The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Local Hour: Dan 'The Snitch' Le Batard

Episode Date: January 22, 2024

Would that kick have been good in a dome? Dan, Stu, and the crew discuss Bills vs. Chiefs before listening to sound from people across sports media who got it all wrong on Lamar Jackson. Then, what was YOUR favorite thing from across the football weekend? We get to Jason Kelce, Baker Mayfield, fans in Detroit, and late-game drives. Plus, Calvin 'Megatron' Johnson is here after his Detroit Lions advanced to the NFC Championship. He discusses his relationship with the franchise, Dan Campbell as a coach, deciding to retire, the evolution of the Wide Receiver, and what he loved most about playing football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe Kings Network. This is the Dan Levator Show with the Stugatz Podcast. Is that feel goal good in a dome? The feel goal good in a dome? Put it on the pole please, Juju, at Labrador Show. Is that feel goal good in a dome? I'm going to go around the room here in a second and ask you guys to name a single favorite thing from the football weekend just one just one one favorite thing from each of you for from the football weekend I imagine Billy Billy how happy were you to put me next to you

when that field goal goes wide and you are happy to see Josh Allen's dumb face and you have an ally now and Jessica, I was really surprised by this. Jessica has been infected by the Buffalo Bills hate that we have around here. How happy were you? How did you react to that field goal going wide? I was rooting for the Bills yesterday.

What? Wow. What? Wow. What? I kind of wanted the Bills to win yesterday. Tired of the Chiefs? I'm in a weird, I guess, sports fandom spot

where I had a couple games that I was like, I like both teams, I hope they both win. Agreed. Bucks Lions, I hope they both won. Yesterday, Chiefs and Bills, I was like, ah, it'd be really fun to see the Chiefs and Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl and what that is gonna all amount to

and like, how is Jason Kelsey gonna outdo himself? Like, are we doing no pants next weekend? Like, where are we gonna go from here? So I was like trying to figure that one out. But then the Bills, I was also like, so many people wrote them off and I would like them to be wrong, even though I was one of those people,

I would like them to be wrong. It'd be kind of good if the Bills won here and then you go and you'd have the whole thing and the bills in the off season Remember they had they had the Super Bowl trophy and people like what why do you have a Super Bowl trophy in your practice facility? You've never won the Super Bowl like why is the Lombardi trophy there? You haven't earned that but it was like a motivational thing I was like this could all come together perfectly and people who said the windows closed, they were all wrong again. I was one of those people

and I felt like it'd be kind of cool and then I was like, I feel nothing. Okay, so you weren't just rooting for Anarchy. The long answer. Put it on the poll at LeBatard show. Did Jason Kelsey win the weekend? It is hard for someone who looks like that to be shirtless and steel Taylor Swift shine.

His brother had two touchdowns and he had the better weekend as a Calci brother. He was the best Calci on the field or around the field. He was drinking and tailgating before the game. I gave off a lot of every man, but speaking of liking when people are wrong, Billy, I wanna play an assortment of sounds that you can enjoy because people are wrong.

Here's Mike Francesa on lamar jackson in college this year mike i think this five was six very good quarterbacks if they come out and the jets could possibly if they're picking around nine or ten can grab one of these quarterbacks and that could be the quarterback in the future and i hope they pick the kid from louisville because I think he's by far the best athlete in college football. I don't think he's a quarterback though, Mike. I think you're going to have the same

problems with him. I do not think he's a good passer. I think he's an excellent athlete. I think he could play in the NFL at another position. I think he is an incredible runner. I don't think he's a quarterback. I don't think he's a passing quarterback. I just don't. I don't think he's going to be a successful passer. I really don't. I think he's a great athlete. Billy likes to hear people be wrong. I like Mike Francis. Here's Colin Cowherd on Lamar Jackson. And I've said, Lamar Jackson's a more talented version of Tim Tebow. And all he gets pushed back. All I get is pushed back. And I say, no no No, you watch what's gonna happen Baltimore and Denver

We're proud franchises with Super Bowls and getting very frustrated with their head coach on the hot seat Both guys were overdrafted both guys are projects not prospect Tim Tebow was a project He was never a prospect Lamar Jackson's a project. He's not Sam Darn. He's not Josh Rose. And you watched him last night. He's not even close. He's not even close. First of all, first two times he gets the ball. He scrambles. Third one hands off. Bring it out. Next time he gets the ball. Second drive. Scrambles. Took him to a sixth play. He threw a pass. By the way, it was 0 for three to the left side. 3 for 3 to the right side. So right now he's way more comfortable throwing to one side of the field and running to the other side that was way more bad than good he's not close to RG three at this

point he's not forget flakko RG three is not even close to RG three and it won't matter it never mattered with Tebow Lamar Jackson with the best offensive coach arguably in college football as a three-year starter completed less than 60% of his throws last year. That is a three-year starter with Bobby Petrino. In five of his games last year as a three-year starter with Bobby Petrino, an NFL coach coaching in college, in five of his games he completed 15 passes or less as a three-year starter in college with Bobby Petrino, not even in the best conference in the country.

