Hour 2: Jets QB Situation and NFL Binge

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: Jets QB Situation and NFL Binge

Date: February 16, 2026
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca (plus frequent contributors Tyler Kepner & Brian Costello)

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Overview

Hour 2 of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg dives deep into the swirling uncertainty around the New York Jets’ quarterback situation, explores off-season NFL trade scenarios, and features classic banter around New York sports fan optimism (or lack thereof), head coach decision-making, and the pain of being a Jets or Giants fan. The hosts field lively calls, debate hypothetical QB trades, and react to Bill Barnwell’s proposed blockbuster off-season moves. The episode is equal parts therapy session, football analysis, and locker room humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NBA 'Elam Ending' and Record-Keeping (00:29–01:44)

• Hot Take: John Winthrop's off-air suggestion for making Elam Ending (target-score finish) a staple in NBA regular-season games.
• Pros: Every game ends on a walk-off, highly exciting finish.
• Cons: Radical format change, risks devaluing traditional stats/records, doesn’t work well in blowouts.
• Memorable exchange:

  "[The Elam Ending] would be such a drastic change… it loses its luster in a setup where a team’s getting bludgeoned." — Tyler Kepner (01:10)

2. Jackson Dart Optimism & Giants Playoff Hopes (02:04–05:07)

• Comparing Giants’ recent moves to Ravens/Andy Reid eras.
  The arrival of John Harbaugh as Giants HC triggers new hope, especially paired with young QB Jackson Dart.
• Questioned Optimism:

  "If you think Dart’s going to be that good I guess I kind of understand. I’m not ready to do that after 12 games though." — Brian Costello (02:26)
  "Twilight Jackson Dart is Patrick Mahomes." — Tyler Kepner, sarcastically (03:23)

• Realistic Fan Logic:
  The optimism is emotionally necessary after years of futility:

  "Part of the reason I relate to it. I want hope... As a Jet fan, our hope was Aaron Rodgers, and then four plays in we lost all of it." — Brian Costello (05:07)

3. Jets QB Search: Realistic Options, Risks, and Reluctance (05:47–14:52)

• The “Choose Your Mid” Segment:
  Jets’ choices are mostly stop-gap, mid-tier quarterbacks (Derek Carr, Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, Jacoby Brissette, Jameis Winston).
• Kyler Murray Skepticism:
  Uncertainties around his contract, height, durability—especially given the Jets’ recent track record with injured QBs.
• Mac Jones Debate:
  • Is he worth a 2nd round pick?
  • Does a new head coach with a “save-my-job” mentality risk mortgaging the future?
  • Risk Highlight:

    "Any move they make, it's a non starter to trade any of the 2027 picks... Ownership’s got to step in. Muji’s got to say, no chance." — Brian Costello (10:51)

• Head Coach Job Security Dilemma:

  "If Aaron Glenn has conviction in Mac Jones... it’s worth it. We could disagree wholeheartedly, but if he believes that, that’s his best way to move forward." — Tyler Kepner (13:31)

• Ownership Intervention Paradox:
  Torn between wanting ownership hands-off and needing them to intervene to prevent desperate moves:

  "We've become hypocrites because we want the owner to stay out of the way... but then when there's something happening we don't approve of, no." — Tyler Kepner (22:06)

4. Jet Fan Callers & Malik Willis Buzz (12:05; 18:19–20:35)

• Caller “Atlantic City Phil” asks: Should the Jets roll the dice on Malik Willis or "punt" on this season given the HC job is on the line?

  “Dead man walking if he doesn’t win at least... seven games.” — Brian Costello (12:24)

• **Caller “David in Elizabeth” questions Kyler Murray hate; discussion lands on why Malik Willis is so expensive despite limited starts.

  "The Malik Willis hype train has reached such levels of insanity, it’s kind of comedic..." — Tyler Kepner (18:36)

5. NFL Binge: Bill Barnwell’s Proposed Trades & League-wide Moves (32:06–43:51)

Segment begins: (32:06)

Jets-Cardinals

• Trade Proposal: Kyler Murray (plus a 6th) to Jets for 2026 4th.

  "I'm out... I don't want to take on Kyler Murray." — Brian Costello (33:02)

Raiders-Bears

• Max Crosby to Bears for D.J. Moore and a 1st.
  • Both hosts like it for Chicago—Crosby’s value probably will never be higher.

