Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara - College Football Playoff, NFL MVP Debate, Saquon sitting & Darnold Delivering

Episode Date: January 3, 2025

In this first show of 2025, we dive into the College Football Playoffs as Matt tells the haters to quiet down and just enjoy it! The guys share their thoughts on Cam Skattebo’s memorable performance, Ohio State looking unbeatable and the problematic 1st round bye.  Plus: fantasy football... are you in (team Matt) or are you out (team Jerry)? We also discuss Philadelphia’s decision to sit Saquon Barkley just 101 yards shy of Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record and Jerry’s nephew joins to champion Josh Allen in our NFL MVP debate.  Finally, we shout out Sam Darnold in the midst of his amazing return to prominence and share our thoughts on the top 3 football player comeback stories of all time in today’s edition of the Throwback 3.  New episodes of Throwbacks drop every Thursday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also, make sure you’re locked in on social @ThrowbacksShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys & the Throwbacks community. (http://throwbacksshow.com/)     A big thank you to our sponsors:   Throwbacks is presented by Cash App  That's Money. That's Cash App.  https://cash.app/bank     Wendy’s   Try Wendy's New Saucy Nuggs Today   https://wendys.com/nuggs    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cole and his friends like think Jason Tatum sucks. That's their take. He sucks. He stinks. You know what the response was on the text? He's got no aura to him. What does that even mean? I don't even know. I was like, bro, I was like, I was like, guys, what is, what does that mean?

Oh, dad, he's just got no aura to him. All right, welcome to another episode of Throwbacks presented by Cash App. Sending, spending, saving, splitting, tipping, donating, gifting, or just typing in numbers all with the number one finance app in the App Store. That's money. That's cash app. Matt Lyon. What a weekend and week and all of that. I don't even know where to begin. I feel like my brain exploded twice over this break. That's because we have children three and five years old. It's so funny, man, because it's like holidays are wrapped up and I was thinking about this the other day,

there's so much buildup to Christmas, right? Especially with little ones and it's exciting and I get excited. We talked about this on the show last month about when are we gonna put up the tree and the decorations and all that. It happens and then the Christmas music and the parties and you go to the Cleveland Orchestra

and you wanna just choke yourself because you have to sit in that stand. Like all the events, right? We had 100 person Santa party and then Christmas happens and it was incredible. And it's always for the kids and they have a blast. And then there's New Year's. And then I gotta be honest with you,

I am so damn happy that the holidays are over. I don't know why, it's like, it's all of a sudden, like I love it so much. And then I gotta be honest with you, I am so damn happy that the holidays are over. I don't know why, it's like, it's all of a sudden, like I love it so much and then when it's over, I'm like, get this shit out of here. I'm ready, I'm like, it's done. Like, you know, it's like, almost you turn your mind off. So. Yeah, and it's been great with the kids, like you said,

but it never quite equals out with the hype, you know? And then it kind of goes in an instant, but you know, I do remember even like back in the day, I'd fly back from New York to L.A. I'd leave like I come to New York for Christmas, December 26th, right back on the plane for L.A. Because L.A. during New Year's Eve, and I'm talking L.A. proper is a magical place because everyone's gone. Most of the town is gone because no one from like L.A. is really from L.A. But what I used to hate was, and especially with Hollywood,

it used to go like New Year's Eve, people come back to third for a few days, and it's like Sundance film. The whole month of January doesn't count in Hollywood. At least that's how it used to be. No one goes back to work. Sundance is great. It's a great call.

Yeah, so. I have some good memories of Sundance. What was your New Year's like? Uh, well, New Year's Eve was not riveting. It's about the kids, right? We know this. Let's just say we went to a New Year's Eve party. The ball drop was like 7 30 PM local for us. I hosted a hotly contested UNO game with seven six year olds and I was also the host of Bingo and on Christmas day I was the host of Family Feud. I played with I got Breeze whole family and I channeled Steve Harvey and I hosted a whole family feud game. By the way, how was Christmas Day? I think we talked about like because it was great

NFL was great. I thought right. I mean mean, Netflix, whatever, it was fine. LeBron came out and said it's our day, yet the ratings didn't say so. It's not your day, buddy. NFL is king, right? It doesn't matter, NFL is king no matter what day of the year. Was it good?

Like, did you get a chance to watch the game? It was fine, I didn't really get to watch games. I'll tell you, to me, what was the most useful, and then we're gonna preview what we got coming up. The the college playoffs on New Year's Eve, the way it was laid out, what really came up clutch for me, because it was at a party where all the kids were kind of in the basement, me and a bunch of the other dads, I watched most of those games that day

Christmas, I saw nothing. And today we got some fun stuff. We're gonna do our throwback three. You came up with this one later, comeback athletes in football, because we have some great ones competing for that award this year. And then we're going to talk college football playoffs in just a second. But also, Matt and I, we often talk.

You have an 18-year-old son who has a bunch of friends. Sports is a big part of life. My 16 year old nephew plays a little high school football. He's kind of late in sports. Like he didn't start really all in for sports till 13 till he started high school. And now he rivals Nick Wright and skip Bayless and Steven A with the takes. He is a take machine and it really came full circle. Nick Wright's been taking a beating the last couple weeks. I'm gonna keep giving him beatings because that dude is just on one. But he's a big Josh

Allen fan and that's what we're gonna, he will ride or die for Josh Allen. And I think the NFL is starting to become like the NBA where the younger generation, how they used to like the Warriors because they like Steph Curry. That generation is now grown up. I think the NFL is turning into that a little bit with fan just well It's it's so funny man, because I don't know like we grew up in a different era, right? Obviously And and I was thinking about this too because we grew up in an era without Access to our phone and access to like social media clips and watching highlight. Like we had to watch a game on TV. We had to like, and you watch the whole game

or whatever sport it was and you'd look forward to those games a week and you were super, I don't know, I remember like I was very invested in the Lakers as a young kid in the Dodgers because that's what I grew up with and that's all we had. I didn't have like, I wasn't on my phone during game. I was ever seen highlights and all this stuff. And then as my oldest son Cole who's 18 got older and his friends and

I'm excited to talk to talk with your with your nephew because it's just pure ignorance talking to them about sports because He grew up and he'd be like he was a Clipper fan and and he was a Clipper fan for obvious reasons We don't have to get into those but I'd be like he'd be like Oh, the Clippers are the best the Lakers are shit and this is like at 13 years old I'm like, what are you talking about? Then? I'll be like then I'll be like, okay Why are the Lakers bad? Well, they just like, you know, like hey, like at least give me give me a rebuttal Give me the poor. Yeah, give me the point. That's it

If you're old enough to have a take then give them back up your opinion with some research or facts nothing. They just suck suck. They're terrible. And then I go back to like, well, why don't you go back and watch some highlights of Showtime Lakers? Why don't you go watch some Kobe? And so like that conversation trying as and I and all the all the dads and our boys in our audience listening can relate to this when you have a nephew or friends of like that are 15 to 18 years old, their sports takes are fucking ridiculous. And they're so bad. And it's like, it's like, it's like, literally, I've gotten in fights with these conversations with my son and his friends. But then I'm realizing, like, who's the idiot? I'm the idiot who's 40 trying to argue at the 16

year old telling me that Steph Curry's overrated, like literally, he's overrated. Oh really, how so? Well we can really blame like LeBron and MJ because that was the generation like right behind me, the big debate was LeBron, MJ. Now that LeBron generation's grown up, there's a whole other generation starting to watch him. But I remember being my nephew's age

and having sports arguments, but you couldn't answer the question like Here's why Lamar Jackson is better than Josh Allen. He had this many Russia Well now that we used to argue for days about stats that we couldn't find at the tip of our fingers While I'm still making my points I actually know Josh Allen has more rushing touchdowns That's also the problem too, is we get, and this is what bothers me as a former athlete. It's like, and I get it, like we get so enamored

with just stats, right? Like, okay, dude, Lamar and Lamar is great. And just like Joe Burroughs got the best stats in the NFL. And we're not even talking about the end as far as touchdowns, but like we get so enamored with like Steph Curry shooting all these threes and the numbers like sometimes you have to dive a little deeper obviously when you're talking about like MVP or you talk about what makes this athlete great.

