The Kevin Sheehan Show - Latest On DC Search + NFL Playoffs

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

Kevin opened with the breaking news this afternoon that Washington has elevated Darnell Stapleton to the position of Offensive Line Coach. Kevin recapped all four NFL Divisional Round games as well. Ben Standig jumped on to talk Defensive Coordinator search and more. Kevin had two "Smell Test" picks for tonight's National Championship game. He also had some thoughts on "Diggy" Coit's near-record performance for the Terps yesterday and reacted to something Ben Johnson said about David Blough. For all your football betting needs: DCRELOAD at MyBookie for a 50% Deposit Match Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it, but you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Sheehan Show. Here's Kevin. Williams, drifting for space in all kinds of trouble, put it up for against. He is going to. He got it for the touchdown. What a sick throw by Caleb Williams.

I mean, maybe three, four, five guys in the league tops that can make that play. that one called by of course Mike Torrico and Chris Collinsworth at Soldier Field last night in the last of a very entertaining four-game divisional round weekend that one forced the second overtime game of the weekend

a weekend that produced some really good football some really bad football plenty of drama more than enough controversy and a potential Super Bowl changing injury The show's presenting sponsor is always Window Nation. 86690 Nation, windonation.com if you need new windows.

Ben Standig's going to jump on with me in the next segment. Let me just mention some news just broke a little while ago about Washington's offensive line position. I recorded the conversation with Ben before the news broke. The news is Washington is elevated assistant offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton to the actual offensive line coaching position. So you'll hear us talk briefly about that opening, but not the details that includes Stapleton getting the gig. Also news today that Shane Talb has been elevated from offensive quality control coach to assistant

offensive line coach, which is the position that Stapleton held. So Darnell Stapleton is the new offensive line coach. They are staying in-house for everything on offense, it would seem. And again, Ben's going to join me. We'll talk a lot about the defensive coordinator search, but we will not talk about the news that just broke about the offensive line coaching position being filled by Darnell Stapleton. There was some defensive coordinator news over the weekend that does impact.

Washington's search. So I'll get to that with Ben in the next segment. Smell test later on in the show. Two picks on tonight's national championship game. Yes. Two, I will tweet them out at Kevin Sheen, D.C. before the game in case you don't get the podcast in time. I bounced back off of last week's horror show with a two and O NFL playoff weekend. I had Seattle on Saturday night minus the and had the over in the Pat's Texans game yesterday. All right, let's start with the four divisional round games, and I'll go backwards. I'll start with last night and finish with the first game of the weekend,

which was the Denver Buffalo thriller. So Bears Rams last night at cold, snowy soldier field. Cinematic last night. You know, one day these outdoor games and the elements are going to be harder to come by. The snow swirling, the field lightly coated. The NFL doesn't need help with ratings, but snow games do typically generate a bump in audience size. I don't think they needed it last night. People love to watch football in the hardcore elements. Snow being number one on the list. We had two snow games back to back yesterday. By the way, I'll take a quick moment to mention, because I know

some of you will probably expect me to mention the upcoming week. weekend around here. Yeah, the models are all converging on a massive snowstorm for somebody in the southeast or mid-Atlantic where we live. The models will flop around all week. But yes, it looks like we are heading into an unbelievable pattern of cold and snow if you like that sort of thing. But look, the scene for a playoff game last night in Chicago, that was spectacular. And the game was tight, start to finish. And the finish came with three minutes and 19 seconds left in overtime when Harrison Mivas kicked a 42-yard field goal to send the Rams to the NFC title game in Seattle this coming Sunday night. So Caleb Williams, I'm going to start there. You know, hard not to be impressed with his season, which included two home playoff games where legitimately he strapped the team to his back in the fourth quarter of both of these games. Last week in the win over the Packers and nearly another win last night against the Rams. You know, with Caleb, there's no doubt about athleticism, arm strength, playmaking ability. For me, in watching him, the next step is for him to nail down the easy stuff because he makes the hard stuff look easy and he makes the easy stuff look difficult.

It almost appears as if he's better off throwing out of the pocket on the move or moving backwards off his back foot. I mean, those throws are amazing. You know, the easy, clean pocket, you know, pitch and catch throws are the ones that he really struggles with. You know, he throws 100 mile per hour fastballs to, you know, players who are wide open, 10 yards in front of him. And he's usually high and outside.

But man, back foot, great touch, you know, perfect throws. That last one on fourth and four with, you know, 18 seconds left is legitimately a play that just only a few guys can make. I did not think that was offensive pass interference in the end zone. But Caleb Williams is coming, man. There's no doubt. You know, there is room for improvement.

movement, no doubt. But wow, the clutch play, the big time playmaking ability. His athleticism, as a runner, he is super quick. You know, I remember, you know, when he got drafted, people saying he's not going to be able to do all those things he did at USC where he's running around for seven, eight seconds, you know, against Cal and chucking balls downfield for completions. Well, guess what? He's doing a lot of it in the NFL. The interception and overtime, his third of the game, was, I think, as much on DJ more as it was on him. It looked like Moore thought he was throwing deeper, so he didn't flatten that route out. Cam Curl, yes, that Cam Curl made a great play.

I mean, a season-saving play for the Rams. The Bears, you know, in that game last night, unlike last week against Green Bay, they played good enough defensively to win. Last week they didn't, although in the second half, the defense really came on. But in that first half, they were completely run over by Green Bay, and the Rams did not really do that. Look, I thought some of the Bears' success on defense last night was them, and I think a lot of it was on Sean McVeigh, actually. Why did it take until the fourth quarter for the Rams to run the ball more? through three quarters, 36 pass plays, 11 runs against the 28th ranked run defense.

Fourth quarter and overtime, 12 pass plays called 19 runs. How about that, though? Just 11 rushing attempts through three quarters, and they were running the ball well. Williams, Kyron Williams was running the ball really well. I don't know why. He didn't run the ball. He actually said after the game that he did not call a great game. And there were some moments with clock management at the end that I'll get to that weren't good from him either.

They really struggled in the dropback game with Stafford against the Bears. You know, he was pressured over and over again. He was sacked four times, forced to throw it quickly a number of times. He was 20 of 42, 20 of 42, a 48% completion. percentage for the MVP frontrunner. He was 65% during the regular season. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the injury from last week against the Panthers, but I thought Sean McVe's insistence for three quarters to throw it instead of run it,

cost them a chance to win the game in easier fashion. And then, look, I love Sean McVeigh, but his decisions with the clock down the stretch and regulation were horrendous. First of all, with two minutes and seven seconds left, okay, when Ben Johnson took a time out and he shouldn't have, you should not take a time out with about 208 or less, especially on a third downplay. It gives you free license to throw the ball because the clock's going to stop at the two-minute warning anyway.