Bills-Jaguars

• Keon Coleman for Brian Thomas Jr., picks swapped.
  • "If you can unlock whatever there is with Keon Coleman in Jacksonville... I really like that trade for both teams." — Tyler Kepner (36:05)

Tyreek Hill on the Move?

• Cut by Dolphins; rumors he’ll return to Chiefs, or could fit in Buffalo/Baltimore.
  • "If I’m Buffalo... I’d be interested in Tyreek Hill. I know he’s coming off a brutal injury, but can’t do too much more of the like... the tight ends are our best skill positions." — Tyler Kepner (37:29)

Giants-Ravens

• Kayvon Thibodeaux to Ravens for a 2026 4th.
  • Both hosts think the Giants would be “selling low” and should keep him, unless a better offer comes.

  "If all you got was a 4th round pick? I’d rather get more or have a great start to the year..." — Brian Costello (39:33)

Broncos-Eagles: A.J. Brown

• A.J. Brown to Denver for picks and a cornerback; hosts love it for Denver, question if a 2nd and 5th is enough.

  "Wouldn’t A.J. Brown cost more than a two and a five? He’s not worth a first round pick?" — Brian Costello (41:33) "He’s a pain in the ass... but how much is that because he knows his quarterback can’t consistently throw the football?" — Brian Costello (42:18)

6. Fan Frustration & Ownership Dilemma (Throughout, esp. 22:50–24:24)

• Jets fans are trapped between patience and impatience:
  Ownership intervening too often vs. not enough.

  "If you’re not gonna say, do what you want with the roster, just get rid of him [Glenn the coach]." — Tyler Kepner (22:58)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jet Fan Hope:

  "As a Jet fan, our hope was Aaron Rodgers. And then four plays in, we lost all of it." — Brian Costello (05:07)

• On Desperate QB Moves:

  "Anytime you could get a guy who wasn’t very good the last time he played and is notoriously injured... You just gotta do it." — Brian Costello, sarcastically on Derek Carr (06:03)

• On Owner vs. GM/Coach Decision-Making:

  "We've become hypocrites... we want the owner to stay out of the way, but then when there's something happening that we don't exactly approve of... No." — Tyler Kepner (22:06)

• On Jets' “QB carousel” history:

  "How many years in a row are we going to go with three or four different Jets starting quarterbacks throughout a season?" — Brian Costello (17:05)

• On Trade Value:

  "The package for him is never going to be larger than what it is right now." — Tyler Kepner on Max Crosby (35:10)

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Key Timestamps

• NBA Hot Takes & Elam Ending: 00:29–01:44
• Jackson Dart/Giants Playoff Hopes: 02:04–05:07
• Jets QB Dilemma (Carr/Murray/Jones): 05:47–14:52
• Malik Willis Hype Train: 18:19–20:35
• Ownership/Management Philosophy Paradox: 22:06–23:36
• NFL Binge (Barnwell Trades etc.): 32:06–43:51
• Notable Trade Debate: A.J. Brown to Denver: 40:46–43:51

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Tone & Style

The hour is a rapid-fire mix of sports logic, gallows humor, and straight fandom. The hosts oscillate between skeptical real talk ("I’m not trading premium assets for Mac Jones or giving up anything significant for Derek Carr...") and the necessary, sometimes delusional hope that powers NY sports fans. They’re as likely to needle one another about Valentine’s Day flower prices as to break down free agency—a blend of locker-room banter and sharp, insider football takes.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Show

You’ll come away understanding:

• The current gridlock inside the Jets front office and coaching staff over chasing a quick-fix QB versus planning for the future.
• Why Giants and Jets fans alike are starved for hope and eyeing the 2027 draft as salvation.
• How big-name NFL players might be on the move this off-season—and which scenarios the hosts love/hate.
• That, in New York sports, misery still loves company—but the pod serves it up with style, savvy, and self-deprecating wit.

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Transcript

[Don La Greca]

Kraft Mac and Cheese is better than 90s hip hop. We'll remind you of your childhood without making you feel incredibly old. Kraft Mac and Cheese. Best thing ever.

[Brian Costello]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. That sounds like heaven to me. Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New.

[Don La Greca]

York app, and your smart speakers.

[Tyler Kepner]

One hour down, three more to play with hot takes coming from John Winthrop.

