The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - GBF: Rumor Mill has it

Episode Date: February 23, 2024

There isn't much going on in the NFL officially which means the rumor mill is swirling, which of course leads to Fuentes' Top 5 "Mills". Mikey A gives Stugotz and Fuentes the latest things he is hearing on the NFL grapevine. Dwight Freeney joins the show after he found out he will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year. Dwight shares the story of how Michael Jordan helped surprise him with the news and what his plans are for his speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network. Whether you're hosting game day or movie night, DeGiorno knows that planning a watch party on a budget isn't easy. You need the perfect setting, the perfect squad, and the perfect eats. Luckily, you're a game time mastermind and you know that grabbing Dijourno classic crust pizza can bring home a W because it's packed with half a pound of cheese, sauce and other toppings and comes at an incredible price. Make the game winning call and grab a Dijourno classic crust pizza from the grocery store today. It's not delivery, it's Dijourno. God bless football Mikey A. God bless football Mike Fuentes. God bless football Stugatz.

Thank you. We can't see Mike Fuentes. I can only see Mikey A. I can't see Billy. He's on vacation again. He needs rest from our radio row in Super Bowl week. I miss radio row dearly. Fuentes, do you miss radio row the way I miss radio row? Not the way you miss it. No. Well, anyway, I have been in, I've been in every time zone there is to offer Mountain Pacific Central Eastern It was weird Mikey. I I flew in to Chicago and I'm on you know I'm an hour behind us and then I drove to Notre Dame and all of a sudden because they played Notre Dame

On Friday Northwestern did and all of a, I'm back in the Eastern time zone. I'm like, what is that? Can we do away with time zones, please? No. Why? We can't do away with time zones, because that's how the world works. Because you're flying to your daughter's lacrosse cave.

You want to get rid of time zones. I just think they're a waste. I really do. People are going to be getting up at 2 in the morning at some parts of the world. So listen, the larger point, me telling you all that, how much I've been traveling, what I've been doing. I am now currently in Colorado, Boulder, Colorado,

one of my favorite places in the world, because Northwestern will play the University of Colorado tomorrow. So I am now in Colorado. but the reason I tell you all this is I have no idea what's going on in sports. I have no idea what's going on in the NFL, which is really great considering I'm the host of the biggest football podcast in America.

So I mean, I don't know, Mikey, what is happening right now? I mean, at this point, it's just a lot of rumors. I love rumors. The rumor, the rumor mill is swirling. Really? We're gonna throw some rumors at you. Wait, wait a second. Wait a second.

Fuentes, are you in on this? I have no idea what's going on. Free agency hasn't started. I believe the senior bowl is next week, but Mike EA is gonna throw the rumor mill at us and what you just want us to respond, Mike EA? Sure. Okay. Fuentes, you good with that? I love a good rumor mill at us and what you just want us to respond my guy. Sure. Okay. What does you get with that? I love a good rumor mill.

He stole my thunder. Would you call it a top five mill? It's crawling up the list. I got to say. What do you mean the top five mill? What do you, what are you doing? I have no idea what he's talking about. What he the top five mill? What do you, what are you doing? Like tell me what you're doing. I have no idea what he's talking about. What he says top five mill.

Are you putting together a list of your top five mills of all time? In honor of a new segment, Mikey A's rumor mill, we're gonna have the top five mills. Okay, great. So we'll do that at the end. I care what that's a tease.

Coming up at the end of this segment, we'll have Dwight Freeney on by the way as well. He's going into the Hall of Fame, of mine. I'm looking forward to that But coming up at the end of this segment Mike Fuentes is top five mills of all time Let's get to the rumor mill though. So Mikey I just throw out some rumors to me and Fuentes and and we'll respond all right, I've been scouring the rumor mill and There is a team that is all in on trading for Justin Fields and That team according to the rumor mill is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, wow

So fields to the Steelers that means the Bears would take Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the NFL draft Justin Fields to the Steelers, so it's better than what they have, but anything's better than what they have. Do we know what they're giving up? Like potentially, according to the rumor mill, of course. According to the grapevine, we don't know yet, but it's probably around a second round pick, maybe a two and a four. All right, a two and a four for Justin Fields. He goes to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh made the playoffs without a quarterback. Justin Fields is a much better quarterback. I like that.

That is a great fit. The Steelers need to get that done. Flentes, how do you feel about that? Justin Fields to the Steelers with that defense and with those skilled position players. I don't know. That's Mike Tomlin. I feel like that would get Mike Tomlin back

to another Super Bowl the next five years. Flentes? Yeah, I had said that their quarterback away all season and Justin Fields, he's young, he's mobile. He's a little different thing than Mike Tomlin had had. He's never had a mobile quarterback yet. You know what he's had. I think Trubisky's probably the guy with the most mobility

that he's had. But I'm also seeing some stuff about Russell Wilson. So we've got to keep an eye on that too. Whoa, that's, I mean, that's your own rumor mail. Duly rumor mail's here. It's a cornered rumor mail. Whoa, that's, I mean, that's your own rumor mail. Duly rumor mail is here. That's according to the rumor mail. Well, he's actually, I saw it earlier somewhere. But maybe you stole Mikey's thunder there.

Maybe he was getting to that one. Maybe he was. I saw that he's the favorite somewhere minus 250. That's all I'm saying. Okay, I'll just say this. The Steelers obviously need to upgrade a quarterback. They have all the pieces. They have the head coach.

If they get a quarterback, they'll be a team to deal with in the AFC. That's is that fair to say, Mikey? I think that's absolutely fair to say. Okay. I think it probably being

contentioned, you know, like they are anyway. All right. Top five fields. Field Yates. Lambo. Field of dreams. I'll feel the dreams.

