The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Sean McVay on Stafford-Goff trade, Rams rivalry vs. 49ers, skipping NFL Combine

Episode Date: June 21, 2022

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay joins Mike Silver for a conversation that touches on the reasons McVay chose to skip the 2022 NFL Combine, why the Super Bowl-winning coach regrets how the trade unfolded that sent Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford, whether McVay's life has changed significantly since winning a championship and his thoughts on retirement, and what McVay thinks of the perception that Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers are in his head. #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Clifford 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 Clifers 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 Cliford Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford

and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to Open Mic, which is my attempt to get the most compelling personalities in sports and certainly in pro football to share some experiences and perspectives with me. And I can't think of a better place to start. We're going to welcome Sean McVeigh. he's been doing okay lately.

I want to go back to the origin story because Sean's known for his incredible memory, so I'm going to see how I do here. I want to say maybe 2015, 2016. He's the young hotshot offensive coordinator for Washington. And I wander into a wholesome establishment called Kilroy's in Indianapolis. It's early in Combine Week. And this guy's standing next to me and he just goes, hey, are you Mike Silver?

And he introduces himself and tells me Sean McVey. I can't tell the whole story, but I just remember looking at you and going, dude, I covered your grandpa. Awesome. It's amazing. Hey, you've been sustaining for a long time, Mike, but it is, that was a long time ago. My memory is not as sharp as it once was, but that was, it seems like a lot has taken place since then. There's no doubt about that. I just know I had never felt so old.

And, you know, listen, John McVeigh was the general manager. Thank you. I'm kidding. I will not argue with that. But you've helped age me in fairness. So when I started covering the 49ers in 1989, the general manager was John McVeigh. And, you know, I was one of 15 print journalists covering the team on a daily basis for a little paper in Sacramento. and he was very, very nice to me,

but he was a very big part of that dynasty that didn't get a lot of hype. And it is pretty amazing that I am now covering two generations removed his kid doing big things. Well, I'll tell you what, though, and you and I have talked about this before, my grant, you know, you never appreciate how good you have it until you really have the true perspective.

And, you know, you're gaining that every day. but when I look back on the opportunities that were afforded me, no chance it happens without John McVeigh. I mean, I don't think I really realized how blessed I was, you know, when you just think, hey, part of normal thing is going to the walkthroughs on Saturday when you're living in Atlanta and the Falcons and Niners in the same division and you're sitting there with Jesse Sapulu or Steve Young and Jerry

and you're talking to those guys. But more than anything, and I think you can attest this, Mike, my grandfather is the epitome of class. And the way that he treated people, it wasn't by mistake that I think he was such an instrumental part of the success that they had because it was all about people. He treated people the right way. And that really is why I got an opportunity to get right into coaching as soon as I finished college ball at the professional level. And it's almost embarrassing when you admit the trajectory because I've been so lucky. But none of this happens without him.

You know, one of the coolest things in this office is this right. here about my grandpa, you know, where, you know, you see, you know, and it says the 49ers quiet contributor. Yeah. I'll tell you what, I know what a, what a special mantle it is to be in the hall. And I have tremendous respect for the history of this game. And obviously, I'm biased, but I do think that there's a lot of football people that would agree.

He is a guy that has done enough with his resume and the way he treated people and the success that, man, I sure hope he gets an opportunity to go into Canton because, without him, I'm no chance I'm on this call with you or being able to do some of the things that I've been fortunate enough to do. Well, he was kind of the secret sauce of that dynasty. And, you know, there are legendary stories about Bill Walsh quitting, but then not quitting or Eddie firing him and not firing him. And quietly, John McVeigh was the guy holding a lot of it together. And, you know, like they say with Crosby Stills and Nash or Crosby Stills and Young that Crosby's harmony is that secret. You can't really, you don't know you're hearing it, but if you take that out, it just doesn't sound the same. So that's what I would like in John, too. So first question, I'm going to start with a really hard one because you didn't come to the combine.

