Best of NFL News Part 1: Giants get BIG MONEY John Harbaugh, & A.J. Brown must GO!

Summary

Club Shay Shay: "Best of NFL News Part 1 – Giants get BIG MONEY John Harbaugh, & A.J. Brown must GO!"

Date: January 17, 2026
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guests/Co-hosts: Uncle C, Sports Analyst, Darren Waller (guest interview)

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Episode Overview

In this packed NFL news round-up, Shannon Sharpe and his crew break down seismic coaching changes, blockbuster contracts, and current playoff narratives. They offer unfiltered commentary on John Harbaugh's headline-making move to the New York Giants, debate A.J. Brown's future with the Eagles, analyze hot head coaching candidates, and share fresh player insights—from resilience after injuries to performing under postseason pressure. The discussion is lively, candid, and loaded with insider stories, offering football fans and casual listeners alike a front-row seat to the NFL’s wild business behind the scenes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A.J. Brown's Commitment and Motivation

• Shannon Sharpe opens (00:28–02:22): Eagles GM Howie Roseman publicly claims he doesn't want to trade A.J. Brown, emphasizing how rare a "proven commodity" like him is in the NFL.
  • Shannon: "It's hard to find great players... and A.J. is a great player."
• Debate on A.J. Brown's attitude (02:23–04:45):
  • Shannon and Uncle C explore Brown’s public comments about feeling unfulfilled even after major accolades and a Super Bowl win.
    • Shannon: “If I got a 30 plus million dollar contract, I'm a Pro bowl player ... and the super bowl isn't fulfilling, well, I don’t really know what else there is.”
  • Discussion of players’ drive for personal stats vs. team achievements.

Memorable Quote

• Uncle C (03:02): "Some guys, man, when they ain't ballin' out there, they want their stats over championships… We won a championship, but damn, they ain't have but 20 yards and two catches."

Timestamps

• [00:28]–[04:49]: A.J. Brown debate and the psychology of superstar athletes

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2. Player Reflections on Coach Firings and Accountability

• Mike Tomlin’s Emotional Sendoff (05:29–08:57):
  • Shannon details The Athletic’s reporting on Tomlin’s emotional final meeting with the Steelers, describing players’ tearful reactions.
    • Shannon: "TJ Watt had tears welling in his eyes... Joy Porter Jr. was reportedly hyperventilating."
  • Both hosts reflect on the unique bonds between players and coaches and the guilt/shame players sometimes feel after a coach's departure.
• Personal Anecdotes:
  • Shannon recounts apologizing to his former coach Dan Reeves, regretting not being the player who could've saved his job.
    • Shannon (07:30): “Had I been the player that I became, maybe I could have saved your job.”
  • Uncle C shares a similar story from his NBA career about Avery Johnson being fired unexpectedly.

Timestamps

• [05:29]–[09:43]: Coach farewells and how players internalize leadership changes

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3. Coaching Carousel: Mike McDaniel’s Options & the John Harbaugh Sweepstakes

• Mike McDaniel’s next move (09:54–15:44):

  • Shannon and analysts debate the best landing spots for McDaniel: Lions, Browns, Falcons, Titans, Eagles.
    • Sports Analyst (10:33): "Absolutely not" liking rumored options, except possibly OC for the Detroit Lions: "That I do like."
    • They agree Detroit's offensive talent would make McDaniel’s creative schemes flourish.
  • On the Falcons and Eagles jobs (12:50–14:15): Musings about whoever lands those jobs inheriting major offensive pieces.

• John Harbaugh’s Value & Contract (15:44–16:11, 48:23–49:50):

  • Harbaugh is the "Miss America" of coaching candidates—proven, experienced, and highly sought after.
    • Shannon (15:51): "He’s first on everybody's list because he has 18 years experience... He’s Miss America. He's gonna get the first date if he wants it."
  • Breaking news: Harbaugh inks a 5-year, $100M deal with the Giants, possibly the richest per-season contract for an NFL head coach.
    • Shannon (48:23): "John Harbaugh was in talks and made his decision. It is the new New York Football Giants... five years, $100 million. 20 million per year."

Timestamps

• [09:54]–[15:44]: Coaching carousel; McDaniel and Harbaugh’s market value
• [48:23]–[49:50]: Harbaugh contract news

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4. Team-Building Philosophy: Talent, Quarterbacks, & Control

• Where should top coaches go? (16:11–22:01):
  • Deep dive into what makes an NFL job attractive: quarterback situation, talent level, roster control.
    • Shannon (16:11): "The quickest way to get to the playoffs, to get on the winning track, is to have a quarterback. They believe they have their quarterback. John Harbaugh, more importantly, believes they have their quarterback. That is why he took this job so quickly."
  • Discussion on why the Giants’ QB situation (Jackson Dart) likely tipped the scales, despite arguments the Falcons have greater skill-position talent.
• On Harbaugh and Coaches' Desire for Control (56:30–57:29):
  • Veteran coaches often leverage their track records for staff and roster control.
    • Shannon: "When you’ve been in that position... it's hard for you to go to another situation and have no control..."

Timestamps

• [16:11]–[22:01]: Team-building, weighing QB vs. overall roster
• [56:30]–[57:29]: The allure and challenges of roster control for veteran coaches

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5. Playoff Atmosphere: Playing Through Adversity and Epic Cold Weather Games

• Interview: Demarcus Robinson & Darren Waller (22:01–32:35):
  • Waller and Robinson discuss stepping up amid injuries, earning quarterback trust, and execution in high-pressure moments.
    • Darren Waller (22:48): "It felt good, man, to know them boys had trust in me... they wouldn’t be calling those plays to put me in those positions to get me the ball..."
    • Both players and analysts riff about run-blocking, offensive schemes, readjusting to unexpected roles, and the “West Coast offense” legacy.
• Old-school cold: Bears vs. Rams playoff blizzard (41:05–48:23):
  • Vivid description of blizzard conditions for the upcoming Bears-Rams playoff game—a callback to legendary frozen showdowns.
    • Uncle C (43:02): "You think the stand's gonna be filled up too?"
    • Shannon: "Absolutely packed... Fans get a kick out of said, 'I was at that game.'"
  • Shannon and Uncle C swap stories about playing in extreme cold, including construction gloves and Vaseline in -17 degree Green Bay games.

Timestamps

• [22:01]–[32:35]: Player interview; playoff performance and schemes
• [41:05]–[48:23]: Iconic cold weather games and football’s tough guy culture

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6. NFL Team Needs and Observations on Talent Trends

• Baltimore Ravens’ Next Steps (35:07–40:00):
  • Discussion of potential hires like Clint Kubiak, Ravens' roster strengths (Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry), and glaring needs on the O-line and defense.
• Defensive Woes and Rebuilding (40:00–41:05):
  • Baltimore’s defense under scrutiny; need for a right guard and pass rushers stressed.
    • Uncle C (41:05): “They need some help defensively.”
    • Shannon: “They need defense, they need pass rushers... they need them bad, too.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Superstars and Motivation:

  • Shannon Sharpe (02:22): “If the Super Bowl isn’t fulfilling, I don’t really know what else there is.”

• On Coaching Legacy:

  • Shannon Sharpe (07:30): “Had I been the player that I became, maybe I could have saved your job.”

• Coach Harbaugh's Contract:

  • Shannon Sharpe (48:23): "Five years, $100 million. 20 million per year. That is a lot of money."

• On Playing in Blizzards:

  • Uncle C (43:29): "Hey, if they playin' in anything close to this, I got the Bears."
  • Shannon (45:09): "That thing like on cement, Joe. I ain’t gonna lie."

• On Quarterback Value:

  • Shannon Sharpe (59:22): “Without a quarterback in today’s game, the way they have instructed, the way they set it up, you can't win without a quarterback.”