Like the other day like like my my buddy and or my Cole and his friends like think Jason Tatum sucks like like just like like sucks sake like like sucks he stinks and you know What the answer do you know what you know what the response was on a text? He's got no aura to him That is that even me. I don't even know I was like bro. I was like guys. What is what does that mean? Oh dad. He's just got no aura to him like that's I think that's the new word for like swag like he's got no You know like which makes sense, but I'm like so he sucks in your opinion because he's got no aura. Got no or he's boring. He just won an NBA championship. You don't have, I don't care. You don't have to like guys, but like my thing is like, you got to respect, you got to respect the game because the game

is good. I think it's fun. I think the conversations are hysterical. I can't wait to talk to your, your boy and just see, see where he goes with this because I feel like I might actually agree with him on some things. Well that's the thing I'm most afraid of is a lot of the times his comeback is like, well, you didn't even play high school football. So what do you know? And he's played high school football. Good for him.

Good for him. But I push back on that. He's been in the weeds, Jerry. You have it, buddy. You got to get more playing time before you start yelling at me like that. But now if he has a freaking Heisman winner and someone who played in the NFL as a starting quarterback on his side, you potentially could start my twenty twenty five off in a rough spot with him.

I can't wait to if you agree. Well, Jenzy, what are we? Jenzy Alpha? There's all these there's all these generations. It will be a generational quarterback discussion before we hit college football. I feel like we had like a social media beef, you and I while over the break. I couldn't tell if you were, I almost had to text you. I couldn't tell if you were actually telling me I'm like a, like a, a hater or if you were just breaking my balls, I couldn't tell. Oh no, I was all over fantasy football. I was dead serious.

I think your take on fantasy football is absolutely fucking stupid. My take, which I, it's just, you have, you talk about, you're big on lazy takes. I think your fantasy football take is just a lazy take. Lazy. You said it's boring. Like, I think fantasy football is lazy. Well then, and then, and then we talked about this and well, what, okay. First of all, we talked about this, the fact that I, I think it's more the leagues that you're in and the people that you're surrounded because

you made it clear, like these leagues, this, and you were, you were describing your league. I'm in five fantasy football leagues is probably way too many. I was in two championships this past week and I lost both of them. Now I came out, I had those fights, it was brutal. But I wasn't upset, because I'm like, you know what? This is what I signed up for. This is what I played. I got to the finals.

It just wasn't my day, okay? It just wasn't my day. I didn't know Chuba Hubbard was gonna go on IR three days before the fucking final. Okay, it's okay. I ran into Malik neighbors who wanted to get 50 points. That's just what it is. But I enjoy, I enjoy just, I would just bet more and play fantasy. And for me playing with my oldest son and good buddies and talking some shit and just, and then just enjoying a Sunday when I have to be with the kids and the family

day, but I can scroll through my phone. If I'm at church and my wife yells at me and I look at the thing, I'm like, okay, fuck, I'm winning this game for so far. It's just fun. It's fun. And if you win you make a little dough. If you lose, you know, you get them next year. And you think it's boring. You think it's boring. Okay, let's roll a couple things back and we don't have to. Okay. If you are in a friend league where it's your buddies from whatever high school, college you work with and you are a part of league where it's your buddies from whatever high school, college you work with and you are a part of each other and you guys watch games

together. Maybe even there's a live draft. Who knows? I'm all for that. That's, that's a camaraderie league. That was never my point. And I said, that wasn't my point in my tweet. I said, if you're part of that, that's great. More power to you. I am no longer part of that. None of my friends want to draft in person. No one goes out to watch games anymore. Maybe I'm just an old fuck. And that's what it is.

That's what it is. OK, but I mean, I've been doing this since 1993. Forgive me for being a little burned out. I'm going to read you the roster in one of my leagues. This was the championship. Yeah, but see, I don't. But the roster. No, no, I'm going to stop you there. I don't there. I don't care about your roster. That's where we're

wrong. I don't give a shit. But this is where fantasy's boring and dumb. Bryce Young, Justin Jefferson, fine. Love it. All good. DJ Moore, really? Don Tavian Wicks, Zach Charbonnet, Blackshear, Abdullah, Mark And... This is a team that was two points away from winning the championship. Yeah, okay, okay, okay. But that was two points away from winning the championship. Yeah, okay, okay, okay, but that's also a 14. How did they even get there? Was that a 14 team league?

It's a no, it was actually a 12. I thought it was 14. That's 12. Okay, well, 12 is terrible too. I'm in a 12 team league. I think it's trash. 10 is the perfect number. 10!

So, it's just too random for me, man. By the way, why? It's too random, and head-to-head is the worst thing that ever happened to fantasy football head to head. Okay. So great. You're in third place, but you have like the second lowest points in your league, but somehow you also have the least amount of points scored against you and you're in third place. How is that like a productive year? You're not in third place based on wins and losses. You're in third place. That's what I'm saying. Say you're you're in third place because of wins and losses, but you have the second lowest point scored in the league. How does that make sense?

It's because sports are unpredictable, dude. Football is unpredictable. I will argue for the next two hours. Head to head is the worst thing to happen to fantasy football. I think it's trash. I think your take on fantasy football is- Are you still starting a kicker? Absolutely. Okay, so you like your Super Bowl being decided by some kicker. You put no real research into drafting that you probably just grabbed off the waiver wire. That's not true.

No, that's not true. Oh, Jeff Boswell, Jeff Boswell. No, I drafted Justin Tucker, who was terrible this year. You know how I picked up McLaughlin for Tampa Bay who balled for me the last three weeks because that was a great waiver wire pickup. Would you say he helped you get to the Superbowl? Yeah, he was solid. Okay. I didn't lose. I didn't, by the way, I didn't lose. I feel like I got you on the ropes. Next point. By the way, I lost. I lost one second. I lost because Malik neighbors decided to go for 48 points in this this league that I'm in who his last great game was like week three.

Okay, so I should be pissed. It happens. Mike Evans decided to have three touchdowns last week. Derrick Henry is a beast and Josh Allen's a beast. I know those two were beasts. Then my boys who decided to not show up or Kyron Williams and Joe Mixon and Chuba Hubbard my running backs Led me to the title this year. They all didn't show up. I mean it is what it is. It's football I'm not mad one of the hundreds if not thousands of people who lost to the rando who picked up the Atlanta Falcons versus the Giants and

defense put up 28 points that's that's called that's called fantasy football. It's we all know that I understand it's luck to me. It swung too far in the luck randomness department. Every what I used to love is just your New Yorker. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, doing and maybe I could find a sleeper that no one else could find that was super high on that I was gonna take in the fifth round everyone's drafting off the same big board research that's at a click of a finger and you're at a draft if you're doing an automated draft feels like a sim half the league is auto picking by like the sixth round. Well auto picking if someone auto picks from the leagues I'm in no they're they're booted from the league. We don't auto-pick.

I like that. I was in high stakes leagues where guys were auto-drafting. When you tell someone who's paying $2,000 for a league they can't auto-draft. You want to... And he won! And he made the playoffs! Well, how could you argue? He made the playoffs with an auto-generated team.

Let me tell you something. I'm going to sleep okay at night knowing that I'm going to play fantasy football in five leagues next year. And I'm going to be happy about it. I'm going to try one last thing. No, you and I are going to join a league together. This is what we're going to do. We're going to join a high stakes league.

We're going to have some fucking fun doing it. OK. We're going to invest a little. I don't invest a ton of time on the waiver wire. I don't do a ton of research. I kind of go with my gut. My gut I I'm a very good fantasy. Although three leagues I got my ass kicked this year. I draft well, I kind of know the players. It is what it is It's luck. You're part of the problem. I well look the last I think we either start our own

I'll commission it will make it high stakes and I have some big walls or I might join everyone on Twitter was saying and I have some big rules or I might join everyone on Twitter saying, uh, to do a guillotine league, which you, I think I was texting you. I just might try to know like the auction. I play just basic man. Like I don't have enough time to learn a new fricking league and like it's auction and the keeper leagues and all that. Like I just, I like my normal fantasy PPR betting is so much better. Maybe that's what I'm thinking of. By the way, I'm gonna bet too when I can. Well, speaking of betting, something that I made a decent amount of money on throughout the first round

was the college football playoff system. How great is the playoffs? It was great and I just took all favorites early on because it just looked like. Smart. It just looked like to me, I gotta see until these upsets start happening. So I had a few parlays where I'm just taking, I did a few money lines with all the favorites and then I just did a few points scores. So now after the second round, Matt, you've, you went to it.

