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- [00:00]
Don LaGreca
This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate First. Like, you know, to check the date of the big game first before you accidentally buy tickets on your 20th wedding.
- [00:14]
Dan Grassa
Anniversary and have to spend the next 20 years of your marriage making up for it. Yeah, checking first is smart.
- [00:21]
Don LaGreca
So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate Savings. Vary terms apply. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Don, one day you're not gonna play football anymore. And if there's a God up above, it'll be soon.
- [00:35]
Dan Grassa
Han, huge.
- [00:37]
Don LaGreca
No, but Big and Rosenberg. I didn't listen to anything you just said. This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.
- [00:43]
Dan Grassa
This is Don, Han and Rosenberg on 8 80, ESPN and the ESPN New York app.
- [00:52]
Don LaGreca
Well, the problem is it's not. It's Donald Legreca and it's Dan Grassa today.
- [00:58]
Dan Grassa
Hello.
- [00:58]
Don LaGreca
And it's for the worst reasons and the greatest reasons that two thirds of the show are not on today. As you heard yesterday, Alan Hahn's sister passed away. So he is going through the wake and funeral process. And so he is going to be out until Thursday. So that's the worst possible reason that somebody could be out. But our other individual, the great Peter Rosenberg, is out for the best reason of all, and that is his wife is in labor. So we are waiting for his daughter to be born. The due date, I believe, was either the 25th or the 26th. But I was walking out with him yesterday, and he was saying that two weeks before and two weeks after is the window for the birth of his daughter. So they were on high alert pretty much over the last couple of days. And we got the news that she is in labor. So as of right now, the child that we know of isn't born yet but will be soon. So both Peter and Alan are out. So Dan Gross is going to fill in admirably today as we embark on our Tuesday edition of dhr. How are you, sir?
- [02:06]
Dan Grassa
I'm very good. How about you lot going on?
- [02:09]
Don LaGreca
I'm good. There's so much going on and I never saw. Well, I guess. I guess it's happened in sports, if we really think about it, watching somebody's potential income being devalued as the seconds passed by for Sam Darnold over the last couple of games. Right. It was the. It was the Sunday night game in Week 18 against the Lions. We're like, oh, man, he's costing himself money. Well, that's a bad loss. They could have been the one seed. They could add a buy. Didn't look great against Detroit, but no, it's all right. He's got a playoff game. Their favorite against the Rams. And it was basically a repeat what we saw in Detroit last week. And not good for Minnesota, not good for Sam Darnold. And the Rams advanced to take on the Eagles in the divisional round.
- [02:56]
Dan Grassa
And what an empty feeling, too, if you're a Viking fan, right? Because think about how this. I mean, first of all, you win 14 games, you're the highest winning wild card team in the history of the format, in the history of the postseason. Done. You lost to two teams the entire season. The entire season. You lost to the Lions twice, you lost to the Rams twice. And he got nothing to show for it. It's almost like those 14 wins mean absolutely nothing. You feel empty.
- [03:23]
Don LaGreca
Listen, Troy said it during the broadcast. Like, I don't want to say, but it's true. You know, 14 and 3 meant absolutely nothing. You just, you throw it away. You lost your first playoff game. It didn't matter. I mean, you're no different than the Bucks, right? You're no different than any of the other teams that went out in the first round. Now, this format is going to put a lot of, you know, 12, 13, 14 win teams into the wild card. And unfortunate for Minnesota that they're in the same conference as a team that went 15 and two and they got the buy and you had to go play on the road in the first round of the playoffs. But, hey, you don't have a kick coming. You had a chance to change that narrative in week 18 in Detroit, and you didn't do it. And Detroit was the more deserving team, but if they were in any other division, they would have hosted that game. But honestly, I don't think it would have mattered. I just think that. And I've been saying this all year pretty much since the second half of the season, right? Anthony? I said I think the two teams are going to be one and done, Minnesota and Kansas City. Now, I've walked back Kansas City because they got a very favorable matchup against Houston coming up this weekend. But I didn't feel good about Minnesota, really, since the second half of the season. They were winning games, but not nearly as impressive as they were early. Sam kind of got exposed, but you know what I took from the game last night, Dan? I think the whole team got exposed. They couldn't come up with a big stop. They couldn't protect their quarterback. Now I'm not going to sit here and apologize for Sam. Sam wasn't very good, but the whole team stunk.
- [04:54]
Dan Grassa
Offensive line really didn't give him a chance. Not, I mean, let's face it. And, and, but if you're Sam and unfortunately, like I'm yelling at the TV last night and you know that I don't have a dog in the fight, even though I want to see Sam do well because, you know, I like the guy from his time here, but I mean, I'm yelling at the TV last night, throw the ball. Get rid of the ball. Like some of these sacks is like you just can't take them. You saw that one play that Matthew Stafford, I mean, he probably should have been called for in the grass, but they don't really call that anymore. You know, when he just like, just aimlessly threw the ball away so he wouldn't get sacked. I mean, there was no of that with Sam last night. He was taking these sacks. It's like, dude, this is the playoffs. You shouldn't be doing this in a regular season game. Much less than a playoff game. Can't do that. You got to give his team a chance.
- [05:35]
Don LaGreca
But he went from. If he had beaten Detroit, if he had won this game and made a run, a quarterback that was going to be much in demand and maybe be in put in a position to become a franchise quarterback. Now I think, listen, the money may still be there for him because he is a quarterback that won 14 games. You know, I heard Bart Scott say he thinks he could still make 40 million. Yeah, because Daniel Jones made $40 million a year. But that's still a lot less than he probably would have gotten had he had won the game last night or had beaten Detroit last week. But I think he's now got what become, hey, maybe he could be our franchise quarterback to now I think he'll be a bridge quarterback for an organization that's looking for a stopgap for a couple of years and they're looking to move on. And I do think Minnesota now will move on. I just, I felt like there was a chance even if Sam had won that they look at the cap and they look how much cheaper JJ is McConnell saying to himself, listen, look what I did with Sam. I can do it with JJ and do it for $35 million cheaper, maybe 40, $50 million cheaper. At the end of the day, I still think they were kind of leaning towards maybe still parting with Darnold. Now I think it's official. I think he's done in Minnesota.