[Brian Costello]

He wants the Elam ending to be back full time in regular season games.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Tyler Kepner]

Not just like for the All Star game. Let's just look at how we decide NBA regular season games be tough to.

[Brian Costello]

Do, tough to implement because it'd be such a radically different change than anything we've seen.

[Tyler Kepner]

I don't hate it because he makes the point. Every game now ends on a walk off shot, which is just fantastic theater.

[Brian Costello]

It just, it'd be such a drastic change from what we're used to. And then like you're devaluing records too, right? Scoring records.

[Tyler Kepner]

It's also gonna be tough to pull off if. Because we see blowouts so like, so frequently. Like, what are the odds this. The Suns are. They're down 30 and they're able to come back and win like this. It's just never going to happen. So I guess that it loses its luster in a setup like a. Where a team's getting blown out, they're getting bludgeoned. But I don't hate it.

[Brian Costello]

I don't mind using it in the All Star game again because when they did use it in, what was it, 2020, it was great.

[Tyler Kepner]

I just didn't like that it ended on a Anthony Davis free throw.

[Brian Costello]

That's the one thing that you have to deal with. It could end on a free throw.

[Tyler Kepner]

That sucked the life out of it.

[Brian Costello]

I don't know.

[Tyler Kepner]

I mean, it was cool too, because if you guys remember, he missed the first free throw. So it's like, oh, I don't even remember that.

[Brian Costello]

You're a true NBA junkie.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, he's. Anthony Davis is a Laker. So he missed the first free throw and it's like, oh, might have a shot here.

[Brian Costello]

Now he's a wizard, baby.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yes. Shout out to the Wizards. But that was better than John's take last week that I think he said there's only three quarterbacks in the NFL he trade for Jackson Dart. Is it Mahomes, Josh and Burrow. I think that's, that's the entire list of guys he'd trade Jackson Dart for.

[Brian Costello]

If you think Dart's going to be that good I guess I kind of understand. I'm not ready to do that after 12 games though.

[Tyler Kepner]

Here we go.

[Brian Costello]

I'm not.

[Tyler Kepner]

Let's defend the take again.

[Brian Costello]

I could defend Dave's take easier than I could defend John's take because I just think with Dart it's 12 games. But I've seen enough from Dart that I do think he's going to be a good to very good quarterback. I feel confident in that and I know Harbaugh is an outstanding coach and I think much like Andy Reid knew the change of scenery, I think you could make a case you could have the same type of effect now that Harbaugh is leaving the Ravens and going to the Giants. So I think the Giants are going to be in the playoffs a year from now. I do. It would not surprise me at all.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, I don't think. I mean that's not like. So once you're out on a limb.

[Brian Costello]

Again, once you're in. We've seen this and the Giants are a franchise that's living proof of this. With the Eli runs twice.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah.

[Brian Costello]

Once you got a shot.

[Tyler Kepner]

Once you're in and you're John Harbaugh, it's just another way for you to lose a game you had no business losing.

[Brian Costello]

They said that about Andy Reid and someone's got to be the first coach.

[Tyler Kepner]

To win a Super Bowl. Twilight Jackson Dart is Patrick Mahomes.

[Brian Costello]

He's not.

[Tyler Kepner]

We're not going to do that.

[Brian Costello]

He's not. But if he's very good and all of a sudden you have the rest of the roster that's coached up and then there's some talent that's added to it whether it be free agent signings and they have the number six pick in the draft. Let's say they take Caleb Downs who's the Kyle Hamilton for Harbaugh for the Giants defense to go with their pass rushers. They have and then dart scatterbow neighbors. Let's say they add another receiver like you could actually see the makings of an outstanding team.

[Tyler Kepner]

Absolutely. And no one's denying that. But when we do the whole. Let's compare. This is what they said about Andy Reid when he left Philadelphia. Patrick Mahomes is his quarterback. Jackson Dart is many things. Patrick Mahomes is not one of them.

[Brian Costello]

But there have been coaches that have had success in their second stop. Maybe no one has won the super bowl twice. It hasn't happened yet. But that doesn't mean it won't happen in the future.

[Tyler Kepner]

No, of course not. Of course not. Like someone's got to do. It's got to be the first to do it.

[Brian Costello]

Right.

[Tyler Kepner]

I just don't think that the New York Giants are going to be the first.

