The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - CONCERN for Micah's back, Super Bowl FAVORITES, Jaxson Dart named BACK-UP

Episode Date: September 3, 2025

John opens the podcast continuing the conversation about Micah Parsons and if there should be any concerns about his back and how he feels the Packers are going to handle that situation. Next, he talks about some of the teams that he thinks has a shot to win the Super Bowl and what team might be a dark horse. Later, John dives into how Bill Belichick has been handling the NFL scouts that are trying to attend UNC practices and how he might need to change his way. John also talks about the Giants naming Jaxson Dart as the back-up and what it means for Russell Wilson's future in NY. Later, John answers your questions in this episode's mailbag segment.  4:52 - Concern for Micah's back 6:40 - Super Bowl favorites 19:22 - Belichick and the scouting community 28:33 - Jaxson Dart named the back-up 36:27 - Mailbag Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice. Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife-Life 12

and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The volume. What is going on, everybody, John Middilcoff? Three and out podcast. We're finally here. We got NFL games coming up right around the corner. If you're listening to this, probably less than 36 hours. be 24 hours for Eagles Cowboys.

So let's get fired up. A lot of content the last couple days. Pods with Colin. Pods on Archmanning. Pods on Alabama and LSU and Bill Belichick. So we've had content for days. We've been grinding. My people behind the scenes have been working their ass off.

So props to everybody not named Middilkoff. It's part of this podcast. Appreciate you guys a lot. Other than that, that'd be Adam, Shane, Jackson, Noah. we got a crew. It's not just me here. I'm just along for the ride on the back of the boat.

Big show today. Talk some football. Some big picture stuff in the NFL. Michael Parsons is the back. Bill Belichick want to chime in on something there. Some other stuff. As well as a mailbag. At John Middlecoff firing those DMs

and get your questions answered here on the show. At John Middlecock, firing those DMs. You guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins' feed, make sure you subscribe to 3 and out. Also, make sure you subscribe to the YouTube. page. Very easy to do. Just type in my name, subscribe. All of our content is there. So let's talk

can't even speak. Let's talk some football. But before we do, you know, we're going to tell you about my friends. My partners in the official ticketing app at this point. You want to go to one of these NFL games? We're here. Do you want to go to one of these college games this fall? We're here. Mario was showing me this concert coming to Arizona at Chase Field, which is honestly a terrible baseball stadium. But as I got, I kind of want to go to this concert. It's in November.

I'm like, hey, if you're feeling up for it, I know some people. people that know some people. I got an app on my phone, press a couple of buttons and we're there. Because GameTime, easiest app I've ever used, and trust me, I've used them all. Been going to games for 20 years now, consistently, and it does not get any easier to use. So take the guest work out of buying tickets with Game Time. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use the code, John for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem the code, John for $20 off. Down on the GameTime app today, last minute tickets, lowest prices, guaranteed.

Eat. Okay, well, let's just start with this. I've seen a lot of talk on the internet. I was at the gym this morning. I looked up. Everyone was screaming at each other on the television shows about the Micah Parsons back situation with Green Bay. Listen, teams have a lot of leverage in these situations. They can just kind of try to smoke you out, right, and do nothing and just go, I bet you're not going to miss games. Or the player can be in a difficult situation, especially nowadays where if you hold out, and you're a veteran player, they can find you and you can't get the money back. It just becomes complicated. But this whole notion with the back injury, if you think there's a reason that 16 and 17-year-olds when they get their license have to pay a lot for insurance. There's an enormous risk when you give a 17-year-olds, the car keys to the suburban, right? He's much more likely to get into an accident. Why?

He hasn't been driving very long. And let's face it, especially young boys, we do dumb-ass shit behind the the wheel. And insurance companies go, well, we're going to charge you a lot. If you think that a team would trade multiple first round picks and then give a historic amount of money for a guy with a back injury, I want to know what you're smoking. The reason I'm out on the ramps, they're quarterback. I mean, potential Hall of Famer. His back's messed up. And yeah, he might play week one. And hell, he could play all of September. You have no clue when that thing flared up. Could be on a Tuesday, could be on a

Friday, could be the morning of a game. And all of a sudden he's like, I do not feel right. I'll never forget, Steve Kerr literally couldn't coach couldn't coach a basketball team because of his back. It is by far, at least if you have something with your foot, something with your elbow, it

becomes very like, very black and white, typically, with an injury. It's like, okay, if we get this surgery, this will happen, with the back, the unknowns, are kind of like the brain. So you can throw around discs and L4 and L5s, here's what I know. The Packers would never have

given the thumbs up on this trade if there was a problem with the back. Now, if you're the Cowboys, it's over. This thing, regardless what the nail in the coffin was, the straw that broke the camel's back, the reason that you pulled the trigger, who cares?

He's not your problem anymore. He's the Packers. But if you think this, he might need an epidural to play Sunday. Do you think the Packers, just gave this guy historic amount of money, is going to put a shot into his back so he can play week one of the

first moment they give him a direct deposit for this contract. You're crazy. Because Goudicans couldn't risk his career because that would be a career ender, at least in Green Bay, if this guy had a messed up back and couldn't play. There's no way they would

green light it. So this story, I'm glad it's about to go away and he can just play and we can all move forward. And the Cowboys can move forward, probably getting their ass kicked. You know, people like, Middlecuff, what are your predictions? Who do you like in each division? Who are your playoff teams? I find that stuff kind of boring, honestly.

And luckily, like, in the podcast space we're in, I don't have to do that. I can kind of do whatever I want. And I think we'd all agree. Like, we'd all be on the same page. There's a group, you know, if you want to be conservative, four or five teams, if you want to be a little more aggressive, eight, nine teams, they can win the Super Bowl. There's easily half the league. league that doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell. I think we all agree there is a group of

the Eagles, the Bills, the Ravens, and the Chiefs, right? Those three teams in the AFC have consistently been in the mix the last couple of years, the Chiefs for more than half a decade, and the Eagles have been two of the last three Super Bowls and look absolutely loaded on paper. They're going to be really, really good. Now, the Packers, I like to win the division. I like clearly, in theory, more now with Micah Parsons. I do think that adds a wrinkle to inside the locker room, the money dynamics, how he embraces it all. But if it goes well, their ceiling is clearly now much higher.

And I would put them right there with Washington, Detroit, as a team that would not shock me at all if they're in the NFC championship game. I think the NFC can be a little more difficult. Because if you want to say everything goes right in Denver, I think they could be right in the mix. If you want to say the offense is greatly improved in Houston, I'd be like, I could see them being right in the mix, right? Because both those two teams' defense are going to be really good.

Obviously, Sean Payton's resume speaks for itself, and I'm a big believer in Demico Ryan's. I think the AFC top to bottom is clearly better, which makes it more difficult. Like if the Chiefs are going to keep going to the Super Bowl, even if they lose some of these Super Bowls, what they're doing winning these playoff games is fucking insane. I mean, it really is, right?