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Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |-----------------------------------|-----------------| | A.J. Brown/GMs & Player Motivation| 00:28–04:49 | | Emotional exits & accountability | 05:29–09:43 | | Coaching carousel: McDaniel/Harbaugh|09:54–15:44 | | Team-building/Coach control | 16:11–22:01; 56:30–57:29 | | Playoff adversity/Player interviews|22:01–32:35 | | Epic cold weather games |41:05–48:23 | | Ravens roster analysis |35:07–41:05 | | News: Harbaugh to Giants |48:23–49:50 |

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Final Takeaway

This episode captures the NFL’s high-stakes, high-drama winter: star receivers at a crossroads, coaching legends on the move, ownership power struggles, and the unyielding demands of playoff football—weather be damned. Shannon Sharpe’s gravitas blends with candid player and coach perspectives, offering fans both the big headlines and the real talk underlying NFL news.

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Summary prepared by PodcastSummarizer

Transcript

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He's a, he's a Pro bowl, all pro, super bowl winning player.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When he wants to be that.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And this year, for whatever reason, look, it's, it's just hard. I don't, I don't know. I honestly, I don't know what motivates. I don't know what happened because he's like, when he won the super bowl, he's like, it wasn't fulfilling.

[Uncle C]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, if you got, if you making money, you want, you, you've been an all Pro, you go to Pro bowl, you win the Super Bowl. What is what, what is what left what is left? If I got a 30 plus million dollar contract, I'm a Pro bowl player. I'm an all pro player and I'm a Super bowl and the super bowl isn't fulfilling. Well, I don't, I don't really know what else there is. Yeah, if you play a sport, Joe, you, Joe, you, you an all NBA?

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All star. You win a champion and you like and you making $40 million a year and you win the championship and they come to you and say, Joe, how you feel? Like I'm not, it's not as fulfilling as I thought.

[Uncle C]

Nah, nah, I ain't gonna say that. But I think I ain't gonna say that. I ain't gonna say that. But I know for some guys, man, when they feel like they ain't balling or doing they thing out there, man, they want they stats over championship. Now they may not come out and say it, but that's what they want. It's like, man, we won a championship, but damn, man, they ain't have but 20 yards and two catches.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, go look at my super bowl numbers. They ain't nothing but I got three rings that I'm gonna pass down to each of my kids. Hey, hey, that wasn't the game plan. Didn't call for Shannon Sharp to go haywire, right? I'm okay with that because at the end of the day, I was making good money. I've been a Pro bowl player. I was an all Pro. After you become an all Pro, after you become a Pro bowl player, the only thing left is win a championship, is to solidify, right, to make sure people know that all those catches and yards and everything that you was doing what? Well, yeah, you did that, but how many games did you win? Did your stats go to winning? Look at my, look at my numbers. When I called for 100 yards or caught a touchdown, we won. Yeah, that's all I cared about. I want to win something other stuff. That's why I didn't get up. Look, and I look back at, I said, man, I could have easily gone to John and say, hey bro, hey, I need five yards. But I ain't never asked him to throw me the ball right? So you. They know what I can do. I used to get upset, Joe, you know, they done bull jive around all game long. Now here come the fourth quarter, we down 14. You gonna ask me what I like?

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now they looking for you. I like for this game to be over so I get my ass on that bus and get home. You should, you should ask me this in the first quarter, but y' all were to spread it around.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, yeah. Let everybody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, let everybody. Let everybody touch it. Okay?

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Keep doing what you doing.

[Uncle C]

Yeah. Hey, look, but like I said, you know, some cats want to ball. Go. Hey, look, I remember it, too. You know, coming down. It's the last five to seven minutes of a game. Now all of a sudden, everybody looking for you. They looking for Joe to get us up out this rut. Man, what we been doing the whole game, y' all could have been giving me the ball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Uncle C]

So I understand, man. I understand.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, we gonna run this over here. We run this pin. Hey, we gonna run 1 4. Joe, you at the. You at the top.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, yeah, we. Look, we ain't ran it all damn game. Why y' all want to run down.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

[Uncle C]

I know exactly what you said. Yeah, we should have been reading this in the first.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Second quarter. Man, what you looking for? I think your brother on the floor. Sweet. He ain't sleeping. He down there. Thanos. Yeah. No, this is not. This is not Thanos. In my lap. This teddy bear in my lap. The Athletic released the store today on Mike Tomlin's final team meeting with the Steelers players and the surreal scene surrounding it. Mike Tomlin told his team, I think it's best for. I think it's best for the organization for me to step down. TJ Watt had tears welling in his eyes and kept repeating, no, no, no. As Tomlin told the team. Joy Porter Jr. Was reportedly hyperventilating. Aaron Rodgers was sobbing and repeatedly saying, I'm sorry. The Steelers player gave Tomlin a standing ovation.

[Uncle C]

That's what's up, man. That's when you know your guys respect you, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep.

[Uncle C]

They respect the heck out that man, man. And what he's done for that organization.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Uncle C]

Yeah. And as a player, it definitely hurts you because, you know, you feel like you was a part of him getting out of there. Yeah, that's why those guys so hurt. They feel like, man, if we would have played at our highest peak, we could have. We could have avoided this situation. So, yeah, I can see why guys really taking it hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I've done that. I remember. And as I got older, I remember seeing Coach Reeves because the gym I used to go to, the church that he attend would. Was right across the street. And I remember. I remember, like, I would say, you probably. They didn't close it down, but anyway, and I saw him, and I just. I remember going up to him and said, coach, I'M sorry.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He said, shannon. He's the only one that never called me by my last name or call me, or call me 84. You'll always call me Shannon. Say, Shannon. What is. I said, coach, I said, had I been the player that I became, maybe I could have saved your job.

[Uncle C]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And he just told me, he said, son, he said, that's nice of you to say, but you ain't got nothing to apologize for. He said, I'm proud that we drafted you. I'm proud of the player that you became. So same thing with Wade Phillips. I was, I was that player. I had became that player. But I did, I did all I could. I had, you know, 2,000 yard receiving, had like 180 catches. Yeah, just what, it just wasn't meant to be. Like 178 catch, 168 catches. It just wasn't meant to be. Joe. And then we get Mike. But I hate. Cause that happened on my watch.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What could I have done differently? I, and I know for certain, I'm not sure, but besides getting injured and, and having to take them and I wasn't 100% had, I do believe, had I became the player that I later became, that ended up going into the Pro Football hall of Fame, I do believe I could have saved Dan's career. Yeah, I, I, I, I, I, I believe I could have saved him in Denver. Now, maybe at a later date in time, Mr. B want, maybe Mr. B just wanted to go in a completely different direction, right? Maybe, maybe so. Cuz Coach Reeves had been to three Super Bowls, lost the AFC Championship game, so it wasn't like he was losing, but he just wanted to go in a different direction. But it's tough. You care now if you don't care. Some people like, hey, players, players get cut all the time. I don't, I don't look at it like that.

[Uncle C]

Hey, look, my first year in Brooklyn, when I got traded to Brooklyn from Atlanta, I played. Avery Johnson was our head coach. Great dude, Great dude. Accountability. Like he gonna be on you, like he gonna ride you hard, you know, tell you what, the do's and don'ts. But man, he was a hell of a coach, bro. I loved him as a coach. And for us to get off to such a slow start my first year in Brooklyn, I think it was kind of why he got fired. Because it happened on the off day for us. I'm at home, I'm watching espn. Ain't nobody called and been like, oh, we gonna get rid of Avery Johnson today. I'M watching on ESPN like everybody else. It come across breaking news. I'm like, damn. So, yeah, I understand as a player, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You take.

