The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 & Out - Where will Love go, Dontayvion Wicks or AJ Brown in Philly, Mailbag

Episode Date: April 15, 2026

On this episode of 3 & Out, John Middlekauff breaks down the latest NFL storylines, starting with the Giants front office buzzing about Jeremiah Love. After their GM praised him, could New Yo...rk be eyeing him in the draft, and how would he fit into their long-term plans? John also dives into the latest comments from Eagles GM Howie Roseman—because when Howie speaks, the league listens. What can we take away from his messaging, and how does it shape Philadelphia’s roster outlook heading into the season? Plus, a closer look at the Eagles’ wide receiver situation: if A.J. Brown remains in Philadelphia, who emerges as the go-to option alongside him? Is Dontayvion Wicks ready to take that leap, or is this still clearly A.J. Brown’s offense? Finally, John answers your questions in the latest mailbag segment. From draft buzz to front office insight and roster debates, it’s all covered on this episode of 3 & Out. Follow John on Twitter, and Instagram for the latest.  All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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.
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Starting point is 00:02:29 Hopefully everyone is doing well. Here's the thing. The draft is right around the corner. Today, we're going to talk a little draft. Jeremiah Love, Joe Shane had some comments about his ability. Howie Roseman gave a press conference. talking about evaluations when it comes to new coaches and new schemes entering the building.
Starting point is 00:02:50 And we'll do a bunch of other draft talk on the mailbag as well. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram fire in those DMs and get your questions answered here on the show. We're close. This draft can't get here soon enough. So you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to 3 and out. You'll never miss an episode as well.
Starting point is 00:03:11 As Netflix. I was actually showing my wife what I said about Jack and his explosions at the Easter party. She's like, John, it was Greek Easter. You know, my, her side of the family is very Greek. So it was Greek Easter. So that's what we were celebrating. That's what Jack celebrated when he went to the bathroom all over the floor.
Starting point is 00:03:31 But you can see me talking about that on Netflix. So I appreciate everyone watching that. And let's just, let's just dive right in some football. Let's just start with some draft talk. because some of these general managers have been talking. Today, Joe Shane, who me and Colin were talking last week. You know, kind of like a glorified, highly paid scout, right? You know, John Harbaugh is the boss.
Starting point is 00:03:53 He no longer answers to the general manager, which was never the case in New York, right? The head coach, there was always a hierarchy. That changed the night John Mara slept on it and realized the only way he was going to get John to sign on the dotted line. was to give him what he wanted. Why? Because John had leverage. The Titans would have hired him.
Starting point is 00:04:15 And he gave him five years, $100 million, and he reports directly to them. So good gig if you can get it. That's what 18 years of success. You know, I think not all of them were successful, but I think they made the playoffs 12 of the 18 years. Obviously, he won the Super Bowl, and he has a powerful last name, Harbaugh.
Starting point is 00:04:33 So change the game. But that being said, Joe Shane went out there and took questions. Joe's good-looking guy, good with the media. Records a little hit or miss, but he's trying. This is always a time of year, too, where any of these guys in some of these weird situations, like you just never know after the draft, coaches lose their gig after the season, right? If you're going to get fired, they called it Black Monday, but we saw last year, Tuesday, Wednesday, I think Harbaugh was Tuesday, Mike McDaniel was Wednesday or
Starting point is 00:05:08 Thursday. It's really just the week. Anything could happen. And did Tomlin resign that couple days later? Maybe Monday as well. I kind of forget. It kind of runs together. But, you know, this league, when it comes to personnel people, when your boy lost his gig, I found out, even though I kind of knew at the combine shit started getting weird, you know, you find out the day or two after your contract's not being renewed or if you have years remaining you're going to get fired. And that's just scouting personnel. Obviously the general manager
Starting point is 00:05:42 would be relieved of his duties by ownership. Not the little ground troops. They could just be told by like a middle manager. Hey, you just pack up your shit. You're gone. But Joe Shane today had some interesting comments
Starting point is 00:05:58 on Jeremiah Love. And I think if Jeremiah Love, the number one offensive non-quarterback in this draft was a wide receiver like the equivalent of Jamar Chase of a Julio Jones
Starting point is 00:06:14 of just viewed as like a Calvin Johnson just viewed as like an elite prospect no one would even question that guy going in the top five yet you get a running back especially in this day and age where all these guys catch the ball too it's like well he can run inside he can run outside
Starting point is 00:06:30 he can catch the ball and he can pass and protect oh yeah, Annie's a great guy. Like, it's kind of crazy that it got to the point where it's like, yeah, those guys aren't as valuable. And they're kind of cheap, right? If you do hit on them and they become a star and they're on your team eight to 10 years, they don't cost nearly as much as wide receivers. But we've clearly shifted back. And I think everyone agrees universally that this guy is probably going to go to the Titans.
Starting point is 00:06:58 Most people I know in the NFL believe he's going to go to the Titans. Then my spidey senses went off when Joe Shane said he's an offensive weapon because he can do it all. When you're an offensive weapon, that means you're Jemir Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, Bejohn Robinson, Seyquine Barclay. You are a guy that I can lean on to carry my offense. And I was thinking like, could the Giants, because I was in the car the other day was, oh, we were going to the pediatrician. and I was listening to Albert Breer talked to Colin and he said the Cardinals would love to trade back.
Starting point is 00:07:38 I think I saw Rap Sheet say that as well. Now listen, when it comes to the Cardinals, it's kind of sad. I just drove by their new, the kind of area they bought where they're going to put their new facility. And it just feels like, God, they couldn't be any more irrelevant.
Starting point is 00:07:53 And Monti Austinforth, the general manager feels like he's kind of GMing for his job. I mean, the team feels like it has has little to no direction. They have no quarterback play. They just need more and more good players, but, you know, one draft is not going to save them, especially if Marvin Harrison turns out to just be okay and their quarterback plays a disaster. I mean, they got drafted in the top five written all over them again. But clearly they would like to trade back and how many teams want to trade up? It's like, could the Giants go from five to three just to get what they would say,
Starting point is 00:08:26 is their number one player in the draft? And then I looked and I went, well, DART, Tracy, Singletary, and Scataboo did combine for like 2,000 yards and 20 plus touchdowns. Now, ideally, I don't think they want Dart running as much as he did. And Scataboo in a perfect world doesn't shatter his leg and is able to play. You know, Singletary is a good kind of short yardage. I think he had nine touchdowns last year. Tracy's kind of a dynamic player. I think they end up taking, just sticking and picking and taking Sonny Siles at 5.
