Best of NFL News Part 1: STUNNED the Cowboys put Pickens on LAYAWAY for Javonte Williams, JSN wanting more CASH than Ja'Marr Chase! But is he BETTER?

Summary

Club Shay Shay: Best of NFL News, Part 1

Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guests/Contributors: Joe Ocho, Joe

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Episode Overview

In this "Best of NFL News" episode, Shannon Sharpe and his guests dive into the latest headline-making NFL stories, focusing on contract drama, franchise tags, and changing market values for top receivers. They also discuss legacy rankings for quarterbacks and a viral story involving a $12.8 million lottery ticket. The episode is high-energy, witty, and pulls no punches on NFL front office strategies and player leverage.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cowboys, George Pickens, & Franchise Tag Drama

Timestamps: 00:46 – 07:12

• Context: Cowboys’ executive VP Stephen Jones announced the likelihood of using a franchise tag on WR George Pickens, igniting debate among fans and the podcast hosts about the wisdom and fairness of this move.
• Main Issues:
  • The perception that Dallas is stalling by tagging Pickens instead of signing him long-term.
  • Debates on Pickens’ market value versus current wide receiver contracts.
  • Broader implications of the franchise tag—player leverage vs. team control.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “If you don't see the value in me and George Pickens after what I did this year, just let me go. Keep the tag to yourself.”—Joe (02:26)
  • “Everybody that came out in his draft, everybody got their money already… Some of it is his fault, you know, as well, but hey, it is what it is.”—Joe (05:20)
  • “You gotta play them. Hold on. And this is his best hand, too. His next move has to be his best move, huh? It got to be, bro.”—Joe (05:43)
  • “I don't even have no conversation until we get to 35. That's when my antenna perk up. 35. Okay, now you got my attention.”—Joe Ocho (06:45)

Contract Table Discussion

• CD Lamb: $34M (third highest paid)
• Justin Jefferson (Jeddah): $35M
• Ja’Marr Chase: $40.25M
• Pickens potentially offered: $28–30M (hosts say that's too low)
• Puka Nacua, JSN expected to "reset the market" soon (08:00+)

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2. Market Reset: Who’s Next for Big Money at WR?

Timestamps: 16:55 – 22:31

• Spotlight on JSN & Puka Nacua:
  • Jackson Smith-Njigba (JSN) expresses desire to become the league’s highest-paid receiver.
  • Debate arises: Can JSN really earn more than Ja’Marr Chase? When will the market reset—now or after Puka?
  • “JSN might have to wait a year, but Puka Nacua definitely finna go past [Chase’s deal].”
• Contractual Hurdles:
  • Owners tend to avoid ripping up rookie deals early; leverage usually comes after the third or fourth year.
• Strategic Advice:
  • “You only get that big boy deal one time.”—Joe (19:11)
  • “Pay him now and save… you can pay him 41 right now, or you can pay him 45, 46 next year. The choice is yours. But the price ain’t coming down.”—Joe Ocho (20:43, 21:56)

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3. The Franchise Tag System & Its Impact

Timestamps: 16:55 – 27:07

• Debate on Leverage:
  • Players are often “owned” by teams for up to 7 years—with fifth-year options and two potential franchise tags.
  • The system is described as “cut throat,” with hosts emphasizing the necessity of players maximizing their earnings windows.
• CBA Foresight:
  • Predictions about escalating NFL salary cap and potential labor renegotiations by 2030.
  • “You want guaranteed money. You want lifetime health benefits. Do away with the franchise tag, please.”—Joe Ocho (26:02)

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4. Viral News: The $12.8 Million Lottery Ticket Scandal

Timestamps: 10:07 – 15:55

• Story Recap:
  • Arizona Circle K manager clocks out, buys a winning lottery ticket left unclaimed by a customer—now faces lawsuits.
• Moral, Legal, and Technical Debates:
  • Can employees claim “abandoned” lottery tickets after going off the clock?
  • “He says, 'It's mine. I bought it as a customer.' … But I don’t think they allow you to play if you… He’s saying, ‘I’m not a manager, I quit, I’m a customer.'”—Joe Ocho (11:52)
• Wider Insight:
  • “This is a quagmire… because a lot of times what they do is get family members to buy it for them.”—Joe Ocho (13:19)
  • “You probably gonna walk away, Ocho, you probably gonna walk away by six meal.”—Joe Ocho (15:48)

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5. Quarterback Greatness: Debating the Top 10 of All Time

Timestamps: 27:27 – 43:43

• Bleacher Report’s Top 10 QBs:
  • #1 Tom Brady
  • #2 Joe Montana
  • #3 Peyton Manning
  • #4 Patrick Mahomes
  • #5 Aaron Rodgers
  • #6 John Elway
  • #7 Brett Favre
  • #8 Drew Brees
  • #9 Steve Young
  • #10 Dan Marino
• Panel Reactions:
  • Respect for Brady’s dominance and Mahomes' rapid climb.
  • Discussion of era differences: “We can’t compare eras because the eras most players played in are completely different.”—Joe (31:28)
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Patrick Mahomes is still playing and he's already number four, number three on this list. That's unbelievable.”—Joe (28:49)
  • “A 40 year old receiver should not have 1200 receiving yards.”—Joe Ocho (35:03)
  • “I still think Jerry [Rice] is the greatest NFL player ever. What he did, when he did it, for how long—it’s crazy.”—Joe Ocho (34:31)
• Performance Context:
  • Explains why some "winners" like Troy Aikman (#19) are lower due to team RB focus and era-based stats.
  • Considers why some players lacked MVPs or high numbers but remain on the list for other historical achievements.

