BEST OF NFL NEWS PART 2: Johnny Manziel TORCHES Browns & Tyreek Hill SNUBBED!

Summary

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Club Shay Shay – "Best of NFL News Part 2: Johnny Manziel TORCHES Browns & Tyreek Hill SNUBBED!"

Host: Michael Irvin (guest host, former NFL receiver)
Episode Date: September 4, 2025
Featured Guests: Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson), Johnny Manziel

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Episode Overview

This "Best Of" episode brings together hot takes, candid insights, and engaging debates from recent NFL news, with a focus on player drama, franchise decision-making, and the realities facing star athletes. Michael Irvin and Ocho Cinco dissect major headlines, including Johnny Manziel’s explosive comments about the Cleveland Browns, Tyreek Hill’s captaincy snub in Miami, the ongoing evolution of NFL quarterback situations, and candid perspectives on ego, accountability, and greatness in the league.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New York Giants QB Situation: Patience vs. Pressure

Timestamps: [02:48]–[06:50]

• Discussion: The Giants have a tough early schedule. Russell Wilson, the presumed starter, faces job security pressure with rookie Jackson Dart waiting in the wings after a strong preseason.
• Ocho’s take: "I hate when the media does this. I hope Daboll is patient, allowing Jackson Dart to sit back and learn, you know, from Russell Wilson instead of being thrown out there to the wolves." [03:30]
• Irvin’s take: Irvin is skeptical about the patience: "I said, I'm going under eight weeks for Jackson Dart...he played too great in the preseason." [04:28]
• Comparison: Reflections on past Giants QB transitions (Eli Manning, Kurt Warner, Daniel Jones) and how teams' plans often change quickly under pressure.
• Memorable moment: Irvin likens the situation to buyer’s remorse: "You buy something and you like, damn, if I knew I was going to be able to get that at a cheaper price, I wouldn't even bought this." [05:13]

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2. Mo Lewis on Bledsoe’s Hit and the Tom Brady Era

Timestamps: [06:50]–[08:20]

• Summary: Mo Lewis breaks his silence on "the hit" that ended Drew Bledsoe’s run and jump-started Tom Brady's legendary career.
• Irvin: "It's just another play for me, but it's a different play for him. It's really irrelevant to me. I was just another play to me, to y’all it’s a big game, changing-history play." [07:00]
• Ocho on the hit: "Yeah, he was headed out of bounds. He didn’t get out fast enough, but it was a good hit. It was a good hit." [08:05]
• Legacy: The discussion pivots to how one moment can spark a dynasty—Brady and Belichick's era is compared to sports dynasties like the Yankees and Celtics.

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3. Coach Belichick, Mr. Kraft, and the Patriots Dynasty

Timestamps: [09:16]–[15:10]

• Debate: Irvin and Ocho explore the dynamic between owner Robert Kraft and Coach Bill Belichick—"very, very, very, very...very different." [09:37]
• Longevity vs. loyalty: Is four bad years enough to jettison a legend? Irvin argues, “If you mean to tell me this man gives you 20 years and you win 18, 19 division titles ... you only get two years?” [10:18]
• Post-Brady reality: Belichick’s "swings and misses" in the draft/free agency are masked by Brady's greatness—a sharp decline after Brady’s departure.
• Memorable moment: Irvin’s analogy about greatness: “Brady was the greatest eraser. So every mistake that you made, Brady could erase it every time.” [12:19]

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4. Greatness in Sports: Perception, Criticism, and Appreciation

Timestamps: [15:23]–[18:58]

• Theme: The panel laments how fans underestimate the difficulty of sustained greatness, drawing parallels across sports icons (Mahomes, Steph Curry, Serena, etc.).
• Ocho: "I think those that have played the game… can see it a little bit differently and understand what you’re witnessing beforehand." [17:58]
• Irvin: “The greatness sometimes mask just how difficult something is.” [15:55]
• Reflection: Both ex-players agree that only once an era ends do most people truly appreciate how special it was.

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5. Tyreek Hill SNUBBED as Dolphins Captain

Timestamps: [24:18]–[34:24]

• Context: Tyreek Hill, Miami’s star receiver, was left out of the team captains for 2025—a reaction to removing himself from a crucial game and requesting a trade.
• Coach’s Perspective: Mike McDonald praises the unity of the new captains: “The team was much more unified, and the focus on those six guys was very clear.” [24:36]
• Ocho’s Miami take: "What I care about is, is my Dolphins playing well in the postseason...I don’t care who’s carrying that C on that goddamn chest." [25:28]
• Irvin’s skepticism: "No way...if he did what he did and he turns around the following year and he’s a captain. Couldn’t have that. Even if he got 52 votes...they wouldn’t let that happen." [26:05]
• Tyreek’s lesson: Discussion on accountability—Hill's production is tied to Tua Tagovailoa’s health; Irvin calls Tua “injury prone since college…he probably going to limp out of it.” [28:05]

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6. Ego & Envy in NFL Locker Rooms: Micah Parsons, Cowboys Drama

Timestamps: [39:20]–[43:10]

• Rumors: Cowboys’ star Micah Parsons responds to “egotistical” rumors. CD Lamb and Trayvon Diggs back him.
• Irvin: "The greater the person, the greater the player, the more accomplished the person is, so, so are we saying that Beyonce and Taylor Swift ain't got no ego?” [41:00]
• Locker room realities: Ocho details, “You got 53 people. Everybody’s not gonna get along…You’re not there. This is, that’s not a liking contest. You there for one job.” [42:13]

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7. Lamar Jackson and Quarterback MVP Buzz

Timestamps: [43:42]–[46:16]

• Vegas Odds: Lamar is again the MVP favorite, but Irvin says: “We have yet to see that guy [Lamar] for the totality of the playoffs.” [44:53]
• Ocho’s challenge: "Now what Lamar Jackson do we get in the playoffs? That’s all that matters…Because we know what he gonna do in the regular season." [44:06]
• Playoff pressure: Both agree Lamar’s playoff performance, not his regular-season brilliance, will define his legacy.

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8. Johnny Manziel TORCHES the Browns; Reflects on Bust Label

Timestamps: [47:45]–[55:42]

• Viral moment: Johnny Manziel, on the “Glory Days” podcast, openly blames Cleveland for poor draft day decisions, and vents about being labeled the franchise’s biggest bust.
  • Manziel: “I get the most wave of...for being a bust… I wasn’t even the biggest. And respect to Justin Gilbert...but we both flamed out… I’m not even the biggest bust in my class from the Browns.” [47:53]
  • Harshest quote: "I think I'm gonna be pissed at them, hate them forever...I'm rooting for 0-16 seasons every season." [49:36]
• On accountability: Manziel ultimately takes some responsibility:
  • “...you throw it away, and you look in the mirror and you say, I've let an amazing opportunity slip. It's on me.” [50:21]
  • "Gotta work hard and you gotta consistently do it day in and day out, even when you don't want to." [55:21]
• Reflecting on wasted potential: “Did football come too easy for you?” [53:09]. Manziel describes how talent, ego, and media hype created a sense of invincibility and distracted him from sustained hard work.