[Brian Costello]

Look, again, you're probably right, just playing history because it's much easier to take your side and say over the next five years, the Giants won't win the Super Bowl. That's easy because you're playing the percentages. You're probably right. How many years have the Giants been around? How many Super Bowls have they won in their history? Right?

[Tyler Kepner]

4.

[Brian Costello]

So it's easy to say they're not going to. Dave is taking the take. That's more out there on the limb.

[Tyler Kepner]

Putting himself out there by saying, look, I don't say this disparagingly. He's being a fan who's, you know.

[Brian Costello]

Optimistic, which is short for fanatic, as we know, fan. So if you want to use logic and reason like you are, then sure, you're probably gonna end up being right.

[Tyler Kepner]

What I will say, though, is, though, I think the take is nuts. I love it because I do love that he's back and like, Giant fans are back to, you know, pumping their chest out a little bit.

[Brian Costello]

That's part of the reason I relate to it. I want hope. The Giant fan has hope. I've had nothing. You have had nothing. As a Jet fan, our hope was Aaron Rodgers. And then four plays in, we lost all of it. And then a year later they were 2 and 1 and we're thinking, okay, we're finally going to get the season that we were promised for years. And then they lose that game to the Broncos, lose in London. Woody pulls the plug on Robert Sala. It has been all downhill in drastic measure since. As bad as it has been to be a fan of the jets, it's ever been worse for the giants. The last 10 years, they've been almost as bad. They finally have something now. So I agree. It's nice to actually be feeling something positive. If you're a fan of the Giants, the Jet fans got nothing right now. We're about to discuss Derek Carr, Kyler.

[Tyler Kepner]

Murray, or we have Derek Carr. Hope.

[Brian Costello]

Choose your mid.

[Tyler Kepner]

Here's the hope. A guy who retired. Let's just trade for him and hope he can save Aaron Glenn's job. That sounds like a good plan. Derek Carr. Come on.

[Brian Costello]

Anytime you could get a guy who wasn't very good the last time he played and is notoriously injured and you have to give up something. Might not be a lot, but you got to give up something to get Him. You just got to do it.

[Tyler Kepner]

You got to do it. You have to do it. Yeah, listen, I know. And I, so I try to pride myself on, whenever I present a problem, I want to give you a solution for said problem. I'm drawing dead here because I can tell you I've got no interest in Kyler Murray. And I've said this before, but I've got a quarterback telling me like, one of the reasons why he can't make throws is because, like, he's not tall enough to see over his offensive line. That doesn't sound like a quarterback I want on my team. But, like, I don't think Mac Jones is going to be available because, like, if you're Kyle Shanahan, why are you trading Mac Jones knowing that Brock Purdy's got a little bit of an injury history, you have to overpay. Yeah. And Mack has shown that in that system, as many of the quarterbacks have, he can, dare I say, thrive. So just build in. Brock Purdy's going to miss a couple of games next year. Mac's going to be able to come in and do the job. I'm not trading that, that, that guy unless, like, there's an overwhelming offer, which I can't imagine is going to happen for Mac Jones.

[Brian Costello]

Here's the problem. The jets have tight. Whether it be Mac Jones, Jameis Winston, Jacoby, Brissette, we will discuss all the options out there. The choose your middle, if you will, right. Which mediocre option can the jets acquire? The problem is a lot of the guys we're going to discuss are under contracts with their current teams. And if you're the jets and you have very little faith, at least I know you and I see Aaron Glenn the same way. We have very little faith in this head coach. Do you really want this regime to trade any sort of significant draft cow? Probably not a first, right, for any of those guys. But, you know, let's say you want Mac Jones. Why would the Niners trade them? Exactly right. They're going to ask for a second round pick. Do I really want to trade one of my two second round picks this year for Mac Jones when I know I got three first round picks in 2027 in all likelihood, no matter who the quarterback is, if your coaching is this bad, you're not going to win that many games and you're going to be picking in the top five a year from now in a way better quarterback class. Like, I don't want to invest anything of significance in the quarterback this offseason. Because I have very little faith in that headline.

[Tyler Kepner]

Those guys are going to be sticking around.

[Brian Costello]

I rather just wait a year from now and pair up my head coach. Maybe it's Mike Tomlin, maybe it's Shane Steichen, Kevin O', Connell, Sean McDermott, whoever. The jets hopefully are one of the.

[Tyler Kepner]

More, hey, I love it.