First of all, you went to three of them in person and now having watched two full rounds of the college football playoff system, what was your takeaways? Look, I, I'm so excited about this. I'm so excited about this. I'm so excited about this. watched two full rounds of the college football playoff system. What was your takeaways? Look, I'm so I'm really tired of like just the negative narrative around the college football playoff. And what I mean by that, it's like, obviously, there's not a fair system, like, like, it's just not it's impossible in college Like, NFL has their seedings and system and all that,

and it works. College is different because there's a million teams, and it's a 12-team playoff, which I think at some point is gonna get to 16. I do think there needs to be some tweaks with the reseeding and all of that kind of stuff, right? So that we don't get some of the potential blowouts that we got in the first round.

But again, that's sports. There's blowouts in the NFL playoffs. There's all sorts that happens every year. I just, I, when I'm watching these games, I love college football so much. Um, I love to play in it. I love, I love talking about it. It's my job. It's my passion. I think there's nothing better than, than college sports and college football. Um, I, I wish we could all just sit and enjoy these games without the narrative of like, well, this team should have

get in and this and like coaches are gonna talk shit. Like things happen, but I see it so much online. I'm just like, I actually tweeted it out this week. I was just like, can we just enjoy these kids playing? I don't care if they make money. Like, can we enjoy these games and these kids playing and the passion they have and the fans and the passion they have? So that's one thing I, I love it, man. I thought we had, I mean, we had some great games this week. I mean, Arizona state

Texas was, that was a good one by the way. And this is why, this is why I love college football. Nobody gave Arizona state a shot to win that game. They had a buy. I think there were almost 14 point dogs going up against Texas, the mighty sec. And by the way, I mean, a targeting call should have happened. Maybe the Arizona state wins that game again. I hate, I hate making excuses, but that was a blatant miss penalty by those refs. Um, that game was fricking awesome. Cam Scataboo. Are you, are you kidding me, dude me, dude? We've been talking about him all year. Have you ever seen him play? Have you heard of him before this week? Be honest. I have heard of him. Have I seen tons of Scadaboo highlights? No. I always liked that he was known to throw the ball here or there. He does like I follow that with him. I definitely not a

guy would have expected to have that kind of a game. Like I love, I love, see, I just love like, I love the platform and the opportunity that a guy like that had right now he's going to get, well, he should get drafted regardless because he's a really good football player. 30 carries. He was one for one passing. he had eight catches for 99 yards, he threw up on the sideline and just said, yeah, like the dude was a beast. And by the way, he talked to shit before the game, basically saying I'm the best running back in college football. And he backed it up, man.

And so like, I just think performances like that and games like that is why we love and then we had, and then we had the Rose Bowl, which wasn't a great game, but I'll tell you what I've played in that game twice. I played it against Michigan. I played in the national championship against Texas. There is nothing better than college football at the Rose Bowl. Like it is the most beautiful backdrop in sports, the grass, the color, the farmer It looked beautiful on TV. The stealth bomber. It's just, it's one of those things where if you've never

been to a Rose Bowl game, whether you're a fan of a team that's playing, like you should go. Like it's a bucket list, go sit in a Rose Bowl and go enjoy a college football game now that it's a playoff game. It was, so honestly, all of it was great, man. Like I love the call. I think we're gonna, I think, you know, whoever makes it the champion, like it's going to be great. Like

college football is awesome. They're going to be some tweaks. People need to sit back and freaking enjoy this and stop crying about teams and this and that. You know what I wanted to ask you? And this correlates with football, but I do think it's a little different. So and we're taping this on a Thursday. So we'll have known the results by the time this airs. But going into, you know, a little bit later, we don't know obviously who's going to win Notre Dame, Georgia. But Notre Dame wins. And that means all four teams with buys have lost. Do you think there's anything to that? I mean, obviously a lot of the teams that got buys technically weren't on paper the better team. That's the whole thing that people are bitching about to your point. But being in college

versus being in the pros, when you're rolling and you're getting into your like end of season run, it used to be a bowl game and you get that bye week, unless you have your best player nursing and injury, can that always be a net positive or can it be a negative? How many times have we seen in March madness where you see, talk about betting, where you see a team make a run in their conference tournament, right? You see a team that's like a hot team makes a run. Maybe they win the conference championship and they get like, you know, like I don't have an example, but I just know every year we see like a Miami or so a team that's like, oh, they're pretty good. And they're, they're

getting, they're peaking at the right time. And then they make a nasty run in the, in the March madness, right? They're not sitting out again, there's more games to be played, but there's something about momentum and there's something about peeking at the right time and continuing that. And when you look at the college football playoff, look, I, I feel like I had this, I had this argument with Mark Ingram, a couple like last month, I was like, I was like, I would rather have a buy for the sake of injury getting healthy. You know, you know, just just extra work, like whatever, like the extra game plan, like, but there is something about a team like Ohio State,

right, getting that first round home game, right, beating a team like Ohio State, right? Getting that first round home game, beating a team like Tennessee, gaining the confidence, kind of clicking, putting everything together. Then all of a sudden we saw them and they just absolutely dismantled the really good Oregon football team. That there is an argument to make that it's like, you almost don't wanna sit for a couple of weeks

and you wanna play, especially Ohio State coming off a loss to Michigan. That was like, you know, that was, that's what we all like. Oh, they stink. They just lost to Michigan. Like, I don't know, I still would lean towards a bye just because I think like you want, especially if you're, you know, it's a long season in college football, but yeah, we're seeing a lot of those teams, you know, but it's also to like, like this goes back to the reseating and like some of the tweaks, like Boise State love them good football team, not the third best team in the country based on the ranking, right? They're just not right. You know, Arizona State, by the way, great

game, and they prove they belong there. Really? Are they are they the fourth best team based on the ranking? Probably not, right? Like, like like Oregon to me deserved to be number one. They just ran into a buzzsaw. So, uh, Can I ask you real quick though? If you're, if you're a team that gets that by just curious, fan dumb question. So say you're Oregon and are you having any preparation even before Ohio state plays Tennessee, right? Like, can you even start preparing at that point, not knowing who you're going to play, do coaches sometimes and it's

probably going to be Ohio state. And that case, everyone thought was a little bit more of a toss up than it was. So, you know, are you just healing and resting? And then once that game is decided, your full go, I mean, stuff happening before the before the for Oregon's case, right? The big 10 championship game was like December 5th for right. They didn't play until New Year's month. Almost Yeah, hard not to think Ohio State's gonna not dude, I'm telling you what, man, we said it, we said it all year. Anything can happen. But we said all year like when that team all year, anything can happen. But we've said all year, like when that team plays just well, when they play well enough, thereby, they're in my opinion, by far the most talented team

in the country on paper, both sides of the ball, their lead on both sides of the ball. Also, also $20 million worth of team, you know, players, but they just they had a clunker against Michigan. They lost to Oregon early, I think on the road, right, was a good football team. When they're on, they had a clunker against Michigan. They lost to Oregon early, who I think on the road, right, was a good football team. When they're on, they're unbeatable. And I think they're unbeatable at the moment. And that Texas, Ohio State's gonna be a fun game.

I just, I think when you look at Ohio State, we think of their offense and all these guys, and if Will Howard plays well, but their defense is elite too. Like they're maybe the best defense in the country. And that's what people forget. I'll be watching. I want my in-laws to be happy. So I'm pulling hard real quick, real quick. They cam scataboo. How about Jeremiah Smith, dude? This dude, I'm telling you what man NFL scouts and GMs, they want him now. Like that's how good this kid. I don't, I

can't remember a freshman, maybe Adrian Peterson. Adrian Peterson as a freshman was like one of the few people we thought could be in the NFL literally right out of high school. That's how physically dominant he was. Jeremiah Smith is like that. Like teams could tank for him in two years and get a Julio Jones slash AJ Brown slash Jamar Chase type player. Like that's how great this kid is. Sounds like he'll be on the Giants because the Giants will probably still be bad at that point. That's fine.

Then you got Malik neighbors and Jeremiah Smith with Shador. What? All right. It's time now. One of our favorite segments, the can't get enough sauce moment of the week brought to you by Wendy's. Every week we highlight a player or a team we just cannot get enough of. So Matt,'re you're probably going to be unhappy with mine but

it's time I have to do it. Let's hear it buddy. I have two but I'm going to go with the one that's going to annoy you the most. I don't even know if you know who this guy is. He is a player by the name of Tyler Colick. Does that name ring a bell to you? Where he played college. That's not important. What's important is- I would know him from college. He basically, last night the Knicks were up against, who were they playing last night?