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Notable Quotes

• Michael Irvin:

  • "Brady was the greatest eraser. So every mistake that you made, Brady could erase it every time." [12:19]
  • "You want to maintain that [winning]." [12:54]
  • "What we do? What we doing here? Everybody's not gonna be liked and that's okay." [41:19]
  • "We have yet to see that guy [Lamar] for the totality of the playoffs." [44:53]

• Ocho Cinco:

  • "That's cute. That's cute...what I care about is my Dolphins playing well in the postseason." [25:16]
  • "This is not a liking contest. You there for one job." [42:39]
  • "Now what Lamar Jackson do we get in the playoffs? That's all that matters..." [44:06]

• Johnny Manziel:

  • "I think I'm gonna be pissed at them, hate them forever...I'm rooting for 0-16 seasons every season." [49:36]
  • "Everything that's happened to me...is only because of one person, myself, and the decisions that I made." [51:30]
  • "Gotta work hard and you gotta consistently do it day in and day out, even when you don't want to." [55:21]

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Memorable Moments

• Manziel’s Brutal Honesty: His admission of lasting animosity toward the Browns, and his acceptance of personal responsibility in his career’s outcome.
• Irvin on Greatness: The repeated, passionate analogies about “erasers” and “buyer’s remorse,” connecting player moves to life choices.
• Tyreek Hill Segment: The frank talk about team politics, captaincy votes, and how off-field actions shape team leadership.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:48 – Giants’ QB battle and rookie pressure
• 06:50 – Mo Lewis’ infamous hit on Bledsoe
• 09:16 – Belichick, Kraft, and the end of the Patriots' reign
• 15:23 – The hidden struggle of maintaining greatness in sports
• 24:18 – Dolphins’ captaincy drama and Tyreek Hill
• 39:20 – Micah Parsons, Cowboys, and the truth about ego in the NFL
• 43:42 – Lamar Jackson’s MVP odds and playoff narrative
• 47:45 – Johnny Manziel eviscerates the Browns, reflects on his NFL bust label and accountability

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Tone & Style

• The episode is equal parts passionate debate, veteran wisdom, and playful banter.
• Irvin and Ocho blend blunt truth with humor, while Johnny Manziel’s segment is startlingly candid and emotionally raw.

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This episode is a definitive listen for anyone seeking to understand the drama, personalities, and realities animating the modern NFL—from the locker room to the front office, from star turns to stinging regrets.

Transcript

[Sarah Spain]

This is an iHeart podcast. Get fired up, y'.

[Michael Irvin]

All.

[Sarah Spain]

Season two of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people, an incomparable soccer icon Megan Rapinoe to the show and we had a blast. Take a listen. Sue and I were like riding the lime bikes the other day and we're like, wee people ride bikes because it's fun. We got more incredible guests like Megan in store, plus news of the day and more. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports Network.

[Dan Rubenstein]

Tune in to all the Smoke podcast.

[Michael Irvin]

Where Matt and Stack sit down with.

[Dan Rubenstein]

Former first lady Michelle Obama.

[Sarah Spain]

Folks find it hard to hate up close. And when you get to know people and you're sitting in their kitchen tables and they're talking like we're talking, you know, you hear our story, how we grew up, how Barack grew up, and you get a chance for people to unpack and get beyond race.

[Dan Rubenstein]

All Smoke featuring Michelle Obama. To hear this podcast and more, open your free iHeartRadio app, search all the smoke and listen now.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Football is back. That's right, the new NFL season is here and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 60. It's in the name NFL Daily so you'll have fresh content in your feed all season long. Join me Greg Rosenthal in an all star cast of co host for previews and recaps of every single game. NFL Daily will keep you up to date with everything you need to know so you can sound smarter than all your friends. Listen to NFL daily on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dan Rubenstein]

I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Your ultimate source for player news, draft tips and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dan, he's Ty. Hello. And we're the solid verbal college football Podcast. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan. Join us all season long as we ride the rollercoaster of this ridiculous sport. Listen to the solid verbal college football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We don't just love college football, Ty. We live it.

[Michael Irvin]

The Giants have a demanding opening schedule playing the Commanders, Cowboy, Chiefs and Chargers over the first four weeks of the season. The athletic reports Russ must engineer wins against those contending to prevent head coach Brian Daval from benching him for rookie Jackson Dart. Giants brass has told everyone who will listen since the draft. Russell is the unquestioned starting quarterback and the plan is first round picks to develop behind the scenes. It sounds awful familiar to 2019. The plan was for Eli to start Daniel Jones on the bench. Then Jones took over after an 02 start. And the same thing with Eli. Remember Eli? When Eli came in, Kurt Warner was supposed to be the starter. And then what happened? Ocho.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah. Yeah. Hey, hey. I don't. I don't think they should rush it. I. I hate when the media does this. I hope the ball is patient, allowing Jackson Dart to sit back and learn, you know, from Russell Wilson instead of being thrown out there to the wolves. Russell Wilson has enough talent around him. Offensively, they have some good pieces on defense. Well, I think they're going to be fine. They're gonna be fine. Russell Wilson just throw uno the ball, baby. That's it.

[Michael Irvin]

Ocho.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

We got Commanders, Cowboys, Chiefs, Chargers.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Okay, well, don't throw the Cowboys out there. Don't throw the Cowboy name out there like that. Like they're this. This four.

[Michael Irvin]

This is a rivalry game. So you know, they're the same division. Divisional game. So, you know, divisional games could go either way.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Ocho, you right, you right. But hey, I'm.

[Michael Irvin]

And the Commanders is another division game. Rivalry game.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Really good. Really good.

[Michael Irvin]

Chief Chargers. Very unfamiliar. Two AFC west opponents. I mean, I ain't know. I don't know if I've ever heard of this. You got two division opponents and then you got two FC west opponents. But I'm not. I think you and I did over. Under. I said I'm going under eight weeks for Jackson Dart. He played. He played too great in the preseason. And I've heard Rumless people say you should talk about preseason, but I'm just saying preseason. I know, but I'm saying I've heard people say.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Right.

[Michael Irvin]

Hey, I would just roll with Jackson Dart.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Oh, from. From jump.

[Michael Irvin]

From the jump. Yeah.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

If they were going to do that. If they were going to do that, they wouldn't have brought In Russell, they wouldn't have had Jamis. I mean, they, I mean, there's no way. There's no way. Because there would be no point in even bringing them in if you just run them. If you running them right.

