Best of NFL News Part 1: Mike LaFleur HIRED the WORST play-caller MONEY CAN BUY Nathaniel Hackett! Raiders INSANE Maxx Crosby Trade Demands

Summary

Club Shay Shay — Best of NFL News Part 1: Offseason Rumors, Coaching Hires, and Player Critiques

Episode Date: February 21, 2026
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guests: Chad Johnson ("Ocho Cinco")
Podcast Theme: A dynamic discussion of the 2026 NFL offseason, focusing on blockbuster trade rumors (Maxx Crosby), controversial coaching hires (Nathaniel Hackett with the Cardinals), and star players' relationships with media critiques (Micah Parsons' comments). The episode balances deep football analysis, candid cultural commentary, and heartfelt personal stories.

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Episode Overview

This episode of Club Shay Shay delivers a lively blend of NFL offseason hot topics—trade demands, controversial coaching hires, and candid player-media relations. Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson dissect trade rumors surrounding Raiders star Maxx Crosby, debate the Cardinals’ hiring of Nathaniel Hackett, and break down Micah Parsons’ viral comments about sports analysts, including direct responses from Shannon himself. The conversation weaves in insights about old-school family ties and house renovations, bringing warmth and nostalgia alongside sharp football analysis.

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Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Raiders’ Trade Demands for Maxx Crosby

Timestamps: 01:17–10:48

• Raiders are reportedly seeking at least two first-round picks and a premium player for DE Maxx Crosby (01:17).
  • Chad Johnson: "They not giving up George Pickens and two first rounders. They're not getting that. The hell." (02:23)
  • The hosts debate what constitutes a "premium player"—starter with Pro Bowl potential or record.
• On negotiations and salary cap:
  • Chad Johnson discusses potential cap room via Cowboys' contract restructures (02:40).
  • Shannon Sharpe: "Instead of making one huge big splash, let’s make a few nice splashes... that can help our defense." (05:39)
• Value of defensive vs. offensive trade pieces is dissected:
  • Possibilities explored: DJ Moore, Rashod Bateman, Kenny Clark for Crosby-type deals (05:59–06:57).
  • Chad Johnson: "You gotta be at least a starter and have Pro Bowl potential." (06:57)

Notable Moment:
Chad jokes about the Bengals’ frugality—“Mike Brown is not making that kind of splash, and he never has. We gonna make little splashes. We not gonna jump in the puddle and get wet.” (09:55)

2. NFL Coaching Carousel: Cardinals Hire Hackett

Timestamps: 13:06–22:38

• Cardinals hire Mike LaFleur as head coach, who then appoints Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator despite his poor track record (13:06).
• Sharpe calls the decision ‘horrible’:
  • “Hiring is based on what your resume looks like… There are so many other offensive coordinators worthy…” (13:42)
  • Sharpe: “This is how the coaching world works. Your friends always keep each other employed.” (14:20)
• Johnson/Sharpe lament coaching nepotism, contrasting with limited opportunities for Black coaches:
  • Sharpe: “They don’t even put us in positions of power to make those calls.” (14:42)
  • “When we do get jobs, we don’t get the green light... simply because we’re the head coach.” (14:58)
  • They highlight how white coaches get recycled jobs within the same coaching trees (16:10–17:45).
• Entertaining analogy comparing hiring to choosing handymen for home improvement:
  • Chad: “Depending on who you ask… that week could be three.” (22:13)
  • Both joke about paying for labor and getting the job done right—cautionary wisdom that ties into coaching hires and personal life.

3. Micah Parsons vs. Analyst Critique: The Player-Media Divide

Timestamps: 38:03–55:41

• The hosts play and react to a viral clip of Micah Parsons airing grievances against football analysts, including direct remarks about Shannon Sharpe (38:03–40:10).
  • Micah Parsons: "...a lot of these dudes is puppets for national tv. If you want to be a puppet, be a puppet. But that’s not me. I’m not selling my soul for a check..." (39:36)
  • Parsons on Sharpe: “Shay, Shay, he live on both sides... Like he don’t really show up when it matter but he’s a good player..." (39:14)
• Shannon Sharpe’s measured response:
  • “This is the first person I’ve seen actually voice his opinion on how he felt about pundits...” (40:10)
  • “Once a person has done something—if he plays good, bad—I don’t take away from what he’s already done.” (41:00)
• Johnson and Sharpe discuss the fine line between constructive criticism and disrespect:
  • Sharpe details Parsons’ regular season vs. playoff performance; holds firm that elite players should face honest analysis.
  • “Micah Parsons is a phenomenal player, but in order for the Cowboys to be better, he needs to be better. What’s wrong with that?” (41:55)
• Larger commentary on Cowboys’ playoff struggles, team-building, and what media responsibility should look like from former players:
  • Sharpe: “We’re supposed to look at what a player has already done... but today he didn’t play well.” (45:27)
  • Johnson: “The ones getting talked about are the great ones... because we hold them to a certain expectation.” (46:31)
  • On praise vs. reality: “The bigger the game, the bigger the player plays. That’s all.” (51:35)

4. Personal Stories: Family Homes and Generational Homesickness

Timestamps: 25:14–37:03

• Chad and Shannon swap heartfelt stories about family homes, grandmothers, and sentimental projects:
  • Both recall how their grandmothers refused to leave their homes even after NFL success (28:11–28:51).
  • Chad: “She still had plastic over the couches… bees in the hallway in 2000...” (28:24)
  • The difficulty—and pride—of renovating a childhood or ancestral home.
  • Shannon: “Taking my grandma through the kitchen... She said ‘let me sit on my bed one last time...’ To see the joy in her place…” (34:46)
  • Big, emotional moments revolving around honoring family legacy and navigating change after loss.

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Notable Quotes

• Chad Johnson on offseason trades:
  "You gotta be at least a starter and has Pro Bowl potential. Kenny Clark has been to three Pro Bowls. That's what I call a premium player." (06:57)

• Shannon Sharpe on front-office decisions:
  "Instead of going making one huge big splash, let’s make a few, a few nice splashes at different positions defensively." (05:39)

• Shannon Sharpe dissects nepotism in coaching:
  "Your friends and those you know who come up under that umbrella and coaching tree... this is how they always keep each other employed." (14:20)

• Micah Parsons (clip):
  "A lot of these dudes is puppets for national tv. If you want to be a puppet, be a puppet. But that's not me. I'm not selling my soul for a check. I'm paid. I'm good." (39:36)

• Shannon Sharpe on athlete criticism:
  "Micah Parsons is a phenomenal player, but in order for the Cowboys to be better, he needs to be better. What's wrong with that?" (41:55)
  "If Tom Brady had all these stats and not done what he done in the postseason, are we looking at him the same?" (48:07)

• Chad Johnson on legacy pressure:
  "The ones getting talked about are the great ones... because we hold them to a certain expectation." (46:31)

• Chad to Shannon on family reno:
  "What do you think I'm doing, huh? ...Nothing is there except the shell of the house right now." (26:53–27:08)

• Shannon on family joy:
  "To see the joy that she like in her place... she said, ‘I just wanted to see it one more time.’” (34:46–35:36)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Maxx Crosby Trade Demands: 01:17–10:48
• Cardinals Hire Hackett / Coaching Nepotism: 13:06–22:38
• Home Repair and Hiring Analogies: 21:06–25:14
• Heartfelt Family Home Stories: 25:14–37:03
• Micah Parsons’ Comments & Analyst Critique: 38:03–55:41

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Tone & Flow

The episode moves seamlessly between sharp football analysis, locker room banter, and deeply authentic family talk. The hosts’ chemistry balances seriousness (about race and fairness in NFL hiring) with humor and emotional openness, creating a summary as engaging as the show itself.