Now, I got it the year before with the new coordinators and stuff, but isn't the whole point of winning the Super Bowl going to Indy and getting to gloat for a week while all your peers come up to you? and give you love publicly. Like, isn't that the whole reason you do this? Yeah, you know, it is. And it would be a fun part of it. Really, you know, between, I guess this really isn't between us because a lot of people will hear this. But the main reason that I didn't go is the efficiency of the time,

but also that coincided with everything that had just gone on with Ukraine. And I just felt like I could get a lot of stuff done at home and wanted to be with Veronica. And she's been so strong and so tough throughout. this Mike, but with her family being there, something about just getting and going to indie and studying collegiate players when you can have the ability to do a lot of these things from home and still be with her, you know, what's more important to me. And I don't think there'd be anybody that wouldn't understand that. I just didn't want to make it public,

even though this kind of will. Yeah, it's just between you, me, and Colin Coward's vast. Everybody that listens. Massive audience, right. I'm glad you brought that up because, you know, I've obviously known Veronica a long time. So for those who don't know, Sean's wife, Veronica, she, like, I'm Ukrainian American and my ancestors, you know, go back. We've talked about this, Veronica and I to Odessa. And, you know, I have a deep affection for the country. But she is legitimately Ukrainian. And, you know, so when this horrible war broke out, you know, her parents are there. And Sean, just how have you guys been navigating that? He's been so strong. I mean, I've never, you know, her family has always been strong in that culture,

but I've learned so much about, you know, just demonstrating it in the midst of it. You know, her grace, her support for her family, just wanted to be an advocate. You know, we got her stepmom and her brother to Warsaw, now they're back in a small city just outside of Leviv. But her dad is such a stud, the way he's handled that. Even if we could have got him out of there, he wouldn't have left. He wanted to be there to be able to provide support. be able to lead and provide security.

And he's the epitome of a man. And I think when you look at the way that Zelensky's handled it, I've just been so impressed and I'm so proud to be associated with it. And it is my family. In the midst of these horrible times, you've seen so many signs of positive demonstrations of humanity, toughness, resilience, all the things that on a significantly smaller, less serious scale, you want your football team to epitomize.

I think her country's embodied that perfectly in the real life circumstances. that sure give you perspective, as we both know. So your father-in-law is one of those, like, heroes we see who's just like, I'm not leaving. Yeah, I'll tell you a pretty cool, quick story. And, you know, I don't dwell on it too much. But so when I, Veronica and I met D.C., and it's the first day that we met, we've been dating and been together ever since. And she has another friend who she got to be really close with, who happens to be from Keith. And her family is there.

But they met in D.C. They had never known each other, you know, from being both from Ukraine, obviously different parts of the country. But they got together. They'd become really close friends. Obviously, Keeb was in the midst of some real dangerous times. Her family, her friend's family, Lana, came and Veronica's dad was looking over them for the last couple months. And they got a really close relationship. And being able to provide that support and structure is just an amazing thing that her dad did.

but also to, you know, be able to see those two come together in D.C. And then it lend a helping hand when when you really need it. It's a pretty special story and pretty cool. Her dad is a stud. Love him so much. And he's been a great father to her for sure. That's amazing. So, I mean, I guess it's one of those things you just have to live with, right?

You got the phone on and you're praying, you don't get any calls in the middle of the night. Yeah, I mean, what perspective when you say, you know, things are getting better when the bomb sirens only go off. you know, a couple times a day instead of 10 to 15 times a day. Wow. Amazing. Can't even imagine. That's crazy. You guys, because of COVID, had an exceedingly long engagement.

Yes. A, how has that gone? And B, I'm on anniversary 31. I'm just impressed that your wife didn't, I mean, I don't know. She's a resilient. She's really stuck it out because I would imagine both you and I are real, and the you know what as time goes on. I already know what patience your wife has to have. And you know the same for Veronica. So I'm just grateful that she's been anything, everything that I

hope that I would have, you know, ended up with in terms of the patience, you know, all the little stuff that's the cliche, it's the truth. You know, when you meet somebody that really allows you to, you know, be the best version of yourself because you want to be that for that person. And she's, I don't think it's by mistake that since she's coming to my life, everything good that's occurred as a result of a shared experiences that we have. And then I really think, too, she's tough, she's strong. She's been able to tell me the things that I need to hear, not what I want to hear. And by no means, am I perfect? But I know I'm a better person, you know, with her and I together. That's awesome. You know, it is interesting not to go off on marriage too much, but we got married at 26.

and we, you know, at the time I wasn't thinking consciously necessarily about a lot of things, but you're scouting, right? Sure. Even subconsciously. So now I look back and I'm like, wow, I did get really lucky. And then the really important things that I wasn't tangibly thinking about, like, the toughness or how would you raise children or, you know, the really, really important things. Like, yeah, I got really lucky and maybe subconsciously was looking at.