[Michael Irvin]

You didn't know you was going to be in a. You didn't know you, you signed all those guys before you got Jackson dart. You didn't know you were going to be in position to get him. What if, what if somebody snatches him up? What if somebody moves ahead of you and take him? So now. So I got. Oh, Jo. It's kind of like, you know, I bought. You buy something and you like, damn, if I knew I was going to be able to get. If I knew I was going to be able to get that at. At a cheaper price, I wouldn't even bought this.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Right, right.

[Michael Irvin]

And so that I, I believe that's what happened. They didn't know they're going to be in position to get Jackson Darth. And now all of a sudden we signed these guys in free agency and guess what? Jackson dart is there, right, man, we can get him.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

You right.

[Michael Irvin]

Damn, man, if I knew I could have got this new car for what I wouldn't, I wouldn't have got these two usuals. But it's. I remember and I remember Ocho, how sad Eli looked.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Oh.

[Michael Irvin]

Standing on the sideline.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

Well, because Eli has started. You have to understand, he looks sad when he.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

In the game.

[Michael Irvin]

He does it just, just his, just his, his face, his demeanor. His demeanor. You can't tell what he's. Well, he had. They had already broken the street because remember Geno Smith when they benched it for that one game.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

I say, man, that's some bull jive. How you gonna break the man's street for one game and then put him back in there?

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah. They did that on purpose. I'm not sure why. I'm not sure why.

[Michael Irvin]

So we'll see. The over under is eight. Mo Lewis blames Drew Brett Bledsoe for the hit that launched the Tom Brady era. Bledsoe had just signed $100 million deal to be what type of quarterback? A passing quarterback. Correct. He had not gotten outside the pocket and ran with the ball. If he had not gotten outside the pocket and ran with the ball, we would be talking about this. Who calls the event the person with the ball. Now he's doing what he. Now he's doing what he didn't sign up for. He signed up to be a passing quarterback. What do I do? Stop the People with the ball. It's just another play for me, but it's a different play for him. It's really irrelevant to me. I was just another play to me, to. To. To y'. All. It's a big game. Changing history, changing play. I've never gone back to watch the play. If people want to talk about it, I don't hide from it, but it's no importance to me. Lewis had avoided the spotlight since retiring. Former team may say he feels slightly because I don't think so. Look, I know Mo. Mo and I used to work out together. He a funny guy, but he's like, hold on. So what y' all want me to do? The guy got the ball. He's a passing quarterback. He's not that fast. And then, bro, get out of bounds.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, he was trying to get out of bounds.

[Michael Irvin]

Not fast enough.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, he was headed out of bounds. He didn't get out fast enough, but it was a good hit. It was a good hit.

[Michael Irvin]

And obviously, good clean. Good clean.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Good clean hit. Drew Brees went down, and the rest was history.

[Michael Irvin]

Bledsoe.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I mean, Drew Bledsoe went down. The rest was history. Yes, the rest was history. So.

[Michael Irvin]

Yes, go ahead.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I think if he didn't go down, if Drew Bledsoe didn't get hurt, I think if somebody. History still would have been what it was. History still would have been what it was.

[Michael Irvin]

But at some point, we're gonna come in there.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, at some point.

[Michael Irvin]

I mean, I. I think it might be a. A very difficult situation. Ocho, you just gave a man $100 million, and then you say, well, we're gonna start this guy that we took in the sixth round.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hey, that's tough. That's toug.

[Michael Irvin]

Now, everything that happened after they won the Super Bowl, Coach Belichick could do no wrong in Mr. Kraft's eyes. Cause it seemed like every. Every button that he pushed. Kaching, kaching, kaching, kaching. And when it's going like that. Look, I don't. I don't know anybody that's ever been around Mr. Kraft. I've been around him a little bit. I like him. Been around Coach Belichick a little less. I don't have a problem with Coach Belichick, but they are very different people. They're very, very, very, very. How many times did I say very? Okay, one more time. Very different. They are, Ocho.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And when you got two different people.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yes, sir.

[Michael Irvin]

That's opposite of each other. Mr. Kraft looked at it like, you know what? Yeah, we different. I Don't like the way he does certain things or why he talks, but I got it good. These Super Bowls keep piling up. We win the division every year. We're in the. Every AFC Championship game every other year. Yeah. I'm gonna keep my mom close.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah. Hey.

[Michael Irvin]

Because based on what he had done, Coach Belichick should have got another three, four years. If you mean to tell me this man gives you 20 years and you win 18, 19 division titles, you go to seven, you go to nine Super Bowls, you win six, you go to 10, 11 AFC championship games, and you mean to tell me you only get two years? You only get two years. So I give you 20 years of prosperity, and I only get two years? One year, we make the playoff the next year. How many years did Coach Belichick coach after Brady? I'll make sure I'm with it. Two or three. He drafted Mike Jones. They go to the playoffs the next year, they don't. And did they fire him after that? I think Coach Belichick didn't draft Drake May. He got two years. Tampa. Yes. He coached four years. Wow. I didn't know.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Okay, he squeezed out four.

[Michael Irvin]

He got four, went to the playoff the first year. Right. With Mac Jones.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Oh, Matt, Matt, Matt. First year. He was nice boy.

[Michael Irvin]

The first year.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, he looked very promising. And then I don't know what happened after that.

[Michael Irvin]

Well, it was the second year since Brady left. First year. Right. So he got four years after Brady left the. For the second year. The second year after Brady. That's the first year. Okay, Right, right, right, right, right, right. Okay. And. And I think the fake look, he has started to take those swings and misses, Ocho.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

Because when you got Brady, you can swing and miss. And Brady come up there and hit it over the fence.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

He makes up.

[Michael Irvin]

So Brady was the greatest eraser. So every mistake that you raid, Brady could erase it every time. And writing the correct answer. Now, the mistakes that you're making, drafting. Drafting those tight ends and they're not on the team, signing guys in free agency, and they don't cut it after the year. Ms. Grant's like, Whoa, whoa, wait a minute.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

This ain't. This ain't what I'm used to.

[Michael Irvin]

I. No, no, no. And Ocho, you know, you get. You. You get accustomed to a certain. Certain level of winning lifestyle.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

It's hard.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

You want to.

[Michael Irvin]

Me.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

We want to maintain that.

[Michael Irvin]

Absolutely. But like I said, I don't. You know, Mr. Krabs is a very religious man not to say that Coach Belichick's not. But I just don't. I wouldn't necessarily put them together if I don't see them best friends.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Right.

[Michael Irvin]

As just common people.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Right.

[Michael Irvin]

You know what I'm saying? And I'm not saying I don't know if owners and coaches are best friends, but strictly business, strictly 1,000%.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah. Two people with the same end goal, the same end goal in mind when it comes to business and football, we trying to compete for the same thing, but outside building, nothing alike.