Jesus, Flentes put together a top five fields for us. All right. What's the next rumor, Mikey? Oh, let's go back to the rumor mail. So I'm very fields. Well done. Fields of gold. Stony fields. Wait, what was fun? Desus? Fields of gold. My sting. Why don't go back to feels of gold? My sting. You're an ass. Anyway, why don't go back to you for that?

Go ahead. What's the next rumor, Mikey? Yeah. So earlier in the rumor mill, everybody was saying the Falcons were going to go get Justin Fields, but that's not what the rumor mill is saying anymore. Now, according to the rumor mill, there's another quarterback that they're going for. Really? And he is a first ballot hall of famer, according to Billy Gil. No way. Her cousins. Get out of here. Atlanta Falcons. Wow. Well, that's what happens. The mill just keeps going around and around and things change every time it goes around.

That's what a rumor mill is all about. I mean, so. That's a mill. Okay. So, what was the first quarter, who was the first quarterback to go into the Falcons on the first trip around the rumor mill? Justin Fields. It was Justin Fields, okay, but now he's going to the Steelers this time around on the rumor mill. And so now we have Kirk Cousins head into the Falcons according to the rumor mill.

According to the rumor mill. For me, anything is an upgrade. When you have Desmond Ritter at your quarterback and Taylor Heineke as your backup, Anything is an upgrade at the quarterback position. I don't know if that's enough to make the Falcons relevant in the NFC. But I do like the move because Kirk Cousins as Billy has told us a number of times should be a first ballad Hall of Famer and it makes the Falcons better. How much better? I don't know. Flentes, what are your thoughts here?

Like you said, anything better is an upgrade so far We've named two teams that are desperate for good quarterback play and he'll have weapons. He'll have pits. He'll have London He'll have a B. John and the thing is he's 38 years old coming off an Achilles injury I don't know if I'd want that as my quarterback, but like you said, he's better than Desmond Ritter and he's better than Taylor Heineke. Okay, what's wrong with having an old quarterback who's just coming off a major injury that kept him out for most of you? I don't understand the problem. You know all about it. I want the Jets to draft the quarterback.

Is that part of the rumor mill? I do. It isn't, but it could be. We could add it. Well, I want the Jets to draft a quarterback. They cannot let a 40-year-old quarterback coming off and kill his injury dictate the terms and what this team does.

The Jets in a quarterback draft. This is a quarterback draft. Everyone says it is quarterback deep. There are a lot of good quarterbacks in this draft. The Jets need to go get one because Aaron Rodgers will not be playing quarterback for much longer, might be a season or two, and they need to have a future plan in place. I know it pissed them off in Green Bay, but this is a different situation. The Jets need to go get a quarterback. Okay. Anyway, let's get back to the rumor

mill. All right. I'm going to combine one here. Couple of, couple of big time running backs possibly going to inter-divisional rivals. So according to the rumor mill, Austin Eckler might be headed to the Chiefs while Saquon Barkley might have his eyes on Dallas according to the rumor. Wow. And Tony Pollard's a free agent, right. So we have Sa, quad going to Dallas, which I like a lot for say, quad and the Cowboys, we have Austin Eckler, our boy who's on with us every single week here on God bless football, going to Arrowhead. That is a perfect fit. Like I don't know how his wife is going to feel about it. We've talked to him about this, but that is a per because right now, listen, Austin spent the first part of his career in

San Diego. Then he moved up to LA couple hours up to LA. Okay. Nice weather. Nice weather. He lives in Las Vegas. Nice weather. Great place. Kansas City. You're about to get married. That's going to be interesting, but it is a perfect fit. Echler in that offense. The A in Austin stands for Arrowhead. I love it. How about that? Austin Echler will have 1500 yards rushing and receive it. Both. I mean, that is a perfect fit. I like that. What does what do you think? I think it's a match made in heaven. Really. It gives me Jamal Charles vibes from when he was there minus all the injuries. Pacheco came on catching the ball on the Super Bowl a little bit. I didn't think he had it at him.

Clyde Edwards-Hilaire isn't really that thread out of the backfield. So I think, like you said, or I said, match made in heaven. And I really, really liked that move if the Chiefs can make it happen. Yeah, so do I. That's a great move.

God, the rich get richer, Mikey. That's what happens. You have my homes. Yeah, that's what happens. When you have my homes, Kelsey and Andy Reed. Guys, and I guarantee you if Echler goes there, it's going to be on the cheap. It's going to be for a year and then I'll get a big contract after that.

That's what I think is going to happen. I like that move. Well, according to the rumor mill, not everybody who's rich is getting richer because according to the rumor mill, Brandon I youk wants out of San Francisco. Wow. According to the rumor mill. I mean, once you want out of a place where the coach doesn't know the rules or how to throw it to a number one wide receiver. So Brandon I you want out of San Francisco according to the rumor

milk according to the rumor milk. I think well says it. Well, I don't know, Mikey, do you feel like Brandon Ayuk would be? Would he be as good elsewhere as he is with the San Francisco 49ers? According to all the analytics nerds, he is the most open wide receiver in the game. He is the guy that is usually the most open and he doesn't drop passes. He just doesn't get the volume. People don't throw him the ball. So, I mean, is that because of Shanahan or is that because Ayuk is that good?

I don't know. Well, I think the Shanahan scheme combined with Ayuk's talent is why he's open all the time. I'm not certain why they're not getting him the ball, probably because they have 19 other good skill position players on that team would be my guess. But if I'm Ayuk, I would IU, unless I'm going to a team that has a better chance of winning the Super Bowl,

I don't think I'm leaving the San Francisco 49ers. Is that fair? I probably wouldn't want to leave, but I would make some noise just to get a better contract, probably. I love noise. Can we squeeze one more in? Yeah, of course we can.