The Eagles got a packer team that wasn't really that good last year, at least wasn't playing that well coming in, and then they got a Washington team in the championship game that they were clearly way better than, and then just curbsnobbed them. Hell, they beat the shit out of the Chiefs. So their road was a little bit easier than having to play Buffalo, having to play ball. It's just harder.

It just is, because anytime you've got to play, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, potentially Joe Burrow, it is difficult. but I think they're Listen, it's hard for me to bet against the Eagles. I'd be a little surprised. It's football, guys can get injured. Obviously, they have a new play caller, though he's been there,

which I don't think you can just be confident on because a couple years ago they would have said the same thing and then it was kind of a disaster. But I'd be a little surprised if there aren't major injuries if the Eagles aren't at minimum in the final four and representing the NFC. I've picked the bills before and they've let me down. I've picked against the Chiefs, and they've basically done it every time.

I've rarely ever picked the Ravens because until Lamar does it, I do believe he can do it. But until he does it, I'm not picking them. I like Denver a lot this season, and Houston's kind of my wild card, because I think their defense might be the number one defense. If CJ Stroud's a good player, you're going to be a major factor. But I think that's pretty clear. I do think there's one team in the NFC that, like, we did, we had a meeting on my show maybe like a month ago.

And one of the guys behind the scenes, Noah, was like throwing out some bets he liked. And I, once he said, I'm like, I kind of loved it. Is Baker Mayfield, about 25 to 1 to win the MVP? Well, if you like Baker Mayfield to win the MVP, you got to like Tampa Bay. And if you like Baker Mayfield to win the MVP, if he plays like he did last year and they win 12 or 13 games, more than likely there are a two or three seed, right? I mean, who knows? if things go really well, 13 or 14, they could be the number one seat.

And all of a sudden, maybe they're in the mix to be going up against the Eagles, who actually they've played well against the last couple years. So that is one bet, and I've mentioned this before. Listen, you're not getting great odds on all the top quarterbacks. You would say Joe Burrow could have a huge season, but I'm not picking the Bengals to make the playoffs. Actually, I think the Bengals and the Chargers missed the playoffs this year. You know, I just think Cincinnati, you can't be that shitty a defense.

You really can't be that shitty a defense and me to take you seriously. Like, we have seen a lot of teams over the history of football have great offenses and just come up short. I'm not even talking about come up short in the playoffs

or the Super Bowl. I'm talking just literally in games throughout the season. So, like, I'm out on Cincinnati. Not because I don't love Joe Burrow in their offense. And it's the same reason I'm kind of out on the charges.

You lose a star left tackle which messes up your offensive line. Your offense, to begin with, wasn't great. Your margin for error was already pretty small. Like, I think both these two teams are probably like nine-ish wins. And I think the Patriots get in this year, the one team, the one sleeper team I got, you can get almost four to one the Titans to make the playoffs. Actually, the Titans could be pretty solid this year.

Why? I'm a believer in Cam Ward. And if Cam Ward's good, like, that team was a couple awful plays away from Will Levis, from instead of drafting one, drafting like 10th. and their quarterback play was atrocious. Early on in the season, their defense wasn't bad. So if Cam Ward is good, I don't think it's crazy that the Titans are just like a competitive team. Now, do I think they are the equivalent of what Washington was last year? No.

But I definitely think that if you tell me they're in the wild card mix come December, I think it's very believable. And I've been saying this for a while. I think the best value on the board is Seattle at 5 to 1 to win the division. I mean, most teams, they had the same record as the Rams that won the division last year. The same exact record. The Rams, their starting quarterback at any moment could just be out of month with a fucked up back. And then they got to go to Jimmy Garoppolo or Stenson Bennett.

So Seattle won 10 games last year. They have an improved roster. I think Sam Donald's a better player than Geno Smith. So you can get them 5 to 1 to win the division. Now, I'm not saying they're going to win the division. I'm just saying from a value perspective, that's fantastic. Hell, the Packers, who I liked a lot pre-Michael Parsons, were like plus 250. It's like half the odds of what Seattle is going into the season

when they literally won 10 games last year. They have a coach who we know is good. Like, he proved it. It's not like a first time, it's not a Ben Johnson situation. Where it's like a, like, listen, I'm kind of out on the bears. Not because I don't like Ben Johnson. Not because I don't think Dennis Allen's a good defensive coordinator. I just think this thing's going to be weird.

Not like they're going to suck and bottom out. but I do think that they will not live up to the expectation of Ben Johnson's here, he'll save Caleb, and everything will be right. Same thing with Minnesota, it's like, I don't really know. I love their coaching staff, obviously like their roster, but it's just hard. When you have an unknown at quarterback, we're basically just kind of could be great. Because at least I know with Cam Ward coming from college,

they have been depending on this guy throwing the ball for years. Washington State and Miami. So yeah, the NFL is a lot different than Miami playing Boston College. But in terms of, hey, this game, we're going to need you to carry us. He's been doing it for like three years in the PAC 12 of Washington State and then obviously last year of Miami. JJ Devere was asked to play like that. And so if they get in situations like, that's how Sam was playing last year.

Because that's how Washington was kind of built. Now, you could say they're going to run the ball more this year. They got Jordan Mason to go with Aaron Jones. Yeah, maybe. I got to see it first. So I like Minnesota more than Chicago, but I think both those are pretty big wild cards with the quarterback. I just got more questions about teams in the AFC than the NFC, or the NFC than the AFC. Like Detroit, who doesn't like their roster? It's really good.

They got a bunch of stud players. They've got like four or five guys that are under 25 that are some of the best players in the league. They have a group of like six, seven guys on their team that is good of a nucleus as any in the NFL. but when you change an offensive coordinator, like Ben Johnson wasn't just good, he was great. And this Johnny Morton guy, I always get a little nervous when you have a coach that I'm pretty sure Johnny Morton's like 55 years old.

Johnny Morton Jr. He is 53. And am I looking at the wrong guy? I'm looking at the wrong guy here. This is, I'm looking at the right guy now. He is 55. 55-year-old. So look at some of the star offensive coordinators recently in the NFL.

You know, Kyle, Sean, LaFleur, O'Connell, Ben Johnson. A lot of these guys are younger. So you haven't got your opportunity in all these years to shine in a league that yearns for offensive guys that are good with the quarterback, good with the offense. This guy was the wide receiver coach for Jim Harbaugh from 2011 to 2014 with the San Francisco 49ers. And it just didn't materialize.

It's like you've been this offensive senior assistant. It doesn't mean that he can't be good, but a little weird. I just got that situation red flag. I would say more than likely there's a little bit of a comeback to Earth, still being good, but nowhere is dominant as they've been. Because it's just, he's not as good as Ben Johnson. We saw it a couple years ago with Brian Johnson taken over for Shane Psyching. there's going to be a drop-all.

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a...

