikings offense. He was right to want to trade and go to Buffalo where Josh Allen was on the rise and they were going to be a Super Bowl contender. And he was probably a little bit wrong in Buffalo when he worked his way out of there
Starting point is 00:27:53 to go to the Houston Texans because Buffalo was a better team. But I've always thought he was a hot and cold type of guy, great wide receiver, really great wide receiver, but volatile. and stuff like this doesn't make you think less volatile. It makes you think more and New England's got to be prepared to deal with that. And if they can't, then he won't be there for very long because I think his
Starting point is 00:28:18 contract looked like a lot of money, but actually wasn't, it actually allowed them to get out of it pretty much whenever they want. All I'm saying is that he should be glad it's not Belichick. Who's that coach? I feel like that would have been a different conversation or it would have been even more covered up. We would never would have seen it. Never would have heard it because that machine would have just worked its magic.
Starting point is 00:28:39 They did briefly bring in Antonio Brown to the, I don't know, they've, see the Patriots did cheating of their own. So I feel they had Aaron Hernandez on the team. I don't know. I think the Patriots were willing to play in the dirt a little bit with, uh, with Bill Belichick, but no, I mean, with something like this, I don't think that anyone would care at all if digs was missing and OTA practice to be there. I think that it's the fact that he got out. So are you like a Cardi B person? I don't know a lot about Cardi B. I would say I'm neither a Cardi B fan nor a hater.
Starting point is 00:29:15 I respect her for her artistry. She's obviously very talented at what she does. Is it my kind of music? No. But you know what? She's getting her bag and I can respect that. She's made a lot of money. She's in a really messy divorce right now and she has a really little kid. So that's a little
Starting point is 00:29:32 tough to be embroiled in all of this boat partying, Instagram storying of various forms of new whatever. I just wish the best for them as a happy couple but I also hope that Rastafan Diggs performs as he should on the football field and doesn't let these distractions get to him. It feels like when you're in high school and the high school coach says, oh, please don't get a girlfriend, you're going to be distracted. You're not going to be able to play well. That's what it feels like except Rastafan Diggs is I think 32 and a full grown adult. Okay. So this is really funny. Cardi B is like 10 years older than Bill Belichick's girlfriend.
Starting point is 00:30:08 No. Yeah. She's 32. 34? She's, well, she's 32. So that's what, eight years? Since we're on this topic, I wasn't going to bring it up. Guys, I have a story for you. I almost met and almost fully conversed with, did converse with Jordan Hudson.
Starting point is 00:30:26 So at NFL honors, when we go to Super Bowl, there's NFL honors where they give out all the postseason awards. And I'm walking through the little scanner as I'm in my little dress, you have to dress up for it. I'm in a Zara dress and borrowed heels. I don't look the part. The girl in front of me is wearing
Starting point is 00:30:41 this stunning silver dress and she looks beautiful. And I'm a girl's girl. So she's walking through and I say, oh my gosh, I love your dress. And then she goes to pick up her little football purse that she puts through the scanners and it's bejeweled and turns around and it's stored in Hudson and the entire middle of her dress is cut out. And there's Bill Belichick with his six rings on his hands standing there just staring at me and her.
Starting point is 00:31:03 And I froze in that moment. I really didn't know what to do. I ate my words immediately. They never came out of my mouth. And that's how I almost spoke with her. And it was a crazy experience. We don't look the same age. There is no, my hot take is that she's older than me and I'm 24. I don't think we're the same age, but I know the whole Pablo Torre thing says she might even be younger than me. I don't know. Maybe there's some some plastic. I don't know. Lots of speculation.
Starting point is 00:31:29 There has been a lot of speculation way more than I ever needed in my entire life to find out about Bill Belichick's girlfriend. I was trying to think for her. Why would she want to be younger because that makes it creepier? But I don't understand a lot of things about that relationship. And then I love that Jeremiah in the comments just says, have you seen Gabe Murphy out there? Like, please move on from Bill Belichick and Stefan Diggs
Starting point is 00:31:58 and so forth. But Gabe Murphy indeed was out there, but how he looks, we're going to have to wait till training camp for the defensive players. Cause they're not allowed to put their hands on the offensive players at this moment. So that unless somebody looks like much stronger or something like Dallas Turner does, can't really have a lot of takeaways. Corners a little bit, corners we can, cause they're guarding wide receivers, but they can't hit the wide receivers. So not so much even with corners. So there's yes, Gabe Murphy still exists and I'm intrigued.