Yeah, one more, please. All right. According to the rumor mill, Jamal Adams would like to go back to the Jets. Can we squeeze one more in? Yeah, of course we can. Yeah, one more, please. All right. According to the rumor mill, Jamal Adams would like to go back to the Jets. No thanks. Tell the rumor mill to shove it up. Bleep the rumor mill, Ami. Let it spin around again and hopefully Adams wants to go somewhere else.

Keep going. Do the Jets want him according to the rumor mill? According to the rumor mill they haven't said anything, but according to the rumor mill he would like to go back to the Jets. He didn't want to play with Gates. That's why he wanted to leave. Alright Dwight Freeney, Hall of Famer, gonna join us in a little bit, but more importantly and more exciting to be quite honest with you.

We have top 5 mills next. Whether you're hosting game day or movie night, Dijourno knows that planning a watch party on a budget isn't easy. You need the perfect setting, the perfect squad and the perfect eats. Luckily, you're a game time mastermind and you know that grabbing Dijourno classic crust pizza can bring home a W because it's packed with half a pound of cheese, sauce and other toppings and comes at an incredible price. Make the game winning call and grab a Dijourno Classic Crust Pizza from the grocery store

today. It's not delivery, it's Dijourno. All the famous white Freenie going to join us coming up here in a few minutes. We will get to top five mills of all time courtesy of Mike Fuentes. I'm very excited for this. I'm not certain he'll be able to come up with a good five, but we will all find it out together. Mikey, had you feel about the statement I made in the opening segment as the rumor mill was swirling around and around and around about the Jets drafting a quarterback? So I have said forever, Mikey, that teams like the Jets should draft a quarterback every single year. I know they have Aaron, but he's 40 years old, he's coming off in Achilles and this is a quarterback deep draft according to all the experts. So

how do you feel about that? Because I know most jet fans would probably say no. You need to go get an offensive lineman. You need to get someone to protect Aaron Rogers. And you're both right. The first pick needs to be your left tackle. The first pick, the tenth pick in the draft that the Jets own needs to be a left tackle. But I also agree with you, they also need to walk away from this draft with at least somebody that you could say they might be our guy. I'm looking at like a Spencer Rattler in the third round, a guy who, let's face it, because of all the things that happen with Zach Wilson, they're

going to bring in a veteran backup. So whoever you draft here is going to be your third quarterback. He's going to be a development project. Let him learn under Rogers and learn under this other veteran. And maybe he's your guy in a year or two, but I would not draft one in the first round, especially considering you're not going to have a shot at any either the top two or three. I would look at a Spencer Radler or the kid from Tulane in the third fourth round area And you do that without worrying whether or not it's gonna upset Eric, right? I mean it can't it can upset Aaron because it's not a top pick

You're not trading multiple assets to go get his replacement and he he has to know at this point He saw what what this team is Without a good quarterback. You have to just understand, we also need to take care of our future. Right. I don't know if Rattler's really taking care of the future, but I understand. Like I want Michael Penix, that's the guy I want.

Like I want the Jets to take one of the first round. Yeah, you're not getting that. No. You're not getting that. Are you telling me Aaron, is Aaron demanding that they take a left tackle? Is that what you're saying? No, it's just what's the point of having Aaron

if you're not going to go for it. Right. If you're not going to go for it, what's the point of having him? Right. If you're not going to go for it, that's fair. Mike Flentes, I'm hesitant to go to you on this. Do you have your list of top five mills available to us? I do.

I'm not confident in anything about it. Yeah. I'm just so excited. I don't know. He seems sad. Not's not about it. I'm so excited. I don't know. He seems sad. Not super confident in it. Yeah. How could you?

Yeah. There's so many mills. I'm going to get a lot of grass mills better be on there, my friend saw grass mills and Oli just because it's for each one. You have Oli. I have one Oli and you just said it. Hold on.

Wait, I got to get the fanfare ready. Give me a second. Okay, oh wow. He's giving himself his own fanfare. This is amazing. Should I do top five fields? If you want, okay, I'm ready, whatever you are. Okay.

All right, number five, Mike Fuentes, top five mils. This, it's a tribute to the rumor mill. Top five mils of all time, according to Mike Voigtes. I already gave my OLI, which is Sawgrass Mills. Sawgrass Mills, for those who don't know, it's right next to where the Florida Panthers play their home games. It's an outlet mall, boom, Sawgrass Mills, OLI.

Number five, a classic, the windmill. Not to bad, not to bad. Not only an architectural structure, also a dunk. Number four, the paper mill. We use it like as a slang term for making money. My friend group, you know, visiting the paper mill. Yeah, I'm getting paid. Yeah. Number three, Philadelphia's own meek mill. Yeah, I'm getting paid. Yeah. Number three Philadelphia zone meek mill.

There's a good one. Some dreams and nightmares about this list if you get my drift. You guys probably don't. Mikey laughed. That's good enough for me. Number two former spores point guard Australian Patty Mills. He killed the heat in that 2014 finals. He's a heat killer. You're right. Brutal. Absolutely brutal.

And number one, the undisputed number one, Mill. Mikey A's rumor mill. I am so desperately trying to come up with top five fields. I just gave you one. Did you? Oh, Justin Fields. Yes. But he's not on my list. Well, I'm upset. Still going off the rails. Yeah, I love that.

Hold on. I'm trying. Oh, is it Mrs. Fields, Mrs. Fields, cookies number five. Mrs. Fields. Fair, ready? Number five. Hold on. I'm going. You ready?

Go ahead. Number five. Lambo Field. Ready number five a lot of going you ready good number five Lambo field Number four strawberry fields Number three Joe fields Former jet Mikey. Joe Fields. Yes. Where have you got him?