And here you have a young quarterback who runs right now better than he throws and he's new, flashy, and fun, and he's hope. He is hope. And now, add Twitter and Stir. Lamar Ball is what we may be calling him by November. Of course Lamar is not close I've never thought he was close. That's why I keep calling him a project I never call him a prospect Sam. Donald's a prospect

He's not totally wrong there. He is a much more talented version of Tim Tebow. Just a lot more talented. The other thing with Colin is, I doubt he'll revisit that, ever think about that again. He's a volume shooter. He's onto the next stage. The volume shooter.

Yeah. Speaking of which, here's some more wrong from before the playoffs started. I know. Dan, this time of year, everyone talks about teams they don't want to see come play off time. I want to talk about a team that I actually want to see come play off time. I want to see the Chiefs. I want Patrick Mahomes strolling into my stadium with max confidence.

I want Travis Kelsey. I want Taylor Swift. I want the team that lost to Jordan Love. I want the team that lost to Jordan Love, I want the team that lost to Aiden O'Connell, I want the team that trailed 70 to nothing to Jake Browning. That is the team that I would like to face in the playoffs. That's the team indeed that I would want to face in the playoffs because that team is not very good.

I have been saying for years, there was something off in Kansas City, last year that take didn't go so well for me they won the Super Bowl. This year it's going very very well they are 10 and 6 they're down the offense is not what it used to be the defense doesn't travel well they're good at home not great on the road. I want if I'm a playoff team I don't want Flacco I don't want Flacco. I don't want Mike Tomlin. I don't want any of those teams, the teams that I want strolling into my stadium. Kansas City Chiefs. Shocking. Felt so good four weeks ago. Do it at

Baltimore. This is what you need to do though. You need to learn from Colin and just not revisit it. Like Colin. Well I'm not Dan is. I don't want to say that Colin is you with like a, you know, like a stylist and a PR person, like cleaning everything up, but like, let's give our Zay flowers to Colin because Colin is like pretty incredible in that, like, I don't think he actually cares all that much. You know what I mean?

But he goes on there and he like has all this, he's very talented at thespian, he goes out there, he puts on a performance and he gives off like this passion, like he really cares all this, he's very talented, the thespian, he goes out there, he puts on a performance and he gives off like this passion, like he really cares about this topic and I feel like he just goes home and he chills and he doesn't really care about this all that much. Just like Stugatz, Patrick Mahomes has now made it

to the AFC Championship game every year since they made him a starter and back then this is what Stugatz was saying at the time. Go ahead, Andy Reid, I dare you to go 14 and 2 and allow Alex Smith to leave Arrowhead Stadium to leave Kansas City. Go ahead, I dare you, because of Patrick Mahomes. Because you think you could turn Patrick Mahomes into something that Alex Smith is not. Alex Smith is a very good quarterback. The audacity.

First off, to do this to Alex Smith, who's been very good and loyal to Andy Reid and want him a lot of football games to dangle Patrick Mahomes out there because Andy Reed thinks he's some sort of quarterback whisper, which he is not by the way, he is not because if he was Alex Smith would be better than he's been the last few years. So I, I dare.

There was, I mean that's a record for country. It's on Andy Reed. That is, that is. I mean the only reason Alex Smith is up there is Andy Reed. That sets a world record for Stugatz, not paying attention to any of the things he said the sentence before.

What a great clip that is. In fairness to Stugatz, we didn't see that Alex Smith think through cause he got that injury. So you never know what could have been. Which he is not, by the way. There is only one person around here who got it right. It is Mina Kimes.

She got it exactly right. The Kansas City Chiefs who will still play in the AFC Championship. I know that- How? Oh, it's good, right? I look so bad in this video. I can't believe I let you guys do this.

It looks good. Explain with 20 seconds left. I think outside of the Baltimore Ravens, when you look around the division, I think, or the conference rather, I think all the AFC teams are pretty flawed, talked about Miami's defense, we'll see what happens with Buffalo, the Jags are a mess, but they'll probably win, the Browns are scary, but I think that they'll get knocked out by the Ravens, depending on that thing shakes out.

So when you look around and you're like, okay, well, one team has Patrick Mahomes. I know that the quarterback or the offense has been a mess, but the defense still looks pretty damn good. Time! Jessica, what was your favorite thing from the football weekend? One thing and you can only pick one. It has to be Jason Kelsey, right?