And on a third down, even if you have to punt it with 201 left, you're losing. a couple of seconds. But Sean, first of all, should have taken that opportunity on third and 10 and tried to pick up the first down and end the game. But he didn't. He ran it and punted it. I couldn't believe that.

Secondly, man, that is just a poor job using your timeouts on defense. You know, you cannot let the clock go down to 18 seconds when Caleb Williams completed the

4th and 4 from the 14 where he threw it 51 yards because he backed all the way back to the 40-something yard line when he threw it. You've got to use your timeouts on defense because he was in a situation where the Bears had only one timeout left when they were on defense there. He could have gotten the ball back after the game tying touchdown with about a minute to go, plenty of time to go down and get a fuel goal in regulation to win it. terrible job using timeouts. He took two timeouts with him into overtime. Can't use them in overtime.

They get a new set of timeouts. You get all three in the playoffs. But he had two timeouts that he never used at the end of regulation. So I would assume that most of you thought, like I did, that Ben Johnson would go for two with 18 seconds left after the Caleb Williams throw. He said that he didn't because of the. their struggles inside the five-yard line in goal-to-go situations. He said that influenced him to not go for two.

Hey, that makes sense. Context, everybody. Don't be reckless. You know, when aggressive is fine. Reckless isn't. I totally agree with that sentiment because in the moment I thought he would go for two. But the context was they were struggling in goal to go inside. you know, the five-yard line.

They had been stopped on the drive before, and that was a fourth and four in the red zone. You know, I just did not think that putting it on one play made sense. And by the way, the Rams had been on defense, man, for like 80 plays at that point, approaching 80 plays anyway. They looked to be wearing down. I thought the two teams were dead even worse case, and that overtime was may have actually favored the bears being at home in that weather

and the Rams defense kind of wearing down. So I thought in that moment that one play for the game that I thought he'd make the reckless decision, but he didn't. Last thing on this game, because I saw a lot of this this morning, for those that think that, you know, the Bears had like an identical season to Washington's last year and they'll come back to the pack next year. It's possible. But the bears are pretty loaded, man, on offense.

And they've got much better players on defense. And Dennis Allen does a good job coordinating a defense. And Ben Johnson, going into year two, with what he was able to get out of Caleb in his first year, I wouldn't hold my breath expecting the bears to go severely backwards like Washington did. Washington went severely backwards because of injuries. Bears would do the same thing if they had a lot of injuries. But the Bears have better overall talent and a better overall roster than Washington has.

So, yeah, it's a tough division. They'll get a last place schedule, et cetera. Anyway, hell of a game to finish it up last night. 20 to 17 Rams in overtime. I'm personally happy the Rams won the game. I was rooting for Sean McVeigh. I was rooting for another Ram, Seattle game. And to be honest with you, Ben Johnson's not the most likable dude from afar.

I think he's a good coach. I think he's really creative. But I thought last week with Lafleur was a bit much, even though I really wish we had a rival like that. And the intensity boiled up to that level. But yeah, I was rooting for the Rams. All right, New England, Houston. Here's the bottom line on the first game yesterday, won by the Patriots 28 to 16. All C.J. Stroud had to do in that game was B. Trent Dilfer in 2000 with the Ravens and that Ravens defense.

That Houston defense was as advertised, and the Texans may have won that game if the offense just ran the ball three times and punted it, the entire. entire way. But they didn't. C.J. Stroud was awful. Four interceptions, balls thrown inaccurately all day long. He was 20 of 47. Stafford was at 48%. Stroud 42% completion percentage. Stroud became the first player since Kerry Collins in the 2000 Super Bowl. That one was against the Ravens, those 2,000 Ravens, to complete under 43% of his passes. And, throw four plus interceptions. He was so bad. He never looked right.

It was bad against Pittsburgh on Monday night when he put the ball on the ground five times. It was worse yesterday, albeit against a very good defense. The Pat's defense was great last week against the Chargers, and it was so good yesterday. Not as good as Houston's defense, though, but it was really good. in Houston's two playoff games last Monday night against the Steelers and yesterday, listen to what Houston's defense did in these two playoff games. I'm so disappointed that we don't get a chance to see them advance, because this may have been the best defense we have seen in years, years, and comparable to that 2000 Ravens defense. In the two playoff games, Houston's defense allowed just three.

and a half yards per play. Pittsburgh and New England combined to go five for 28 on third down. They had nine sacks in two games, forced five turnovers, and scored two touchdowns. The defense did. They had two touchdowns on Monday night. They almost had another yesterday in the first half. We just watched one of the best defenses in recent memory, be completely undone by its offense.

And it didn't have to go that way. I blame Stroud. I do, but I also blame Houston's coaches. They literally would have had a much better chance to win the game being super conservative on offense. Run the ball, quick, high percentage, short passes, screens, but they kept dropping Stroud back. It made no sense.

for so many reasons. One, they didn't have key players. For those of you that just watched yesterday and said, oh my God, this guy strouds terrible. His best receiver, Nico Collins, didn't play. They've had other receivers lost during the year. Their number one tight end was lost early in the game. And then their offensive line was missing one key piece and was hurting. They couldn't protect him in the dropback game. And yet, they kept dropping them back. I get it. They could run the ball very well either, but punting was okay in this game. Drake May fumbled the ball four times, lost two of them. It should have been three. DeNeil Hunter tried to pick up that one early fumble and score. I mean, they should have had the ball down at the two-yard line,

worst case, or six-yard line first and goal. But Drake May fumbled four times in the game, lost two of them, should have been three. Why did they continue to put Stroud at risk, at risk of him making bad decisions, which they had to know he was more than capable of making. That ball should have been taken out of his hands in that game with that defense. Yes, I did think about Davis Mills at halftime. You know, I'm sure a lot of people did. Tommy mentioned it the other day. He thought Mills should start the game after the way Stroud played against Pittsburgh. I did not think that Mills should start the game. Stroud has had some really good moments this year. He actually had some big-time moments even

against the Steelers in the game in which he put the ball on the ground five times and threw a pick, lost two fumbles through a pick. But at half-time, they should have thought about putting Mills in, not just because Stroud was killing them with bad plays, but because he didn't look capable of getting himself out of it. I don't think Mills would have done. done a lot better against the Patriots defense, but maybe they would have called it more conservatively with him in the game. Now, on the Patriots, first of all, great defense, and it's a great defense just right now. Their defense last week led them to that 16 to 3 win over the Chargers, and it led them against Houston yesterday. The Texans, listen to this, the Texans

had in the game 15 offensive possessions. That's unheard of. It's because their defense kept giving them the ball back, whether it was by punt or by turnover. Fifteen possessions in a football game that didn't go to overtime. And they gained only 30 or more yards on two of the 15. They averaged 3.3 yards per play against New England's defense. Now, look, the Patriots, they only averaged 3.9 yards per play against that Houston defense. And like Stroud, May did not protect the ball. He really had a bad day protecting the ball.