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts around there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And, well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel

and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo SlicLife 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion dollar fraud.

But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. One thing I do want to talk about is Bill Belichick. And on Monday night, I've talked, we did a podcast the other night.

You got his ass kicked. We all saw it. It was ugly. It was embarrassing. And this has nothing to do with that. In the end, in college football, you, right, when you're a big school, scouts are coming to your program constantly. And I never actually did a school visit to this place, but have been told by literally everyone I know that the best. school in America to deal with as a scout, as a GM, as a person, as just anyone in the

NFL. Not even close was Alabama. The doors were open literally 24-7. As a buddy described it to me one time that if you called someone at two or three in the morning and needed to get in for something, they would have someone at the front door opening it for you. They were as NFL friendly as you could possibly be. One guy who's taking a lot of shit the last couple of years is Lincoln Riley. He's been at U.S. it hasn't been going that well. He closes practice, closes to NFL scouts. It's like, why are you doing that?

Like, we're all in this together. Now, one thing I had always heard about Gus Malzahn when he was in Auburn, he used to close practice as the season went on because he thought that a lot of scouts wanted to curry favor with Nick Sabin and they would steal things that were happening at practice or make notes of it and give it to coach Sabin, so he would have an advantage when they played the Iron Bowl. Even though I'm not saying that's never happened in the history of the sport. I also understand where Gus being a little insecure, he's not Nick.

Like, of course, if they have to choose one guy to get in with, it would be Sabin. He was just very not confident in the situation, right? So he would close practice as the season went on, and it was very unfriendly the NFL scouts. Well, one thing that I was told is that, and there was a report last night, this is what got my mind going, is Pete Dammel of ESPN, reported that Bill Belichick has made it very difficult on the scouting community so far this fall. Because basically, the NFL training camp starts, right, July 20th to 24th, most of the scouts go, like the college scouts go, give or take seven to ten days at their NFL facility,

wherever they're holding training camp, do a bunch of stuff with the GM, go to practice, and then they go out on the road, and they start hitting schools, right? Because a lot of these guys, these sophomores becoming juniors that are going to be stars, they're now draft eligible in some of these seniors, and you start getting information on these players.

Start gathering information, right? They haven't played a game, but for the next couple weeks before the college season starts, you're hitting all the big school. and if you knock on Alabama's door or you knock on Texas's door a lot of these programs come on in you meet with a pro liaison

which typically is like the GM or a personnel guy who knows the players well and they just break it down from a player to the main thing especially during the fall is the person the character what he's like in the program it can be a little more difficult now with the transfer portal

way more difficult so you got to like it takes a little more time gathering the off-the-field information when a guy's been moving schools, but any guy that's been in the program for a couple years, you can talk to people and they give you a bunch of information. Well, Belichick hasn't been very accommodating. And I was told by multiple people that he has banned the New England Patriots.

The New England Patriots, if you're a scout for the New England Patriots, you are not allowed at the University of North Carolina, which is funny, but also kind of embarrassing. Because Bill Belichick, for most of... Multiple decades, my guess is made over $200 million working for Robert Kraft. Became an absolute NFL legend, winning Super Bowls, going to Super Bowls, and just kicking the shit at everybody with Tom Brady. And then it got ugly, and he lost, and he got fired.

You know what that's called? Football. Tom Landry got fired, Andy Reid got fired, Pete Carroll's been fired. People get fired. But to ban the New England Patriots is like an FU to Robert Craft. guess what Robert Craft's not doing ever making a school call in the history of his life

he's never going to any of these universities collect it's just some random kid you know random guy that works for Elliot Wolf going to the school one North Carolina doesn't have much talent right now but regardless I do think

like I understand being old, bitter crouchy and angry if life's been shitty right if you're lonely if your financial situation's bad, if you have no hope in life, just being miserable.

That is understandable. Now, I wouldn't choose that mindset. I think it'll just lead you to more misery. It's a shitty way to live. But when you're super rich and life's going pretty well, someone just paid you $10 million to coach the University of North Carolina. When no one else would hire you,

it's a beautiful campus by all accounts. Everyone on campus was fired up to watch your game. like it's pretty exciting like you were a really big deal they made you Monday night football like life's not that shitty for Bill Belichick yet he is like this egotistical angry grouchy just asshole right now and listen that's always been his thing well it's much more understandable and easy to deal with when you're winning when you're losing and what we witnessed last night no one's going to handle that stuff very well and the thing I was thinking about once you ban all the scouts and make it hard for the scouts and ban the New England

Patriots. And maybe Bill knows this, clearly. He's never getting a job in the NFL again. Because even if it goes well in a couple years in New England or in North Carolina, he'd be 75, 76 years old. Like, this is it. And he knows it. But to go out like this, honestly kind of symbolizes who Bill Belichick is. Petty, vindictive. I understand it with Goodell, you know, having the issues you had when you felt you got fun. or Brady got suspended and whatever and it was unfair. In this situation, it just feels kind of like low level. It really does.

Because I asked a couple people, have you ever heard about this? Because guess what? A lot of people in the NFL have been fired. A lot of head coaches have been fired and then gone on to college to run, become head coaches. Do you know what none of them have ever done, to my knowledge? Ban the team that fired them. And Belichick isn't just synonymous with the Patriots. he is famous because of the Patriots.

He's interwoven into them. So I understand having a bad divorce. But bro, you went four and 12. Like, if she dumps you because you lose your job, you're miserable, you don't do anything, and you're, like, potentially violent. Like, hard to blame her. Right.

Does anyone really blame Robert Kraft for firing you? Like, it was time. Like, you weren't just there 10 years, 20 years. You were there, like, 23 years. It was a long freaking time. And it ended up on its course. I just can't understand. And I was thinking about this.

I mentioned this on Monday night. He can't fake his personality, which I appreciate in most people, but now in his job, there is somewhat of like a political angle to it. You kind of got to put on a brave face and just pretend to be semi-happy. Sometimes in college football.

Do you think every day Nick Sabin wanted to smile when he just knew like, hey, recruits are going to be watching or to do this media hit or to do whatever? Of course not. Well, Belichick's never had to do any of that. Because in the pros, none of that matters. In college it kind of does. So now the NFL people are like, God, this guy,

what the fuck is wrong with Bill? And most people would just be like, yeah, that's who he's always kind of been. Which, listen, you can make excuses when you're winning 13, 14 games and go into the Super Bowl. You just become a laughing stock when you start losing by 40 points and, you know, have a four and eight season. So that's what they look like they got.

And I can't imagine that Mike Lombardi, who is like, they've said they're the 33rd team. Like, that's what they want to do. Well, we know who the boss is. The guy making $10 million. He's the guy banning New England. He's the guy making it harder on the scouts, which I just think he put out a two deep yesterday, which was completely blank. It's like, bro, you're kind of turning into a joke. It's kind of sad.