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For First-Time Listeners

• If you’re tuning in to understand the wildest NFL offseason rumors, hear honest debate about coaching politics and player empowerment, and enjoy unfiltered perspectives from two former stars—this episode is a must-listen.
• The candid Micah Parsons debate is a standout, with Shannon Sharpe modeling exactly what thoughtful player-focused analysis should be.
• Don’t miss the vivid storytelling about family homes and legacy, which grounds this football conversation in real life, love, and generational pride.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Chad Johnson]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

of the iHeart podcast award is.

[Greg Rosenthal]

You can decide who takes home the 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards Podcast of the Year by voting at iheartpodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at iheartpodcastawards.

[Audible Announcer]

Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free [e-mail] I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And I am Greg Rosenthal.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I know that, Greg. We're teaming up on 40s and free agents, the podcast that owns the NFL off season.

[Greg Rosenthal]

This is where teams are built. Free agency combine, pro days, trades. Every move matters.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

From my draft boards and mock drafts

[Greg Rosenthal]

to my vaunted top 101 free agents and how rosters come together, quarterback movement, surprise signings.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

We'll tell you what it means and who really wins. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search 40s and free agents and listen now.

[Chad Johnson]

Hello, it's your favorite sports funk here. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button to join the fastest growing community on YouTube. Remember, Nightcap doesn't happen without you, so please subscribe or you're gonna make OO CR. The Raiders want at least two first round picks and a premium player for any potential Max Crosby trade per Adam Shefter.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh yeah, I like it.

[Chad Johnson]

Now hold on, Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I like it.

[Chad Johnson]

We got cream. Oh, he dang trading him. They not do. All y' all do is keep stuff, man. Oh, you and Ocho Messi. Two first rounders, boy. I know the Cowboys. If I know who.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Who we trading? Yeah, who we trading? Say the name. What play are we trading for the Cowboys to the Raiders?

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, Kenny Clark.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Come on, man. Going about it. They said a premium player.

[Chad Johnson]

Who y' all want? Oh, y'.

[Shannon Sharpe]

All.

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, they're not giving up George Pickens in two first rounders. They're not getting that. The hell.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you think you're gonna be able to keep George Pickens and pay Mac Crosby too?

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah, the cap going up. They're gonna re. They gonna look, they're gonna restructure CD. They gonna restructure DAC. Just those two restructures alone is 60 million. Excuse me. Those two restructured alone. 60 might throw Queen in there, restructuring deal. Ain't nobody else making no damn money. What are they going to do with steel? Are they going to cut steel? Are they going to re, you know, reduce his pay?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, you know what? I don't know what's going to happen. I could tell you. I could tell you one thing. This is for me, for me as a fan of the game in general. This is going to be one of the most exciting off seasons for me to see where certain individuals go when Tyreek is healthy. Where's Tyree going? What are they gonna do with Mac Crosby? What are they going to do with George Pickens? How long are they going to play the long game? You know, as far as, as far as he concerned my Bengals. What are you going to do with off season acquisitions? What do you want to do with the draft? My Dolphins.

[Chad Johnson]

Okay, give us T. Higgins and two first rounders.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Chad Johnson]

What you mean, no?

[Shannon Sharpe]

What are my Dolphins gonna do at the quarterback position?

[Chad Johnson]

I'm talking about your Bengals. What about your Bengals?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now, we good.

[Chad Johnson]

We want T. Higgins and two first rounders. And we'll give you, we'll get, we'll, we'll trade you Max Crosby.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, we good. We good. We good, Chad. We good.

[Chad Johnson]

But you want the Cowboys to give up George picking the two first rounders.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wait, hold on, hold on. The Cowboy. Listen, listen. T ain't going nowhere. Now, I'm only saying that because I told you why. I want George Pickens to go somewhere else outside of Dallas. It was simply to maximize how much he can make. That's all. Now, Cowboys fans, they don't like that. They don't appreciate that. I understand that George Pickens salary will have to be north of what CD Lamb makes. Now, CD Lamb is the number one receiver, and he was paid as such two years ago. Now, having someone come in and be paid number one receiver kind of makes you the number two when you're making less than him. I just don't see how that would work in, in general, no matter what anybody says, you know, But I, I, that that's just me. But I mean, I mean, they, they

[Chad Johnson]

again, you ain't gonna give up T and two from Max Crosby.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, no. With all due respect, no.

[Chad Johnson]

Because I think the thing is, they're looking at the kind of what Green Bay gave up. Yeah, what Green Bay gave up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Get Micah. Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

So there's like, okay, we'll give you a similar type player.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, we're we're more than one piece away, you know, defensively. So I, I rather, instead of going making one huge big splash, let's make a few, a few nice splashes at different position defensively. That can help our, that can help our defense.

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, I'm trying to think if you, if you're Chicago, are you willing to give up DJ Moore a first and a second for Max Crosby? Would you. Rashad Bateman in a first and a second for Max Crosby.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's gonna be nice. It's gonna be nice because you got

[Chad Johnson]

to give up your first round pick.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

You're not getting it for, you're not getting it for anything less than the first and it's gonna be multiple picks. But they said a premium player and I don't know the only, the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Really, I mean now when you say

[Chad Johnson]

premium, you can't get Henry. They're not giving you Zay Flyers because he's their best receiver. You're not getting Lamar. So I'm just trying to figure out you're not getting Hamilton.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I need, I need better context on what premium means. When a team says you want a premium player, what are we talking about?

[Chad Johnson]

You got to be at least a starter and has Pro bowl potential. Kenny Clark was a pro. Has got. I think if I'm not mistaken, I think Kenny Clark has been to at least one Pro Bowl. So that's kind of, that's kind of. I'm thinking when I say premium, a starter or more than a one year starter and possibly, I would say possibly a Pro bowl player.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, that, that, that's tough. That's tough. See, I mean, right now I wouldn't want to be a gm. I mean, I'm trying to put that hat on, but I. Kenny Clark has

[Chad Johnson]

been to three Pro Bowls.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nice.

