Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Was the Caleb Williams-Maxx Crosby lovefest actually a troll job? (Hour 1)

Episode Date: February 18, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris opened their show by sharing their takeaways from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams' appearance on Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby's podcast. Later, they listened to Williams break down his epic touchdown pass against the Rams late in regulation in Chicago's loss in the NFL divisional round.

The score. This hour is brought to you by Menards. Say big money at Menards. That was a good one. The views and opinions of Laila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, and Mark Grotty should not be taken too seriously. Especially when they give advice. Do not take Marshall's analogies, literally.

Especially when it comes to Russell Dorsey. The sports thoughts of Rahimi Harrison Grody may change at any time. It's just sports. Okay, thanks. Bye. Rahimi Harrison Grody. 10 to 2 on 1043. The score.

A plastic surgeon added a new. layer to the day controversy at the 2026 Winter Olympics. And if you didn't know, there actually is one. Alessandro Latara, a surgeon who performs Enlarging Operations, told USA Today that he provided the surgery

with hylerotic acid to a ski jumper last month. Have a broken penis. Don't pretend to know my pain. Now the concept is, the more you have there, somehow the more aerodynamic you are in the ski jumping event. Okay, uh, what do we

think it should look like. Sleep. Good. High tech. Aerodynamic. Too small. I'm sorry? To a small.

So when you get in there, you're like, is the steel will fly off and toast. So we can really ask the question in this situation, does size matter? They're not that small. Size, size doesn't matter. Yes, he does? Our face are huge.

Not the size of the suit. The motion in the suit. Motion of the ocean. Ocean to the motion. Grody! It ain't all about the size of the boat. It's the motion in the. Oh, shit.

Did the Olympics need to end? Oh, have we reached the end? That's it. Olympics are canceled. Everybody's going home. You guys can't handle this. You started to take it places it didn't need to go. This is why I can't have nice things.

Sausage, anyone. Lila Rahimi, Marshall Harris, Mark Grody, Midday's 10 a.m. to 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 1043. The score. Oh, man. Well, when you put it that way, I think the Olympics end on their own. But after the ski jumping situations, augmentation, adjustments that have been going on, maybe it's worth a reassessment.

This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104 through the score. Marshall, you avoided that. We did that segment without you. You know what? I'm kind of mad. I missed it because I could have egged on Grotie even more and having to say things that He probably would have regretted saying at a later date, having on Rhonda text in, what are you talking about?

These are the things that I imagine when I miss a segment such as that. Well, we can always revisit it. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043 The Score. And I have joked about this. And I've not tried to egg it on because the situation builds upon itself. I feel like every NFL offseason, the NFL world falls in love with a player who might be available. and we know given the crown,

given him the sash, the flowers, Max Crosby is that dude this off season. And the best part is he's not even a free agent. We get to talk about him

in a trade capability. That's what makes this so wild. There's always somebody. He is the player of this off season. I think the best part of it isn't necessarily that portion of it. It's the fact that he's fully leaning into being the man of the moment

in every single, way. I've seen him as a guy who said, I'm not saying anything, but yet you're out here saying a lot of things. He's playing the game really, really well. I used to joke about Bryce Harper flirting with Chicago whenever he was a free agent. And that's your time. You know, that's your time to get courted. That's your time to put yourself out there, so to speak. But this is a different deal. Max Crosby reportedly, as we've heard here and there, has he played his last down for the Raiders. They're in a midst of coaching change with Clint Kubiak. Usually that means that somebody who might be a big name, if you're rebuilding, you know, can that guy bring value to your team if you

trade him away? The Bears have done business with the Raiders when they've been in that position before, see Kalil-Mak. So it's not far-fetched to say it could happen again. Max Crosby is that dude. He's the top name that gets the people going when it comes to our show and our audience. audience, and it's safe to say that that could happen anywhere else in the league. People want to dream. They want to dream about having Max Crosby on their team. And there's nothing really stopping anybody from doing that right now. So when Max Crosby and Caleb Williams decided to get together for a podcast that went over an hour, it was not filler. It was real discussion. Of course, we were all listening. Not just listening, but also reveling in the

fact that, hold up. Max Crosby and Caleb Williams got together for a podcast in the throes of teams who are cutting players, restructuring contracts, getting ready to make trades. And we remember last year how big the trade they made on offense was with the Kansas City Chiefs to get Joe Tuni. It feels like they can make the same type of trade for Max Crosby and revitalize. the defense and a defense that showed some improvement, frankly, at the end of the season. Well, that's it. It's when we talk about this, what's the price going to be? And not the price necessarily to have him on your team, but just to acquire him to your team. You know, those are two different things. Can you carry the freight of the salary?