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6. Additional Noteworthy Segments & Jokes

• Joe Burrow Praise:

  • Fred Warner names Joe Burrow the toughest QB he’s faced.
    “1,000%. Joe Burrow, he's just a dog… For whatever reason, his makeup’s different than a lot of these guys in the league.”—Fred Warner, recounted by Joe (08:55)
  • Panel reflects on Bengals’ improvement and culture shift.

• Pay Structure Humor:

  • “I ain't got but a year left on my deal, and they got 20, 30 million dollars up front, which I didn't get. Nah. Unfortunately, I ain't gonna be able to give y' all a team friendly deal. I would love to, but it ain't my team, and I ain't friendly right now.”—Joe Ocho (20:43)

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Notable Quotes (Chronological Selection & Attribution)

• “If you don't see the value in me and George Pickens after what I did this year, just let me go. Keep tag to yourself."
  —Joe (02:26)

• “You only get that big boy deal one time.”—Joe (19:11)

• "Pay him now and save. You see, Cincinnati made that mistake. Cincinnati had an opportunity. They could have got him for around… what they paid Jetta earlier? … They made him bet on himself."
  —Joe (19:56)

• "Owners like to rip a contract up two years before… Not likely… It’s either going to be [JSN] or Puka. Somebody's going to reset the market."
  —Joe (17:51)

• "We can’t compare eras because the eras most players played in are completely different."
  —Joe (31:28)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Cowboys’ Franchise Tag/Pickens Debate: 00:46 – 07:12
• Lottery Ticket Scandal Segment: 10:07 – 15:55
• WR Market Reset & JSN vs. Puka Debate: 16:55 – 22:31
• Quarterback All-Time Rankings: 27:27 – 43:43
• Joe Burrow Discussion: 08:55 – 09:53

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Episode Tone

• Conversational, candid, sometimes heated—reflects real locker room debates.
• Bluntly critical of NFL front office practices, always rooting for player empowerment.
• Offers humorous analogies (“kick the can down the road… It ain’t my can!”), making complex business topics accessible.

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Summary

This episode of Club Shay Shay delivers a fast-paced, insight-packed breakdown of current NFL offseason storylines—especially the economic and emotional wrangling over top receiver contracts. Sharpe, Joe Ocho, and Joe combine sharp wit and deep football experience as they parse out what’s fair, what’s savvy, and what’s just business when it comes to the NFL’s stars and their money. The show ends with a nostalgic and nuanced discussion of all-time great QBs, reflecting on how performance is measured across eras. The blend of strong opinions, industry knowledge, and timely humor makes this a must-listen for anyone serious about NFL news and culture.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards live from south by Southwest, March 16th. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iHeart podcast award is. See all the nominees [e-mail] podcastawards.

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[Joe Ocho]

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 Ocho CR. About to be mad. Was that what happened? Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones admitted the Cowboys are leaning towards using the franchise tag on George Pickens. Joe Ocho, let's take a listen. What the executive VP had to say today. It crosses your mind. I mean, a lot of guys who

[Podcast Announcer]

we've tagged, you know, participated in everything.

[Joe Ocho]

Dak leading the way.

[Podcast Announcer]

He played under two of them, so

[Joe Ocho]

he never missed anything. Hopefully that'll be the case here. It'll be advantageous to get it done before July. Talking about pickings, I wouldn't put any time but considering once you have a tag, you have a tag and you know, we know George is going to

[Podcast Announcer]

be here, that's where we are.

[Joe Ocho]

Is there a downside to the tag?

[Joe]

Whether it's 28 million or whatever the number is? Flatly, we know what it is.

[Podcast Announcer]

And you can still shop and do everything.

[Joe Ocho]

We can do everything we need to do. Yeah, I know. Oh, want to hear that?

[Joe]

I mean, Joe, I knew this is

[Podcast Announcer]

what they were gonna do.

[Joe]

Joe.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah, Ocho Ojo, he. He's. He had a hell of a year. But then. Can we see it? Can. Can I see you do it again? Let me see you do it again, man. You know, they're back up to bring stroke for him. Ocho, I know you want to go out there.

[Joe]

Hey, hey, hey, Joe. Don't. Don't try me. Don't try me and George Pickens like that. Talk about you want to see it again. Don't. Don't do. Don't do. Don't do us like that. Joe.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah.

[Joe]

If you don't. If you don't, Joe, if you don't see the value in me and George Pickens after what I did this year, just let me go. Keep tag to yourself. Take it to use your tag with somebody else.

[Joe Ocho]

I want nobody else to have you.

[Joe]

Huh?

[Joe Ocho]

Nah, I know they want him. Y' all know they want him. Of course they do.

[Joe]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They want him for the low. Yeah, they do. They want him for the load. They do.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah.

[Joe]

It's all good. It's all good.

[Joe Ocho]

You know, I know because I know Ocho been hollering about him going to the Raiders and all that. Ocho, we like this little two head monster we got out here, man.

[Joe]

I like it, too.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah, why don't we break that up and then put all that pressure on CD Lamb, See what's gonna happen there. You message, you mess around.

[Joe]

CD Lamb again. CD Lamb were getting it done before George got there. CD Lamb been that boy.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah, been that guy, I'm saying. But he went 88.

[Joe]

He went to 88, Joe. CD Lamb with 88 for a reason. Heavy crown.

[Joe Ocho]

I understand that. I understand that. But to have that other guy with him, oo, it's been dynamic. You send Pick out there to the Raiders, he gonna be pissed off. Cause they gonna be. They gonna be doubling, having somebody over time. He ain't gonna be balling like he is in Dallas.