[Brian Costello]

You got to believe. And we have three ones to get them that quarterback and build the team. I'd rather wait. I'm not trading premium assets for Mac Jones or giving up anything significant for Derek Carr or Jacoby Brissette.

[Tyler Kepner]

But this, this just reminds you of all the ways the jets are dysfunctional because ideally you would not have Aaron Glenn in a desperation gotta save my job situation because you either want him locked and tell him, listen, regardless of what. And this is not gonna happen, but regardless of what happens this year, you're gonna be our head coach in 20. What is it? 20, 27. Right. And so don't swing for the fences, don't do something that is gonna mortgage our future because you're good. Like we're locking you in. That's not gonna happen. So like now the inverse of that is he has to make that move, that massive swing for the fences and it's just not gonna work. And if that blows up, he's out of a job. You've now lost draft capital, which means this vacancy is less attractive. All of it is a disaster. It's a nightmare situation.

[Brian Costello]

That's. Why don't you just hope selfishly they sign like a Marcus Mariota or Kirk Cousins Type 1 where it just costs you money, doesn't cost you any draft capital. And I don't know where you stand on drafting a quarterback. I do not want Ty Simpson at pick 16.

[Tyler Kepner]

Absolutely not.

[Brian Costello]

You're going to take a swing on a quarterback. The earliest you could do it is one of their two second round picks. That's the earliest. Day two and that's it.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, but don't. Can't you see Kirk Cousins guiding the jets to like a 7 and 9 season or 6, 7 and 10 season?

[Brian Costello]

Potentially. But here's the thing. If that were to happen, at least at that point you have assets, you still have other assets to move up and get a quarterback. Like Bo Nix was the fifth quarterback taken of his draft class. You never know with this because we said that a year ago that this year's quarterback class is going to be great. But I do think chances are a year from now there will be more than one quarterback that we all go. Yep, that Guy is clearly worth a top 10 pick in the draft this year. There's just one. It's just Fernando Mendoza. I think a year from now, between Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Sam Levitt, CJ Carr, Lenora Sellers, you go down the line, I could make the case that there'll be more quarterbacks available for the jets who will have three first round picks in 2027. So any move they make, it's a non starter. To trade any of the 2027 picks like that has got to be completely off the table. Ownership's got to step in. Muji's got to say, no chance. We're allowing this head coach, who's desperate to save his job, to overpay for one of these options out there and use a 27 first in the deal. You can't do it.

[Tyler Kepner]

Did you just say ownership has to step in?

[Brian Costello]

I mean, ownership should have stepped in at the end of the year and it made Aaron Glenn want it done, but they didn't. So now you got to operate under this premise that he's here.

[Tyler Kepner]

Well, clearly he's got other priorities, like the, you know, player or organization grades that he just had to get rid of.

[Brian Costello]

Anytime you can get an F, rather than try and fix the problem, you have to bury the grade so no one could see him.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, see, you know what that sounds like because he called the report card totally bogus and then just decided, altogether, let's get rid of this thing. It sounds like he's taking notes from one of his good buddies in politics. Let's go to Lennox in Atlantic City. What's up, Lennox?

[Caller or Listener]

Atlantic City, Phil? Far from Lennox.

[Tyler Kepner]

Lennox.

[Caller or Listener]

What's up, Atlantic City? Phil, we spoke before.

[Tyler Kepner]

Oh, okay. It says Lennox. Say, what's up, Atlantic City.

[Brian Costello]

Is your middle name Lennox?

[Caller or Listener]

No, our city is. My first is Atlantic, then City, then Phil.

[Tyler Kepner]

Okay, got it.

[Brian Costello]

So your name is Phil, Government name on the birth certificate. It's correct.

[Tyler Kepner]

Okay.

[Caller or Listener]

Thank you, Jake. Yes. Well, you guys basically got to where I was going because I only think that the big swing could be Malik Willis. Otherwise I'm willing to punt. But Aaron Glenn doesn't have a season to give away. So what ultimately do you think would do? We would be. Because. Really? Dead man walking.

[Tyler Kepner]

Oh, absolutely.

[Brian Costello]

He's dead man walking if he doesn't win, at least in my mind, seven games.

[Caller or Listener]

So then he can't punt on this season. He has to get a quarterback now.