A lot of that is just Houston's defense is insanely good. But four fumbles total. But for May, unlike Stroud, May made some big time throws. I said this about his performance against the Chargers, which left a lot to be desired in terms of ball protection, but he made some big plays when they needed him to make plays. He did the same thing yesterday. all three touchdowns were big time under pressure throws.

How good were the receivers? Stefan Diggs' touchdown catch was great. Kayshan Boutte, I mean, unbelievable. And DeMario Douglas, great. I mean, the catches, the big-time contested catches they made. But the throws were perfect, too. I like Drake May. I like him a lot.

He's a young player. He's getting better. and he just faced two back-to-back great defensive football teams and made enough plays to win the game, but he also made enough plays to lose the game if their defense, New England's defense, hadn't been so good, and if the opposing quarterback, at least yesterday,

wasn't as bad as Stroud was. The Patriots are four and a half-point favorites in Denver with no bow nicks to advance to the Super Bowl. All right, Saturday's games. I'll start quickly with Seattle, San Francisco. Pure domination. The 49ers were amazing this year to get as far as they did with all of their injuries. McCaffrey got hurt during the game as it went on.

But this was almost a repeat from the week 18 game. Seattle's defense, just too much. I mean, they held that 49ers offense to under 200 yards in the week 18 game and to just 236 yards on Saturday night. And then on offense, even though they lost Charbonnet during the game, and I don't know what his status is, but Kenneth Walker, the third, was great. 116 yards, 19 carries. You know, Darnold made some plays, but they ran the football and they were great defensively,

and they got an opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Rashid Shahid. It was an absolute beat down, 41 to 6, setting the stage for round three, Rams Seahawks. Their late December game on Thursday night football was one of the best games in years. Seattle, a short two and a half point favorite Sunday night in the NFC championship game. And that leaves us with Bills and Broncos. What a game. I'll start with Josh Allen. I really want to start with Josh Allen.

I will certainly get to the Cook's play. I just don't get anybody that watched that game and came away thinking that he was the reason they lost. To me, he was the only reason they had a chance to win. he did turn the ball over four times, and you have to protect the football. But do you think there was any kind of relationship between Josh Allen's turnover riddled game and C.J. Strouds? Look, four turnovers, it's not good. One of those turnovers was the cooks, did he catch it or was it intercepted? I'll get to that.

The strip sack from behind, he had no chance on, no chance. The fumble at the end of the first half and the other, you know, deep shot that was picked off by the safety. Those were not great plays. I can see that. James Cook's fumble in the first half was an even bigger lost ball, I mean, five turnovers

for the game. That one came during a drive that could have given the bills a 10 to 3 lead, worst case, or maybe a 14 to 3 lead. That was a crushing fumble because it looked like very early on. Buffalo was

Denver's equal. Last week, they never appeared to be Jacksonville's equal, and Josh Allen had to strap it to his back and carry them, literally to a win. He actually got carried on that fourth and one. But they were able to run the ball against Denver. They couldn't run it against the Jags. So that fumble by Cook, I love Cook as a back, too. That was really devastating because they were about to go in in the first half with a two-score lead, perhaps. Worst case, 10 to 3.

But for me, I thought Josh Allen was really good. He wasn't the brilliant Josh Allen from a week ago against Jacksonville, but he threw for three touchdowns, nearly 300 yards, rushed for 66 against a great defensive team on the road with two of his receivers out. I think the number one play that Alan will regret, and you saw how emotional, I'm sure, he was after the game. The number one play he'll regret is the main. missed a Knox at the end of regulation.

That would have scored. If he catches it, he scores, and he overthrew him. Can you imagine if that had been a good throw and a touchdown to end the game right there with five seconds to go, ten seconds to go? That was the play right before the game tying field goal. That would have been epic. He missed it. He did.

Now, he was pressured as he was most of the day, but that one he should have hit, and it would have been an all-timer to walk it off that way. borderline walk it off. There would have been five seconds left, I think, after the play, eight seconds, whatever it would have been. That's the throw, the one to Knox that he's got to really regret. And I think the fumble at the end of the first half, because it's 1710 and you give up a field goal. That was huge. And he was loose with the ball. He was. But overall, they're not in that game without him. I saw someone post on Twitter that he had the fourth highest PFF grade in the game on offense. That makes sense to me.

I mean, for whatever the PFF grading system is worth. He made some mistakes, and he missed that Knox game winner at the end, but he made so many great throws in the game. They were 10 of 15 on third down. They were one-for-one on fourth down. Some of those were sneaks, but several of those big-time Josh Allen plays. And by the way, the sneaks were successful because Josh Allen is really good at that. So I wanted to start with that.

Before I get to the Cook's play, why didn't Sean Payton kick the 15th? 58-yard field goal in the mile-high air with Will Lutz at the end of the third quarter to build a nine-point lead. He punted there. And Buffalo took that possession, scored a touchdown and took the lead. I thought that was way too conservative. 58-yard field goals, especially at mile high with kickers with big legs, you kick those field goals in beautiful weather as it was in Denver. Cortland Sutton, I just made this note. I really like him and I like his size, but he drops too many passes, man. I thought that the interference penalties in the overtime when Denver ended up, you know, kicking the game-winning field goal to win at 33 to 30.

I thought the first one was a bad call. But it was also a play in which people forget, Joey Bosa was called for roughing the passer, which was a legitimate call. So even if you didn't like the pass interference call there, it would have been a 15-yard penalty automatic first down. The second one on White, I thought was a good call. But I also thought on the other end, they missed the one in the end zone against Cooks

with the rookie corner that leads the NFL and defensive pass interference penalties. I thought that could have been called if the one on White was called. and that would have given Buffalo first and gold the one for a potential 31 to 23 lead. All right. The Cook's play. I thought it was a catch because I thought he survived the ground and then the ball was taken from him.