[Joe]

Yeah, he is. He gonna have a new quarterback. He got a new system. He got a new coach.

[Joe Ocho]

He gonna have a rookie quarterback who gonna be out there waffling that ball. Come on, now.

[Joe]

Oh. Oh, that. That's. That's. That's how you feel about the number one pick?

[Joe Ocho]

I'm just saying, bro, you know, they got.

[Joe]

Hey, I'm just saying. I just seen that same quarterback won the national championship.

[Joe Ocho]

How many quarterbacks come into the league right away? And they just putting up these crazy numbers, man, they got to go through their growing pains.

[Joe]

No, no. Joe Burrow.

[Joe Ocho]

Joe Burrow. Come on, man. It's an exception, but come on now, Ocho.

[Joe]

Hey, hey, hey. It's cool. It's cool. You see. See how y' all vouching for the owners, you know, trying to. Trying to get.

[Joe Ocho]

Get.

[Joe]

Get a given.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh, man, I almost said.

[Joe]

All right. Yeah. Hey, see how the owners fool you see how the owner fool the fans?

[Joe Ocho]

Chill, chill, chill, chill.

[Joe]

Hey, they sell people so selfish. They. So long as they team. Long as. As it's their team, they don't care nothing about the player and him getting what he deserved.

[Joe Ocho]

But Okay, I ain't say that, Ocho.

[Joe]

It's all good. Hey, listen, listen. If you love it, if you like it, I love it. Okay, Cowboys fans, if y' all want, you know, Pickens to be there, you know, on the franchise tab, because it's cool. Don't worry about it. I'm frustrated now. I'm mad,

[Joe Ocho]

Man. You know they gonna put that tag on the Georgia.

[Joe]

Oh, yeah, I know. I knew they were gonna do that.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh.

[Joe]

Because I understand how valuable he is. They understand how valuable he is. They know what he brings to the table when he's on that field. I get that. I understand that. I know what he can do in this offense. You know, I. I get it.

[Joe Ocho]

I understand.

[Joe]

But I also know we can get elsewhere. Huh? You hear me? Stay with me. Everybody that came out in his draft, everybody got their money already. He didn't had to wait extra. He didn't have to wait longer. Some of it is his fault, you know, as well, but hey, it is what it is.

[Joe Ocho]

Hey, these are cars you dealt, man. You gotta play them home.

[Joe]

Hey, you gotta play them. Hold on. And this is. This is. This is best hand, too. Yeah, it's his best hand. His next move has to be his best move, huh? It got to be, bro.

[Joe Ocho]

You preaching to the choir. You know, okay, Okay.

[Joe]

I mean, I didn't want somebody to scream at my bad. I know, my bad.

[Joe Ocho]

But I prepared you for this. I've been trying to prepare you for this.

[Joe]

I knew it was coming up. I knew it was coming. The fans understood that it was coming, you know, and you know, in a sense, some of them are selfish and they're blinded because they like the team up of two number one wide receivers. Yes, I understand that part, but I'm just wanting my brother to get as much as he can. And I understand that he's not going to be able to do that there. And a lot of people won't understand why I've been arguing and fussing about it until this plays out, and then you'll understand. You call me all kind of names. I'm telling you what your team and owner are going to do. They finna play games and that's what it's gonna be. I guarantee you that.

[Joe Ocho]

I don't even have no conversation until we get to 35. That's when. That's what my. Hey, that's what my antenna perk up. 35. Okay, now you got my attention.

[Joe]

That's it.

[Joe Ocho]

You'll have my undivided attention, but you got my attention. I'M interested, right?

[Joe]

Hey, franchise tag 28. 28, huh? Who f to take that?

[Joe Ocho]

No, hell no, man.

[Joe]

Who f, man, you better, man. Please. What?

[Joe Ocho]

No.

[Joe]

Hey, I rep. I represent George Pickens myself. If David Mulla even think about having a conversation.

[Joe Ocho]

Hey, what CD making 34. He the third highest paid. Okay, Jeddah at 35 and Chase at 40.25. That's about to get past Puka. Puka and Puka definitely finna go past that. Yeah, JSN might have to wait a year, but Puka Naku are definitely going past that. Why JSN gotta wait, huh? Because he's only in his third year. They don't know. They don't. Norm. They don't normally do they normally that fourth year. Yeah, they normally do. Quarterbacks in the third year, if you're a first round pick, You're a first round pick because. And the thing is, why you have incentive, Joe, is that you have. They have a fifth year option that they can pick up and they get two franchise tags. So theoretically, they got you for seven years. Yeah. Yeah. Damn, that football cut, though, boy. It is. But hey, this. The cars that we dealt, we. They let we shuffle the cars. These are the cars we dealt. There you go. There you go. Fred Warner says Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the toughest quarterback he's faced in the NFL. 1,000%. Joe Burrow, he's just a dog. Like, he just for whatever reason, his makeup different than a lot of these guys in the league. You talk about competitive spirit. He got it through and through. Oo you like that?

[Joe]

Absolutely. Absolutely. A lot of people probably wouldn't agree with him because Joe's been hurt, but I'm saying for it to come from the best, best defensive player, maybe the best linebacker, one of the best to ever play this goddamn game, come from him. It means a lot. And it always means a lot when you hear from. Not from an analyst, not from a pundit, not from an offensive player, but someone that has to stop and defend you. So coming from Fred Warner, it means a lot. Obviously, we all, we all know Joe Burrow is one of the best in the game. Many will chastise him based because of his injuries, because of his inability to stay healthy. But when he is, he is one of the best in the game. And he's been a franchise altering, changing quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals. And he changed. He's helped change the culture. Obviously, we haven't won a Super bowl, we've went to one, but we've. We've kind of Declined a little bit in our winning ways, but we'll be back. As long as we have him at the helm, we will always have a chance and always be in contention as long as he's healthy.