- [06:49]
Dan Grassa
Well, think about it though. If you're going to go back to that $40 million number, the franchise tag number for a quarterback is $38 million right now I'm not saying that Minnesota is going to franchise tag him, but even if he does have to settle for like one of those one year type deal, things like that could very well be a possibility. Because, Don, think about it. There's going to be a team out there. Everybody needs a quarterback. And if you look around the league, I mean, think about how much garbage is playing the quarterback position in this league. Like, I mean, just absolute garbage. And there's going to be a team out there and a coaching is going to think, you know what, this guy won 14 games last year. I could get him in the lab and I could get productivity out of him. And our system with the talent we have and some quarterback needy team is going to take a roll in the dice on Sam Darnold. Whether it's Minnesota or not, it's probably not going to be Minnesota because you have J.J. mcCarthy.
- [07:36]
Don LaGreca
Right. I think Minnesota is going to part ways with him. And so there'll be a team out there that will go after him. He'll be, it'll be a lot cheaper than it would have been if you thought he'd be your franchise guy. But I think he's going to be open to going to a team. I like Sam a lot. I do. I liked him when he was with the Jets. He's a good kid and I knew he would be better off someplace else. And he was. I don't want to take away everything that Troy Aikman said last night is true. The 14 wins don't mean anything, but they still happened. And I'm sure there's going to be a team out there is going to say, you know, I'll take that. I'll take a chance on a guy going out there and winning me a few games, getting me into the playoffs. And that's why we spin it towards the jets and the Giants. Aaron Rodgers is coming back. I mean, you know, we, we, we talked about it yesterday about the whole, you know, the, the use of, of Aaron Rodgers and the whole renewing your season tickets and, and now listen, I'm not the biggest social media guy. This is kind of where we need Peter. But that whole like 4k thing that's on X today, did you see this whole thing?
- [08:41]
Dan Grassa
I've seen dribs and drabs. Yeah.
- [08:42]
Don LaGreca
And everybody Everybody is sending out. I wish I had it in front of me. I'm just. Now I'm scrolling through it. It's all I saw all day today and now I need to see it.
- [08:50]
Dan Grassa
And it's not tap, hold and load in 4K.
- [08:53]
Don LaGreca
Yeah. And so all the teams are doing it. So like the Dodgers did it. No, Tani's there, you know, and, and so when the jets did it, it's Aaron Rodgers. And I'm thinking, listen, I worked there for 16 years. You've worked there over the last seven years. They're not throwing somebody in some sort of team initiative that doesn't have a future with the organization. So I have a feeling that Aaron Rodgers is going to come back if he chooses to want to come back. That if he decides not to retire, he'll stay a Jet. So I ask you, would Sam Darnold, after everything you saw against Detroit and LA the last couple of weeks, would you want Sam Darnold to be your quarterback in 2025?
- [09:34]
Dan Grassa
For the Jets?
- [09:35]
Don LaGreca
For the Giants?
- [09:36]
Dan Grassa
For the Giants.
- [09:37]
Don LaGreca
I think Aaron Rodgers is coming back. That's what I think. But listen, if Rogers doesn't come back, if he decides to retire, I'll throw the jets into the conversation too. No, the jets or Giants want Sam Darnold.
- [09:48]
Dan Grassa
Jets. It's a little bit different because you have the relationship there. You have horrible memories. You know, I don't know if there's any like PTSD that a Sam Darnold is going to put on a Jet uniform and he's going to be like, oh, here we go again, and all the negativity is going to come crashing down. I'm sure he's felt that the last couple of weeks with how poorly he's played. You know, he can't dodge the mistakes to a certain extent. But I mean, Don, look at who the Giants had playing quarterback this year. You mean to tell me that Sam Darnold's not better than Daniel Jones, Drew Locke, Tommy DeVito, whoever else? I mean, I'm just saying if that's your only option, but I don't think it will be their only option. But he's certainly an upgrade from anybody that was under center this year.
- [10:22]
Don LaGreca
Oh, without all this, that's. That's nothing.
- [10:24]
Dan Grassa
He went in there week one and he, and he, and he beat them to a pulp.
- [10:28]
Don LaGreca
I still think there's value in him, but I, but if, if Darnold was available after winning a Super bowl, then, then it would be a no brainer, right? I mean, obviously everybody would, or even, even going to a championship game. But seeing the warts, seeing how it ended, similar to the conversation we had yesterday about Tomlin McCarthy where, all right, you're not going to win with these guys, but both of these organizations are kind of just looking to get back into the playoffs and being relevant again. Well, you know, as I get as a Giant fan, you wouldn't, you wouldn't take a 14 win season and a crapshoot in the playoffs after what you've seen the last two. And if you're the jets, you wouldn't take what Minnesota went through as heartbreaking as it was to see the way that it ended. Heck, you haven't been to the playoffs since 2010. So if I can get him for.
- [11:14]
Dan Grassa
Two or three years, that's what I'm talking about.
- [11:18]
Don LaGreca
I think that the tires on it.
- [11:21]
Dan Grassa
System is a big part of this whole thing because again, you know, it's funny that, you know, a week from now we do the hall of Fame thing with baseball, right? And so much of that argument whenever you're talking about and what Eli is going to be facing here over the next month, right? Like how much of an emphasis do you put on postseason versus regular season? And I always say, like the overall majority of the body of work you're going to put out there is what you do in the regular season. So if you look at Sam Darnold's 2024, he played really, really well for what, 15 of the 17 games, if you want, right? By and large, I mean, I didn't go down and break them down like case by case, but you know, 14, 15 really good games and he helped win 14 games, didn't play well in the last two, the regular season finale and the playoff game. But are you then going to just completely throw cold water on everything good that he did this year and because he didn't play well in the playoffs, because if that's the case, Don, you know what? Jordan loves the highest paid quarterback in football history. He played like crap on Sunday, did he not? Justin Herbert is supposedly the second coming. That's all we heard the last three, four years. How was he in the playoffs so far in his career? He was part of a team that even though he was horribly coached, blew a 27 point lead a couple of years ago. And then on Sunday through what, five interceptions. I lost track after the third one, you know what I mean? So like those guys are supposed to be elite level quarterbacks and how do they play in the playoffs? That's one game Exactly.