And I'm a defender of Belichick. I'm the guy that's been calling him the greatest coach I've ever seen forever. And I stand by what I said based on what I saw in his heyday. But what's going on right now? You know, Jerry Jones gets made fun of a lot for being old and senile. What the hell's happened to Belichick? A couple other things, Jackson Dart, the backup. You know, there's certain things you can see coming from a mile away.

You know, sometimes when you're like, when you go out for cocktails or you have a friend that starts dating someone and you come home with your significant another and you're like, they're never going to last and they don't. Right. Or you have a buddy that gets into a business. He's like, I'm telling you, bro, just either invest or this thing's going to be big and you're like, this thing's got no shot. Like you just, you just know, like from the jump. And sometimes it's the opposite. Sometimes you're like, damn, this thing is going to work. Like you eat at a restaurant and you're like, this food's good. This thing's going to be a hit in this town. Jackson Darts the backup quarterback. You can see what's going to happen coming from a mile away. Russell Wilson's giant career is hanging by a shoe string, and that shoe string is going to rip apart every single day. I'm not even talking on Sundays. I'm talking Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,

that I have a hard time seeing Jackson DART not being in the game by the end of the month. I mean, I really do. And I think that the way that, he played this fall, the pressure that's on the head coach, the fan base,

like fan bases do have some juice. Like, obviously everyone wants Kalin DeBoer fired where there comes to a line where it's like, well, are you going to pay

the $70 million dollar buyout where it gets complicated. And the NFL is not that complicated. If Brian Dayball does not win, he's gone. And the one way that you don't have to totally win, like win some games,

but also keep your job is to go, this is my quarterback. This quarterback looks good with me, and I'm a quarterback guy. And that could save the guy's gig. So I would imagine Jackson Dart is inserted really, really quick, because I know football fans. And no one's going to want to watch Russell Wilson, Dinkin and Duncan for 17 points a game. And listen, that might be what Jackson Darts up doing as a rookie, but I would rather watch that as a fan, as an owner, as a GM, than anything Russell Wilson's bringing at the table in 2025. You know, it's funny, like the Patriots,

and just any time you hire a new coach, for the most part when you've been really bad, it's like, blow this bitch up. And Pete Carroll got there, and he's like, I want Max Crosby, extend him. SpyTex, like, extend him. Colton Miller, like this guy, extend them. Sometimes you go to a place, and they got pieces.

Other times you go to a place, you're like, this thing needs to be burn to the studs. I've always said this about the Oakland Coliseum. where the Raiders and A's used to play. They should take dynamite around that whole thing and blow it to fucking smithereens. And that was when I thought maybe teams would stay. They've all left.

Everyone's gone. That thing, every day that's a, thing's erect, is insane. It's the biggest dump I've ever been in my entire life. House, stadium, any structure. I mean, it doesn't get any worse than that place. It's no different team.

Sometimes you show up, you're like, what is going on here? I can't even imagine. when Mike Vrable walked into. Now, listen, some of the captains, it's not like, you know, Jacoby Brissette's a high-level guy, but if Jacoby Brissette's a captain on your team in 2024, you're going to lose a lot of games.

So I'm high on New England this year. Now, I think their ceiling is somewhat limited just because explosive players on offense, beside the running back, not that many. We have to see with the quarterback. I'm just a believer in the head coach. I'm a believer in the system. I'm a believer, also in their schedule.

So 9-10 wins is probably the ceiling, but I would expect a very, very quick turnaround. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up the name Hey Jonas, guys.

I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast,

where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy,

not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen, kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob

into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive?

The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my. my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 in the TikTok podcast. network on TikTok.

Okay, time for a little thing we like to call the mailbag. At John Middlecough is my Instagram handle. Two Fs. It's always weird. And, you know, I'm relatively newly married. But whenever we, today we were at the doctors and we're on just, we were in Hawaii. And ever she goes, yeah, Maria Middlecough. When you hear your last name on someone else's name, you're like, two Fs, Middlecough.

At John Middlecough. A Packer fan. Here's one for the bag. Personally, I'm a little worried about the back. about the back and what our run defense will look like. We got them to get more pressure on golf, but that doesn't matter if Gibbs and Montgomery are running all over us. I feel like Goody and LaFleur know their jobs are on the clock,

so they felt they had to make a big swing. It's boom or bust, no in between, only time will tell who won. For it to be a success, the Packers, they need at least one Lombardi in the next three seasons. Well, they've only been to one Super Bowl with Aaron Rogers and Brett Farv since 98. So I would say, I understand winning a Super Bowl, it's easy to say that, winning NBA finals. Like if the Lakers don't win an NBA finals with Luca, it's a disappointment. When you make it to the championship, even if you lose, it's pretty impressive.

Like, you guys have been to a lot of NFC championship games, but winning that game is, going to the Super Bowl and winning the NFC to me would be a pretty big deal. So if you tell me in the next three years you get to a Super Bowl, I think that's a pretty big success. I said this earlier. If you think they would give him almost $140 million guaranteed, which is about the same amount, give him it's a little bit less,

than they gave, Jor and Love, with a questionable back, I just think you're on crack cocaine. The back thing to me is nothing. I don't think it exists. I really don't. Because I can't imagine you going, yeah, we're going to give him a contract. But his back might have some issues.

That'd be malpractice. That'd be a fireball offense. I think they made the trade because they justified in their head, like, how will we ever get this player? How do we ever get a player like this? And the answer is you don't really, unless you do this. But I'm with you. There's a lot of risk involved. Because think about who you have to go through.

Like you said, the Lions, Penae Sewell is going to be on him. You think Michael Parsons can shed Penae Soel in the run game? He can't. I mean, no one can't. Lane Johnson and Jordan Milata for the Eagles. Those teams want to run the ball down your throat. You know, Washington, you know, their offense is a little softer because it's a little more spread with the cliff. But, you know, the Rams can be a physical offense.

The 49ers can be a physical offense. We know Seattle's going to want to run the ball. I mean, the NFC has a lot of run-heavy type teams. who else is good in the South Tampa. I mean, Bucky Irving had a big year last year. They got two good tackles. So it's a run-heavy conference. The NFC is not the NFC is not the AFC.

Or it's like Burrow, Mahomes, Lamar, just go out there sling that pill, baby. The NFC is like, buckle up. We plan on running power and outside zone till the cows come home and then play action off that. I was thinking with Garrett, with the Garrett trade request earlier this year, year, would it have been a way to package Deshaun Watson into that and offload part of his

contract? Like, if Garrett went for a first and a third, could the Browns say, give us a first and a five, and you get Garrett and Watson? Garrett on the Browns is kind of in limbo, oh, is a Lambo in a trailer house situation. It's like that meme with the Lambo next to the trailer house. I agree a little bit, yes. Not like they are just one player away from winning a ton of games. Would be curious to hear your thoughts, I do think he would have gone for a lot more than a one and a three. I know he's older in Micah, but I think he gets multiple ones.