Can you also do enough restructuring to make that happen? And then before that, there's what do you want to give up? And I said this yesterday. There's been a lot of discussion about the concept of, there's been a lot of discussion of what the package would be to get him. And we talked about it a little bit on Chicago Sports Tonight. Cassie Carlson was just here. That show was with Tina Winn and Chris Black on Sunday. And I've said this before. I don't necessarily think it means three first round picks.

It probably means more than the package that the Cowboys got for Micah Parsons, because the Cowboys were the ones who did business to trade away Micah Parsons. So that usually means there's a lack of adequate value in return. coming back. I think there might be a player. There might be another draft pick outside of two firsts, something along those lines, given the tizzy that the league is in over Max Crosby being available, putting himself out there, and also just simply talking ball. Yeah, I think there was a lot of clarification he had to do, Marshall, when it came to just whether or not his injury and his season-ending surgery, as I say that in quotes, was enough to make anybody really concerned

about his availability moving forward. I think if we operate in a world where the best ability is availability, and that's how I operate, because that's what you have to do in sports in general, but especially with a violent sport like football, the availability of him from a health standpoint isn't really the issue. It's the plus he gives you because of his availability as a guy who stays on the field, which is what makes him such an intriguing person to add to your team. team, right? And I love that Max Crosby, in talking to Caleb Williams, is kind of letting you know,

I like what's going on in Chicago. He didn't have to come and say, I want to join the Chicago Bears. It's everything he said over the course of an hour that let you know he's on board with what the Chicago Bears are doing. Well, that's it. And that's putting yourself out there. The proximity will tell a tale in it of itself. So in the same vein of me asking years ago was Bryce Hart, or flirting with Chicago. What are you doing over here, Max Crosby? Are you trolling us all? Or is this legitimately putting yourself out there to get to know another team's

quarterback with a fan base who wants you on that team? I mean, did you hear yourself just now? Like that last sentence, it sums it up perfectly. Getting to know a quarterback when you know the fan base is rabid about the possibility of adding you. I think this was very strategic, both on the part of Max Crosby. and Caleb Williams. They could do this podcast anytime. Why now? Why is now the time they decide to put this podcast and give you over 60 minutes of goodness? Well, and not only that, but it is two ballers

talking ball. So let's start with the, I think let's start with the really good stuff first. Let's start with the football geek, seamhead, respectively, type of stuff where Max Crosby and Caleb Williams are talking about each other's game and how they study each other. Josh McDaniel's last game is our head coach when we went to Detroit and played Ben Johnson the Lions. And I watched that game a hundred times out. And I'm like, okay. And it was one of my better games in my career.

Yeah. And it was a similar to y'all's game. I didn't have a sack. It's still one of my better games, just as overall disruption. Yeah. And Ben, like, you get respect for coaches at a different level when you know, like, damn, this motherfucker. Yeah, he's making this difficult.

Yeah, he's doing. is for a reason. It's very calculated. We got checks and we got. We got motions that are going to, you know, and then later we'll run at me. He's going to run at you. We'll run the same thing. It's going to be, you know, we're going to wind back and, you know, think it's this. And he's, you know, he's going to set a jet motion one time, not going to hand it off. The next time tackle is going to run sprint down. He's low-key going to just drop it off. Like, yep, it's little things like that. So, like, watching that game, I'm like, okay, I can, he might do this. But I know this is the only difference.

Caleb can run. Yeah. Jared Goff ain't running nowhere. Yeah. So that's the difference, which makes y'all's offense go and make it so dangerous because you have the ability to get on the run. And improvise. And you can improvise and make it happen. So all week I'm like, all right, how am I going to fuck this game off?