- [12:42]
Don LaGreca
And I find it interesting, right? They will have this conversation about, well, who cares about his 14 wins? It's all about what you do in the playoffs, right? You know, you got to make a run in the playoffs. You win the 14 games, you wipe your behind with those 14 wins. Look what happened in the first round of the playoffs. And then when you debate whether Eli's a Hall of Famer or not. Yeah, but have you seen his regular season? I know we won the two Super Bowls and the two super bowl mvp. I get that. But have you seen his regular seat? Well, wait a minute. What's the truth then? We're wiping our behind with the 14 wins that Sam Darnold had because he. He wet the bed in his first playoff game. But then all of a sudden, we reverse the roles. When we're judging hall of Famers, the postseason means something. And getting back to Eli, you were talking about, like, first playoff appearances for guys. You know, we were talking about how elite Eli was in the postseason and how great he did in those two runs. You know, his first postseason game at home against the Carolina Panthers in 05, got shut out.
- [13:37]
Dan Grassa
Eli never won a playoff game outside the two super bowl runs.
- [13:40]
Don LaGreca
But what I'm saying is, is that his first two playoff games, the one against Carolina at home where he got shut out, right? And that 8 and 18 that went to Philadelphia lost on less second field goal, played much better, and then in his third opportunity, wins the super bowl, you know, so for all we know, that Jordan Love and Sam Darnold, given another opportunity, you know, down the road, or another opportunity for. For Love and just a second opportunity for Darnold might be better. So all I'm saying is, is that he cost himself a ton of money last night. But I will say this in defense of Sam Darnold, I think the entire team soiled themselves yesterday.
- [14:15]
Dan Grassa
No, they weren't good.
- [14:16]
Don LaGreca
Including the coach who now, for a second time in the postseason, was a complete no show. Remember, the Giants wiped the floor them two years ago, if you remember, in the first round of the playoffs. And now this, you know, and so I look at the kind of organization, and you brought up Minnesota at the beginning. I mean, I got a buddy, a good friend of mine who's going through a lot of stuff, Steve Dubinsk, because he's probably listening out in Los Angeles and just had some health issues and wishing him the best of luck. I mean, how heartbreaking it is to be a Viking fan, because they haven't been an embarrassment at all. They've gone to four Super Bowls. You know, the 98 team was probably one of the best teams I've ever seen and didn't even go to a Super Bowl. And dear God, that team, it's the oldest franchise in the history of sports not to win. They have no championships since they started in 1960. There have been teams that, like the Lions and the Browns, that haven't gone longer without winning, but at least they have a championship. They've been around since 1960 and have not been able to win a championship. And yet the Vikings have been in the conversation quite a bit. So I feel bad for their fans. They've got some great fans, but that, that whole, that whole team yesterday was embarrassing. Not just Sam Darnold.
- [15:29]
Dan Grassa
And obviously, you look at it also from a Jet perspective because, you know, I, I don't think the defense was horrible last night. I think offensively, certainly if you're going to point the finger at one section of the football team as to why they came up short, the offense was the problem last night. You know, defense was put in some tough positions because of the offense turnovers and, you know, turnover on downs and things like that. But Brian Flores, obviously, you know, with his defense, which has been really, really good this year, I think, you know, this is now a guy that's certainly available, and you're going to be targeting him potentially if you're the Jets. And on the flip side, you know, isn't it ironic, too, that the theme also with these Viking losses this year, remember we said they lost to the, the, the Lions and they lost to the Rams. They both came on consecutive weeks. Like, how crazy is that? Like, you, you can't script that. You know what I mean? Like, back in week seven, they lost to the Lions. Week eight, they lost to the Rams. Week 17 or week 18, you lost the Lions. The very next week of the wild card, you lost to the Rams. And I think with in both cases, you know what the Rams did, they went to school a little bit on Aaron Glenn's game plan defensively with the Detroit Lions, on how they helped slow down the Vikings. So that's another guy who's a target for the New York Jets. You think about the job that Aaron Glenn did, trying to slow down that offense. He had the answers in both games. And the grandson of Don Shula, give him credit because maybe next year he's in the head coaching cycle. Chris Shula, their DC he went and he took that plan and he put it to use with his personnel. And, you know, they're moving on. And give them credit too, right, Don, because that, you know, you win a division, you think you're getting a home game in the playoffs. That's the perk of winning a division. That wasn't a true home game, as we know for them. They could paint the field and do all those other things and fly in the fans and bust the fans in. But you heard Scott Van Pelt say through the game, that was almost like. It was like a bowl game almost last night. I don't know if it was like completely neutral 50, 50, but it wasn't a true, true Rams home game like you would get in la. And they still went out there and took care of business.