Starting point is 00:32:32 I am intrigued because he was very good in training camp last year as an undrafted free agent. So he could be that guy. Okay, since I can really sense that we should move on before this goes into even weirder territory. Right, let's go to LA. Okay. With the Justin Herbert, Lad McConkey combo, someone says, Bleacher Report says specifically, Justin Herbert to Lad McConkey is the quote, next big connection. Is this overblown or is this legit? I personally think this is legit. And I
Starting point is 00:33:01 will tell you why. In 2024, Herbert targeted him more than any other Chargers player and he led the team in yards by over 400. The next closest person was 400 yards below him. That's pretty impressive. His receiving yards were 1,149. Pretty solid. That's ninth out of 98 wide receivers in the league. So I think this is a fair shout.
Starting point is 00:33:27 I don't think this is too overblown. Do I think it's a little funny to be saying all this and making a big hubble blue in OTAs? Sure. But it feels like a fair assessment. Well, I think especially because the chargers did not really go crazy with wide receiver in the off season that I kind of expected them to do as I'm being I'm being challenged to start rapping. I can rap. I could do a lot of you won't. I probably won't. I would have to have something to rap. But I could do it. Um, I can do things. I can do a lot of things musically.
Starting point is 00:34:07 Um, it's not, it's not that hard if you know how to do it, but anyway, uh, with back to lad, McConkey, how did Joe Huber and Logan Brown look that they're real? They're real people. They have numbers. I've seen them, but, uh, no, I mean, the Vikings are playing the chargers. So this is a relevant thing. And like how good of a passing game are they going to have? Because last year,
Starting point is 00:34:30 Lad McConkey was really all that Justin Herbert had. And I guess I'm going to have to like check here with the Chargers depth chart, unless I'm missing something. For 55 receptions, 711 yards. So he was kind of number two and they just drafted Trey Harris. Okay. And that's what that's a second round draft pick. Mike Williams is back, but he's coming off an injury. Jaylen Rager is a Los Angeles charger. So watch out there. All right. They picked up Tyler Conklin, former Viking.
Starting point is 00:35:01 They've got a tight end. Who's a guy. Yeah. No, I mean, really, a lot of this comes down to who else a guy. Yeah, no, I mean, really, a lot of this comes down to who else are they going to throw to? I mean, if Trey Harris is good right away, and sometimes second round receivers are, they lost Josh Palmer in free agency. I think he, did he sign with Buffalo? I think. So I think that this McConkey-Herbert combination is going to be just as good or better than the past. Where I'm wondering about the Chargers is how much Jim Harbaugh wants to enter the year 2000 because last year, Herbert's numbers are actually kind of crazy.
Starting point is 00:35:38 He threw the ball so little and for so few yards and touchdowns versus a guy that scored so well by PFF and other metrics, he was fourth best by PFF, but only threw 504 passes and 3,800 yards, 23 touchdowns only three picks though. I mean, that's exactly what Jim Harbaugh football is. Protect the football. Don't turn it over high completion percentage, low risk. Like I'm curious with Herbert, even where he ranked, he did rank high in big
Starting point is 00:36:10 time throws last year. So that's all that means. What third down and long, where you're having to push the ball down the field. If they leaned into Justin Herbert more, I think they could be a more dangerous offense, but the way they acted in the offseason with their receiver position doesn't really look like they want to do that. It looks like they will end. They went all in on running back. Oh, Marion Hampton and Najee Harris, they're running the football, man. So yes, I think that he'll get a thousand yards,
Starting point is 00:36:40 McConkey. He'll be the guy, but I would have been looking for more weapons rather than another running back for for the chargers. Yeah, it feels like excuse me. You can trust what you have, but you also got to have numbers back there. A little bit of depth that you can actually use off the bench and know there won't be a drop off is very valuable. And I don't think they currently have it right now. So we'll see how that goes for them.
