The Herd with Colin Cowherd - THE HERD – HOUR 3 – Aaron Rodgers + Mike McCarthy Reunion, Aaron Donald Returning To Rams

Episode Date: August 5, 2026

Thoughts on the Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy reunion What Aaron Donald returning to the Rams means from the rest of the league   Guest: Mike DeFaboSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Well, let's go live to the Pittsburgh Steelers camp with our friend Mike DeFabo, the beat rider for the Steelers for the athletic, covering the team for about a half a decade. okay, so I hear they're not tackling, which I'm not necessarily opposed to. Tomlin was old school, very physical practices. What have you seen so far, Mike? Yeah, it's a very different approach to training camp. Mike Tomlin led arguably the most physical training camp in the league. A couple years ago at the athletic, I surveyed my colleagues, and I said, how often does the team you cover tackle? And it led me to conclude that Mike Tomlin did have the most physical training camp. Very different approach to tackling. there will be no ball carriers taken to the ground under Mike McCarthy. But what I think that tells you is here you have the third oldest coach in the league,

but he's not old school. Okay. You know, he looks at, he talks about things like GPS monitoring, sports science, analytics. And so even though he's advanced in his career and he's established, he continues to look at the trends. And the reason why he's not tackling is because he doesn't want guys to get injured. And you look at Tomlin's teams, routinely they fell up. part near the end of the season. And in Mike Tomlin's first training camp, the players said

themselves, he ran them into the ground. He tried to set a tone, and instead he wore them out. And so I think that while this might rub old school Pittsburgh people the wrong way, they want to see a tough, hard-nosed physical camp. And if there's no tackling, they don't think that that's true. I think at the end of the season, when the team is healthy and when the team is fresh, you're going to see the dividends that are paid right here. What's the, you know, and for the record added to that, is the Steelers have in the last several years melted down end of the year. You could argue some of that is just fatigue now with 17 games. What is the Aaron Mike dynamic like when you're there at practice?

They have a great relationship right now. I mean, you see them jovial, joking with each other. And, you know, Aaron had a conversation with my colleague, Mike Silver. And Aaron said at the time that the heart grows much fonder because of absence. And I think that Aaron Rogers didn't realize necessarily how good he had it with Mike McCarthy in terms of personality, in terms of play calling, and also just the schematic fit. Aaron Rogers was at his best in Green Bay because of the West Coast offense. The style of offense and the quarterback that Aaron Rogers is and was fits perfectly with what Mike McCarthy wants to do. So I think that Aaron's really excited to get back to those true West Coast roots and thinks that if he's going to play,

play at his best at 42, soon to be 43 years old. It's going to be because of this scheme that he's thrived in for so many years that helps him get there. I thought, I actually thought Aaron was pretty good last year considering it's a tight end heavy team without a star back. D.K. Metcalf is not, you know, he's not running the JSN route tree. I think he's a declining, very big physical receiver. But when they lost him for a couple of games, I mean, they just didn't have anything there. they've addressed some of that stuff in the off season. Do you like the roster this year better than last year? I mean, they'll be better.

They'll have a more offensive sensibility. That's just a fact with Mike McCarthy. I mean, he won with Cooper Rush. I don't doubt that. Roster-wise, roster composition. They're still old and expensive on defense a little bit, but do you like the roster more? Yeah, I mean, last year going into training camp,

the Steelers thought that Johnny Smith, who was a tight end, and Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, together could become a wide receiver too. And ultimately what ended up happening is John News Smith got cut at the end of the year and still remains unsigned. Not to criticize him and pick on him, but that just shows the way that the Steelers incorrectly evaluated what they needed that position. And instead, what they did this offseason is they went out and they got Michael Pittman Jr. Who at different points in his career has been a wide receiver one. Now he's willing to be that wide receiver too.

You're also seeing Roman Wilson showing some signs of development. and more than anything, you're seeing in evolution in the personnel. As you mentioned, Arthur Smith was probably the least wide receiver-friendly offensive coordinator in the entire league last year because he was so tight-end centric. Now you go to Mike McCarthy offense that in Green Bay, they were near the top of the league and 11 personnel usage. So they're going to spread it out more. They're going to put wide receivers on the field more, and that's going to fit the quarterback position much better.