I mean he's a former jet. He's one of the all time great jets. All the time. Okay. Joe Fields. Do you not believe me? Are you questioning whether Joe Fields. I'm not questioning if Joe Fields

was a person and a former jet. I'm questioning why he's number three. That's it. Okay. Understandable. I love a classic. Look it up in the middle of that. Look it up.

Well, Joe Fields, I mean, he was a jet for 12 years. All right, where was the? Number two. Number two. Hmm, I'm trying to think a jet for 12 years. All right. Where was the number two? I'm trying to think what I left out here. Lambo fields, strawberry fields, Joe fields. Number two, Mrs. Fields cookies. It's a great one. It's a great one, right? The great one.

Is there hot? Doesn't get better. Yeah. Oh, I need another field. Hold on. I'm scrambling for a field. Is there hot? Doesn't get better. Yeah. Oh, I need another field. Hold on. I'm scrambling for a field. I don't want to use just in fields.

You do. You have a field. I've got plenty. You got Wrigley field. No, I don't want Wrigley. I have it. Number one field of dreams. Oh, I feel the marijuana.

I'm bolder. Listen, you don't. Oh, I feel the marijuana Boulder listen, you don't you left out an Oscar winner. Where's Sally field? Oh enough for her Oh, you don't love her really love her Sally feels You're right. I love that you dismissed her because you didn't think of her. Oh, totally right. Enough of her. Like she's ever done anything to me.

Because everybody's sick of all those Sally Field news stories. Sally Field Taylor Swift. I'm sick of them. So listen guys, we're going to have Dwight Freeney on. He is Mikey. You and I had him on for the first time a few years ago and he're going to have Dwight Freeney on. He is Mikey. You and I had him on for the first time a few years ago and he lit up the airwaves when he was on with us. Dwight Freeney for me is a guy that should have been, and I know it upsets him.

We'll talk to him about it, should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer. He should have been a guy that retired five years to the day. He gets into kitten. He gets into the Hall of Fame. He did not get in on his first go around around he did get in on his second go around here and so I do wonder if that if that bothers him in fact I think it probably does but he is happy to be in regardless because he'll be a Hall of Famer for the remainder of time Dwight Freny but he is such a good dude Mikey and you

and I had him on a long time ago, and then we had him on with Golik, and him and Golik started to hit it off, and so I'm so happy for this guy. I have played golf with this guy, I have been out to Lake Tahoe with this guy, he always gives me a big hug when he sees me, but for me, Dwight Freeny growing up

was one of the great defensive ends I've seen, going all the way back to Syracuse and then through his NFL career with the with the Colts made it to three Super Bowl people forget this Mikey. He was a member of that Falcon team with Kyle Shanahan that blew the big lead to the Patriots. I mean, do you remember Dwight Freedy on the Falcons because I do not. I don't remember him on the Falcons. I remember when last time we had, or one of the first times we had him on,

when he talked about how some defensive coordinator thought it'd be a good idea to bump him out to linebacker towards the tail end of his career. Tom Brady was just picking on him when they played the Patriots. It was one of the funniest stories because he was just winking at Frini, like, I'm gonna get you.

But Dwight Frini spin move changed sort of the way pass rush happened. Like you didn't have to be so big and strong. You didn't have to be that LT dip. You could just be so quick off the ball and have that spin move. And you could wreck an offensive passing game. I'm pretty certain his rookie year, he had nine force fumbles to your point

and it was an NFL record at the time. I'm looking it up right now. Now I'm trying to remember the coach that kicked him outside to linebacker and he was outraged at him. I can't remember whether he was gonna drive me crazy right now. Was it with San Diego? Was it with the Chargers?

It may have been with San Diego. Hold on, I'm looking it up right now. It might have been the Chargers, although. And he had to cover Gronk. You're right. Yes. Right, he only had three and a half sacks that season with the Chargers.

His first year with the Chargers, he was upset. But he was so good, and that team probably should have won more. When you consider the fact that that team had Peyton Manning, it had Marvin Harrison, it had Reggie Wayne, it had Dwight Freeney, it had Mathis, but here's the problem with that entire generation, all of them. Now they got one, right? They beat the Jets once in the playoff, AFC Championship game, I believe, right, Mikey? I was there, yeah.

Yeah, you were at that game? Okay. They got one, right? They beat the Jets once in the playoff, AFC Championship game, I believe, right, Mikey? I was there, yeah. Yeah, you were at that game? I was. But here's what happened to that entire generation, including Peyton Manning, okay? Tom Brady happened. Tom Brady happened.

It's like everyone who played with Michael Jordan, you weren't winning NBA championships when Jordan was playing and Leslie retired for two years, which he did, and then Elijah won, got two, okay. But no one was going to win a championship as long as Michael Jordan was playing. And as long as Tom Brady and Belichick were doing their thing, really few other teams were going to win. Super Bowl's Eli got two versus Tom Brady. Payton got one. But when you really think about the names I just named on that team. Freenie Manning Mathis Robert Sanders

Edwin James Reggie Wayne Marvin Harrison. That's it. If Tom Brady never existed, that team would have been a team that won six Super Bowls, not the New England Patriots. Easily. Easily. It was just they ran into a buzz saw every year and every year we looked forward to that game because you just knew they were going to face off in the playoffs and it often went the Patriots way. Did you see Frini, did you see the

video of Dwight learning that he made it to the Hall of Fame? I didn't. He was at Jordan's private golf club. He walked in, well that's where he always is and Tony Dungey, that's where I play golf with him and Tony Dungey, when I have mail to send to him I send it there. But Tony Dungey, that's where I play golf with him, and Tony Dungey, when I have mail to send to him, I send it there, okay? But Tony Dungey was waiting for him as he came in from his round, and he knew the second he saw Dungey, and he got really emotional, really emotional, then his wife was there, got really emotional, and then he got really emotional at the end, because you know who was sitting there waiting for him? bleep and Jordan oh my god Dwight Freedy Hall of Famer next Mike. Yeah. Yes.