I mean, that game was awesome. Actually, wait a minute, I take it back. The game ended before 10 o'clock PM Eastern. That was my favorite thing. 1A, that, 1B, Jason Kelsey. So Jason Kelsey is still in play or I mean? For you, you want to take it, Chris. What was your favorite thing from the football week? John Harbaugh dancing. Oh, that was good. Oh, do we have that? We have to get that in a second. But first we're going to get Tony. That dancing, was it just him that you enjoyed or was it all the Ravens coaches because all of them did it stronger than most coaches usually do it

It's not we're grading on a curve here, but hard boss sold it the most aggressively here you go stew guts Have you seen all of this? Yeah for me you got to let You got to let the head coach thrive here like this is a little look at me Louis coach This is like something I would do when it should be Steve thrive here like this is a little look at me Louis coach this is like something I would do when it should be Steve it should be Dan in the middle dancing the head coach but it's some like you know linebackers coach it's your guts right here he comes here you need an opening act Oh, right, right. Yeah. Tony, what was your favorite thing from the football? Damn, my favorite thing from the football weekend was seeing Detroit throwing around

all the towels and stuff and like seeing when they were about to win just how the place exploded and sound like a college atmosphere in a pro stadium that you never hear and especially with Detroit at this time of year when they've never had this. It was really cool. I'm already sick of this like 99 year when they've never had this, it was really cool. I'm already sick of this 99 year old fan or whatever they always show now. It's just like, I was cool a few weeks ago when they're like, this guy's been like,

season ticket over 60 years. I don't need him after every touchdown. Like, come on. Every team has that fan, please. Exactly. I'm totally with you, yeah. With the Chiefs, it's Taylor Swift. But Chris is proving the point like, no, no, no, it's not that I, it's not, because it's Taylor Swift. I don is proving the point like no no no It's not that I it's not because it's Taylor Swift

I don't like any fan that they show me more than one time I don't the Taylor Swift thing doesn't bother me maybe because I'm kind of a Swiftie like that doesn't affect me like I'm more bothered By this old guy that they're just they just keep showing them for no reason I kind of just don't want to build a connection with that fan. Is that bad like I felt it with sister Jean I don't want to build a connection with the elderly. Because mortality? Correct, yeah. But did we have Sister Jean on?

Well, I know. She was never actually on though, right? Well, she never, never. We had her on. No, we had her on. The audience, the second set date. Yeah, we had her on the second set. They hurt my opening, yeah, the apron there.

I just don't wanna build a connection with this man because now and like Let me not finish my sentence. There's a lot like six months. I'm gonna miss him. Yeah, there's lost six months What are you doing? I didn't finish that Put it on the pole, please at LeBatard show are you already sick of the Lions? 99 year old fan you say every team has a fan like that the reason year old fan you say every team has a fan like that the reason every team doesn't have a fan like that is because detroit hasn't won like this in fifty years all the other teams win more than detroit calvin johnson's going to join us here in about fifteen minutes to talk about some of this stuff but this

stew gots is from john earlick men he says things that didn't exist when the Detroit Lions last played an NFC championship game. Amazon, Blackberry, eBay, Facebook, Gmail, Google, Instagram, iPhone, Internet Explorer, MySpace, Tesla, Skype, text messages, Twitter, Uber, Wikipedia, Yahoo, YouTube. Jess, Tony, Lucy. Stugaz here from My Friends Over at SimplySafe and telling you about them for years. Why? I have had their home security system in my house for many, many years, protecting both me and my family. I would not recommend anyone else.

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That's why their indoor security cameras are the only ones on the market with physical privacy shutters to ensure your privacy 24-7. Try Simply Save for 60 days risk-free if you don't love it. Return your system for a full refund. Keep your home and family safer than ever in the new year. As a listener, you can save 20% on your new system with fast protect monitoring by visiting simplysafe.com slash DLB. Customize your system in just minutes that simplysafe.com slash DLB. There's no safe like Simply Safe. Don Lebatard! All of us who were watching college football elevated everything the weekend

was because we missed football in general so very much. You didn't watch the ending of UTEP Jacksonville State. It was awesome. A doozy. Boom. Mm-hmm. Stugatz. Such a lane for you. Just everything in college football is awesome. Any single thing that happens she gets deliriously happy about. Don't you miss viewing sports through that prism though? Like I'm envious of of Lucy like I wish that I could still be happy This is the done levitar show with this two guys You want that lion's box game didn't yeah, that was my favorite thing of the sporting weekend was Tampa bake and seeing Baker at least Solidify a career in the NFL

I think with that performance and I wish even though Mike Evans ended up having a good stat line Mike Evans He's last two weeks has been sabotaging my guy weird. It's terrible turning the third down conversions in interceptions He can't survive that but Baker Mayfield Having the guts proven that he might actually have the goods was my favorite thing. It was great to watch them. If you had the Bucks plus 6 and 1 half, and they got that touchdown, trying to make it 6,

and Baker throwing a touch pass, that is not his strength. I mean, it's not. He knows one speed, and that is 99 miles per hour right down the middle. He had a couple of balls to the outside that were incredible passes. Oh, so many great throws this weekend. So many ridiculous throws.

Goff had one. Like, there were so many. The Allen throw. That was the best throw I've ever seen. The one that digs. Unbelievable. Dude. That's, it's his fault.