Starting point is 00:08:58 that would be my guess, and the Titans end up with Jeremiah Love. And the number one thing, I was thinking a lot about this. You know, quarterback so much is out of their, I mean, everything's out of their control, right? The scheme that they play in, who's their head coach, who's their play caller, who are their teammates, how good their defense is. And most of the time, when you're drafted really high, you're going to a god-awful team that doesn't have that much help. We've got to give the Titans credit.
Starting point is 00:09:25 this offseason, they got a defensive leader. So in theory, the Titans defense should be dramatically better moving forward. As we saw last year with Sala with the 49ers, and we saw Sala with the Jets, and then when he got fired, we saw what happened to their defense. So one thing you know about Robert Sala, players like him, and he knows defense. And then they got, you know, I don't want to say out of nowhere, but when the cycle started, I would not have guessed that Brian Dayball would one end up as an offensive coordinator?
Starting point is 00:09:58 Because one, I thought if he doesn't get a head coaching job in the NFL, it kind of made a lot of sense with Penn State. You know, he'd been in Alabama. Maybe he wasn't that interested. Maybe they just wanted Matt Campbell more. But I would have thought that he would have got a head coaching job, college or pro, and they got him as their offensive coordinator, which we saw him before he got to the Giants.
Starting point is 00:10:19 Him and Josh were kicking ass and taking names. And it's well established how much he liked Cam Ward. Say this for Dayball, they have been on the right quarterbacks. A couple years ago, they desperately tried to trade up for Drake May. Part of that, the Hard Knocks version of their offseason was Joe Shane talking to Elliot Wolf. Like, anytime you guys are thinking about doing anything, we want to be your first call, they love Drake May.
Starting point is 00:10:46 So they were on the right guy. Last year, moving up to get Jackson Dart, who Dayball liked, like, we'll see if he can sustain a good career. but there is no disputing if you watch Jackson Dart like he has all the attributes to be a solid really good starter in the NFL and you get him to kind of run your offense but you have to put people around him
Starting point is 00:11:08 and the best way ideally you would get like Jonathan Ogden or Trent Williams right to protect the guy but if that's not an option to get a guy that you can hand the ball to or that just can touch the ball 25 if you have 60 or 70 plays in a game
Starting point is 00:11:25 and that player is involved in 25 plus of those plays that's you know you're talking 40 to 50% of the snaps Jeremiah Love is impacting and really more than that because you have to account for play action you have to account for defense
Starting point is 00:11:43 going to him when he's in the flat as a pass catcher and I was also thinking about this I would say two of the most famous and iconic players in my life lifetime that have played in Nashville, Tennessee, have been Eddie George and obviously Derek Henry. They're kind of one of those unique organizations that like, kind of running back first, you know, when they've had success, the running back has kind of been the star of the
Starting point is 00:12:09 offense. Now, obviously Steve McNair in the early 2000s with Eddie was an equal to him and, you know, want to split an MVP with Paid Manning, he was a stud. If you watch that, I think it was on Netflix, the doc, and they're showing some of the highlights. I mean, he was a badass. You talk about pre-N-I-L. I'll promise you this. Where do you go? McNeat, Alcorn State.
Starting point is 00:12:31 I don't know if Al-Gorn State is keeping Steve McNair in the NIL era. Just to hunch, just a guess. Might lose him to the SEC. But Steve could play, Eddie could play. And here's the other thing with Eddie and Derek Henry. Big backs. Like, you see Eddie now, who I think is coaching HBCU. Eddie's a massive dude.
Starting point is 00:12:52 I mean, Derek Henry feels like the biggest fucking running back in like the history of the league. I mean, I went to a Titans practice Brable's first year when Matt LaFleur was his offensive coordinator. And I remember they had Dion Lewis and they had Derek Henry. And I was there for a bachelor party, but I went a week early and interviewed John Robinson. This is early days of three and out. And I just remember Titans, this isn't exactly the Yankees. I mean, they were like three or four media members there. You could walk wherever.
Starting point is 00:13:20 It was pretty cool. And I just remember standing pretty close to Derek Henry thinking I've been around a lot of NFL players. That guy looks like a defensive. That guy looks like a defensive tackle. And you get Jeremiah Love, who's not quite that big, but in terms of dynamic ability, speed, explosion. The other thing I love,
Starting point is 00:13:39 and this is what you want to feel really good about, is the person. And that's part of the thing, what you get with Bijon Robinson or Sequin Barclay or Christian McCaffrey, is like they are elite football character guys. And if you're getting into business with them, I think this is a pretty easy selection for the Tennessee Titans. I think the only way he doesn't end up on their team
Starting point is 00:14:02 if someone trades with the Cardinals to draft this player. And I think it would be, you know, historically more, like the possibilities would be higher if this guy was Julio Jones or Jamar Chase or, you know, Calvin, one of those type players, right? Because if Calvin Johnson was in this draft, you know, the Cardinals probably wouldn't take them. But they could probably trade out a three and then if the Titans wanted that guy, would they be willing to give up? And it's like, do we really want, are we in a position to go from four to three in trade? One year the 49ers did it,
Starting point is 00:14:41 they traded back with the Bears. I think they were at two and the Bears were at three and they just flip-flop spots because the Bears took Mitchell Trebisky. Obviously, they regretted that one. I think the 49ers, if memory serves me correct, got like a third and a fourth-rank pick to literally move back one spot from a guy that they would not have selected. So I think if Montiassin for it as good as his job, he starts kind of working the channels right now and saying, hey, we're getting some action.
Starting point is 00:15:11 People are interested. And obviously, if they were interested, it could be the pass rusher or Jeremiah. I love, who I just think has a chance to be, you know, one of the best players in the league. Because we saw by the end of the season, like, Bijon is clearly one of the best players in the league. Last year, Sequin Barclay, or, you know, the year the Eagles won the Super Bowl, was the best player in the league. I'm not talking, I'm just saying, like, pound for pound, the best player, you know, non-quarterback. I think a couple years ago, that was Christian McCaffrey. So we have part of doing the draft process,
Starting point is 00:15:45 is running studies, right? What is working in the league? What's working for specific teams that are successful? What is working for teams that are not successful? And we did that and I saw, we'll talk about Howie here in a second. The Eagles do that constantly. Any team worth their salt is constantly running studies. Now, it sounds a little crazier than it is.