We have a Hall of Famer on the show. Look at him. He's a Hall of Famer. How does that feel Dwight Freedy? How does that sound to you? You are a Hall of Famer, my friend. It sounds amazing. It sounds amazing and I haven't come down yet.

Dwight, was there, you and I have discussed this before. To me, and Mike and I would just come down yet. Dwight, was there, you and I have discussed this before. To me, and Mikey A. and I were just discussing this right before you came on, to me, you're a first ballot guy. Like, you're one of the great players I've ever seen. You might be, you're probably a top five defense event I've ever seen in the NFL. So to me, you were a first ballot guy.

You didn't make it to the hall on the first ballot, but you did the second time around. Does that bother you at all? Or are you just happy to be in the Hall of Fame right now? I mean, to be honest, there is a slight little thing there. Right. You know, like, you know, I really thought and the truth be told is, you know, I would love to be a first ballot But what messed me up was when Michael Strayhan and the Bruce Smith and whoever just come up to you Gap you up before and said you're a shoe in this year. Don't worry about it I'm just congratulating you before it happens and you don't make it then you

you before it happens and you don't make it then you know it's the truth is there's so many great players and that process has to be a tough process for those those voters and look I'm happy I'm in you know I'm just about forgot the fact that I hadn't other than you just mentioned it now But you know the fact that I had I'm not a first ballot right, you know, right? I'm sorry twice But what's what you're in your in yes, and yes, you know who told me that was strained Mike was straight and told me look You know, he was kind of bummed that he wasn't on earlier bad it's about getting in when he thought he should get in and it kind of bothered him. But once you get it in, you kind of just let it go. And that's kind of what it is. Did you go back to Bruce Smith after you didn't get in that first time around and be like, Hey man, you jinxed me?

No, no, no, no, I didn't. But you know, it's just, it's just one of those things, man, where I did it, but you know, it's just one of those things, man, where when it doesn't happen, right, you literally like you try to forget there isn't even a Hall of Fame. You know, that's kind of what it was for me this year. I couldn't tell you who was a semi-finalist, who was in the finalist list. I had no idea. I just said, look, I'm going to go out and hit this dang golf ball. And if they, and at some point they're going to tell me I'm a Hall of Famer. And it is in this year, whatever it is, it's going to be, I am done worrying about this thing. Right.

And this year, thank God was the year. So Bacelli told me the same thing. He was on the ballot like five or six times, I think, and he would tell me the same thing. And then he said, except every year it came up and it started to bother him again, you know, so, but you just put it aside and hit golf balls. That was it. That's it.

You know what? Focus on my life, things I can control. Not that I can control where that ball goes, but I'm going to try my hardest to see where I can hit it. And look, they're going to have to come find me. And when it's time, they'll find me because they know where to find me. I'm easy to find. And they found me.

It was great. They're home of the golf course. I mean, absolutely. Home, that's it. Maybe there or here. Home away from home is your actual home, I think. Exactly. I'm the easiest guy to get assassinated.

If you ever had to find me, it's not hard. You know exactly where I am. All right, so put us there because I saw the video of you walking in the doors open. You see Tony Dunge. You start to get very emotional. I've never seen you get emotional Dwight, but you got emotional there.

Your wife is there. MJ's there. There's some important people in your life that are there. Coach Dunge probably being the most important person and he's got the gold jacket on and you start to weep a little bit. Put us in your head, what were you thinking? You know, my wife lied to me the entire week. MJ lied to me the entire week. You know, as you know, I brought you out there. It's really relaxed. It's really relaxed place. You know, they only

have one rule really, you know, it's pretty much just don't be a jerk and somebody's somebody's behind you that wants to play through let them through. You know, it's really that's it. So especially when it's Lee Westwood, I mean, yeah, exactly. Any pro, any pro, there's two holes behind you. I'll just wait until I see macro. I just go by, Hey, you know, the thing is, you know, you wear whatever you want, you know, you wear a T-shirt, you wear shorts, you know, you don't want to be too dressed up.

You know, it looks like you don't belong, you know. So that's kind of me. Every day I come in, I wear my little T-shirt, I wear my little shorts, you know, flip flops. You know, I'm really super casual. MJ tells me, hey, this coming week, you know, I'm really super casual. MJ tells me, hey, this coming week, you know, I have a photo shoot and I want you to be in the photo shoot for the Grove. Okay. I was like, photo shoot for the Grove. I said, whatever he said, so I want you to dress up real nice.

All right. I said, just nice, nice. And then you look clean. And that's what he told me. I said, just nice, nice. I didn't need to look clean. That's what he told me. I said, all right, this is for you. This is for you. I'll do it, obviously. And, you know, when that's how you set me up, and I get to the golf course, I pull up. You're trying to get me to go inside. I'm like, I'm not going inside. I said, the guy outside of the county, he's like, hey, you got to go inside. You got to go talk to Ken. I said, Ken's the general manager. I'm not going inside. Tell Ken I'm going to chip and hit some balls until MJ hits me up and tells me I have the photo issue. No, no, no, you have to go in now. I'm not going inside.

So then the guy starts pretty much bullets of sweat of going down and saying, I'm like, what is wrong with this guy? He calls Ken the general manager. General manager comes out. He says, right. I said, oh, I'm thinking, what is wrong with this guy? He calls Ken the general manager. General manager comes out, he says, right. I said, oh, I'm thinking of myself. I must have did something wrong. What did I do? Why are you running out of the clubhouse looking like this?

And he said, hey man, MJ wants to do the photo shoot right now. I said, why didn't he just say that? Just tell me, I can just walk in right now. Then I walked to that door and my peripheral, I thought I saw a silhouette of Coach Dunjessen. Whatever. I opened the door and here he is.