I think Cleveland's a little better than people think. still don't buy into Cincinnati yet. Baltimore will be good, but it's a new coach and a first-time play caller. If I said, all right, give me a, I mean, listen, they're going to be McCarthy's too good. Aaron gives you a high floor. They've got nice pieces there. I think the roster's

pretty solid. If you look at the schedule, it's not that it's easy, but you get, you know, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Cleveland, the Colts, Tampa, the Saints, Cleveland. It's a pretty, I mean, compare that to Kansas City or Denver some of these early awful NFL schedules. I don't know.

And it toughens up in the middle, but I would be shocked if they're not a nine-ish win team. How do you feel? Yeah, that's what I feel. I think that there's somewhere around that nine, 10 win range. And, you know, Aaron Rogers is, you know, talking about potentially playing in the preseason

for one of the first times in several years. And I think a big part of that has to do with that schedule that you just referenced. It's kind of soft, kind of winnable game. at the beginning, but it does toughen up after the by week when you look at them turning the corner and playing Cincinnati on the road and Sunday night football. And then the Eagles and then a number of other playoff teams, including the Houston Texans that beat them last year and ended their season, including the Denver Broncos, who should be improved this year. So if this team is going

to get to nine, ten wins, you know, they're going to have to get off to a fast start. I think that's a big reason why they've talked about Aaron playing in the preseason. By the way, if Aaron, let's say Aaron twists an ankle misses a game or two, they've got a bunch of young quarterback, any of the backup quarterbacks doing anything? Well, they've actually got a quarterback competition. It's just not for QB1. You know, right now, the question is, do the Steelers go into the season with Mason Rudolph as their backup quarterback? He's proven at certain times in his career he can step up and win them a game or two. And if you're sitting here right now as we're having this conversation, he is the quarterback best equipped to do that.

But they've got two other guys. They've got Will Howard. They've got Drew Aller. ultimately can you fit four quarterbacks on a depth chart? And can you fit four quarterbacks on a 53-man roster? And I think that's going to be one of the toughest decisions the Steelers have to make at the end of training camp is do you go with the guy that's a proven veteran behind a 42-year-old quarterback or do you go with the youth and have two guys who have never played at this point, even in a preseason game in Will Howard and Drew Aller? So it's kind of a tough decision that they're going have to make and an important one going forward. By the way, Aaron made news this week with some, you know, Fauci comments and taking shots

at networks. How was he like to cover on a local, I mean, you're the athletic, but when you're in these scrums with Aaron talking to the media, how is his personality? You know, there are times where he definitely takes shots at the media. I remember last year, there was a lot of times I was standing there and he would criticize the media and say they didn't know what they were talking about when it came to Mike Tomlin and those kinds of things. But the bottom line is I think that he has the locker room behind him.

I know that he got a bad rap, and I think that it was a mischaracterization of him as a teammate, because the teammates do buy into his messaging. They do respect him because they acknowledge they're playing with a future Hall of Fame quarterback. And I think for those reasons, they follow him and they believe in him and they respect and they appreciate what he gives them. Yeah.

Mike is always good to see anybody. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much for having. me here. You bet Mike DeFable covers the Steelers has for a while for the athletic. Yeah. I mean, I think it'd be fun to cover Aaron. I really do. He's feisty. You know, Matt Stafford, you're going to get the same, you know, he's going to say nice stuff. And Justin Herbert, you know, he likes me. So that'd be fun. Sometimes it's nice to, you know, I remember when I covered Charles Barkley in the locker room and he made fun of my shoes, you know,

sometimes a feisty guy, Jerry Tarkany, and by the way, we got along very well at the end, but there were years he didn't like me. And, you know, Aaron's, you know, Aaron's just not everybody you cover likes to be covered, right? Well, Belichick came on, what, a couple weeks ago, three or four weeks ago? Do you think any chance, Aaron, you know, you and Aaron Rogers. Oh, God, no. I didn't, never. And by the way, I make this argument, I've said it 100 times.