Yeah. I need to find a way. It was crazy. And I've never seen, I mean, other than offensive linemen and myself, everybody else comes out the game. Yeah. Yeah, he took and then we went back and he took two plays off. Yeah, and it was two positive plays for us But he took two plays off It's like I mean I swear he took two plays off and it was like it was insane

I mean you don't you don't see that and in this sense of the game where D-Ns especially you know guys I mean they they get out the game often and so it's all the time Yeah often like dude you're a freak why you're the you're the coachill take your they take your break you're like no it's you should be you should be wrecking the game like you're six foot six and two 80 and you know i see the answer throughout the throughout the league and watching games and they're subbing out like yeah like in my mind is like i bet let's go right where he just left right at him right right right right yeah right yeah so it's it's uh that's yeah it's a that's a that's a that's a special also yeah the stamina part of it which i i i take great pride in myself like hell yeah i'll run

and I'll scramble 50 yards. Come back to the next, but I'd do it again. Yeah, whatever, kind of whatever it takes kind of mindset. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043, the score. That was courtesy of the Max Crosby podcast. He and Kayla Williams on the Rush podcast talking about each other and then also the effects that they have on the game. That was as good of a scouting report on the Bears offense as I've heard.

And there's something in there about Max Crosby that I think a lot of people should. should know. It's his snaps per game and how many plays he does not take off. That is not as typical of other pass rushers that we know. I love how you say it and I'm reading your mind right now and why are you talking about Montef sweat in that manner. But there's a flip side to that. A lot of people think that because of Max Crosby playing all those snaps that he's going to have to curtail that a bit and limit it a little bit more in order to extend his career to the years that he may want to. I think eventually he will, but what was funny about that comment and what you just said

is that Caleb says, it's like taking LeBron James out of the game. And that tells you what kind of impact Caleb Williams believes Max Crosby has on the game, but also, hey, it's 2026. We got all kinds of new revelatory practices and procedures and the way we can keep people, not in ice, not literally on cryo, but... Not in a bubble. Not in a bubble. This isn't Hans Solo and freaking the Empire strikes back.

How dare you ruin it for people? Spoiler alert. What I will tell you is if Max Crosby is intent on keeping his style and his intensity the same and being on the field as much as possible and only taking off less than a handful of plays every game. Yeah, he's up in the upper 90s when it comes. comes to a percentage of snaps per game. What's great about that is if he plays for your team,

you don't have to worry about what you're getting from him. You're getting max effort. And I'm not saying that to be punny. I'm just, that's what you're getting. When the pun fits, you got to do it. And that's what he is. He told you why it was hard for opposing teams to defend the bears. We saw that.

You know, there were a lot of times where teams would put a spy on Caleb Williams. We saw him take advantage of those situations. and then you also hear how Max Crosby will view a game. And I think the way he watches a game while he's playing in it, a lot of that is because of the high amount of snaps he plays. But the bottom line is these two talking, this is game-recognized game. And we are lucky to have this conversation.

I love it when two ballplayers get to talk like this, and we get to further examine it, not just the fact that they're talking, what it means. And then also just did you need other reasons to like this guy? Did Bears fans need another reason to want him on your team? No. I don't know if we're going to get to it today, but Caleb talking about the interception.

I think every Bears fan fills the way that Caleb Williams felt when that interception happened. Well, and that's it. You know, there are times where you recognize somebody and you give him his respect because of the career he's had, the resume, knowing that that could still occur. And then there are guys. And then there are guys where you know that,

That can happen at any time. And that was Max Crosby's effect on the game for the Bears when they face the Raiders. There are a couple of breaking news pieces that we want to tell you about. You know how we feel about breaking news on Rahimi Harrison Grotie. I just know it's sponsored by the Take the North podcast. That's it because we say so. You should listen to the Take the North podcast. They're taking your questions right now if you have any for them.

This is per Kevin Fishbane. The Bears announced press Taylor's promotion to offensive coordinator, the hiring of Eric Studsville, the running, backs coach, please bear with us if we say Studsville. We've worked with Adam Studsinski for years, okay? Years. Bear with us. Yes. Will Lawing the offensive analyst and Isaiah Ford, offensive quality control. Ford was a Dolphins receiver in 2017 and 18 when Ben Johnson was their receiver coach. So all of that is official. That's not the only coaching move we have to discuss, by the way, the NFL. We'll get to that a little bit later in five on it. The Bears also released

a graphic with their headshots. And they wished everybody a happy Ramadan and a happy Lunar New Year. I thought that was pretty cool too. Nicely done, bears. Way to spread all fields here on this and now Ash Wednesday. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104. The score, Marshall Harris, and Laylor

Rahimi are with you as we broadcast live from the score's Hyundai Studios brought to you by your local Hyundai dealers. Our producers are Ray Diaz and Tyler Beuter Rob Braden Friar helps us out as well. And you can catch us on Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.com TV slash the score Chicago.