It's Diggs' fault. You want to be a Y receiver number one? Act like it. Did everyone stand up when that happened? Did you stand up like while the ball was in mid? You don't want to know what I did when that ball was in here. Oh, my God is in man you don't want to know what I did when that ball is in here but what you do now I'm curious do you understand how surprised everyone in the

stadium was given the way the bills played that game with Alan throwing the ball 16 times for completions behind the line of scrimmage to see him air it out like that no one more surprised than digs himself who had the worst game he's had as a bill that ball went right through his hands Stu got it and he he had a terrible game and didn't you guys find it interesting that as soon as the bills came in got rid of Dorsey and tried to limit Josh Allen's recklessness. That game they played yesterday, the Bills, where the Chiefs have only eight possessions to God,

and they punted once, I think. The Bills spent the entire game playing that game they played last year down here against the Dolphins, where you're throwing the ball four and five yards, 16 completions behind the line of scrimmage. He's playing like Alex Smith. They made him play like Alex Smith in order to avoid turnovers and not allow the turnovers to beat them.

And then they had the game at the end and Diggs couldn't make a catch that completely changes how we're talking about all of this today. He had 26 completions for 186 yards. You're right, that's very Alex Smith-like. It's not Josh Allen like, but it's when you're when this is the comfort and the confidence that comes with being my homes and Andy Reid. You're not afraid in these situations because you've been there for six straight

years. But when you're McDermott, you got to fight for your job and you've already fired Ken Dorsey. And the thing you need to do because everyone knows how good your team is is make sure your quarterbacks not reckless you play that game against the champs and you lose to the champs you lose to the champs who are super limited still got my homes had more yardage drops this year by a quarterback no one else had 300 yards he had more than 300 yards drop this year because his receivers are so bad mike asked me before the game i actually sound stupid now i've been wrong i've had every opinion on josh allen including conflicting opinions and they've all been wrong prattie all of them have been wrong

and mike ryan asked me before that game who would you prefer in this game josh allyn or mohomes i'm like i want buffaloes offense i want i've seen how that k City offense looks. That's why Kansas City was an underdog in that game. I've seen the way those receivers look. Give me Mahomes and an offense that can be explosive but when they're coached and the Sphinxers tighten they weren't an explosive offense yesterday because they were throwing the ball behind the line of scrimmage all game. I feel like towards

the end of that game they're trying to be too exact. They're trying to not give Patrick Mahomes any time, Dan. And when you're focused on that, on getting the clock to zero and not just focused on scoring the football, because they have that in their head from a few years ago, where they left Mahomes 13 seconds and he tied up the game. Just score!

I feel like they did the opposite, Stu. He took two shots to the end zone on second and nine and third and nine, and then they had to kick a longer field goal instead of just trying to do something easy underneath and give them a better chance to score a touchdown when you still have time on the clock. He missed a wide open receiver in the end zone. I'm just saying, they were definitely focused

on trying to get that clock as close to zero as possible. But still, God, he can't be both things. He can't be running out the clock and he missed a wide open receiver in the end zone when he's throwing in the end zone when he's throwing in the end zone, unless you're accusing him of throwing. That was a bad throw.

Unless you're accusing him of purposely throwing it poorly so that they could keep the ball. No, that's exactly what I'm accusing him. On that one where he was trying to go deep down the middle, he got hit as he was throwing it, so it came up short. I mean, there are a couple of passes, Dan. Re-watch that last drive where he's throwing it into the turf.

He's just trying to prolong the drive. Okay, go score That part I make German should be fired. Okay. I mean seriously Dan Terry Pagula, okay, and the phone rings this morning Billy is this recycled Bella check this recycled I didn't ask I did not I did not ask Billy this question. No, thank you We did play hot seat or Nazi, but we didn't do that was Billy's game Are we getting the fresh stuff from from your Pagula the Your Pagola, the phone rings, it's Belichick. What do you do? What do you do, Dan?

Mr. Gatz, are you aware that Belichick has no suitors? He went to interviews to Atlanta? Don't, don't, don't do that. Don't do that. You sound silly. Don't do that. You didn't see the reports. There's teams with active coaches

that are waiting through each other just can't yet. Don't do that. He doesn't have suitors. Please. You sound silly. I'm simply saying that at the moment, the only team that's had an interest is the Falcons Interviewed him twice and are now bringing in other candidates. I'm Rick Himmler hot seat or Nazi I'm only saying that at the moment Bill Belichick does not have a bunch of

Opportunities this is the thing that you do. You have to be respectful for a little bit. You know what I mean? Like this is when there's a long-term relationship that just ended and you're like, kinda interested in that person, but what's the right amount of time before you make a move? You know what I mean?

That's what's going on right now. You don't wanna be over-aggressive. You don't wanna be the desperate person. You wanna be the one that's just right, that's there when they need you. Today the agent calls, he dips his toe in the water, Bill doesn't reach out to anyone. Hey, how you feeling?

Just wanted to reach out, hope everything's okay. You know, I'm gonna side with you over the Patriots, just so you know, I can't say it, but we're on your side here. Right, if anything, Balachek sends McDermott a text saying, tough loss, keep your head up, you know? Joseph Goebbels, hot seat or Nazi. Mahomes is now eight and two when he trails by seven or more points in the playoffs.