So these are big choices, man. They sure are. And I think probably, you know, just hearing about Leslie, when you and I have talked about it, similar to Veronica, they both have, you know, a sweet disposition, that motherly nature that's necessary, but also an edge that is not to be misunderstood either. And I think that's the perfect combination of what we're looking for. No, dad. I'll tell you one quick story.

So we went to college together. We'd know each other forever. And one time in the 90s, you know, kids, a couple young kids, I'm back from a trip. And she went on a rant and said, hey, why do I have the husband who's known for parting with athletes into the late hours? Why do I have the husband who's calling me from a bar at two in the morning? Why do I have the husband who's on a party boat with Dennis Robin? And I go, hey, at what point did I ever give you the impression that I was not a partier? And to her credit, she started laughing.

And I said, when you were looking at me down on one knee, were you looking at a guy going home at 11? I don't think so. And I've gotten better. Cheshay to you to have a response like that. It's all I had, really. I mean, you know, but listen, that is all. That's really, really great.

I will bring it back to football, which has also gone well. Has your life changed? I mean, you've been to a Super Bowl. You won the Super Bowl. do you think about it a lot? Have you, has it changed your life? I think what, you know, what's changed is some of the opportunities afforded and maybe the outside end narrative, Mike, but not a lot's changed inside, except for the appreciation

for the all-time people. You know, I've heard it said before, you want to surround yourself with all-time friends, not just the good time friends. And I do think that in a short amount of time, you've gained a lot of perspective with, you know, a lot of good and then some, some adverse moments that really, reveal the people that you want to be surrounded with, the relationships you develop and the character you have are really the only things that last over time. And so I'm certainly grateful for a lot of the blessings that come with it, you know, whether that be opportunities that are afforded

and, you know, different things. But I also think you don't want to be naive to the fact that it still is football. You want to be the best person that you can be in terms of how you lead, how you motivate, and how you help these players reach their eyes potential, working with people that you love and care about. And I think more than anything, Mike, and this was before we won the Super Bowl, you know, there's a real purpose in what you do. And sometimes when I've gotten away from those things

or when I look back and I'm not proud of the way that I led or handled certain situations that inevitably come across your desk as a head coach. But when you're reminded about it's about something else, you know, other than yourself, the people you love and care about, that's when you have the most peace and stillness. And I don't think it's by coincidence. that we were able to do what we did.

And that was certainly a part of it. And I was a small part of that. I know how hard you are on yourself. And you had a previous Super Bowl experience. You basically- How back up? Yeah, you took full blame afterwards. And I was getting ready to write my Sean McVeigh blames of self-story.

And then your quarterback at the time, Jared Gough, also took full blame. So that's better than neither of you doing it. But listen, I know you and I have talked about it. it, but you clearly broke that down a few times. Did it change how you approached it the second time around? Did you do anything differently because of the first time? I think, you know, what happened was, is it changed the way you approach just coaching in general

as it relates to just preparing for games, you know, making sure that you have more versatility, even though we had a lot of success offensively, there was a very clear-cut identity. And if we were able to be taken off of that, it was going to be tough sledding. I think the thing that I didn't do a good enough job, Mike, obviously the endgame adjustments, but are you really preparing your players and your team to problem solve in the midst of some

of those things that inevitably come up that maybe is not going to be reflected on the film? You know, the other coaches game plan too. And I do think that that was a really tough, humbling experience. But I think when things like that are taken the right way, it can give you a perspective and appreciation that maybe I wouldn't have had otherwise. And so it definitely affected the way that we move forward. not just for this past year's Super Bowl, but for the opener for the 19th season

against the Carolina Panthers. And so I think those things have served us well. It definitely, you know, from a preparation perspective, you know, you want to make sure you're a little bit cleaner in terms of, you know, decisively defining things, giving clarity to the players

and making decisions and then putting it to bed. You got enough time that you can overthink some stuff if you really want to. And I didn't want to do those things that when I look back, I think I did that. And so you always want to be accountable. I think I did overthink things going into the Patriots game.