We are also The Score Chicago on YouTube. Our video crew is Connor O'Donnell, Jacob Stutz, and Max Curtis. You can text and call us at 312-644-67. Coming up next more on that Caleb Williams and Max Crosby discussion. And really a follow-up to what was discussed in the Seth Wickersham book about watching film and the adjustments that a college quarterback has to make to the pros. so we'll do that next. Rahimi Harrison Grody, midday's 10 to 2 on 104 3 The Score.

This is Rahimi Harrison Grody on 1043 The Score, and we thank the content gods for giving us this podcast to discuss. It's Caleb Williams, Max Crosby hanging out. What does that mean? And I'm not normally the one to think too much into this, but when Max Crosby's putting himself out there in these ways, it's pretty clear he doesn't want to stick. in Las Vegas. But like, who's your favorite? Are you talking to Caleb? Because the bears are your

favorite? Do you really like him? Does it help you want to go there? Is this the rabbit hole you went down when you saw this podcast was released? I just think there's, we all choose to spend our time with people. Okay, Lily. And Caleb and Avon Ross A. Brown may not be going on each other's pods anytime soon after he pulled the old little, I'm going to mock the Bears first down celebration bit. I think that was okay, though. I think that's all fun in between the lines. But my question for you is this. It's very simple. When you look at the Masque Crosby News that he has a podcast with Caleb and before you get to see it or anything,

what was your immediate reaction? I mean, I'm like, oh, these two are getting together, huh? Wonder what they're going to talk about. And then you listen to the whole podcast. How does that immediate reaction shift to the comprehensive? Okay, I listen to it. Now what do I think of it? I'm still one of those people.

I'm like, I enjoy two people who actually face off against. against each other. You know, because a lot of times, you know, in the promo, it's like two quarterbacks against each other. And I'm like, unless they're throwing the ball at each other, they're not facing off against each other. This is an actual faceoff.

Like this was one person versus one person. Yeah. And those two both knowing that they factor into a game. So I like that the actual faceoff was one where they got to talk to each other about ball and life and all of that. And it was so respectful and lovey-dovey. and I could see them being teammates after watching. That's how I took it was like, okay, he's definitely putting a signal out there to Ryan Poles

and to Ben Johnson. Hey, if you guys want to like, you know, make a move to get me, you already know I'm on board with everything you're doing and what your quarterback is doing. And even further to what you just said, Layla, about quarterbacks facing off and how we're always told, well, you're not on the field as the same time as their quarterback. Two pitchers, squaring off. Not really. They just both are doing their job.

Especially in the world of a universal DH. But even though you're saying that, Caleb Williams, he had something to say about his view of how quarterbacks do, in fact, go against each other. And I thought that was very interesting because I think we all are taught, well, they're not on the field at the same time. But it doesn't mean the quarterbacks ain't measuring it up against each other. Didn't you even get that vibe with the Saints game and Spencer Rattler?

Oh, completely got that vibe with that game. And it may have cost the bears a little bit in that game because it was like, I'm going to try to outshine you as opposed to just, you know, hand the ball off and run over the Saints. They're not a very good football team. Yeah. That famous game where Caleb Williams was subbed in for Spencer Radler. That was also discussed on the podcast. It sure was. And there was a couple mentions in this interview that we could get to, you know, later on because we have our little priorities that we want to get to here.

But there was a lot of, a couple of mentions from Caleb where he said it's me versus me. And I thought that was interesting. Because it's how it should be. And that ray right there is an example and an evolution of what it should be for a professional athlete. And that's hard because you're hardwired to compete. But it really should be about you trying to figure out what you need to work on at a given time. And that's a really good segue into listening to this comment because it really is a true follow-up to the Seth Wickersham book talking about his dad saying he didn't know how to watch film. there wasn't somebody out there to help him prepare himself to be an NFL player.