[Michael Irvin]

Nope. Nope. And I'm like, mo, man, what y' all want me to do? Y' all make it seem like I intended to, like, almost kill this man. I didn't. I just put a hit on him, just like I would anybody else that's running the football. My job is to hit people, tackle people, and go back to the huddle and do it over again.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

But it birthed the dynasty unlike anything that we had ever seen. You probably gotta go back to the Yankees in the 20s or the 50s or the 60s to define something like this over the period of time in which it lasted. The 60s, Celtics, you know, they win eight championships in. In. In that decade where they went eight in a row. They won more, but they won eight in a row. I mean, you got to go back to something like that. You. But in football, I don't think I'm gonna see it in my lifetime now. I'm not gonna live another 80 years, probably not gonna live another 50 years. So I'm. I'm not gonna see it in my lifetime. Good luck. Somebody that's in the teenage years seeing something like what we saw from 2000 until Tom Brady left in 2020. Good luck. That's what I say. Good luck. I mean, 20, 19, so good luck.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hey, you're right. And it made it. And people think it's so easy. They think it's so easy because now we're seeing another great quarterback do it. Not to that extent, but he ain't too far off or he's on the way. And 15 over there in Kansas City.

[Michael Irvin]

No, it's not easy. Winning is hard in the NFL, and to win consistently is even harder. And to win consistently and then cap it off with championships is even. Is much harder.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And I think sometimes, you know, it's just like anything until you see somebody. Man. Man, that's easy. Steph Curry make that look easy. That is. Ish. Ain't easy. Man, that man threw the ball back. That ain't easy. They just. The greatness sometimes mask just how difficult Something is.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

Gretzky made hockey look easy. Usain Bolt made running look easy. Michael Phelps made swimming look easy. Simone Biles made it look easy. Serena. It's not. It's. That's just that they're so great. You take it for granted.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

But when you play, when you're a professional athlete, no matter the sport that you in, and you see somebody else, another professional athlete, do something and do it consistently at an extremely high level, you. I think you have a greater appreciation for it, Ocho, Than, say, the normal fan.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yes. Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

I definitely think you have a great appreciation because you realize, you understand. Because you think about Ocho, you think about what we put into what we do, and we were great in our own right. But when you see Jerry or you see Tom or you see Mahomes or you see Emmett Smith or you see a Jerry Rice or you see a Joe Montana or you see a Jordan or Larry Bird, a magic and a LeBron and a Steph Curry.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

You'Re like, man, damn.

[Michael Irvin]

And you look out, Joey. Like, I remember. Like, damn. I mean, I remember being in high school. Like, damn, I'm really talented. I mean, I do stuff that just comes so easy. I mean, it's easy for me to. To do this. And then you see these guys, you like, what must they have been like in high school? What. What was LeBron like? What was. What was time like? What was. I think Serena was homeschooled. So I'm like, damn, you got a greater appreciation for greatness.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

Because you understand, it's just. And there's levels to greatness. There's levels to greatness.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

That it is the cat. I think the casual fan really wouldn't understand it. The casual fan. I think those that have played the game, played the sport can see it a little bit differently and understand what you're witnessing beforehand. Seeing Brady play, seeing Pat Mahomes, seeing stuff like that, and the dynasties and. And that they're creating the situations on how great certain situations are, especially when they end that Brady and Belichick era.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid era. Watching the greatest of LeBron, people not understanding, Always having something negative to say. Watching the greatness of the Braun for so long, not understanding how great what we're witnessing is until it's no longer there. Yeah. It ain't hit you now. It ain't hit nobody yet. You got to wait till they're done, then you'll see how great Steph Curry is.

[Michael Irvin]

Right.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

They don't understand yet.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah. I mean, and There'll be other great players and. But then you'll have a. Like, man, man, you remember when. Man, you remember when Bron and kd. Man, you remember when Steph Curry and such and such. Just like Bird Magic. Just like Jordan in this one. Elijah Juan in Shaq, right? 20 years from now, people talk about KD and LeBron, Stephen, LeBron, Jokic in this one. Luka in that one.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Football is back. That's right. The new NFL season is here and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 60. This is a show for sickos like me. NFL Daily is your kind of show. It's in the name NFL Daily. You'll have fresh content in your feed all season long. Myself, Greg Rosenthal and an all star cast of co hosts will preview and recap every game all season long. Josh Allen coming off an MVP season.

[Dan Rubenstein]

And now lateral to Allen and reaching for the pylon. Are you kidding me? It's a touchdown. Have you ever seen that one before?

[Greg Rosenthal]

Rookies making a name for themselves.

[Dan Rubenstein]

He is bouncing off defenders and dragged down.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And of course, the Eagles trying to win another Lombardi.

[Michael Irvin]

What a game. What a season. What a team.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Eagles fans savor it and rejoice.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Listen to NFL daily on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or. Or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sarah Spain]

Get fired up, y'.

[Michael Irvin]

All.

[Sarah Spain]

Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapinoe to the show and we had a blast. We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations. Co hosting a podcast with her fiance, Sue, Bird watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen. What do you miss the most about being a pro athlete? The final. The final. And the locker room. I really, really like you. Just, you can't replicate. You can't get back showing up to the locker room every morning just to talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar Az Foot. I mean, seriously, y', all, the guest list is absolutely stacked for season two. And you know we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's season sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Dan Rubenstein]

I'm Dan. He's Ty. Hello. And we're the Solid Verbal College Football Podcast College football season is here. And you know what that means. Your team is going to break your heart three times, probably before Halloween.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Uh huh.

[Dan Rubenstein]

But fear not. The solid verbal will be right there with you through every soul crushing loss and impossible comeback. Join us all season long, all year long, as we ride the rollercoaster of this ridiculous sport. Whether you're a die hard fan or a casual observer, we'll help you make sense of all the chaos and of course, celebrate the madness. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan. We don't just love college football, Ty, we live it. Listen to the Solid Verbal college football podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Fantasy season is here and the question is, are you ready to dominate your league? Because if you're not locked in with us, the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, you're already playing from behind. Every episode, we're breaking down the biggest fantasy headlines, injury updates you need before kickoff, and matchups you can exploit to bury your competition. We're talking sleeper picks, breakout stars, and the players you can't afford to bench. Whether it's rookies making noise or or veterans keeping their value, we cover it all. Whether you're drafting for the first time or chasing another championship, we'll give you the edge, the insight and the confidence to make every move count. Weekly analysis, hot takes, and insider knowledge all in one place. So what's it going to be? Another just okay season or total fantasy domination? Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sarah Spain]

I'm Simone Boyce, host of the Bright side podcast, and on this week's episode I'm talking to Olympian World cup champion and podcast host Ashlyn Harris. My worth is not wrapped up in how many things I've won. Because what I came to realize is I valued winning so much that once it was over, I got the blues and I was like, this is it for me. It's the pursuit of greatness. It's the journey, it's the people, it's the failures, it's the heartache. Listen to the Bright side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michael Irvin]