So the explanations about surviving the ground and if the ball had bounced out and, you know, after he hadn't survived the ground and fall into the ground, it would have been incomplete. Well, I don't think the ball would have come out of his hands. I thought he was down, had survived the ground, completed the process of the catch, and then the ball was taken from him with him on the ground that he survived. I understand why he needs to complete the process of the catch and survive the ground. I do understand that as opposed to say, you know, well, the play in the game last night, the catch by Devante Adams.

There was no ground to survive or process to complete because he had already completed the process after the catch while he was still moving and then his knee hit the ground so he was down by contact. I understand that he had not, when he gained possession of the ball, he had not completed the process of the catch with a couple of steps and survived the ground yet. But I think ultimately he did and then the ball was taken from him on the ground. That's what I thought. Now, I agree with Sean McDermott, who was fired today, on them not taking enough time. He had to call time out for them to look at it for a longer period of time. I thought that was absurd. And then the NFL's officiating spokesperson, you know, Walt Anderson, Anderson said the following morning, yesterday morning,

he said that every play was reviewed by multiple people. you know, there's no at the end of, that's a play that's got to be, go to the booth because it's in overtime. So it's not a play you can challenge. That's why McDermott called time out. He said that even without a full-blown replay review, every play is being reviewed by multiple people in that circumstance. And he said, quote, if you can confirm the ruling on the field was correct, they want to move the game along. Closed quote. Move the game along.

What are you talking about? That is a terrible thing to say about that particular play from Walt Anderson, the head NFL officiating spokesperson. They want to move the game along in overtime on a play that's going to decide who goes to the AFC championship game? You want to move the game along for what? so that you don't miss the beginning of Seattle, San Francisco? Come on, Walt.

That's absurd. I hope that's not true. That they just, multiple people said, yep, looks right. Looks like they got it right on the field. We got to move this thing along. 49ers Seahawks are starting. You're in a hurry? For what?

Look, I thought it was a catch. I thought he survived the ground, and then the ball was taken from him on the ground. after he survived it. I did. I understand the rule. I do. I read Terry McCauley. I read everybody afterwards. I thought he survived the ground. And to me, that ends the play. And then the ball was taken from him. And that would have given Buffalo a chance to advance. Was really rooting for them. And then, of course, the Bow-Nicks injury really puts, you know, a bit of a stain on the AFC title game, but I would not count the Broncos out.

Okay? Their defense is really good. Really good. And so is New England's though. All right. Ben Standing next after these words from a few of our sponsors. Hey guys, Chime is changing the way people bank. It's fee-free and smarter banking built for most of us, not the 1%.

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Head to chime.com slash sheen. That is chime, C-H-I-M-E-com slash Sheen. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Bank card and MyPay line of credit provided by the Bank or Bank N.A or Stride Bank N.A. Mypay eligibility requirements apply and credit limit ranges $20 to $500. Option.com may have fees or charges. See chime.com slash fees info. Advertised annual percent and yield with Chime Plus status only. Otherwise, 1.000% APY applies. No mean balance required. Chime card on time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Results may vary. See chime.com for details and applicable terms. This segment of the show brought you by Window Nation. If you've been thinking about new windows,

you should probably do something about it right now because cold weather is here. It's here to stay and the long term through February and even March looks colder than normal. And if you've got older windows, your heating bills are higher than that of your neighbors. Window Nation wants to help. This month, they're offering four free windows with every four purchased. And if you choose to finance the purchase, you won't pay anything until the year 2028 and you won't be charged interest. No down payment, no monthly payments, and no interest for two full years. years. It all starts with an in-home estimate. Call them at 86690 Nation or go to windownation.com to to schedule. They'll come out in an hour or less. They'll leave you with a quote. I promise you.

They won't pressure you into making a decision. You can shop the offer if you want. I don't think you'll find a better one. You certainly won't find a better company to work with. Forty-five-thousand-five-star reviews Window Nation has. And they were rated number one by Forbes magazine among window installation companies in the United States. 86690 Nation, windownation.com. Jumping on with me right now is Ben Standing. Of course, Ben has covered the team for several years now.

At Ben Standing on X on Twitter. He writes a substack column, does a great job covering the team. He has a podcast, both the substack column and the podcast called Last Man Standing. Ben is with me. He's with me on radio twice a week, and we get them on the podcast occasionally. So let's update everybody on where this team is in terms of their available coaching positions and where they are. And there was some news from over the weekend, a head coaching hire in a particular place that probably took a potential defensive coordinator candidate off the market. Why don't you start there by telling everybody about that? Yeah, Atlanta hired Kevin Stefansky, the former Browns coach, as their head coach.

So that's what I predicted. He was, to me, well, the marketplace keeps changing every minute, but assuming that Mike Tomlin is out for a year, he was the number two guy, as of the time Atlanta did it, so it made sense that he would go to Atlanta based on their personnel. But Atlanta refused until they made that decision, they refused to let their defensive coordinator, Jeff Oldbrick, interview for positions against Dallas, had asked for permission.

And he figured to be a guy here for Washington because he worked with Dan Quinn in the past in Atlanta, and that just has been sort of the guy that I've been keeping my eye on the most, and now he's signing an extension with the Falcons. And, you know, I don't know what Rahim Morris's deal is. He's another guy with ties to Dan Quinn. he's interviewed for head coaching jobs or the notion he could, you know, take a year off and go to television. And, you know, you get past those two and, like, it's getting hard to find a guy in the Dan Quinn

coaching tree who's been a coordinator before, you know, with any kind of notoriety. And that makes it really interesting because I just was assuming he would prefer Quinn to, since he's got so much change happening on offense to keep the defense, I'm not saying the same, but like relatively similar schematically. And now we'll have to see if that's possible because there's not too many candidates left who kind of would fit that bill, I wouldn't think. You know, maybe I've missed it,

but for all of the talk about Al Harris, the DB's coach in Chicago, their season is now over after last night, but still, not many reports, correct me if I'm wrong, about requests to interview Al Harris for defensive coordinator. openings.