He's sitting there and you can hear a pin drop and I just, oh my goodness. I said, I cannot believe what's happening. It was not on my radar. I didn't even think about it. I didn't know when the timing of it was. I just literally thought I was opening the door to a photo shoot.

And here's coach Dungey, my wife, MJ, everybody's sitting there laughing at me. It's hilarious, but it was great. And I had no idea. That is so good. What was your wife's role in this lie? What she did? She just lied to me all week. It was great and I had no idea. That is so, what was your wife's role in this lie? What she did? She just lied to me all week.

It was ridiculous. It really makes me worry and think about like, what else have you lied about? Because you did that a little bit too well. Like this whole week, it was kind of like, hey, I'm gonna go to E, with MJ's house to walk with, his wife, Evette. And I'm like, walk,'s house to walk with, you know, his wife, event. And I'm like, walk, you never go walk.

But you know what? This is this is the new year. This is this is, you know, I'm saying new year, new things. This is January. Hey, maybe, you know, you have a whole new year's resolution going on here. OK, go ahead and walk. Well, during the time she was going to walk, she was planning all of this. And she knew what was going on there, trying to figure out how do we surprise Dwight on this whole thing.

And I think one of the ideas was, have the golf course, while I'm playing my round, have the camera crew run up to me in the middle of a round. I'm like, and she's like, there's no way that's, I'm just like, there's no way that's happening. I'm gonna see somebody a hundred miles away. I'm like, what is this? And I might be running the office.

I'm going away from all that. Yeah, she set me up pretty good. It was awesome. And yeah, she surprised me. It was really, I had no clue. Yeah, you got emotional. What was MJ busting your balls when, I mean, he got you, MJ got you, he got you.

Absolutely, yeah, me, but you know what? He was but I mean, he got you. MJ got you. He got you. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, but you know what? He was, he was like I was very emotional. He knew what I went through last year in that whole entire process, you know, and it's water under the bridge now, but in the moment it was rough. You know, he had to, he had to talk to me about it and get mad with me a little bit and, and, and, you know,

and it was good. I'm happy that he was a part of this process because no he's part of my journey as well. That's awesome. Who's making your introduction speech? Please tell me it's him. I can't put him through that man. I don't think I can put him through that. He's not the biggest speech guy in the world.

He doesn't really like to do it and for me to do that I don't think so but you know I'll figure out I haven't figured it out yet you know I I've been blessed to have a lot of guys that helped me out and got me to this situation has been a position in my life and I want to make sure I make the right decision on it so I'm giving this a time all right I'm available that we get it. Yeah. Yeah. Thank God. Thank God. You know what? I'll tell everybody else forget it stills the guy. Okay. Yes. Yes. Listen, you also have to take a media member with you. So feel free again. I'm available that weekend. You know, yes, yes. I got you. I got you.

But you won't do that to MJ. He doesn't like, you're right. He doesn't like to. I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't feel right. I understand. I'm gonna ask you in a couple of minutes here, I'm just gonna throw some names that you can tell me what they've meant to you and your career and helping you get to the Hall of Fame here.

But if I told you back when you grew up in Hartford, if I told you back then in high school where you're playing four sports, you were a Goldian soccer, which is, visually I cannot see Mikey, can you back that in high school where you're playing for sports, you were a goalie and soccer, which is Visually, I cannot see Mikey. Can you see that? Dwight playing goalie and soccer diving diving left right bullets flying by my head 37 shots 80 shots on me at goal. I'm You play one year that was it well, I stopped playing. You played one year, that was it? Well, I played, I mean, listen, soccer, you know, was a part of what I've done

my entire childhood life. You know, I grew up with two Jamaican parents. We loved playing soccer, et cetera, et cetera. I was the goalie, man, I'm diving, you should have seen it. It was just like, you go on the Harper Kern, you see, you know, you look on the bottom, real small riding, greeny, 36 saves. You'd be like, you know, you look on the bottom, real small writing,

Greeny, 36 saves, you'd be like, oh wow, he had a great game, but then you'll see 6-0. 5-0. It's like, you know, I had all my save percentage was outstanding, but I, you know, when you shoot, when people shoot at you 40 times, the average shots on goal probably should be around 15, you know, 12, you're showing you have like nine or 10 saves.

You shouldn't have 35 saves. There was no defense, you know, it was zero defense. So I think it was a good switch for me and go to the other game of football. It sounds like a Jets box score. I mean, Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

Wait, were you 41 shots in soccer? Were you out there by yourself? I mean, what is exactly. Wait, were you 41 shots in soccer? Were you out there by yourself? I mean, what is happening? Let me tell you something. I don't know what the game plan was, but it was literally like I knew I was going to get all the action. It was like I was stretching, doing all kinds of stuff. I got to get ready for this.

I know I'm playing, you know, this team, that team. I knew we're going to get killed. But the thing is I would be diving. You should see it. It was like a highlight film. But it didn't matter. We still lose 5-0 every single game. At some point, they're going to get the ball in the hole.

It feels like Dwight, Mikey, I had the most saves ever and also give up the most goals ever. Absolutely. I have both good records. Right. The most saves and the most goals give. Absolutely. I have both good records. Right. The most saves and the most goals give it up. That's so amazing. The James Winston of goalies.

Yeah, there you go. You know, 40-40 club, you know. All right, so if I told you back when you were playing goalie by yourself, no one else out of the field, hey, one day you're going to make it to Canton. You're going to be in the NFL Hall of Fame. You would have told me what Dwight I Would tell you I mean listen, I would just say I can't believe that but then again

You would think you know, I always dreamt to wanting that be a great player You know, so you know, I would you know be running laps around the soccer field You know, let's just call it but you, you know, in excitement and enjoy the fact that that would happen. But then again, you know, I grew up watching Lawrence Taylor. Lawrence Taylor was my hero. I cried when he retired. Like I was a die hard, you know, Jordan fan in basketball.