If you took everything I said about Aaron Rogers, 85% positive. But I've hammered him a few times because I think sometimes he's high maintenance, and I don't love it at that position. but I mean, Belichick, I told the staff before Bill came on, I said, you know, I've been pretty hard on it, Carolina. I thought that Matt Patricia O. C. Hire was idiotic. And I said it. I'm like, that doesn't make any sense. What are you doing? Belichick, honestly, it was just like storytelling Bill Belichick. He was unbelievable. It's like, oh, yeah, I'd love to come on the show again. So maybe it's my charm. You know, I get these guys live and, you know, they can't help themselves. I don't know if Belichick's going to be in a great mood after a couple weeks of college football.

I think this thing could go the other way, but he was in a good mood that day. He was. 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. Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from the odd couple on Fox Sports Radio. And in addition to hearing us live weekn nights from 7 to 10 p.m. Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, We are excited to announce brand new YouTube channel for the show. That's right.

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Search video podcasts and tap watch. My loyalties lie with no party only with what I think is good and right and fair. So when Democrats are messing up, I say it. when Republicans are messing up, I say it. I'm S.E. Cup, a journalist and political commentator, and on my podcast, Off the Cup, I help you make sense of the often nonsensical news. I do this on cable news, too, but on my podcast,

I can really let loose and be my honest, unfiltered self. Sometimes I still can't believe we keep electing men to run the country. Yeah, here we are. Each week, you'll get my hot takes on the news and insider knowledge and insights from my smart friends and colleagues. I think our politics has shifted away from left versus right. The new paradigm that drives our politics is front versus back. People who feel like they're stuck at the back of the line versus everyone they see in front of them,

keeping them at the back of the line. Come, find some sanity in the weekly news. Listen to Off the Cup on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Munga Shat Together, and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones, and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever for all of us. I learned about some rad science. I can make a brain for you and then we can test what draw is the best for your brain, as opposed to his brain. Here are some hard truths.

I would expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be almost a four to five year acceleration. And get myself into a world of trouble. I'd say probably start bone smashing. That doesn't work. To make it look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is Michael Rappaport, and my podcast, the I Am Rapaport Stereo Podcast, is unlike anyone you've ever heard. We're a variety show, and if you're looking for strong opinions, funny opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now. This kid, Jafar Jackson, is as good as Rami Malik as Freddie Mercury, and it's as good as Timothy Shamaulay as Bob Dylan. And I say that with love and respect for both of those actors.

and I don't know how many Oscar nominations they give out, I don't know if it's five, six for Best Actor. 150% this kid Jafar Jackson should absolutely positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am Rap Report on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Okay, so I went to the Cubs game last night. I'm going to do this live.

I probably shouldn't do this live on the air. My bosses are going to think I'm nuts. I went to the Cubs game last night, and I was walking outside the stadium, Wrigley. And there's no team that has more cool hats and t-shirts. I bought my wife, Irish wife, a Cubs shirt, green with a clover. Is it called that, by the way? Okay. Okay.

So I saw this dark, pinstripe blue Cubs jersey. Now, I don't know how often they wear it, but it literally clicked a memory in my head. Now, I am going total memory. In somewhere between 1977 and 1980, 182, the Cubs had a left-handed reliever named Willie Hernandez. And it was a Friday night game at Riverfront Stadium. And I know that because the Saturday Cubs Reds game at Riverfront was televised. And they talked about this home run that was hit by George Foster on Friday night or Thursday night.

So Willie Hernandez was a left-hander for the Cubs, and he was pitching to the right-handed bat of George Foster, who was a great hitter, big power, skinny guy with great power. And it was a upper, upper-deck home run. It was a bomb. And I saw that dark blue Cubs jersey, and I have no idea why that pitch, why that moment popped into my head. So I told anybody on the staff that can find. it on my staff and send it to me, we have a coffee place in our LA studio, Bluestone.