You know, you're tweaking stuff to where it doesn't provide the clarity that the players need to go in with a quiet in mind. And really, it was unnecessary stuff. And so having a better clear-cut process, rhythm and routine leading up to it for those couple weeks, I think was better. But ultimately, it all comes back to, you know, the players made the plays in the most important times. I mean, some of those plays that I called were not great play. calls, but the players made him come to life. You know, I don't know if Cooper Cup, Matthew Stafford timing up that jet sweep. That wasn't a great look.

Von Bell is in a perfect position. He's unblocked at the point of attack. But he out, you know, he circles him and levels it off inside of Hubbard. So I think it's all with a grain of salt, but being able to have a little bit more joy in the journey and an appreciation for just every single day, I think is where, you know, before we even won it, you know, you can really be grateful for last year's team and hopefully just continuing to do that as you move forward. Is it true that the night before you got ready for that game by watching

one of the great works of American cinema? I did. You know, I had to watch it because when we checked in, you know, and I hear this, I hear this voice, this soundbook. There you go. You know, I heard about this movie with Kurt Warner. I talked to him leading up to the game. and they had it playing for the families

kind of in the courtyard, if you will. And I was looking at it outside my back window of my room and I figured, hey, this might be a good way to just get some good vibes going, put it on. I didn't finish the whole thing, but I slept like a baby and was fresh as a daisy for the game the next day. And then I finished it about a week later.

I feel like I've done my part now for two Ram Super Bowl victories, you know, back in the early one, when Kurt and I were talking about doing the book. So who are you rooting for in that first Super Bowl or were you rooting for the guy with the mustache over your right shoulder that was coaching for the Titans? You know, it's an amazing thing. Shunt's a great question. I'm very close with Jeff Fisher, who later became the Rams coach before you. That Titans team was amazing. They beat the Jags three times, including in the AFC championship game on the road. And the Rams had the greatest show on turf. Well, Kurt and I had

been talking about doing a book project. So of course, I don't root the way I do. Like, if it's Cal, I'm crazy. But like NFL, I just, always, man. Let's get it's go. NFL, NFL is like, oh, I hope my friend does well. Like, I'm so happy for my friend. It's not like, fan. But in that game, there was money on the line, right? So, you know, my self-interest was, man, if Kurt Warner does something big in this game and they win, that would be good for business. Rick Tellender, the legendary Sports Illustrator writer who's kind of like my mentor at the time and just a hilarious human was one of the few people who knew what was going on and this is before texting and everything so in the press box he got up to you know get some coffee or something and he walked by and he left a

piece of paper on my press box seat and it just said cross equals dollar sign like right in the fourth quarter when it was tense you know because Kurt is very Christian and he knew and uh so Yeah, so it was like that was, that basically was me. Cross equals dollar side. And, you know, it only came down to what the half yard line that. You know, it's amazing about that, Mike. And I don't know if I've told you this or not. You know, we've talked about my grandpa earlier on.

He gave me for my birthday because my birthday is January 24th. And so kind of runs around whenever the Super Bowl is, even though it's kind of fluctuated early February and February 13th this past year. But I got two tickets to that game, which was in Atlanta where I live. Right. dad and I went to that game. There was, you know, it was ice storms and stuff. And I was at the game watching Mike Jones make an unbelievable play on Dyson. But, you know, I was a huge Steve McNair fan, the ability to create off

schedule. I love Javon Curse because that coincided with his rookie year and Eddie George. But then you also are huge fans of Kurt Warner. You know, you love Isaac, Bruce, and Tori Holt, Marshall Falk. I mean, what a legend. And so what a game. And then I've gotten to have a great relationship with Dick Vermeal. And then even, you know, when I took over as the Rams, I couldn't couldn't say enough about just the class, you know, with my interactions with Jeff and Brandon and those guys. And, you know, it's, it's an amazing small world of, you know, just collisions that naturally have occurred when you look back on those things. And whoever would have thought that I'd be, you know, a guy, you know, celebrating my 12th or 13th birthday, you know, being able to go to that

Super Bowl. And then, you know, here we are now. It's pretty wild. Well, I always brag about how I might be the only person who was at the play and the Cal, you know, and the Music City miracle and later the Minnesota miracle. You were at both Rams Super Bowl victories. Who knew? You were in the house both times. Yes, I was. 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. at 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. 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, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help!

Somebody, please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. one ring is too scary.

Cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coutura podcast network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's talk about the game before the Super Bowl.