Starting point is 00:37:04 I want to pivot a little bit into, we mentioned it earlier, the Frank Ragnau retirement. Excuse me, something in my throat. 29 year old, four time pro bowler, three time all pro, announced his retirement earlier today on Instagram. He is stepping away from the field after seven years as one of the best centers in the NFL. And he leaves behind, as you were saying, honestly such a legacy, he's such a humble, the position as you were saying, doesn't get a lot of hype, you don't get a lot of love,
Starting point is 00:37:34 they're not diva positions, if you will. But he just, everyone has had great things to say about him, the outpouring of love and support that he has received is really special and it makes you feel for the guy. And it's like, those are the guys you really appreciate. And those are the ones you're really sad to see leave, but you have to respect his decision. He's been struggling with what? A toe injury, off and on foot, knee, ankle back. I read he once played through a fractured throat. Did you know that?
Starting point is 00:38:02 I did know that. And he was always because the Vikings played the Lions or they willed and always will two times a year. And every single time, Frank Ragnow was dealing with some horrific injury and then was awesome. Like every single time going into a game, I forget what it was that he had last year, but you definitely should not play with it. Uh, and that ultimately, I'm, I'm sure ended up hurting his chances to have a longer career. We also saw was a Connor Williams last year,
Starting point is 00:38:31 midway through the season for Seattle, just call it quits with so many injuries. And he was another offensive lineman who was really good. Now looking at the offensive line for the Detroit lions, I do think they should have some concerns. Taylor Decker is not the player that he used to be. Christian Mahogany is a young guy. Graham Glasgow, I think is okay, but just a guy. Tate Ratledge is a rookie, and then Peney Sewell is awesome.
Starting point is 00:38:58 And what often comes down to with offensive lines is your weakest link. So what is, and that's just their depth chart of who they're projecting now to play centers glass. God, I don't know how that's going to work out, but that to me does not sound like Kevin Zeitler and Frank Ragnow in the middle, like it did last year. It sounds a lot less dangerous. And that was for them.
Starting point is 00:39:20 That was a weapon that they had. And if you look back, you know when it comes to Like the Dallas Cowboys a couple years ago. They had this incredible offensive line. That was when Dak first came in the league They were running for five yards of carry with Zeke now all of a sudden you lose a piece here lose a piece there There's some injuries. It's just not the same and Dax not the same and then Dak gets hurt And I don't know. Like I, I think it's very hard to project Detroit to just fall off. But if they went from the best offense in the league to the ninth best,
Starting point is 00:39:54 like where are they at? Right? Like then they're just maybe a, a 10 win type of football team. I think that that's realistic for Detroit, because rag now was a huge part of what they did. Yeah. I will also what they did. Yeah. I will also say they are. Thank you, Mike North tied for his second hardest strength of schedule. So they are really in for trial by fire of figuring out this new offensive line. It's going to be throwing guys in there, seeing what they can do.
Starting point is 00:40:18 I don't do you think it's going to be Graham Glasgow starting. I was seeing that Tate Ratledge could potentially, but it's really risky in my mind to start a rookie at center. That is a position that is the quiet leader in the brain. I think of the offensive line in the way that the quarterback is the vocal in your face kind of guy. That just requires a certain maturity and aptitude that not to discount Tate Ratledge, but I don't know if he has coming straight out of college. not to discount Tate Rattledge, but I don't know if he has coming straight out of college. Yeah, I think that is your observation is right about a rookie center. It's a really, really hard job because that's where I mean, now with a veteran quarterback, maybe it's easier
Starting point is 00:40:57 because the pass protection gets set by the quarterback a lot of times and Jared Goff could probably take that onto his shoulders. But everything starts with that guy in the communication upfront. And that's where I would always give Garrett Bradbury more credit is like, I understand that physically he was not the best blocker, run blocking, he was better, but pass blocking struggled. But I also thought that communication wise, he was very good and he was vital for Sam Darnold last year in learning the offense and learning the reads and everything else. Asking a rookie to go in there and be that guy I think is a lot especially with other veterans on the offensive line. Just to give you an idea
Starting point is 00:41:37 though of how much they're losing in Zeitler and free agency which I was shocked they didn't try to bring him back and Frank Ragnow, Ragnow was number two among centers in run blocking grade. And Zeitler was number three among all guards in run blocking grade. You're losing two of the elite players in the league at that position. I, it's just going to be harder.