I wanted to be like these people. And I know that they were on Mount Rushmore, whatever sport or whatever position or wherever you want to call it. And I wanted to be there. All right, so part of me would be shocked. The other part of me would be like, you did good. You know, and you're doing right.

You ended up exactly where you wanted to end up, you know? Exactly, but this is not something that you think about though, to be quite honest with you. I mean, when you're a kid, maybe you say, oh, I want to be a Hall of Famer and this or the other, but that thought kind of goes away once you get in the mix of stuff. And I promise you, every day I went out in practice

from college, high school, college, the pros, that was the last thing you think about is how you're gonna finish and whatever. I was worried about this particular snap, this play, after the play, what happened after the game and then go on to Monday, Tuesday and carry on. And then after that, you add them up at the end. And that's just how I did my business when I was out there.

You know, really short term memory, don't try to look too far in the future, don't try to look too far in the past, Don't try to look too far in the past. It would happen and stay in the moment. And that was me. What was the better feeling for you, winning a Super Bowl or making it to the Hall of Fame? Super Bowl.

Super Bowl is some, yeah, Super Bowl is a team accomplishment that not many people have accomplished in their career. And I'm sure, I don't know what the numbers are, but you know, how many players, how many teams, whatever, but it's so, it's so hard to win a Super Bowl, because it takes everybody, it takes everybody, and especially when you're winning a Super Bowl and you're a vital part of that Super Bowl.

And when you win something collectively, there's something about winning in a team atmosphere that makes it feel so much better. It's because you're jumping from the rooftops with all of your entire team. Because you all bled and you all grinded and you all sacrificed. And not only that, you did it for your family You did it for your city. You did it for everybody It's a different feeling and that for me is in the most amazing feeling not saying that this isn't amazing because this accomplishment here

Similar to the super boy took a team Right and it took a lot of people to help me getting here. So it is a celebration, not just for me from an individual standpoint, but it's all for those who helped me get here. You know, there's a lot of people who put a lot of hours in there, man. So, you know, it's right there, 1A, 1B.

But for me, you know, team accomplishments is just the best feeling in the world, man. No doubt. Dwight Freny Hall of Famer with us. Man, that sounds good. Dwight. Dwight Freny Hall of Famer. I mean, for the rest of your life, my friend. More impressive feet. Sacking Michael Vick four and a half times at a college football game. He's the best college quarterback I think I've ever seen. The Fest is certainly one of the best athletes or making it to the Hall of Fame.

the fastest certainly and one of the best athletes or making it to the Hall of Fame. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha He was still, he's actually probably still in his stance right now. Whoever was blocking me, he, you know, he ain't ever jettied. By the way, after they surprised you, did you and Michael go play 18? What happened there? It's so funny. So you played golf with me, right? Yes. This is the only round in my entire life. I did not care where the ball went.

I didn't care. I stole it across the green. I'm cheering. I'm pressing everybody. Hey stole it across the green. I'm cheering. I'm pressing everybody. Hey, press, press, press, press, press. I don't even care. Balls are going in the lake. I don't even, you know, it didn't even matter.

I just was like, oh, I'm in the Hall of Fame. I don't care what, I don't know what's happening out here. Not today. Not today. I said, I told the caddy. I said, listen, this is the the only day I don't care what number you give me whatever you give me and you're right it doesn't even matter I'm just gonna have a great job. Yeah because what I did play with you and you would get pissed off every time you hit a bad

job you would hit it 330 to the left to get mad. I'm sitting there 100 yards 200 yards behind you and I'm happy you know. That's me. That's me all day, every day. Because I like to be perfectious and things, even though it's probably something I probably should bring down a little bit. The pros can't even get mad at me. Why am I getting mad at me? That's just me.

But that day, there was nothing. I didn't care. I'm out here just having a good time. All right, but Jordan usually prays on that. Your emotion, OK? Like did he win money there? No, he was That is so awesome. Do you imagine when you make the speech?

I've been there. Do I don't know if you've been to a Hall of Fame ceremony a Do you imagine you're gonna be nervous doing that or? I mean, yeah, I think so. I mean, listen, you're going out there, you're on the stage, you're talking in front of thousands and you're millions of watching. Of course you're gonna be somewhat nervous. I mean, that's not what I do. Put a helmet on me and have me get in my stance.

I can do that all day. Sit there on a podium speaking about all these things, I think I will be a little bit nervous and I think that something else is gonna help me kind of level out and I can't say that right now, but what it's gonna be is gonna be and I'm gonna be okay from my nerves, I think. But the truth is, it's one of those things where,

there was a, I think there was a study at one point when someone said, people would rather die than have to talk in front of thousands and thousands of people. And that's how nervous people get. You know, I think for me, you know, I've done a little bit of that, you know, I hadn't done much, but still the magnitude of it,

I would pretty much bet everything. I'll be a little nervous. Yeah. And emotional, but you're a natural man. Like, Mikey and I were saying right before you came on, you're a great storyteller, man. Like, you really are. You're not a good, a great storyteller. Yeah, well, there's gonna be a lot of stories down there.

I mean, look at my watch, like, all right, how about this story? You know, I only got eight minutes. I gotta make sure I get the eight minutes in. I can't be the shortest speech ever, right? No, all right, I'm gonna throw a few, we'll get you out of here in a second. We appreciate the eight minutes in. I can't be the shortest speech ever, right? No. All right, I'm going to throw a few names. We'll get you out of here in a second.