He's that good of a player. I think he's the most, you could argue he's just the most purely talented player in the NFL. You know, Trent Williams is older now. You could say like Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson. Like, he's on the short list of just pure raw talent might be number one overall, regardless of position.

I just have a hard time going, okay, let's just say I have to give you one of a first, and I take Deshawn Watson as well. I don't think he's tradable. I don't think I would be interested as a GM to get Miles Garrett to take Deshaun Watson to essentially cut him. So I'm just taking his money to ruin my books to cut him. Because whenever Deshaun Watson is cut, however this plays out, he'll eventually be cut, whether that's in a couple years from the Brown.

I don't think he ever plays in the NFL again. I don't think he ever plays another snap in the NFL. And I don't say that lightly. I'm not throwing that around. This is not a moral stance either. I don't give a shit. We know the teams do not care. If Sean Watson was a good player, no one would care.

But he's atrocious on the field. I mean, he's objectively one of the worst players in the league the last couple years. And then you factor in all the baggage. I don't think he's touchable because he's not a backup quarterback. It's why if this Russell Wilson thing doesn't work out, kind of feels like his career is kind of coming down the home stretch unless he's just cool with being a backup and is like, is he too famous to be a backup quarterback?

And obviously Russell has nothing in common with Deshawn Watson from a negative standpoint beside him just being kind of annoying. With the Packers taking Golden in the first round and going all in on the Micah Trade, do you think this has to do with the new president, with the new president, Ed Policy, or just the right circumstance? I thought Gutikins had a,

quote that was like he didn't say yes or no he just said do it you know they didn't have to run it by him like he was the owner could be screwing that up this has been a long weekend and i remember that that quote was like on thursday uh i think it has less to do i think this trade happens if murphy's there if ed policy's there if whoever's the president this trade happens because mike is available and gutikins wanted him and lafleur said like i knew when goot came down to my office and said this might be a possibility. And that could have been a month ago. But like, to me, this felt like a front office-led pursuit.

And the one thing Goot said, I'll call him Goody. I don't know if anyone calls him Goody. It's probably easy to call him Goody. I think I'm messing. I don't know if his name's Goodykins. I could be screwing that up, the pronunciation there. But we'll just go with Goody. He said, was it the Cleo Mac trade?

That he felt, now he, he, he, he's, he said, he's, He's like, we probably wouldn't have gotten him anyway, but one thing I regret about that situation is I was late. I felt late to the party. And I wonder if he's looking at it in this situation of like, I'm not going to be late to the party when it comes to this trade. And he was probably one of Jerry's first calls. And then just kept on, I kept on like a sales guy. You know, probably like, you know, I've never been a part of one of these trades in terms of being a GM. But I would imagine he kind of got to be a little annoying. Because when you end up trading for a guy that was, let's face it, for a long period of time, not available, you're probably wearing them out. Like, hey, any interest, what would it take? And then when the dialogue starts, it's a lot because you have created the dialogue for months when he's telling you no. And then once I think it becomes a little bit of a stronger possibility, you go, hey, Matt, are you on board with this? Obviously, Matt probably is like, sure. and then you get your defensive coordinator involved.

Like, is this, are you very comfortable with this scheme fit with this player? And once he gives you the go-ahead, because if you make the trade and your defensive coordinators not fully on board, it could make you look bad. So I think the coaches were clearly on board. The GM led this pursuit. And Ed policy is not really in the business of telling you when and where to make personnel decisions. Right, that's not really his gig.

and I think Goudicans also said that he told him about this because it was such a big deal, but he doesn't bother him, like he doesn't tell him when he's making practice squad moves. Right, if he's making a move with the 53rd guy on the roster, cutting him and bringing a guy up, like he's not telling him. But this is a type move that you keep everyone involved.

But that policy's job is not to tell you when and when not to do this. Now, maybe from a financial standpoint, you have to run by some of the numbers, but, you know, this is why the Packers are good. Their GM and their head coach run the football. There's no, the Ed Policy, the Murphy guy, like Murphy maybe a little more than policy, is not dictating the football decisions.

But I'm with you. You make this trade. You're in Winnow mode. I like the Packers before this move. Actually, this move makes me a little more nervous, to be completely honest. It's one of my favorite bets on the board was taking the Packers to win the division.

And I liked him when it was like plus 250. So 100 bucks gets you $200. You bet $100. If you win, you make $350. If you bet $1,000, you win $3,500. Now the odds are, you know, basically, I think I looked. It was like plus $130 or plus $140. So they're diminished dramatically.

I also think there are just human elements to this. You know, there have been reports about Micah in the locker room. Just, you know, it's not like he's a bad guy, but. he's just kind of into Micah when that's, you know, Dax's the opposite. Zach Martin's the opposite. By all account, C.D. Lam's the opposite. So you're getting this big personality

that's kind of into him who's going to this place that has kind of like a low-key, easy-going culture, but everyone kind of buys in. I don't know. It just makes me a little bit... It could work. Like, I'm not expecting it to derail them, but everyone's expecting fireworks

and my first response, and maybe it's just my natural. inclination. When everyone's scared, I'm probably more bullish. And when everyone's bullish, I'm a little more down on it. Maybe it's just playing the stock market for years. It's kind of develop that habit. Now, you can't always just hang a left when everyone's hanging right. Sometimes the left will take you right into the tsunami or the fire. So I'm not anti this move from the Packer standpoint. But we have to acknowledge, separate from the money, there are risks. I mean, this is a guy that

does he listen to the coaches now? Because he goes, well, I'm the highest paid guy here. So this defensive coordinator that is not some, I like Halfley a lot, but he's not some well-established Vic Fangio that can tell any player anything, or Brian Flores. So if Parsons at a point,

if he doesn't like what Halfley's saying, it doesn't agree, freelances, like it's Halfley, lighting him up like a Christmas tree, I don't know. I just think there are some inherent risks with this situation. You know, in football,

you can say basketball too. Anytime you get these big name, big talent, high-priced guys that move teams, especially to like smaller markets, it can go really, really well, and you can become a...

Michael Parks can become a fucking legend. Or it's like, it could get weird. I was born, raised, and still reside in the suburbs of Philly. All my life, I'm 25. The entire... area are big Eagles fans.

As a guy who roots for my fantasy team and doesn't have one team to root for, it's been super annoying dealing with the Eagles fans. They seem to be even worse than your average crazy football fan. As a supporter of the Eagles fans, I've been

a human that lived in that area, that really liked it and appreciated it, I think all fans are a little crazy and I don't think Eagle fans are that much different than anyone else. Given your time working for and being around the organization, as well as your experience with people fans from other teams and circles, do you also find Eagles fans to be specifically intolerable?