Starting point is 00:16:08 Like we're just talking football here, but trends and what's working. and clearly dynamic, dominant running backs are working right now in the NFL. And they make it way easier on your young quarterback. Someone asked me yesterday, would you take Fernando Mendoza or Cam Ward? For me, because if I ran a team, I would be running the Shanahan Kubiak offense. Fernando makes more sense in that offense. But like if I was with Andy Reed, he would like Cam Ward a lot
Starting point is 00:16:39 because he likes the freelance element to his game. and I think the easiest way to get a guy like that under control a little bit and make it easier on him is to get a dynamic running back where you just call runs. Inside, outside zone, power, whatever you want, screens, just easy layup plays that you don't have to do that much. Because every time I would peek at a Titans game, obviously there were atroces last year.
Starting point is 00:17:05 It was like the guy was just running around for his life trying to make plays. That's not a sustainable way to win when your talent's not there. right Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes can do that. They have good talent around them and they've mastered the position. When you're young and you're just trying to figure things out, I would argue this for any person in any industry. You know, the easier on-ramp for you to have success is people around you helping you out. And most young quarterbacks go to teams where there's not much help. It's kind of you. Figure it out.
Starting point is 00:17:39 and you know, you've got to be pretty mentally tough. It can break you. So my guess as we sit here right now, if Jeremiah Love is there at four, the Titans select them, and it'll be as important of a pick and individual they've had on their team since the other two running backs.
Starting point is 00:17:56 I think he can have that type impact. Like Eddie George, in the late 90s, early 2000s, going to war with some of those, you know, Gruden Raider and Ray Lewis Ravens teams, and obviously the success Derek Henry had, you know, for Vrable and, you know, behind Tanny Hill and those offenses for years when he kind of became a superstar. You know, Howie Roseman gave a press conference today.
Starting point is 00:18:20 Obviously, he's asked about A.J. Brown, and he doesn't give any information on that. Who knows how that's saw? Your guess is as good as mine. Like, I assume he's going to get traded, but these situations are complicated. There are cap implications. They clearly just do not want to give him away for nothing. Like, I have a hard time thinking. It's like, yeah, they just gave him away for like a conditional third.
Starting point is 00:18:42 Like, I don't know. And that's why I think he's still on the team. I think it's been a complicated negotiation. But this is a franchise, especially under Howie. They've had a lot of different coaches, right? He's won Super Bowls with multiple coaches. Obviously, Siriani has gone through a ton of different offensive coaches. And I think the best organizations that are general manager run transcends scheme
Starting point is 00:19:07 because they have a clear set of parameters in which they look for in guys. And he was asked specifically about offensive linemen, but I would imagine this speaks to most of the positions on their team that he essentially said, because obviously they have their however many new coordinators in his many years. I mean, basically, Shane Steichen was there too, and ever since they've had a new coordinator and a lot of new staff members every single year. And this year, they totally rehauled the group. And they lost long time.
Starting point is 00:19:44 I mean, fired, resigned, however you want to, you know, describe it. Probably wasn't wanted back. Even though I just saw Lane Johnson got married at the four seasons in Nashville, and Jeff Stoutland was there. A party looked pretty fun. Everyone's wearing, like, cowboy outfits, cowboy hats. Of course, I saw Dom was there in a red jumps. suit looking good. But Howie said that we have a system that
Starting point is 00:20:10 for evaluating players and specifically offensive linemen that transcends scheme. And this is where when you can lean on an elite general manager, it is much easier to figure it out through the turnover that a lot of teams just naturally have. Because if you're really good, you're losing coaches to other opportunities. McVeigh, Kyle, Seattle, right? And if Howie, I mean, Shane Stuy can become a head coach,
Starting point is 00:20:41 Kellen Moore became a head coach, or if you have issues and you need to make a change, same thing. And the best general managers don't let assistant coaches dictate their draft picks. Like, listen, Kyle Shanahan is, I think he's a very special coach. But like that organization is very, when it comes to draft time, coaches have a lot of juice. They just do. I mean, no coaching staff ever had more juice in recent memory than the Gruden Raiders.
Starting point is 00:21:14 Like, if John Gruden's assistant wanted something and he was on board, they did it. It didn't matter what the scouts think. And one thing, I think the different view of the front office and the coaching staff is simply short term and long term. And I think sometimes for coaches, it can be difficult to watch a player and separate the plays that are being called his job and what his physical attributes are.
Starting point is 00:21:43 And then meeting with the guy, can this guy transcend and figure out what we need him to do even though he did not do that in college? Because a lot of times you're watching a guy that is doing something in college, whatever position he's playing, that is something you're never going to ask him to do in the pros. But do you feel comfortable enough saying,
Starting point is 00:22:04 we can, with his skill set, he can excel doing what we need him to do. And I think the front office just has a much easier time looking at it through that lens. And coaches can have a tough time. And listen, I'm not acting like every general manager or every scouting director is good at their job. We obviously see a lot of picks like, what is this guy doing? I've watched this guy on my couch play the last two years in college. You used to after that guy in the top of the second round? that that's insane.
Starting point is 00:22:34 But I think a lot of times coaches can be very, very hit or miss. And in fairness, in the pros, evaluation is not a job requirement. It really isn't. If you can't evaluate in the pros, but you're a great position coach, you're a great scheme guy, you're a great teacher, that's all that matters. I just won't lean on you for your opinion. I have to give you, you know, the opportunity to give your opinion. It doesn't mean I'm going to take it in.
Starting point is 00:23:01 And I think the Eagles are going to be fascinating this year because you know, you hire Sean Mannion, you're going to institute this, you know, the Green Bay offense, which is LaFleur that comes from Mike Shanahan, that he coached for Kyle and the Kubiaks and the McDaniels. They all have the same thought. It's getting under center. It's running the zone runs.
Starting point is 00:23:20 It's putting your back to the defense, which specifically goes against that article that came out on Jalen that he's uncomfortable going under center, which I supported Jalen. saying I don't feel comfortable going under center because Matt Ryan said that. Aaron Rogers said that at first. It is, if you're used to playing in the shotgun and controlling it from there, which Jaylen has been doing for a long time, and then you want me to go to my center and the play
Starting point is 00:23:46 action fakes, I'm putting my back to the defense. It's something that unless you instituted immediately when you get into the pros, because most people aren't doing this in college football, it can be a very uncomfortable thing to do. And the only way, I don't care what you're. you're doing to break through something professionally that you are uncomfortable doing is to just keep doing it. And eventually, hopefully, you will be in a position where you're like, okay, I'm much more comfortable doing this.