[Uncle C]

You take heart to that. Cause I'm like, yeah. Coach Bromo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has already become a hot coaching candidate. After being fired just a week ago from the dolphins, McDaniel is set to meet with the Browns, Ravens, Falcons, Titans. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Cleveland may get the first swing at interviewing McDaniel as their meeting is set for Monday. The team announced on social media he previously worked for the Browns in 2014 as their wide receiver coach. Kyle was the offensive coordinator and he was the. The wide receiver coach. Ocho. No. You like no idea. Mike McDaniel coaching?

[Sports Analyst]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. All the teams you just named. I don't like it. But I do like one that you didn't name. Now, I saw the report. I don't know if it was false or whether it was real or not, but I saw where he might have an opportunity to be the officer coordinator for the Detroit Lions. Now that I do like.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Sports Analyst]

Mike McDaniels with his creative mind. I'm not saying he's been Johnson, but if you think about the goddamn Dolphins, what was that, three years. Was it three years ago?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Two years ago?

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, two.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Two years ago when they went to the championship game. That was three years ago. They end up losing to the 49ers.

[Sports Analyst]

Listen, that offense and that creativity that he had with those receivers and the stuff that he was able to do with. With Tyreek Hill. Can you imagine him being able to have him on St. Brown and doing all that. All that stuff, and you got Gibbs. I'm not sure if Montgomery's coming back. I'm not sure you know, how that's going to work, but I would love. I would love for Mike McDaniels and that creativity he has offensively over there with the Lions. And obviously, I think, you know, coach Mr. Campbell, I don't think he wants. He's not going. He's not going to call plays no more.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Sports Analyst]

He's looking for somebody to relieve him with those duties.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But could Mike McDaniel revive DeShawn's career?

[Sports Analyst]

He doesn't have the uncle. Don't have the. He don't have the pieces over there. It'd be too much. So if Mike McDaniel goes to the Lions, his job is that much easier because of what you have at your disposal.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I agree. I totally agree.

[Sports Analyst]

And now your job as offensive Coordinator or head coach, whatever it may be with the Browns now, your job becomes that much more difficult because you have to. You have to do more with less. You know, the pendulum is uneven.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, it's.

[Sports Analyst]

It's uneven. So now you. You putting yourself behind the eight ball, going to a place where. Okay, I have to be damn near perfect.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. I ain't got no margin for error.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, man. No, no, no, that. That lion job. Yes. Hey, that. Did you. Did you mention the Falcons?

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Also, if I. If I read correctly, today, I think John harbor interviewed for the Falcons. Oh.

[Sports Analyst]

Oh, I got another one for you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Huh?

[Sports Analyst]

Another for you. Nobody mentioned it. Mike McDaniels over there with the Eagles.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Sports Analyst]

Hey, come on now. Come on. Come on now. And I. I'm not gonna mention that, but. Yeah. Mike McDaniels of the Eagles. Yeah, I like that.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I. I think the thing is, look, he has a great offensive mind. And. And those guys that. The. The McVeigh, the Shanahans. He came from that system. Yeah, that school, the LaFleurs, the Kevin O'. Connell. So we've seen what those systems, what they. Andy Reid, that West coast system, the or Hybrids thereof. We've seen it work, especially when you got talent. And so as you mentioned, Detroit has loads of talent. Atlanta has talent. I don't know would they want him to be the head coach? But, you know, I'm sure he. Yeah, well, yeah, because he said to meet the Browns, Ravens, Falcons, Titans. Okay. Ravens has a quarterback. Titans have a quarterback. Right now there kind of uncertainty. They got. Still have Kurt Half Cousins on the roster, but they got a lot of money and a high draft pick, a top 10 pick tied up in Michael Penny Jr. So it'll be very, very interesting. But when you have the creative mind that Mike McDaniel has and we saw what they dialed up when Tyreek was healthy. We. We saw what they dialed up with what he's able to do with Hn and so. And. And waddle and they had. I forget what's the tight end? Oo we had him on. He just came back this year.

[Sports Analyst]

K. Pitts.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, from a. From the Dolphins.

[Sports Analyst]

Oh, Darren Waller.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Darren Waller. Yeah. Yeah. So m. M. Some nice pieces. Somebody can go there. But they. They need a quarterback. And I'm reading today they said they're looking with the coach and come in. You're not required to try to. Well, this is what I can do with. With TUA right now. We're not even if. What the reports are being saying. It's like you Know you can if you want to move on, we will, we'll oblige you in that aspect. But I think from a talent, just pure talent. Yeah. Falcons, you look at their defense over the Lions. No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm. The Lions have a head coach. He's interviewing for a head coaching job. He's not, he's not interviewing for no offensive coordinator. Okay. Now if, if, if none of those become available. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Sports Analyst]

If, if it's a head coaching job, I mean, Falcon got to be knocking down the dope. They got.

[Shannon Sharpe]

John Harbaugh is out there. I think he's first on everybody's list because he has 18 years experience, he's won many divisions and he's gone to and won a Super Bowl. So he's probably, he's Miss America. He's gonna get the first date if he wants it.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's how they look at it. OO I like the Titans. I think the Titans got a quarterback. I think the Giants have a quarterback. But I don't really know a whole lot about the Titans. All I just know is they got Simmons over there and he's special.

[Sports Analyst]

Oh, yeah, he, he is. Oh, he, he ain't gonna be that long, but go ahead.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You know, they got Calvin Ridley. He's coming back off of injury, the tight end. So they, they got some pieces. Pollard played well, but all things being equal, he has an interview with the Ravens. The Ravens need a lot of work defensively. We know what they got with Lamar. They need some, they need to fix that, that offensive line.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Mainly right guard. They gotta fix that. Don't you, they gotta fix that and they gotta get Zay Flowers. I don't think Zay is going anywhere. No, but Bateman this year was a no show. He's no show.

[Sports Analyst]

Damn. Hey, I, that, that, that's tough, man. That's tough because, because I'm just speaking on Bateman's baby behalf. You can only do so much when the opportunity don't present themselves, you know?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I agree.

[Sports Analyst]

You can only do so much.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, he ain't do that much. I get what you said. He didn't do that. He didn't do that much. OO so I, I, I think the thing is, look, the, the question is, I mean, are you going to go another year and not have DeShawn get on the field and not do anything? Now, obviously, he couldn't do any thing last year. OO he had an Achilles injury. They never activate him. He was, you know, he was, he was scheduled to come, but they didn't bring him off the IR list. But what are you going to do, right? You gonna let him sit on the sidelines again for another $50 million?

[Sports Analyst]

Right? Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is it. I mean, I think it's. I think you, I think you at least try.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm not saying. I don't know. I, I hate saying never or always, but just I'm not sure that, that he'll be ever what he was when he was in Houston. And, and that was the thing, Ocho. That's why you gave up what you gave up. That's why you gave up the compensation, because you, oh, you're 26, not 36. He was 26. But there's no way you could have foreseen. I don't know what they knew or what they didn't know. I mean, everything is speculation. Some say they did, some say they did. I don't know what they knew. I don't know what they knew, when they knew what they, you know, I don't know. All I know. But for that kind of money, Ocho, I got to try to get something. Yeah, I got to. But those are some great choices for McDaniel.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, very good ones. Very good ones.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Falcons loaded with talent. Ravens. Look, the Ravens got the best quarterback out there on the market of the teams that, that, you know, that's available. Obviously, you know, about a two time mvp. The Titans have a quarterback that they believe in and I think, you know, Cam Ward played well. Calvin really comes back. Maybe add some pieces.