Starting point is 00:42:00 Jameer Gibbs is really good, but we know that offensive line and running back success are tied together. As we saw from Saquon Barkley going from 3.9 yards a carry to six yards a carry or whatever it was last year in Philadelphia. This this is a big blow to Detroit, and it's very relevant to the Minnesota Vikings on top of the fact that they lost their offensive and defensive coordinators. I don't see how you can replicate the same success you had with different personnel on every level. You lose Ben Johnson to the
Starting point is 00:42:31 Bears, replaced by John Morton. He'd spent a year or had spent time previously with the Lions as a senior offensive assistant. Dan Campbell likes to promote guys who he's already worked with. Case in point, his losing defensive coordinator Aaron Galanda the Jets replaced with Kevin Shep Kelvin Shepherd excuse me who has never actually been a defensive coordinator. This is his first time doing this job and yes he's moved his way up through the ranks pretty fast but that's a lot of trust in two brand new guys with a whole new line of people. I mean, it's, you just can't expect the same. The same team. I don't think, I don't think that's an overstatement. This might be the first time in a very, very long time where the Minnesota Vikings have the best offensive line in the
Starting point is 00:43:18 NFC North. Uh, maybe 2012 could have been the last time when Adrian Peterson went for 2000 yards, 2009 Brett Farr, if they had an incredible offensive line, Maybe 2012 could have been the last time when Adrian Peterson went for 2000 yards. 2009, Brett Favre, they had an incredible offensive line. That might be the last time the Vikings were number one in the NFC North, cuz there's been the Packers for years with Aaron Rodgers, David Boctiari. They were great with those teams. And then the Lions have kind of taken over that.
Starting point is 00:43:41 Though Chicago really stacked up their line with Joe Tooney, uh, Dahlman, the center, and they've. They've done a lot of work there, but. I think it's going to be a problem for them, and that with Jared Goff, if it was Lamar Jackson, whose offensive line is a little suspect, you would probably say, OK, well, he'll just run away. That's not that's not. That's not Jared Goff.
Starting point is 00:44:04 Jared Goff cannot just run away. I think they're's not it's not Jared golf. Jared golf cannot just run away I think they're gonna have some issues there. Yeah. Yeah, let's look at the other side of the ball and let's pivot teams We're calling this segment. I've already kind of hit it the last two times UDFA underdog of the week, which is the fun game where I go through the undrafted free agent list the Vikings have signed There's 20 of them and I tell you all about their background and go way more in depth than you would ever care to know. And today we're focusing on Tyler Batty. You've mentioned his name. He's been around a lot. We've seen him do good things. I want to tell you a little bit about him and why I'm personally a fan and I have my fingers crossed that he will make this 53-man roster. So he is from Utah originally, played at BYU, but the guy is 26. He's a rookie
Starting point is 00:44:47 in the NFL. He's 26 because he's actually Mormon and had to serve in Spain on his mission for two years. So he's coming in and the guy is a full-grown adult. He's a man at this point among boys. And that was very clear at the NFL Combine where he put up numbers. Let me read you some of his stats. He was ranked consistently top 20 in all of his events. So 34-inch vertical jump, 10-foot broad jump, three-cone drill done in 7.2 seconds. That's fifth overall for defensive ends. And his 40-yard dash was 4.78.
Starting point is 00:45:24 This is a big guy too, mind you. He is 6'6", 271. overall for defensive ends. And his 40-yard dash was 478. This is a big guy too, mind you. He is 6'6", 271. He's an athletic feat and he's so developed in his body that I think it will actually play very well in the NFL. And it could be a quicker transition for him than others because he genuinely has two to three years of age on these kids for maturity and development. But not only is he a great athlete
Starting point is 00:45:46 He's also a very good person. He has started in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Utah a horse therapy company if you will called Let me find it Edwards hands started by his dad which gives free horseback lessons and equine therapy to children in the community, specifically those with special needs. Sounds like a gem of a human being. He started this with some of his teammates and his dad. And it's just like a really cool fun fact that in his free time, he's also helping out
Starting point is 00:46:18 in the community, doing this unprompted, not making any money off of it, not doing it for clout. I had to look this up and find it. He's not really promoting it in your face, you know? So I'm a fan of this guy. He seems like the Vikings type, humble, hardworking, athletic. I'd love to see him make the roster. Well, that's very nice as an animal appreciator. I think that's great of him to do.