Starting point is 00:24:16 I think I can have success, right? And sometimes you just won't be able to. So only time is going to tell if this is going to work. But the Eagles are going all in on this because it's very conducive to running the football. And this goes back to the Jeremiah Love thing, the easy. way to help out a quarterback is to do what they did two years ago is take on Barkley run for 2K. Now is the guy going to run for 2,000 yards again? Probably not. But they're paying him a lot of money. He's going to come and motivate it, I'm sure, and they're going
Starting point is 00:24:43 to be looking to have a 15 plus 100 yard season from their start running back. And this running scheme has been proven over and over and over again. It works. I mean, hell, the Eagles got gashed against the bears with them running zone, just running it right up down their throat. Him cutting back to backside, Menungi and Swift. They got embarrassed at home earlier this year. Because the running game,
Starting point is 00:25:10 even as the game has changed to a more spread offense passing the ball, there is nothing, and any fan knows this, when your team is dominating another team just handing the ball off five yards, eight yards, 12 yards, four yards, 15
Starting point is 00:25:26 yards, it is one of the best feelings in football. and if you've played in high school, obviously in college or the pros, it is truly the way to make the other team essentially give up, right? Obviously, when you throw bombs, it's cool and it's fun for video games or in real football, but the way to impose your will on a team is to run the ball down their throat. And that's what the Eagles did two years ago, and they clearly want to get back to it. And if I was an Eagles fan, like a lot of unknown how this is going to go,
Starting point is 00:25:56 but the one thing you feel good about is my general manager knows how to to pick good players. My general manager knows how to load a roster. And if your roster is as good as it possibly can be, there is less ask on the quarterback. And I would imagine in this scheme, it ideally puts less on the quarterback, which it felt like at times last year
Starting point is 00:26:15 that they were putting a lot on Jalen, to have him carry them like he was Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Patrick Mahomes. And while he can have individual games and do it, he's not that level player to do it throughout 17 games. we have enough sample size. It's just not his skill set. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor Hard Rock Bet,
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Starting point is 00:28:09 In Indiana, if you are someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1,8009 with it. Gambling problem, call 1-800 gambler. Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news.
Starting point is 00:28:29 We created our own podcast. called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to our... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special.
Starting point is 00:28:43 So how did 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 was... This is how you guys remember it going to. don't? 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,
Starting point is 00:29:07 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 Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious. guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day
Starting point is 00:29:37 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
Starting point is 00:29:53 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.
Starting point is 00:30:08 Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athletes 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 answers. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.
Starting point is 00:30:36 Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This segment is brought to you by Change of Scenery, sponsored by Toyota. When you have a coaching turnover, football's really small.
Starting point is 00:31:01 So when you hire new guys, those guys weren't just working at Lowe's, right? Those guys weren't running a bank. They were working for other teams. They're either coming from college, typically probably a big school, or coming from another NFL team. And a good GM and a good front office will go,
Starting point is 00:31:20 what information do you have on these five players that that team, whether they're coming out in the draft, or a situation like the Green Bay Packers, who have kind of had a fire sale. You know, this goes back to the floor a couple weeks ago. Guys didn't believe in their roles. we just, not everyone was on the same page. He essentially said without saying,
Starting point is 00:31:42 we had some serious locker room issues, which actually I give a lot of respect to the Packers, if that would have been the Eagles, if that would have been some of these other, the Cowboys, it would have been not only a well-known story, and maybe it was kind of in the Green Bay world, but it wasn't something that we were talking about all over the NFL. It wasn't, because if you said, hey, a story came out,
Starting point is 00:32:01 the Green Bay Packers have fractures in their locker room, guys aren't happy, It would have been a big story. I know this. I would have talked about it. And I don't really remember that coming out. Hell, I, until Parsons got her right, I thought they were going to make the Super Bowl, you know?
Starting point is 00:32:14 And clearly they had some issues going on. Which gets back to the Belichick thing. You got to be careful when you bring in players and they become your highest paid player and they're coming from a different team. It's kind of a tough situation because clearly you acquire Parsons, he becomes the best player on your team.
Starting point is 00:32:31 But sometimes that can just lead to some little ripple effect the negativity. So I'm not blaming, it's not Parsons' fault. But I wonder just, they already had some issues. You bring in this guy. Other guys think they want to get paid. This other outsider gets paid. Things can get weird. Well, the Eagles just, their offensive coordinator comes from Green Bay. He's been, you know, LeFle's guy. That's why they hired him to run that offense. And what intel does he have? He has intel on the Packers guys. So what do the Eagles do. They just trade a late round pick for Dantavian Wicks, who
Starting point is 00:33:07 fifth round pick never caught more than 40 balls. You know, it's like 6-1 and a half. Kind of a bigger guy. Not a blazer, but NFL wide receiver. And adds depth to their roster. And I think they're hoping clearly, and this shows you, I don't think they make this trade if their new offensive coordinator is like, I like this guy. right? It wouldn't be, even though Howie's the boss, if Howie goes, I kind of like this guy, and Manning looked at him and be like, I'm not a fan. You wouldn't acquire him. That's not, that's not smart business.
Starting point is 00:33:42 Right. So clearly, he's on board with him. And I think this also alludes to the other change of scenery that feels inevitable is A.J. Brown, you want to have some reinforcements. So you add Hollywood, you add Wicks to go, you know, you bring back Goddard. You still got Seekwan. There is no replacing AJ Brown one for one. There just isn't. If they trade AJ Brown, there's no one they can acquire in 2026 who is going to be that talented. Even if they nail this upcoming draft pick, that rookie will not be as good as him right now. So if you're Howie, you got to do this by quantity, right?
Starting point is 00:34:21 So you got to just try, hey, we'll bring in three guys, which I'm sure they're going to draft a guy relatively high in the top couple rounds. and then you go, okay, AJ's gone, but we brought in three more bodies to try to replicate that production and that impact. And hopefully of those couple guys, you know, the cream kind of rises and we get the best out of that group to go with Smith, who is a really, really good player.
Starting point is 00:34:49 And ideally a really, really good running game. Because the one thing in the Shanahan scheme, you don't need Jerry Rice. you know, obviously, Mike Shanahan actually coached Jerry Rice in the early 90s with Steve Young. But, like, you can get by if your running game is kicking ass, especially if your defense is going to be good as probably the Eagles defense is going to be. And that's what I think they were attempting to do. They acquire this player.