It's owned by the company. I'll buy a $500 gift certificate to the person on that's a lot of coffee. Bro, that is a lot of smoothies. I'll buy a $500 gift certificate to Bluestone. It's really good, by the way. Every day I'm in LA, I go there. There's several of blues. it's called Bluestone Lane, all right? $500 for all you guys.

Willie Hernandez, George Foster, an upper deck home run, those blue pinstripe Cub uniforms. I couldn't stop thinking about it last night. And I know my staff makes fun of me because I go rain man on all this old baseball NBA stuff. I'm absolutely sure it happened. It was Willie Hernandez, George Foster, Riverfront Stadium, somewhere between, I think he pitched for the Cubs. I used to collect baseball cards. Like 77 to 81, 82-ish. Middlecough has no idea what he's in for.

John Middlkoff with the news. This is the Herdline News. I get a cold brew and a smoothie every single day from there. They're fantastic. Some of the best smoothies I've ever had in my life. I had a power one this morning. Speaking of smoothies, you know, LeBron James had a few of those in his career. And he's been heavily criticized.

Well, I get the internet. I mean, comments have been saying that he's ring chasing. And your guy, Sam Darnold on Hard Knocks, had some thoughts on the LeBron James Sixers' criticism. I love this. I also hate that people are hating on him for going to a good team. At this point, everyone's like, oh, he's going to a stack team. That doesn't, that's 40. too.

Different sports. You can go wherever he wants. Any free agent can do that. Any free agent ever would be like, yeah, I want to go play for a chance. My last year or two, yeah. Yeah. For sure. By the way, another reason to love Darnold.

I never understand the ring chain. In every other sport, like Sam Darnold, if, it doesn't matter if you're traded, acquired, like we've never beat up on athletes who end up, or college kids who choose Ohio State over Purdue. We're like, yeah, he's smart. He wants to play with great players. What are you talking about? We actually reverse criticize in the NFL. I remember JJ Watt was, you know, going to pick his destination.

He took a lot of money from the Cardinals and everyone's like, why didn't you go to the Packers for less money to try to win a Super Bowl? You know, in football, if you go to a bad team for a lot of money, he just took the cash. He doesn't want to win. And in basketball, LeBron's 40, he's got to be 42 in December. And it's not like the Sixers have been like the 80s Lakers here. I mean, what are we talking about?

They probably, relative to their talent, they're probably the most under-achieving team in the NBA for a decade. So he went to the most weird, under-achieving team in the NBA for a decade. And you're like, oh, ring-chasing. No, it sounds like ring-chasing because he joined the team. Yeah, now it sounds like ring-chasing. I did read an article this morning that his potential helicopter ride from New York to Philadelphia might have some issues with the wind,

but it goes back to like, you know, Will Chamberlain, I guess, used to live in the city, even at a nightclub in Harlem. So it's been done before. Yeah. But, um, yeah, LeBron, I have a theory too on LeBron. I don't think he factored this in, but I've lived in Philly.

The Eagles, win or lose, they are the story of the fall. He kind of gets to fly into the radar relative to him a little bit in the fall. He does. Because his team's got some ball usage questions. this is going to be like the Miami heat. It's going to take like 15 to 20 games. You're like, okay, they're really, really good.

They're not going to be good week one. Like they've got a lot of guys that need to eat. Speaking of a guy that likes to eat, Dexter Lawrence, a massive human being. The Cincinnati Bengals got him obviously this offseason and trade for the number 10 overall pick. Jamar Chase recently said he's been terrorizing practice. During the break, Colin, I saw on social media,

there was a clip of a, it looked like a run drill, but like 11 on 11. He grabbed Chase Brown, the running back with like two fingers, and he just stopped. You know, I know yesterday you were pretty hard on the Bengals and their situation. And I agree historically, you know, going back to Carson Palmer. You know, I think it's fair coaching-wise. They don't exactly swim in the $20 million range for coaches. But this roster on paper, that trades a big-time move. Yeah.