- [17:21]
Don LaGreca
Yeah, I think, I think the Vikings caught a break with the move because I think more Viking fans might have been able to get in because of the available tickets and all that. There may be some Ram fans because, you know, God forbid they might have lost their house on a fire and couldn't go or couldn't leave because of the tragedy in Los Angeles. And it was like a ballgame. Like it's like you said, a 50, 50 kind of split. It all worked. I'm not surprised. I mean, Vegas obviously surprised because they were. The Rams were getting three, but I'm not surprised. We were talking about it all week, Dan, that, you know, the Rams, I just thought were in a perfect spot. The Rams have a, have a pedigree with their coach and their quarterback. Zero pressure on them. I mean, I don't think anybody expects the Rams to make a run. You know, everybody thought that it was going to be the 49ers that were the odds on favor to win that division at the start of the season. And it looked like it was going to be Seattle and Rams end up winning the division. If the Rams went quietly into that good night Dan Lass, nobody would have killed him. Nobody would have lost their job wouldn't have been a big deal. So you've got this team that's got a pedigree with no pressure on them and they went to school. McVeigh is a great coach and we saw the Minnesota was probably a little fugazi and they certainly took advantage of it. And if I'm the Eagles, I'm going to be very, very careful next week too, because I this. I think the same situation applies pressure on Sirianni. Will he survive? You know, a loss at home in the second round of the playoffs and the Rams go in feeling like their season's been golden and they've accomplished a Lot of things people didn't think they'd accomplish again. So Rams become a very interesting team in the nfc, Dan. Of a team that. Listen, would I be surprised if they went to the Super Bowl? I guess. Would I be floored? Absolutely not. Because what has Detroit ever done? And you know, if the packers could figure anything out, I think the Eagles were very beatable on Sunday. There's no reason that that game should have stayed as close as it did. So I think the Rams are in the conversation. Do you?
- [19:20]
Dan Grassa
I think certainly, yeah. Because I don't think anybody is unbeatable. I think Washington is even a live dog going into Detroit this week.
- [19:26]
Don LaGreca
Because as you said, that line went up. We were talking about it yesterday about the line. He thought because of the. The number of Commander fans that that line, that eight and a half line might go down. It's kind of. It's gone up to 10.
- [19:37]
Dan Grassa
Yeah. But you know something? They're going to have the best quarterback in the game. And if. And I'll. And if I'm a road underdog going into a game, I don't care where it is. If I got the better of the two quarterbacks, I'll take my shot. Shane Daniels is better than Jared Goff.
- [19:49]
Don LaGreca
They'll score. Commanders will score. But I think the Lions will score too, so. Because remember, I don't want to take anything away from the Commanders on Sunday, but that fumbled exchange was the turning point. I don't know if the Commanders win that game. If the Bucks don't turn the ball over there.
- [20:05]
Dan Grassa
You know what's funny?
- [20:06]
Don LaGreca
And it still took a fourth down conversion to be able to. For them to take the lead. So it wasn't like they marched right down the field and scored. They're an incompletion away, you know, from possibly not winning that game. So. And this will be a much more difficult test in Detroit than what they went through in Tampa on Sunday.
- [20:25]
Dan Grassa
I think you and I are both of the same ilk when it comes to football and how we view things and stuff like that. Because this game is probably going to drive the old school traditionalist football fans like out of their mind. Minds. Because he got a taste of it a little bit on Sunday night. Like Dan Campbell and Dan Quinn, these are two guys that if they have an opportunity to go for it on fourth down, they're going for it on fourth down. Sometimes to a detriment, as we saw with Dan Campbell in the championship game last year. Like these guys are as aggressive coaches when it comes to going for it on fourth down as you've ever seen. So like I, I can't imagine putting them both on the same field in a playoff game and you're going to have half the country sitting there watching it on tv. Take the points, take the points. But they're going to end up going for it, maybe not convert and putting their team in harm's way. It's be fascinating. And you know, this whole year with Washington, there have been so many times where I think back to August and I'm sitting there at MetLife Stadium in a game that there were maybe like 13 people at. It was the first preseason game. It was a Saturday afternoon, Don, a 12 noon kickoff. Oh, I remember like think about like 12 noon on, on one of the last few summer Saturdays you're going to have. It was, it was family and friends at the game, but Jaden Daniels, they started him that day and he, he took the opening possession. He drove Washington down the field and they put the ball in the end zone. And I'm looking at this team and I'm saying to myself, boy, they got some talent on this team. And if Daniels become something, who the heck knows? But I was never bold enough to actually go all in and say, you know what, that's a team that's going to make the playoffs. But I always think back to that day in preseason. Like, boy, that was, you know, that, that was the first look of it right there.
- [21:55]
Don LaGreca
You, you never ever know. But I give Peter credit. Peter had the Washington Commanders as a playoff team in the preseason. And you know what? He was dead right. And now they've got at least a fighting chance, a puncher's chance of going to the championship game for the first time in over 30 years. This episode is brought to you by Amazon. Sometimes the most painful part of getting sick is the getting better part. Waiting on hold for an appointment, sitting in crowded waiting rooms, standing in line at the pharmacy. That's painful. Amazon One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy remove those painful parts of getting better with things like 247 virtual visits and prescriptions delivered to your door. Thanks to Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon one Medical. Healthcare just got less painful.
- [22:42]
Dan Grassa
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [22:46]
Don LaGreca
I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch this show on demand whenever you want.
- [22:50]
Dan Grassa
Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [22:55]
Don LaGreca
Don Hahn and Rosenberg with you till 7:00. Dan Grasse filling in for Peter, who's out because his wife in labor today. Hope to get Alan Hahn back later in the week after the passing of his sister. So two polar opposite moments for 2/3 of the show here. But obviously the good news with Peter and hopefully he'll be back at some point trying to get the news of when exactly he becomes a dad. Bad day for Sam Darnold last night. The Minnesota Vikings. So the first round's complete. First round. Kind of a dud, Dan. I guess the one great game that we had was the Commander game on Sunday night against the Bucks. But this is to me just a byproduct of the new format, which I'm not a fan of, where you only have the one buy, which means you have 12, 13, 14 win teams playing in the first round. And you told me the stat in our meeting today. Since they came up with this format in 2020, the seven seeds are 1 and 8. One of nine. One to nine. Excuse me. So the fact is, is that, you know, you get these teams that just aren't very good and you're going to get bad matchups. I mean, listen, Denver was a nice story. Rookie quarterback, they won 10 games. They got to go to Buffalo and play the Bills. Of course that's going to be a blowout. Of course packers aren't as good as the Eagles are, you know, but you get these seven seeds that wouldn't normally be in the playoffs getting bounced early and with with getting rid of the extra buy and only having one buy with Detroit and Kansas City. That means some elite teams are playing on teams that against teams that aren't very good. And what it really makes for is some mismatches. And you're seeing the same thing in the college football format. You expand the format and you end up getting some crappy games. And we've only got like one or two decent ones in the playoffs in college. And so far in the first round, the only real good game we got was the Bucks and the Commanders.