[Sports Analyst]

Red.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, but it's gonna, it's gonna be very interesting to see how this thing. I think that somebody's waiting for the big domino to fall and I think that's John Harbaugh. I think once Harbaugh decides where he's gonna go, I think all the other pieces will, will start to fall in place after he decides what he's going to do. So I think everybody's kind of waiting, you know, because nobody wants to jump the gun. What, man, you had a chance to John Harbar and you went ahead and you hired this guy. So I think once that domino falls oo, I think everything else will kind of fall into place from there. Right? And then you, you'll see, you know, but hey, maybe there's some coaches that's still in the postseason. Maybe the Rams, D.C. who knows? Maybe the Clint Kubiak I think gets an opportunity. Obviously they couldn't talk. They couldn't talk. Yeah, they could. I don't know if he Interviewed though.

[Sports Analyst]

Wait, they can't, they can't talk to a coach while he's still coaching.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They can if you're on the bye week. You could do, you could do zoom interviews.

[Uncle C]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But all the, all the teams that's playing. So somebody from say the Patriots or you know, the Steelers or whomever, anybody that played this weekend. No, you're not able to talk to them if you lost. You're able to talk now. But the teams that were on the bye week, you could have zoom meetings. Right?

[Sports Analyst]

So, okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He won super bowl with Kansas City in 2019 Sunday. Had a big game, had probably a career playoff. I think this was your career playoff high. Six catches, a buck 11 and a touchdown. He got the party started early with the, with the dagger out over the middle. Took that in and then he delayed it, caught the post rod for a touchdown. Had an outstanding game. Demarcus Robinson, wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers Rob, there was a lot put on your guys plate. You lose. Debo Auk is not there all year long. KD goes down now yourself, Jenny PUL is out. Now it's time for you guys because a lot has been made. Purdy is good, but he's propped up by all these all pros and pro bowlers. So now it's you, it's Jennings and the backup tight end and you guys got to go out there and make plays. What's go. What was your mindset? Because you know you're not gonna. Debo's been gone. You knew iuk's not coming back, but you thought you would at least have Kittle. What was you guys mindset going in into a hostile environment and to come away with a victory.

[Darren Waller]

I think the guys, man, we knew what was at stake. You feel me? Them boys had to go out and play hard just to get that dub just so we can get another a game on the road. And it's never easy to get a win on the road. But those guys came in, man, we fought all together. As soon as Kittle went down, we knew Jake had to come in, make a couple plays and them boys show resiliency yesterday, for real, what did that feel like?

[Sports Analyst]

Having a game like that, you know, letting the 49ers, letting your quarterback know that you can count on me, especially in situations like that, in important games that actually matter for you to have that type of game. What did that feel like? I mean, listen, honestly, as a receiver, I ain't never had no success in goddamn playoffs. Hell, I ain't have I been there. Oh, hey, I just. What is that feeling like, man?

[Darren Waller]

It felt good, man, to know them boys had trust in me. Purdy and Kyle Shanahan, man, it felt good to feel like they had trust in me. You know, they wouldn't be causing those plays to put me in those positions to get me the ball, to know I'm do what I could do and go down there and score a touchdown. So it really felt good just for them boys to get some trust in me. For real.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, I played for his dad. Oh, you made that play early. Oh, you done. You. Oh, you getting the ball the rest of the game. Yeah. Once you made that play on that Dagger. Do y' all call it dagger? Will y' all call it over now?

[Darren Waller]

We call it dagger. I know what you talking about.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You.

[Darren Waller]

We call it dagger, too.

[Sports Analyst]

Okay?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I know what you.

[Darren Waller]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And so once you made that play, I said, oh, yeah. Oh, they gonna feed him.

[Sports Analyst]

Yep. And coming back. And you know the funny thing about when you have a performance like you did in that game, what you think that thing will look like in the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Next one when they come back to.

[Sports Analyst]

You, they gonna have stuff already drawn up specifically for you to do. They already. Listen, Shanahan already know what you do. Well, we gonna add that, and he gonna throw something on top of it because, you know, because Purdy knows you're gonna make the play. And subconsciously, when you have a great game like that, the quarterback gonna come to you when you least expect it.

[Darren Waller]

That's what I'm saying. That's the way.

[Sports Analyst]

That's the way the game flows.

[Darren Waller]

That's why I needed. That's why I needed that type of game to go and build that trust with him. Let them know, hey, man, as we keep going forward, I got you, bro. If them boys ain't in here, you don't. You don't. You ain't got nobody to lean on. I'm the guy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Come see me. Yeah, well, look, he ain't got no choice now. I mean, he's lost Kittle, and you and. And Jennings are. You know, you're his wide receivers. You're his most trusted. And so now. Hey, and it's not. Look, you guys just played the last game of the season, so you know what type of game is going to be. You know what's out there. They got Spoon and Wolin.

[Darren Waller]

For real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You. Hey, you know what's up. You know what's in front of you. I o. And I ain't got to tell you nothing first Time y' all played them, huh?

[Darren Waller]

That's some good DBs, man, I ain't gonna lie. We gonna go out there and do. And do what we do, though. Sure. We ain't scared. Ain't backing down that time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, you. Hey, you one step closer, for real.

[Darren Waller]

That's what I'm talking about.

[Shannon Sharpe]

One step closer.

[Sports Analyst]

Hey, hey, you were talking. You were talking hella out there, man. What, somebody pissed you off or something?

[Darren Waller]

Nah, hey, hey, Coach over there talking to me. So I'm like, sure. You see what's going on, Coach D. Boy can'. These boy can't hold me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

For real.

[Darren Waller]

Like, I don't know what you. Y ain't no need to Y. You see, it's on the field, Coach.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, you talking. You see, I'm giving your boy that work.

[Darren Waller]

That work.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your boy 27. Oh, he got that work. They had to get him up off. Put him on him, right?

[Darren Waller]

Yeah, yeah. They had to get him up off him the first drive.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, you can't do that with Wrong.

[Darren Waller]

No, you can't do that with me, man. You call somebody else. Call back up, for real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But did you. Did you know you was going to have this type of input going into the game?

[Darren Waller]

So, like, the plan was to kind of get me the ball. I was way in. In the. In the playbook this week more than any other week. So. Because Ricky wasn't up, so I'm like, okay, D was gonna be able to feed me a little bit. So, you know. You know, you go through it in practice. You go out all through the routine plays and stuff like that, but I ain't know. It's just gonna be as fast as it was, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Darren Waller]

That was second play of the game. 60 yard, four player, the game. Touchdown.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But here's the thing. What makes me upset is that they feed me all week long, and then we come to the game, and I don't get no honey.

[Darren Waller]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now I'm out there bull driving around. You know, they ain't throw me no passes. And now y' all feed me. See, why y' all do me like this? Y' all could have had my mind. My mind ain't really where it's supposed.

[Darren Waller]

To be right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Darren Waller]

That how I felt versus Seattle the first time we played on board, man. I'm like, dog. Cause we kind of had it drawn up for me to get a couple passes, but you know how the game go, and then coach changed it up a little bit, and then, you know, you never know what you to get out there, man. So shoot it. Really. You know, you got to stay ready for that moment whenever that ball do come.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Sports Analyst]

And the fact that you guys are playing the Seahawks again, I'm. You're familiar with their defense. Do. Do you see any problems in general for you from an individual standpoint, Not a team collectively, but from an individual standpoint, you know, whether it be Witherspoon, whether it be, you know, brother Woolen, Is there any. Anyone out there that you would see poses any not threat, but you know, where, you know, okay, you know what? I got to tie my shoes up tight. I got to come to play.