The Utah Jazz at home. So he played in the morning, he played for the Westchester Knicks, a G League game. He's a young guy, he still plays in the G League, but travels in the morning. He played for the Westchester Knicks a G League game You know, he's a young guy still plays a G League but travels with the team plays drops 31 in the G League game And then shortly before a tip-off Brunson for the Knicks is out. Miles McBride warmed up and couldn't go He's out Knicks are a little thin this dude then suits up plays 12 13 minutes at the garden all in one day How on earth is that not considered a saucy moment right there Tyler by the market guy? I was Tyler said I looked it up by the way. I watched him last year. The kid is an absolute baller He's a point another lefty like you

Is he a lefty? He's a lefty the Knicks have a bunch of lefties, but I don't know I saw that I thought that was a pretty damn saucy. He's gonna make the league. I'm telling you he's gonna make the league. I remember watching him he was damn good dude. He's put up some good games already for in small sample size. How many points did he get? He only had like four points three he had four points he had two assists two boards you know he but all in two he played 12 minutes he wasn't even supposed to play a minute and he played 31 minutes and dropped 31 points at 11 o'clock in the morning. Yeah.

I saw him make a run last year in the tournament. All right. So that's a good one. My I just think how many games could you play right now? Pick up in the same day. I could probably get two in there too. And I'm out. Um, so my saucy moment of the week is I'm going to stay with college football. And I don't know if you saw the little,

yeah, like the little tedious little fight between Brett Bilema, Illinois football coach and Shane Beamer, uh, at South Carolina. First of all, like let me set some, let me get some context to like Big 10, SEC matchup, right? To the best conference in college football, a lot of shit talking between teams, a lot of, a lot of shit. Like I think Altmeyer, the, the after Illinois ended up winning, talking smack about the SEC because like everyone thinks the SEC is king and all of this and whatever. And a lot of people thought South Carolina maybe should have been into, in the playoff yet they just lost to Illinois. So like, they're just, you know, there's just a little bit of that going into the game. By the way,

if anyone said bull season is done, they didn't watch that game because the emotions of that game was awesome. So I don't know exactly what happened, but there was a substitution late or something. And then one of the Illinois guys went down and Brett Bielma comes across the sideline To check on his player then he like signals some stuff of like basically of like illegal substitution or whatever and he kind of is Taunting the whole South Carolina sideline. They're on the they're in the huddle and and I like Shane Beamer I think he's a heck of a coach. I like his energy

he It was so funny to be because he like starts bull rushing Brett B. Lema and like security had to like keep it back And he's shit talking and all this stuff and like again. What's he gonna do? He's not gonna do anything but it just it was funny and Brett B Lema just kind of walks off kind of smirking and then he gets back on the sideline and the TV cuts to him and he's Just like like the players around him are like waving the towel, getting hyped, you know, like it was one of those things.

And he just has a smirk on his face. And it made me think of, I don't know if you've ever met or seen Brett Bielema. I have, I have an autographed football with Russell Wilson and Brett Bielema on it from Wisconsin when I went there. Brett Bielema is a big, big dude. Dude, this guy, and by the way, great dude. Like awesome. Like hell of a coach. Like just, yeah, you're not rushing him. He's like 6'3",

6'4", 3'50", and doesn't give a shit. Okay. And so it just made me think, I'm thinking like Shane Beamer is like the little dude. Like, like he would have got his ass kicked. And then I'm thinking like, this is where my mind goes when I'm watching this. And I'm like, what, what football coach do you want in the foxhole with you? If shit's going down and one was Brett B Lema and two was Dan Campbell, Dan Campbell, two, two coaches you don't want to see, you know, in a hallway and talking smack because they just don't care football guys who will beat the shit out of you. Who else trying to think? I mean, Dan Campbell, you don't care football guys who will beat the shit out of you. Who else trying to think?

I mean Dan Campbell, you don't want to step Dan Campbell for sure. I liked Mike Singletary's brief stint as a coach. He wasn't a coach for very long, but he had an intensity to him that I feel like he can go to another level if he if he had to that. I have to give some thought on that. I just can't. I definitely number one or two. I thought the moment was great.

I think it too, like both, like, I love college football, I love the passion. I love when coaches kind of get heating. I love the shit talking. I love the Big 10 SEC. I just, it was just fun to watch, man. And people were intense about it. And that game, the both teams played their ass off

and Illinois came out with the win and they backed it up. And then they had a little banter back and forth on X like kind of, you know, Beamer kind of came out and said whatever he said. And then Beelah mud just basically said, happy new year. Like it was fucking funny, dude. Oh, I love that. I love the petty shit. Shout outs to Wendy's. That's our can't get enough sauce moment of the week. We're going to come back, talk a little bit of week 18 NFL, and then we are going to bring on 16 year old Anthony Ferrara to have the generational quarterback debate. I can't wait for that.

There's only one place you can hear a three-time national championship winning head coach. A Heisman Trophy winning running back and national champion. And someone to keep everything on the tracks. Every week Coach Urban Meyer, Running Back Mark Ingram, then me, Rob Stone get into what matters most to you. We take you inside the biggest moments of college football. While having some fun bringing you new guests from all over sports and entertainment. All right. Welcome back to Throwbacks presented by Cash App. Before we get to my nephew, Anthony Farrar, we're going to run through the NFL really quick. So, and it kind of was part

of like the fantasy conversation a little bit. This week 18 really only has one game that I think anyone's really gonna watch or care about if it's not your favorite team as Vikings-Lions. I got to imagine. What a game though. That's crazy. It's gonna be a crazy game. Who do you like in that game? I know it's hard to, I kind of like the Vikings only because. Where's that game at? Detroit? Or is it Minnesota? No, it's in Detroit. It's in Detroit, both in the don't. I just think Minnesota is playing so well. It's just like a well-oiled machine. So is Detroit, dude.

I know, but I think the Lions are just short enough guys that the Vikings ran it on the road. I think it's gonna be a hell of a game. I like the lines. I don't think anything else is going to be. So is it there a, is it there a scenario this weekend where what needs, what happens to make the playoffs, right? But they need the Broncos to lose, which the Broncos are playing the chiefs with the back Carson Wentz. So the Bengals need the Bengals need the cheese for their backups to beat the Broncos. But I think they need another last two and the dolphins to lose, but the dolphins are playing who the dolphins playing the jets or the bills like dolphins are playing at the jets at the jets, which that's going to be a pretty hard one to lose unless they all

rise. But Aaron Rogers, a dub on the way, that's a good enough to win to is questionable in that game, too So I guess it could happen if there was ever a time for an NFL conspiracy fix You would think that they would want I think the Broncos the Broncos win. They're in is that the Broncos win? It's done Broncos win. None of that's a point cheese. I don't think the chiefs care. They've already locked it up They've locked it up. So I'd seen there's nothing really I don't think the Chiefs care. They've already locked it up. They've locked it up. So I mean, there's nothing really consequential. I'll tell you what. Nobody wants, I don't think anybody wants to see Joey B in the bangles in the playoffs. But that defense is so horrible.

I know. But I'm telling you, man, you sneak in the playoffs, you could basically every team is zero and zero. You know, it does not matter. It makes you so mad because there was so many winnable games. I was on an eight-nate team who is shit and we ended up going to Super Bowl and should have won. Like you just, you get an offense and a QB like that in those moments, I'm telling you. Well, quick trivia question for you to think about.

We'll answer it before we bring my nephew on. Since playoff seeding began in 1975, five teams have never been the number one seed. The Lions are one of them. Can you name the other four? In the NFC or just in the NFL? This entire NFL, I'm sorry, the entire NFL since seventy five, five teams have never been a one seed. Lions are one of them. Yeah. Cardinals, Cardinals.

I have the Cardinals. I just not confirm Andrew's going to throw it. Our producer, Andrew Gumblin, is going to throw it in our chat. I would guess the Cardinals the Jags Panthers but they went 15 and one with cam Jags I got the Jags that's I got those jets I can't remember a time where the jets were a what about the Texans oilers Texans that's a good pick I put the Vikings in there I put the Vikings in there now do the year they went 15 and they went 15 and one

with Randy Moss and cold pepper at the Four they were a two seed that year and the Giants knocked them out Do can we have it cuz now I got now I want to know I did Cardinals Jags Cardinals correct Texs. Cardinals, correct. Texans, Jaxs. Correct. Jets, correct. Never a one seed. And the Buccaneers. I thought maybe the Jags are one seed in 1999, 14 and two.