I don't know that he's had any for anybody else. I mean, as far as we know, it's not happened here, or at least as the time we're talking, it has not been reported. Look, the Bears led the league in interceptions this year, and to whatever degree you want to credit the defensive coordinator, or the position coach is for that. He's also the passing game,

defensive passing game coordinator. So you have to get some credit. He was with Quinn in Dallas. So, you know, if the ball is light, this guy, you know, they was breathing lots of life into that defense, but he is also another first time, you'll be your first time coordinator. You already have that with Blow, you just went through this with the Joe Witt. That's where I just kind of wonder that now that we know what's going on on offense,

do you want to have two first-time coordinators going simultaneously when, you know, I think we can all agree this is a pretty pivotal year and a half for Dan Quinn. So, yeah, I haven't seen much. mentioned as far as him getting interviews, but at the same time, I do wonder if that makes a lot of, makes sense for these guys. Maybe it does, but that's a tough way to go if you've never coordinated before, and you already have to deal with the David Blounting. All right. So where do we stand on defensive coordinator search? Well, I think the problem is that every other day, there's another head coach opening. I mean, you know, Doug, Sean McDermott, yep.

gets let go on Monday morning, and which I kind of thought I saw coming based on the way he was protesting the call. The non-catch, which is going to overaggressive. I agree with him, but still. Anyway,

so that's now an opening. Obviously, we talked about one of the best jobs of the Buffalo, but Doc Allen may be the top of the list at this point, but until more of these jobs get resolved, we don't know what the defensive coordinator market is, Like a bunch of these jobs could get filled by hypothetically, Brian Flores. She sounds like Sean McDermott himself could be in the mix.

He's a defensive guy. Jonathan Gannon get involved, Jesse Mintz, or whatever. So until those situations are resolved, it's hard to know who's even exactly in the pool of defensive coordinator candidates. And then all of these places, you know, they're going to want also to pick some new coaches. So I think we're kind of in a holding pattern here. Unless, look, again, if Rain Morris and they like Ray Morris and he's available and they say, heck, I'll just do this, sure, it could be done tomorrow, but it feels like this is going to drag out probably past, this is me really the key league, like past this week of the weekend of the championship games,

just because there's wait, there's still eight openings now. Yeah, I mean, two filled over the weekend. The Harbaugh thing was finalized, or at least since the recording of the Friday show here. Kevin Stefansky named the head coach in Atlanta, but the Buffalo job just became available. So that means Buffalo, Baltimore, Cleveland, Vegas, Arizona, Miami, Tennessee, Pittsburgh, eight opening still. And you also have, you know, in our own division, Dallas needs a defensive coordinator, and Washington needs a defensive coordinator.

You know, I didn't know this until I just looked it up on Sean McDermott because I didn't think that there was a pro tie to Dan Quinn. But Sean McDermott started his career as a coach in the exact same place that Dan Quinn started his career as a coach, William and Mary. Four years after Quinn was at William and Mary, but Sean McDermott's first coaching job, 1998, the 9th, That's where he went to school. By the way, that's where Tomlin went, right?

William and Mary? A little bit of a coaching cradle. But McDermott was at William and Mary four years after Quinn left. William and Mary Quinn had multiple jobs by the time he started there. But Sean McDermott's in the running for a head coaching job, I would assume, at this point, with eight openings. Yeah, the initial report sounds like he wants to keep going. So that's the whole other, again, that's going to slow the process even more because, you know, even if a team says, oh, let's go, let's get him. You know, you have to go through the vetting process.

You have to interview enough candidates to satisfy the Rooney rule. You've got to make a decision. Is this the right guy? You've got to meet once or twice at least, right? And until then that gets done again, that slows up everything else. So, yeah, this is fascinating on a hundred level that there's all these openings and there's, The fact that Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore came open simultaneously is just wild. But, yeah, in terms of the Washington, I think they're not the only team, but I think they're kind of, you know, they're kind of stuck right now unless there's somebody who's available who they're willing to say let us go.

But, yeah, I think they're kind of in a holding pattern just like everybody else is. For me, I don't know that we've talked about this, but for me, Brian Flores is number one on the list. and I don't think it's as far-fetched as maybe I did, you know, a week ago or six, five or six days ago, because I'm still not sure he'll get a head coaching job. And then this, the Minnesota situation is a bit, you know, interesting. There's, there's some stuff going on there that people have intimated, borderline reported. And the fact that he's interviewed for a defensive coordinator position or two, I think, think at this point. I think he's scheduled to interview, I think, in Dallas this week, maybe.

That's my number one, and I don't think it's a super long shot. What do you think? I don't have any inside information on this. Nor do I. Okay, cool. So to me, it still feels like a long shot. I don't, I mean, look, if they want to offer him head coaching money or some huge salary, money talks. But if we're not talking about that, I just don't get why a guy who will lead in demand for all kinds of teams would pick this one. There's nothing, the defense as we know, a definition of a work in progress. They've got to overhaul it in numerous ways. So I'll get the appeal for him here.

Minnesota, you might be right. Like, I'm not saying it's there. But I would just think he'd have other opportunities with teams, you know, either closer to contending or just have better personnel. You know, look, I'm with you. I don't think he's going to get a head coaching job. He still has a lawsuit against the NFL. So that doesn't seem like, I can't imagine anybody's going to be like, hey, let's go to bring in this guy with that as a topic.

It's even something as a coordinator, but head coach is a whole other story. And then, you know, look, his reputation is not necessarily the best. I'm sure you saw the Ryan Fitzpatrick video that's circulating. I guess it was from last year, somebody told me, but where he said that, hey, you know, when he was with Miami and Florida as a bad coach, it started off well, but by the end, it was like, I think you said it was a bit of like a dictatorship to a degree. Right.

And I know when I did one of my agents surveys a few years back when he was in Miami and talking to asking questions about like what's the most dysfunctional situation or whatever, multiple people said Miami, but they harped on the floor as the coach, not Chris Greer, the GM. And when I asked why, they're just like, ah, you know, it's really difficult to, uh, to work with him and like that's where the problems are.

And then obviously, you know, the Miami situation unfolded the way that it did. And it seems like some of that rings true. But people change and it's been a few years. And, you know, as a coach, it's hard to argue with his track record. But I don't know. To me, I just feel like that's probably a bit extreme for this situation. So if we both agree, you suggested it and I agree with you, that Quinn's going to hire somebody who's done this before,

which may be why Al Harris, there's been no request for an interview with Al Harris, may have been why they were waiting for Jeff Albrick or they're waiting for Heme Morris. But if that's true, then of the people they've interviewed, that would rule out this guy, Carl Scott, the Seahawks defensive backs coach. That would rule out the chief's defensive line coach that they interviewed early on, and I say early on, like a week and a half ago, Joe Cullen, right? And it would leave in terms of who they've interviewed, correct me if I'm wrong, and maybe I missed somebody here.