- [24:49]
Dan Grassa
Yeah, but you know what, like you said, we're going to watch them. And I'm sure that that went into the logic of doing it right. It's going to make money. It's a cash machine. The television rights. I mean, now it's streaming what some of these entities are doing to pay for just these one, like Amazon. What did Amazon write an NFL to check for for the Ravens and the Steelers game on Saturday night? Like how many millions or tens of millions of dollars and they know that people are going to watch. You know, that's, that's the bottom line with that type of thing. But you're right, I mean, it gets watered Down a little bit. Even though, you know the record, like Denver won double digit games, but you know, they certainly, they were inferior to the Buffalo Bills.
- [25:24]
Don LaGreca
And the interesting thing is, no matter what the format would be, what era it would be, Minnesota is a wild card team.
- [25:32]
Dan Grassa
Yeah.
- [25:33]
Don LaGreca
Because they unfortunately were in the same division as the team that won 15 games. So no matter what the format was, Minnesota was going to have to play on the road. Speaking of Minnesot, Minnesota, Sam Darnold spoke after the game last night. Did the last two games against Detroit and LA impact your future? I'm not worried about that. You know, that's in the past right now I'm just, I'm thinking about, like I said, what I could have done better today and just really spending time with the guys in the locker room, that's, that's really all I'm focused on right now is just. Because at the end of the day in the NFL you only get one season with one team, with everyone together. Today wasn't our day. And, and it's as simple as that.
- [26:10]
Dan Grassa
And for me, I'm just going to.
- [26:11]
Don LaGreca
Be focused on spending as much time as I can with those guys in the locker room and then I'll think.
- [26:15]
Dan Grassa
About, you know, whatever the future holds after that.
- [26:19]
Don LaGreca
Go ahead. I'm sorry.
- [26:20]
Dan Grassa
No, I was just. I'm sorry. Like. And I watched Sam last night after the game, the whole press conference and that one kind of. And I know, what are you supposed to say? You're kind of in shell shock moment there, but it's like, what are you going to spend time with him for? The season's over, you don't have another practice, you know, like. And look, he knows that's the crummy thing about this. He's heard it all. He knew what's at stake. He knew how this could change his immediate future as a quarterback in the NFL and his earning potential. And for him to go out there in the team to play like they did the last couple of games, it stinks.
- [26:49]
Don LaGreca
But what I believe, and a lot of these, a lot of fans aren't gonna believe or think that I'm telling the truth or completely disagree, he hasn't thought as much about his earning potential as you think. When he's in the moment, preparing for a game, preparing against Detroit, trying to get the buy, preparing for the Rams, trying to advance to the second round of the playoffs, he knows in the back of his mind that his performance is connected to a contract. He knows he's a free agent, but that's not first and foremost in his mind. First and foremost in his mind is to go out there, be a professional and win. Now he'll start to think about, all right, well, you know what? I'm probably not going to make as much money. But what disappointed him last night is his season is over. That's what's so crazy about football. Football, especially since baseball's gone away from the one and done wild card games. And even then it was two wild card teams, right? But even if you get bounced in baseball, basketball and hockey, if a one seed or the best team in the sport gets bounced in the first round, at least you got, you know, even if you got swept, you got four games, right? You got a series out of it and you lost in football, it's done. You went 14, three and in one day it's over. And that, that's what's so shell shocked when you look at the losing team on the sidelines. It's just like your whole season, everything you worked for, training camp, preseason, a great regular season that got you into the playoffs. And in one game, in 60 minutes, Dan, it's over.
- [28:22]
Dan Grassa
The finale season's over. The finality, like, like I, I mean I witnessed it last Monday, like being there at the jets when their season was in. Now look, season was going to be ending after the, the regular season finale anyway. You know, any team that's in the playoffs, yes, it can happen. But you go in with the mindset that you're trying to win the game. But no, like you've been together essentially since July, every single day when training camp started. But like once the seat, like Minnesota for example, they're going to be back at their facility today or tomorrow, whenever they said it. And they're going to go to the locker room, they're going to have their exit meetings, they're going to pack up their belongings, their baggy day and then that's it. Some of those guys may never see each other again.
- [29:00]
Don LaGreca
Yeah, it's great.
- [29:01]
Dan Grassa
Like ever again. I mean, DeVont Adams on that Monday he had a flight back home to Vegas at like 3:00 in the afternoon. Like that was it. He's done gone. Goodbye, New Jersey.
- [29:09]
Don LaGreca
We'll see you.
- [29:10]
Dan Grassa
You know, like season's over.
- [29:11]
Don LaGreca
Yeah, it is. It is crazy. So you do feel bad for these guys because of that. Let's hit the calls. 1-800-919-3776. Javier in Queens gets us started here. You're on ESPN New York.
- [29:23]
C
Hey, Dan and Don. Hey, Dan and Don. How's it going, man, it's my pleasure to see your lead off today. You know, listening to you two being in my car, if I close my eyes, I feel like I'm Tony Soprano driving through the tunnel going back home to Jersey.
- [29:37]
Don LaGreca
Wow, that's, that's, that's high price.
- [29:39]
Dan Grassa
Is that a shot? I don't know.
- [29:40]
Don LaGreca
I think, I think he was complimentary.