They bought some free agents. Their team, their ceiling this year is definitely Super Bowl contender. I mean, Colin, they went to the Super Bowl several years ago, and you'd argue this team's better. They're older. Jamar Chasin, the prime of his career, Higgins, excellent. Look at the size of that guy. Who's blocking him?

The Ravens lost their center. The Steelers' offensive line's always a question mark. The Browns, I mean, who knows who's playing quarterback there? it's their issue last year Burrow was just because of the turf toe was just gone for three months. So if you tell me Burrow plays, I got this team

winning the division. Last but not least, a little breaking news out of the National Football League. The Washington commanders look like they're going to sign Stefan Diggs. He's got a lot going on in his life. It feels like off the football field. But on the football field, been productive, obviously played for the Patriots last year in the Super Bowl.

He's always good for a couple years. I mean, he'll be productive for two years. I mean, he's getting closer to the end of his career. His private life is a little jumbled. But I mean, he'll, I don't think he's a bad guy. I just think it seems like everywhere he's at about by year three or four, he makes some noise, but he'll be productive this year. He's a good player. Yeah, I guess when you're choosing between Diggs and Iuke, it's, you know, you got, you got, you know, you go with the, uh, the lesser of the two issues there. And, uh, uh, this might end it for Iyuk and his Instagram stories, but yeah, the commanders,

I got no clue. If you told me they win eight, nine games, I believe you. You've told me they went four, I'd believe you. They are a massive wild card for me this year. John with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The herd lie news. So this is funny. So I told

the staff, I told you and the staff, I said, $500 Bluestone Lane, if you can find the Willie Hernandez, Dark Cub, George Foster home run somewhere between 77 and 81. The staff, they already want the money because they found on Google that it actually happened. I know it happened. I watched it. I was like, you know, I was like, I don't know, 15 years old.

They're like, hey, where's my money? Where's my smoothies? I could find that it happened. That's the easy part. This is not like a UFO sighting. Maybe it happened. Maybe it was a small. plane. It was a drone. It happened. I want video of it. So it happened on August 3rd, 1977. George Foster had a memorable home run off Willie Hernandez. George had an MVP season. So they're calling it a memorable home run. But it's August 3rd. So why would it be memorable? What home run on August 3rd is memorable? The one that goes 800 yards into Kentucky. I'm telling you, he hit it a mile. It says here on Google, he hit a memorable home run off Willie Hernandez.

It's August 3rd. There's never been a memorable home run on August 3rd. So if I can get video of that, $500. It's like four bucks for a coffee. You're going to be drinking caffeine for three months. I'm so excited to see this video. And I don't care how you get it. I don't care if like somebody watching the show sends it to you on the staff.

One of your kids finds it or something. I don't care. AI. I mean, I'd even take that at this point. I'd give you like $2.50 for an AI version. In Chicago, it's the heard. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app.

You've heard the chaos. Now you can see it. Hello. My gosh. Watch all your favorite podcasts from start to finish. Right inside the free IHR Radio app. Gets the blood going up. Catch every laugh and eye roll on shows like the Tom Green Farmcast and park the bus.

Now with full video. We're building a ramp for Tony Hawk. It's the same hosts and the same chemistry with all the hilarious moments you've been missing. Right on your screen. Cheers. Open the free IHRRA radio app. Search video podcasts and tap watch. My loyalties lie with no party, only with what I think is good and right and fair.

So when Democrats are messing up, I say it. When Republicans are messing up, I say it. I'm S.E. Cup, a journalist and political commentator. And on my podcast, Off the Cup, I help you make sense of the often nonsensical news. I do this on cable news too, but on my podcast, I can really let loose and be my honest, unfiltered self. Sometimes I still can't believe we keep electing men to, run the country. Yeah, here we are. Each week, you'll get my hot takes on the news and insider knowledge and insights from my smart friends and colleagues. I think our politics has shifted away from left

versus right. The new paradigm that drives our politics is front versus back. People who feel like they're stuck at the back of the line versus everyone they see in front of them, keeping them at the back of the line. Come, find some sanity in the weekly news. Listen to off the cup on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Mungeshit Together, and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones, and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever, for all of us.