That's Mark Brunel. Mark Brunel. Yeah. And is it Keenan? Keenan McCardell. Keenan McCardell. Fred Taylor. It's pretty sweet. Taylor was a dog. I think that's the team. Can you name the Jags quarterback after that? After Mark Brunel? Yeah. David Gerard? Yeah. Nice. Whoo. You played for a long time in that right after Brunel Cardinals, Texans, Jets and Bucks. Wow. I feel like the jets are part of our trivia questions

all the time. I feel like they're on the wrong side. I was like, they're on the wrong side of the shit. Every time you kind of realize like they're kind of a shitty organization. How did you feel about the Saquon thing? He's 101 yards shy, break a Dickerson's record. Now I also said, I think sitting him's good. It's a 17 game thing. Now he did it in 16 and then before that was OJ. Edie the same with Edie. Right. OJ's and had more games. Right. I mean it's kind of the way it goes. I it's funny. He wanted to play. He said he wanted to play. Yeah. It's I think for me personally like I would have loved to see him try maybe for a half or a quarter.

Again, you get a gauge for like kind of how you're playing. It's like all he needs is 100 yards, which for him this year has not been tough to get. So like I think just the fan and me in the sport and I love Saquon just would have been really cool to see because, you know, some records are just live a long, long time. And actually, it's funny, man, because I was reading an article like there's actually a lot of a little bit of backlash, like, people are kind of saying like it's it's anti fan, it's anti competitive, like, we pay to watch like, kind of like kind of like resting players in the NBA is a little bit different because NFL is so, so much fewer games. I'd be curious to hear your thought on that from that perspective. But at the end of the day, I had no problem with it because in football, a bigger picture is winning a Superbowl and that's your, and that is your, that is your prize. That's your horse.

In any other sport, I would say go for it, you know, but it is football. It is violent I look I'm sure it would have been cool. Is it really cool for the fans? I feel like it's cool for Saquon and his family going forward. But as a fan Selfishly, I would rather him sit cuz I don't want to be in a high ankle sprain and they're not getting the one seed So they're not it's not like they go we have a bye week to in case you tweak something. You're playing that next week. And I think most Eagles fans, I know Andrew's a big Eagles fan. I feel like they want Super Bowls and not rushing records. So I think for Saquon, it would have been cool. I don't think you're doing the fans a disservice at all. They have it wrapped up. If it was a, you know,

if it was an important game, believe me, he'd be playing. If they needed that game to maybe be a one seed or maybe clinch up a division, he's playing. So I don't think you're shorting the game. It's a meaningless game. It means nothing. We might never see that. We might never see that record be broke. That's a tough record, man, because you got to do you got to. I mean, look, he might be the last like cat. You got to, you have to play all 17 games as a running back averaging a buck 50 a game. Like that's hard to do, man. Like that, that's kind of why too, like I kind of want to see him try

because it's like, dude, that's fricking, just like, that's awesome. And like we get to witness greatness, but at the end of the day, by the way, yeah, Eagles fans don't give a shit. They got one goal. And you mentioned earlier Malik neighbors ruining your fantasy season. He also ruined the Giants draft situation. Drew Locke ruined it. Drew, well, Drew Locke, but I mean, he was throwing the neighbors over and over and over

again. I've had time to process it as a Giants fan. I've talked to myself. I hated it. I was texting Max Greenfield at halftime because not only was it destroying my parlay, but I was also texting him. Why? Now you played the game so you could answer this much better than I can. To me, as a fan, I can't understand why they would want to win that game, but I could see from a player's point of view, if you're playing for a job and you're laying down tape and all that, so is that how it works? Yeah, I mean, there's not, yeah, I think when you're

in that locker room, like again, it's a job. And again, football is so much different, man, than all these other sports, dude. Like you play, you have 17 regular season games. Like that's all you get. You get one game a week to put tape out there. Like this is your job. Like football is cutthroat, man.

And so for these kids in there, and a guy like Drew Locke, like Drew Locke's fighting to stay on rosters. Like he's obviously got a lot of talent. They can be a backup for a long time. But like when you get an opportunity, you're going to make the most of it. And kind of like, I think we'll see the Chiefs this weekend

with backups. Like Andy Reid's not going to call a game to lose. Like those guys, if they go out and win, it's because they played well. Like that's an opportunity. Like Carson Wentz has an opportunity this weekend to ball. And maybe he gets a job, a chance at a starting job next year.

So like for, and for the giants team, like in day ball and all these guys, when your jobs on the line, like you want to, you want to go and win games. I know it's just so hard, dude. I get it. Are you gonna? And also like at the end of the day, like, like there's not a, like you look at this draft and I love Chador and Ijodor is the best quarterback. But like last year you had like Caleb was one right you had even Jayden Dan, like you

had real elite elite like yeah this is what this is what we need we want him and not to say that's not with Sjodor and Ken Ward and these guys and like Travis Hunter is gonna be up there but like like you win that game or you lose that game, you're still in the top five. You have a chance maybe to draft up if you want, you know, like patrons aren't taking the QB. So like, there's still an opportunity there, man. But like as fans, I get it. But those players don't give a shit, dude. Like they're playing for a paycheck. They're playing to be on the roster next year or another team's roster. Well, we could also see what the we could see what the younger generation of America thinks about such things. Joining us now on the show. He's 16 years old live from New York City.

Anthony, how's it going, buddy? All right. How's it going? Dude. And so Matt, good, man. Good. So is that your gamer chair, by the way? Yes, it is. I actually want some. Yeah, we've been having some battles in Madden, Matt. I beat him in the shower. Are you kick? Are you kicking? Are you kicking your uncle's ass or what? Well, basically, yeah. I mean, if he doesn't run the ball every play, he can't win.

We'll get on the sticks, dude. I'll show you what's up. I'm sure Jerry's not very good. And I wanted to talk to you because you and I have been... And I'm hazing you a little bit, but you know, I wouldn't say you're new to football, but you've been big into football since you pretty much started high school, so you're going on a few years. About two years. You stand hard for Josh Allen. My first question for you is when did you discover Josh Allen was this elite quarterback? Like you have the Giants in New York is it because the Giants and Jets are so bad? It was I became a Bills fan just because it may sound

weird but it was the first football game I've ever watched. Like I turned on the TV. Okay. It was put on the TV and the bills are on. I, that's it. That's all it takes. I didn't know enough about football to even be a bandwagon. I knew nobody. Like absolutely no one. So I turned it on.

Do people think you're a bandwagon because you like the bills living in New York city? Some people do say that. Some people like to say that, but. So make the case for us, you know, and he's pretty clear favorite. I think he's minus 300 on most of the betting sites. I think Lamar is like plus 150. That's really, and it's coming down to this week.

Why is Josh Allen the MVP of the NFL over Lamar specifically? Because their stats are pretty, pretty close. They're pretty close, but I don't think you can do it based off stats. Just cause if it was based off stats Lamar, uh, Alan should have won a last year, you know, but if you watch the games, really Lamar was MVP last year. You could have debated. He was the best player on the best team. But I think this year Alan's MVP, number one, they're 13 and three.

They had the division for five weeks. The stats are there. The division's horrible. Okay, but they still locked it up pretty easily. Okay, okay. The stats are there for Allen. The record is there. If you watch the games, he's playing amazing. He beat the two best teams in the league, the Chiefs and the Lions. He beat them and he had incredible games against both of them. I just don't see, if you're watching the games and you're not just looking at it based on stats, I don't see how you could say it's Lamar. He also got his ass whooped by Lamar though early in the

season. Good point from an NFL quarterback. I'm just saying, by the way, I am on the defense. I see he blames the defense now. I mean they only scored 10 points So it's probably a little bit of both but was a little bit both. Yes Okay, so this is where I think you and I compare or you and I agree. I think Josh Allen's supporting cast I'm never gonna say bad because all these guys are NFL players But when you compare it even to Lamar Lamar's got Derek Henry, dude, Derek Henry Yeah, totally arguably by the, could be the MVP this year. He's got Zay Flowers, who just made his first Pro Bowl. He's got Mark Andrews, who didn't have

it down here, but obviously a Pro Bowl tight end. Josh Allen has Khalil Shakir. Who is leading? Exactly. And I know. And by the way, Uncle Jerry goes, well, he's got Keon Coleman, Keon Coleman, the Keon Coleman has 40 catches this year, dude. I know. Play amidst a bunch of games like Keon Coleman is going to be good. James Cook, by the way, had some James Cook didn't even rush for 900 yards. But he's got 17 touchdowns. OK, but he didn't rush for 900 yards. He didn't. Josh Allen has 600 yards rushing about.