- [29:43]
C
The best, the best compliment for you guys. You guys are like the best version of Jersey boys. Listen, and also first and foremost, like, you know, my heart goes out to Alan and his family and I really hope everything goes well for, for Peter today. So like on a serious note, like, yes, hope everyone's doing well with Sam Darnold. Like, very curious, right. And it just makes me think of kind of two things and they might be, they might both be true, right? One, Sam, like still has the jets in his heart and. Or like me and Dan, he's been infected by this disease known as the jets, right? Like, thanks to Sam, the Jets have the seventh pick. But like knowing how he was, knowing how like I had a feeling that people were going to underestimate the Rams coming in motivated yesterday, like the writing was on the wall that Sam could have a bad game. And I think if you're thinking about signing this guy to a multi year contract, like buyer beware. Like luckily the jets are not in a position to sign this guy. The best thing might be for Minnesota just to do the like the one year offer or whatever just to keep him and see how he does before I get off. Don, I do have a question for you on your take on Tomlinson. And you know, the jets should be very willing to trade the seventh pick for Tomlin if he's available with the jets opening. I think you and you and like the morning guy, you guys are Giants fans. I think you're very quick to be like, you know what jets get rid of your pickle cares. Tomlin's great. How would you feel if the Giants had the availability about the Giants sending the third pick to get Tomlin and then also Dan, I'm curious your take about the potential or the idea of sending the seventh pick to bring Tomlin into the Jets. I'd be careful about getting rid of.
- [31:23]
Don LaGreca
I would say this. I'm not a fan. I am not a fan, Javier, and thanks for the kind words of the Giants running it back with Shane and Dable. All right? But if the Giants were in the jets position and had the seventh overall pick, I would do it. Now the Giants have the third Overall pick. We don't know if they're interested in the quarterbacks, where the quarterback's going to be there or not. And you know, I don't know. Is Shane still here? If Dable's gone, I would do it. I'm not looking at it. Dan is. I'm a Giant fan, so I think it's. I don't care about the jets pick. Who are the jets taking at 7? This is going to impact the franchise as much as a coach is going to impact the franchise. And I have a lot of respect for Tomlin. I know it's fizzled out in Pittsburgh, hasn't won him forever in the playoffs, but, but I'll take a coach if I'm the Jets and they haven't had a good one, you know, basically since Rex or if you want to go back as far as Parcells, you know, I'll take the guy that's going to pretty much guarantee me an above.500 record and have a shot to go to the playoffs. So I would part with the seventh overall pick.
- [32:25]
Dan Grassa
Well, let me ask you a question. Let me ask you a question. You, you are a Jeff fan, okay? And the last five years you've won 25 games, right? Okay, you've won 25 games in the last five years. Now you're a Steeler fan. And just by comparison, in Pittsburgh, they think it's played, they think it's stale. I think it has gotten stale a little bit. But you know what, that's okay. But here's what they're tired of in Pittsburgh and some people think that it's time to change things up and to spark things a little bit. They've won 50 games the last five years, which is twice as many as the Jets. They've made the playoffs four times. Now they're owing four in the playoffs, but they've made the playoffs four times in five years. If I told any Jet fan in the continental United States that for the next five years you're winning 50 games and you're making the playoffs four times, they would throw a parade.
- [33:18]
Don LaGreca
Of course they would.
- [33:19]
Dan Grassa
Compare to what the last five years have been like in the last five years before that and the five years before that. So I think you have to take it from a perspective of where you're coming from to some organ like for instance, Minnesota, what they experienced over the last three years. Dom, they won double digit games in two of the last three years, lost two playoff games, but that's not good enough. You don't think Jet fans would have signed up for that over the last three years.
- [33:41]
Don LaGreca
That's my point. And what are you getting at seven that is going to turn your franchise around? Now, if the jets had the first overall pick and they were in love with Sanders or Ward and thought that that would be the perfect replacement for Aaron Rodgers, that's a different story. But at seven, come on, what are you taking at seven that's going to impact the franchise to the point that Mike Tomlin would be able to impact your francaise. So, yes, if the Giants were in the exact same situation, I would do it. Drake, Poughkeepsie, you're on ESPN New York. Hi.
- [34:11]
C
Drake did the homework yesterday.
- [34:14]
Don LaGreca
I did the homework of the Adam Sandler situation.
- [34:16]
Dan Grassa
I found the relevant interviews and you're right, he is in fact a Rangers fan.
- [34:21]
C
So I apologize for the misinformation.
- [34:24]
Don LaGreca
So did I have it right? And did to catch up Dan and anybody that missed it. Yesterday, Drake called to say that because he believed that Adam Sandler was a Bruin fan. And I thought Drake was just reading too much into him, wearing a Bruins jersey and Happy Gilmore. But Drake did the New Hampshire. Not a Bruins fan. So there you go, Drake.
- [34:44]
Dan Grassa
Yeah, I know you're not a Manning.
- [34:45]
Don LaGreca
Cast guy, but the Mannings pushed Adam.
- [34:47]
C
Sandler on the subject once they asked him about the controversy of, you know.
- [34:52]
Dan Grassa
A Bruins fan and Happy Gilmore versus.
- [34:54]
Don LaGreca
A Rangers fan and Big Daddy.
- [34:56]
Dan Grassa
And he did clarify that he was a Rangers fan growing up. So, you know, you got a lot of good information.
- [35:03]
Don LaGreca
I appreciate you calling back. But the thing is, he grew up in New England. His family were big Bruins fans, but he in fact was a Ranger fan. So he wore the Bruin jersey and Happy Gilmore, I guess, to honor his family. So we got.
- [35:15]
Dan Grassa
You remember like RJ Santillo and I always joke about this. You remember the scene in the movie Big Daddy, right? When. When he's. He's getting all geeked up for like it was, I think it was like Columbus Day. So what is that, like the fourth game of the NHL season? It was like a Rangers matinee on Columbus Day.
- [35:33]
Don LaGreca
Yeah.
- [35:34]
Dan Grassa
And he's like, lightning game, Rangers, lightning. Right? And he's like turning on the TV and he's like, let's do it, Rangers. Like, he's getting that pumped up for the fourth game of an 82 game regular season that RJ and I always find hilarious. But yeah, he's a Ranger guy because.
- [35:46]
Don LaGreca
What we did got. Because we could have fun with this too. Like the, the biggest celebrity fan of the. Of the nine of the, of the. Each team in the local area. Like Spike Lee would be.
- [35:58]
Dan Grassa
Well, you know the problem with that though? There's so many frauds, though. That's the problem.
- [36:02]
Don LaGreca
Well, I don't think you call Spike a fraud, even though.
