The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 3 - What will happen to Brandon Aiyuk?

Episode Date: August 7, 2024

Colin believes the Patriots need to go after Brandon Aiyuk The Steelers are rumored to be interested in improving at WR via trade Scott Pioli from NFL Network joins The Herd to talk about his time with New England and Tom Brady See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me.

I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

Before it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for The Herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio. or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. One of my favorite guys, former NFL GM, 27 years in NFL front offices. And it's just interesting.

I had lunch not long ago with the USCAD Jen Cohen. And the model that's happening in college football is that they're going to hire general managers. And because of the NIL, and you know, these college coaches aren't equipped to be capologists. They can't do this stuff. either ADs. And so Scott Fioli today is advising. One of the teams

he's advising is the Utah Uts, a great program, five-time executive of the year. So it's a real thing happening. You're also an NFL network analyst. So we were talking about earlier today, Scott, about Brandon Ayuk's deal. I like him a lot. But this is not the NBA.

Okay, this is not like outside a quarterback, the draft provides terrific players every year, especially wide receivers. And I'm thinking to myself, if you're the Niners, and it's a weird proposition here, Scott, they're an older team.

They're going to have to pay Brock Purdy in about 18 months. So, like, this could be the year. If you're general manager, do you cave a little here knowing that Kittle, Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, Debo,

these are older players. This window is shrinking. What do you do if you're the Niners? Colin, you are being so much, more thoughtful than so many people I listen to out there talking about this because the whole idea is you have to have an inexpensive player at one position so you can pay at the others. And right now they have a quarterback that's in a rookie contract, which is a blessing, which allows you to pay more at other positions.

And with the circumstance and situation with Brennan Ayuk, they know how much you're spending on defense. They know how much you're spending in other skill positions. You have to look at your roster often and say, okay, how much are we going to put into this entire quarterback room, into this entire wide receiver room, and this becomes very complicated. And this situation, this doesn't mean that they don't want them. I know that John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan and that entire organization, those coaches, they want, Brandon. But now this is what happens. You know, when you have success, you will begin, you will start to have attrition just

by the natural process of contracts getting more and more expensive at other positions. And, you know, one of the things that you learn through free agency when you have a good football team is you can't keep them all you can and it's one of those things that you have to have that conversation with your coaches so to me this is an interesting situation because i go back to the early patriot times we had a different but similar situation like this with a wider seeer that we love by the name of dion branch yeah and he was coming off of a season where he won the super bowl MVP he still had time left on his contract but he wanted to get paid he wanted that second contract We were in a place where we were paying some other people different but similar and it unfortunately

didn't work out and that's the tough part. You work to try to keep it together. But here's the important part in this, Colin, is that Kyle Shanahan and the assistant coaches, they need to stay out of the business and it looks like they're staying out of the business. They're talking very little publicly about it because there's always a chance that the player can remain and you have to have those relationships. You know, let the front office and the general manager be jerks in terms of the contract. But you have to sustain this, you know, this model and these relationships in order to make it work for the coaches.

So Nick Saban was talking on hard knocks last night with Matt Eberflue's coach of the Bears. He said the reason you guys have such a failure rate at quarterback, you don't give much time. You have massive expectations and the kids trying to live up to these expectations very quickly. But then I flipped a telescope and I said in the last decade, there have been 32 first round quarterbacks, seven have hit. And that doesn't sound like a big number, but there's not seven great coaches. There's not seven great left tackles, maybe. There's not seven great movie stars that draw people into theaters in America. There's Tom Cruise and a bunch of other talented actors.

And my take is, is it just the reality of the position? It is so hard. You have to be cognitively bright. tough, a leader, accurate, strong. And the truth is that it's such a hard position that if you drafted a quarterback every year as a good GM, you'd hit on about one out of five. Maybe that's just the truth.