Listen to this. I feel like it's where you come from to like from a college standpoint where you're actually taught. Yeah. Like, because if you're not taught certain things and then not you're going to call it. But even in college, like it doesn't matter. I mean,

I'm being honest. I don't think it matters whatever college it is. True. You're not, they're not teaching you what, what's in what's been taught in NFL or what you have to know in NFL for to be able to play and play well. So that's,

I think that's what, like my first. year was. It was like, obviously I know how to play ball, I've played in some big games and things like that. And so some of that would come out. But then it's like, you know, the certain, certain things throughout the game, like, you know, you don't need to go take this, this 16-yard out ball if it's challenging. Like, just check it down to the, to the flat guy, the guy over the ball and get four or five yards and keep us going. And it's a whole thing. So it's some learning curve for sure that comes with it. But especially like with the skill set,

Like you, bro, honestly, you trust yourself so much. Like, that's the, that's really the biggest challenge for me. It's like, I know it doesn't matter how close that defender is. I always feel that I can get, you know, the same thing for you. It doesn't matter how many chips you get, how many, whatever the, you know, it's like I'm, I'm going to get back there. For me, I can get it over this guy or get it past this guy because, you know, all the, all the, all the, all the that I've worked on over the time. So, yeah. You know what?

one thing that was reaffirmed by listening to this podcast ain't nobody got more faith in Kayla Williams and Caleb Williams that man really believes he could do anything on a football field and I can't be mad at him after watching what happened over the last half of the season nah I can make any throw yeah yeah you tried and you succeeded on most of the ones you tried you succeeded on daring to dream on the on the make any throw throws now I need you to work on the basic ass throws that may not

is as sexy to you. Is there a football version of a layup line? That's what we need, really. Yeah. Before the game, we need you to layup line. It's like when you see the quarterback and a receiver of two quarterbacks just throwing to each other on the sideline just to stay loose, Caleb Williams has got to make those basic throws.

Yeah, I don't know that I needed to swear in there, but I think we're allowed so cool. But I need you to make the basic throws. You're seeing, though, the evolution of somebody who's learning who he is. as a football player. And I can't say that at this same time last year, not to this way. This time last year, as you're saying this time last year, we were in such a different world, such a different state of mind, such a exploratory phase. New head coach, Caleb Williams, broken quarterback from a lot of people's angle, even though

he didn't have a bad rookie season, especially given the context of who was coaching him, having three different play callers. You can go down the list of all the reasons why Caleb Williams should not have been able to bounce back as well as he did in year two. How did you get here? Nobody's supposed to be here, especially not a Bears quarterback. Deborah. Deborah is a woman for all ages and for all situations. Deborah Cox. She really is. But he was there and he got there. And then to build on that in this way where we feel like his last game was his most complete or his last game was his best when you consider what he was working on. Yeah, there wasn't like there was a, I think at the beginning of the season there were steps

forward and then there were steps back. But similar to, I brought this up yesterday when we were talking about what did the list that had come out of the top 10 quarterbacks. I don't have the same concern. Like the criticism of Sam Darnold before the Super Bowl was, well, he couldn't win a playoff game or he couldn't win the big game in the playoffs. Are you saying that about Caleb Williams? No.

can't say that about Caleb Williams. He had his team in overtime against a team that lost in the NFC championship game. I mean... To the best team in the NFL. To the hands-down best team in the NFL. So it's that part of it for me, too. Like, I don't think that's going to... That doesn't follow him, for example.

What follows him is he's going to try everything he possibly can to get his team back in the game and to try to win it, no matter the stage. And I feel like all of what he's saying with Max Crosby backs it up, The fun part is you kind of get to learn who you are through somebody else's eyes who's trying to mess with you the entire game. And Max Crosby, I just, I get why he's like the number one guy that Bears fans wants. I think they're realistic to understand that Miles Garrett, you can't get him. And if that's the case, then Max Crosby is next up on that list.

He's not as openly available. Right. He just went to the team and said, I want to trade. and then they gave him an even bigger bag, Miles Garrett. And so it doesn't make sense a year later for him to try to also again say, I want a trade. I mean, he could, and it's the Browns, and nobody would fault him for it. It is the Browns.

But he even rep the Browns in his conversation with Micah Parsons. You remember that? He's like, and we'll beat you again. Remember that time we beat you? Michael Parsons asked for that by having him on his podcast. He said basically, hey, Miles, you want to come by and roast me? Like, how did Michael Parsons think that was going to go? I have to say, Parsons was a pretty good sport about it all.

I think he understood what the assignment was. Listen, it's his podcast. Is he getting the views? Is he getting the clicks? Does he need them? Yes, you're always trying to grow. Let's raise awareness for Micah Parsons. I kid, but I think he still could have been angrier about it.