[Chad Johnson]

So T would fit right into that because T been the two.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo. Relax, relax. This ain't Madden. This ain't Madden.

[Chad Johnson]

My bad.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nah, this ain't Madden. We good. We good. I told you. I told we. We gonna make some small splashes, try to improve that defense. We ain't trying to make no, no.

[Chad Johnson]

If I'm Baltimore. If I'm. If I'm Baltimore, I'm. I'm Chicago. I gotta make it. I gotta make a move. I gotta make a move, but I gotta get somebody that can get home.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You forgot you, you ain't even mentioned Dallas.

[Chad Johnson]

But yeah, I'm saying. Yeah, well, we've already talked about Dallas. Dallas.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. Okay.

[Chad Johnson]

They gotta make a move.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah,

[Chad Johnson]

I mean. They Got? Well, they gave up one of those first rounders to get Quinny. You still have two. I give. Would you be giving up another one? They're not gonna want to give up Quinny. So basically, I'm trying to think, on the Dallas defense, who you got? Ain't nobody been to the Pro Bowl. Kenny Clark's been to the Pro Bowl. Quinny has been to the Pro Bowl. Right, but who else is the defensive player? Do you. Deron Bland?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, but we. I mean, now that I'm thinking about it. Well, we need a lot, boy, because I'm.

[Chad Johnson]

I'm. Because I don't know. I don't know if the premium player oo to do want an offensive guy or defensive guy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

See, that. That's the thing. I would need better context from the Raiders. Help me help you. When you say premium, what do you mean by premium?

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, I think he's at least Pro Bowl. At least Pro Bowl. That's a premium player. I think we'll all agree that is a premium player.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Chad Johnson]

Y' all ain't got a whole bunch of them on defense. And the ones y' all got, you're not trying to give a burrow. You're not giving a burrow. You're not giving up. Chase for sure.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Why. Why we talk about the Bengals usually?

[Chad Johnson]

Y' all need. Y' all. Couldn't you. Hold on? You had t and what you call them come on there and said, we want Max Crosby. And you asked me, why am I talking about the Bengals?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, goodwill. Mike Brown is not making that kind of splash, and he never has. We gonna make little splashes. We not gonna jump in the puddle and get wet.

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, so you. So you ain't throwing no boulder in there. You throwing a pebble. You got a little ripple.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Listen, listen. We need small, small, small wins. We don't need a big win. We need small wins in the offseason, the small wins in the draft.

[Chad Johnson]

So in other words, what are you doing? Guys, he got those Chinese. Y' all remember. Y' all see. Remember the Summer Olympic or Chinese gymnast, and they. Those. Those high, diverse platform, and it like. I mean, ain't no splash.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

So he looking to. He looking at one of them Chinese swimmers.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

You know, going there with no splash. He ain't trying to do no cannonball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah. We don't want to do a cannonball. We don't want to. No. We only know. We only do no cannonball. No,

[Chad Johnson]

I'm just trying to help y' all get to the playoffs.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We're going to be all right. We're going to be all right. We gonna be all right. We keep our quarterback upright, we keep him healthy throughout the season. He gonna be all right.

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[Chad Johnson]

And the winner of the iHeart Podcast Award is.

[Greg Rosenthal]

You can decide who takes home the 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards Podcast of the Year by voting at iHeartPodcastAwards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at iHeartPodcastAwards dot com Audible is

[Audible Announcer]

a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks and podcasts and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free [e-mail]

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And I'm Greg Rosenthal and this is

[Daniel Jeremiah]

40s and free agents.

[Greg Rosenthal]

The games may be over, but the NFL never stops. This is my favorite part of the calendar.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine, the NFL draft pro days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future.

[Greg Rosenthal]

This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money on 40s and free agents. We break down every move that actually

[Daniel Jeremiah]

matters, from my draft evaluations, mock drafts

[Greg Rosenthal]

and team fits to my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built. Cap space, contracts and all the tough decisions included.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You got quarterbacks on the move.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We got teams rebuilding its hope season.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Absolutely, it's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise and what it means for your favorite team.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Smart analysis. Real conversations every week.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartrade radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Chad Johnson]

Cardinals new head coach Mike LaFleur defended the decision to hire Nathaniel Hackett as a team offensive coordinator. Hackett has received heavy criticism at recent stops, the jets and the Broncos, the latter which is head coach in 2022. Hackett didn't even last one full season at the Broncos head coach and he was fired after just 15 games. Meanwhile, in his second season with the jets, he was relieved to play calling duties when Jeff Uberick took over as interim head coach. Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

For an offense that is struggle, is hiring Nathaniel Hackett the best Leflore can do?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Absolutely not. I mean, it was horrible. It was a horrible decision. I mean, based on hirings are based on who's the best candidate for the position, and it's based on what you've done in the past. What does your resume look like? What do your accolades look like at said position? There are two prime examples. For one, a season where you didn't make it, you only made it 15 weeks and obviously you, you were horrible at another place. So how is it that you're the best person for the job when there are so many other offensive coordinators that are worthy and have the quality to be able to call those plays? So again, this is how the coaching world works. Your friends and those you know who come up under that umbrella and coaching tree that you know which, this is how they always keep each other employed. Come on over here with me. I have a job for you. Regardless of how you've done in the past.

[Chad Johnson]

That's what we need to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It's ridiculous.

[Chad Johnson]

That's what we need to do. Us,

[Shannon Sharpe]

they don't even put us in positions of power to be able to make those kind of calls.

[Chad Johnson]

When we get a head coaching job, do we do that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, we don't.

[Chad Johnson]

That's what I'm saying. I'm saying when we are fortunate enough to get a head coaching job, I

[Shannon Sharpe]

have one more thing, I have one more thing to say. When we are, when we are in positions to be leader of men and are able to get head coaching jobs, I don't think we have the green light and the full power. We think we do simply because we're the head coach.

[Chad Johnson]

So you believe, Tell me all these years Mike Tomlin didn't have no, wasn't, wasn't, didn't have that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You just named one person.

[Chad Johnson]

What about Marvin? We're talking about guys that had long. Marvin was there 15 plus years.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But we, you know why Marvin was there? Because Mike Brown is not firing nobody. Mike Brown's not firing nobody. That's not his movie. When it comes to Mike Brown, you're gonna make every dollar on your contract. You gonna, you're gonna play that thing all the way out. So I understand that, but I just think for us, you already know how this business is. Those of you that are in the chat that are listening.

[Chad Johnson]

I don't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know how many more examples you need to see to understand that if we do, they already don't want us in no position to begin with. And you think we're going to allow you to be in that position to be a head coach and then. Then give you full reign to hire who you want to? Absolutely not.