Let's talk about the elephant in the room here. What what what continually comes up and especially between me and my nephew is the Alan Mahomes debate. OK, Josh Allen does deserve to win MVP this year. He's going to win. He should win. But and I know Mahomes stats have not been good, but now we're just talking about the position and who plays it well and who wins. Now you could say the Chiefs have a better look at the supporting cast of the Chiefs and look at the supporting cast of the Bills.

This year, not overall, because right. I don't understand how on earth you can say that the that the Bills supporting the Allen supporting cast is better than Mahomes. I can make you say that. Well, Anthony, who do you think has a better supporting cast? The B my homes. I can make that. Can you say that? Why Anthony? Who do you think has a better supporting cast? The bills of the chiefs and I would say it's relatively even, but the chiefs is definitely not worse.

They're definitely better. The defense is definitely a lot better than Buffalo's. I mean, when they play, they didn't let Derek Henry have 200 yards. Like the bills did. I gotta be the chiefs. I mean, there's no D hop. Jerry, they have, they have, they have the best tight end to ever play the game. Who's still playing at a high level.

They have. And by the way, where I threw, where I threw uncle Jerry off the other day was I told him, I said, you got to forget man, Andy Reed and that offense he's, he's outside of maybe Kyle Shanahan and maybe McVay. He's one of the best play callers of all time. Yeah. I don't know. We bring that up, but Mahomes isn't a better system. I'm just, I'll bring it up, dude. Are you kidding me? So are we saying Mahomes is a system quarterback? What are we saying?

No, because he, no, I'm saying Mahomes, Mahomes is great. And by the way, I would say no one wants to see Mahomes in the playoffs. I don't care who he has. So that doesn't matter. And by the way, the MVP really doesn't matter because it doesn't get two shits But who's a bad boy who I mean you're taking my homes over Allen every time are you not in the playoffs? I am because I I'm taking my homes in the playoffs every time until proven otherwise and by the the only Person to beat him just like the only person to be Brady was Eli Manning the only person

beat my homes is Joe burrow and Joe burrows probably not gonna be in the in the playoff now okay I think my beat maybe this is year this is the year for the bills but everyone says the Chiefs suck they're 15 and one dude like I don't care like they are still really good. All right. Very beatable. Let's talk about the supporting cast. You get me on Andy Reid, but like the coaching thing. I'm not I'm just going off of the weapons.

He has on the field. Andy Reid is the best coach in the NFL for sure. So you're saying my home's weapons are better than my homes this year. I think when fully healthy, I think the Chiefs have the edge. I think losing their best wide receiver who was having an amazing year and Richey Rice was huge. He had three games and a quarter or two with Rice. Pacheco's played seven games this year. Yeah, but Kareem Hunt balled. Kareem Hunt balled. He's been fine. Kareem Hunt's been just as good. Kareem Hunt's been just as good. Yeah, he's just as good. He didn't have 17 touchdowns like James Cooke,

who I think, I know he doesn't have a thousand rushing yards, he has a lot of receiving yards. Who are you, so Xavier Worthy, great home run player, like could take it to the house at any moment, but he's not someone that's gonna go get you a 10 for 130. And Kelsey, who I love, it's so clear the Chiefs are keeping the cover on the car until the playoffs start. Like I don't even think the chiefs have begun to flex Kels and

they're 15 and one. I like to use them. You can't even name what anymore outside of Shakir and Keon Coleman. Who can you name? Well, that's Anthony. Tell them, give me your statement. Here's how I know one. I know about all. I know all about the bills and I've quoted you to Matt. Give me the quote that I love more than anything. While we were watching a bill's game together, it might have been that bill's bill's Rams game, which was awesome. Give me the famous quote. Matt Collins is the best wide receiver five in the league. What does that even mean? He's not even wide receiver five. He's got to be three or he plays three or four. I just, I don't see the, to me, my homes right now. Yes. He does not have the numbers to be in the conversation with Josh Allen or Lamar.

Wait, guys, hold on. I'm going to call answer me this question. Who's got a better supporting cast, Josh Allen with Buffalo or my homes with the Kansas city chiefs this year. Who's, who's a better supporting cast. Josh Allen with Buffalo or Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs this year. Who's a better supporting cast? He said Mahomes. Not even close. I don't hear him saying anything. Right here. He's about to go. We got Jerry's nephew on. We're talking. We're talking this year with the current health situation. No, look, he's coming in. Go call call liner. What's up, buddy? Holmes by a mile with no recording with no right with no rice and seven games of Pacheco

this entire season. You'd say my homes and it's not even close. Travis Kelsey. Hollywood Brown. Hollywood Browns played two games. Okay, but he's back. Xavier Worthy. Xavier Worthy catches light.

He has like 30 catches. OK, I'm waiting for these amazing names. Who does Josh Allen have? Yeah, Khalil Shaqir. Shaqir? What is he in Yak, Anthony? What is Shaqir in yards after catch? He's top three, I know that.

Top three yards after catch. James Cook, 17 touchdowns, Dalton Kincaid, Amari Cooper, Keon Coleman, who I think is legit as a, as a very, very young player. I mean, he can be legit, but he hasn't done anything that he's said. Has Xavier worthy prove that much more? I can't hear you, but you should ask him who should be MVP because he's going to have a different name. Who's the MVP called? Who's the MVP? Lamar Jackson. Lamar Jackson over Josh Allen. Lamar Jackson's best player of all time. All right. So is that just a blanket award? Or do you think this year he was more valuable than Josh Allen? Okay. I'm biased. I think Lamar is MVP every year

just because what he does running and throwing but but more valuable to his team. I mean, it's Josh Allen this year for sure. But you say quarterback rankings, Lamar is the best quarterback in the NFL. 100%. Yep, for sure. Anthony, who's your, give us your top, see you Colt, give us your top five. Matt, Matt, we're going to do top five. Give me your top five right now today. Your top five NFL base of the season. Yes, as of right now, the best five.

Well, we'll let Anthony go first. We'll go your top five. All right. So this is in no order, but no, no, no, I want to order order. Yeah. Number one, this is the number one Lamar's number two. OK. I want to put my homes at three, even though I disagree. You don't want to.

That's not what you told me last night, buddy. Tell me what you said last night. Burroughs number three, Herbert's number four, and mom's number five. Herbert. I love Herbert. I have no problem with that list outside of Justin Herbert.

You can switch Herbert on my homes, but that's. So you have my homes at four? All right, let me ask you this question. You got Josh Allen, you got Lamar, you got Burrow, and you got my homies. Two minutes left. With these teams, with these teams, by six need to touch down to win. Who's your quarterback with these teams?

Josh Allen. Come on. Listen, I love the most turtles out of all of them here. But I'm talking playoffs, dude. I'm talking. I'm talking Super Bowls on the line. Play three rings and ball ball. You'm talking super bowls on the line. Playoffs. He's got three rings, Ant. Ball, ball, you gotta score a touchdown to win.

You can go Allen. You can go Allen. I love you. It's not a trick question. Well, it's definitely between Allen and Mahomes. Burl and Amar are out of there. Well, I will say this year, here's what I wanted to do this exercise to, I feel like because Mahomes' numbers are for him the most pedestrian they've ever been, and they're still good by the way, I mean they're not great, but look compared relative to where the rest of the NFL is, I think it's 26 touchdowns 11 interceptions. Right, that's not for him that's not good, but I would be thrilled if Daniel

Jones had that, I would be absolutely. I'm sure the Jets would even love to have a guy like that with those numbers. But he has become Mariano Rivera to me. He's a closer now. It's keep it close with the defense. Don't do anything crazy. And then when the game is online, the thing his superpower now is close game. He now has that aura that MJ had LeBron to a degree at times where you just know the guy's going to close out the game. You just know he's going to fit.