[Brian Costello]

Agreed, but there's different ways you can go about getting a quarterback. You could sign, let's say, Marcus Mariota. Or Kirk Cousins. That only cost you money. Trading a second round pick for Mac Jones cost you draft equity and it also costs you a commitment that he's the guy all year. All of a sudden you're not taking a swing on day two or day three on a quarterback that could come in if Mac Jones is not playing well. Because you already made the decision to give up a second round pick for Mac Jones. Like the perfect bridge for the jets would be Jameis Winston. I don't know what the Giants would want to move off of a really good backup who's a team guy and is there helping Jackson Dart learn the position. I don't know what that would cost. If it's a fifth round pick for Jameis, I would do it in a second. I don't want to trade a 2 for anyone. I don't want to give big money to Malik Willis. I don't think that makes any sense. I don't want the jets to make any sort of move where they're all in for the quarterback for this year. Unless you're telling me. But he has this guy.

[Tyler Kepner]

But that's the problem. Like the head coach is not thinking along the lines of let's just, you know, pass the baton over the next year and solve our quarterback issue like by being as conservative as possible.

[Brian Costello]

So you think they trade a two for Mac Jones?

[Tyler Kepner]

I'm not saying that they would, but what I am saying is if Aaron Glenn has conviction in Mac Jones, I don't know this to be true, but let's just paint a picture where he has conviction. Mack Jones is the guy I need at quarterback. If it cost me a second round pick to get my guy at quarterback, it's worth it. We could disagree with that wholeheartedly. But if he believes that that's his best way to move forward with this team, he's got to do it because he knows he can be out of a job.

[Brian Costello]

Of course. That's why I hope that if they're going to do any of these quarterback moves, like if it is Derek Carr, who I do think is a real possibility for this team, just connect the dots. I mean, their quarterback coach was his OC had success with Derek Carr has talked about on his podcast how him and Aaron Glenn are friends. They know each other. His brother was teammates with Glenn at the end of Glenn's career with the Houston Texans. Connect the dots. If it's Derek Carr, at least that's only like a fifth or a sixth round pick. Maybe you give the New Orleans for the rights to then take on Derek Carr. Maybe it's not even that. That's a big difference than Mac Jones for pick 33 because that's what it would cost to probably get Mac Jones. He's a really good high end backup who probably, now that he's had a year of being in the Shanahan umbrella, probably would be a competent starter with the right coaching in the next stop. Look at Darnold. Darnold's career renaissance all started the year he got to sit behind Purdy and be the backup under Shanahan before he went to the Vikings.

[Tyler Kepner]

I'm glad you brought that up. Nothing drove me crazier than listening to the revisionist history happen with Sam Darnold and the Jets. As if, like we didn't watch in his final year him throw nine touchdowns to 11 picks, a 73 passer rating, and everyone was kind of like, you know, on board with this decision to move on. They've got the second pick in the draft, they've got a new head coach, a new general manager. He clearly was not the guy. Now we can crush them for the decision they made on who to select that quarterback. But I didn't hear a lot of people clamoring for Darnold to remain the quarterback of the jets post 2020.

[Brian Costello]

Well, you know what the problem is?

[Tyler Kepner]

Just made up.

[Brian Costello]

They broke him before that 2020 year. Like that, that, that year going into the year where they let Robbie Anderson, who was a nice player, but the fact that he was so important just tells you how bad the weapons were for Sam Darnold. They let him go. The O line was terrible. Like, they broke him throughout that year where he was a broken player, he needed to go somewhere else. It was never going to work with him with the jets at that point. But I mean, the end of Sam's rookie year, those last four games, including a game where he went head to head with prime Aaron Rodgers at MetLife, like, he looked like a dude. He looked like a guy. He was at the highest passer rating in the league those last four starts. And even the year he got the motto in year two, he obviously missed the beginning of the year because he was dealing with motto and because only the jets have these sort of things happen to them. But when he came back, Sam Darnold finished the year seven and six as a start of that year. Like there was reason to think going into year three, hey, we might have a guy. And they put together a terrible team. Obviously it all ended really with the head coach they hired in the first place and then that was it. But I'm with you. The idea that, oh, you know, it was the, it was the jets are the reason why Sam Darnold stunk. It's like, well then he also went to Carolina, wasn't very good. Needed a full year of sitting and learning behind Brock Purdy under Shanahan before any of this started to happen. Where he looked like a real player in this league.

[Tyler Kepner]

800-919-3776 David and Elizabeth wants to talk some Jets. David, talk to him, baby. What's up?