Love the show. I really don't. I think if you, maybe because of the area, like, you're just going to be more negative in the Northeast. Their inclination to lean negative in Philly, in New York, and in New England, just with their disposition as an area. is different than we are growing up in Northern California or people in Southern California

or people in Seattle or people here in Arizona. Even like Kansas City, it's just the wiring of the people. But I would say, what the hell is the difference between Eagles fans and Jets fans or Giants fans or New England fans? Like, if your team sucks, you get mad. And if your team's really good,

you start feeling yourself. It's called sports. I really, I hated Philadelphia in the winter. I don't like living in the winter. the cold. If I want to go to the cold, I either get in a plane or get in my car and go there so I can leave. But in terms of the character of the city, the character of the people, I thoroughly enjoyed my time. You know, I'm born and raised, spent 30 plus years in California.

Now I've lived in Arizona for four plus years. So the overwhelming majority of my life has been spent in California slash the West Coast. But those couple years, in Philadelphia, I mean, really changed my perspective of like, I might be born on the West Coast, but I got a little East Coast, Northeast in me. I actually have a lot of different parts of the country. I feel I got a little Southern in me. I definitely have Northeast personality at times in me. I have a chill California side, but I love Philadelphia, and I love the fans. I really did. I really, really enjoyed it there. And yeah, I mean, in a weird way, still like have buddies on the work for the team and root for Howie to do well.

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a podcast.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel

and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shrewd, shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion-dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history.

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience

in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fantine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose. On my new podcast, learn the heart. Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. We are extremely excited to announce our new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. Everyone knows and loves their hotels and casinos, but now you can use the top-rated Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook to place all your NFL bets this season. Hard Rock Bet is the only legal sportsbook in the state of Florida and is also available in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, and Colorado with more states to come.

You can also play on Hard Rock Bet's online casino if you are in New Jersey. As we gear up for the NFL season, sign up for Hard Rock Bet and make a $5 bet, and you'll get $150 in bonus bets if you win. Head over to Hard Rock Bet, sign up, and make your first deposit today. Payable in bonus bets, not a cash offer offered by the Siminal Tribe in Florida. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock, Digital LLC, and all other states. Must be 21 plus physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply.

Concerned about gambling, in Florida, call 188 ADMT, IT. In Indiana, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants to help call 1-800-9 with it. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. If you were the Steelers GM, would you have entered this year with this team and what would you do post the 25 season? I think it's like someone told me last night about Belichick's quarterback. I'm like, why did they take this guy? And this guy's response was he didn't have many options. And I think when you look at the Pittsburgh Steelers, you went, you're drafting whatever, 20th. You go, what are you going to do? Trade for Gino Smith. signed Sam Darnold

if they would have re-signed Justin Fields at the number in which the Jets did that would have been insanity that would have been the craziest thing the Steelers have ever done so thank God they didn't do that listen the Rogers thing is probably way more bust than boom but there is it could work out

if they can run the ball if they play good defense they clearly didn't love having this high-price safety and not being able to cover. So they get Slay, they get Jalen Ramsey. They kind of free themselves from Minka's money. They double down on T.J. They think they're going to be better on defense. They historically have had the tall, long corners, physical corners.

I mean, both Slay and Jalen are physical corners. I mean, Jalen's a hitter. You know, D.K doesn't really feel like a Steeler, but who knows? I think the Steelers could be solid. I think they could be similar outcome as last year, like the last couple years, nine, ten-ish wins, first round and out,

but be a better team. I just don't know what else he was supposed to do. Like, Baker Mayfield wasn't available. He couldn't just, like, trade for Jared Goff. So he had to have someone play quarterback. Shador Sanders, the third stringer on fucking Cleveland. So that surely wasn't the answer. I just think it was the best option.

And ideally, you get a quarterback moving forward. but that's easier said than done. It's like, well, you need a quarterback. Okay, well, draft Kenny Pickett. Well, that's going to be a disaster. We need a quarterback. Okay, draft Mack Jones. That's a disaster.

I think sometimes when you force the quarterback, for every Mahomes and Josh Allen, you get some of these just epic train wrecks. Even Lamar, like the Ravens didn't force it. Remember, they drafted a guy ahead of them. So I think you're just in a tough situation. It's like, it's easy for me to say, well, we've got to find a quarterback.

Well, okay, who? When? Well, if you win 9, 10 games, you're drafting the 20s. You're not drafting Garrett Nussmeier. You're not drafting sellers. You're not drafting probably Kade Clubnik. You wouldn't think. And who knows?

Even good enough. For the bag. Curious to hear your thoughts on this article. Essentially, the NFL has called out Nielsen on diluting their viewership numbers, saying it costs them millions of dollars when they inaccurately underreport total viewers for the game.

I just find it funny that the NFL is running circles around every other major sports league in America and is still fighting for every penny. Do you think this means that the NFL and its teams are still quote unquote undervalued and could potentially be worth a few hundred million more? I would say the NFL wiring as a business right now is very similar to Alabama and Sabin. You're thinking like, why? I remember thinking this the last like four or five years with Nick. How do you still care this much? How do you still care this much? And it felt like he did. He would still lose it.

He was still so driven. His teams were still so buttoned up. It was like, it's incredible to have this stamina. I'd say the same thing for Pete Carroll. Like, how is he so excited for life to coach the Raiders at 73, 74 years old? I get Bill. He has this like FU to the Patriots. It feels like that's the only reason he's coaching.

This is an FU to Robert Kraft. It feels like Pete Carroll's just driven to coach. The NFL is just driven to make money. I've known a couple of these guys that are like business owners that essentially own like family businesses so their sons are part of their businesses

I've known farmers like this and they'll be like 75 years old it's like they're driving around the ranch at 6 a.m. It's like why aren't you just at your house in the country club relaxing? Why aren't you at Maui? Why aren't you in the Bahamas?

What are you doing this for? It's like that's all they know And the NFL right now, it's like, it's never enough. It's never enough. And they just keep going after it for more. I would say this. I didn't read the article I saw the headlines separate from what you sent me. I think these, like if, if YouTube or Apple says that 75,434 people listen to the podcast on Apple

and 10,025, 10,253 people listened on YouTube. Like, you have an exact number. You know, that many people click based on if you watch for more than a minute, if you listen for more than five minutes, whatever the requirements are, you know. How does television have any clue? If I'm watching television at my house, let's say I pull up YouTube TV, Thursday night, Cowboys Eagles.

and Patty and Ron, my neighbor, Sam and Julie, who live down the street, and 10 other people that are their friends as well, come over to my house and watch the game. Let's assume I'm getting credit, me and my wife, for watching the game. What if I have 15 other people at my house watching the game? How can they possibly account for that?

Now, I think we all agree, and we know that a lot of people are watching football games. Right? Like, if you told me, 7 million people watch Belichick, but 15 million people watch the first 30 minutes of that game. I'd be like, I believe you. But could that number be 5 million people more, 3 million people less? I think it's a purely educated guess.

I was thinking about this today because, was it yesterday? It might have been Sunday. It was Sunday because ABC had Miami, Notre Dame, and ESPN had South Carolina, Virginia Tech. Well, when that game ended, it became a bunch of like baseball. talk about Major League Baseball. And I've loved sports my whole life. I've made a career out of it. It's pretty clear less people than ever are watching baseball, right?