And I feel like it was two dudes who were at the top of their game, just ribbing each other. but Miles Garrett absolutely rep the Browns in that entire discussion. He didn't sound nearly as disinterested about the team as Max Crosby does, for example. He went on another grown man's podcast and sund him. That's what he did at every turn, at every turn, multiple times. They're not that different in age. Sund him. There is something, maybe it's the mustache.

He does carry himself very maturely, does he not? He does. That's why Chloe is in love with him. I do love that couple. Chloe Kim. Yeah, Chloe Kim and Miles Garrett. You know I feel like that's one of the good young celebrity sports athlete couples. Got a lot of them out here.

Yeah, this is Rahimi Harrison Rodi on 1043 at the score. Marshall Harrison Laila Rahimi talking about Caleb Williams appearing on Max Crosby's podcast with you. The bottom line, I think, for me as far as what does it mean? It means that I know that if Caleb Williams were to be a teammate of Max Crosby, that those two would probably bring the best out of each other. Do I know if it means he's any more likely to come to the Bears? Absolutely not. The Bears are in a really tough situation

when it comes to how much capital they've devoted to their defensive line and how much capital they devoted to their defense and how much they're already having to figure out how much to give up. You know, yesterday was the first day you could franchise tag players in the NFL or transition tag. And we're still watching to see how they try to creatively account the defense. You know, could Kevin Byard fall under that category?

You know, there's all these different ways that the bears may have to slice the pie to get to the numbers that they want to have the defensive talent on the field that they need. It's not the bad, it's not the fact that the cap has the bears in a stranglehold. It's what you said, Leila, about how much money they've already invested to the front. Well, and then do you want to put more draft capital behind that? Like, look at it not just as much. money. Look at it as draft capital as well or roster capital. You know, when you consider it that way, that's when this really gets tricky. And you can do all of this because of your rookie quarterback's

contract, but it's still not easy. You can make the argument that this year's draft is bigger than last year's draft. You can make that argument. Because 25 becomes super crucial. You'd better hit on that pick. And it's more difficult to hit on 25 than it is, I don't know, top 10 pick. And Ryan Poles is accustomed to picking in the top 10. I like how we've got some people who are trolling the Seahawks, 219, the best team in the league. That was one field goal away from losing to a five-year retired quarterback. The Seahawks were the best team in the league.

You can accept that. It's fine. They won the Super Bowl. And every NFL team is a one score away from some sort of season-ending play. Do you not understand how the NFL is designed and how it's built to work? It's supposed to be one-score. score games. That's what makes it so interesting. Yeah, that's the whole point, actually. You could make that argument about anybody. But I think when it came to consistency, yeah,

for me, the Seahawks were the most consistent team in the NFL. 6-3-R, you cannot just cut Dio. We've got to see more out of him first, because there is always the chance that he hits in a way that we hadn't seen yet. And I think that's why the bears signed him to this deal. But the problem is we just haven't seen it yet. also the don't compare diro to max crosbie you're going to be disappointed the 22 million dollar dead cap is another reason why you cannot cut diode i mean that's it when you look at the spot rack table it will tell you some truths within the first few lines and you're like oh yeah i mean still put it out there no no shoot or shoot i understand but but i think one of the

things that every bear's fan will know the diehards within the next couple weeks if they don't already know is why DiO Dangbo is going to be on this team next year. Well, and there's just a lot of really good text, just kind of shooting the breeze with us today. I like shooting the breeze. Yes, 312644, 67, like for example, 630. The name of the game is Stratigo, Stratigo, choose wisely. And that's true. 219 says the window is open right now.

We don't have time for second year players to develop. DJ's ready right now. 219 wants to send Rome to the Raiders. That would be a pay. package that I think the Raiders couldn't refuse, but you don't send your young players who have that many years left on a contract. I don't know that the Raiders see Rome as a clear-cut wide-receiver 1. I think that they would see DJ Moore as a clear-cut wide-receiver 1, for example. I don't know that they see Roma Dunzee as a clear-cut wide-receiver 1.