That would leave, in addition to Flores, Jonathan Gannon, Dernard Wilson, who was the Tennessee, D.C. this past year, Patrick Graham, who they interviewed, I think before they interviewed anybody else. And then Rahim, if he doesn't get a head coaching job. That would be the list at this point. point. If we said he's not going to hire somebody who hasn't done it before, right now based on who they've interviewed, it would either be Flores, Gannon, Dernard Wilson, Rahim Morris, or Patrick Graham.

Yeah. You know, Gannon, to me, like, he obviously was part of the Eagles, as a defensive coordinator, part of the Eagles when they went to the Super Bowl and lost a few years ago. he goes to Arizona after that, you know, three years record pretty poor, but okay, that's a terrible organization. You would think he would have opportunity, like, maybe like he's like behind Flores as like a guy who could get, you know, a pretty good spot if he's interested. But otherwise, he would be interested just because he's been in the division, obviously, he was with Philly. So that would be potentially some good insight there. But, you know, then you get to Graham and Wilson. And I feel like, so sometimes, like, there's situations where people don't understand how a certain coach is in the mix.

Like, for example, Matt Nagy and Mike McCarthy are considered to be two of the leading candidates for the Titans head coaching job. And people are like, why on earth would they want them? Well, they want them because they probably can't get some of the better candidates because their ownership situations of mess. They do have, obviously, a quarterback that's young and interesting. but it's not a perfect situation, so they may just have to go down their list. And that's what I kind of wonder here with this job. Again, it's not like why,

if you're a defensive coordinator, your goal, right, is probably to come in to look good and then to get the next job. How are you doing that here? Maybe you're just that smart that you can get more out of this group than Quinn and Joe Whit did,

but I don't know. So you look at Denard Wilson and Patrick Graham, you know, Patrick Graham has been interviewed for many jobs, over recent years. He's, again, a coordinator with the Raiders. He was with the Patriots, all these things. So, you know, they could be the right answer.

But I'm also feel like those two guys, Graham and Wilson, from where Washington is would be my better guesses than, say, the higher-end guys who probably have more opportunities. We'll be interesting for sure. I mean, the number of jobs, head coaching jobs, coordinator jobs, I mean, Philly's got an O.C., you know, opportunity open. This is, you know, amidst all of these incredible games and weekends of football, the weeks themselves are taken over by all of this news. Now, with respect to our team more specifically or deeper down, the coaching staff list.

Last week, they added, we know Blow from last weekend, they added DJ Williams, the quarterback coach. They added their assistant quarterback coach, Danny Etling. We talked about both those guys at the end of last week on the podcast. So that means defensive coordinator and O-line coach, right? I'm not missing any opportunities or openings unless what happens, and I've already talked about this, what you suggested is a possibility, like an offensive, you know, assistant or consultant, you know, a spot for like a Daryl Bevel type. Yeah, I mean, I think that.

to be would make sense. You know, Brian Johnson and Anthony Lynn, look, these are guys that have been offensive coordinators in this league. Lynn's been a head coach. You know,

where do they feel they are in the organization now that they've made this change? Brian Johnson got the interview for the OC. Java was passed over. So where are they at? And if they stay, then both of them could be that

sort of experience voice to help allow, you know, adjust to this new role. But if somehow they leave, then that makes sense, even more paramount to bring in somebody who's been an experienced coach coordinator in this league. So, yeah, I think that's possible.

But, yeah, otherwise, you're right. I think the O-line is all that's kind of left. But then, again, as we're saying, there's so much fluidity right now in the league that all of a sudden other jobs could open up depending on what happens elsewhere. So it's going to be interesting. By the way, like, I'm not predicting anything, but we're not hearing a ton of Kingberry buzz at this point. But he's gotten a couple interviews, but, you know, I'm definitely hearing other names more frequently, mentioned more free- Yeah, agreed. Yes, I was thinking about him over the

weekend. It certainly seems like when you pull up any list of, you know, basically lists of coaches projected to go to these head coaching opportunities, he's no longer on those lists. So I guess he has to wait for all of that to pan out to figure out where he could, land as an OC. Yeah, for sure. And, like, you know, I think he's like sort of, I think Mike McDaniel is probably ahead of him would be my guess. Like, if you're going for the, you know, the offensive coordinator guy, you know, exciting,

he's been head coach, whatever, that McDaniels probably above him. I, you know, I don't know, I heard Jay Griggins talk about him. Yes, you texted me about that. For those that missed it, Jay on Friday with me, at the very end of the segment with Jay, I asked him about Mike McDaniel and even Kevin Stefansky, but man, he is not a big fan of Mike McDaniel. He essentially, I mean, you can go back and listen to it because it's very interesting, but he essentially said, look, the guy had one of the fastest teams in the history of the league in terms of team speed on offense and didn't win anything and couldn't protect his quarterback and ran 15 bubble screens a game. he's not blown away by Mike McDaniel and he also said he wasn't a huge

Kevin Stefansky fan and Jay's mentioned you know guys he's fans of before it's not like he's down on everybody that isn't part of his group but yeah I thought that was interesting we'll see I mean

let's see who ends up hiring Mike McDaniel I mean he's holding out I'm sure for a head coaching job and then you would think if he doesn't get one Philly. You know, and if it's Jesse Minter in Baltimore, as a head coach, Baltimore, it could still be the lions who are looking for an OC.

I mean, yeah, this is actually the highest volume, I think, of openings, head coach and coordinator spots. It seems like in a long time. Yeah, and I think because, I mean, when the process started before Harbaugh and Tomlin and now McDermott got involved. Like, I don't think there was, like, one or two guys,

like, there have been in recent years where, like, they're clearly the top. And also, we've clearly not reached this point where the children are becoming, you know, people are willing to look at these guys, you know, as, like, the next McVeigh to hire somebody that head coach at 30, and you have a lot of those guys, the Kubiak brothers, are both coordinators, Davis Webb, who's the QB coach with Sean Peyton in Denver.

he's got a lot of attention. He's Josh Allen's best friend, Web is. Right, right. But obviously, Blah was like so a part of that, which is maybe why Washington acted as quickly as they did. So you have all these unique guys, you know, then there's the Robert Salas of the world and mentioned Nagy and other. So, yeah, I mean, it's a very diverse. I mean, this game of musical chairs will be pretty fascinating. And, you know, as we're saying, not just we want to see the defensive coordinator, but I think we're all curious what happens with Kingsbury. So, yeah, it is definitely. of a fluid situation.