It's just not culturally relevant. And you kind of feel that at times with the NBA. But when I see these numbers, if you sell me 10 million people watch the finals, yeah, that number could have been 8. It also could have been like 15. If you factor in bars, if you factor in, you know, group settings, how do you account for... you know, whenever I travel, you realize, God, Fox Sports One is on at every airport I've been to over the last six months.

So every time I go there, Colin's on. So I'm starting thinking, like, when I was on with Colin, imagine all the people in the airport that's off. Now, the sound's not necessarily on, so do you get credit? Do you not get credit? But it's all kind of an educated guess. I mean, the biggest scam of all time, not even close, was terrestrial radio that some of these people in big markets are like, yeah, I think 100,000 people are listening. Well, it could be, or it could be 30,000 or it could be 500,000 people. Now, there are certain shows like Howard Stern is prime in New York or Mike and the Mad Dog or Rush Limbaugh, Jim Rome.

Clearly, in like the 90s, a lot of people were listening to certain specific shows. But it was a complete educated guess based on meters representing a segment of society on how many people are listening. In television and Nielsen, to me, is a little bit like that. which is crazy because the amount of money that's on the line, specifically for the NFL, you're talking billions of dollars in these sales. So if you think about it, if you're going to pitch to Netflix and Amazon Prime in these people,

and you say concrete numbers, because they'll know. So when you watch Amazon Prime, when I watch Amazon Prime, I keep saying Bezos, he's not even around anymore, but Amazon knows exactly how many people are watching for how long, specific, like where else you go,

if you're watching on your computer, do you buy anything? They have all the information. Television has none of that, and radio legitimately has none of that. So I say, hey, advertisers, you are getting scammed in terrestrial radio. Come over to where we push product, and you can quantify it.

And that's why they have, and they continue to, and it's why the money's flown. Major Longhorns fan here. I know Arch looked bad against Ohio State, but my question isn't about, that. My question is why the hell was Sark calling quarterback power over and over again in the red zone? He's athletic, but he's not a big body like Cam Newton. Sark willingly put his quarterback who was already struggling in a position where he's meeting a linebacker in the hole.

They ran a quarterback sneak. Was it was a fourth down in the goal line? I forget that game feels like a lifetime ago. Whenever they ran a quarterback sneak, it might have been the worst. I saw someone tweet this and I agreed. It's the worst quarterback sneak I've ever seen. The offensive line didn't know what to do. Arch barely moved. I mean, it was pretty bad. Now, I heard

someone else say, the thing with quarterback sneaks, especially with a new quarterback, it's not a play you practice. So it can be a little hit or miss. Yeah, they clearly were not good in the red zone. I heard someone break down like the last four years of Sark. They have been getting progressively

worse in the red zone. I don't know. I'm with you on Arch. He's athletic. Like, Caleb Williams is athletic. You're not going to run quarterback power with Caleb Williams. But you can get him out on the move to throw.

I thought that was part of Arch. But are you going to run, like, Arch, like he's Cam Newton or Kyler Murray? Clearly, he's not that comfortable. Now, again, Ohio State is going to be one of the best teams you play all season long, potentially the best. But like when you play Georgia, Florida and and M, you know, Arch is going to be, feels like a little intimidated to like lower his shoulder against these guys, thinking that he's faster than these guys.

I defend Sark that I felt like he was feeling out his quarterback and trying to figure out what he did well and what he didn't do well, specifically against a really good opponent. Theoretically, after a bad season from both programs, could Bama and USC do a coach trade? The schools agree to assume the contracts of each, K. would get to go back to the West Coast and Lincoln could go back to the south. Both are big guys are big name guys.

And after another bad season, I think they would sign up for a change with their money preserved. That's a good question. I think if Lincoln Riley had a bad season, I don't think Alabama would want any part of them. I think USC would be more open to DeBoer than I think Alabama would be

to Lincoln. But I'm with you. Neither one of these guys, it would get way uglier because of the standard who he's replacing in Alabama where I could see if they just went like 6 and 6. Kaelin being like,

I want to quit, but no human alive could give up that type money. So he's kind of in a predicament. With Lincoln, I would imagine USC this year's like 8 or 9 wins. Bama, you can convince me everything's on the table right now. If the Bengals defense is as bad as it was last year,

how close to a 2011 Aaron Rogers does Joe Burrow have to be to drag the bangles to the playoffs? Rogers that year. 4,600 yards, 45 touchdowns, 6 interceptions. Packers went 15 and 1, 30 second in total defense. If you told me Burrow right now is 45 and 6, I would change my opinion. I would put the bangles in the playoffs.

but if you told me the Bengals had the 32nd ranked defense I don't think it'd be possible for them to go 15 and 1 I think the most wins they could have would be like 12 or 13 in this day and age I just think the quarterback play is so much better in 2012

or 2025 than it was in 2011 I mean you know Stafford was there who would have been the Vikings quarterback then? I don't even know. I'm going to click Cincinnati to see who they play.

You know, they play Flacco, so they would win that game. Jags could win that game. But then you just get at the Vikings, at the Broncos, the Lions, the Packers, the Steelers, the Steelers, Pats at Home, the Ravens, the Bills, the Ravens, Kyler Murray. Yeah, I mean, if he had a historic, like, no doubt about it, MVP year, 12 or 13 wins. 13, probably feel like the max if your defense was atrocious.

Tessator is so bad. Dude definitely lives and dies by what people say about him on Twitter. I saw Peter Schrager tweet this, and I don't necessarily disagree that he really appreciated Joe Tessator's passion and how excited he is.

Because a lot of people in sports, I would say broadcasters, podcasters, definitely people on TV, sometimes feel like they don't even like it. Like, why are you, are you just doing this for the money? And the answer is yes, especially for some of these people with the amount of money they're making. Like, do you like football?

I remember when I stayed with Colin like a month ago, we were just like watching shitty preseason football, having cocktails and ordering food and just talking about like football philosophies. And I think there are a lot of people that talk about sports that would just not want to watch preseason football. and I think a lot of people in this business don't necessarily like it, where there is no disputing that Tessator gets really excited.

I'd argue it's a little over the top. I thought it was a little much this weekend. I mean, there were moments where I felt like he was just screaming at every play, which I would, if you told me you'd get that or you get a guy that's monotone and sucks, I guess I will take that. But I am in agreement that it is, a little overkill. Now, I will say this. One of my best friends, dude that officiated my wedding,

I was in his wedding. Guy Haberman is now the 49ers play-by-play guy this year because Greg Papa got sick and he does big 10 games. He did pack 12 games forever. I'm talking football, basketball, baseball. That profession is really hard. Whenever someone that doesn't quite know sports ask me, like, do you want to call games? No. One, I can't. Like, I don't have that capability. I don't have that talent. And two, I don't even pretend or think that I could.