So you and Kyle Shanahan go way back. You work for him in Washington. You know, I have talked. talked about both of you and how really, really good at this you both are with very different styles. And you're both very competitive and you understand what you're facing when you face each other. And obviously, players determine a lot of it. But you both went after Stafford. I know you guys have talked about that. You ended up getting him. They saved their season in your house at the end of the year and dramatically win. That was six in a row for Kyle. And I'm

I just know you and I know how your head must have been exploding. Do you, are you able to separate out as you prepare for games like the NFC championship game? The whole, God, Kyle's gotten me a few times in a row and what our team needs to do in this context. No question you are. As a competitor, any loss just shaps you to no end. you know, but I think one of the things that I think is minimized in this that, that you know, Mike, I mean, they're a damn good team. You know, it's like, hey, why, what's going on?

Well, first of all, there's been a couple of games that they've done a great job. And then there's another couple of those games where it comes down to the wire and it's two good teams going out and we just come out on the short end. And so what I really believe is, is that we've got tremendous respect for them. They got great coaches, great players. They've always been a good team. And I don't care what their record is. always going to be a tough outfit, you know, no matter when you play them in the season. And they do a

great job. And they've played really well. And it's been high caliber teams going at it. And we came out on the short end. But what I do believe is that every single game is its own separate entity. And our players believe that. And I think this team, more than any team I've been a part of and this coaching staff, was more present, more in the moment, having the ability to hit the reset button, whether it be good or bad, snap in and snap out. And I thought that was reflected. not only in our playoff run, but our ability to say, hey, we jump out to a 17-0-0 lead against them in week 18. They come storming back. There was a lot of reasons that we didn't finish that game the way we wanted to, whether that be coaches, players, but you also got to give credit where credits do.

They made enough plays to be able to win it. And so we had respect for them, but our guys are great competitors. They had tremendous respect for the Niners, but they expected to try to find a way to get it done. And so did we, didn't minimize how difficult it was. And holy hell was it a real challenge and guys had to make miraculous plays. But I think our guys knew from the week 18 game that, man, it's a good team. It's a tough team they found away. But it's not even like redemption. But if we play our best in that three and a half hour window, we like our chances without minimizing what a damn good team the Niners are with Kyle Shanahan leading the way. Did you see any of the memes that we're going around with you and Kyle and all the

I didn't other than no you know what during the week leading up to it so I try to shelter myself so people like you and the rest of media can't hurt my feelings you know right good strategy I really don't you know I'm on a need to know basis so when you get the media you know you're going to get certain questions so you need to be educated enough on what's going on without having it if you read it, you feed it, you know. And so I don't want to feed the negative stuff or the good stuff because if you get relying on it, it's not a healthy way to live. But I was walking out to practice one day and they had ESPN on the bottom line.

And I don't know what show was, but it said, is Kyle Shanning Ann and Sean McBay's head? And one of our local reporters, Gary Klein asked me that, who I love Gary, but Gary's got a job to do. And so he said, is Kyle in my head? And he said, no, you got respect for him as a coach. But I thought Kyle answered it beautifully too. You know, our job is to help prepare our team to the best of their ability, make good decisions, and then, you know, let the guys go do their thing on Sundays or whenever it is that we're playing.

But, but yeah, I didn't see the memes, but I heard enough that I can only imagine how sensitive I would have gotten if I had seen them all, Mike. You probably created a couple of those damn things. I did not create them. I tried not to even look at them. I was like, why are you sending me these things? Pretty good, though. Hey, listen, you know, you can't deny it.

They've done a good job. And Kyle is, you know, he was the head coach when they did it. I was the opposing head coach. I had done enough damage by talking about the Kyle, Matt LaFleuror, or the Kyle and McDaniel FaceTime thing. I can't even keep up with all this stuff going on. Yeah. So I, what was going through your head as, you know, it's 177 in your building of the

NFC championship game? and Stafford throws one up and Jaquistee Tart looks like he's maybe about to intercept it in stride. What's going through your head in that moment? What's going through my head is why did I pick that time to take a shot? I didn't like the play decision. And then obviously Matthew's got to make a better decision. But, you know, they played it pretty well. You know, Duquistie did a good job of kind of weaving lateral and then being able to play with enough depth, you know,

and we didn't end up making that play. But I tell you what, though, I felt good even though it was 177. And, you know, because when you look at the start of the game, the score isn't always reflective of the flow of it in the field that you have. We went right down the field at the beginning of the game, and I thought we had good control and good momentum. And, you know, Kwan Williams makes a nice play where he tips a ball on a third down in the tight red area. And then Jimmy Ward comes up with it. But we were able to establish some rhythm, a little bit of momentum, being able to kind of keep them, you know, a little bit off balance. And our guys did a good job executing, and we didn't come away with points.

but you just stay in the moment. And it's the cliche, but man, I'll tell you, it is more true than it's ever been when I've been a coach, is you just keep playing the next snap. And you just keep being in the moment. Our guys made enough plays. Defense did a great job. And there was a lot of plays that got us back in.