And again, I think that's why we have to be patient, is my guess, and wait and see what they come up with. Anything else related to our team? You know, I guess just like watching some of these games, and obviously these are the better team in the league, right? That's the whole point. But watching some of these defensive, you're just like, man. Even like the Bears, it's the only exactly you have a really good defense.

but like their second there again they led the league in interceptions they were blitzing they were making plays you know obviously the rams ultimately got them and the weather was terrible but you know they look good the Rams you know their defensive front with Jared Verst and um so I'm blanking on the kids named from Florida State verse whatever

oh yeah but the other kids yeah yeah his team made him yes yeah anyway they just have so many young guys and they were constantly wrecking the bears a run game on short yardage situations and big spots. You're just like, man, I'm not saying it never happened here, but not consistently enough. And if Washington was, you know, even last year when everything was going great, we all know that the defense was not particularly strong.

So it is just like, you know, I used to joke that in order for me to watch the game with two really good quarterbacks, I had to wait for the playoffs because Washington's quarterback was never going to be good enough. I feel that way now about like two defenses. But when's the last time I watched a game in which both defenses are really good? It's been a while because Washington has not had one, and until they get not just more talent, but I get game records, they're going to get difference makers.

They don't have any, I would say, on defense right now. And it just, to me, just goes to show a coach can come in and scheme it all up, and it all could be great, but they just are such a talent deficit that it isn't just enough to sell. is Jaden healthy and this, any other? They have so much work to do on defense and watching these games this weekend. Was it just like a reminder to me of exactly that? Yeah, a long way to go on that side of the ball, no doubt about it.

That's what makes this defensive coordinator hire so important. Defense is variable year to year, and some of that variability is due to a swapping out of an old coordinator for a new one, and the new one comes in and elevates the talent he has. They got a long way to go on the coordinator's side and a long way to go on the talent side. But, man, watching this particular season, regular season and postseason, man, the defenses are just so much better than Washington's. It was among the absolute worst in 2025, that's for sure. All right, thanks for doing this. I'll talk to you soon.

Of course, thanks. Up next, a smell test pick or two for tonight and a couple of other things. to finish up the show. We'll get to that after these words from a few of our sponsors. Guys, I introduced you to Goldbelly about a year ago. It's an amazing site that I order from now all the time. It's a place where you can get the most iconic famous foods from restaurants all across the country. They'll ship it to you no matter where you are. Goldbelly ships you iconic Chicago deep dish pizza from Lou Malnottis. New York's most famous cheesecake from juniors. If you're craving barbecue, they'll ship it from Franklin's barbecue, the legendary Texas barbecue straight to your door. And you've got to try the one

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subscription orders when you use code Sheehan at Oneskin.co slash sheen. That's up to 30% off with code Sheehan. After you purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. Please support this show and tell them that I sent you. First four shots, but Maryland had the answer, particularly with that man. He Coit who's got Mingo in his face. Got the bomb and putting it again. David Coit banked in that shot and the free throw that followed. David Coit plays for Maryland.

His nickname is Diggy. I'm assuming most of you haven't heard of Diggy. Some of you have heard of Diggy. Diggy scored 43 points yesterday leading Maryland to its first Big Ten win of the year. a 96 to 73 trouncing of Penn State. Digge's 43 included 30 in the first half. I'm not exaggerating this when I say. It was one of the best scoring slash shooting halves I've ever seen by a college basketball player.

It happens all the time in the NBA, a 30-point half does, but it doesn't happen that much in college. and it happened yesterday with Diggy going 10 of 14 from the floor and 6 of 7 beyond the arc. That's a pretty efficient 30-point half. Diggy is all of 5 foot 10, maybe. He was a prolific score at Northern Illinois for two years before transferring to Kansas last year where he really didn't do much, and so he transferred this last off season to Maryland to play his final year in college basketball

for Buzz Williams in Buzz's first year at Maryland, a year that has not gone well so far, if you don't know. The Terps are 8 and 10 now overall, and until yesterday, they hadn't even come close to winning a conference game. They were 0.6,

losing by an average of 17 and a half points per loss. But during this miserable season, there's been Coyt, there's been Diggie, who was gone for 30 or more four times, 40 or more twice, including yesterday. He had 41 in an overtime win early in the season over Mount St. Mary's in College Park. He had 30 last week at USC with still 10 minutes to go in the game. He finished with 30, but he was on fire over the first 30 in the game last week in Southern California. Yesterday was an insane performance, made even more insane by the fact that he got to 43 with still four minutes and 39 seconds left in the game, and he was one

point away from tying the school record and two points away from breaking the school record set by Ernie Graham back in 1978. Ernie's 44 has stood for a long time. And Coit got to within one point of tying it and two points away from breaking it with still four minutes and 39 seconds left in the game and he didn't get the record. And get this, the head coach, Buzz Williams, didn't even know he was closing in on a record. That's right. Buzz Williams in his postgame show admitted to Chris Knotky that he didn't know that Diggy had a chance to set the school scoring record. So no

plays were set up for him, even though he remained in the game. They didn't run stuff for him to get him an easy look or to get him a few looks to break the record. He did get two shots up. He missed both of them. The crowd knew the record hung in the balance. Diggy himself, admitted after the game that he knew it, but he didn't think he should go out of his way to break it. I can't believe nobody told the head coach that he was a point away from tying it, two points away from setting it. But whatever, on some level for me, a lifelong turp, as entertaining as Diggy's performance was, and as incredible a score at times, he's been this year. And he's been fun to watch.

It really has been. I mean, he's small, but he's really good at creating space with the dribble. And his release is super quick. Has to be when you're 5'10. You know, but look, he's a one-year rental on a team that isn't going anywhere. And as a lifelong terp, I'm sort of happy that Ernie's record survived yesterday. It shouldn't have, but I'm kind of glad that Ernie's record still stands. You know, Ernie was a really good player for Lefty Dresel's teams in the late 70s, early 80s.

They had some really good teams, top 10 teams, top five teams. He put up 44 on a December night at Cole Fieldhouse against NC State. If the three-point line existed, he would have had 50 that night. That 44-point school record has stood for 47 years, and there were a few close calls. Len Baez had 41 at Duke. Joe Smith had 40 at Duke. Gravis Vasquez had 41 at Virginia Tech in his senior year. And then there was Quite yesterday, along with his 41 pointer earlier in November. But man, he had a shot to do it. And I texted Nocki early in the game. Quoit had 11 in like, It was 11 of the teams, I think, first 13 or 14 points,

and it was all in about four or five minutes. And I texted Naki, who was calling the game with Johnny Holiday, and I just said, Quoit might break Ernie's record this year, maybe today. He almost did. If anybody on the bench had been paying attention, he would have. All right, let's get to my smell test. Kevin looks where the John Q public is putting their cash and does the opposite.