Eight and two, the only two losses are against Brady. He did it on the road, Dan. Still gots told him to do it on the road and now says do it at Baltimore. Well, he has such a great opportunity here. I mean, Dan, this would really put him in like... What do you mean? Wait a minute. For what? He's won two Super Bowls. No, guys, if he beats Josh Allen on the road, there's a difference. I'm sorry. And he beats Lamar Jackson

the following week on the road in Baltimore and then goes on to win his third Super Bowl. This is a whole different distinction. I don't think we can think any higher of Patrick Mahome. No, I think I feel like we're at our limit. He's been to the ANC Championship game every year that he's played. You're not there yet. I know like we're at our limit. He's been to the ANC Championship game every year that he's played. You're not there yet. I know what he's doing here.

This allows him to rip Lamar Jackson if he doesn't beat Mahomes. It's what he wants. Well, listen. It allows him to say, ah, he didn't do it in the playoffs because Mahomes always does it in the playoffs. Right, well, Lamar,

and I'm doing this as a friend, okay? To who? To who's friend are you being? Lamar Jackson's, okay? I am not saying this, but the media this week is going to say this you are the best player in the NFL You're the most important player in the NFL. I heard this on the gojo walk-along last I only have so many takes you know Well, don't eat them here. Thank you. I didn't finish but that's fine. Let's go just watch the long. Yeah

You were watching that no Jessica just told me. Oh, it's fine. Check out Gojo's watch along. Yeah, thank you. You were watching that? No, Jessica just told me. Thought it was a safe haven for me. All right, Dan, we're gonna give it away. All right, I'll go sit in the penalty box. You snitched, Dan. You're good, I did use it last night. I also found out that Goloch Senior bathes in Christine's bath water.

You guys just missed a lot last night. Wait, what? Go on. She draws a bath and then Goloch bathes in the water after her. You gotta save water. That's kinda hot. Is it really?

Yeah. Salt burn vibes. You're turned on. It's all hot. So wait, the water is kind of like luke warmer already? Yeah. It's not hot. He said it's still warm.

You? Just sitting in his wife's juices. No, Wooten. What? Mike, that was too far. Dan looks like he should be wearing bands today. He's wearing like bootleg ones. Like once it that like the line cooks wear so they don't

slip. I think that's what Dan's wearing. You mentioned that Colin Coward is still gots with the stylist and a PR team, but Dan. And a nicer microphone stylist, right? Matt Sullivan. It's good. Matt Sullivan suggested that we start a chart for days in a row. Dan's wore a collar shirt. Even though I don't know if he's wearing one today actually nobody's got like a nice bomber on

Yeah, yeah, and no hat angle a little monochromatic if you ask me I think that's the green screen though making it look more gray right it seems all olive well, it's gray on gray Yeah, this is the lighting in there. A little touch of color somewhere. 50 shades of gray. Did you guys see the picture with Matt Barnes and Stack and Dan, and making Dan look like he was four feet tall? Yeah, perspective.

He was also leaning in. He was. Did you see that photo of Wemby dunking over Badgley? Badgley's six foot 10. He looks like a little child. Alliance kicker? Money badger. Is it Bagley?

Is it? I don't know. You got it Bagley? Is it? I don't know. He's bounced around. Yeah, sorry. I'm excited. You know that the University of Miami, I think, if Gus Edward scores, has the most points from players in this NFL postseason.

Really? Yeah. Wow. You're taking solace in that? Because we have Money Badger. Offseason champs. Megatron is joining us next. This episode is brought to you by Interac.

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We geek out on your business. Learn how at interact.ca for business terms and conditions apply. Don Lebatard. Common thread was Stu got chumming it up with Aaron Rodgers. Yep. I mean, I met my quarterback. Yeah. As you know, as you know, Stus didn't talk to Aaron Rodgers. Nope

Sue gots thought country music superstar Jake Owen was Aaron Rodgers They had a 20 minute conversation identical twins. I mean Jesus still gots Listen, I will never have the relationship with Aaron Rodgers that I have with the guy that I thought have the relationship with Aaron Rodgers that I have with the guy that I thought was Aaron Rodgers. So the way that... I mean, that is the greatest conversation I've ever had with my cornerback. This is the Don Lebatar Show with the Stugats. He is Detroit royaltyalties to God. He got a video tribute yesterday, a huge ovation at Ford Field.