That's the truth. Colin, you hit on a number of points here that I really like. It's not just the player and getting the right player. A lot of it has to do with player development. There's the rare quarterback that comes in that is so good, like the Peyton Mannings of the world, even though he had a really rough beginning, he was developed. But, you know, I go back to it again, that I was blessed to be in a couple of situations,

even before the Tom Brady situation. I was with Vinnie Tester Verdi in Cleveland, Baltimore, and then the Jets, where he had failed previously early in his career. And I really believe that part of the problem was that Vinny Tester Verde, hopefully the audience listening, knows that name and knows who he was. He was a terrific talent, but he was put in a situation and circumstance with an awful football team in Tampa Bay, and he wasn't able to develop. And then when we got Vinny, Bill and the coaching staff and Ernie Adams and all the people that helped develop him, and then the play calling that we put him in position to succeed,

to accentuate the strengths and limit the limitations, really helped him. Then I fast forward to the Brady time, and again, you look at the coach. staff that helped develop Tommy. He sat the bench for a little bit over a year. And in addition to Bill, there was Ernie Adams, there was Charlie Weiss, there was Dick Raybine, God rest of soul. There was a tremendous group of people around him and a great defense and an opportunistic special teams group. It allowed him to develop. So it's part of it is what you're saying. And you know, you mentioned something about how smart the quarterbacks have to be. And here's what I'll say about the quarterbacks. To me, the most important things are A accuracy. Arm strength, I think,

is overrated. But I also think when you're talking about the intelligence of a quarterback, it's not just intelligence. Because very often, I can't tell you how many times I've sat through interviews with players over the years where you can get them up on the board and they're sitting there with a grease marker and they do everything and they know covered two and then they know all of it. The difference is how good a decision can they make and can they make the decisions under duress when they're getting punched in the mouth. Yeah. That's what it's different.

That's when it changes. So it's not just intelligence. It's the ability to make good decisions under duress. Scott Pioly joining us, former NFL GM, five-time executive of the year. He now works for the NFL Network. By the way, NFL Network carrying seven preseason week one games live beginning tomorrow, Panthers Patriots. So the Dak Prescott situation is one we talk about.

we know we can identify there's about five or six guys in this league at quarterback that are great but at any one time seven teams in the league to nine are trying to find a quarterback and then you get to dac who to me is a bit like kirk cousins smart grown up intuitive decent great at the podium proud that he's your quarterback yes needs to be carried a little more than he can carry but you can win a lot of games you can win a division you can win a playoff game and you get to a point now with with with with Atlanta's like hey we can't we have panics but Kirk cousins will make us a grown up team

immediately and he will and Dak will keep you in the conversation he's an absolute grown up during the controversy with the anthem he brought the temperature down in that locker room I mean he's just he's the as good a podium guy as I've ever seen with Brady but he's good 60 million

64 so do you as a general manager would you go to an owner and say listen, here's the realities. We'll be relevant. We can win our division. But you have to understand Mahomes, Alan, Lamar. Like, do you have these conversations as a GM with an owner?

Because the coach knows the truth, but the owners sometimes struggle to admit the truth. What's that like? Yeah, you know, there's so much wrapped up in that, Colin, because you know, we throw the word great around way too much. And as

being someone who's brought into this game an evaluator you always had to differentiate between below average average good very good excellent great and rare and that Prescott has certainly been a very good quarterback in this league and he's he all those things that you said he is and has been and he's not take he what's clear is he can't take the entire team on his shoulders and that's not a criticism at all I mean he's still a very good NFL quarterback. There have been times where he has won games. But what doesn't get talked about enough too sometimes is where's the rest of the team? Again, I go back to our time of Tom Brady.

Our first Super Bowl, Tommy wasn't all that. Our second one, he was good. You know, but we had a great defense. We had an opportunistic special teams. Like I said, there were people, we had a team built around him that was outstanding. And as he matured and got better and became great, that happened. But, you know, go back to the salary thing. This is a great question because, you know, the people see the numbers and they look at these deals sometimes when they're done in a vacuum. And it's like, oh, my gosh, $60 million. Well, I remember last year when we started, what do we have, like $8 or $9, $40 million quarterbacks? And people say, this guy's not that good, not DAC, but any quarterback.

Well, the going rate is the going rate. And if you got one, you better keep them. Because I've lived life without one. I've lived life with one. I've lived life with an above average to good one. If you have one that can do a decent job, then as a general manager, your responsibility is to build a better team around that player. You can still win a championship.

So to me, the cost of the quarterback, that is what it is. I mean, as Robert Kraft used to have a great line, he says, hey man, that's the cost of doing business. And right now, the 40 plus million dollar quarterback is what the average quarterback is getting paid. So if you want to be in that business, you've got to be in that business. But again, what you need to do is build a really good football team around them. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all. embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football,

or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.