We appreciate the time. Hall of Famer, Dwight, Freeney with us. Just going to throw some names at you and you tell me what they've meant to you in terms of helping you get to where you just arrived at, which is Canton in the pro football hall of fame. Let's start with Tony Dunge. I mean, Tony Dunge is the guy who, you know,

was that father figure, man. He was that father figure out there on the field. You know, it went beyond the game of football. He treated everybody like men. It was like, no, I never had a coach like that. We're never yell at me, man. And he would motivate me through just the way that he carried himself and how he treated me.

So obviously I wouldn't be here if it wasn't the tone ethic. Jim Ursa. Jim is an awesome, awesome owner, very unique as everyone knows. He tells you how you feel and he was a guy that always would do anything, anything for the horseshoe. And thank God I had that type of owner. Mom and dad. Well, that's that's somebody, some people, not many of my parents.

I mean, look, they raised me the right way you know maybe when you were a kid you didn't you couldn't understand some of the things that they did but no doubt you know for them you know and then for what they did with me you know I wasn't raised I had a lot of knuckleheads around. Right. Just put it that way. Right. And somehow I got out of there.

You're rolling your soccer team it appears I mean. Yeah the whole soccer team. It appears I mean It's the truth is man, they did an amazing job raising me and It's the parents it's it's such an underrated part in all of this because you know my daughter's playing lacrosse at Northwestern It's it's the schlepping the practice and to practice. All that stuff, right? You never forget that stuff. It's those stuff, those things that no one even thinks about every day and they did it right. Yep. Bill Polian.

Bill was the architect, man. Bill was the guy who decided to say, hey, this is our guy. And Bill, you've seen what he did in Buffalo, Bill and that team, and what he did at Carolina, and what he did in the Colts is just he built that championship squad. And he had trust in this undersized, quote unquote undersized defense event from Syracuse, go out there and play every single down

and not listen to Mel Kuiper saying that I'm a tweener, and I shouldn't have been drafted that early. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha Brady. Oh my God. Oh no that was okay. So what you're talking about. Okay. What you're talking about was okay. Let me just say that. Okay. All right. We got Chuck. Chuck Pagano great great coach love him to death. He's awesome. Yeah. Awesome. Awesome guy. And that moving me to also you know he was a more of a three four guy at the Ravens. He moved me to an outside linebacker completely different position position. It wasn't the same as a defensive end. I wish he never did. It's the love of it. It was one of those things

where you put your hand on the ground and you know, you're focusing on one thing, but when you stand up, you're seeing all types of motions and all types of stuff. You don't want to see that. I don't want to see that. So next year, next year, I get, they know, they don't resign me at the coast. I go and play for Chuck's brother, Pags. We call him Pags John Pagano. John had me playing outside linebacker, right? And I was like, okay, great. Well, yes, there was the whole play against Tom Brady. And he asked me, I'm in space covering Gonkowski. I'm like, what am I doing out here? Yeah, five seconds later, I'm chasing gankowski. 50 yards down the field.

You know, it was ridiculous. Yeah. We got to the story, Mikey. Yeah. We got to the story. It still makes me laugh. Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning.

Yeah, Peyton Legend, man. Peyton's a big bro, man. You know, he's the guy who set the tone offensively and For him doing what he did on that offensive side made it a lot easier for me on the defensive side You know, he scored those points and now all of a sudden you got to get one dimensional You have to catch up with the offense now and now you're playing into our hands Robert Mathis. He's my brother from another mother. He's that guy that it didn't matter. Look, we can be going, I don't even want to say anything.

I'm just looking at him. He knew exactly what I was going to do. And I looked at him and I knew exactly what he was going to do. And we played off each other great. It's one of those things where you wish he gets in soon, because he was a great player. And I don't want anybody to think. I don't want anybody to think I don't want anybody to think you know he was in you know he only had success because me none he was a beast man and I promise you he had more moves than you know what to do

it do it and in one day he's gonna be in here and we'll be able to be on the same team again he is a beast. John Turlink. Yeah JT man He was that defensive line coach that I had. He was revolutionary. You know, he's a guy that allowed me to do what I wanted to do. You know, he played in the NFL. He coached a lot of Hall of Famers as well and John Brando and Chris Dorman. He's someone, and Neil Smith, he was a guy that, you know, understood the game of football and understood that, you know, it's not all about the X and O's, you know, it's about the talent or player that you have and how you make that guy make plays, give him the freedom to do what he wants to do. And that's what he did.

All right, and then the person who spent the entire week lying to you, your, but the most important person in this equation, your wife. Yes, my wife, awesome. Where would I be without her? She kept me level headed. And especially during these moments of retirement, it's tough when you're playing for so many years and you don't know where you're going to go, what's going to happen. And you get out there and then you sit there and say,

okay, am I going to hit the golf ball every day? And she sits there with me today, whatever you want to do, I'm there for you. And she's my rock and she's someone that, you know, just kind of carried me through this process. I wish I would get that response from my wife. I mean, I, yeah response from my wife. I mean Alright man, listen, I am very happy for you Mikey a everyone on this show we're We're super happy for you. Goal. It couldn't be here. He wanted to be here because he's golfing. Because he's golfing. Smart man. Smart man.

That's so funny. But we are so happy for you. I can't wait to see the gold jacket on you. I can't wait to see you get inducted. I can't wait for your speech. I can't wait to see or find out what it is you take to ease the anxiety of making that speech. I can't wait. I can't wait for all of it, man.

You deserve it. You're a Hall of Fame player. You're a Hall of Fame player. You're a Hall of Fame person. You really are Dwight. Thank you. Thank you for having me. You guys take care. Hit that ball straight.

Short, but straight for me. Yes, yes. Stay in the fairway. All right, man. Congratulations to you. And again, if you need anyone to speak that week, just let you know I'm available. I got you, Dwight. Congratulations, Dwight. you know I'm available. I got you, I got you. All right, congratulations.

Well, thank you for the time. We appreciate this, man. All right, thank you. Thank you.