I learned about some rad science. I can make a brain for you, and then we can. and tests what draw is the best for your brain, as opposed to his brain. Here's some hard truths. I would expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be almost a four to five-year acceleration. And get myself into a world of trouble. I'd say probably start bones smashing.

That doesn't work. To make it look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcast. This is Michael Rappaport, and my podcast,

the I Am Rappaport Stereo podcast, is unlike anyone you've ever heard. We're a variety show, and if you're looking for strong opinions, funny opinions about sports, entertainment, politics, pop culture, and whatever else catches my attention, then subscribe now.

This kid, Jafar Jackson, is as good as Rami Malik as Freddie Mercury, and it's as good as Timothy Sharmulay, as Bob Dylan, and I say that with love and respect for both of those actors. And I don't know how many Oscar nominations they give out, I don't know if it's five, six for best actor. 150% this kid Jafar Jackson should absolutely positively get nominated for his portrayal as Michael Jackson. Listen to I Am Rap Report on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Sunday on Fox.

The stars of Indy car are going full throttle as they look to chase down Alex Palo in Portland. Sunday at 4 Eastern only on Fox. Speaking of home runs, there's two pieces of video in America. Everybody's searching for an actual first piece of Bigfoot video for the last 50 years. And the George Foster home run in 1977 off the Cubs left-handed reliever in dark blue uniform Willie Hernandez. I went to the Cubs game last night. I saw an old blue uniform. I could not get that moment out of my head.

I remember as a kid, I was watching Saturday baseball. I'd live for baseball. And they did the pregame show, and George Foster was having a huge year. And they said, oh, if you weren't here last night, it was like Thursday or Friday, whatever the day was. And they show this home run with Willie Hernandez. I've never seen a home run like that.

Upper, upper die. I'm not sure. So I was watching a Saturday game. I don't know if it was a Friday the game before. It was sometime during the way. It was probably a Thursday night home run. Because I don't think there was. a lot of people in the upper deck.

And at that time, the Reds on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, they drew big crowds. So it was probably a midweek game. I'm just guessing. But if you can find it on my staff, and by the way, these guys are so competitive, they may not go home. They may stay the night in the facility. Also, Otani, Shohay Otani, we got video of this. The Cubs and the Dodgers, Cubs have won the first two games of the series. Dodgers can't hit.

10, 5 in the opener, 5-1 last night. Otani hits this home run to tie, actually take a one-nothing lead. Pete Crowe Armstrong has since tied it. Cubs Dodgers now are tied, early innings, and that show, Hey, Otani. Kind of a line drive home run on a beautiful day in Chicago. It's a day game. A few empty seats in the day game. Right now, I'm told it's 1-1.

So any luck on finding that video? We got a few minutes, not yet. YouTube doesn't have it. I would love that the trend. make my week if it trended George Foster homers off Willie Hernandez. People would be like, the hell is going on in America. They're watching this show. That's what's going on.

Oh, somebody on the staff said, we're getting closer on the video. Yeah, they're AI in it to death. I guarantee you. Guarantee you, that's what the staff's doing. They want that coffee. Albert Breer was on about 30 minutes ago and 40 minutes ago. And we talked, I guess it was an hour ago. We talked about Aaron Donald on a stacked roster.

Aaron Donald's returned to the Rams, and it sounds like it's borderline a done deal. What's given them the framework for that is the holdouts in 2017 and 2018. Now, you remember, he reported to camp very late both years. Both years, he won defensive player of the year. So they have a way to do this. Now, it's not the same. Of course, he's 35 now. he's obviously spent two years away from football.

But they feel like they've got a good plan. They're going to have a way of managing him that isn't going to cost the team. I kind of take it back to the Eric Weddell situation a few years ago. He was there because they needed him to be there. And he played every snap because the Rams needed him to play every snap. I don't think that's going to be the case with Aaron Donald in 2026. And we talked about how loaded the Rams are. People talk about the Stack Dodgers deck, but it's a lot of guys out of their prime.