It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on The Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Now you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness,

this 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. Trip Fontaine, 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, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

Finally, you know, I know we all know Caleb Williams as talent. What's your evaluation on him? What concerns you? What do you love, Caleb Williams? Well, always with a player like King Williams, for him specifically and players like him, is my biggest concern is that expectations are managed. And I think he's a tremendous talent. I think he makes good decisions, which is important.

We're going to see how he makes those decisions with NFL speed. I'm really encouraged by the things, you know, I have a great relationship with Ryan Pol. and I think Ryan has an infrastructure in place within that organization that is so good for players to develop. And again, I'm a big believer in player development. I think all of the things that you need to be a quarterback that's going to be developed are in place at Chicago. I think there's going to have to be a time for patience because, you know, I believe in giving these quarterbacks grace, just like I had talked earlier about Gerard Neo on Good Morning Football. you first-time coach, he needs some grace.

I think Caleb Williams right now has players around him that are going to allow him to grow and mature and develop to be a very good NFL quarterback. And based on the things I see in terms of his tools, he does have the ability to be a great quarterback in this league. Scott Piole, NFL Network. Great seeing you. You look healthy.

You look happy. There is life after being a general manager. There is. I know. All you guys, you know, once you get out of it, there's a lot of fun things to do in life besides deal with crazy owners all the time. So it's great seeing it. For sure, Colin, thanks so much for having me. I love being out with you.

All right. I appreciate you, man. Scott Pioly, doing some work for the Utah UTS, a great program going into the Big 12. And that's what's really happening in college football is that because the NIL's not going away, you're going to see general managers hired some. some former NFL GMs, Scott Piole, comes in and can run a college program and deal with a cap. And, you know, there is no cap, but just the management of how to figure out when you've got 70 players you're paying. So it's something that's happening very, very quickly in multiple schools I've talked to.

They're leaning on these NFL guys and take us through it. They're almost like director of recruiting and dealing with the monetary portion of this. So it's happening and happening quickly. J-Mac with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News.

I think you love a good pre-season practice skirmish. Oh, I do. The Lions and Giants. Multiple fights have broken out. You showed the Daniel Jones won earlier. Here it is. Well, there was a Malik neighbor's battle. Both clubs are going to have to pay up in response to these scuffles. New York and Detroit

will be fined $200,000 each. Pocket change, of course, a billion dollar organization. However, the fine comes after the league sent a memo to all teams last month that fighting and other unprofessional conduct will not be tolerated at joint practices. Clearly, this fine strategy is not. Here's neighbors, the rookie given like a little cheap shot. Neighbors claims that the kid said something to them. Do you know why you're getting this in these practices and you don't see these in the preseason games? Because you practice for like four days in a row together. So it's just one of those things where if you have three straight

practices with a rival team, you're getting in fights. There are some things. I can remember years ago when I worked at the other place. And we had a gigantic meeting about Twitter. No. And everybody was like, hey, you can't say this on Twitter. And I remember standing up at the meeting and say, it's not your device. It's that Jack guy's device and it's my Twitter account. You're not going to tell me what I can put on it. Now, you can get rid of me after my contract because you don't like what I put on it. You don't control Twitter. You don't control my IG account.

I can do what I want with it. So have you had an executive approach you and say, can you delete something? No. They were just, they didn't know how to handle it. The NFL now, because they're reducing preseason games, is increasing the number of these practices. This is the reality. You can't hold multiple practices with teams and not expect fights. I mean, you get fights during preseason games in games,

but the game's over and you leave town. If I beat you, I'm a receiver and I beat you as a corner four times and talk trash, and I'm facing you again tomorrow, these aren't teammates where you brohug after it and say, hey, man, I was just getting all. Yeah. No, you face that guy the next day. Oh, wait, and the next day. So you're going to see far more fights and I think you just can't control it.

Some things, I mean, you can warn people. But you have fights within a team. So you're bringing a rival team up for three straight intense practices? You're getting fights. And Dan Campbell's team, you know, they're biting off kneecaps. They're not backing down from anybody. That's a kneecap biting team. New York Giants almost feel like it's us against the world.

Everybody's making fun of them relentlessly. So I don't know. Like I kind of like these skirmishes. As long as nobody gets hurt. You don't want anybody seriously injured missing time because of a dumb fight. Next up is Ka. Your favorite quarterback. Love him.