And when it was 177, it didn't look good after kiddo catches the touchdown, Mike. But I never felt any sort of flinch, any sort of blink on our sideline. And it's one thing to say it. It's another thing to feel it. And it was really tangible, just based on. the nature of the way that the guys were going. And I think they also understood too, like, hey, this is going to be a real tough finish. But there's enough things that have gone our way in this game. We can grab this momentum and take chokehold of it back. And you got to have a couple

breaks along the way. And that was one of those plays. But, you know, I'm not one of those people that lives in the past. I think you just keep it moving. And our guys did a great job of, you know, really demonstrating that and making it come to life, if you will. Well, and, you know, obviously the metal toughness the week before, Tom Brady comes back from 273 down at home and you guys were able to then just go down the field. It's unbelievable. I mean, it just, it was, you know what, it was a great game for the viewers, but I will say very similar to that. It was just such a unique combination of circumstances that they did a great job getting back into it. But I also think it was a lot of unforced errors. Some things were just uncharacteristic. And I think our guys also knew,

you know, we got a chance to still be able to win this in spite of everything that hasn't gone our way from the point on, you know, that from the point in time and they started kind of, you know, creating that comeback, if you will. So before the game, I'm sure you loved this. You became a story. It basically was like, hey, Sean McVeigh is going to go do TV. That was fun. Then right before the game, Aaron Donald might walk away became a story. So the first thing is this. I think going into the Super Bowl, as it relates to just the story about me. I think there's enough lag and low with two weeks from the previous game that there's a lot of stuff that can be comfortably taken out of context. You know, I was asked the question whether or not I see myself being a lifer, like 70.

I mean, I'm only 36 years old. And so the answer was I don't see myself being a lifer. And I've made no, you know, I haven't been shy about at some point. I definitely have interest in doing the things to be connected to the game. But I love this game. I love coaching it. I probably, you know, feel as refreshed and rejuvenated as I ever have because you are starting to get a feel for out of better balance, a lifestyle that is challenging. And I'm naturally a grinder, you know, I'm going to wake up. My mind's always racing, but being able to be more present, you know, when you're doing football or when you're not, Veronica's been really helpful. But I thought that was kind of a convenient, just story that a lot of people knew didn't really have any legs to it. And then the errand thing, I didn't know about that until after the game, which is a good thing because I might have had a panic attack. So sometimes ignorance is bliss. He has earned the right to be able to, you know, get rewarded accordingly and, you know, having some really good ball ahead of him in a Rams uniform.

And then, you know, when he decides he's done, then I'll be done too. I'm kidding. Well, I mean, I do know. I mean, I started going year to year in my own head when I was in my 30s just because it's so taxing. And that's as a journalist. I mean, I know what I are right. I don't really know. I suspect what your lifestyle is like based on what you've told me.

And it's not a lot of sleep. And it's a lot better though. Like that's the thing, Mike, it wasn't. But I also thought like, you know, there's a difference between working hard and working smart. And I've really gained an appreciation and really been committed to understanding the importance of sleep, not only for your patience, but for your mental acuity, you know, and just I call BS on this.

No, so what you get? You get four hours a night now? No, no. You know what? I do? On Friday, Saturday night, I'm getting at least eight hours a night. On Sunday after games, I'm getting eight hours. And then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night, that's a slippery slope.

We won't go down that. But banking the 24 hours in that three-day span is a big deal. And I've noticed being committed to that has helped. Now, am I still a basket case? Do I still lose my mind? Hell yeah, but a little less, a little less now. That's, okay, so you're banking, that's an interesting. You're banking 24 hours.

That's really, that's really smart. Yeah, because I mean, you get up at three, right? In the other days. So like, I get up early, but I end early. I think there's this cool narrative that people think, like, I don't think it's cool to like be up at three in the morning. I just think I can get up earlier. I can get a lot more stuff done.