[Darren Waller]

Nah, I mean, that's our. That's every game. Like, them boys could have been like, 27 last week. That boy caught two picks, you know what I'm saying? So you never know what you're gonna get. You never know how they gonna play if it's gonna be them boys coming out, being physical, you know, Reed Woodland, that's why he bigger size, physical cat. So long, long arms, you know, you never know what you gonna get. You don't know if they gonna play. Cause last week they hit us with the COVID 2. I don't think we was really even expecting the COVID 2. You feel me? So they played Cover 2 when we played them the first time or the last game of the season.

[Uncle C]

But.

[Darren Waller]

So we gotta be ready for whatever they throw at us, for real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But see, that's what the times are, you know. Hey, and the run block. And see, I got to get physical with y'. All. Cause, see, y' all be trying to get physical in the past, so. Because I know. I know how Kyle lives play for. Like I said, play for his dad, and he has a lot of his dad similarities and a lot of that coaching staff. Bobby T. The running back coach.

[Darren Waller]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Hey, if you don't do. No. If you don't do. If you as a wide receiver in that offense, if you don't do no blocking in the run. No get on the sideline, you ain't.

[Darren Waller]

Get on the side. You might have gone back to the bench.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely. And I don't give a damn who you are.

[Darren Waller]

For real, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got the block in that.

[Darren Waller]

Hey.

[Shannon Sharpe]

In that system.

[Darren Waller]

Because CMC gonna get his touches.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you already know that.

[Darren Waller]

Yeah, he's getting his touches.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you gotta.

[Darren Waller]

You gotta know what I'm saying.

[Sports Analyst]

You got.

[Darren Waller]

They making everybody look good right now, though. Now we gotta spread that thing around. We just lost killer, man. So trust me, Lee, I'm ready for this. Another one against These boys right here.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Good rivalry. Yeah. Kill. I'm so. Hey, man, I'm so sorry. You down. And for real, you put your boy up.

[Darren Waller]

You know what I'm saying? I'm here this week. Again, don't play with them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But also, I think the thing that.

[Uncle C]

That.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That really helps. And you have to have this in the West Coast. Your receivers got to be run after the catch.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because it's all about getting the ball in the receiver's hand. And look, ain't a whole lot of deep throws, you know, go by nine balls. It's a lot of shallow crosses, it's a lot of daggers, and it's a lot of overs. It's a lot of stuff where digs in, cuts, where they expecting you to spin out of a tackle and get.

[Darren Waller]

Up out of there. Yeah, yeah. That's what I did last week. Yeah. That's how they was using Debo, too, a lot. Get on the ball and get up there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's all smoke screen, bubble screens. What is. You're familiar, they probably have different terminology in Kansas City, but this is basically the same system. It's the west coast system. It came out of Coach Walsh, same thing. Mike Shanahan, all that. So it's been paired. Maybe they call it green, maybe you call it orange or blue or whatever you call it, but it's pretty much the same principle, same thing.

[Darren Waller]

That's what I was saying about. That's why I came over here from when I was in LA last year. Him and. Him and Sean got kind of the same kind of route, tree and stuff like that. They kind of terminology all the same. So it wasn't really that hard to pick up on the playbook. It just, you know, a few things here now. They switch up the verbiage on it, but it's basically the same type of offenses. For real.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You seem so excited because, like, it probably caught you off, off guard. Like, you gotta be ready for the moment. Cause you don't know when that moment's gonna happen. But you've got to be ready for it when it does happen.

[Darren Waller]

Nah, for real, I was ready, boy. I was ready. I seen that ball in the air. I said, oh, snap. I would have threw that ball, man. I got up here. Cut back, cut back. I see him rallying. Let me go and get out. You ain't gonna get that ball off.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, they tried to get it up out of me. They tried to get it up out of me. And then y' all read the delay. Y' all ready to play action Ready to play. You make like you go Block you. Yeah, yeah. I was stalky. I'm stalking. I know. I'm going to the pole. Let me get that.

[Darren Waller]

I need it. He's too late, man. Touchdown. Man, let me do my dance on y'.

[Uncle C]

All.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah, that's dope, man. I'm happy for you, boy. It's one thing about having a game like that, man. D. Rob, boy, it gives you so much confidence, bro.

[Darren Waller]

For real.

[Sports Analyst]

So much confidence. It just. It had you walking different. How you talking different. You're going to. And you. And you go into the next game, and you expecting to have that same type of performance. So whenever those opportunities do present themselves, and you already got that confidence rolling, man. Ain't nothing out there, man. Ain't nothing out there gonna be able to stop you. So, man, I'm happy for you. And I'm excited. I'm excited for this game because it's gonna be a good one.

[Darren Waller]

But y' all gonna be here, man. Y'. All. Y' all popping out. Where y' all at this weekend? Who y' all watching?

[Sports Analyst]

Oh, well, I'm. Listen, I'm gonna be watching. I'd be way in Brazil, but I'm gonna be watching.

[Darren Waller]

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. For sure.

[Commercial Announcer]

For sure.

[Darren Waller]

Tuned in.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Rob, I'm gonna tell you. This is what you tell cmac. Cause this is what I used to tell td. Hey, man, they in cover, too. Run their ass out, up out it.

[Darren Waller]

I'm trying to tell you. That's all we gotta do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We can't throw them out of COVID too. You run. Hey, online. Run they ass out of this cover, too.

[Sports Analyst]

For real.

[Darren Waller]

Bring no safety down now. Bring no safety down. Yeah, that's what we gotta do. That's all we gotta do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Run them up out of this. Cause if you don't run them up out of it, they gonna play cover two now.

[Darren Waller]

We're gonna stay right in it. And you ain't getting no pad. You ain't getting nothing over the top of that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, and I ain't really trying to come. The only thing really that's open is try to get it fitted in between. Try to hold the corner up and then try to run. Run the sail in behind them or run the square out the deep. Nah, nah, nah. Run their ass. I don't need a safety down. I needed me and him.

[Darren Waller]

That's all we. That's all I'm asking for. Get that running game going. Next thing, no, put that ball in the air. I'm gonna do what it do.

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's what I'm talking about, man. Congratulations on the unbelievable game. Six catches, 111 yards, and the touchdown. He started the game off the second play of the game, go 60, and then he ends up catching the touchdown. They catch score. Touchdown. Late in the ball game, and The San Francisco 49ers advance to the divisional round to take on the arch nemesis, the Seattle Seahawks.

[Darren Waller]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That game is going to be played on. That game is played Saturday. Excuse me. Saturday night. So. Good luck, D. Rob, we'll see you down the road, man.

[Darren Waller]

Man, I appreciate y', all, man. Glad y' all have me on here, man. I appreciate it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah. Tell Cal I say what's up.

[Darren Waller]

I will do, man. For sure. All right. All right. For sure, y'.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All.

[Darren Waller]

All right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Appreciate it, man. Thanks for coming on. Darren Waller went on Johnny Manzel Glory Days podcast and told a story about how he and Mike McDaniel was talking one on one during the end of their season meeting when owner Stephen Ross walked in. McDaniel had literally just told Waller that he wants him back in 2026. Ross joined in the conversation for a bit, then the conversation got quiet, and Waller got the sense that he should leave the room. He checked his phone 20 minutes later, and Mike McDaniel was fired. I was at the scene of the crime. The NFL is a wild business, Joe.

[Uncle C]

That's how I go. It's cut, though, like that, huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I didn't look. Dan Reeves and. And when Coach Reeves and John was having their issues, John. Dan was like, tom, Coach Landry run the football. We're not going to put the ball in harm's way. We're going to try to play great defense. And then Roger Stallback was there. Roger. Roger would win it. Yeah, Roger the Dodger. And that's why John Elway had so many. That's why John had so many comebacks. Because we wouldn't do anything for. For four quarters, for three and a half quarters. And the game would still be close and John would win it in the end. It is, and it's really tough.