It'Ll be just like that. The Miami Dolphins announced their captains for the 2025 season Monday. But there is one glaring omission. For the first time since joining the team in 2022, Tyreek Hill was not voted a captain by his teammates. Reek himself suggested this offseason that he likely would not be a captain this year due to his actions at the end of the 2024 regular season. When he removed himself from a game from the finale and hinted after the game that he wanted to play elsewhere. Mike McDonald had a very revealing quote. I'm really excited about the whole voting process in general this year. The team was much more unified, and the focus was on those six guys was very clear. Those were resounding vote getters. We were focused on giving the keys to captaincy to guys that had earned it each and every day. That speaks of. That speaks to me the most is football team that knows who it wants to be led by.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, that's cute. That's cute. It's commendable, you know, having your peers on your team vote you. You know, vote you as a captain.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah. Nope. You know, that'd be nice, man. I wanted the captain to see on my jersey.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

That's cool. Honestly, for me, my Dolphins. My Dolphins and those of you in the chat. I'm from Liberty City, born in Jackson Memorial Hospital Avenue. What I care about is, is my Dolphins playing well in the postseason? Is my Dolphins playing well when they play against teams that are above.500? Is my dolphins playing well when the weather is below 50 degrees? I don't care who's carrying that C on that goddamn chest. I just want us to be able to execute offensively and defensively when it matters most. That's it. That's it.

[Michael Irvin]

I mean, look, you. There's no way it been. It have been a joke if he did what he did and he turns around the following year and he's a captain. Couldn't have that. They weren't gonna let that happen. Ocho, even. Even if he got. Even if he got 52 votes, he wasn't gonna be no captain. They wouldn't let that happen. You know that. I know that. We know how it worked. We know who they want to be captains.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Come on now.

[Michael Irvin]

Okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

We're on the same page.

[Michael Irvin]

We here. Yeah, we here. Yeah. But look, I think Reek learned a valuable lesson. I think if he had to do it all over again, he definitely would do it a different way. He's going through some stuff right now. Reek. My heart goes. I tell you. Cause I think you're A phenomenal player. I absolutely do. And I know that's a lot on your mind. Anybody you know, being there, it's gonna be, hey, don't worry, bro. It's easy to say, tell somebody not to worry about something when they're not going through it, but when you going through it. So, I mean, it's tough because, like, you do things and, like, you. You ended Ocho. You like. And the minute you do, you're like, damn. But I don't. I don't. I don't. I mean, Reek was in a great situation when he went to Miami. That's where he wanted to go. I mean, they could have traded him someplace else. They asked him. I mean, think. Oh, think about this. Oo. They ask you where you want to go. You want to go to the jets or you want to go to the Dolphins?

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

They put him where he wanted to be. And I get it. When you had the season come off, he led the league. And receiving, he was. Hey, remember last year? Oo he was the number one player voted by his peers in the top 100.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

Your quarterback gets nicked. You're not the same reek. People like you. No, he didn't lose it.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Lose nothing.

[Michael Irvin]

It's just. It's just that, you know, his quarterback got hurt. He. He's. He's dependent on a quarterback that's injury prone. The guy's been injury prone since college. He limped into the NFL. He probably going to limp out of it. He had a lot of injuries when he was at. When he was at Alabama. Ocho, you know, he had the tightrope surgery on his ankle. He had the dislocated hip. He had the injury. The pinky. He had an injury history.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And guess what? He's had a concussion or. I don't know if you want to say concussions or injury, but he's had a history since he's been with the Dolphins. And Tyreek's future is tied. His success, his production is tied to a guy that's injury prone. Yeah, it's kind of like, Ocho, you relying on somebody that's unreliable to get you to work. Man, it's tough. It's tough. And then he didn't. He didn't make it no better because he could have just went there and says, like, I'm happy to be in Miami. It's great. Great weather, great team. But every chance he get, he tried to take a shot at Mahomes. Oh, Tua is more this than Mahomes. Oh, this is that and this, bro. You don't need to do that. Nobody. You're not. Even though you play with both, you're not going to convince anybody that Tua is a better quarterback than Mahomes. You're not. So why you try to do that? I believe you could, Ocho. I believe you can prop one guy up without trying to put another guy down.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Down. Yeah. Well, that in that situation, that's not putting a guy down because you can't put Mahomes down. Especially in that comparison when it comes to the quarterback position. But I think Reek has a lot to prove this year. Especially coming up last year, obviously, them not voting in the captain. Boom. That's another one. Okay. You all didn't want to vote me a captain. Okay. Hold my beer. Watch this, watch this. And he finna go slap. He finna go.

[Michael Irvin]

I hope so.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Go slap off.

[Michael Irvin]

Because I mean, you know, he. He's a special talent. There are not very many guys that's been played in the history of the game that had his God given ability that can take a ride, that can take any route on the field. And he's lit. He's a legitimate threat to hit his head on the goal post. Now we say that. Oh, you give him a fight. No, no, no, no, no, no. There have only been a handful of guys that can literally take any type of route that you give them. And you can strike up the band.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah. Every time.

[Michael Irvin]

And you see the. You see. Hey, you see the he doing that? The band playing?

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And. And Reek has that accountability. He just needs to get back to that and hopefully he can focus. I. I think being on the field, it allows you to like tunnel. Visual joke.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

It allows you to lock go. You lock in. You got to compartmentalize. That's what really good with a great at it.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

That's the one place doesn't matter what's going on in life. You know, once I get to that stadium, once I get to that grass, it's different. Everything else is left outside.

[Michael Irvin]

No, no, I didn't know. Somebody said you put two or down to put Tyreek up. No, I just said he's not Mahomes. He's a good quarterback. He's not Mahomes. And Tyreek's production is tied to a guy that's injury prone. Did I lie? How many concussions has he had? How many times did he get injured at the University of Alabama? I'm just giving you facts. I ain't say he wasn't a. He a bad player. He a terrible player. That's not what I said. I said Tyreek's production is tied to a quarterback that's injury prone. That's factual. That ain't no, that ain't. That ain't no, you know, stretching the truth. That's not a lie. That is just factually correct.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And maybe Tyreek wouldn't have 17, 1800 yards because he got kills and he got other guys. But if you go back and look at it, look at its production, it's 1300, it's 1400, it's 1500, it's 1300, it's fourteen hundred. It didn't have, though. It didn't have eighteen hundred and then nine hundred.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Right.