Starting point is 00:35:14 They give them a contract extension. So clearly, you know, in a perfect world, you have Mannion around for a couple years. I do think if this goes well for Sean Mannion, owners love quarterback guys. and the last two guys to make Jalen Hertz look good, got head coaching gigs. And this guy's a former quarterback, he can fix Jalen Hertz. We can be talking about change of scenery for Manning in next January. Toyota reminds us that when people are the destination,
Starting point is 00:35:45 it's not about where you're headed, but who you're headed there with. Learn more at Toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people. Okay, let's dive into a Middilkoff mailbag. at John Middlecoff, at John Middlecoff is the Instagram, fire into those DMs. We will start with Alex. I just started working my internship for investment banking in Jersey City. And the work culture is fucking horrible. In the NFL, what do you think the work culture is like?
Starting point is 00:36:19 Do you feel a sense of competition with other scouts, or is it more collaborative? I've always said that the NFL, I've never worked in finance, but I call it Wall Street on grass, because I think there is a similarity in terms of the amount of hours you have to work and the intensity of the environment, right? And obviously with the NFL, like an investment banking, you're talking hundreds of millions, billions involved in this operation. I'm trying to put this in the nicest way possible. when you're young and you get your opportunity, whether I was in college at Fresno State or whether I got to the NFL, you're going to work.
Starting point is 00:37:03 There are going to be other, ideally, some young people in the operation that you are going to bond with, right? Because you're kind of in the trenches together. But it is not a happy go lucky, put a smile in your face. Like, no one cares what you think when you're young in some of these jobs, especially in a job with accomplished people and a lot of money on the line. So my advice to any young person getting into investment banking, getting into the NFL, getting into any high pressure operation that is involved with doing big deals that are either public or like in pro sports that is just a public outcome. There's going to be high stress and high pressure on the people in charge. So if you come in and listen, I'm pretty opinionated,
Starting point is 00:37:50 I had to learn early on like sometimes you've got to keep your mouth shut and just do what needs to be done and a lot of days you're going to leave the office probably late at night and go like that that sucked and that was hard but like tough things should like you'll look back when you become my age and go that helps shape you
Starting point is 00:38:10 professionally and as you go along professionally and maybe you do career changes or maybe you change companies and the vibe is differently everything becomes easier I think one of my best advantages since I've been talking for a living is like I don't view this as difficult even though depending on the time
Starting point is 00:38:32 of the year I'm working holidays I'm working late nights I work seven days a week sometimes I've done all that for way less money and way less credit no one even could point me out of a lineup beside my family so I think when you're in the trenches and shit is hard and everyone's angry and it's just it's intense when I first got to the Eagles and was working because my first job was kind of like how he's, I don't even know if the specific job still exists, but technology was a little different in 2010, 2010, 2011. I'm just working so close and hand in hand with him any little thing he needs.
Starting point is 00:39:15 And it was just really intense. And I didn't know if I was going to make it, right? It's not that, you know, it's football, you get yelled at every once a while, some of it's your own doing. But you don't have a smile in your face when you go to bed at night. But I look back like that hardened me up for, because it's one thing when you grow up and if your parents are hard on you and you have high standards in your home, like those are your parents.
Starting point is 00:39:40 As you leave the nest and you go work for other people that are hard on you and have high standards, that benefits you greatly. I saw Veets tell a story recently that the first project he did for Andy, Reed. He said he spent like two weeks on it. He just got hired essentially as Andy's assistant. And he hands him the project. Andy
Starting point is 00:40:03 kind of looks through it and then he looks at the three ring binder. And I guess Vech didn't take off the you know, like the thing that you scan and Andy looks at him like you didn't take off the CVS sticker.
Starting point is 00:40:22 You handed a project to the head coach, you didn't take off the sticker. And Veach walked out of the room and he said he called a friend. He's like, I don't think I'm going to get fired. And Andy was trying to set the tone of like, details really matter. And I think sometimes when you're young and maybe you have friends that work kind of more jobs with different cultures. And again, I'm not, who knows, I don't know what company you're working for. I think that can only benefit you.
Starting point is 00:40:48 And also, you can see things. Like, one time when I was working at. Fresno State. Now everything's on you know, the cloud, right? So if you if you were watching recruiting film, if I'm Kirby Smart or Dan Lanning, I could get everything from the iPad. Well, back in 2008 and 2009,
Starting point is 00:41:08 these companies, so every high school game, you pay for a service and they film every high school game or they get access to the film of every high school game. And they sent DVDs. Well, by the end of the season, and we recruited California, Arizona, Texas, you might have 2,500, 3,000 DVDs.
Starting point is 00:41:29 So when a pack of DVDs, these enormous boxes, you have to input the two schools and then numerically. Well, I don't know if I wasn't paying attention or what happened, but I was off one number. So from like 400 to 600, every game was off by a game. So we were in recruiting meeting and Coach Hill would pull modern day versus Santa Margarita and he'd go to 427
Starting point is 00:41:57 and it was actually 426 so he'd pull it and it'd be like Edison High School against Clovis West and he would just kept looking and it was all off and he starts fucking freaking out and pissed off rightfully so and eventually a DVD flies across the room
Starting point is 00:42:15 I have to duck he wasn't necessarily throwing it at me but he was just pissed because the details really really mad And I remember thinking when that meeting ended, like, I'm going to get fired. And I've known a lot of people that work for Nick Sabin. Guess what? It was not a fun experience at all. And all those guys benefited.
Starting point is 00:42:35 Now, if you're not in a fun experience and it's miserable and you're not going anywhere, that sucks. So you kind of have to have a gut feeling. In my two football situations, when I would find myself feeling miserable, I always lean back on the thought that like I'm in a really good spot. Like this is going to benefit me moving forward because, listen, as a young person, you come in bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, then you get there and no one gives a flank, fuck what you think.
Starting point is 00:43:06 And can be kind of mean to you, which I just think it's hardened you up. Now, you also, you know, depending on what you do, like for me in the podcast world, the culture is way different. I would just say, hey man, just keep your head up and just keep swinging. Largely agree with your Bain take from Tuesday. But this feels like classic hit piece from a team hoping he falls further, other than, more than he usually would.
Starting point is 00:43:39 The report came out against, quote, the wishes of the victim's family. And the only criminal charge was reckless driving. I'm a new attorney. And in a fatal car accident, it is a real outlier for the driver not to get hit with at least some sort of aggravated enhanced traffic charge, let alone vehicular manslaughter or homicide, depending on how the Florida classifies those. On top of that, the victim's family apparently has not filed and is not planning
Starting point is 00:44:09 to file a civil suit, which also makes this seem like a very tragic accident rather than anything resembling the Carter or Rishi Rice situations. Obviously working off limited facts here, but I don't think this should or ultimately will have a major impact on a stock. I think the take I was, I had, I don't think it's going to impact his stock at all. I don't think he was never probably going to go in the top five. He was always going to go somewhere between like six and the early teens. I mean, the early teens would feel a little bit like a drop.