I just don't think it's that simple either. I don't think it's as simple as, oh, DJ goes, or Rome goes, and then draft picks. I don't think it's that simple at all. The price is going to be high for any team who wants to acquire him if he's even actually available. Like, we don't know if Clint Kubiak and his coaching staff is wanting to sit down with him and talk about this. We certainly heard what Clint Kubiak said at his introductory press conference about Max Crosby. He did not sound like a guy who was like, yeah, let me get rid of my best defensive player. Also, who do you want to build your team around? What are your best, like, I would build a team around Max Crosby on the defensive side of the ball. Absolutely. The, the offensive line

portion of the consideration for the Las Vegas Raiders also. They have a weapon that they can't fully use in Ashton Genti because the line has been so bad. Well, and that's part of it too. And building around Ashton Genty, even after a season that maybe people thought was somewhat disappointing, that's not a bad idea either. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104. The score as we continue to examine what was said in a very long and extensive conversation between two of the best, Caleb Williams and Max Crosby.

And Caleb talked to Max Crosby in a way that I think is probably the best end-of-season assessment we've heard of himself and some of his performance had a little bit of time to get away and then had a conversation that I think is really valid. So he goes through some of the best plays, including the game-tying touchdown pass against the Rams. So we'll talk about that and listen to what Caleb Williams had to say about it. Next. Here we go. Fourth and four. It's a blitz.

Joseph. And the crowd goes wild. That was fun to hear. That was fun to hear. It's Soldier Field. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043. The score, that courtesy of Mike Tariko, who liked being here, too, with Chris Collinsworth on NBC.

They did. Did you like that? He told us he loved Chicago. Like, the way he talks about Chicago and calling games here is, it's amazing but you know what that throw was unbelievable and I'm sorry but every time I watch it because like how many times did you watch it in a 24 hour period would you guess would you guess oh man oh geez probably close to a hundred like yeah I mean I I I slow-mo a lot of stuff too but no more than 15 I guess I don't even know off the top of my head because the play itself

lasted like it lasted longer than most plays because of how far he ran back it was other things too like the ISO of Komet, swinging the bat at Stacy Dales, you know, ran right to her. I think she was filming with her phone. That was just perfect. Yeah, that was on her phone. I think for me, every time I see it, though, I almost don't expect it to be a completed pass because of the nature of the start of the play. You know what I think?

Being a sports old head, if you will, I sit in the Kevin Durant camp. You know, I'm Team Stripes, not Team Stars. Not the Kevin Durant. Not that we ran out of gas camp. But I'm like, man, you could do that now. But like years later, you might be like, I can't believe we really did that. Like, who, that was pretty crazy. But yeah, just the excitement and listening to the crowd again.

That's a good audio mix, Ray and Tyler, of just how good the crowd was and how it popped at Soldier Field. And to say the phrase, Soldier Field crowd pop is not something that I think I've said in my life. Many Bears fans have not said that in their lifetime. Like, like WWE Survivor Series crowd pop when CM Punk returned. That's something I've said. But a soldier field crowd pop for the career? We're in a different era, baby. What about a United Center Bulls crowd pop? What those happen? Like when I was there for the giddy half-court shot. Oh, well, you make a half-course shot. But no, you know what? The United Center crowd pop actually happens pretty frequently because of how they know a three will like tear the roof off a place or a dunk or something along those lines. I feel like that happens

pretty often. The United Center crowd is into it. Is that more about crowd timing then and being aware of the moment that you're living in? But as a group, because I haven't you been there at times where when you're in the arena, you're like, oh, if he hits this three, this place is going to go bananas. And then it does. That happens. I guess that didn't happen when I went to the season opener two seasons ago. Oh, when you and I were sitting there watching and then you're like, Oklahoma City's up by 19? And I'm like, wait, how did that happen so fast? We've been watching the game. There was no crowd pop that day.

But the point is, Soldier Field crowd. And that play, Caleb Williams talked about it. It's hard to talk about it after a loss with any sort of appreciation because it frustrated. Your season's over. It could have been so close to extending. You could have lived to see another day. But unfortunately, not the case. So I appreciate Caleb Williams talking about this on the Rush podcast of the Max Crosby.

that whole process is he is he made the impossible possible Ben has a clip from watching from behind Ben and Ben he's watching me and he goes he like tilts his head back and I already know his mind is like what the fuck is he doing?

You know like don't go don't run away. It's fourth down like obviously don't run away from yeah where we need to go where we need to go it's the biggest play biggest moment you know and and so and in that moment it's

I was actually about to escape. So I had a tight, tight edge on both sides, short edge on both sides. And I can't get up in the pocket. It didn't feel like I could get up in the pocket. And so I'm like, all right, I'm about to just gain a little depth, trying to wait for somebody to pop open.