[Michael Irvin]

You know what I'm saying? That's what I'm saying, Ocho. Hey, I mean, you don't want to have no 1600 one year, then a thousand, 1200 one year, then 800. Now you want to be consistent. Hey, let me be somewhere that consists. Let me be 11 to 12, 1300. I can live with that right now. One year. If I won't have, you know, have one of your bust out years, I give me 2 or 3200 yard gains, I'll be on to something. But nah, but I, I just think the thing isn't like, you know, you're emotional. Things didn't go your way. You're like, damn, I'm going to get 100 yards. I want to continue my thousand, my thousand, you know, yard season, though. That's going to come to an end. Damn, we going to miss the playoffs. That's going to come to an end.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And he just got f. He got frustrated and it bubbled up. That's all. It bubbled up. Made a mistake. He probably tell. He. And he said it, you know, I should have handled that differently. Wish I'd handled it differently. And you know, lesson learned. And I believe I, I believe, I believe he learned his lesson. I do.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, absolutely. He gonna bounce back.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah. But. And I think McDonald says, you know, let's not focus on who didn't make it as captain. Let's talk about the guys that did make it as captain. They're deserving. They're the captains. That's who they want the lead. Bradley Chubb. It's time for Chubb to come out there and, you know, play like the Chub. Like they gave up the draft picks for it to get him from Denver. It's time for him to play. It's time for him to show because it looks like, Ocho, they, they kind of taking this thing apart. They let, you know, Kaleus Campbell go, they let Jalen Ramsey go, they let some of the elect, you know, they let Christian Wilkins go a few years ago. So it seems like, you know, the going forward, going for it, going for it. Now they're like they're getting young and.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Younger, getting younger and younger.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah. So we'll see how it works out for your football is back.

[Greg Rosenthal]

That's right. The new NFL season is here and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 60. This is a show for sickos like me. NFL Daily is your kind of show. It's in the name NFL Daily. You'll have fresh content in your feed all season long. Myself, Greg Rosenthal and an all star cast of co hosts will preview and recap every game all season long. Josh Allen coming off an MVP season.

[Dan Rubenstein]

And now lateral to Allen and reaching for the pass highon. Are you kidding me? It's a touchdown. Have you ever seen that one before?

[Greg Rosenthal]

Rookies making a name for themselves.

[Michael Irvin]

Run again. Rejected.

[Dan Rubenstein]

And it's a bulldozer. He is bouncing off defenders and dragged down.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And of course, the Eagles trying to win another Lombardi.

[Michael Irvin]

What a game. What a season, what a team.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Eagles fans savor it and rejoice.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Listen to NFL Daily I on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sarah Spain]

Get fired up, y'.

[Michael Irvin]

All.

[Sarah Spain]

Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapinoe to the show and we had a blast. We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, Co hosting a podcast with her fiance, sue, bird watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen. What do you miss the most about being a pro athlete? The final. The final and the locker room. I really, really like you. Just, you can't replicate. You can't get back showing up to the locker room every morning just to talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar AZ Foote. I mean, seriously, y', all, the guest list is absolutely stacked for season two. And you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

[Dan Rubenstein]

I'm Dan. He's Ty. Hello. And we're the Solid Verbal College Football Podcast. College football season is here. And you know what that means. Your team is going to break your heart three times, probably before Halloween. Uh huh. But fear not, the Solid Verbal will be right there with you through every soul crushing loss and impossible comeback. Join us all season long, all year long, as we ride the rollercoaster of this ridiculous sport. Whether you're a die hard fan or a casual observer, we'll help you make sense of all the chaos and of course, celebrate the madness. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan. We don't just love college football, Ty, we live it. Listen to the Solid Verbal college football podcasts on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Fantasy season is here and the question is, are you ready to dominate your league? Because if you're not locked in with us, the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast you're already playing from behind. Every episode, we're breaking down the biggest fantasy headlines, injury updates you need before kickoff, and matchups you can exploit to bury your competition. We're talking sleeper picks, breakout stars, and the players you can't afford to bench. Whether it's rookies making noise or or veterans keeping their value, we cover it all. Whether you're drafting for the first time or chasing another championship, we'll give you the edge, the insight and the confidence to make every move count. Weekly analysis, hot takes, and insider knowledge all in one place. So what's it going to be? Another just okay season or total fantasy domination? Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sarah Spain]

I'm Simone Boyce, host of the Bright side podcast, and on this week's episode I'm talking to Olympian World cup champion and podcast host Ashlyn Harris. My worth is not wrapped up in how many things I've won. Because what I came to realize is I valued winning so much that once it was over, I got the blues and I was like, this is it for me. It's the pursuit of greatness. It's the journey, it's the people, it's the failures, it's the heartache. Listen to the Bright side on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michael Irvin]

Dolphins cd Lamb denounced rumors that Michael Parsons was considered both egotistical and self centered. That's my dog. He knows it. I express to him just about every week I could. So he knows he, I so I feel like he knows where we stand as far as the brotherhood, friendship and all that. So obviously wishing him the best. Hope he has the best season ever. Trayvon Diggs felt everyone in Dallas currently locker room like Micah. And he indicated that the fuel for those rumors likely came from former Cowboys. He didn't name names, but it was pretty clear Diggs was referring to DeMarcus Lawrence. I think everyone liked him. I feel there was some former players who. Not here no more who didn't like Michael. There's a lot of that, I would say hate, jealousy, envy towards him because of who he is and the production that he does on the field. Imagine if you could come here like, and you're talking like somebody shine or taking somebody's spot. You're not going to like that. They're going to feel some type of way. Especially you're that type of person. The greater the person. Listen, because sometimes I think people, the greater the athlete, the greater the individual, the bigger the ego. Quarterbacks have the biggest ego. They do the best job of hiding it. The greater the person, the greater the player, the more accomplished the person is. So, so are we saying that Beyonce and Taylor Swift ain't got no ego? Are we saying Drake, Michael Jackson, Whitney and Mariah and have no ego? Are we saying. Are we saying Elon Musk and whomever got no ego? So we saying Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Lawrence Taylor, Jim Brown ain't have no ego.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

They all do.

[Michael Irvin]

The greater the person, the more accomplished.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

A person, more successful.

[Michael Irvin]

Yeah, all of them, man. What, what we do? What we doing here? Everybody's not gonna be liked and that's okay. What you do? What you do when you get on the field, bro? As long as you ain't a jerk. Not as long as you're not. Do you know doing anything that's gonna, that's gonna harm the locker room or call a fraction in the locker room, bro. I don't care nothing about that, bro.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

First of all, I ain't going, I ain't going to your house like that anyway. So what you do? I don't care. You leave. Look, this is my locker right here, Ocho. This is my locker right here. As long as you don't f. With nothing in my locker, I'll give damn what you do. I ain't messing with nothing in your locker. You got a job to do. I got a job to do.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Michael Irvin]

And that's man, how you do. We don't have to be friends. We can be friendly. Yeah, two different things, Ocho.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I mean, this is a locker room. You got 53 people. You got 53 people. Everybody's not gonna get along. Yeah, everybody's not gonna get along. You're gonna have egos. You're gonna have, you have, you're gonna have people with pride. You're gonna. Yes, you can have jealousy, you know, and it's just, it's always, it's always been a part of sports. It's always been a part of locker rooms. It's always been a part of teens in general. You're not gonna like everybody.