Starting point is 00:44:45 but he's going to go high, right? And this gets back to what we talked about with Brad Holmes. I don't know if Joe Shane or Howie were asked about this, but all these teams knew about this. This was not a shocking incident, right? This is not something that was new information. And this gets back to what you brought up that I talked about yesterday, like it is on the scouts and to work with their,
Starting point is 00:45:14 whoever their detective arm of the organization is to gather all that information. Because if you are going to take Ruben Bain, you're going to need to know that case and the details of that case like it was your own, you know, it happened to you. And that's their job. Not to like, you know, Ruben Bain is great on second and short.
Starting point is 00:45:39 He really excels against the run, stacking and shedding and playing the backside. it's going to come down to the information off the field with this guy. So I hear you. I need to know if you actually think the current Raiders regime has a shot at making something positive happen of our current situation. Playoffs be damned. I just want to be competitive in the division. I'm excited where the team is going, but it feels like this team is destined to inevitably fuck it all up.
Starting point is 00:46:10 As typical Raiders fashion. I would be pretty excited. Like you said, I mean, sometimes as a franchise, this isn't about winning, you know, the standard shouldn't be, we can win the division next year. The standard for the Raiders, this was like when polls got Ben Johnson, can we just be competitive?
Starting point is 00:46:32 Then it turns out they win the division, they win in home playoff games, it was incredible. But if you would have told Bears fans at the start of the year, you're going to be the seven seed, there was not a Chicago Bear fan alive that wouldn't have signed up for that. Because that means every football game you play in matters.
Starting point is 00:46:50 And the previous year with I'm just using the Bears an example. When you have a season and several seasons where none of the game matters, you know, all your games after the first couple just feel pointless. You know, that's what the Raiders season that happened last year. Their games in October, November, December, did not matter.
Starting point is 00:47:12 Unless you're a diehard Raider fan, you did not need or want to watch them. And I bet a lot of the fans like, I can't watch this. It's a terrible product. And obviously that's why you get the number one
Starting point is 00:47:25 overall pick. But I think they can win seven games this year if all goes well. And seven games, depending on the order in which you win them, it might feel like you're kind of alive around Thanksgiving. And I think,
Starting point is 00:47:40 think that's all you could ask for in like the first year of a new coaching staff with a young quarterback. Let me tell you about my friends at ethos. Life insurance is something I'll be honest, I never thought about until I had a child, until I got married. And you have other people that not only depend on you, but your life becomes intertwined with them. And as you get older, you see situations, people in your life, people that you don't. know as well maybe through friends and the unexpected happens and you never want to get caught into a situation while the people you love the most are not protected financially and I think most of us you know life insurance any insurance for that matter uh it's just a pain to get it and that's
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Starting point is 00:49:16 Rates may vary. Hey, it's us, the 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.
Starting point is 00:49:36 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.
Starting point is 00:50:08 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
Starting point is 00:50:42 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.
Starting point is 00:51:16 When Jacob met Levant 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,
Starting point is 00:51:41 Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. I just heard you say on the podcast that you got into a heated argument with Chip Kelly in the draft room. Could you expand on that? Also, why do you think he didn't work in the pros? As a college football fan, he was a huge star with a high-octane offense. Was it because his personality didn't work with players, or mostly the exes and oaths?
Starting point is 00:52:12 I would say by the time Chip came, I was feeling myself. It's probably the cockiest I've ever been, professionally in my 20s. Because I was Howie's guy by then. I had met Chip multiple times on the road doing the West Coast. One thing, one of my buddies with the Eagles had taught me, every time you go through a program and you meet a prominent figure,
Starting point is 00:52:39 a assistant coach, a coordinator, definitely the head coach, send them a personalized, you know, we had Eagles cardstock, send them a personalized letter. So I was doing that everywhere I went. And it really worked. Because you go into school a second time, they would come up like, hey, John, good to see you again. Right. I remember Chip did that.
Starting point is 00:52:56 So I was like, I already know the guy. I know Howie. I just felt very comfortable, obviously too comfortable. And then the draft meetings came. And Matt Barclay, who actually played a lot longer than I ever would have envisioned him playing, came up. And I obviously was doing the West Coast. And, you know, I forget exactly how the meetings went back then. But I think the position guy, or not the position coach, but the,
Starting point is 00:53:20 the area scout talked first. And I kind of crushed them. Well, Chip was in our meetings in the back. You know, he'd kind of come to when we'd talk about a player that it was either on Oregon or that he played. And Matt Barclay, I think in two years against Oregon, his junior and senior year, threw for like a thousand yards. I mean, was in, look like fucking Joe Montana against the Ducks. Any Oregon fan or USC fan, if you're old enough, you'd probably remember.
Starting point is 00:53:50 remember, like Matt Barkle was really good against them. So Chip thought he was good. And again, I actually respect him how long his career went. He seems like a great guy. Everyone I know that knows him likes him. But from a football standpoint, I went, he can't move. He doesn't have a great arm. Like, I just, I don't think this is a type guy we should pick.
Starting point is 00:54:11 And I was, again, cocky, feeling myself pretty aggressive. And then Chip starts chiming in that he disagreed. And again, maybe I misremember. remembering it a little bit like, I don't know if we were directly arguing or I was just saying something and he was just saying the completely opposite. And I just didn't really stop talking. And I remember after the meeting, one of our guys said like, man, bro, you were pretty aggressive in there. And it was just never quite the same after that. I remember going to the combine a couple weeks later and no one was really talking to me. and I could just tell they had turned on me.
Starting point is 00:54:50 You know, and Howie just had to do whatever Chip wanted to do. I mean, if you've listened to me and Howie have a good relationship. And, you know, Chip just, I wouldn't even look at me. And, you know, as the scouts hated him. I mean, I think he couldn't, his evaluations couldn't have been any worse. Listen, I'm biased because I know some of the things he did to other people. I don't think he's like a high character guy. I'm not a fan.