- [36:05]
Dan Grassa
No, no, I'm not saying he is, but I'm talking about like, for instance, like these yo yos show up at these jets games and I'm like, who real.
- [36:11]
Don LaGreca
Who, like, who would be the biggest, biggest Jet fan?
- [36:14]
Dan Grassa
I don't know.
- [36:14]
Don LaGreca
Celebrity Adam Sandler got to be in that conversation.
- [36:18]
Dan Grassa
Adam Sandler. You got Ralph Macchio. You got.
- [36:21]
Don LaGreca
We designated Ralph Macchio to the Islanders.
- [36:24]
Dan Grassa
Okay. Kevin James, I think is a Jets guy. James Gandolfini was a Jets fan, God rest his soul. Could be good for the list tomorrow.
- [36:34]
Don LaGreca
Good, have, good have a list. My, my devil guy was Kevin Smith. Rangers were between Liam Neeson and Susan Sarandon. I think Sarandon might be a bigger fan than Neeson, but, you know, so we kind of had that count. We couldn't figure out the Giant. Is it John Bon Jovi now?
- [36:51]
Dan Grassa
He's a fraud. He said, are you kidding me? The guy has been a Patriot fan for the last 25 years. He sits there next to Bob Kraft in his box.
- [36:59]
Don LaGreca
Right? So, but you gotta sift through the somebody.
- [37:03]
Dan Grassa
That's the fraud. Example.
- [37:05]
Don LaGreca
Somebody called up yesterday and said that Hugh Jackman is a big Giant fan.
- [37:08]
Dan Grassa
I think he said so once. Yeah, I don't know how big of a football fan he is, but I.
- [37:12]
Don LaGreca
Think he said from Australia.
- [37:14]
Dan Grassa
Well, he went to one of those. He, you know, I think I saw him in one of those Giant Super Bowls. And he was like, interviewed on the red carpet. Who's he rooting for? And he was like, oh, I'm rooting for the Giants. You know, something like that.
- [37:22]
Don LaGreca
That's all it takes, I guess, right?
- [37:24]
Dan Grassa
Yeah.
- [37:25]
Don LaGreca
All right, so, 1-800-919-3776. We've got some of the regulars, Richard and Griffin, ready to go, but we're also getting want to climb aboard with some others. 1-800-919-3776. We've got plenty left to do. Bob O'Shozan's joining us at 4:00. Joe Theisman's gonna be joining us at 5:00. We've got an Anthony Pusick ENN coming up at 4:30. Oh, there's so much to do here on 880 ESPN. But I want to let you know, I'm Don Leggrega here to tell you about my friends over at Bath Fitter. They remodeled my mom's bath. Did an awesome job. The process was easy. One expert installer. Even with the customization she needed for a cast iron tub, it's done in one day. No demo or mess. It's a permanent solution. It's beautiful. It's high quality. Bath Fitter provides a lifetime guarantee. 3 million happy customers like my mom lock in 2024 pricing and get 0% interest for 30 months. So start designing your bath today at bathfitterdesign.com There is only one bath fitter.
- [38:26]
Dan Grassa
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.
- [38:30]
Don LaGreca
I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch show on demand whenever you want.
- [38:34]
Dan Grassa
Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.
- [38:39]
Don LaGreca
ESPN New York, along with our friends at Yingling, are giving away a pair of Devil tickets when they face off against the Flyers in Philadelphia on January 27 for the Yingling Night Out. Head to the Contest tile on ESPN New York's app for your chance to win. Must be 21 years of age to enter. Brought to you by Flight by Yuengling, the next generation of light beer. It's for those who don't follow trends, but craft them. Flight by Yuengling is 12 ounces of uncompromised refreshment from the oldest brewery in America. With only 2.6 grams of carbs and 95 calories, this is premium refreshing. Six generations in the making. So don't just raise a glass, raise a Flight by Yingling Don Legreck and Dan Grasse here on Don Hahn and Rosenberg Allen out after the passing of his sister, Peter Rosenberg's waiting for the birth of his daughter. So two polar opposite reasons why 2/3 of the show not on. But Dan's nice enough to climb aboard here with us until 7:00 and then it'll be Ty Butler. They'll take us to the Ranger pregame at 8:30. Rangers in Colorado to take on the Avalanche. I grew up with a guy by the name of Carmine Ferreira. Big Steeler fan. He just texted me Dan. Please tell Dan I would drive to Pittsburgh myself to pick up Tomlin to drop him off to the Jets. So done with him. As a huge Steeler fan, he has totally lost that locker room. The jets would be stupid in my mind to give up the seventh pick for him. Yes, he's a very good coach, but it's just time for him to leave Pittsburgh. What I would say to Carmine is you just said he's a very good coach. If you Admit he's a very good coach, and I get you being done with him. All right, I get it. It's gone stale in Pittsburgh. I think that maybe they need to go in a different direction. But you wouldn't give up the seventh overall pick, Dan, for a very good head coach. When was the last time the jets had a very good head coach? Very good. Like, so he's admitting he's very good. But then the jets would be stupid to give up the seventh overall pick for him.
- [40:43]
Dan Grassa
I think he proved my point.
- [40:45]
Don LaGreca
Yeah.
- [40:45]
Dan Grassa
I mean, and he just. And look, and I don't blame Carmine. I don't blame any other Steeler fan. You know, they have a different standard because they are spoiled.
- [40:52]
Don LaGreca
Sure, they're spoiled.
- [40:53]
Dan Grassa
I mean, there's no other way to say it. They're spoiled.