If you go to the 10 best players for the L.A. Rams, I don't think there's anybody in the league, maybe Philadelphia that compares Miles Garrett, Matt Stafford, Pooka, Kua, Trent McDuffey, that you can argue those four players are in the top one or two at their position in the league. Devonte Adams. Kevin Dotson was the top rated guard last year. Byron Young, a pro bowler, Puna Ford, number one rated defensive tackle. Kiron Williams, 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, three years in a row. and Kobe Turner, who was rated higher than Chris Jones last year, six best interior linemen.

It is a completely stacked roster. So if you put, I mean, that defensive line, if you put Aaron Donald in it, that is pretty unblockable. I mean, you know, the way to beat the Rams has been kind of going forward. Charlotte gave them all sorts of problems. Attack their corners. Well, you can't do. They went and got two corners, including Trent McDuffie from the chiefs.

So those days are done. They're good at safety. They're good at tight end. And neither group has a player in the top 10. But the Rams' tight end grouping is top five in the league. Their safeties are excellent. Sean McVeigh is arguably the best coach in the league. So, I mean, it's just something else.

It is something else. Can't wait. All right, John. yesterday we had our five new teams in the NFL playoffs. And we both kind of agreed on Kansas City and New Orleans. Then I think you had the Bengals, Cowboys, and somebody else was in there. I had the Giants,

lions, somebody else in there. Ravens. Who was it? Ravens? Yeah. I had the race. Just kind of basically had a respect for the organization.

but the one team I said the crazy pick would be Cleveland. So Todd Monkin blasted Cleveland local media today for being negative with Shadour Sanders. And in that poll of NFL execs that Mike Sando had, Sanders was dead last behind J.J. McCarthy, which is not true, but that's what they put him. So as somebody that was a pro scout in the league, there have been players that have been underdrafted. Brock Purdy was underdrafted. Dak Prescott was underdrafted. Pooka Nukua was underdrafted.

I mean, when this happens all the time, George Kittle was massively underdrafted. Joanne Jennings for the Niners, underdrafted. When you look at Shadur going in the fifth round, as a scout, when you watch them and you watch a lot of college football, where did you have him graded? Where did you see him as a player? Forget all the dad stuff. What did you see?

Yeah, I would say a top 75 player. somewhere between middle second round to the third round. You know, I mean, I think the argument sometimes with quarterbacks are if you're going to take a guy in the top 50, you know, that's where Derek Carr went. Will Levis. You expect that guy to be your starter. You know, now, some of them don't work out. But when you draft a guy, why wouldn't you just draft him in the first round then?

So what happened this year, for example, no one went in the second round, right? Now, it wasn't a great quarterback draft. Right. They started going in the third round, which Carson Beck, I think, it was announced going to start this Hall of Fame game. Yeah. There's no pressure to start a third rounder. But when you draft a guy in a second round, that's where it gets weird. I think with Shador, in my years, you know, I know so many people in the league that sit in on all these meetings at the combine.

Sometimes when you get like a top five pick, right, they won't meet with teams drafting at pick 20. It happens in the NBA a lot. It happens a little bit in the NFL. Anyone that is not a lock, top 10 pick, kind of meets with everybody. Absolutely. And Chador wouldn't really, he wouldn't even give the time of day. Like the Eagles and the Ravens are two teams. I don't know exactly what round they would have taken them.

But my guess is third or fourth, definitely not the fifth. And they couldn't even, like, he wouldn't talk to them. And he would go, well, you got Jalen Hertz and Lamar Jek's. It's kind of the way football works. You know, unless your Fernando. Fernando Mendoza is not even starting. Like most of these teams, there's a veteran quarterback there. I understand those guys are $50 million guys.