[Michael Irvin]

Nope.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

You're not there. This is, that's not a liking contest. You there for one job.

[Michael Irvin]

Do your job. I like it. I like you more if you do your job. Good. I like even more. But look, I, I, look, I, I don't. You know, clearly, CD and Diggs has a fondness to. With Micah. I've been around him a little bit. I don't have no problem with Micah. Never had a problem with it.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

He's a funny, funny dude. That's why the hearing, hearing anything come up about ego and he's, especially when it comes to him. He's a, he's a funny guy. He's young, you know, like, it's weird. It's funny how everything comes out when someone actually leaves.

[Michael Irvin]

We knew that was gonna happen.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Funny how that works, you know?

[Michael Irvin]

You ever notice the guy was a. Oh, he was a problem on the job. 15 for 20 years. Ain't nobody say nothing the moment somebody leave. Yeah, yeah, he was a problem.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, he was probably the best one on the job, too.

[Michael Irvin]

Yes. Let's add that Ocho. Vegas has Lamar Jackson at the back. He's back on top for the MVP odds. The reigning mvp, Josh Allen and Joe Barrow are hairs beneath him at plus 600. Patrick Mahomes rounding out the top four at plus 650. Is this the year Lamar puts it all together, wins MVP and a Super Bowl?

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I mean, it could be the year. It could be the year if it was going to happen. This is the funny thing when it comes about, when it comes to not just Lamar Jackson, but Josh Allen and all those other quarterbacks in the afc. It's always coming the same four. Yeah, the same four. Same four. Now what Lamar Jackson do we get in the playoffs? What Lamar Jackson do we get in the playoffs? That's all that matters, because we know what he gonna do in the regular season.

[Michael Irvin]

Yes.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Gonna put up crazy numbers.

[Michael Irvin]

Yes.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Gonna rush for crazy numbers. But what Lamar Jackson, whatever Lamar Jackson we get in the postseason, that will be if those odds in Vegas come to come true. That's all it come down to.

[Michael Irvin]

That's. And that's all I've said. I said I want to see the Lamar Jackson that's won the MVP or finished second. We have yet to see that guy for the totality of the playoffs. We've seen it for a game, Ocho, but we need to see it for the totality because we saw it last year. They didn't turn the ball. He didn't turn the ball over, like, eight, nine games, right? And then he had two big turnovers. And that was, you know, some of that's undoing. Like, look. And I get it. Such a. Hold on to the ball. Zay Flowers fumbled on the one, but he did give the. He did give the Chiefs a short field. He got stripped in the pocket. I just need Lamar to be Lamar in the postseason that he was in the regular season. I don't need anything else. I don't need to be. I don't need anything else, Ocho. I don't need him to be anything other than what he's shown us for the 17 8. For the 17 games in the regular season. If he's that. If he's that player. Can nobody beat the Ravens? Nobody?

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Nah. Well, I don't know about nobody, Ocho.

[Michael Irvin]

The man threw 41 touchdowns with four picks.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hold on, hold on, now.

[Michael Irvin]

Don't jump on me.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Don't jump on me. This is a new season with everything you just named is what he did last year. Now, I'm not saying he can't repeat it, but there's a team he has to deal with in the AFC North.

[Michael Irvin]

They own y'. All.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Come again?

[Michael Irvin]

They own y'. All. Lamar Jackson owned the Cincinnati Bengals. Let me.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Let me do something. Is the Ravens. That's your team, huh? Oh, you're supposed to be team that you spent two weeks at two years. Okay, two. Two years, two weeks is all the same. You want to bet something on that game?

[Michael Irvin]

Oh, Joe, it's kind of hard for you to borrow money when you owe money, huh? Oh, you know, I'm.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hey, listen, I'm good for it. Like, when I go.

[Michael Irvin]

No, you ain't good for it.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hey, when I go to the casino, they just hand. They just give me what I want because they. They understand. Oh, Ocho, you Here. Oh, we know you. We know. We gonna take care of you. What you need?

[Michael Irvin]

No.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

What's your money line?

[Michael Irvin]

I'm a file of what you call them. On you. I'm fine. I'll press charges on you.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I ain't doing that. How you gonna press charges?

[Michael Irvin]

You'll be 5,900, and you won't pay.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Hold on, hold on, hold on. But is it. Is it written on paper?

[Michael Irvin]

They heard it. Oh, yeah, they got it. We got it on paper.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

I didn't sign nothing.

[Michael Irvin]

I'm. You ain't got to sign up. We got it. We got a verbal contract. You bet me a verb.

[Ocho Cinco (Chad Johnson)]

Yeah, Michael Parsons and Jerry Jones had a verbal contract, too.

[Michael Irvin]

We got this. I showed the tape. You ought to hear it. Right here. This is Ocho. I bet you, Johnny, we're gonna get you out of here on this one. This clip from your glory days podcast has gone viral. Let's show the chat.

[Johnny Manziel]

In my draft, the Browns had two picks. With the sixth pick, we took Justin Gilbert from Oklahoma State.

[Michael Irvin]

Oh, yeah.

[Johnny Manziel]

And I get the most wave of. For being a bust in this and that. I wasn't even the biggest. And respect to Justin Gilbert. I love him as a human being, but we both flamed out. We both struggled, and he went 14, 15, 16 picks before me. So, like, I'm not even the biggest bust in my class from the Browns.

[Michael Irvin]

Damn, Johnny.

[Johnny Manziel]

I was feeling some type of way that day. Huh?

[Michael Irvin]

Clearly. Clearly. You're like, hold on. Y' all killing me. But look, what about the guy that we're top. Top 10. I mean, I wanted to be in that pick.

[Johnny Manziel]

Like, that's what we were talking about, going to Cleveland. I wanted to go to Cleveland at 6. I wanted to go to Cleveland or whatever the pick was. Like, if you're going to send me to Ohio, at least send me with 20 million instead of 8. Like, what the.

[Michael Irvin]

Damn.

[Johnny Manziel]

I love the Justin Gilbert look. I think, you know, from. From a Browns draft perspective from that year, you know, Joel Batonio is still playing and doing well for Cleveland.

[Michael Irvin]

Right.

[Johnny Manziel]

Right now. But all around, Miss, you know, I. I think I will always be looked at and viewed at because of how much hype and, you know, media and everything that was around me and the city of Cleveland expecting me to be great and that ultimately not panning out. Listen, you know, I sit here today and I go back and forth with, man, am I gonna let Cleveland off the hook and just, like, let it go, or am I gonna sit here with hate and animosity in my heart for the rest of my life. And I finally sit here today, I'm like it. I think I'm gonna be pissed that I'm hate them forever. So. It is what it is, man. No, no love for the Browns. I. I'm rooting for Owen. Sixteen seasons every season.