[Chad Johnson]

Because if you. Hell no, Ocho. Robert Salah got hired. Got fired. Where'd he go?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Back to what he knows best. Come on.

[Chad Johnson]

Now. He's with Kyle Shanahan. And then what happened, Ocho? He got a head coaching job.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Good job. See how that work? You see how that work, right? You see how they work?

[Chad Johnson]

Go back and look at some of these coaches and look at what happens when they lose their job at one place. They go right back where they started, and then before you know it, they got a new job.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Always have a job. It's a great thing. It's almost. It's almost like, you know how you. You do your ancestry tree with your DNA and you scroll back and it always leads back to, okay, this is where my family is from. Once you're part of that coaching cycle or that coaching tree, you're gonna always have a job. Yep, always.

[Chad Johnson]

And you don't have a job. Somebody from. From that tree. Go back and look at. Look at Sean McVeigh's tree. Look at cap and look at. Look at how it's interwoven. Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh and all those guys in the floors. Look how it's interwoven. Look how they take care of one another. My. My guy, Clint Kubiak. I. Like I said, I've known Clint. Clint, dad was my offensive coordinator in 90 and 91. He was my offensive coordinator from 90 to. From 95 until 99 and again, 02 and 03. Go look at his staff. Rick Denison, who was on his staff with his. With. With. I played with Rico. We call him Rico. Rick Dennison now he's the assist advisor to the head coach, Joe Decamillas.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

When Joe. Joe d. Camillus used to be the strength and assistant strength and conditioning coach. Turned himself into a great special teams coach. That's a special teams coach. Mike McCoy was there with. With. Cool. You see unbelievable stuff. Look at. Look at McVeigh staff. Look at their. When they get an opportunity and they can get guys that were on other staffs and elevate them. Come on. Yeah, come on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I got you. I got You.

[Chad Johnson]

I got you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, now I got you. I. I tell you what. I tell you what. In Arizona, I don't think anything gonna change. I don't think anything, anything gonna change. Okay, what are we doing at the quarterback position? Exactly. What are we doing at the quarterback position? You had a problem when you were at Denver. You had a problem when you were in New York.

[Chad Johnson]

But he ain't gonna be calling plays.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do?

[Chad Johnson]

Mike LaFleur is gonna call plays. He didn't call plays in Green Bay when he was with. With his brother.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, well, he good, then. He good.

[Chad Johnson]

Matt LaFleur. Matt LaFleur called a play. But, but, but they tell us, Ocho, they want somebody that called plays.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hold on.

[Chad Johnson]

What is Mike LaFleur? Look, and I don't have nothing against Mike LaFleur. I wish him the absolute best. But he didn't call plays with the Rams. Everybody knows that. Sean called those plays.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, well, yeah, he had the court, he had the clip. What do you call the thing in your hand? What do you call that?

[Chad Johnson]

What?

[Shannon Sharpe]

The play sheet, the script. The play sheet. He always had the play sheet in his hand.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes. So he's not gonna. I mean, Nathaniel Hackett didn't call plays in Green Bay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what is it?

[Chad Johnson]

La flor did?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I have a question. So what is Nathaniel hacking? Job in Arizona?

[Chad Johnson]

He got a job in title office coordinator. He ain't calling no plays. Oo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You see how they. Do you see how you see the game they play?

[Chad Johnson]

Yes. You say yes,

[Shannon Sharpe]

man. Come on, man.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Yes.

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, so. And I don't want people to. I ain't got no problem with it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right?

[Chad Johnson]

Because here's the thing, and this is how it normally works, is that you hire people that you're comfortable with, that you know or you know someone intimately. Yeah. And so I don't know if Mike was on the staff with his brother. I think Mike has always been with Sean. Yeah, but Matt, Mike's brother, vouch for it. So that's like you own a company. And I said, ocho, man, I got this dude, man. I'm telling you, he could help you do a lot. I'm vouching for now. I'm very, very hesitant to put my name behind somebody because that's my name. I come to you and tell you, ocho, this man a hard worker. You'll say, oh, man, you told me a hard worker, man. I can't get him to go. Damn. Yeah, he got out here making me look bad. Hey, but when you're familiar with somebody

[Shannon Sharpe]

and you know what you're getting. You know what you're getting. Hey, I got a question too.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Totally, totally off subject. But, but context wise and perspective, it's almost the same.

[Chad Johnson]

Okay.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And the way you just explained. And I'm, I'm hiring someone I'm familiar with and I know the job that they're going to do. Have you ever had somebody do work on your house?

[Chad Johnson]

I have.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Were they black or were they of, of Latin descent?

[Chad Johnson]

Well, the handyman that normally comes over, now he's black. He'd be on the people that did stuff on my house in Atlanta.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

They got referred, they, I, a good friend of mine that we had been friends with, they had done work on their house.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Chad Johnson]

They were very pleased I got them to do work on my house. Yeah. Joe, my handyman in Atlanta, I like him because for the most part we call him, if he can't get over that night, he's coming over first thing in the morning.

[Shannon Sharpe]

In the morning? Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

That's what you got to have when you dealing with a handyman.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, you know, I think I could get there by the end of the week, bro. It's Monday. What you mean the end of the week?

[Shannon Sharpe]

See, see, see what I mean? Okay. Said job is gonna take two a week.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now depending on who you ask to do said job.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That week could be three.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They own the job on Wednesday. I got to take a phone call. You know what, I got to go pick up somebody. I got emergency, I gotta run. That's just small instances. Depending on what depending on. That's why you got to be careful on who you bring, who you bring in.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When it comes to, when you, when you're doing stuff serious, where it can cost you your job. Now that hire is very, that higher is very important. Even though he might not be calling

[Chad Johnson]

the place, what gets me upset. Oo if it's amazing. You ever notice Oo like when somebody's trying to get a job, soon as you come. God damn, you must have knew I was calling. You picked the phone up. The phone didn't even ring on my end. Then when they get said job, all of a sudden, I, I, I gotta see when I can get over there. I say now, see, when you was trying to get the job, it wasn't no seed. Let me see what I can get over there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, you on point?

[Chad Johnson]

Your ass showed up on point. Now we done paid you in full.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, whoa, that's a mistake. That's A rookie mistake.

[Chad Johnson]

No, the ball covered, Ocho. Because I'm like, look, we.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What?

[Chad Johnson]

We need materials. And so. Okay, I get. All right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, okay.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Now I'm gonna need this. Now, when something go wrong. Well, I said, oh, there ain't no whale.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ain't no. Ain't no extra money.