And then I'm like, they're not popping open. Safety, it was cover for, safety bid on the end route we had. And the other route we had got covered up also. And so I'm like, okay, I'm back. and I'm backing up. And I'm like, do you realize how far you're backing up

in the moment? No, no, I was, I was just, I was like, here we go. It's time to go and make a play. It was a madden play. Yeah, so I was backing. You run 30 yards backwards and you're like, why, yeah, what am I doing?

So I was backing up, backing up. And I'm like, I got to get out of here. And so I'm like, okay, I'm not to just spin out and just, and I'm not to just loop back. So that's why I actually start looping back and trying to get around the edge. And I'm like,

oh, he has a great angle on me. Can't do that. And so I feel his angle and I'm like okay now at this point I'm gonna just create space for myself So I can get the ball down the down the field and so that's what happened so I start bending and then I bend back To try and straighten both of them up so it creates more time for me yep and then I straighten up and I turn around and I see everybody I can see everybody at this one. You're all watching you 50 yards back I can see everybody best view in the house I can see absolutely everybody in my you know whatever and so everybody's over here and there's a six foot six tight in to 60 or whatever and then there's a shorter a shorter cornerback and I'm like 14 and 85 those you know cold so I saw I saw everything yeah and I'm like my only thought was put

this ball in the in the back of the end zone yeah I was and I was like that's our best shot to go and and either tie the game or go win the game after and so that's what I did I was like here we go and I got my I got enough you know of my feet playing the ground and just and put in the back of end zone and it's one of those like it's like i mean for instance it's like throwing a go ball like you know he's even with him like give him give him the best ball that you can you know high in front of him um and and let him go make a play and so that was that was kind of the thought but in those moments a lot of times i'm scrambling i mean there's no thought like i'm yeah right at the end of the moment right before i through it was like that was the last thing i like i wasn't thinking anything until

that moment's like i put it put it high in the we call high back five you know yep yep and uh and that's That's what it came down to and Cole, Cole did a great job. You shocked yourself? Nah, I knew it. When I let it go, I knew it was a touchdown. Yeah. A lot of times. Well, dude was so far.

Oh, he's up at the front of the goal line. Yeah, he was like, I got enough space to put in the back and just let Cole fade away to it. Yeah. Yeah, there's a few times throughout the games where, where you know, like, you let the ball go. And it's like, okay, here we go. So that's why I got up and just went straight to the sideline. I was like, yeah. It's a little home run trot.

Yeah. I meant to do that. It's what I did. That's how we drew it up. That's part of the game. Man, I love hearing the Bears quarterback. Our quarterback

talk about the game in a slowed down way, his process during a play, and how it unfolded for him. Because when I hear him say that I'm thinking to myself, this is the flow state you talked about. When I asked

you, what does this offense look like when you're cooking? You know, what's the visual? How does it feel? Like, do you have an idea of what this needs to be when you're at your best? He just described it. It only took me 10 months to get the answer that I

tried to figure out. But that right there, when you know your quarterback can see it or have it unfold that way and let you inside of his process, it's a good thing. Just the part where he's almost describing as if he's looking at an arcade view of the entire field because he's backpedaled so far that he could see everything.

And what he sees on the left side in the corner is a little guy and a big guy and he sees the numbers. He knows who's who. And he's like, ah, I just got to put it behind him. We're good. We're good. Well, and just the confidence. And then also, what do you say about what your requirement is for every head coaching candidate or offensive coach candidate? Have you played a little madden?

and clearly Caleb, Ben, they have played Madden. The fact that it's just part of your football knowledge now in this way. Like that's what I was thinking too is I'm like, he's basically describing a Madden and then we heard Max Crosby and Madden play. That's it for me.

Back, let it go. Back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back. But to have the wherewithal to know you need to throw it in the back of the end zone and still do all of those things, when you can tell me about your process that's how I know how well you're seeing the game. I just wonder if he felt like he was avenging almost

that moment with Cole Commet putting it in the right place against the Packers at Lambeau Field as the way he described it, you know? I think that would be an excellent follow-up question. We have more coming up on Rahimi Harrison Grotie a little bit more from the Caleb Williams and Max Crosby podcast too. We will get to that later in our show. We will do that a little bit later.

But in the meantime, it's time to check in on the NFL news. I mentioned this. Players could have the franchise tag as soon as yesterday. So Mike Florio will come in and talk to us about the latest NFL news as free agency starts to start to happen.

You got that? Next.