[Caller or Listener]

What up, Ty? What up, Jake Asmond. It's always good getting to two guys from the organization to do the show. Great backups. Great backups. So, all right, this is what I want to ask Jake, right? Because I get all my beautiful jets content and jets knowledge from him. And you know, we're real with social ESPN radio. But I want to ask you this, Jake. Why don't you like Kyler Murray coming to our organization? And please, before you, you know, say what you don't like about it, I hope you're not just speaking on the height because they say that his wingspan is about a foot wingspan supposedly so I'd like to hear it. Why don't you want him on our team?

[Brian Costello]

Well, let me ask you this, David. The height is a big part of it. Who cares about his wingspan, right? He's an inch and a half taller than I am. For starters, he's been banged up. His contract's enormous. I'm not necessarily anti Kyler Murray if it cost me nothing. But it goes back to what Ty and I were just talking about. I don't want the jets to invest a ton in the quarterback spot this year because I don't think any of these guys are the long term answer. I think the long term ANSWERS in the 2027 draft and I want to keep my assets for that. So if you could get Kyler Murray for nothing. Okay, I'll listen to the idea of bringing in Kyler Murray because maybe there's an upside there and who knows, you catch lightning in the battle. But the height is a big part of it. And the height and the lack of durability. He has not been able to stay healthy and all of a sudden he's going to come to the jets, who have this rich history of quarterbacks coming here and always staying healthy. I mean, how many years in a row are we going to go with three or four different jets starting quarterbacks throughout a season? Other than the one year, ironically, Rodgers played in 24, where he started all 17 games every year, two or three, if not more, jet quarterback start games. Why would that change with Kyler Murray, who's already injury prone?

[Caller or Listener]

Well, I agree with you. I mean, would you listing those traits, I can agree 100% now, you know, before you gentlemen let me go, what do you guys think about Malik Willis? What do you two gentlemen think about him if you were to come over to the team of what we have, what we're building and what we're bringing to the table.

[Tyler Kepner]

Are we building? That's my question. And I think the Malik Willis hype train has reached like such levels of insanity. That's kind of comedic right now. Look, it'll be a fine signing, but I don't think that there's this like untapped potential where it's like, man, could he be a franchise quarterback? I don't think that's what we have here. It's just because of the cupboard being so bare. Like he's just one of those guys who has kind of risen to the top. And look, could it work? Sure. I don't think it's going to necessarily net like the most positive results, but again, like, there aren't many options out there. So I guess, like, I would sign up for it, but I don't know that I go into it being all excited about it.

[Brian Costello]

I think the thing with Malik Willis that is wild to discuss is that he's projected to get more money than what they just gave Justin Fields. I've seen by some and free agency, Fields got 30 million guaranteed, 40 million total over two years. You know how many starts Malik Willis has made in his career? Total starts, six, including this year. He has started one game now. He saw action in a couple of games because there was an injury to Jordan Love and people in that primetime game that Saturday I game, he looked.

[Tyler Kepner]

Really good, should have won the game.

[Brian Costello]

But I get weary when you have a guy who's in that system with great coaching and the players they have on that offense, I'd be a little wary. And again, if Miami doesn't seriously pursue Malik Willis, that'd be a red flag given the fact their GM and their head coach both come from Green Bay. And I think a sneaky spot for Willis. Why wouldn't he go to the Arizona Cardinals? What's their plan at quarterback? Everyone's assuming Kyler's gone, Brissette's available in a trade. Well, do they know Malik Willis is coming there? So Matt LaFleur or, you know, who coached him In Green Bay. His brother Mike, former Jet oc, is now the coach there. Same offensive system. Like, I just don't think the jets would even win a face off from Malik Willis unless they just wildly overpay, which, again, I'm not doing, knowing that I don't have any faith in the head coach, who I don't believe will win games to be here a year for now.

[Tyler Kepner]

But they do it, though.

[Brian Costello]

They might. That's where Muji, if he has any sway over Glenn at this point or what he has to say, no, no, no, no, no. Let's not basically over invest in a guy with six career starts. We tried this with Fields.

[Tyler Kepner]

I feel com. And I know we got to hit a break. I feel conflicted about that last sentiment because all we've done for years is ask. It's the same thing Nick fans did with Dolan. Like, just stay out of the way. Like, hire the people to do their jobs and allow them to do that. So the idea that we're now going to say, hey, Woody, step in and stop Aaron Glenn from signing a quarterback who he thinks can help him win games, it just feels hypocritical.