[Chad Johnson]

Well, how deep. That's the only whale I know. So. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. So I, I. So this is how it goes with everything. She, you, anybody that does anything at my residence, right. Atlanta or Vegas, they work directly with Shelly. Shelly informs them, you will deal directly with me. If you have to deal with Mr. Sharp, it's not going to go well. So the best thing is to deal with me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, man. And you be getting on. You be getting on. You be getting on the Monk. If you got to deal with him, it's going to be hell, huh? Yes.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes. And you're not getting. And you're not getting the. Oh, yeah. How you doing? Oh, yes. Oh, yeah. It was a great. No, you're not getting that guy. No, you're not getting water from Nantucket. You're absolutely not. You getting that mofo from down south.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

So I just need you to understand. Yeah. Because I've done what I said I was gonna do. You said, you need your money at this. Okay. You need money this time. Okay. Well, Mr. Sharp, every time we complete a stage, we're going to need to get paid. Boom, no problem.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah,

[Chad Johnson]

I ain't got no problem with that. I ain't. Nobody can ever say, well, he tried to shortchange me. If I agree to it, I'll never. I will never nod yes and mean no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I got.

[Chad Johnson]

So you tell me, okay, this is what the job. This is what the job is going to cost. Whatever the case may be, Mr. Sharp, we would like to get paid, and paid in stages, so forth. So got no problem.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Here's the deposit. We take a deposit and then every two weeks, we should have a phase completed until the project is done.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. It's so funny. The way you explain. That is exactly what they do in the grandma house. You know, Grandma house, obviously, has been. This is 1940, 1949. So you got to think it's been no work done on Grandma's house in 1949. Obviously passed in 2018. Passed down to my mama. Mama passed in 2021. So at one point, in the 80s and 90s, that house, it was so nice back then. During that time, we Had a swimming pool. We had arcade machine on the porch.

[Chad Johnson]

Damn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, my grandfather. I don't think this is a show to talk about that, but he was the big man in a sense, Grandma. Completely, completely different. Had me blind you in church every Sunday. You were teaching the Dade county public school system for 41 years. Wait a minute. How you even got mixed up and married to that once I got old enough to understand who he was at that time. So I. I'm trying to figure out why people always coming around taking pictures. This. I mean, old cameras, too. I'm talking Polaroid back then, you know, taking pictures, coming by to see the house, and it used to be a staple in Liberty City. Boy, we got to slide by and just see Chad Grandma house. I didn't understand it back then. Now, as I got older, I get who he was now. I understood why people would do it. And now it looked like a sore thumb on the block. That's how bad it gotten because they no work since 1949. So you already know.

[Chad Johnson]

It's still your house.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah, it still are. It's still.

[Chad Johnson]

Fix it up, Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What would you think I'm doing, huh? No, I'm gonna tell you right now. It's work being done. It's nothing. The unk. Nothing is there except the shell of the house, right? Everything gone, man. And seeing some of my grandma's stuff, you know, being. Being moved out of there and.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, every.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Everything gone.

[Chad Johnson]

And, you know, you'll be mad you doing that, but you got to get inside with time changes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah. And I remember when I got drafted. I remember when I got drafted. I say, grandma, boom. I done made it. All the work we put in, all the sacrifice and all the things that you've done for me, I can finally repay you back. We can move out of Liberty City. Boy. She let him say, boy, please, man. I'm not going nowhere. Well, I can. I can do some renovations to the house. You know, we can add another story. Boy, you would not touch nothing on this house. I wanted exactly how it is and how we. How my. How my mama got it in 1940, whatever it may have been. I said, are you sure you want to move? Bigger house, nicer? No. I said, what about a new car? Because you riding that diesel Benz and that loud crane want to get. Get rid of the diesel. Boom. I got a. I got a BMW. She was cool. Outside of that little big body. Outside of that, she wouldn't move and said, do not touch her house. Un. When I stayed with my grandma. I made it to the league. I stayed with my grandma in the city the first three, four years in the league because I refused to go get a place. She still had goddamn plastic over the goddamn couches with the ba.

[Chad Johnson]

Hold on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Even worse. You know how you walk through the hallway?

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Remember back in the days? I don't know anybody in the chat. Depending on where you're from. Remember the bees that hang?

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got to go through the bees. She still had the goddamn bees in the hallway in 2000, 2003, 2002. Like, Grandma, what we doing? Come on. But now I don't know how she feel up there and have it right now. It's gonna look modern. Everything stainless steel and glass and I, I, I don't know. I don't know.

[Chad Johnson]

I believe if the house that we had that we grew up in. Oo, Yes. I believe if that house had running water and indoor plumbing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

I don't think my grandmother would have left either. I don't think she left. The only reason that got left, you know, she said she wanted to be able to go have indoor plumbing before she died. She wanted to go be able to go to the bathroom.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right, right, right. Instead of having to go to the outhouse. Okay.

[Chad Johnson]

But she tried to bring. Oo. My grandma tried to bring. She had peaches and pears and blackberries and tomatoes and stuff she had canned in the 70s and 80s. Late 70s, mid late 70s. She was trying to take it to the house in 88 peaches. I'm talking about stuff that's been canned and jarred for 10 and 15 years. Yes. She still tried to bring. And if anybody that's my age or older, you know, cast iron bed. Bears used to be made of iron. Ocho. They weren't made of wood.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, they were heavy.

[Chad Johnson]

They weren't made of lacquer. They were made of iron. Iron. Yeah. You know, my grandma talk about. Boy, I sure miss my bed. Oh, that bed ain't coming, Granny. Yeah, that bed ain't coming.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, man.

[Chad Johnson]

Somebody might play good money to get a get iron. Some cast iron. Yes, sir, that bed that's coming. But that's, that's how, that's how old people are. Oo. It's hard to get them out of their ways because they had gone so comfortable. Yeah. All my grandma had ever known for 66 years is to go outside and she gonna get rained on. She understood that. She has accepted. You know what? That's what my great grandma added. Which was? Which was her Grandma. Grandma Lou. Which was her mom. Yeah. That's what. That's all she had ever known. So she had resigned to the fact. Hey, hey, I get to go to church. I'll do what I need to do. She worked at the Glenview Nursing Home, the very home she spent the last two years of her life in.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Even though my sister got up there every day and fed and made sure she did everything. That's where she was. Yeah. And then when she stopped working there, she'd go and clean people's house and bathe. Bathe people. Some of them not as old as she is, but couldn't get around my girl. But that's what she wanted. That's. Yeah. She goes fishing. Libby, run me out here. Libby, run this and drop me off. You come back and get me. Let me stay out there about three or four hours. That's what she wanted to do. She wanted to be able to go fishing, have my sister drop her off. My uncles never come sometime and take a. Mama, let's go fishing. I ain't got no base. We already bought them, Mama. That's what you want to do. But there's no greater feeling. Oo, yeah, I know the feeling that you felt when you had made it. And now I can. All that. All the sacrifices you make.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was ready.