I've always been one of those people that when I get up, I'm firing. I feel sharper in the mornings. But then once the evenings come around, I'm a little bit more edgy. I'm a little bit more irritable. And so that's not when the good functioning person that I'm capable of being is on display. And so I just end up ending earlier, but I start earlier. So it's still the same amount of time that a lot of people put in. You just start that day a little bit sooner, but you're ending it with the

same amount of work time that a lot of people put in. I prefer the up at three in the morning in a van going through What a Burger, but they're out of milkshakes and that's still being up. That's not waking up at three. I just want to ask you, you know, you know, I'm close with Jared Goff. I'm close with you. I know you and Jared talked after the trade and, you know, really went through a lot of stuff. looking back at that experience, you know, are you hard on yourself?

Would you have done things any differently in terms of just how it ended? Yeah, I think, you know, that was a hard thing for me because the thing that's more important than anything is being a good communicator, clear, open, and honest, making sure people aren't caught off guard and really having respect for the players and the coaches and what they have to do. and I wish that there had been better in-person communication. You know, I think you and I talk about this. Number one, and I know you know this. You're very supportive of Jared.

You guys are really close. Well, I've been supportive of Jared, but I think the one thing that hurt me that I know you know is that I would never want anything to be misunderstood about my appreciation, my respect for Jared. Was it a tough decision? Yes. Were there some things that I could have handled better

in terms of the clarity provided for him, no doubt. If I had it over again, what I would do is before I had even gone to Cabo, when there was a possibility of, all right, if Matthew Stafford's available, or if there's other quarterbacks available, that would be something that we would explore. You sit down with him, you look him in the eye, you tell him that, instead of calling him and setting up a meeting where that was my intention when I got back from Cabo.

However I cut it, whatever I'm going to say from here on out is an excuse. but my intentions were to be able to sit down with Jared. I never thought things would accelerate as quickly as they did to be able to look him in the eye and let him know what was going on. When it got public that we were interested in Matthew, what we thought was going to be a week's worth of time ended up happening in about 24 to 36 hours. So all in all, biggest thing I regret being able to sit down, look him in the eye, and be able to communicate kind of where we are, what we were going to try to do moving forward.

and for that I'll I regret it. I'll not make those same mistakes again, but care about Jared. He sure has helped did a lot of good things. And I think the thing that shows what a stud and what a class act he really is is, is one of the best text messages I got after the Super Bowl was from Jared golf.

And so I think the further we get away, the more appreciation that we'll have for the great four years that we did have together because it was a lot of really good times. He's a special kid. He's a special guy, you know, really very good football player that does a great job, you know, for, you know, for the lines. I thought he played really well down the stretch. You know, you get some guys around him, Josh Reynolds.

But all in all, just the better communication, better clarity is what I would have wanted. And that's, and I, and I didn't like the outside narrative, but I think he knows where my heart was. And I was glad that we were able to connect, sit down, be honest with each other. and I think, you know, we both have a lot of respect for each other. And I wish I had handled it better as a leader for him. You know, I went up to his house at the beginning of Super Bowl week. And, you know, one of the things that struck me was when he talked about Matthew Stafford, he's just like, he deserves this.

He was genuinely so happy just for just the Stafford part of it. Yeah. And so, and then, you know, I talked to Andrew Whitworth. I want to read you this quote because one of the things Andrew said was basically that, because Matthew had seen so much in his career that it was easier for him than it was for Jared to say stuff to you like, I don't like that, or let's do this, or this isn't going to work. And Whitworth, I want to read this quote. He just said that you and Matthew, quote, have a similar way of seeing things and doing things,

and that those two things kind of, you know, took you guys to a different place offensively. Did your connection with him or just his experience, did it impact the way that you called plays and approached it? Yeah, his experience, you know, he was able to articulate. I mean, you talk about a lot of great experiences, the 12 years that he had in Detroit, a lot of really good offensive coordinators, a lot of things that, a lot of ball he's been exposed to.