He's a six-time pro bowler. And I believe that he could go out there right now at 38 years old and have eight catches for 110 yards. I can't believe he's only 38. I also think he should get a ring if the Lions win it all. Okay. Calvin Johnson with us. And it is nice to see him have a good relationship with the

organization because it seemed like it was, it was, I don't know, I was judging it from afar so we'll let him talk. Calvin, thank you for being on with us. It's been a pleasure to watch your work for a long time, sir. And we're happy for the success of the Lions. It seems like everybody is. No, it's exciting times around here in Detroit, man. Everybody's giddy. You know, you go anywhere in Detroit, people got their colors on, and you can't do nothing but talk

football around here right now. How did the relationship get better, Calvin, with the team? Because I've said before that the franchise has been so hurting for so long that they made not one, but two of their legends say, okay, I've had enough, this sport hurts hurts and i don't want to do it anymore uh... how did you fix the relationship so that you're now around and you get to enjoy this with everybody you have a big part of the man uh... you know the sale of their uh... my designer you know he went out of his way you know to uh... you know the brain

to size back together you know i was the uh... under shila and all that over there uh... but i'm just pretty sure now i was one of two you know, obviously, um, under Sheila and all that over there. Um, but I'm just appreciative. You know, I always wanted to, you know, be a part of that and have my kids be able to, my family be able to go around there, you know, and then, you know, see all the good work that I put in and know just to be a part of something like this now, you know, just makes it, you know, that much better. You know, timing was great. Athletes obviously can be prideful. So how was that bridge connected? Right?

Were you hurt by something? Like how, how, how, what was the medicine on that? I think the medicine was really just somebody on the other side going out their way to try to bring the two sides together. Cause I couldn't do it. Yeah. I couldn't do it by myself. I need somebody from the other side to, to, to stand up, stand up a hand and, and Mike Dizner was the one to do that. So I'm, I'm, I'm extremely appreciative of all these deaths for me. Calvin, you played do that. So I'm extremely appreciative of all he's done for me. Calvin, you played with Dan Campbell and I'm wondering if I told you back then

when you were playing with him, this would be the guy, this would be the coach that would lead Detroit to the NFC championship game, you would have told me what? I would have told you he's a dude. He's a dude, he's that guy that was out there, you know, when we were playing, he was out there. You know, we're playing. He was starting and had one shoulder really went on to work with. I mean, that could be that could tell you where we were as alliance team at the time.

Or you just tell you how good of a guy. How much of a stud this guy was, you know, I would go with the latter, you know, just because of where we are today with him. And he's a great guy. And, you know, it's nothing better to have a player that played in this league as your head coach. But if we were being honest, I just I sidle up next to you. And I'm like, the guy did a great job there, Calvin, the tight end over there

that's got one arm, Calvin, the highest he he gets to in the coaching ranks is tight end coach, correct? Like that from from that vantage point, it would have been hard to see this. 100%, I can't even lie, I can't even lie. I would meet, I mean, honestly, just sitting there knowing Dan, great dude, but I didn't see him as a head coach. I even asked him like,

dog, did you ever see yourself like here in this spot? He was like, man, I believe he, I forget what he said exactly, but I don't believe he saw it at first either. You know, so, but, but he just, you know, just being his authentic self Man, it's just taking them a long way. You have been around the team more I think this year than at any time in the past. Do I have that right? Yes

And what has that been like for you? Does any part of you miss it? I think the one thing not only me but any of the guys, you know, miss the you know The running up and down the field, the pushing waves and all that. You really miss the camaraderie. You know, now it was great these last two weeks because all the guys that I played with for the most part, everybody's coming back in town to see these guys play. You know, we're proud, you know, we're proud to rep the, the Honolulu blue and to see these guys having success now, man.

And you know, it's just, we feel like we're part of that as well. Give me some numbers. I put you out there right now. Right now I put you out there. What's your stat sheet look like at the end of the game at 38 years old? If y'all put me out there right now, I'm going to tell y'all just to put me in inside a 10 yard line so I ain't got to run too far. You know, I can't jump like I used to, but I still probably go up and catch a fade.

What, what, what did your body feel like at the end, Calvin? Because, you know, with Julio Jones and others, I don't think people understand what it's like to carry that frame, play that physically, that sport, what it does to your feet. Like what, when you retired, what was your body feeling like? Yeah, man.

You know, I played at 240 my whole career, but for me, it's all the joints, you know, my knees, my ankles, you know, I always felt like my, all, but for me it's all the joints, my knees, my ankles. I always felt like even today sometimes, I feel like my Achilles just got one more thread. I do something crazy and it's going to go. Same with my knee, I always had sharp pains there, but it was at the time, man. It was just too much. It was the pain and all that overweighed the joy from the game. And that's when, for me, I knew at that time I've accomplished my goals. I was like, okay, it's time to hang low.

How hard a decision was it for you? Like how much did you wrestle with it? You know, I wrestled with it the whole, well, I didn't wrestle with it too much. The only time I wrestled with was the season that I knew I was going to, after my night, during my ninth season, I knew I was going to retire. Funny thing is I would tell my guys at lunch like I'm done. Like I'm, I'll tell my guys to Toby for the entire year. I'd be like, man, I'm out of here like Toby's dog. I'm done. And none of the guys believe me. None of them believe me.

And then at the end of the season, they're like, damn, he was telling the truth the whole time. He was telling us the whole season. But the reason I didn't come out with it was because I didn't want it to be a distraction for the team going throughout the whole season. And it was my thing. I didn't know how to tell Coach Caldwell.