[Chad Johnson]

Sacrificing Granny. Ain't no more. Ain't no more.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was ready. Boy, she took them glasses off. Move. Where? Boy, get out my face. I, I never again. I remember she promised, man, don't put me in no home. I. I want to be here. Right in my room. I never forget, my mama had moved from la. She was down here at that point because grandma got a little dementia, you know, a little bit. She kept falling over herself. So my grandma was taking care of her and she got in bedridden, you know, it's where my mama had to take care of and had to change her and having to go in that. Having to go and grab my room and. Because she was in there so long, I mean, you know, put in the wheelchair, bring out all.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure, you know? I know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, yeah. The smell was still in there in 20, 26. I can still smell the smell and the. I don't want to use the word stench, but it's like it was still there. It was still in grain, maybe in the carpet. I. I don't know what it was. And it's like I could barely. I couldn't even go in that room, you know. You know, at one point, and Just to be able to come back to the house. The guy started working on the house on a Monday. I told my little brother, I'm gonna get you somewhere to go. I'm gonna get your airbnb. I'm gonna pay it off for two, three months so you, you know, good. You can go to and from work. I paid the guy to deposit on a Monday. I went by the house on a Wednesday. The house was a goddamn shell. Every couch, every cabinet, like it was nothing but just the beams.

[Chad Johnson]

Yeah, he.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The chimney. My grandma had the old chimney. The old chimney. Back in the days, the chimney was gone. Like, you could walk. I mean, I don't know how many people follow me on Twitter or follow me on Instagram. You could just walk through the house. I can stand in the. In the street and see all the way in the backyard. I'm like, how y' all move that fast?

[Chad Johnson]

Oh, they get it up out of there. Unbelievable. I'm sure he'll be happy with that. You'll be happy with that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

You know, but them people, they. They. They love their home, man. I remember my sister called me and say, granny said she want to go to the house one more time, because at that time, she had never been back to the house. Yeah, I said, so when she want to go? I say. I said, okay. I said, so how. How you go about that? Well, I'll tell the people because, you know, it's a service, Medicaid. They'll come pick Granny up, take away she want to be, and then she'll stay there X amount of time, and then they'll come back and pick her up. I say, no more. I'll beat you there. Yeah, I gotta. Knowing how bad my grandmother. You got to realize my grandma. My grandma ain't no small woman now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir,

[Chad Johnson]

man, I put my girl. Put my girl, because the steps. And at that point in time, we did not have it because when she got. She got sick. It just happened just like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

So we didn't have time to build, like, where you could take a wheelchair accessible. Yeah, man. I To put my grandma in the. In there because I was much of a man back then. Oh, was no hip problem. Oh, you were good. You. I was much of a man on. I was much of a man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

Put my grandma in there. Boy. You should see the look on her face. Ocho. She said, whoo, Libby, I ain't never think I'd see my house again. So she, you know, I'm taking her through the kitchen and you Know, I ease her down, you know, I roll it down and you know, because she. She in the back to go down the hallway, take a. Take out there. You say, son, help me. Help me get out this chair. Let me get. Let me. Let me sit on my bed one last time, boy, Ocho. To see the joy that she like in her place.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Because I say, libby, do you want me to get the house? Have the. Just like. Just like her room is? She said, no, Shannon, you spent 3, $400,000.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You.

[Chad Johnson]

Granny ain't gonna make it too much longer. And then what? We got this stuff here. She said, no, Granny fine. Yeah, Granny fine. But just that, Ocho, she stayed maybe an hour. May if she stayed an hour, she said, I'm ready to go back now. I just wanted to see it one more time. Probably six, eight months.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

That was like. Because I didn't know. Because, you know, she kept.

[Greg Rosenthal]

She.

[Chad Johnson]

She kept. Oh, I sure wish I could see my. She kept mentioning. I said, maybe you think she want to go? She's like, I. I'll.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I.

[Chad Johnson]

You know, she had a right mind. It wasn't like she. She knew every. She knew all her grandkids and so forth and so on. She knew all that. So I was like, well, she can't. Every time. Every time I talk to her, she's keep saying she wanted, you know, she want to go to the house one last time. I said, you think you want to go back to stay or you just want to go visit? Because I was confused. Ocho, let me say I'm gonna ask him. See? She said she just want to visit. I said, well, how you gonna go about that? She said, I just call the people and people, you know, just like, they'll take her, you know, they'll come get you from the place.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Take you to your doctor's appointment, X, Y, and Z, wherever you mean to go. They'll wait, and then you. They'll come back and get you. Yeah. I said, tell them people to come get tell. I'll meet them at the house. I. I'll meet them at the house, and I'll take it from there. Man, ain't nothing like that, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm. Some good days.

[Chad Johnson]

All this and people like, man, I said, all my hips, all my knees, my back.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

I would do it ten times over to see that woman, the joy. If y' all could see the joy on that woman's face. Please do it all. Do it all over again, Ocho, and not even think about it. Not even blink. Chat because what the hell am I doing this for? Michael Parsons went on Funny Marco's podcast and had some interesting comments. Ocho Ocho. You know, we want to make sure everyone has the full context. Yes. So here is the full two minute clip. So we don't want to. No confusion. No, that's not what he said. Here's the full two minute clip of what Michael Parsons said on Funny Marco's podcast. Take a listen.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Chat.

[Michael Parsons]

Like I tell you. Like, Skip Bayless Autumn. Like I don't give a. That's that. But that's. That's them. Because that's part of talking, this communication. Yeah, no, I just like, like they want to rage bait me. Rage me. Like, but like they won't say that to my face. Like I wouldn't. I told you these Twitter finger ass. I would be the same thing. Like them. I don't give a fuck. I tell you how it is. You suck. You suck. Your show don't work no more. Like, what are we talking about here? Just open them. Open thoughts. Yeah, that's why this is called open thoughts. Because you just have an open thought of like. Like, like motherfuckers be trying to like tell you how to play the game. Come play my position, Skip. Cause I can do what you do. Shit, I do it better sometimes. Yeah, I say it. Yeah. So like what are you. What are we talking about here? Is Shannon Sharp on the good side? Shay. Shay, he live on. He live on both sides. Like he know how to play the fine line between like as a player and as a show. Like he played that. Like he don't really show up when it matter, but he's a good player. Like he knows how to. But he knows how to. He. Sometimes he edge on that. He be letting them ESPN writers get to him a little bit. I can tell. So do you see yourself at the retirement being a sports analyst and talking, you know, being on there? It honestly just depends on like if they let me be me. Like I'm not here to instigate no other player or talk bad about another player because they had a bad game or whatever the organization, if they want me to be anti. Whatever fan base, I'm good, bro. I'm not no fucking puppet. A lot of these dudes is puppets for national tv. If you want to be a puppet, be a puppet. But that's not me. I'm not selling my soul for a check. I'm paid. I'm good. Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Forever.