I was at the Super Bowl last year. The Niners were leading at half and we're in control of that game. But you just no one there was seeing the Niner fans were not Jumping up and down like we got this they were on edge and nervous because you know you have to me the best closer in The NFL by far on the other side So I think he's graduated on to being that I think if my homes wanted to go out and win the MVP award and And to read was like let's do this shit. I think he could probably do it still I think you probably throw 45 touchdowns if you wanted to All right last Last thing before we let you get back to maybe we'll play some Madden later. We know what's the bills. Who are the bills playing in the Superbowl? What's your Superbowl

matchup? How can you say anyone else but Detroit injuries and all? Okay. I don't see. I mean, Detroit beat Philadelphia. I do think Minnesota is going mean, I think Detroit would beat Philadelphia. I do think Minnesota is going to win though and get the one seed. I do too. See, we're aligned on that. I, I, I, I picked them earlier. So Detroit comes out of the NFC, huh? I think so.

I mean, how can you not want that Bill's Lines? We saw what happened the first time they put 48. Bill's Lines would be dope. That would be a great one. Yeah. I think we might even get, do you buy anything into like Hutchinson really saying, if we get to the Super Bowl, I'm playing? Hell yeah.

Oh, physically, Kenny, I mean, he broke his leg. It was a violent leg break. And if he plays, does that mean he's going to be himself? I mean, first game off the injury. Dude, there's something there's something called you take a couple of shots. Yeah. And you get that adrenaline going. You don't feel shit for three hours. No, I'll tell you what, if he's how I don't think there's something called you take a couple shots. Yeah, you get that adrenaline going. You don't feel shit for three hours.

I'll tell you what, if he's I don't know. I don't know what his prognosis is now at this point. But like if he's healthy enough, why not? And Dan Campbell will be crazy enough to be like, all right, you're in a suit up. Get in there. He would definitely something definitely would do. All right. Well, listen, good luck to Josh Allen and the Bills. We'll talk later. We'll run some mad later. But good, and well, listen, good luck to Josh Allen and the bills. We'll talk later. We'll run some mad later, but good, good first podcast appearance. We're going to get you back

on with Cole, maybe some of Cole's friends. And we're really just going to let the younger generation take over this thing. All right, let's do it later, buddy. All right, it's time for money moments presented by our friends over at Cash App. Sending, spending, saving, splitting, tipping, donating, gifting, or just typing in numbers all with the number one finance app in the App Store. That's money. That's Cash App. Matt, who or what is our money moment this week? There's a lot to pick from. There's a lot to pick from. I almost said we talked about Kam Skatibou earlier. I almost

wanted to go Kam Skatibou just because he's becoming my favorite player. I got to give it to my former USC quarterback Sam Darnold and the money moment of him coming in the locker room, the whole team cheering for him, putting him up on the shoulders a little bit like, like, like a Rudy type feel to it. Right. And, and this God, I feel like we talked about Sam so many times on this, but it's just, it's such a fricking awesome comeback story this year. And to give a little context, right? Like this kid drafted 2018 top five overall to New York Jets, right? Tough place to go play and be successful. And we know what happened there.

And he had the infamous, like, I'm seeing ghosts on the sideline. And he became, he became an NFL bust after three years, right? That's what happens, especially when you play in New York. He goes to the Panthers, not much success there. Then he goes to San Francisco as a backup, right? And a restart and kind of a re-energize. I know what that's like. I did something similar when I went to Houston and Gary Kubiak. Just to kind of take a step back. You're not starting. There's no pressure. Learn the system, relearn the position, get your confidence back, and

then maybe get a shot if you get another shot. And that's the crazy thing is so then Kevin O'Connell takes a chance on him in Minnesota. They draft JJ McCarthy top 10 overall to be the guy. And if JJ McCarthy doesn't get hurt in the preseason, he probably might be the starter, because he was playing pretty well. You think about that. And so you don't get very many opportunities in the NFL,

especially at quarterback. And for him to, you just put this year in context for him to be 14 and two and to just be balling like every week. And for every week, there's always people out there like not giving him his flowers because of what they think he was in the past. And I hate that because I think Sam has always been a very good quarterback. He's just finally in the right system with a coach and a team and organization that believes in his talent. And let me tell you something, Jerry.

JJ McCarthy is probably going to get traded. And let me tell you something. Sam Darnold is probably going to get a massive bag this off season. So he's my money player, my money moment, my money comeback. That's going to lead us into our throwback three. But I got Sammy D. You know what red, what do we call them? The red hammer. Yes. I would be thrilled with,

this is how bad it is for the Giants. I would be thrilled with one of those two quarterbacks on the Giants next year. By the way. So it's an interesting situation because JJ McCarthy coming off an injury, obviously a very, very talented, um, not a deep quarterback class this year. You have kind of the two guys right now should door Sanders and cam ward, Josh Allen or not. Josh, I'll see you. JJ McCarthy is one of those guys to keep it on one of those teams in the top five. They said they're going to take calls. I mean, that's the other thing that technically the Vikings could sign Donald to a big contract. JJ's on that rookie deal.

They could just key. They don't have to do anything. They don't have to do anything. But if you can get major draft capital or slide up in the draft and get some players, and you know you have Sam, and then go get a free agent QB as a backup, knowing, and again, knowing in that system with O'Connell, like you're going to get a lot out of your quarterbacks there because of how great of coaching is.

It's a win-win for Minnesota. Sam Darnold, shout out to Sammy D. We saw like Bryce Young come back benched Baker Mayfield, like come back like the Cleveland Browns just threw him to the street and look what he's doing. So, um, so Donald, your number three for our throwback three comeback athlete in football. Yeah. So comeback athlete in football, throwback three. Uh, he's not, I'm going to throw them in there. I did this quickly. There's so many, there's so many great stories. I mean, gosh, like, Demar Hamlin, obviously a couple of years ago, literally, I mean, literally like heart stopped on the field. He's not in my top three,

but that kind of goes without saying pierce all for 49ers this year got shot and I got shot in San Fran and came back and played. This is all time though. You can go any year you want. Yeah, I'm going all time. I'm going to, I'm going to go Alex Smith is number three. Good pick.

And we're buddies. We almost came out the same year. I came back my senior year, hell of a career in Kansas City, San Francisco, obviously had the horrific, um, you know, Joe Thiesman esque injury to the leg. And I don't, gosh, I don't know how many surgeries had dozens of surgeries, infections almost amputated his leg, right? Like I think he was really close to losing his leg. But then comes back and plays. I don't know how many years he played after that, but came back and actually played, I think for the Redskins at the time, right?

It was. So, I mean, just an unbelievable career cut short probably because of that, but then came back. Incredible story and even just an even better dude. Alex Smith is one of the best dudes out there. So that's my number three. So my number three, he's one of my favorite players of all time to watch.

He was on teams I didn't like though, is Randall Cunningham. You know, he burned out with the Eagles in 95. He gets benched. He sits out all of the 1996 season. Your boy, Coach Danny Green, lures him back in 97 with the Vikings. I think he signed like a one year, $400,000 deal. He's got Chris Carter on the team, goes on for that crazy wild card win comeback that they had. And then he comes back off the bench like the next year

in 98 when Brad Johnson goes down. That was when Brandi Moss was there. It just was a wild two years. It went 15 and one that year. So Randall Cunningham is just a player I thought was done to be honest. I remember being a kid watching, thought he was done, came back.

So that's my number three, Randall Cunningham. He was so fun to watch. So fun. Guy could just heave the ball like 100 yards to remember you had that one punt when he had the longest longest punt. Yeah, like 90 something yards. Right. Um, number two, Peyton, I would think, again, this is kind of my era, uh, with the neck injury and the fusion

or the bit bet the back, whatever, what like, like he was sidelined the whole year and then goes eventually goes back to Denver and just in the last couple years of his career and wins a Super Bowl with no arm strength left with with no arm strength and Peyton's one of the greatest of all time but like you watch it like they had the great defense that year Peyton's one of the greatest of all time, but like you watch it. They had the great defense that year But no arm straight couldn't throw the ball past 20 yards and just and just that's what made him so great But to sit I mean messing with the neck and all that kind of stuff man is like super dangerous Especially playing a sport of football and for him to come back and then win another bowl or win a Super Bowl Was pretty incredible, man.

Yeah, I agree. I remember because they lost that first Super Bowl to the Panthers, to the Seahawks. And it was like, oh, this is not going to happen. Denver's done. And that is one of the more remarkable. Who did they beat in the Super Bowl that year? They beat Cam and the Panthers, the 15 and one Panthers. And that was the one at giant stadium, I believe, which I still, that's why they lost to Seattle. Remember like the opening drive, they threw the, they snapped the ball over, over his head. You knew the game was over right there. I was like, oh dude, lesion of boom is done.