Man, he was one of the best coaches, head coaches I've had in my time. And it just, unfortunately, my body and where we were at the time, just, you know, I didn't have too many more years for him. But, you know, I wish I could have played longer with him. Can you articulate for us the difficulties in playing that game that hurts that way and demands so much from the body when your heart's not in it, when you're at lunch

and you're saying, I'm done. You don't want to be at work. It all started in the off season. Well, I'll tell you this, the season before after my eighth season, I told my dad like, Dad, I think I'm done. And he's like, he asked me about, you think you could do it one more time? And I was just, I sat there and thought about it and before I could say anything, he's like, well, since you're thinking about it, you could probably do it one more time. And, um, but going into that season, the off season training, I knew I wasn't able to do all the things that I was doing in the past

in order to get myself ready for the season. So I know that, and I knew that if I can't put in and do the things that I did in the past, it's gonna be hard for me to get out the production that I was able to put out in the past. And with that, it came with the, I didn't have a dislike for the game, but it was more so like, geez,

I'll be at games like, I'll tell my guys, like, I don't know how I'm gonna make it to this game today in pregame. It would be like that all the time though, my whole last year. Did you doubt your decision at any point? Obviously there's relief at the beginning. The first year you feel good to be relieved.

Just good to not be in pain, but was there any doubt thereafter? I mean, every time I thought about going back, you know, or if I could go back, I got a quick reminder, you know, how my body felt, you know, whether I go do something physical or whatnot. I just, what the pain and the ailments that I had, is no way that I was going to be able to do

a whole another season without getting shot up every game. I mean, shoot, got shot up almost every game anyway, but we know that stuff isn't good for you. So just trying to put myself in the best position and always try to put natural things in my body. And I just wanted to be, I wanted to be available for my kids, man. I wanted to be able to play with my kids.

And I just saw the way that things were going, man. I just put in every more year, every other year I put in from this point on, you know, I'm just killing my body. I'm just wrecking my body. Now I was at the point where, you know, I just, I was just tired of it. Calvin, I'm wondering here because body. I'm just wrecking my body. Now I was at the point where I was just tired of it. Calvin, I'm wondering here because you own the NFL record

for most receiving yards in a season. Did Tariq Hill make you nervous? Hell yeah. Yeah, you were watching that? Hey, hey, if Tariq didn't get hurt this year, man, he probably would have took it. You know, yeah, he's, I mean, with the extra game, man, it's gonna get taken to some point.

I was unfortunate to have had it for over a decade, you know, now, you know, but at some point, you know, this year, I feel like every year, somebody's getting close to it. Who's the receiver you like watching the most now? Oh, that's tough, man. I love watching my home team. I love watching those guys, but I'm in Ron and all those guys, but I love AJ Brown,

I like watching that kid, like the Vonte Smith, been trying to aim since he was in Alabama. I know those boys on the Eagles, trying to think who else we got out here? Oh, CDLow, the kid plays some good ball. He's a good receiver. Who else we got out here?

Obviously, Jefferson and, dang, Justin Jefferson and, um, Chase, those kids are tough, man. Uh, I just, you know, I look at, I look at, I look at these guys, man. And, you know, I try to see who does it all, you know, who does it all, who blocks, you know, who's a selfless, you know, and then who obviously who makes crazy plays out here. You are now the co-founder of a CBD Wellness startup. What can you tell us about how it has helped you with this pain you're talking about? Yeah, for sure, man.

When we started the company, we wanted to start from an authentic place. Products that we use while we're in the league that help us out. So we use topicals, we use a lot of rehydration drinks. And we was like, how can we add on to these products, make them better? And we was like, okay, we're in the cannabis industry, and then so we started our CBD company with the behind the premise of we want to bring pharmaceutical technology to cannabis. We're able to do that with our nanotechnology products that we have. And basically with the nanotechnology, it decreases the product particle size so it can get through the

Intestinal system into the bloodstream making it more bio available for your body more useful For your body. So we started with a topical. We're able to add the anti-inflammatory components of CBD CBG CBC and CBN into them and then do doing the same thing with a rehydration drink I'm just really trying to target inflammation both internally and superficially. So when we have a product that's going to be, that we're going to NSF for sport certification now, basically making it a, being able to have a products that are approved for collegiate and professional athletes. You know, we feel like we have a product that, I mean, obviously I've used it and we wouldn't

put it on the market because until we felt like it was good enough for professionals to be able to use, but it's not just good for professionals. It's good for anybody that has any daily wear and tear, any bumps and bruises that you deal with or if you're just physical and you have a soreness. It's great for any type of inflammation on the body. So that's why we're excited to be able to get this thing on to the professional teams. We're on our way to be able to do it, doing some of those things and being able to announce some big news here in 2024.