[Uncle C]

But.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I've never heard a situation like this. Normally, hey, the owners calls you to his office, right? The owner, like, the owner walked in to the coach's office when he's doing end of end of season interviews. Exit interviews. Yes, that's. That's really wild. Normally they call you into their meeting and tell you. Call you into their office or the general manager, and, you know, they had a conversation. We're going in a different direction, but I've never heard, I've never heard of a situation like this. So they find Johnny had a conversation. We're gonna. I think we'll talk about Steve. No. Where he called John Harbaugh on the phone. He said, he said I thought it would be a, you know, an anatomy move like the man had just left and said turn around and meet me back at the, you know, at the office in an hour. It was just like, you know, hey, you gonna do what you're gonna do. Just let a. And you know, it was tough. I mean telling somebody is fired is not easy.

[Uncle C]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean. Cause he's had success. He's the winningest coach and I know the organization is only 30 years of age, but he's the winning as coach in the, in their young tenure. You got, look, you got Lamar.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So it's a very appealing job. You got Lamar, you got a quarterback, you got a two time MVP quarterback.

[Uncle C]

Is this contract up?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is he ready?

[Uncle C]

Is he finished?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, no, no, no. Those contract's not up. But they got to do something. He got like a 75, 76 million dollar cap here. So they. And Steve Bashadi has made it abundantly clear he wants Lamar if Lamar wants that. If not, he said hey, we'll play it out and move, move on. But he wants him because he know Steve. Look, Steve is very matter of fact. He laid on the table. He said look, I want to do this thing for another 10 years. I'm 65. I said I'm looking at it from 75 now. If we had a couple of bad season when I met that age, I'm probably going to sell the team. It was a couple of good seasons. I'm probably gonna keep holding on. But anyway, he said I'm looking to move on. He said I'm not gonna get this thing is not going to my family. He said it caused too much problems. Yeah, I've seen it turn families against each other and that's not gonna happen. I've made that abundantly clear.

[Darren Waller]

So.

[Uncle C]

So who you think you're gonna bring in? What's, what's a good. What's, what's a good candidate?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mentioned the name Clint Kubiak. Clint Kubiak is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. I played with Clint's dad. I remember Clint when he was a kid running, shagging balls and being the ball boy on the field for us when he, he couldn't have been no more than like six or seven.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Maybe eight. His dad was my quarterback, was the backup to John and then he was my offensive coordinator, so I've been knowing them, and he's really good. You see the. The imagination that he has with Seattle's offense. You saw what Jackson JSN did in Jigba. They run the football, that west coast system, you got to run it. Then they play action pass. And he has a quarterback. His quarterback in Baltimore is better than the quarterback that he has in Seattle. Yeah. So I can just imagine with his imagination and that quarterback and that running back to be able to run the football like they can run it and play action off of that.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What?

[Uncle C]

What?

[Shannon Sharpe]

What?

[Uncle C]

Dick Henry got another year over there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Got two years. Two years and he finished second. He was second last year in rushing over 19. Two years ago with over 1900 yards. He was second in the league in rushing this year with like 50 over almost 1600 yards. He still got tread on the tire. He still got that.

[Uncle C]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And so I'm. I'm. They gotta. But they got. Hey, they gotta get the number one thing. They gotta get whoever. Whatever guard is available in free agency. The Baltimore gotta sign it. They gotta get. They gotta get. They got to get that left. That left, that right guard up out of there. He killing Lamar. He killing Lamar and the running game. But. And they need some defense, Joe. Yeah, they do.

[Uncle C]

They can stay. They can put some points over. Boy, they can't stop nothing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Can't stop nobody. They can't stop nobody.

[Uncle C]

It's definitely an enticing job, though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Uncle C]

You know, you know, with having Lamar Henry back there, I'm surprised. You know, ain't no coaches jumped on that situation already.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, I think maybe. Maybe some of the coaches that they're interested in are still in the playoffs, so you can't. Anybody right now. You had a window, the Broncos and the Seahawks, so you could interview coaches in that window via Zoom, obviously. But if your team was in the playoff, you can't talk until after your season's over. So now move. Now there'll be another break in between the NFC afc, between the championship games and the Super Bowl. So there's a dead weekend there in which you can interview via Zoom for a job. But yeah, I'm. I'm. You got to get the right coach in this situation because. You got too much at stake. You got too much riding on it. You got Lamar Wright smack dab in his prime window. You got Derrick Henry that has a couple more years left. You got to get this thing right. Yeah. Get this thing right. Because you look Drake May.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got Josh Allen, you got C.J. stroud, you got B. Nicks, you got Trevor Lawrence. So it's not getting any easier.

[Uncle C]

No, sir, it's not. But they got some talent. Boy, they got some talent over there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They, they, they got some offensive talent. I don't know how much defensive talent they got.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, they ain't got no. They, they need some help defensively.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But yeah, I like, say, I like Derek, I like Henry, obviously, I like Lamar. I'm surprised that what they did with Andrews because basically they're. This is. They're saying bye to life likely. Oh, are they? Yeah, yeah. And yeah, you're not gonna. You, I mean, you gave, you gave Andrew's what, three years, 40 million? Is that what he. Ain't that what he signed for? Yeah, it's. You're not, you're not bringing him back, cuz somebody's gonna pay him big money. Yeah, yeah, I thought, I thought they would let Andrews go and then keep. Keep likely. But three years, three years, 40. Yeah. So I was, I was, I was surprised by that move. But they need defense, they need pass rushes, they need pass rushers. They need them bad too. Really bad.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, they, they gave. Well, they were what they was in defensive, defensive rating. They was near the bottom this year.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The two cornerbacks gave up the most yardage.

[Uncle C]

Them boys were getting smoked out there. Boy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But when you can't rush the pass, I mean, what, what, what are you, what are your options? You can't hold up all day. And they couldn't rush the quarterback. They couldn't get the quarterback off his mark. So the quarterback just back there. Pat the ball, pat the ball, Pat the ball. So it's tough. The Bears Ram playoff game is expected to be one of the coldest games in NFL history. Joe, look at this video of blizzard conditions happening right now coming off Lake Michigan. 60 mile an hour winds, heavy snows are leading to nearly no visibility.

[Uncle C]

Man, can't nobody play no football in.

[Shannon Sharpe]

There if it's like that. They're gonna be out there.

[Uncle C]

They gonna be playing in this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hell yeah.

[Uncle C]

Man. Come on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The windshield. Expected range between 0 and 10, minus 10 degrees throughout day on Sunday. Wind gusts up to 20 miles an hour. The Rams haven't played in the game below 50 all season. According to NFL stats. Matthew Stafford and bad weather games with the Rams. Cold rain or snow 1 and 8. 54.6 completion percentage, 14 touchdowns, 11 interception. Excuse me. Look at, look at this. We gonna turn the sound. Listen to the sound, Joe. All right. I pulled right Here.

[Uncle C]

Hey, ain't no way they finna play in that. And hold on, hold on. You think the stand's gonna be filled up too?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely packed.

[Uncle C]

Oh, no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Cause fans get a kick out of said. I was at that game. When you played the Ice bowl, when it was 2730, you go back and look at Cincinnati, San Diego, I think that was 1981. Windshield was like 59. Go back, look at the, the Chargers against Cincinnati. I think the windshield was like 40, 50 degrees below zero. What was the windshield?

[Uncle C]

Hey, if they playing in anything close to this, what I'm looking at, I got the bear. I'm taking the be this weekend.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I remember, Joe. 1981, the Chargers played Cincinnati Windchill. Minus 59.

[Uncle C]

That man said 1981.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I remember the game. That's. That's what I told the Chargers. That's. That's the Chargers. The Chargers had just beat the Dolphins. Kellen Winslow had a historic game. Unbelievable in end up blocking a field goal. They won. They had to carry him off the field and for his, his, his, his, his Herculean effort, go to Cincinnati. 59 below. They got thumped. I think they lost 27, nothing.