So my number two is I kind of broke my rule. I usually have to have someone I've watched, but this one is just a fun one when I researched and I read his story. Ed Too Tall Jones, what made this cool for me? Listen, check it out. One of the best defensive ends when he walked, he walked away in 79 because he went at 28 because he wanted to pursue a career in boxing. This dude, check this out. He had an 88 inch reach. So for context, Tyson Fury, who's six, nine, whatever, has an 85 inch reach. He has three inch longer reach than Tyson Fury.

I think he went like five and O in boxing, but then took, so he's out of the NFL for almost two years. Then he comes back to the Cowboys and just picked up right where he left off. He made three more Pro Bowls and he lasted all the way to when Jimmy Johnson got there in 89. I thought that was just cool. I mean, also like you quit the play, you're not quitting because you want to protect your body. You're quitting and you're going to boxing. I think that's a different kind of wild.

All right. Number one is Michael Vick and maybe a little controversial, but when you look back and Michael Vick to me because we were Because he was someone when I was in high school So I'm trying to think the years he was at Virginia Tech and he was he changed the game like of how we watched football My opinion especially quarterback like there were guys like Steve Young and guys who could run But like Michael Vick was the first like like video game player at that position. We're like, holy shit, right? So and he had a great career in Atlanta And I remember my first my first real action as a rookie was in Atlanta against Vic I we were losing so I went

In the second half I threw I think I threw a pick or touch and I remember talking after the game He's like, ah, man, you can have a bright future buddy, blah blah blah And so like always just respect him. Obviously, the whole issue, the dogfighting and this and just all of that went down. And he goes to jail, I think I remember, I didn't even go to prison for however long. So career done in prison, out of the NFL. And then when he gets out, I remember he really, like, you know, like second chances, right?

And I think he had a different perspective. And I remember, I remember, and I was young when I was watching all this, but I was playing and it was like, he was just like, started advocating for all of these other things. And he just really, he really turned it around and then goes back and goes to Philly and balls in Philly. Right, like a second, like, like almost like MJ, like two real separate careers. turned it around and then goes back and goes to Philly and balls in Philly, right? Like

a second, like, like almost like MJ, like two real separate careers. And then, so then does that. And then it's more so now because then he goes to Fox and I got to know him at Fox over the last handful of years. It's a great dude, man. Like every time I talked to him, he's just a great one of those guys. Like he just always asking how the family like just a really good dude. And then just got the job at think Norfolk State, right as a head coach in college football. And again, we've we're seeing more of these ex players become head coach, head coaches. I think, I think his story is is incredible of kind of turning it around. And, you know, a perfect example of getting a second opportunity to

to kind of like make things right and he was able to do that and now he gets a chance to mentor young men in college and and again I just think he's an incredible dude man so one of the best comeback stories I think we've ever seen in all of sports yeah Yeah, you're almost not supposed to come back from something like that. That is supposed to derail you and you could maybe rehabilitate your life, but you're not supposed to have a professional sports career after that. And he didn't. It was Andy Reid who took the shot and had success there too. A lot. I mean, yeah. Talk about a fantasy draft pick too. Got Michael Vick was all time. I didn't play fantasy a lot. I mean, yeah. Talk about a fantasy draft pick too. God, Michael Vick was, was all time. I didn't play, I didn't play fantasy football then. I, you know, I never,

I never started playing fantasy until like seven years ago. That's my problem. I go back to 93. I drafted voices, Alou and a baseball draft in 1993. So maybe that's my problem. All right. My number one, this one might make me prisoner of the moment. And it's a recent new one. And I just, I have to give it to Baker Mayfield similar to Darnold, but there's some differences because also I know a lot of people in Cleveland. I spent a lot of time in Cleveland. His exit at Cleveland was one of the more rockiest and you, he won a playoff game too. Right. And then he got kicked to the curb. Pittsburgh his exit at Cleveland was one of the more rockiest. And you look at the- After he won a playoff game too.

Right, and then he got kicked to the curb. Pittsburgh. Cleveland's a fishbowl with, you know, with their football, with the Browns. Like, the way he went out was rough. Then obviously he goes to similar to Darnold, goes to the Panthers, doesn't work. To me, Baker was way closer to being out of the league

than Darnold was. Hold on real quick. Remember to being out of the league than Donald was. Hold on real quick. Remember when he went to the Rams? The Rams. And won on Thursday night or something like that? That's what you mean when you say that there's no tanking in the NFL, right? Because like you have guys playing for that kind of comeback. But now I also think like 50% of teams that went to the fantasy championship had either like Baker Lamar Josh Allen or Saquon, right?

He was one of mine. And that is by far his team. He got another massive contract. But most importantly, that dude looks like he found the love again. And it's to me, that's the greatest comeback and hopefully a success in the playoffs. But he was to me, I thought he was very close to being out of the NFL. Very close. I'm telling you, like I'm telling you at quarterback, you get maybe, maybe a handful of opportunities at that position.

And it could be, it could be a loss, but if you play well, it could be preseason, you play well, but like you only get so many, especially as a number one pick and then you get cut and all this and then you're, and then you're on, that minimum like it's really hard to make it dude and you get you better ball you get one game you better go out and ball and then and then you get it then you get one more year and then in that year you get one game maybe or two as a backup you better ball and um he was signed by Tampa not even like they were gonna start uh who was backing up Tom when the Florida kid. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, it was like Baker, they signed Baker to compete.

It wasn't even like maybe they knew he was going to start, but he was competing like with I forget the Florida kid who got drafted like second round and someone else maybe. And then he won the job and he's been outstanding. I love that man, especially the QB. I just love like you're thrown to the wool. Like this league is rough, dude. And if you have a bad year or you're just whatever and like they throw you to the curb, like it's hard to come back. That's why I even think like Bryce Young kind of coming back mid season. It's wild.

What I love too about Baker's was different than Donald's for me. It's like Donald got drafted and they kind of never worked out from the beginning. Baker, yeah. Baker was a star. He was in commercials. He was a star. And it was like a fall from grace.

I think that's a little harder to rebuild from. So that's my number one. I'm curious to hear yours. Love, Bake. Hit us on social. Yeah, well, there's a lot. Look, Doug Williams is a great story because Doug Williams was

basically getting paid less than backup quarterbacks and then he had to go spend a year in the USFL and Then I think that was all with Tampa might have been then he comes back and his Super Bowl MVP. That's a great one Fluid ease and interest a fun one. It didn't make my top three but flutie Flutie is an interest, a fun one. It didn't make my top three, but Flutie is definitely a fun one. I had Demar, look, Gino, Gino Smith is, you know, didn't crack my top three, but he's up there too. And like, even like Ricky Williams had an interesting, it's like the guys who either walk away or have a massive injury and find their way back.

We got to get Ricky Williams on. I think Ricky was just on Manziel's on glory days. Cause Coach Wanstead who I'm tight. We gotta get Wanstead on too. I heard he's a great dude. Oh, he's the best. He coached Ricky when Ricky did like that whole like sabbatical. He just went off the right.

Like there's some Wanstead was his coach was literally like, he told us stories also. We'll say that for a pop because they're freaking unbelievable. Kyle Trask was the quarterback in camp with Baker. So that's it. That's our throwback three comeback athletes. It's a, we, we did it. That's a good, good comeback athletes though.

I like yours, but, Oh, it's a well of any sport. Yeah, we'll do that one another time. Yeah. I mean, there's so many good ones. Did we survive by the way survived the holidays. We could like Larry David said, by the way, real quick, do we have any news from the Ferrari family yet? Or we know no news. I know what you're saying. You son of a gun, no news. But I will say I left out a cool New Year's Eve moment. OK, this is years ago before kids. I once in the same 24 hour period played nine holes of golf with Larry David and played beer pong with Larry David.

That's awesome. And I kept calling Larry. Remember much of it? And he anytime a ball would touch the floor, if someone didn't get it, he would wash the ball. Obviously, this is disgusting. So, New Year's Eve, not all bad, but I'm ready to go into 2025. No more happy holidays. No more happy new... It's over.

We're back to living life. Let's go. By the way, we have some big stuff coming up on throwbacks here. Can't wait. In the next couple of months. Happy New Year, everybody. Last time you're going gonna hear me say it. Peace.