But all this stuff is available on primitiveperformance.com. Very good product. I'm excited about it. Like I say, anytime I got bumps and bruises, I snowboard, I do all that. I stay pretty active. So, I'm using it a lot. You guys are funny though when you say banged up or bumps and bruises, it's usually a little more than that. So when you say you were getting shot up every game,

what was the worst of those? Did you get any shots in the feet? Because I've heard that those are the worst, but I don't know what the worst was for you. I never got one in my feet. You know, before a game, I would have like fluid taking out my knees before a game. We would take tour at all shots before a game,

just so you can make it through the game I think the worst thing I ever did though was I had a like a probably like a six inch long needle They stuck down in the middle of my knee and I thought I was tough. So I'm gonna see I'm gonna sit here and watch I could take this my down here fell out when they stuck that thing in my knee I feel back on the table. I was like, you all right, I popped back up. I'm good But no, that was probably the craziest thing. It didn't hurt so much just watching the six inch needle going to your knee. You know, that's probably what would knock me out. But you know, crazy, I never had anything. Unfortunately, you know, to my feet, I had ankles ankle issues. Oh, those

suck because it takes forever for those to heal, especially playing receiver and constantly running. So, um, but yeah, no, nothing, nothing would defeat her. Do you have any stat, any game, any particular thing that is the thing that is proudest for you that you feel the strongest about that, man, I can allow myself some love here. I was really good at blank. I was talking about playing ball. Yes. Man, going up on guys, making plays on two, three guys, you know, those are the

things that I love the most, you know, going up and catching the ball and all those guys. Heck yeah. When Stafford does the no look thing in the Super Bowl, where it's on a game winning drive in a Super Bowl and he's throwing a no look pass, what's happening with Calvin Johnson in his home as he's watching this? I'm like, sure, he was doing that shit in Detroit. They talk about Patrick Mahomes. They talk about Patrick Mahomes doing it.

I'm like, damn, Matthew been doing this thing since he came into the league. No one noticed though. Uh, yeah. Yeah. Nobody, nobody gives us love in Detroit. We don't get none of that. Sure. Y'all know that.

He, he's unusually, he's unusually tough. Is he not? Oh, thank you The kid is tough man. Obviously he's had injuries on the start of his career But we see how he's bound them even at the end of the message first two seasons But he came back strong man. He had he knew he had a lot to make up and he came back to get it What's your relationship with Eminem? Now I don't have a huge relationship in them. We we see each other and we're always gracious Oh, we have a huge relationship with M&M. We see each other, and we're always gracious. We have a good relationship. Whenever we see each other, I did a little shoot with him

10 years ago in Detroit. And it's always good to see the guy, man. He's a legend here in Detroit. And we know the music, but he's a good dude, too, man, just to be able to sit there and chop it up. When we were talking last week at the game before the game, he was like, man, I even want to come back and play for this team. I was like, yeah, what number would you wear?

He was sitting there thinking about it. I'm like, come on, man, you know what? You gotta be wearing number eight for eight miles, come on. Calvin, not to get bogged down, but Patrick Mahomes is better than Matthew Stafford, right? Why are you doing that? I just see like there was a comparison being made. I'm not even going to entertain that conversation.

I'm not even going to go down that rabbit hole. Let's have that. Patrick Mahomes, he's the beast. Patrick Mahomes, I can't even going to entertain that conversation. I'm not even going to go down that rabbit hole. Let's head up. That's my home, easy beats. That's my home. I can't even lie, man. The kid don't want two suit bows in his first one, five, six years. Is that, I don't know if that's accurate, but I mean, damn.

The 49ers? They're not fair right there. The 49ers scare you? No, man, I like the matchup. Honestly, you know, the way love was trending up over the system, like the middle of the season, since we played them out on Thanksgiving, I was kind of more scared of him,

Aaron Jones coming back strong. Honestly, obviously they should have won that game they dropped two interceptions. But I think the 49ers would be a decent matchup for us. We hit Perdy a couple of times. If we could keep McCaffrey under a hundred yards, I mean, he get 99, that's cool. If we just keep him under a hundred yards, you know,

I think we'll be all right. I think we can do that. I don't think that's too tall of a task to ask for. I like this team. I like this team the way they're trending up right now. I like the way they've been playing the last two weeks. The secondary is playing great right now. So I'm excited.

Calvin say it. It seems like you want to say it. Just say it. Just say the Lions are gonna beat the 49ers and go on to the Super Bowl. Just say it.. Calvin say it. It seems like you want to say it. Just say it. Just say the Lions are going to beat the 49ers and go on to the Super Bowl. Just say it. I'll say it with you. Hey, I hope the Lions kick the 49ers ass. I hope to be able to go to Vegas and watch you boys in the Super Bowl 100%. He wants more than hope. Yes. He wants. I want to guarantee. Stop praying. I was talking to Big Sean the other day. He was there that serious. He was like, hey, man, we praying for this. Like, we were there.

The whole city of Detroit, we praying for this. So I'm right there with him. Primitive Performance is the CBD company. Calvin Johnson, one of the best to ever do it. Thank you, sir. All right. Good to see you guys, man. you