[Michael Parsons]

Forever. That's why I'm be a friend.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, you. You want to go first.

[Chad Johnson]

What would you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, I like that. I don't know what show it was. I don't know if our shows are numbered. But I did talk about. I wish players were a little bit more honest and were open and would open up about how they truly feel. Start telling the truth on how they really feel. Everyone is always PC. This is the first person that I've seen come along and actually voice his opinion on how he felt about punishing analysts. Your thoughts?

[Chad Johnson]

I was fine. I mean, he said what he said about Skip. I'm not here to, to, to defend or protect or whatever he said about Skip. I was cool until he brought my name up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wait, it wasn't bad.

[Chad Johnson]

I was a, I was an advocate. Right? Go back and look when he was coming out and see what I said about this young man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

He said, well, he knows how to play the right. You know what I do. This is what I do, Micah. Because what I believe. And I've said this before Chat and y' all know I said this. Once a person has done something, whether or not he plays good, bad in a game, I don't take away from what he's already done. So Michael, me saying Michael is a phenomenal player. He's a first team all pro. He's a. A perennial defensive player of the year candidate. But he did not play well in this game. What's wrong with what I said? So here's some stat. Michael Parsons in the cap with the Cowboys ocho. He had 52 and a half sacks, 21, 22, 23, 24. This year he played in Green Bay. He became only the second player in NFL history to notch 12 plus sacks in his first four seasons. Behind the only great, legendary Reggie White.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Rest his soul. In four playoff games with Mike, Michael Parsons played with the Cowboys. He has eight solo tackles, 10 assisted tackles, one sack, zero interceptions, zero force fumbles, zero fumble recoveries, zero touchdowns, three quarterback hits, three tackle for losses. Oh, so what am I supposed to do, Chad? Please tell me what I'm supposed to do. Michael Parson is a phenomenal player, but in order for the Cowboys to be better, he needs to be better. What's wrong with that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

So he needs to be better in those specific games once they reach the playoff. That's what I said. Okay, okay, okay.

[Chad Johnson]

How am I playing both sides? I'm being honest. He's a phenomenal player, but he didn't play well today. That's why Green Bay put 48 on you. That's why those teams did what they did to your defense because you didn't play like we've seen you play in the regular season. What is wrong with that? Oh, ESPN riders. Chad. Do y' all really believe, honestly, y'. All. Y' all seen me at a lot of different locations. Y' all seen me at FOX for seven years. Y' all saw me at ESPN for two. Do y' all really believe they be telling me what to say? Considering what I be saying? Do you really honestly believe.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No. That that that would mean you would have a ghostwriter. And you can tell by the way you talk and the way you explain yourself and you go in depth about the game in general. That's not coming from anyone else except you and your expertise based on what you see. Because you don't watch the goddamn sound when you're watching football anyway.

[Chad Johnson]

I don't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So that's all you.

[Chad Johnson]

He also said, you know, he don't want to. You know, you don't like it ain't about a disliking a fan base. My only thing is in the Cowboys, I say they have delusional fans because every year. Think about it. When Jerry purchased this team in 1989, within the first seven years, he had gone to four NFC championship, three Super Bowls and won them all since that time. So he's on this team for 37 years. In the last 30 years, how many NFC championship games have he gone to? Ocho? How many super bowl appearances? So the delusion is, is that the fans keep saying every single year, this is their year. This is their year. This is their year. This is their year. There's a very, very fine line between confidence and delusion. That in and of itself,

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, listen, one thing. Yeah, one thing they will do. Cowboys fans, they will fight for their team. They will fight for their owner. They will fight for the players that are on that team. Which is why I get so much pushback. I don't mean to change the subject on George Pickens understanding what the Cowboys need to compete and not being so heavy loaded on the front side on offense, but obviously he's of extreme value and knowing what you need defensively to help so you can compete, so you can get back to the winning ways of the old Cowboys. But you have no defense, and that's no disrespect to the players that are there right now. But it just. It is what it is. I mean, it is what it is. Even with the trades that you made last year, right? You know, getting Kenny Clark, getting Keon Mitchell, you still need more. You still need more. You. You need a centerpiece. You need impact players, for one. You got people loading up the front to be able to stop the run. You still need somebody on the edge, the in, on. On the back end. You still need somebody on the back end. That can be an intricate part of your foundation. You know, in the secondary, you don't have that right now. I mean.

[Chad Johnson]

I mean, it's Ocho. That's what we're supposed to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

We're supposed to look at a game because you and I played an extremely high level. We're supposed to look. And what a player has already done. And I've said this before when I talked about Tom Brady, I'm not trying to take any of those Super Bowls, any of those All Pros, any of those mvp. But today he didn't play well. Miles Garrett is the best defensive player in the NFL Today. He didn't play well. Whether you say it's Chase or JSN or Puka Nakua, they're the best receivers in football. Today wasn't their day.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

So I'm just trying to figure out, what are we supposed to do, right? Are we supposed to cheerlead for y'? All? Are we supposed to trumpet y' all calls no matter what? So no matter how bad you play, Micah, I'm supposed to get on TV and say, you know what, Micah? Have a hell of a game. Even though you did not. And we're talking about in the playoffs, because you mentioned it. Yeah, well, he didn't play well this game. You didn't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know, what am I supposed to do?

[Chad Johnson]

The fans see it, right? The fans see it, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, listen, the players are going to have to understand. They're going to have to understand, obviously, this era. This era of players, because of social media, everything is magnified, especially when it comes from us. Those that are. Those that are doing the talking, having social media here as well, then it makes the voices for those that have platforms, that makes the voices and the things that they say that much louder. So it gets to the players, even if. Even if they want to hear it. But they. They have to understand that those that do jobs, like yourself, like myself, who's gotten better at being critical of players when they don't play well, is they have to be able to take constructive criticism. It's never saying that you look at it as hate. Yeah. But it's never saying that you're a bad player. We know you're great. No, listen, the funny thing about it, the only ones that get talked about are the ones that are great because we hold them to a certain expectation on what they've already done in the past. And we don't play based on what we're used to seeing. It gets talked about.

[Chad Johnson]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But it's nothing personal. It's just based on your performance, your performance that day in that game. That's all.

[Chad Johnson]

Judg, we're judging you off because you set the bar. Had you not what you have. Had you not done what you've done in your first four years. No other player other than Reggie White has had at least 12 sacks in a season for four consecutive years to start their career. You and Reggie, rest his soul, are the only ones to do that. So you set the bar pretty high. So come playoff times, this is where legends are made. This is how. If Tom Brady had had all these stats and not done what he done in the postseason, are we looking at him the same?