[Joe Ocho]

I agree. I agree. Got to keep him on the field, though, Ocho.

[Joe]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Got to keep him on the field.

[Joe]

That's been the hard part, Joe.

[Joe Ocho]

Arizona Circle K manager, allegedly purchased a 12.8 million dollar lottery ticket that was left on the counter overnight, knowing its value and the company claim it should be received the prize money. Now, this is what happened, Ocho. Yeah, I guess somebody wanted the tickets, but they didn't want it. So he's like, oh, they didn't know that was the winning ticket. Ooh. Huh? Oh, take a listen. Let's take a. He gonna tell us how it happened.

[Podcast Announcer]

A store manager at this Circle K in North Scottsdale found a $12.8 million winning Lotto ticket the day after the drawing and bought it for himself. Now, a customer walked into this Scottsdale Circle K the night before Thanksgiving, played their numbers, and left behind $25 in tickets they didn't want, but the store had already printed. That night, one of those tickets hit the fourth largest jackpot in Arizona lottery history. The next morning, the store manager found out a winning ticket was still sitting in his store. So he clocked out, took off his uniform, walked back in as a customer, and bought it for 10 bucks, according to court documents. Now, corporate found out they took back the ticket. Now Circle K is suing the manager and Arizona State Lottery, and the clock is ticking because that 12.8 million dollar ticket expires May 23rd.

[Joe]

Damn. Now, this is confusing.

[Joe Ocho]

Now who's not confusing? What happened was a guy came in to play tickets. They printed tickets like, no, I don't want those. Give me these. Right? The ticket that that left went unused. It was the winning ticket. The guy realized, damn, this ticket hit.

[Joe]

Yeah, I get that.

[Joe Ocho]

Take off. He go, clocks out, comes back in, buys the ticket. He says, it's mine. I bought it as a customer. Right? But I don't think. I don't think they allow you to play if you. He's saying, I ain't a manager. I quit. I'm a customer. I was the manager.

[Joe]

And this is the thing. What they can do, Joe, is remember how technology is. Chat, y' all stay with me. Stay with me now, real quick. So if technology can. Can go back and say. And tell who bought that ticket at said time based on the cameras that

[Joe Ocho]

they do have, he didn't Want the ticket, Ocho?

[Joe]

It doesn't matter if he.

[Joe Ocho]

I want 50 worth of tickets. They print 70 worth of ticket. I say, nah, I just want this 50. Yeah, 20 is there. It's just there.

[Joe]

So you don't. You don't think the person who know they left them tickets there is not going to come try to claim it? He didn't.

[Joe Ocho]

He didn't leave. He didn't want it. He didn't want him. He bought. He bought. He bought a new set of tickets, Ocho. You know, I tell you what. You know how you go to the store and you buy some stuff and you like, you know what? I only want this soda. Right. Right. I want these chips, and I don't want. I don't want this candy. And so you leave it there. Somebody's like, man, there's a $10 million baseball card in this candy. You don't get the claim. But you said you didn't want it.

[Joe]

Yeah, that's funny. I'm curious to see how. How the. How the courts rule. This one.

[Podcast Announcer]

It is.

[Joe Ocho]

You know, they try to do that. They will steal the tickets because, you know, and it's like. But, you know, you got to go through that system. Hey, this. This is a quagmire. So. So it came out better because a lot of times what they do, Ocho, is that they get family members to come in and purchase. Oh, no.

[Joe]

Yeah, no, he don't want. He don't want the family to know.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh, he wasn't gonna see. He probably wasn't gonna see none of that.

[Joe]

Yeah, you don't want your family.

[Joe Ocho]

Hey, hold on, hold on. So just because he worked there, you can't purchase tickets. You can't buy lottery tickets. Okay, so another question is. So he knew that was the winning ticket when he bought it? Yes, because the thing was. Oh, Joe. The drawing was that night.

[Joe]

Joe.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah. And so he. Like that ticket. We sold a winning ticket here. Oh, that's it. That's a ticket. Oh, yeah. Hey, hey, we going to court for this here, boy. We f. Yeah, they are in court right now. The court's about to decide. Yeah, but they've got to come to a decision. May 22, May 27, it expires.

[Joe]

Hey, they probably gonna let it. They gonna let it carry out all the way to May on purpose.

[Joe Ocho]

That's crazy, bro. Can you imagine? That's why. Hey, that's why. If they ever print overprint tickets, I said, no, go and give it to me. I do. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, listen, can you imagine how Mad dude is, though, who originally was gonna buy the ticket, but he wanted his own numbers. Probably. Of course. But if I'm not mistaken, an employee of an establishment can't buy lottery tickets at that. Now, I'm not saying that he can't go somewhere else. Yeah, they can't buy them there. But he's saying, I wasn't employee. I was off the clock. I checked out and came back in and bought the ticket. I don't know how the course. It's gonna be very interesting to see. It's gonna be very interesting to see because the store said, circle K said, no, we got ownership of that. Oh, man. And the manager said, nah, as a. As a. I'm not an employee. I quit. I had checked that. I was off the clock. Right, right. Hey, I'm taking it. I'm riding that to the wheel. Fall off.

[Joe]

That's a good one too, boy.