- [40:55]
Don LaGreca
It's kind of like Aaron Boone with the Yankees. The Yankee fans can't stand Boone. Steeler fans can't stand Tomlin. Although Tomlin has won a Super Bowl. Boone hasn't won a World Series. But. But here's the difference to me, you look at the Yankees roster and you say that team could win the World Series. When was the last time you looked at the Steelers roster and said that team could win a Super Bowl? They had zero chance to beat Baltimore. So it goes beyond the coach. Now, I know it's stale. I get it if you want to move on from him, but how about just the whole organization? Look at the quarterback situation that they've had since Roethlisberger. And, oh, by the way, Roethlisberger is a Hall of Famer. But I think Tom led something to do along with Cower to making him the guy that he became. So I get where you're coming from a Steeler perspective, but I think the jets would love to have a very good coach. I'm not even sure I could say Rex was a very good coach. If you're going to go very good coach, Dan, you've got to go back to Bill Parcells. Last time the jets had a very good coach, believe me, the seventh overall pick is no guarantee to become a very good player. And if he did become a very good player, outside of being a quarterback, how much of an impact could he have more so than a head coach?
- [42:13]
Dan Grassa
Could we. Could we. Can we do a fun little exercise here for a second? Okay. Seventh overall pick in the draft this year was JC Latham, a tackle for the Titans out of Alabama. He has, maybe has a bright future, but he didn't set the world on fire for the worst team in the NFL this year. Okay. Last year, seventh overall pick was the Vegas Raiders took a defensive end, Tyree Wilson. Is he the second coming of Bruce Smith so far in two years in the NFL? No. Okay, let's go back to 2022. You might have heard of this guy taking seventh overall, Evan Neal by the New York Giants. So let me ask you a question. Out of those three human beings that were taken seventh overall, you think Mike Tomlin or any of those three would have more of an impact on their respective teams over the last three years?
- [42:52]
Don LaGreca
Evan Neal cut his fat ass. I mean, right there you dropped the mic on Evan Neal.
- [42:58]
Dan Grassa
There you go. So now, good. Now the year before that, if you want to be fair, go back to 21. That was when the Lions took Penne. Super, who's an all pro tackle. But okay, but that's one example.
- [43:08]
Don LaGreca
But an all pro tackle or a very good head coach, when your organization hasn't had one in 25 years, it's, it's no comparison.
- [43:16]
Dan Grassa
It's a, it's a coaching league. You need the coach. Well, let's rob.
- [43:22]
Don LaGreca
Let's go to Rob in the car. He has on espn. New York. What's up, Rob? I mean, it's not as if Mike.
- [43:29]
C
Tomlin has had amazing talents to work with.
- [43:33]
Don LaGreca
I mean, Russell Wilson had a career.
- [43:35]
C
Resurgence this year, but he'd been doing nothing for a few years. So I just feel like, you know.
- [43:40]
Dan Grassa
Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't getting past.
- [43:42]
C
The first round of the playoffs. But, but who's on that team, right?
- [43:47]
Don LaGreca
He, he took baby hands Kenny Pickett to above.500 for God's sake. So listen, again, the Steeler fans can hate him and I get it, because they set a certain standard that he hasn't lived up to. Fine, I get it. But that doesn't mean there's other organizations that can't find somebody else's trash and.
- [44:05]
Dan Grassa
Make it treasure Russell Wilson before this year, the previous three seasons, two of them in Denver, one where he was basically like put out to pasture league, you know, want to play him there towards the end and then his final year with Seattle. So that's three seasons total. They didn't make the playoffs, they didn't win more than seven games. His team, he goes to Pittsburgh this year and all of a sudden they're a double digit win team. Now I know that Justin Fields won for those games early, but they still turn the reins of the offense over to Russell Wilson. And it was good enough there for a while to be able to make the postseason. You know, look, the. The best player on the Pittsburgh Steelers is T.J. watt. We know that. And I know that he was playing compromise in the playoffs, too. He was out there essentially on one foot and didn't really register much in that game. But that look. So. So this brings us to another whole discussion. If you didn't think. If you think things didn't fire enough to your liking with the Pittsburgh Steelers offensively, well, guess who the offensive coordinator was. The same guy that I don't know. Some people in the media are actually advocating to be the next Jet head coach, which is beyond comical to me in Arthur Smith.
- [45:06]
Don LaGreca
No. Yeah, I don't.
- [45:08]
Dan Grassa
Should we get into that later or what?
- [45:09]
Don LaGreca
We will definitely get into that later. Want to squeeze in Dave in the car? You're on espn New York. What's up, Dave? Hi, Dave. All right, that's it for Dave. Here's what Tomlin had to say about all the rumors about him possibly getting fired or going someplace else.
- [45:27]
Dan Grassa
At least one team, his due, the.
- [45:29]
Don LaGreca
Attention and criticism that comes with it. As a matter of fact, I embrace it. To be quite honest with you. I enjoy the urgency that comes with what I do and what we do. I don't make excuses for failure. I own it. But I also feel like I'm capable. And so as long as I'm afforded an opportunity to do that, I will continue. You. I don't think they're going to fire him, Dan. They might. Listen, if the jets were to offer the seventh overall pick, I think it might go the way Homegren ended up in Seattle and of course Parcell's coming to the jets and all that. I don't think they're going to fire him, but if they got the right offer, they might listen.
- [46:02]
Dan Grassa
I think the Steelers are too smart of an organization, though, because the other thing that's happened over the last few years, remember they had a GM there in Kevin Colbert for the majority of Tomlin's early success there. And then Kevin Colbert retired, Omar Khan, they hired and been the new GM for the last few years. Okay. There is a little bit of a drop off in terms of the way that they've drafted the talent they're incorporating onto that team. That also plays a factor. You're a head coach, you can only go so far as to what you're given to work with here. And that was the Shane Dabel comparison that we talked about. Well, Dable has a bad team, but what about the guy that's supplying him, the players? Shouldn't he get any of that blame also.
- [46:36]
Don LaGreca
And you know, Khan's been been the GM since 22, but before that he was the vice president. Been there forever. I mean, that's the thing about the Steelers is that they are really conservative when it comes to letting people go. Three coaches since 1969 is mind blowing. It's mind boggling. And if he does come back next year, 19 years with Mike Tomlin. Pretty crazy stuff.
- [46:56]
Dan Grassa
Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the.
- [47:00]
Don LaGreca
Sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good.
- [47:02]
Dan Grassa
Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.