It's time for the season. This segment of the show brought to you by MyBooky. MyBooky continues to offer my listeners a 50% cash bonus when you sign up either as a first-time customer or as a returning customer making a new deposit. This is unusual. You should take the free money. It's really good for me if you sign up with My Booky, but I wouldn't say it and emphasize it and push it as much if it weren't good for you too.

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I mean, the numbers matter, the pricing matters. You want the best number. Like in tonight's national championship game, I'm seeing seven and a halves. I'm seeing eights. I see one eight and a half. But if you want to take Miami in the points, you need to get it at eight, not at seven and a half and your shop might be offering it at seven and a half my bookie may have it at eight um these numbers are fluctuating on this game uh especially on the side the total i see forty sevens out there but i see

some forty six and a halves you don't think a half point makes a difference how many of these games do you watch and you're like i can't believe how the odds makers get so close if you're doing this the right way you don't have one place you have two or three actually make MyBooky your second or third shop and take the 50% cash bonus. MyBooky.com or MyBooky.orgie.orgie.org. You have to use my promo code, DC Reload, D-C-R-E-L-O-A-D, and they'll give you a 50% cash bonus. All right, 2-0 over the weekend. I had Seattle on Saturday night. That was easy.

And I had the over in the New England-Huston game. And that was pretty easy. They got to 44 early in the fourth quarter, even though they didn't score again. So 2 and 0 after that miserable week last week at 0 and 5, but still an amazing season back up towards 63% for the year. And look, tonight's national championship game is a smell test, you know, special. I don't know if it'll work out. And it pains me to bet against Indiana after what I've watched. but the world is betting Indiana in this game.

I mean, this is an overwhelming public play, both in terms of total number of bets and total volume of dollars. I mean, my information that I get from offshore, I knew this was going to be a play that I was going to have to give out. And after watching Indiana destroy Oregon in the same setting, trust me, it's not, you know, it's not easy to go against that team. especially when we've got the semi-final Oregon experience, because I gave out Oregon plus the points.

Wouldn't close. But I'm giving out Miami tonight as play number one plus eight. There are some eights out there. There are some seven and a halves out there. I see one eight and a half. I'm not going to give myself that extra half point. There are enough eights out there, but this line has been coming down. That's sharp money.

Now, the sharp money has been going in both directions since the semifinal games ended, but it looks like the late steam, the late sharp steam is on the canes. I don't know how they get it done. Their offensive line is nasty. Their defensive line is nasty, and that's the matchup. And maybe in the trenches, if they get after Indiana and they don't make any mistakes, Carson Beck has to play a clean game in this one. But the play is Miami plus the eight.

All right, that's number one. And number two, just like the Oregon semi-final game. They're playing the over in this game. I'm going under 47. There's some 47s out there. There's some 46 and a halves. So under 47, I'll take the 47 and plus eight on Miami. Those are the two plays.

Fingers crossed, man. I mean, that Oregon thing was over quickly. I mean, Oregon had no shot and the under had no shot in that game. And yeah, I'm fearful about this one. I mean, I have not seen anything as impressive. as Indiana and what they did to Oregon and Alabama in a long time. And Miami, their defense has been incredible in this playoff, and their offensive lines incredible.

And what a performance that was, certainly by Carson Beck in the semifinal against Ole Miss, but Ole Miss's defense is not Indiana's defense. Now, Miami's faced two really good defensive teams, and they beat both of them in Texas A&M and in Ohio State. but Ohio State didn't have Fernando Mendoza a quarterback. You know, they had Julian saying, just saying Mendoza's a lot better. And A&M had an exciting dynamic quarterback, and Miami's defense did a number on both of those teams.

So we'll see what happens. But the plays are Miami plus eight and under 47. God, I hope we get a good game. I don't have a prediction on the game other than to say that, I'm going to play Miami plus the eight, and I'm going to put a small, small wager on Miami at plus 250 it looks like right now, that I'll get plus 250 on the money line. Because very few people think that Indiana won't cover, and almost nobody thinks Indiana won't win the game. We'll see what happens.

There you go. Plus eight with the canes and under-fills. 47 on the total. I've got one more quick thing to mention on today's show. It's something that was said about David Blow. I'll have that for you when I return after these words from a few of our sponsors. So Ben Johnson's first year as the Chicago Bears head coach is finally over. A pretty successful first year, obviously they won the division. They won a playoff game and nearly won two. Ben Johnson and the Lions requested an interview with David Blow when the regular season ended a few weeks ago, and the skins denied that request. Obviously, it was because they were on the verge

of elevating David Blow to their offensive coordinator position. So Nikki Javala from the athletic got the following quote last week from Ben Johnson about Washington hiring David Blow. Remember Blow was in Detroit with Ben Johnson, so they are very familiar with one another, and Johnson said this about Blow, quote, he's really smart, has a natural way

of connecting with everybody, coaches and players alike. And I know he's highly respected, not just for me, but also obviously by the Washington staff. They found tremendous value in him as well. I think he'll do an outstanding job in that

role. He's really smart, having played quarterback. He's got that inward feel of how to help elevate that position. And I think he'll be able to do that in a play calling role going forward. So I think he'll be, he'll be one of those young guys that gets a head job before you know it. Closed quote. That from Ben Johnson, the head coach of the Chicago Bears about David Blow. I mentioned on Friday show that somebody had sent me an email suggesting that the elevation of Blow was a Hail Mary move. And I said, a Hail Mary move is when you elevate somebody that really nobody knows of, nobody's thinking of, or you hire somebody that nobody really knows or nobody's

thinking of. This guy's been known for a while now in league circles. And I said on Friday's show, I guarantee you nobody in the building in Ashburn thinks it was a Hail Mary hire. And I would bet you that not many around the league would suggest that it was a Hail Mary hire, because remember, three teams were interested in interviewing him last year, and while Detroit was the only official report that we got in terms of teams requesting an interview with Blau this year, if Quinn hadn't moved as quickly as he did in elevating Blow, I think last week we would have probably read two, three, four reports about teams requesting an interview with David Blow.

But he was off the market when the significant part of the post-regular season hiring cycle was underway. So they didn't get themselves an unknown. They did elevate somebody who's inexperienced. That's true. All right. That's it for the show. Back tomorrow with Tommy.