Starting point is 00:46:40 He actually had good numbers last year as a pass rusher, 42 pressures on 337 pass rush snaps. And he's been over 30 the last two years. Uh, the age element for BYU guys is always something that gets brought up. Kyrus Tonga was a guy a couple of years ago that I wrote about and asked him about doing the mission. And that was really interesting to sort of find out what is behind that, what that's like for people to do and then how you get back into football. And it's a very, I think, interesting process for those guys where a lot of times where I think Kyrus told
Starting point is 00:47:17 me was getting out on your own in the real world and not being in the football bubble that they grow up a lot, usually learn a lot about the world when they do something like that. So that's really cool experience for him. Uh, but I'm intrigued because of his height and weight combination with those numbers that you brought up, because when you're talking about somebody that is six, five, two 70 ballpark and can be among the top edge guys in anything, a lot of the best edge guys these days are more along the lines of 250, 255,
Starting point is 00:47:50 and they're running those great numbers and having those high jumps. And I think for the Vikings, most teams are looking at these tweener guys where you're not a defensive tackle, you're not an outside linebacker, or you're not a traditional edge rusher and saying, I don't know, where does this guy really fit?
Starting point is 00:48:06 And Brian Flores has this three, four base defense defensive end types. Uh, there's a guy that played for them last year, Jahad ward, who was kind of the same type of thing, like a 270 pound guy, they just rushed them up the middle on every third down. Flores just has this way of finding places for players who can produce and who have pass rush instincts. I don't know if baddie's going to make the team, but I also do know that there's, there's spots open on this D line that, you know, Taki, Taya, Manny, and Levi, Drake, Rodriguez, Tyron, Ingram Dawkins. I'd throw baddie into that
Starting point is 00:48:42 of somebody who is going to have a shot. And I'll tell you standing next to him when we're outdoors We're up on a hill. So we're looking down at everything when we're indoors We're right on the sideline and sometimes the defensive lineman will do drills like right next to us Let me tell you none of you could get two yards in the NFL without dying Having stood right next to all these defensive linemen doing their drills. But Batty was one that stood out big time to us watching him right in front of us with the size, six foot five, and then the quickness. What they've done a good job of is they've stacked these young guys with one intriguing trait. Like Gabriel Murphy got brought up, Bo Richter got brought up, Batty's going to get brought up up and they're all going to see who has the
Starting point is 00:49:27 trait that helps them emerge and get a chance. And we've already seen that from some guys on this roster. So I am actually intrigued by your UDFA highlight of the week for this year's training camp. Very intrigued. Thank you. Thank you. I also must say in talking about the size of the guys, when you're seeing them,
Starting point is 00:49:43 having worked combine for two years now Oh my god when you are standing next to them watching them run a 40 It's insane or we'll be working with the ESPN trying to fit them up for their shoots So it drafts and they're pulling the football and they're posing and they look super swag The guys are wearing like 3x. So and meanwhile, they just look really normal sitting next to each other But then I walk up all five nine nine, and I'm like, Hi, sir, here's your jacket. And I'm like, looking up at a giant. It's crazy. I think we really discount that as viewers.
Starting point is 00:50:11 I'm like, no, these are athletes. There's no way to describe to someone what Denial Hunter looks like in person. There's just no way. Like, I don't know. However, if you like those Marvel movies, Thor, but bigger. Because he's a lot bigger than that actor who's playing Thor. So just imagine someone larger and that jacked, but probably actually more jacked,
Starting point is 00:50:34 because I don't think that actor is even as ripped as Daniel Hunter. So, because I remember asking, I was writing a story about how we always focus so much on Daniel Hunter and how he's ripped and not enough on the work it takes to be that way and the technique and everything else because there's lots of ripped people who don't become like borderline hall of famers like Daniel Hunter and the first I would I asked Harrison Smith and I was just like so what do you think makes you know
Starting point is 00:50:59 Daniel so successful he's like have you seen him like Like, I know, I get it. Like other stuff. And he had some really good answers for it, but there's no way to conceptualize that. It's like, how big, how big is a Carl Anthony towns or something? And like on the basketball floor, he looks like he's taller than some other people in real life. That is a mountain of a human being. So yeah, well, but Tyler, baddie certified bigty certified big certified big someone else who was kind of out of this world and a freak of nature. If you will say Kwon Barkley, let's talk about his Madden 26 cover that dropped
Starting point is 00:51:35 today. So it is him doing his backwards hurdle over now. I'm forgetting the team, but that iconic backwards hurdle great shot looks phenomenal on the cover There was a video that's been doing the rounds on Twitter and Instagram That looks like he's jumping up and just hovering over the guy for like a split second longer than is normal And everyone's like there's no way that's so insane. I don't know if you've seen this it turns out That's the edited video. The real one is the production staff putting him in a harness. It looks like he's wearing a diaper with strings on it.