Starting point is 00:55:17 And it's not even about me personally. Me leaving the Eagles is the best thing that ever happened to me. So it's like my life changed for the better from then. But like some of the things he did to other people, it's like, give me a fucking break. But yeah, I mean, this is back to the guy asking me. When you're young, you got to be like, you start thinking like I'm Theo Epstein, you know. and you got to be careful because older people with the power
Starting point is 00:55:48 they want your opinions but they want you to be controlled sometimes especially in like a corporate setting right this isn't like a startup this is there's a clear hierarchy in that room and your boy thought he wasn't equal until he wasn't and they're like send back the iPad
Starting point is 00:56:06 like I fucking love this iPad I don't have any money you want me to spend $1,000 back I don't know how much iPads cost I haven't bought one in a while But I remember that That was like the thing I was I was like I gotta get back
Starting point is 00:56:16 My iPad I gotta buy my own iPad I think I've had the same iPad You know I bought an iPad like a year later I think I still have it Like the case is falling off Probably need to get a new one Who will be more successful in the next 10 years
Starting point is 00:56:30 The Giants or the Raiders I feel like They have a lot of similarities with the expected Drafting of Mendoza I think the Giants have a better Young Corps of guys You know Crosby's
Starting point is 00:56:46 older, Colton Miller's older. We don't know how dynamic and good Gentie's going to be. Bowers is good. But I think when you look at the Giants, you go, I mean, Abdul Carter should, has the physical capabilities to become a high-end
Starting point is 00:57:02 dominant edge rusher. Like one of the best speed rushers in the league. I'm not saying he's Micah Parsons. Obviously, his rookie year was a disaster. But like, he should make Pro Bowls. And I'm not talking about the ones where you get invited because seven guys drop out.
Starting point is 00:57:19 I'm saying like he should be one of the best pass rushers in the NFC. Malik neighbors, if he's on the field, should be one of the best players in the NFC. And Darts's already proven, like, his skills do translate. He's just got to stay on the field. So they have more, and the other thing is like, John Harbaugh, we know what he's like as a head coach. There are more question marks with the Raiders.
Starting point is 00:57:41 Kubiak, no one would have hired him two years ago. Fernando Mendoza's had five career snaps under center. You know, Crosby, how long can he play at a high level, where the Ravens right on the knee situation. So I just think the Raiders have more question marks. But I think you're right. I would buy stock in both. The Raiders division,
Starting point is 00:58:05 Andy's older in his mid-60s, Harbaugh's over 60, Sean Payton's over 60. So one thing the Raiders have going for him is like, those guys can't coach forever. you know, the NFC East a little easier. Washington, ton of question marks coming into this season
Starting point is 00:58:22 and as a roster, I mean, as long as Jerry's there, there's just a lot of shit going on and there's just always drama with the Eagles. With the NFL expanding to international games, we'll get to the point where every team plays one every single year.
Starting point is 00:58:41 It would be able to split the home and away games even 8-8-1 neutral. I didn't even think about that because right now they're just giving up one of their home games. It is 100% inevitable. Thursday night football, what it became. When I was in the NFL 15 years ago when it started, Thursday night football had like two or three games. I think by the end, before I went into radio, there was like five Thursday night games. And it was like Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock.
Starting point is 00:59:16 It was on NFL network. I saw at the owner's meetings, right? Roger Goodell, one of the things he said about, because NFL network was, it technically wasn't ending, but it was going to ESPN. He said Thursday night football, you know, without the NFL network doesn't happen. So the expansion of Thursday night football and what it is today as a true package and a really big deal in the NFL got started, launched, and became a thing on that network. And what it is now is every team, does every team have to play? I actually think they change that because now you can play two games on Thursday Night Football.
Starting point is 00:59:52 Pretty sure every team plays a Thursday Night Football game. But there's definitely, you know, a full package of games, starting week two through essentially the end of the season. That is what's going to happen with the international games. Now, unlike Thursday Night Football, I don't think there's going to be a situation where they say you can play multiple international games. That's pretty unfair.
Starting point is 01:00:13 Even though I think the 49ers this year playing Australia and playing Mexico City. but the 49ers want to play in Mexico City. They don't want to play in Australia. Another question for you. Given the credibility of Mike McDaniel as a play caller and designer, are you prepared to say if Herbert doesn't play like an elite quarterback this year and or wins a playoff game, he never will?
Starting point is 01:00:37 I think the narrative has been, he has been terrible, he has had terrible situations his whole career, but I don't think that's true. At some point, doesn't he need to earn, a reputation. Oh, doesn't he need to earn his reputation? Listen, there's no disputing it. This is a big freaking year for the big fella.
Starting point is 01:00:57 You know, I think there's pressure on the Chargers to win the division, to home games, which don't necessarily matter, but it's easier from a travel standpoint. And for him to have a playoff game, if he's playing wildcard weekend, if you're the two or you're the three and you're playing the six or the seven
Starting point is 01:01:14 or vice versa, for him to throw three or four touchdowns. And be like, that's one of the best games of Herbert. career. It's important. And I don't, I don't argue with you on that one. He gets a lot of support from people like me that believe it's going to happen, even though it hasn't happened. But the longer you go, people question, is it actually ever going to happen?
Starting point is 01:01:40 And I think we're, we're crossing that bridge now. We're crossing that bridge now. He's another bad playoff game away from being like the, the James Hartman. Hardin without the strip clubs of the NFL. A little different. It's not apples-to-apples comp right there, but Hardin's been terrible in the playoffs for the most part. And Herbert has been atrocious.
Starting point is 01:02:05 A question for the go-low bag, we'll just answer it here. I completely with you on not shitting on Tiger. It seems pretty obvious. He's an addict because of everything he's been through and he takes pills to have a quality of life. However, why does he have to drive like a reckless asshole when he obviously knows he's under the influence? I know in my past, if I've ever had a couple drinks, and I'm fairly certain I'm under the limit,
Starting point is 01:02:26 I still drive like an angel just to be extra cautious. He's downing pills and then driving 60 through residential neighborhoods. I bet none of his accidents happen, even if he's fucked up on pills, if he's just driving like a normal person. Yeah, I mean, I talked to someone, maybe I mentioned this, that lived or was driven down the street. I guess he doesn't live there, but he stayed. in that area multiple times, kind of in the golf business, and said, John, that street is like a street in a suburbs where no one goes faster than 30 miles an hour.
Starting point is 01:03:03 It would be borderline impossible to get into anything more than a tidying little fender bender because you're texting. For you to flip a car, his driving is atrocious. And his pill, like I've said this forever, if he, the reason he's taking pills is, to play golf and lift weights. Without the pills at 50 years old, there is no
Starting point is 01:03:25 way he could lift the weights and attempt to play golf like he likes to do, which is the only thing he's ever done, right? And obviously that has defined his life. So if he actually goes to rehab, wherever he's going in Europe or some other country, and it works,
Starting point is 01:03:42 and he's not able to take these opioids anymore, I think we see a completely different human and potentially like in a wheelchair, because eventually his body won't work. I mean, the guy has more surgeries than a guy that played football in the 60s. So I don't know why Tiger drives so fast. He's a terrible driver.