And you've heard me say before, Mike, repetition is the mother of learning. And this is one of the most smart, intelligent humans I've ever been around, but his ability to communicate to me what he liked, what he didn't like, the way that he sees the game in real time made me a better coach. And I've always tried to call the game through the lens of a quarterback because I think that's the most difficult spot there is. Everything we do starts with the quarterback in mind. And I think our dialogue was helpful. But, you know, you look back on it, you know, that's not to minimize, you know, there was a lot of good times that Jared and I had together and a lot of the same, you know, page that we were on.

but I think it's so hard to compare the two. You know, two great experiences, four great years with Jared, a really special year that we've had with Matthew, but, you know, I think it's unfair to both those guys. These are two excellent special players in their own right, but no relationship is the same, you know, when you have different people in the equation, and that's part of what the beauty of is

and the relationships that you have in building to develop. But Matthew and I are very close. His communication was definitely, a big part of us being on the same page to be able to listen and understand, you know, the things he liked and he didn't like. And I think that was helpful without a doubt. Right. I'm glad that you actually, you know, brought up the Jared thing. And now, in all fairness, I think you also know, too, I would never, my man Troy Aitman, all right, I would never, no, but hey, you got to, hey, you're going to call me. Now you got to be honest with me.

Yeah. I think you also know, too, Troy wouldn't, I have a friendship with Troy. I would never say anything that would be detrimental to our team, whatever. And I think you know Troy wouldn't do that either. I want you to say, Troy, you were right. I'm sorry. Well, this is what I'll say to Troy, because, you know, we go way back. I covered him in the glory years. And you'll notice, Sean, you know me in public feuds. I don't shy away. But when Troy went after me, I just, I posted a Barry Switzer picture and just laugh. But I'm not getting into a feud with Troy, but I have too much respect for him. But this is what happened. This is a COVID thing, honestly.

Because I was stuck home watching football, which is not my natural habitat, I mean, I'll watch the standalone nightgames. But usually on Sundays, I'm in the mix at a stadium. And I don't know who's saying what on television. And even though I was a TV broadcaster for eight years, whatever, I'm just trying to report. Sitting home and watching TV all the time. and then having people who were maybe more sensitive to Jared's feelings kind of say, hey, Troy's been kind of crushing them, and then maybe that's in your head.

And you start noticing it. You're like, I was just kind of like, whoa, it seems, you know, I didn't think it was some insidious thing. I was just kind of struck by the fact that a great Hall of Fame quarterback who clearly understands football is seeing something that I didn't necessarily know about. So I thought it was kind of significant. But obviously, Troy didn't love it appearing and... Well, here's what I would say. The thing I felt bad about is that my friendship with him got brought into a situation that I should have handled better with me and Jared. That's the

bottom line. And I would never do anything that was detrimental. And I think what you would say when you watch Troy, which is why he's considered, you know, if not the best, one of the best of what he does, he has that experience. He's very straightforward, direct, and he's open and honest with his assessments. And I think there's a lot of times when you watch our games, too, where Jared did great things, and he was saying that. And so what I felt bad about is one of my friends, you know, just like you have friends in the media, different things like that, that he would never do that.

And I wouldn't either. And I just felt bad. He got brought into a situation that however you want to cut it, I should have handled better as a leader. And that's what I felt bad about. and, you know, that was, you know, and I finally got you a little tongue tied for the first time. Mike Silver is a little, hey, what do I say here? I mean, I'll try to hug it out with Troy when I see him, but I honestly,

I just felt bad about him being brought in. This is what happens. You were being defensive of, yeah, I'm with you. No, just when you watch too much television, I think, like I, you know, COVID, I was not, you know, one of the big victims of this horrible pandemic, obviously. But we all in different ways, you know, had. it impacted us. And, you know, you think I like covering the NFL without being able to go into locker

rooms or see you and people like you and tell me, like, look at me in the eye what's going on. You know, I just don't think any of us in journalism new enough relative to normal. And I have this weird suspicion, Sean, that, like, stories are going to start coming out next year about 2020 and 2021. Like, these two guys got to a brawl in the locker. Wait, what? Like there's a lot of stuff that probably isn't known that would normally have been known.

No, you know what? You might be right. But either way, it's been fun. It's good to see you. And I just figured I could give you a good, hard time. But, you know, those are all good things that you look back on. And like anything else, you try to learn from it, not make some of the same mistakes twice. And I know I'm certainly guilty of that without a doubt.

Amen. And thank you for appearing on the inaugural episode of Open Mike. and we will try to adhere to this standard. And I'm going to try to sleep eight hours before I tape the next... You're not going to do it. I'm going to try. I'm going to try, Sean. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

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