Starting point is 00:52:07 And he jumps and then they pull on the strings really hard. He hovers and then he lands. So I, in my production background, found that really cool to be like, oh, that worked, little behind the scenes magic. Tricked a lot of people. That's like that video where Tom Brady threw a football into the throwing football machine
Starting point is 00:52:27 and it like shot it back out. I don't know, like, wow, Tom Brady's so accurate. Like guys, come on, you can't do that. The ball will just no matter how hard you throw it, it's just going to fly off to the side. Uh, it was a Jacksonville that he jumped over and poor Jacksonville gets to be on a Madden cover. This is, it used to be, you got posterized,
Starting point is 00:52:45 but now I don't even know if there's any other Madden covers where somebody is just getting completely owned. I was trying to look this up. Not that I've seen. There's two head to head players, but never one where it's a smackdown of sorts. I know, I can't find any other one where there's another player from a different team
Starting point is 00:53:03 who's just getting demolished on a Madden cover. It used to mean a lot to me. I used to play a lot of Madden growing up. It's become a little more difficult these days, not only to find time, but also to figure out how the games work. They've advanced. They've advanced so much. Matthew, you're aging yourself. Also, if you have time to watch Sex and the City, you have time to play Madden. I'm just I'm just saying, you know, that is a point. But when I do play Madden, I will usually play like the old Madden's because I know how they work.
Starting point is 00:53:31 And what I noticed, though, I have an observation, though, about Madden in general, that the Internet has softened Madden to where they give everybody good ratings. The last time I went through a Madden was maybe a year or two ago And I was like, I'm curious like what Vikings players are rated because I know these guys and everything I'm like There's guys who aren't on the team or are never going to play they have like 70 that seems a little high for me so I went back and looked at Madden 04 and They used to grade guys so much harsher. Like if you were in the 70s
Starting point is 00:54:06 You're a pretty good player. They used to give guys 40 grades. They never ever do that before Or they never ever do that now because I think guys would get mad and then they would go to the internet and they would cry about You know their ratings and stuff and then if the player got a 40 rating and then turned out to be good, they'd be like, screw you Madden, you don't know anything. So I think that they, I think they've gotten bullied into giving people all these good grades. But unfortunately, I don't think that Madden has put out the best product possible over the last number of years. I think they've kind of got a little bit lazy. It seems like it's the same game every year.
Starting point is 00:54:48 So it's, it's, it's not that my wife won't let me play video games, Anthony. I am allowed to play video games. Okay. What have I gotten you into? I will say though, Barkley is the first offensive player in Eagles history to join the exclusive Madden 99 club. So that could be
Starting point is 00:55:06 pointing to exactly what you're saying. Is he phenomenal? Absolutely. Is he in 99? He had one really great season. I just feel like that's a little inflated, a little too fast. I do think based on what he did last year probably belongs with the 99, but is that projecting forward? Is he going to be just as good that I don't know. If you guys want to throw in the comments, by the way, your favorite Madden cover of all time. I mean, mine is, mine is Vic04,
Starting point is 00:55:35 cause that is to me the best Madden ever. And the cover is just so iconic. I feel like that's the one that it really peaked with 04. I don't know if there's been recent ones where there's been as like recognizable as that. Culpepper was on one for the Vikings. I think he must have been the last. Yeah, I think he was the last Viking. And of course there's the the Peyton Hillis. hitting all the guys. This is you're talking about the cover curse right now, Matt. This is Dante Culpepper, Michael Vick, Peyton Hillis, Christian McCaffrey all made the cover and then all fell off or got horribly injured or in Michael Vick's case got arrested. At least it took a couple of years before. I'm just saying you got your destibule less than a week after the game was released. So I don't know. It took four years, but I'm just saying, you captured a Stibula less than a week
Starting point is 00:56:23 after the game was released, so I don't know. Maybe there's a curse, I hope for Saquon's benefit, there is no curse, he doesn't get caught with this. But you know what the curse is, also, I think, was Christian McCaffrey the one last year? Yeah, and then Achilles and Knee, so. I mean, what it really is is just luck, right? Regression and luck.