[Uncle C]

59.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was the final score below 27, seven. Okay. Oh, you. Oh, so that's why you don't remember. You was just being born.

[Uncle C]

I was born in 81. I don't know what's going on. Oh, you played in weather like that before.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I remember, I remember that game.

[Uncle C]

I'm saying you didn't play it or something like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I think the cold. One of the coldest game I played, we played in green bay in 96. It was about 13 degrees. Minus third. Minus 13. And we played the Chiefs and the divisional round in 90. It was in 98, so it's probably January of 98. What was the temperature in 96? It was December of 96.

[Uncle C]

Hey, hey, what is like getting hit in that type of temperature in that weather? What that ground feel like, man, that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Thing like on cement. Joe. I ain't gonna lie, Joe. I'm glad Mike didn't see me. I had construction gloves on. I wasn't. Oh, but, but I caught a pass. I caught the. Well, pass.

[Uncle C]

They threw me. Hey. Boy, I couldn't even imagine, huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Minus 17. Minus 17 in Green Bay, right?

[Sports Analyst]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was the, what was the, the, the Kansas City one.

[Uncle C]

Hey, how the Bears ain't got no dome over there, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You take away the advantage, man.

[Uncle C]

Man, come on, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We don't get to have. Minnesota used. Minnesota used to play outside before they got the dome.

[Uncle C]

And boy, it's cold in Minnesota.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, the Chiefs was January of nine. It was January of 98. January. No, it was January of 99. January of 99.

[Uncle C]

Man, under these conditions here, man, I don't know how you can get out there and play, man. Not. Not in that. Not in that type of weather.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We just seen and you know, hey, Joe, you know you got to go out there. We had no sleep. Hey, I had to show them. I had to show the gun. I had that Vaseline on the outside in the face.

[Uncle C]

You don't say, hey, listen, so why dudes be coming out there with their shirts off and all that, warming up before the game when it's like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know what them fools thinking. I ain't going out there until I have absolutely have to. I'm not going out there. I ain't trying. I'm competing against my opponent and his weather. So I am not going out there until I absolutely have to. The heart. It's easier to play in it than practice in it. It's when it's practice, when you don't have those heats, those heated benches and you don't have the adrenaline going.

[Uncle C]

Right? Right. Oh, my gosh, I can't even imagine. Boy, listen.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, boy. You say hi? Look at this.

[Uncle C]

What's up, big fella?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Tell him your name. He said my name. Teddy Bear.

[Uncle C]

Hey, look, he happy Daddy home.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Boy, is he? Man, as soon as I came through the door, man, man, Titus done done ripped my Montclair jacket.

[Uncle C]

Oh, man, I said, boy, but yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Them jokers here, they. Hey, once I come home, they ain't got nothing to do with auntie no more. He said, I got my. He got my pajamas on. He said, daddy's playing, it's my bedtime. But oh, yeah, Joe, that's. That's the whole thing. That's the thing. Why you. If you're a cold weather team, you want to get home field. I want the Rams. You playing that dome?

[Uncle C]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You played in Carolina. It was a little cold. But you don't know cold yet, right?

[Uncle C]

Not that Chicago cold.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm talking about. I'm talking about. I wanted to be cold. The son of the sun come up with an overcoat on.

[Uncle C]

If they gonna be playing in that, that's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That.

[Uncle C]

That's damn sure what it's gonna be.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. You see statues got overcoats and Scully's old.

[Uncle C]

No, man. No, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The breaking news overnight, Joe. The John Harbaugh was in talks and made his decision. It is the new New York Football Giants. Jordan Schultz reports Harbaugh is expected to be worth five years. 100 million. Yes, five years, $100 million. 20 million per year. What the reports were he was looking to get that 20 million PER. He was looking to get 10 million for his staff and he wanted total control of the roster. I don't know what all he got, but the reports are it is a five year deal worth an estimated $100 million. I don't know if he got the 10 million for his staff support. I don't know if he has total control of his roster. But 10 years is a. Is, is. Is. I mean, excuse me, $100 million is a lot of money. I think only andy Reid is $20 million per year. Eight years ago, John Gruden signed a 10 year, $100 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, which raised eyebrows. According to Connor Hughes of snn, in the days before telling the Giants he was going to take their head coaching job, John Harbaugh sought out and contacted positional coaches from Brian Daball staff to pick their brains on the state of the roster. Several of the coaches had never spoken to Harbaugh before and they told SNY they talked for about 30 minutes about the INS and outs of the team when we, when, when Harbaugh was fired. Well, whatever the case may be, Steve Machadi, when he was fired, relieved of his duties.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I felt someone of his, of his stature was looking for a team that had a quarterback that is the quickest way. Look at Chicago. Yeah. Ben Johnson took that job. What did they have in place? A quarterback. The New England Patriots, who Mike Braver took that job. What did they have in place? The quickest way to get to the playoffs, to get on the winning track is to have a quarterback. They believe they have their quarterback. John Harbaugh, more importantly, believes they have their quarterback. That is why he took this job so quickly. Joe, what do you think? You like to hire?

[Uncle C]

I like the hire, but I'm wondering what Harbron, do you think that was the best quarterback situation? You think that's the real reason why he took that job? I mean, obviously they paid him what he wanted, but I mean, honestly, I.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Think he could have got that from anywhere.

[Uncle C]

But that's, I mean if he could have got that anywhere, it's a lot of enticing jobs out here, man with a lot of talent versus, you know, he got scatterable and the receiver. Them dudes coming off extremely, you know, unfortunate injuries, you know, What I mean, yes. I'm wondering from a talent perspective, do you think that was the best team that he probably could have went to?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, here are the teams. Arizona, they don't have a quarterback. They're going to move on from Kyler Murray. They have Jacoby Brissette. The question of the Tennessee Titans, they have Cam Ward. But he, it seems to me he believed that situation with that roster, you look at the defense, Brian Burns, you look at Dexter Lawrence, you look at Abdul Carter, who they took very high. They had Wonder Robinson, that came off a great season. I get what you're saying about Malik Neighbors, but he should be up to speed because that injury happened so early in the season. He should have a full recovery. Scatter.

[Commercial Announcer]

Boo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We don't know about that. We'll see how that thing. It seems like it's progressing now. They do need some offensive line because the problem is they. He took the before. Before Jackson. Dart got in there, he was taking a lot. Russ was a quarterback, right. That sacked a lot. Now you're gonna have to protect Dart and Dart's gonna have to protect himself from taking unnecessary hits. You're not a running back. You're not Derrick Henry. So you need to get that thought out your head. You need to be smart. Don't be afraid to run out of bounds. Don't be afraid to get on the turf. Sometimes you have to know when the journey is over. But if you look at the jets, you like the jets, they don't have a quarterback.

[Uncle C]

No, no, no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And that, that that franchise is in disarray is dysfunctional. The Giants has been. Have. Has been dysfunctional for a period of time. But all things being equal, I trust the Giants in that situation. And I don't know what. Maybe it's just. I'm hoping the Giant situation more than I trust the Jets. Okay, The Falcons. I think, me personally, I think the Falcons have more of the talent, but they still have undecided issues at the quarterback position. So look at the teams that have a. That have openings. I think the Giants have the best quarterback situation. Do they have more talent than Atlanta? I don't believe they do now, but they have a quarterback. And it doesn't matter how much talent you got, you better have a quarterback that, that can pull the trigger.