Kyler Murray, he's healthy. However, the Cardinals do not plan to play him in the preseason. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said the team likes where Kyler is right now, and then he's doing everything he needs to do to be ready for week one. Gannon also noted the team's upcoming joint practices with the Colts as a reason to keep Kyler sidelined during preseason games. Hmm. I mean, he's got a rookie wide receiver, probably want to build some chemistry with him.

Can't do that in practice. I don't think it really, overall it doesn't matter because the Cardinals stay. I really think the majority of young coaches Cardinals have a young coach. They don't want to play any of their good players. I mean, are you seeing these reports out? Like a guy will like tweak his ankle. It's like, he's out for the preseason. It just, it gives these, if a guy literally has an ice cream headache, he's out for the preseason.

Well, Andy Reid announced today he's playing Mahomes and Company for a quarter. No, no, no. Andy's old school. Yeah. He likes playing guys. But a lot of these young coaches. New school. New school guys are like, I got no interest.

This may be the only head coaching job I get in my career. I'm not having my quarterback get hurt. Andy's like, what are you going to do? I got $100 million. I got ring trophies everywhere. So Andy Reid is much more willing of Bruce Ariens, a Belichick. They're not worried about it. But think how a young coach thinks.

I'm in year two. I'm at Arizona. Impulsive owner. If I don't have a quarterback and win three games, I can be fired. I'm not playing my stars in pretty. If I'm going to go down, I'm going down my way. So that's why a lot of these young coaches that don't have a ring or a trophy or kind of a cemented legacy, they don't want to play any of these young guys.

That's fair. Yeah. Final story is that Christian McCaffrey also not going to play in the preseason. He's got this injury that's kind of nagging. It's a strained calf. I don't know if it's similar to the Russell Wilson one. But he missed Tuesday's practice and said McCaffrey will miss a couple of weeks as well as all three preseason games due to the calf injury.

A prime example, coach doesn't have a ring. Little pressure now. There's a little pressure on Kyle. How? He's totally safe at his job. Keeps blowing those fourth quarter leads. Kind of reminds me of Andy Reed in Philadelphia blowing all those NFC championship games.

And he got fired. And how does that look in hindsight now that he's dominating? The Eagles have won a Super Bowl and Andy's won them. Andy's dominating, like, dynastic stuff. But I mean, they've won Doug Peter. won a Super Bowl? Yeah, where's he, by the way? He's down in Jaybill.

And if Siriani screws up this year, he's gone. This is not a theory. I'm telling you what young coaches think. No, no, I don't disagree. You don't have a ring. You can say what you want about Kyle. And I said this. I think the Niners have peaked.

I was just sent a text in between commercials. The Niners are pissed at Ayuk. Because they know this year is huge. They've got to pay Purdy next year. Yeah, they do. They are mad at Brandon Ayyuk. They are livid. They are livid because they thought they had a deal.

They thought they were close. They are not happy at all. Good. I'm just telling you. Yeah, no, no. As for McCaffrey, he had a large workload last year. You don't want to run him into the ground. I'm surprised they don't kind of cap his carries in some games. It's like, ah, let's just do 15.

Let's maybe do 20 in a close game. I think they'd like to. I mean, fine, bring it a bunch of backs. Miami seems to find them all of them. in the draft. They got some new guy who's pushing A. H.A. They have a backup. Remember H. Chan last year, how good he was? Before he got hurt? Nineers have a backup. I like

Mason. What's the backup for the Niners? He doesn't have the pop of McCaffrey. I know how many people. Who has the pop of McAfrey? I might, but nevertheless. That's not like a pop. He's the second best running back I've ever seen. Oh, stop. Ever? To Walter Peyton. Barry Sanders or Christian McCaffrey? Barry Sanders couldn't catch like this.

Barry Sanders. By the way, the minute I love Barry Sanders, he retired. Just stick around a while. Adrian Peterson or Christian McCaffrey. Peterson had a huge fumble issue and couldn't catch. Wow. McCaffrey's second best running back you've ever seen. To Walter Payton.

Sanders third, then it's a bunch of guys. All right. Wow. That's just, I'm sure. I'm more shook from that than the earthquake last night. That Christian McCaffrey's the second best back I've ever seen. Yeah. I mean, I'm cycling through my head quickly and I'm trying to go through guys who I could challenge you with.