[Joe Ocho]

But, you know, hey, that lottery man. 12.8 million. You only got 2%. I think it's Arizona. 2% state tax. Damn. You know, you probably walk away, Ocho. You probably gonna walk away by six meal.

[Joe]

Oh, wait, six, seven, something like that.

[Joe Ocho]

That.

[Joe]

That's nice.

[Joe Ocho]

Taxes.

[Joe]

Yeah, that's nice little chunk of. Nice little chunk of change.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah. Yeah. Damn. Hey. Damn.

[Podcast Announcer]

This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards. Live from south by Southwest, March 16th. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the iheart podcast award is. See all the nominees [e-mail] podcast awards.

[Audible Sponsor]

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].

[Joe Ocho]

Seattle's wide receiver Jackson Smith and Jigba spoke about his desires to be the highest paid player in the highest paid receiver in the NFL. He said, I think I deserve to be the highest paid in my position. And it's just that I give the game into the community. I give it my all. I think that's worth a lot more. But I will play this game for free. I. I love this game. No, no, you won't. Jsn. I won't let you play it for free. Cause ain't nobody else playing it for free. I love this game so much. But you don't have to mean learning to be a good businessman. And we need that check at the end of the day. At the end of the day, this would mean 40.25. He would have to top that because that's what Chase get.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Current record held by Chase. JSN has two years remaining on his rookie deal. Assuming the Seahawks elect to pick up that fifth year option. Ocho. Jsn.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Does he reset the market?

[Joe]

Of course he resets the market. Is he. Can it be this year? Two years? I mean, how many times do owners likely rip a contract up two years before two years ahead of time? Not likely. Maybe it might be next year. It's either going to be him or Puka. Somebody going to reset the market. It's going to be one of the.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, Puka up.

[Joe]

Oh, Piga Pooka's up.

[Joe Ocho]

So yes, Puka was like a. Puka was a later round draft.

[Joe]

That's right. So Puka's probably going to reset the market. And if JSN doesn't get his this year, he'll get it next year and then reset it again now. I mean once, once Puka resets it, I'm not sure who's next in line. That is that, that, that is that good. That can reset it one more time.

[Joe Ocho]

George Pickens. So here's a question that I have. Oh, Cho, listen to this. Now we're talking about JSN and Puka resetting the market.

[Joe]

Yes.

[Joe Ocho]

The market is right now 40.25.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

And they said, hey, George Pickens, you be okay with 28 to 30. That's a 10 million. 10 to 12 million dollar difference. I don't think Pick gonna be happy with that. That's just me personally. Now he could. I don't think he will be that just me.

[Joe]

Hey, Pick. Know what's out there, man, I ain't trying to. I ain't gonna say nothing else. Nobody. No, no cowboy players. But hey, you got one opportunity. You got one chance to make as much as you can. And that big boy, you only get that big boy deal one time.

[Joe Ocho]

Yep.

[Joe]

It ain't come around again one time.

[Joe Ocho]

Pay him now and save. You see, Cincinnati made that mistake. Cincinnati had an opportunity. They could have got him for around. What? What they paid Jetta earlier? No, they didn't want to do that.

[Joe]

They made him. They. They made him bet on himself.

[Joe Ocho]

Okay, now.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

And that's what happened to the Cowboys. The Cowboys always wait till the last minute, you could have got Dak Dak for pennies on the dollar. But first of all, he was a four. I think he was a fourth round pick. So you let the two guys that went first in his draft. First and second in the draft.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Get a new deal when they got two. Because here's the thing. Here's the thing. What people need to understand, Ocho, not only do they have a fifth year option, the team has two franchise tags. So theoretically, they got you for seven years.

[Joe]

They can hit you twice.

[Joe Ocho]

Yes.

[Joe]

The dirty game, huh?

[Joe Ocho]

Hold on, wait a minute. Y' all see what they got there? Yeah, they gave them 30. $32 million, $33 million. But they got two years left on their deal. Yeah, I ain't got no you. I ain't got but a year left on my deal, and they got 20, 30 million dollars up front, which I didn't get. Nah. Unfortunately, I ain't gonna be able to y' all give y' all a team friendly deal. I would love to, but it ain't my team, and I ain't friendly right now. So break bread. And guess what? Excuse me. They're gonna have to break bread again. Yeah, they're gonna have to break bread again. Dag about to get another five year, $275 million, $300 million deal. Go get another 125 to sign. They're gonna red. Pay him now. Hey, you can pay him 41 right now, or you can pay him 45, 46 next year. The choice is yours. Yeah, but the price ain't coming down.

[Joe]

Never. Not for those type that are that good.

[Joe Ocho]

That price ain't coming down. But that's where we're headed, Ocho. He and. He and Puka Finn, they fit to reset the market. And George Pickett said right back here, y' all gonna get that. Y' all gonna. Y' all gonna get that. Now, I ain't gonna hold you, Jerry, but you see what they got,

[Joe]

man. You know how. You know how he finna play?

[Joe Ocho]

Well, they got. They got Javonte Williams out the way, the running back, so they good there. But. And. But they're gonna have some cap space. Ocho, you. If you redo Dak, you redo CD, you're gonna have probably, I don't know, 45 to 60 million dollars. Tyler Smith. Hey, restructure his deal. Just kick the can down the road. Who cares? It ain't my road. It ain't my can, so just kick it, man. Y' all know we good, especially other people Money? Yeah, we spend it. We spend the hell out of the owner's money.

[Joe]

Hey, I'm. I. It's gonna. It's gonna be a. It's gonna be an interesting off season. I've said my piece over and over about Cowboys and over and above about George Pickens and. And getting what he deserves and getting it there or. Or what he can get elsewhere. You know, nobody listen to me. But you'll see when it come to a head.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh, it's going to take. It's going to take some money.