[Shannon Sharpe]

No.

[Chad Johnson]

If Patrick Mahomes had not done what he done. Look at the guys that's done it. We judge them on the playoffs. That's how you make your name. That's how you become iconic. That's how you become legendary. Yes, Michael did what he did in the regular season, but it was the postseason. Kobe, it was the postseason. LeBron, Steph, the great. The great players. What do you do when it absolutely matters? Yeah, that's what you judged against Micah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I. I have a question too.

[Chad Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When it comes in general, because he's so great, because he has that star on it, star on his helmet, because everybody is watching him, being that he's the best player defensively, do you think as. As a player, they. They kind of get frustrated a little bit and say, why is the focal point only on me and I'm playing a team game? But then you focus on, well, I didn't do this when, hell, the other 10 didn't do anything as well. But that is what happens when you are as great as you are. You have to be the difference maker. Even if everybody else is not playing well. You got to be the one that pop out on film because you that

[Chad Johnson]

boy, how many of them. How much of that money he gonna split with his teammates? How much money he gonna split with that teammates that Green Bay gave him?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Boy, that's a good one.

[Chad Johnson]

It's a team game now. Remember, he said it's a team game.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, that's a good one.

[Chad Johnson]

But he got paid as an individual.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's a good one right there. Boy, that's a good one.

[Chad Johnson]

The thing Is Ocho. Is that in the. In the most important game come playoffs. I gave you eight. Four playoff games. He has one sack in four playoff games. Is that good? It's not. Yeah. That's Michael Parsons. He's one of the premium defensive players in all of football. We're basing in the is. We're just looking at your resume. If you did this, Micah, had you not done what you've done, if you were a guy that just had your first six season, you had 25 sacks, I don't hold you in nearly. I don't know. I probably not even mention you, bro. But because you have 50 plus in four seasons, now we have to have a conversation. Why is it. Why is it the Micah that we saw in the regular season? Why isn't he showing up in the postseason? Right. That's it, bro. I ain't got no. Y' all know me. But I got to be honest, though, Micah, and you're not the only one. Go back and look at some of the things I said about Peyton Manning. Go back and look at some of the things I said about Tom Brady. And guess what? Every time I see Peyton, guess what. Hey. Come up to the box. Every time I saw Tom, had a great conversation with Tom, talked a little bit about football, but mainly we talked about what he's doing now. How can he get better X, Y, and Z. My. I. I just think the thing is, is just we. We're just at an age now that if somebody. That's 255 for 200. So in four playoff games, he's playing basically five, six. He's basically playing 60 snaps.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

A game. So 251 in the four. So that's basically. He's playing 60.2 snaps a game. That's damn to the whole game. Oo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

Because, you know, they're only 65. 65 to 70 snap. So let's just say he's playing all. He's playing at least 95% of the snap. That's all we're saying. Michael, it's not that I dislike you if it's not like I'm trying to play both sides. I'm trying to be as fair as I possibly can because I don't believe because you've had a bad playoff game that you are a bad player. My thing is, is that, man, based on what Michael Parsons has shown me in the regular season, what he shown me over the first four years of his career, I don't know what happened to him today, but this is not good enough for the Cowboys to win. And if they want to win, Micah's gonna have to play better in the bigger games. The bigger the game, the bigger the player plays. That's all.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

And if you take, if you take it as that is personal or I dislike you, you're sadly mistaken. I don't know enough to dislike you. I have no opinion what you do, and I don't what you do off the field. That is of no concern of mine. All I do is that when you punch that clock at be it 105 or 420.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes, sir.

[Chad Johnson]

Now, this is what we watching. This is what we do it. But I don't just. I don't dislike anybody. I try to be as fair as I possibly can. I mean, in my critique of analysts.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

When I put my analyst hat on. Ojo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

And. But I, but I, but I appreciate, you know, me. I mean, look, like I said, I ain't here to defend nobody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

I mean, me he talked to. He.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He.

[Chad Johnson]

He brought me up in the conversation. And I'm trying to explain to him, if you had a problem with something I said, just come to me. You got my number.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

And I just saw you at the Super Bowl.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. And. But you also have to think too. Huh? You got to think about what he said. He does a good job because he played the game and explaining himself in a sense, and he sees it as somewhat being on being on the fence, but also when he doesn't play. Well, he's saying. But yeah, hey, I mean, he's saying you, you call it on both sides. You call him. But now if you, if. I'm not sure if you. For better context and why he said f. You know, Skip, I'm not sure if you heard me. Yeah, I know it doesn't have anything to do with you, but that's why, that's why the anger was more so directed to him. It's more so directed him because it's more, it's more of it's explanation in, in being critical of them, but it seems a lot more personal, especially when it comes from someone that has never played the game.

[Chad Johnson]

Well, I guess the thing is, because, you know, some of the things that Skip says, like he's happy that the guy got traded, he's not going to be missed, I think. I don't care nothing about no trade. That ain't got nothing to do with me. Look, you played the Broncos. Hey, I love you when you're the Broncos. I wish you the best of Luck if you go somewhere else. I don't get all of that. It ain't that serious to me, Ocho. It's never been that serious to me. It is never going to be that serious to me. But I just need. I need guys, not just Michael. Michael just happened to be everybody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Everybody

[Chad Johnson]

have a job to do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

So let's, let's. Let me ask you a question. If you don't do your job right, how long do you think you're going to be with particular said team? But I have a job to do Right. And my job is to. To be as honest and as fair in my assessment of what I see. Based on my knowledge of the game and who you are as a player and what I see. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't add anything. I don't add no yeast or to grow, and I don't take anything out of it. Whatever the ingredients that you give me to make my argument for you, oo, that's what I use. Yeah, that's. So that's another. Oh, that's the thing. That's what we do. Ocho and I take the ingredients that you give us to make an argument. Whatever the ingredients is, that's what we use to make our argument.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Right.

[Chad Johnson]

But we're not going to add anything. Now, if you say this thing come with two tablespoons, all you're getting is two tablespoons.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

You're not getting.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You.

[Chad Johnson]

Not. You not getting any more. If you say four eggs whipped, you getting four eggs.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Johnson]

If you said flour, that's what you get. You get vanilla extract, you get cinnamon. Whatever. Whatever the ingredients call for, that's all we got for you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, they'll be all right. They'll be all right. And the one that will listen. The one that will listen. The ones getting talked about is. Are the great ones. It's the great ones. It's the great ones that we talk about. And as much as they always want to play and be consistent week in and week out, you're going to have games. When you play bad, you're going to. It's a. It's. It's the nature of the game. It's life in general. The game of football has its ups and downs just like life. You practice all that time and you want to perfect your craft to the best of your ability. Unfortunately, you're not going to be able to do that all the time.