I'll tell you a guy that was underrated. People have no idea how good he was. Marcus Allen. Oh, he was awesome. Come on. Bo Jackson? I mean, he didn't play long enough. You got to play more than 15 minutes. Like these guys that have a half hour show. John Riggins.

No, I'm just kidding. It's like these guys that have a half hour show. Ooh. Come on. Three hours or I'm not interested. Well, you're firing barbs of politicians now the Arrival Network. I'm joking. Can anybody joke anymore? Is this the gum? Is this the gum talk?

This is the gum. This is the gum. That gum gives me confidence. It makes me a little obnoxious. You're bulletproof. Neuro gum is, it's like a, I don't know what it's like, it's a steroid or something. It makes you just lose yourself a little bit. Oh, a little M&M, lose yourself? You don't know that song.

I do know that. Okay. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd line news. That may be your best line in the show. Is it the gum? That gum has really changed the entire network.

You can very slowly, the whole network should be on that gum. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's me, Rob Parker. Check out my weekly MLB podcast Inside the Parker for 22 minutes of piping hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names and newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the eye test, we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday. So do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Park.

with Rob Parker on the IHartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, CliverTaylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need. to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan,

so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of ton-tons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the look back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jette.

Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so... Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear 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. Trip Fontaine, 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 Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app.

Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. During home of emergencies, every second counts. Go to Simplysafecollin.com, 24-7 monitoring agents. 20% off today, no safe, like SimplySafe. Okay, here we go. The Diana Rusini respected journalist says the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with other teams, are in communication and still negotiating for Brandon Ayuk.

No deal's done for sources. Remember, they're not paying Justin Fields or Russell Wilson anything. And they're not paying George Pickens yet anything. They're paying T.J. Watt. Minka Fitzpatrick. Paying some guys on defense. paying a lot of their offensive players. They drafted a couple offensive linemen. They're not paying big money

for their running backs yet. So, there, Pittsburgh is a good place for Brandon Iyuk. And for a team that's able to draft receivers, they could add a piece here. It would also, I think, I'll be honest, I think Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, both throw a pretty good deep ball.

I think Russell's pretty accurate on the deep ball. I think Justin Fields isn't as accurate, but has a big arm. Here was Mike Tomlin today talking about the quarterback position asked about the quarterback depth chart right now. Very much is a competition. What happens in the stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice setting because

it's more game like. You still view Russell is having that pole position and being ahead of Justin in that? You guys saw the depth chart that I released yesterday. That is real. I think everything is an audition. Everything that we do is an audition not only for him but but for others. Very interesting. So Brandon Iyuk, I'm going to tell you who's rooting for that, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.

And I also think in that division with Baltimore and Cincinnati and Cleveland, if you're not as good at quarterback and Pittsburgh's not, they don't have Lamar, Burrow or Deshawn Watson. So their takeaway is where we have to make some room up. And Cleveland was in these negotiations too. Well, Pittsburgh's not going to go, wait a minute. They got the better quarterback. They got the offensive coach.

We're going to let them have Iyuk. So if I'm Pittsburgh, I'm playing keep away from Cleveland potentially, aren't you? Where, tell me, where with Ayuk are the Steelers better offensively than anyone else in their division? Receiver. Better than who? Not the Bengals. They're not better in the Bengals at receiver. Baltimore.

Pickens and I are we counting tight ends. And for counting tight ends, it's close. Mark Andrews is good. Wide receivers and tight ends don't get paid the same. Pass catchers. Okay, all right, fair. They're better than Baltimore and they're better than Cleveland. Well, right now Cleveland has Amari Cooper.

and Jerry Judy. Okay, that's not Pickens and Ayuk. No way. I like Amari Cooper. He's not as talented as those two. No way. I think you're underselling Cooper a little bit. I don't know why you like Jerry Judy.

What did he do in Denver? He's a buy low. I like that. He's a buy low and stay low. Not everything is a value stock. Sometimes it's $8 a stock and that's what it's worth. I don't see a path out of the seller for the Steelers team. Well, I do.

In the division. Who are they better then? Well, first of all, Joe Burrell's struggle to stay healthy. Stop. Okay, we need to put a pin in if they're healthy. Let's just say everyone's healthy all season. Well, well, then I think they're battling to the end. I think they will battle to the end for a playoff berth.