[Joe]

Yep.

[Joe Ocho]

Cause I. I think the thing is. Oo is that, look, your first deal, I don't give you a discount.

[Joe]

Hell, no.

[Joe Ocho]

Not the first one is when you build. It's when you build up that relationship that you're able to get a discount from a LV or, Or. Or the dealership that's after you don't bought a car or two.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

So, hey, let me get this first one. I'll help y' all re restructure. You know, I, I restructure, you know, take the signing bonus and all that. But no, no, this first one I got. I got a head cracker. I do. I ain't. Ain't no sense of that. And Jay is saying it. Look, he had 100 catches two years ago. He led. He led the league. He's offensive player of the year. Offensive player of the year, led the league of receiving second time, he's over 100 yards, and he got a Super bowl ring.

[Joe]

So you think they do it this year?

[Joe Ocho]

I would, yes.

[Joe]

And get it. And get it out the way, huh?

[Joe Ocho]

Yep. Because guess what? I got the fourth year, I got the fifth year. Plus I got four years. So I got. I get to spread that over six years, right. I ain't got to see him. I ain't got to see him for another three years. And by the time I have to see him again, if he's still playing at this level. Oh, yo, the cap gonna be 450 million. What's the cap now? 400 million. 390. Was. 370 something. 380, yeah. And in three to four years until the cap. The cap's going up. 20 million. Let's say it's going up somewhere between 15 and 20 million a year, right? Oh, it's gonna be astronomical because here's the thing. In 2030, the. The CBA is up. Oh, it's 305. So. Yeah. Oh, yeah. In another. In another. At another four years, it'll be 350, 375.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

And, oh, and y' all don't want that. Y' all don't want the 18th game. Y' all have to start. Y' all have the sweet in this pot. Going to have to get something. Yeah, two things. Oo you get two of the three. You want guaranteed money. You want lifetime health benefits. Do away with the franchise tag, please. So 2030. It's going to be here before you know it, guys.

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[Joe Ocho]

Ocho yeah. The Bleacher Report ranked the top 99 quarterbacks in NFL history. No surprise. Number one was Tom Brady. Okay. Number two was Joe Montana.

[Joe]

Okay.

[Joe Ocho]

Number three was Peyton Manning. Number four, Patrick Mahomes. Number five, Aaron Rodgers. Number six, John Elway. Number seven, Brett Favre. Number eight, Drew Brees. Number nine, Steve Young. And number 10, Dan Marino. What you think? What I mean, I mean, you like the rankings? Is anybody too high? Anybody too low?

[Joe]

I mean, I. I like the rankings. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers only winning one Super Bowl. I mean, he's up there about kind of high. There are other quarterbacks, huh?

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah.

[Joe]

Oh, so. So they see, matter of fact, when it comes to this situation right now, and we talk about some of the greatest quarterbacks that have ever played this game, I think people can very. Be very meticulous when it comes to what. Who they want at what position and where they actually belong, because there's so many things you can fight for depending on who you like and where you want them positioned. When it comes to a list of this magnitude, listen, everybody. Everybody on that list is worthy. Obviously, Tom Brady has to be number one. The fact that Patrick Mahomes is still playing and he's already number four, number three on this list, I'm not sure

[Joe Ocho]

Peyton was a spot in front of him at three.

[Joe]

Yeah, I mean, that. That's unbelievable.

[Joe Ocho]

You know, he's the only five time MVP in the, in, in, in league history. He had all the records when he retired. Obviously they've since been broken.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Still has the most passing yards in the season, the most passing touchdowns in a season. He once held a record for the most passing touchdowns he had. He broke Dan Marino's record of 48 with 49. Tom breaks his record with 50. And then he says, I'm gonna do 10% better than what you did, Tom. I'm gonna break it by five. So he has 55. Over 5,400 passes, y'. All. I think he has 54, 77. And since then, nobody's really come close. Now I think somebody, when they get to this 18 game schedule, Ocho, I think it's just a matter of time.

[Joe]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. And also on that list, I mean top 10, I mean, it depends. I'm Chad, y' all let me know what you think. You think about Drew Brees, you think about someone like Troy. Troy Aikman, who's won through three Super Bowls as well. Drew Brees. Statistically, his numbers are up there and almost comparable with everyone else, if I'm not mistaken. I don't have the numbers. Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

He had to record before Brady broke him.

[Joe]

Yeah. So I know he's not that damn far off. So why is he not on the list? So he is.

[Joe Ocho]

He's number eight.

[Joe]

Oh, he was. Oh, you did say number eight. What about you?

[Joe Ocho]

Five. He has what, four, four or five. 5,000 yard passing seasons. Okay.

[Joe]

What happened? What happened? Troy Aikman.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah. Huh. Troy is 19.

[Joe]

Oh, God damn. He all the way.

[Joe Ocho]

But you got to realize he just handed the ball off to the all time leading rush in NFL history. Okay.

[Joe]

They.

[Joe Ocho]

You ain't throwing a whole lot of passes.

[Joe]

Okay.

[Joe Ocho]

They were, they, they ran the ball early to throw the ball late. So when you're gonna try to stop even on 31 and 32, that's when he's gonna hit playmaker. That's when he's gonna hit Alvin Harper over the top.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

They were, don't get it confused. They were a running team, as were most teams in the 90s back then.

[Joe]

Yeah, absolutely. Yes.