[Uncle C]

Right. Okay, I understand that part. I just feel like it's a lot of other teams, especially when you look from the defensive side, I know you gotta have a quarterback. You gotta have guys at skill positions. You gotta put points on the board. Well, if you can't stop nobody, man. You're gonna be in trouble. I don't know how great the Giants defense was, so, you know, that's probably what more I'm looking, I'm looking toward, you know, I'm like, okay, what, what are they. What is their defense like?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, if you. You could predict. The best way if your defense is subpar is to keep them off the field. If you got a quarterback that's turning the ball over, if you can't run the football, that is the quickest way to put your defense back on the field. Right now you could be just porous and not be scheme schematically or don't have the pieces in place. A lot of Cowboys. Cowboys offense is sensational.

[Uncle C]

What you trying to say?

[Shannon Sharpe]

The Cowboys offense is sensational. It's your defense, whether it's schematically. Now, look, you've had a history of this, Joe, for the last decade. You've gone through a ton of different defensive coordinators and with the same results. Your offense is in the top five, your defense is in the bottom five. That's not a good recipe. But I'm looking at just the coach just now. If Green Bay was available, I would tell him to take his ass to Green Bay.

[Uncle C]

Right, Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because they're going to get Michael back at some point. Now, I don't know if he's going to start week one, but there's a chance he's going to. He's going to play at least. Let's just say for the sake of argument, somewhere between 11 and 12 games. If he stays healthy, they might start him on the PUP list and then he'll have to miss the first four games. But you look at them defensively, you look at the offensively, their quarterback, they got Jordan Love. They got receivers, they got a running game, they got a nice. They got a nice offensive line. But of the position that were available, Miami. You like Miami. Their defense isn't that good. They don't have no quarterback. They're going to move on from Tua, it seems like. I like Ed Chan. I love him. He's sensational. But they need offensive line help. They got waddle, so we'll see. I like Darren Waller at tight end. He showed me enough that he still has juice in orange and he should be. He should come back. But I'm just looking at it from a standpoint of teams that have available coaching positions. The Giants have the best quarterback situation based on what I saw this year. Now, that could change. Cam Ward could come back and have A stellar sophomore season. Yeah. And we don't know. I don't think it's, I don't think it's bad. Maybe if they had five or six more games, maybe he missed a game and he comes back. But of the, the coaching, the coaching vacancies that available. I like the Giants, I like the Falcons or overall, but I like the Giants quarterback. And like I said, I think I laid out pretty good chat. If you look at the team, look at, look at where the, the Patriots were last year. Look at these coaches now they're in the division around the playoff. Look at the Bears.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

In the divisional round, the playoff. Both teams playing at home. Now they did go out. They signed, the Patriots signed Stefan Diggs in free agency. They got big Milton Williams. They, they brought some guys in and so you like, okay. And you can do some things. I think the Giants are going to do that and I don't know where they are cap wise but they definitely need some offensive line help to make sure they can protect Jackson Dart. But I like this hire. It's a, it's a proven commodity. Ain't no guesswork. What I wonder if he can do. He's never been a head coach. The man was just a head coach for the last 18 years.

[Uncle C]

Yeah. Yeah, I agree.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So I think he, I think he's a proven commodity.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, I agree. It's, I think it's, it's a great high for the Giants. Obviously you want to be able to keep Jackson Dart on, on the field. Hopefully, you know, he's starting to, he starts to be a lot smarter going in year two. But I mean he, they, they gotta put, they, they gotta get a defense unk that, that can help the offense. Obviously like you say, you want, you want the offense to stay on the field so the, so the defense don't have to work as hard. But for the most part, it looked like Harbaugh wanted more control than anything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I, I. Look when you've been in that position, Joe, and you've had some control, it's hard for you to go to another situation and have no control. Right. Especially after you've been at the job for an extended period of time. He's been on the task for 18 years and to go in most coaches, that's the hardest thing. I mean when you look at Coach Belichick and Coach, Coach Belichick has had total control. It was gonna, if for me, it's gonna be hard for me to see him going somewhere where he has little to no control.

[Uncle C]

Right. Absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because. So I think that's the thing. And look, the reports are Mike Tomlin is not looking to coach. But I like Mike Tomlin in Atlanta.

[Uncle C]

Oh, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Do you like Mike Tomlin in Atlanta?

[Uncle C]

Man, you know how these people embrace Mike Tomlin. If he came here to Atlanta.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, we.

[Uncle C]

He gonna have to find him a quarterback though, huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, for sure. For sure. And I think. I think I. I think as far as there's no question in my mind of the team, the openings that's available. They have the best talent, man. They got better talent than the car. Now, I like the Cardinals. Now look, you look at what the Cardinals got. They got McBride, who arguably the best tight end in football. They got Wilson, who came on and showed like gangbusters. Marvin Harrison Jr. Hey, got Nick this year. Kind of regressed a little bit, but I think he's talented. You get some offensive line, you get, you know, plug a few pieces in defensively, but they don't have what Atlanta has. Elsa, you look at Bijon Robinson, you look at Drake London, you look at Kyle Pitt, you're going to have to sign him back. They have pieces. And defensively, oh, my goodness.

[Uncle C]

That defensive line they got is a monster, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, like. But at the end of the day, Joe, look at. And we're going to talk about this. Look at every quarterback that's in the playoffs. Only one was drafted outside of the first round. You got number one overall pick, Matt Stafford, number one overall pick, Caleb Williams. You see number three pick and number two picking CJ Stroud, number three pick and Drake May. Yeah. Number three picking Sam Darnold. You got to have a bad boy back there. Bo Nix, Josh Allen, all those number one picks, only one quarterback was outside. If you don't have that, I don't give a damn what your defense look like.

[Uncle C]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because sometimes your defense is going to have to overcome bad play. They will now. CJ Stroud can't play Sunday like he played Monday. They're going home. You for sure, because he gonna put his defense in harm's way. They're not going to have to drive the football very far. And they have more weapons than they're able to run the football. And they're able to protect better than what the Steelers were able to do. So he can't have the type of game that he had. But without a quarterback in today's game, the way they have instructed, the way they set it up, you can't win without a quarterback. And so I like this. I like this hire for the Giants.

[Uncle C]

Hey, but I like it too. Well, with these, with these coaches, with these vacancies and let's say you a head coach going into a situation, don't you kind of have some say so? Like if you go into a situation like Atlanta, you know you need a quarterback and they, they, they ask you to be the head coach, don't you kind of got some say so some guys who you think you may want.

[Shannon Sharpe]

To bring in, if you're Mike Tomlin. Yes. If you're John Harbaugh. Yes. But sometimes you're a first year coach, you don't have a whole lot of say. John Harbaugh had to build up to get that. Mike Tomlin had to build up to get that. Coach Belichick had a lot of control but he built up and got even more. Andy Reid got some control but he built up to got more. As they started winning, you coming in and you haven't been a head coach before or you don't, you haven't won, you want to do. You said what, there's only 32 of those positions available, Right, Right. So you're happy to have one of them. Now if you win, you'll get more. You just like Ben Johnson, I believe he'll get more, more say. Mike V. Is going to have more say. But they, Mike was a head coach. He took a team to a championship. He, you know, he's, he's coached in big games before. And so with this situation, you turn that around, you go from 4 and 13 to what, 13 and 4. Ben Johnson, I mean Chicago, you know what they were over the last several years.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But now that you got that quarterback position solidified, you they're going to have a little bit more say. Now mind you, those quarterbacks were already on staff. It wasn't like, you know, Mike Brave was selected.

[Uncle C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It wasn't like Ben Johnson selected Caleb Williams.

[Uncle C]

Absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So it definitely helps if you've got a quarterback already on staff.

[Uncle C]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now you can build out your roster how you want and, and have some success doing that. So it's going to be very, very interesting. But congratulations, John Harbaugh on the job.