They're just too talented. They're in that, I mean, I think they're in the nine-win category, but they could be nine and six down the stretch, 15 games, and lose their last two. Can we call the Steelers schedule up? No, the Steelers. What hurts the Steelers is their last. No, the last six games are the worst in the league. The last six games for Pittsburgh are outrageously difficult.

It's like the league's rooting against them. I mean, it is, I've never seen a schedule the last two months look like Pittsburgh. I think we need to up the stakes on a wager between us. It is wager Wednesday. Today's Wednesday, right? Well, that's a good one. I like that. That should be a bit.

Wager Wednesday. What do you want to do here? You got the Steelers going nine or ten wins? I'll take the other. What's the over on the Steelers? Well, let's go with what you said it. What's the over? under. What's the draft king's over? I think it's like seven and a half. Well,

they don't think. What is it? You got nothing but... Take a second. Can you... Okay, take a second. Can you get the audience while I check it up? Okay. I'm pretty good at that space-filling thing. Face filling and space filling. Yeah. Yeah, okay. So my, what you're saying is basically you think Pittsburgh's going to be awful and I think Pittsburgh's going to finish the season poorly. Okay. There's a difference, but I love their boss. Eight and a half. Well, I think that's what they are. I think they're an eight. and I went to him. I'll take the over if they get IUk. Give me under. Oh, if they get IU.

If they don't get IUk, no deal. If they get IUC, no deal for you? I don't think it matters. I don't think he's worth half a win. Oh, I think he's worth a win. Brandon Iuke? I think he's worth a win. One win. One win. No way. Yeah.

Who's getting to the ball? Well, you can't remember. You can't double him. You can't roll coverage over because the pickin's on the other side. So you can't be, he's getting single coverage. That's a whole different ball game. and if they can run the ball effectively, and we like both their backs, you can't jam your safeties in the box. That's a big if. By the way, okay, so Iyuk's getting open.

Can Justin feels complete the pass? Can Russ? Well, Russ will see. Check down artists. That's why they're an eight, nine win team and not a 13 win team. If they had Joe Burrow, if you gave Joe Burrow this roster with Iyuk, it's a Super Bowl team. No question.

You don't think it is. You give Lamar Jackson. That is a take. They're a Super Bowl team? I mean, anybody with Joe Burrough is a Super Bowl team. That's not true. Carolina is not a Super Bowl team. Fine. 90% of the league is...

No, that's not true. You get the Jets, Joe Burrow, they're winning 15 games. You give him a clunky old defensive coach and a crappy O line and no big-time weapons. He's a eight-win quarterback. Patrick Mahomes is not doing anything with that. Well, that's what I'm saying. You're just saying, hey, you just put Burrow on a team, and it's not that easy. If you put Burrow on the Raiders, I guarantee you they're a playoff.

team. Guarantee. Take it to the back. Yeah, but the Raiders have good players. They have no quarterback. Yeah, but I'm saying the roster's not inept. There are about five rosters in this league that are bad rosters. Patriots. Bad roster. Carolina, nothing there. Carolina's

on the come up. Be careful there. Keep bashing the Panthers. Keep an eye on them. Yeah. Where's that coming from? I don't get that at all. I watched them last year. Nobody saw the Texans coming. Where were they good? They were not.

The Texans had a star left tackle and a pass rusher. There were things about the Texans. They had players. Carolina had nothing last year. Burns, that's it. Is it a borough on the Seahawks? Oh, no, that's a good team. Super Bowl bubble.

Yes. Yes, yes. But again, I think Pete underacheed the last year. Burrow on Washington. They're not a Super Bowl team. No. Bubble? No.

No. But they're a playoff team with James Daniels. That's what you're saying. Well, you're saying you can be the seventh team to get into the playoffs and the worst team in the playoffs. I'm not saying Washington's a one seed. They're going to be a, if they get in, which I think they can at this point, they're like Minnesota. They're getting in last weekend. They're not getting in week 12.

Yeah, that's okay. All right, we're done today. That's it. First Things First is around the corner. Good stuff. Rachel Nichols joining us from Paris. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Fight 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? 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal. but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tontons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two.

Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at a podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to The Clivert Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, Follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.