[Joe Ocho]

It was no pass first league. I mean, that's why you see the guys and see, I think the thing is, ooh, what has happened is that you look at a guy's stat. You look at a guy like Troy Aikman stats, and here is Patrick Mahomes, already 100 plus touchdowns in front of him. And so you look at like what that but no, they didn't throw the ball like we, these guys do now.

[Joe]

And that, that's the thing.

[Joe Ocho]

Different, it's a different era. Hell, look at Terry Bradshaw. Terry Bradshaw got four, he got four super bowl wins. He's a two time Super Bowl. I think he was a two time super bowl mvp.

[Joe]

Uh huh. Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Two. Because Franco won one and Lance Juan won one and they won four. So that, yeah. And so, so you look at that and He's a league MVP.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

Ain't in the top 10.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Johnny Unit is not in the top 10.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Otto Graham, Bart Starr.

[Joe]

Right. You know, you know what people have to do is they have to remember one thing we always do is, is when we compare, when we compare players, we can't compare errors because the errors most players played in are completely different. They are, they're completely different. So I mean, listen, every, everyone on that list, rightfully so, has a, is, is, has a right to be there. And depending on who you ask, I don't think the first, the first four, the first four or five, you don't change. Now after five, everyone can, can make their argument for who belongs in after that.

[Joe Ocho]

But if you think about it, in the top 10, only Drew Brees is the only one that didn't win a regular season MVP. Every other quarterback in the top 10 has won at least one regular season MVP. Obviously Tom has three, Joe has two. Five. Huh?

[Joe]

Damn. You said Peyton has five.

[Joe Ocho]

Peyton has five, Mahomes has two, Rogers has four, Elway has one, Favre has three. I think Steve Young has two. I think, I think maybe Dan Marino has one. See how many MVPs Steve has. I think Steve won the MVP in like 92. In 94.

[Joe]

And that's crazy, man. I should have won mvp, man.

[Joe Ocho]

So you, man, look here. Yeah. Six against the charge. He threw six touchdowns in that game. I don't know Ocho, it's just hard. It's going to just be hard unless a running back have a historically great season.

[Joe]

Oh yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Now like Saquon, if he'd have broke Barry Edie's record.

[Joe]

Oh, Eric Dickinson. That's right.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah. With the season that he was having. Right. I think you look. But I think now they're just conditioned. Like okay, a running back has a great season, they're going to give him offensive player of the year. I think that's what we're doing or resigned to. Because if a wide receiver. How do you give it to a. Let's just say for the sake of argument, if a wide receiver has 2,000 yards receiving. How many yards you think his quarterback gonna pass for? Oh, how many touchdowns this quarterback go have.

[Joe]

Yeah. Hey, you know, you know what's funny? I hate that it's like that. Obviously when, when, when, when players, especially a running back or a receiver, if they happen to have an outer body experience outlier season. Yeah. And create history. I think the rules at some point should, because they play a dependent position, it should go to that to say it player, whether it be the running back, especially breaking Edie's record or receiver doing something that's never been done before, they should win MVP and it's, I

[Joe Ocho]

mean it's going to be a while. I believe the offensive player of the year should automatically go to a wide receiver or running back.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

You're not going to give them the mvp because if you think about it, Ocho, think about it. Chase with the triple crown, he didn't win offensive player of the year. JSN come behind him, lead the league and receiving yards and he get it. Chase like what the hell.

[Joe]

Yeah, that's crazy.

[Joe Ocho]

Smitty didn't win offensive rookie of the year. I mean offensive player of the year, my brother when he run the triple crown didn't. I think Jerry did though. I think Jerry is a two time offensive player of the year. That's why, you know, I can make a case that Jerry is the greatest. I mean if you, you probably go say, but I can make a crazy case that Jerry is the greatest, the greatest NFL player ever. Because what he did, what he did and when he did it and for how long he did it is crazy.

[Joe]

Consistency.

[Joe Ocho]

A 40 year old receiver should not have 1200 receiving yards. Hey, as a matter of fact, Brady got like the third most receiving yard. The third most receiving yard is about 40 year old Ocho.

[Joe]

That's crazy.

[Joe Ocho]

But look, I mean when it's all said and done, there are probably some guys today that's, I mean they're on this list that's going to be able to move up.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Could Peyton, could Patrick Mahomes move up a couple of spots? I don't think there's anybody that's going to overtake Brady. No, I don't.

[Joe]

You have to play a very long time.

[Joe Ocho]

Even if you didn't play a long time.

[Joe]

But Ocho just.

[Joe Ocho]

You know how hard. Think about Ocho. Yeah, I played 10 years, 11 years and never went to the Super Bowl. Well, you did go my bad in Cincinnati. But you know how hard it is to get there.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Think about it. Brady was going damn near every other year.

[Joe]

That's. That's crazy. Which I think. I think.

[Joe Ocho]

I think. I think 10 times.

[Joe]

Yeah. I think a lot of people are spoiled, too. I think a lot of people are spoiled with the success that the Patriots had in that. That 20 year span with Belichick and Tom Brady and thinking that it's very easy to go.

[Joe Ocho]

Yes.

[Joe]

I don't think they understand that. That relationship, that maturation and the geniusness of Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, allowing Bill to construct that team and pick and choose what players to have. And once you have someone like Tom as your foundation, as your centerpiece, it's so easy to build around someone like that. That's as great as he is.

[Joe Ocho]

It is the Ocho. But the thing is, Ocho. But I be wanting to get some credit, and y' all don't be really giving me no credit, and I'm the one that's cutting the checks. All y' all talk about is Tom and Bill. What about me? Yeah. And Mr. Krabs said, I'm gonna keep this thing going. I ain't saying nothing. Keep my. Yeah, y' all figure it out.