But once you go out of the first round, any team can draft you at any moment. I mean, the Packers have made a living off Aaron Rogers, Brett Favre, and what if Jordan Lov had picked up like, don't want you, you got Aaron Rogers. Look how it changed his life. So the league changes really quick. And I think they regret that. But now the Browns, it sure sounds like Watson hasn't been great. Why would you just start Shador week one?

Well, it feels like I saw a video this week of Shadur making a big downfield fourth quarter throw in practice. And the teammates' reaction to the play, and we don't talk a lot about this, but a part of what there is a belief, it feels like the Browns players are rooting for Shador Sanders. They like like his vibe. And Deshaun Watson's older, got some baggage, some of it weird. That's not to say the players are rooting against DeShan, but when I watch video of Shadour, it feels like the, because the Browns are young, John, it's a young team. Miles Garrett, one of their big senior leader, he's gone now. They replace him with a Jared Verse, a younger player.

Their top players are a lot of young guys. It's a young locker room. So it's New England. And it feels like, to me, it feels like Shadur is the locker room favorite. You know he's the fan favorite. That's not even disputable. the question is with Munkin, is he the coaching staff? Because the players and the fans are rooting for Shadoor.

The question is, what's the coaching staff thing? Is Jimmy Haslam saying, guys, we got to get one start out of Deshawn. I'm paying him a bloody fortune. Well, I think if you go back that the Ravens were interested a couple years ago, I think that would be, I'd be stunned if Todd Munkin wasn't part of that conversation. I'm like, yeah, I like him. Let's take him in the third or fourth round, especially Lamar had been banged up a little bit by then. So I think if you're Shadour, there's a high likelihood.

when this guy got hired, he was kind of in your corner as a player coming out of college. So, I mean, Watson hasn't been good. Watson is one of the most precipitous drop-offs just on the field. I think we've ever seen because he was pretty good player with the Houston Texans. And now he's, if he can't win the starting job, I mean, his career is probably over. Do you think? Yeah, I think between the weirdness, I mean, he and Russell Wilson just got really average to really bad very quick. and, you know, they're both athletic guys.

You lose some of that athletic ability, and it's never the same. But, you know, at least Russell, I mean, you can, some people think he's cheesy, a little fake or whatever, but there was nothing off the feel. Like Watson, I don't think most teams would touch him with a 10-foot pole over the previous baggage. Oh, my God, I can't believe this. Found it?

I can't believe they found it. We have, okay, don't show it to anybody. I want to see it live. we have found the George Foster Home Run video. I don't know. I want to first of all know how they found it because it's not on YouTube. So you know what I bet? I bet you Shanks went upstairs to call the network called Rob Manfred and got it.

Because Shanks probably wants free coffee too. I can't blame executives. I think it has to be an executive that got this because the average, I don't know where our producers found it. And they said in my ear, we're getting closer. Okay, somebody called Manfred. He released some video. Okay, America only now needs the Bigfoot video and we're home free. We'll show the video next.

150 years ago, they were hunting us down to kill us, and now they're hunting down immigrants to deport them. This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be, and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. podcasts. Bill, why is my eye twitching? Does this mean I'm in perimenopause? Where's my phone? Juliana, maybe we can ask an actual human. Yes, because I have questions. And I bet you do too.

Like, is it normal to sleep in separate bedrooms? We do that. And I still need to know why my poop's been green. We've got actual people answering these exact questions. Listen to Bill and Juliana. The podcast. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. When teenager Joy Morgan discovered the religious group Israel United in Christ, she believed she'd found the truth. Many believe she found a cult. Then she disappeared. The new podcast, The Missing Sister, explores her story, the family she left, and the religious group she found.

You know when you get that freedom, I don't want to be here. I want to get out. I can I want to go ahead now. All episodes available now to Bench. Listen to The Missing Sister on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Munga Chitigler and I'm back with a new season of my podcast, Skyline Drive. This time I talked to scientists, biopunks, kermudgens, blues owners, super seniors, and Goa's top cryotherapy lab to try to understand this obsession with living forever

and what it means for all of us. And I get into a bit of trouble along the way. I'd say probably start bone smashing. That doesn't work. To make it look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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