Like, I tried play-by-play for a couple games in college, for college baseball at Cal Poly on, like, internet radio. And I remember thinking, this is impossible. So it is a very difficult thing to do and be good at. but I do think his style can be a little much but I say the same thing for Gus with Joel like I don't mind Gus but I think sometimes it's like okay we get it

like geez Louise and Gus is like that's kind of his lane Tess treats some of these moments it's like a boxing guy like a boxing knockout which again you feel like like a hater if you're talking shit and I do respect that profession is really hard to do. If you took a random sports fan and put him in that seat, I'm not talking to the analyst seat,

be like, oh, that's a great catch, Joe. Oh, that's a big time hit. Oh, he's got to get down in the hole. I'm talking about calling the play by play radio or television. I don't think the common person understands how hard you would fail and how embarrassing you would sound. I'm talking about someone that knows sports. So it's just not really my style. Again, it's hard. There's different strokes for different folks. Congrats on the baby.

Wife and I are expecting our first in February. We actually went to the doctor today. And I don't think I quite realized once we got in. Maria knew, and she had kind of mentioned it. Maybe I wasn't totally paying attention. She said, oh, this is the big appointment where we go over 100 things to make sure your baby, you know, just has toes, heart, brain. I'm like, so you find bad stuff here?

Like, every once in a while, yeah, something devastating happens. My heart just started pounding. I'm sitting there. I started, like, praying. I'm not even religious. It's exhilarating 20 minutes. Everything's good, so far. So, we're good, in the clear.

Are you on the Packers for the value? Lions have a better quarterback, better wide receiver, better wide receiver, too, better tight end, better running back, better running back to, I mean, Josh Jacobs is better in Montgomery. If you want to take Gibbs over Jacobs, okay. I mean, Josh Jacobs is a high-end player. Better align, and Hutchinson is probably the best defensive player between the two teams.

And I agree. I would take Hutchinson over Michael Parsons. Do you think losing Ben Johnson sets all of that off? I think losing two coordinators are really big deal. You know, when you are, John Harbuss proven that he can go through coordinators and it all kind of works out. But he's been doing it for 20 years. right we have seen Jim Harbaugh

we saw him in Michigan like when he gets the wrong coordinator it can kind of go bad so I just don't know I'm not acting like the Lions can't win this division and you could argue there's there's value in betting the Lions maybe because if you told me that Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson had returned

they would be the heavy favorites to win this division but what matters in the NFL when for the most part like the gap between the Packers and the Lions is not that big right you would agree with that. It's not like you guys are some unbeatable team and they're just like an average good team. They're pretty freaking good. They add Micah Parsons. But coaching really, really matters. So who do I feel better about? Matt LaFleur or Johnny Morton, who for whatever reason is 55 and no one

ever wants to make him his offensive coordinator. Halfley, who had the best Packer defense in a long time or a guy that's a young coach that's never been a coordinator. Now, by all accounts, it's going to be good. I feel better about the lines on defense than I do offense. I just think sometimes when you lose the ingenuity, the innovation, the creativity,

like you can't fake that. It's why it's like, hey, this guy's our next CEO. It looks great on paper, and then he gets in charge, and it just fails. It happens all the time in all sorts of industries. You put people in positions, you go, God, this guy checks every box. Look who he's work with. Look what he's

accomplished. Look who signs off on him. And then he gets in the position, this is not good. And some people are like, look at his resume. It sucks. Yeah, he's just a natural. No one would have thought when he was 28, Theo Epstein was going to be one of the great GMs. You know what? He's got a great feel for it. It's pretty fucking good. I would have bet everything I had against Sean McVeigh working out. I'm like, wait, 30-31-year-old is going to coach, be a head coach in the NFL? In the internet era, no chance. Not going to work. It's all favor. So you just, you just don't know. And when it works, it's incredible. No one

new Ben Johnson was Ben Johnson four years ago. Two years ago, Ben Johnson's turning down jobs. It's like, I'm going to wait. Redskins are like, what? We want to make you the head coach. It's like, no, I'm good. Turn your plane around. But no one would have thought that two years previously.

So you just don't know. And that variable, you know, again, talking insurance, mitigating risks, it could go well, could be fine. Or it could be a major problem. And they could just be off. Because calling plays is there's a feel element to it that can't be quantified. I saw, I guess the Brown's assistant

GM is some chick and she was like talking about the quarterback situation. She was like talking data points. I mean, she's clearly very analytical. She's talked like a robot. It's like you're dealing with people here. These are people like with brains and hearts and souls and you know, the tangibles or intangibles, it's impossible to quantify. So yeah, there's data points on specific stuff, how fast a guy can run, how many catches he's going to have. But you can't quantify what a guy's going to be like as a play caller. You can't quantify how in-tuned Ben Johnson was, one, clearly a natural, but two,

just understood his personnel and had been there the whole time, and then bringing in a new guy. That's the same thing for Aaron Glenn. though I do think defensively if they're healthy they're going to be pretty good they got a lot of good players there yeah I don't know I just I'm betting on the Packers

structure coach the GM just the whole operation I that's what I'm betting on and for the first time you know not saying Dan Campbell can't win the division I'm a Dan Campbell fan huge fan I fucking love Dan Campbell but when you're a CEO head coach

like if there's a job drop off, that can cost you a couple games. And the difference of winning 15 games and 12 or 13 games could simply be the coordinator. And if you win 12 and the Packers win 13, all of a sudden, you're a wild card. They win the division. I'm not acting like the Lions are going to win seven games here. But I am fascinated. And I wasn't even like Colin.

It made a big deal about the Hall of Fame game. It's like they were just not buttoned up. I'm more worried about legitimately third quarter tie game, third and seven. felt like Ben Johnson knew what to call. Does Johnny Morton? I don't know. All the other NFL teams were like, yeah, we don't really believe he does because we don't make them the offensive.

Teams all over the league could have made him the offensive coordinator for years. Jim Harbaugh could have. No one ever did. Delete me makes it easy, quick, and safe to remove your personal data online at a time when surveillance and data breaches are common enough to make everyone vulnerable.

Data brokers make profit off all of our data. Why? because it's a commodity. Anyone on the web can buy our private details. From identity theft to fishing details, the data brokers sell our name or contact information, Social Security, home address, and information about our family members. I'm tired of it. I don't want to get text messages. I don't want to get any more phone

calls. And as someone who is an active online presence, as I'm sure a lot of people do, we are very, very vulnerable. So take control of your own data and keep your private life by signing up for Delete Me. Now at a special discount for our listeners. Today, get 20% off your Delete Me plan by texting

J-O-H-N to 6-4-0-0-0. The only way to get 20% off is do text, John, J-O-H-N to 6-4-0-0-0. That's 64,000. That's John to 64,000, message and data rates. apply. Hey guys, it's us

and the Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick and guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to our first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on.

A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.