[Joe]

He understood.

[Joe Ocho]

He understood the assignment. Yeah, but like I said, I mean, you look at this. I mean, it's a. I mean, and the thing I look. And I played in the air with all these guys, with the exception of Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. I played against Brady, Montana, Manning. I played with them. Obviously Far got drafted the year after I did. Breeze was the quarterback at. At the Chargers. Yeah, he got benched for. He got benched for Doug Flutie, Doug Fle.

[Joe]

I remember that. I remember that. Hey, hey. What. What year was Dan Fouts and the Dan Cor. How you say it?

[Joe Ocho]

Eric Corel.

[Joe]

Yeah. What year was that?

[Joe Ocho]

That was 83.

[Joe]

Right.

[Joe Ocho]

When they end up. They. They went to Cincinnati and they ended up losing. That might have been 80oo.

[Joe]

Okay. But I'm just saying those are one of the few teams back then during the running era that actually threw the ball all the time. Huh?

[Joe Ocho]

Yes. Yes. And then you had. And then you had. He was a. He was the coordinator. He was the head coach of the Rams and. And Seattle. I forget his name. Chuck was his. What's his name. See, in the early 80s, the Seahawks in the 80s. But yeah, I feel very. I feel very fortunate. I played the greatest. Eric, I played with the greatest quarterbacks in NFL. In NFL history,

[Joe]

man.

[Joe Ocho]

Danny, Steve, Brett, John Manning, Montana and Brady Chuck Knox, because they called him Ground Chuck because All he did was run the air out the ball. So. Yeah, but that was. Oh, when air Coryell, when they had big Kellen, Kellen Winslow, John Jefferson. They had Charlie Joyner, they had Chandler, they had Lionel, Lil Train James. They had another dude that ended up Matthews from Arkansas. I forget his first name. But they had some teams. But the thing is Ocho, you know them warm weather team, you send their ass up to the cold and they

[Joe]

come playoff time, different ball game. It becomes a completely different ball game.

[Joe Ocho]

But like I said, I mean obviously you got guys I think, I'm sure Joe Burrow and Lamar and all these quarterbacks that are low when it's all said and done, they take this thing in another 10 years, they're going to be, they're going to be up a little higher.

[Joe]

It's going to be different. Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Matthew Stafford definitely at the rate he's going, it seems like he got two, three more good, great years and him let alone, oh, Chuck Muncie. Chuck Muncie had. Had the goggles on. You remember Chuck Muncie? He ended up getting trade. I think he ended up getting traded to New Orleans. But they had a, they had, they had a squad. Ocho. They had a squad. Troy, a number 19. Matthew Stafford is already number 20. Ocho.

[Joe]

Yeah.

[Joe Ocho]

Carson Palmer 56. Joe 66.

[Joe]

That's a nice little list now.

[Joe Ocho]

Oh yeah, but it was, it was. Look, I, I think the thing is it's always somebody like. Well he. Somebody should be up here hiring. Somebody should be up here lower. But it's clear there have been guys. Like I said, I mean most of these guys are like. With the exception of Breeds has what I think Breeze has been offensive player of the year a couple of times. What you call them, you could. Where's Kurt Warner? Kurt the two time league mvp. A Super bowl mvp. Okay. An undrafted free agent too.

[Joe]

Yep.

[Joe Ocho]

I can see why Big Ben went to three Super Bowls. One, two was never, never a. A Super bowl mvp. Never was a league mvp. I don't know if he's ever been a, a first or second team all pro.

[Joe]

Damn.

[Joe Ocho]

But sometimes when you play in an era, guess what? He smack dab in the middle of Brady Manning. And re. I mean you, you, I mean where you, where you going? If you, if you a first team all pro in that with those guys, right? You tip. Yeah. You've done something. Yeah, you, you've done something. No joke. Because I mean think about it. You talk about, I mean, how many touchdowns. I mean all those guys. Hell, Brady probably got 600 touchdown. Manning's over 500 touchdowns. Breeze is over 500 touchdowns. Now think about it.

[Joe]

That's crazy.

[Joe Ocho]

Yeah, you got damn near 1700 passing touchdowns. Damn near. Brady got that half. Damn near 80000 passing yards or more. So you talk about over 200 200k passing yards. So if you in that era, oh

[Joe]

well, it's gonna be hard. It would have been hard and it was difficult. I mean listen, Ben has some success obviously going to three Super Bowls and winning two. Had some great teams around him. Had some hell of a defenses.

[Joe Ocho]

Yes.

[Joe]

Hell to deal with. Boy, them defenses back then was hell to deal with.

[Joe Ocho]

So like I said, you can see Rogers. Rogers has four regular season MVP. It's a Super Bowl MVP. Over 60000 passing yards. One of the best touchdown interception ratios in NFL history. Got no qual. No, no problem with that. You can see why he's a he. I don't know. He might. Could he have been four if he went to and got more suitable? Yeah, probably. But for Mahomes to be inside of 10 years and already in the top five quarterback or show, that just goes to show you just how great he actually is. Not was. Is.

[Joe]

Yeah. Amazing.

[Joe Ocho]

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[Joe]

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[Joe]

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This is the biggest night in podcasting. The countdown is on to our 2026 iHeart podcast awards. Live from south by Southwest March 16th. We'll honor the very best in podcast the past year and celebrate the most innovative, talented creators in the industry. It's truly a who's who of the podcasting world. Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display. And the winner of the IHEART Podcast Award is. See all the nominees [e-mail] Podcast Awards

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