Starting point is 01:04:00 The accident the other day or a couple weeks ago was just an all-timer. How realistic is it to think that next year's offseason will be headlined by two aggressive teams, the Rams and the Eagles, getting into a bidding war for Burrow? I don't even think we are remotely close to Mike Brown entertaining trading the guy. I think it would take a disaster for the bangles, but if there's a disaster for the bangles, that probably means Burrow is missing games, and then what's his trade value?
Starting point is 01:04:34 Like, how could you throw a boatload of picks at the guy if something happens like it happened last year? And if he's good, right, where all these teams would be lined up to acquire him, I would imagine the Bengals are good, and then they're not going to trade him. So I just have a hard time. I'm old enough to remember when Carson Palmer wanted out and Mike Brown said
Starting point is 01:04:56 you ain't going anywhere. I just think you're dealing with an old stubborn owner who is not in the business is just trading this guy, even if it's for a haul. What am I missing on Dante Moore? In my opinion, everything I've seen, he's a quicker Bryce Young and next year's draft who will eventually get a GM fired.
Starting point is 01:05:12 Well, he didn't come out. This is why he went back to school to prove that he's better than that. I think after the Texas Tech game, the game against Indiana, you know, down the stretch of the season, you went, that's a smart move. He's only been in college now for a couple years. I think he's like 20 years old. He needs some work.
Starting point is 01:05:37 Like, not everyone is just ready for the NFL. And I commend the guy and probably an easy decision. He's making a boatload of money. He's a king on a campus that loves football, has a powerhouse team. They're going to be a preseason top five team. I mean, who knows? They could be like two or three. And their substance behind it, their roster is loaded.
Starting point is 01:05:59 They're going to be a lot of people's pick. You know, now, Dan Landings have to prove he can win some big playoff games, but they are going to be a sexy pick to win the national championship. And all eyes are going to be on him. And I think he is going to be one of the most talked about, players because NFL people are going to be talking about him constantly. He's got a lot of buzz. He's got a lot of hype coming into the season. His decision to go back has made him kind of like a household name. I think he's got a lot of physical abilities,
Starting point is 01:06:30 but I need to watch him more. And luckily, he's playing in college again. I get the opportunity. So, you know, I like Bryce. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a fan of his in college. I would have taken him over C.J. Stroud as well. I loved him at Alabama. But then you just see a size and you see them in pads relative to C.J. You're like, I don't know. I don't know. Now, it's not like CJ's playing great either, but C.J.'s last game in college when he threw all those touchdowns at Ohio State. Maybe it was the Final Four game. I just remember three, like five touchdowns. Was it against Clemson? Some of these college playoff games run together, but, and then C.J. went to the combine and ran like a 4-4-5.
Starting point is 01:07:16 You're like, God, he's way better athlete than I thought. Evaluating quarterbacks is hard, but the more college tape you have on a guy, the easier it is to evaluate. So I think there are a lot of question marks for Dante Moore, but he's not in this draft. I'd be with you if Dante Moore is in this draft. I'd be like, it's pretty risky.
Starting point is 01:07:34 There is no guarantee that's going to work. To me, he, because he would be the clear number two, he'd be in a different stratosphere than Ty Simpson, he would go number two overall to the Jets. It's like Dante Moore's going to work with the Jets. I would bet against it. But what if he goes back next year, gets stronger, gets better,
Starting point is 01:07:58 hones in on his craft, gets more reps, and by the end of the season you're like, this guy's a stud. So we don't need to make any declarations right now. Or maybe you're right. Maybe he's just overvalued. But we get another year of them playing let's pull up the Oregon football skit. Let's talk a little college football.
Starting point is 01:08:20 So he opens up with Boise. They go on the road to Oklahoma State. They play at SC. They get UCLA at home. Nebraska, at Illinois, at Ohio State, versus Michigan, at Michigan State, versus Washington. They got a good schedule. They play Ohio State and Michigan.
Starting point is 01:08:42 they go to USC that Boise games always Oregon and Boise have played a million times over the last 25 years at Illinois is no joke Nebraska at home will be a solid game Washington's good I mean that's a rival that's a good schedule
Starting point is 01:09:02 if I was looking right now I would say I'd say conservative 10 and 2 feels like they got a loss on here at Ohio State's tough. Michigan's going to be tough. At USC. I mean, they probably lose one of those three games. I'd probably say 11 and 1.
Starting point is 01:09:22 Potential in the Big Ten championship game, assuming those championship games still happen. Which I saw Sankey, the SEC Commissioner, was like, yeah, it's probably run its course. Well, yeah, to run its course if both the teams playing in this game are going to be in the playoffs. I mean, what's the point of this?
Starting point is 01:09:38 It's why I'm a believer that the championship game you have to work with the committee should morph into a playing game. Kind of like the NBA. So instead of Texas versus Georgia or last year Indiana versus Ohio State, which was fucking awesome, which I respect the shit out of both those programs for playing as hard as they did when both of them are locked to get a buy, is that game should be like USC versus Illinois.
Starting point is 01:10:05 And the winner gets in and the loser doesn't make it. That would be theater too, which I think that's inevitable. that we get to a position where it was like last year it'd be in like Texas versus you know whoever another team is in the SEC Texas versus Vandy to go to the playoffs
Starting point is 01:10:25 that would be my guess what that weekend morphs into this is just a nice sex I discovered that I don't need to play the happy song to relax my baby your pod has been our win-win kind of weird playing me for your baby which I appreciate
Starting point is 01:10:41 we need more sports fans actually it's not weird at all I'm glad you're doing that. I play podcast in front of my baby all the time. Sometimes he's cool with it, and other times he's not feeling with it. And anyone knows you just go and you find, you know, sleep baby songs.
Starting point is 01:10:55 Sometimes, like, this song will make him fall asleep in two minutes. Ten minutes later, he's just screaming. It's like, this is not working. Some of these things, it's like, does this really work? Or sometimes he's just tired? Sometimes it's not. Appreciate you guys.
Starting point is 01:11:09 Talk to you soon. See you. See you. The volume. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. And I'm Nick, and guess what?
Starting point is 01:11:22 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.
Starting point is 01:11:38 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. On Humor 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?
Starting point is 01:12:07 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 the 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.
Starting point is 01:12:34 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 SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo's Slice Life 12. and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on,
Starting point is 01:12:59 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 Aihar Radio app,
Starting point is 01:13:18 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.

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