[Michael Irvin]

Damn. John, let me ask you this. As you sit here today and after all the things you've gone through, we sat down a little over a year ago and we had a conversation, had a great conversation, and I think a lot of people got an opportunity to see you in a different light, knowing what you know now you're back in that situation. But you know what you know now, what would you have done differently? Would you have done anything different leading up to the draft? Would you have done anything different in college? What are some of the things that Johnny would have done differently to make sure this outcome is that we're talking about never happens?

[Johnny Manziel]

Look, there was a moment in time, and we spoke about it on the podcast. Was. Was, you know, after that Oklahoma Cotton bowl game, you know, things changed for me, and I went from Johnny Manziel to Johnny Football. And, like, looking back on it now, people ask me if you could go back in time and do it differently. There is that split moment in time, like in the locker room after that game, where my focus would have shifted to, let's get to national championship the next year, get to San Diego and start training again, and, like, get ready and geared up for this season because we got Mike Evans returning, we got a bunch of guys on this team who can come back and make a real run. And that's one thing that just never sits right with me to this day. Just like the untapped potential of the whole thing and the real opportunity if I want to see Texas A and M win a national championship. Well, that was a real, real opportunity for us, and it just didn't come to fruition. And, you know, I sit here today and. And a lot of people will hear me speak and as I tell stories and, you know, I'm doing the podcasting stuff, you know, people will always be like, you know, I'm blaming stuff on other people or I'm not accountable or anything like that. But listen, at the end of the day, everything that I've got in my life, and that's happened to me throughout my football career, is only because of one person, myself, and the decisions that I made as a man in this life. So was Cleveland the best situation for me to go to? Did they help me knowing all the Things that they knew about me with all the research and everything, did they put me in the best situation? Absolutely not. It was not the right situation for me. But when it comes down to it, you take all of that aside, you throw it away, and you look in the mirror and you say, I've let an amazing opportunity slip. It's on me. I'm the one that has to sit with myself every single night as I watch college football or watch NFL football and be like, damn, I would be in my 12th year. I would be X, Y and Z. I'm the one that has to lay my pillow down, lay my head on the pillow every night and be like that. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. But it wasn't. And at the end of the day, a lot of my life, as I've been out of football, has been like, what am I going to be able to do to find a spark to be able to be happy, to be able to give me something like football did give me? And you know what? Maybe it wasn't meant to be for me. I didn't put in the time and the effort and determination that you need to be great that both of you guys did for the sport. And that was just maybe my stupidity, my youth, or what it was meant to be. But nevertheless, you know, I take accountability for everything and what it is. You know, I really didn't harm anybody other than myself when it's all said and done. So, you know, we're still sitting here today, rocking, rolling, happy, and we're on the Nightcap show now, baby, every Saturday. Let's go.

[Michael Irvin]

That's what I'm talking about, Johnny. Did it come too easy? Did football come too easy to you? You look at what you did. You went down to Tuscaloosa and you became a household name. Everybody knew who you were after. You went in there and did what you did to Coach Saban. Did football come too easy for you after that?

[Johnny Manziel]

Man, I. I don't know. I think I started to. You start to get a little bit of ego on the football field, right? You start to see what you're doing in practice and how you're playing and, like, making certain throws and the scrambling where you, like, you're just doing certain things that are just, like, jumping off the page and you're noticing them, too. So it gives you a. It gives you a bravado and a confidence. And when people on a college football field, you know, I think this is why I wanted to go to the NFL so bad, because as I'm Going and playing on Saturdays, I'm like, these dudes can't. With me. They really can't. They want to. And even guys who are good from opposing teams, you'll come up to each other after the game and they'll be like, damn you, you're everything we thought you were going to be. You're cold. So, like, as you're getting respect from your peers on this level, too, it does heighten your sense. It does give you a sense of ego and bravado. And, you know, you add the social media wave and the.

[Michael Irvin]

And.

[Johnny Manziel]

And, you know, at that point in time, sports center every single night, and you're. You're taking over the world. You know, it does make you feel invincible. So I know there was a lot of hard work that went into everything that happened. And the reason that I played as well as I did on the field is because I did work my ass off from the time I was in high school to college. And it all played itself out. I think you start to see the down, you know, the downside and everything else when the hard work takes itself out. So, you know, that's what I always tell kids nowadays who ask me and look at my story and look at everything. It's like, listen, I had all the talent in the world. You can go run a go route, put your hand up and have a guy draped over you. I'll drop it in the bucket. You can go meet me in the A gap and really think you have me covered to tackle, and I'll mix you out of your shoes when it comes down to it. Gotta. You gotta work hard and you gotta consistently do it day in and day out, even when you don't want to. And if you don't want to do it, guess what? There's somebody right next door or somewhere else that wants to take your spot and wants to trade places with you. And look what happened to me. You know, the NFL is a game where you get replaced like this.

[Michael Irvin]

Johnny, thanks for joining us tonight. Welcome to the team. Make sure you go subscribe to Johnny's podcast on YouTube. Glory days with Johnny Manziel. Johnny, thank you for joining us, man. We'll see you next week, bro. Have a good time. Enjoy.

[Johnny Manziel]

See you next week. Much love, Foreign.

[Sarah Spain]

Get fired up, y'.

[Michael Irvin]

All.

[Sarah Spain]

Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people, an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapinoe, to the show, and we had a blast. Take a listen. Sue and I were, like, riding the lime bikes the other day and we're like, wee.

[Michael Irvin]

Like this is.

[Sarah Spain]

People ride bikes because it's fun. We got more incredible guests like Megan in store, plus news of the day and more. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports Network.

[Dan Rubenstein]

Tune in to all the Smoke podcast.

[Michael Irvin]

Where Matt and Stack sit down with.

[Dan Rubenstein]

Former first lady Michelle Obama.

[Sarah Spain]

Folks find it hard to hate up close. And when you get to know people and you're sitting in their kitchen tables and they're talking like we're talking, you know, you hear our story, how we grew up, how Barack grew up, and you get a chance for people to unpack and get beyond race.

[Dan Rubenstein]

All the Smoke featuring Michelle Obama. To hear this podcast and more, open your free iHeartRadio app, search all the Smoke and listen now. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Your ultimate source for player news, draft tips and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dan. He's Ty. Hello. And we're the solid verbal College Football Podcast. Tune in for previews, recaps, bits you won't hear anywhere else, and all the emotional support you need as a college football fan. Join us all season long as we ride the roller coaster of this ridiculous sport. Listen to the solid verbal College Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We don't just love college football, Ty. We live it.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Football is back. That's right. The new NFL season is here and you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march to Super Bowl 60. It's in the name NFL Daily so you'll have fresh content in your feed all season long. Join me, Greg Rosenthal, in an all star cast of co host for previews and recaps of every single game. NFL Daily will keep you up to date with everything you need to know so you can sound smarter than all your friends. Listen to NFL daily on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sarah Spain]

This is an iHeart podcast.