Starting point is 00:56:43 If someone has a huge, amazing year and they're a running back, there's a decent chance that the next year it's not as good and that injuries will come for them. Or in Peyton Hillis's case, I think that Hillis got into like a contract dispute with Cleveland and they just didn't care. And then he signed somewhere else and did nothing the rest of his career. But that was funny. I think that was based on a fan boat. Wasn't that, wasn't that kind of a joke?
Starting point is 00:57:07 Yeah, it was a fan vote that he won. And then the next game I have here that he missed time with a hamstring injury and a sprained hip valid. And then he had strep throat, poor guy. And he just packed it up. Strep throat is terrible. Strep throat is bad. Three touchdowns, though. Five hundred seventy seven rushing yards. Less than half of what he put up in twenty twenty four. How about you're so right, though, about I never really thought through the Madden curse thing.
Starting point is 00:57:33 But I mean, the fact that Vince Young was on a cover and not too long after that, it did not go super good for him. Antonio Brown got really weird with him after this deal. That's what I'm saying. You can look this up there. This isn't just like a Reddit creepy internet sub thread. This is a very legitimate, the NFL.com has an article. ESPN had an article about this. This is a real thing. So guys would love even the chat, your opinion. Does Saquon hit the curse? Does he not? Does it escape him? Does it even exist? What do you think? The Vikings kind of need him to.
Starting point is 00:58:07 Eddie George in 01 is a sick cover. Just from the artistry of that, because the art of these are, some of them are really great. The one with Paul Amalu and Larry Fitzgerald, that one's awesome. Like the head to head one you were talking about. Yeah. Oh, Eddie George as a titans. You know, I'm in Tennessee right now.
Starting point is 00:58:24 I got to like this Eddie George one. That's pretty tough. So did you did you grow up Titans? Was that your team or? Yeah, but I'm like a long suffering Titans fan because they have been consistently not good. So I think hometown team for sure. But I worked for the Eagles my senior year of college.
Starting point is 00:58:42 So that was my team when I worked for the NFL, but you can't choose a favorite child. So you just have to say, I like them all equally. But if you got to my head, ask me, it would have been the Philadelphia Eagles. Go birds. Not anymore. It's the Vikings. It's going to say that's not what anybody wants to hear. Although the previous intern clay was a Bears fan. So we work around it. Yeah, no, that's true. Brady. Not, I mean, it doesn't apply to every single person, but it's remarkable how many of these did not go well.
Starting point is 00:59:10 Like how much longer did Kelvin Johnson even play after he was on the cover? He retired like shortly after that, right? I don't know if I had that one pulled up, but there was a number of them who just injury or otherwise completely fell off and in a remarkable way, unfortunately. So my thoughts and prayers are with Saquon that this does not happen to him. Well, we'll see. But if he doesn't play against the Vikings in week seven because of some curse, then that will be helpful.
Starting point is 00:59:38 We'll come back to this pod for sure. RIP Clay. He's still alive. He started a sub stack, by the way, he started a sub stack. Clay Petri, go find it. He is writing somewhat about the Bears, but he also ranked his favorite receivers in the league. So make sure you go check that out. All right, we got anything else? What else we got? Anything? That's all I got for you right now. I think there's a lot going on in OTAs. There's a lot and there's also not a lot at all. So I'll be back next week. We can break down more things. If you want me to break down the punt returners, so be it.
Starting point is 01:00:09 I can get into the punt returners. Oscar Chapman could be undrafted underdog of the week. Punter's, punters. Punter's, excuse me. But there's also a punt returning competition though. Oh, yes. That could have applied either way. I was mixing things up in my brain.
Starting point is 01:00:24 Yeah. We're going to have to work through that. returning competition though. So that could have applied either way. I was mixing things up in my brain. Yeah. Uh, well we're going to have to work through that, but, uh, no, great stuff. And we will definitely have a fun time next week because only God knows what other OTA, uh, reports could end up coming out before then or what you'll come up with for the next undrafted free agent. Uh, we'll have to talk with Tyler Batty about his horses. Absolutely. Until next time guys. Football baby. Oh, there you go. Good job. Thanks, Maggie.
Starting point is 01:00:54 And thank you all for participating and having a good time with the chat tonight. We'll be back on Thursday night with the live chat, but a lot more to come this week with coverage and guests and all those sorts of things. Yeah, Mondays with Maggie is what we're rolling with right now, because none of you could come up with a good enough name. So you're gonna have to keep working on that. But thank you all for your time
Starting point is 01:01:17 and we'll talk again very soon. Football.

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