[Brian Costello]

You wanted Aaron Glenn, though, right?

[Tyler Kepner]

No. Yes.

[Brian Costello]

So you were. You're basically asking what he slipped in and he didn't.

[Tyler Kepner]

Absolutely. But what I'm saying is, and I'm including myself in this, we've become hypocrites because we want the owner to stay out of the way. But then when there's something happening that we don't exactly approve of. No.

[Brian Costello]

We lose faith in the people that the owner hired. Then you want the owner to step in and make changes.

[Tyler Kepner]

But also, he was never gonna fire Glenn after one year. That was just never going to happen.

[Brian Costello]

It doesn't seem like there was any scenario where that was going to happen.

[Tyler Kepner]

And so do I now want him to come in and stop Glenn from utilizing financial resources to get a quarterback who he thinks could help him win.

[Brian Costello]

Games if it means giving $60 million?

[Tyler Kepner]

So then just fire him.

[Brian Costello]

He should fire.

[Tyler Kepner]

At that point, just fire him, right? Like, if you're not going to say, like, do what you want with the roster, just get rid of him.

[Brian Costello]

But doesn't there need to be some sort of checks and balance put in? Like, do what you want within reason. You can't just do whatever you want.

[Tyler Kepner]

Who was to determine reason? If I'm the head coach and we're talking football that you know nothing about.

[Brian Costello]

Glenn wants Blake Willis. What are you paying? Like, how much is too much to give To a guy with six career starts.

[Tyler Kepner]

Well, you said he's going. Reports indicate he's gonna get more than.

[Brian Costello]

They might get more than fields, who got 40 million, 30 of it guaranteed. You're gonna get 40 million guaranteed.

[Tyler Kepner]

But I'm saying I'm not doing it. But just fundamentally, we do have to acknowledge there is a problem with us asking the owner to step out of the way. He does that. And then asking him to then come in and halt what Aaron Glenn's trying to do.

[Brian Costello]

What I need to know, and this is unclear, we know that Woody Johnson referred to Darren Mujee, the gm, as Glenn's sidekick at the introductory presser. You watch the end of the season presser, you read body language. Didn't exactly look like Muji was Glenn's sidekick. And in fact, if you ask any Jet fan, do you have more confidence in the GM or the coach at.

[Tyler Kepner]

Your State of Jim, they'd say the.

[Brian Costello]

GM did a good job with some of the trades in season. Some of the draft picks don't look terrible. You give Glenn some credit for that. Sure. But again, like, I think people are way more confident in Muji. Are we sure they're still on equal footing? Are we sure? Could Muji say, hey, Woody, let's look. Glenn might want him, but he's also. Look, he wanted Justin Fields. We can't let him. Don't let him con you into signing Malik Willis now on six career starts. That's not the right move. Or is this mood. You think that Malik Willis is a superstar, too, and they're all in on him? I don't know. I don't know how their structure is now set up at this point.

[Tyler Kepner]

Which, by the way, we do got to acknowledge, too, the whole Woody stepping in. He already has, like. But the whole defensive coordinator situation.

[Brian Costello]

Yeah. He basically said, I'm paying you, Glenn, 12 million. You call the defense. We'll spend money on Frank Reich, not Wink Martindale and Frank Reich. What exactly do you do? It's like the scene in Office Space. I know Don McGregor would love this reference. What exactly do you do? Like, what does Glenn do if he was not going to call plays on defense? He needed Wink. And we know that he wanted nothing to do with the offense because he told Canaan that he was searching for a, quote, head coach of the offense, which sounds a lot like Gase is the head coach of the offense and Greg Williams the head coach of the defense. And we know how that went, Jet fan. So I just, again, it just feels like we're on The Titanic, this thing is going to sink. And you hope that, you know, some of the people like Garrett Wilson, Olu Fashnu, Armaan, Membu, they get lifeboats, and then whoever the next coach is in 20, 27 could work with the remaining pieces and some of the draft picks they would have coming to them.

[Tyler Kepner]

All right, let's take a break.

[Don La Greca]

What did you say you do here?

[Tyler Kepner]

Let's take a break. Hit y' all with an NFL bench. Anthony Pusick steps into the room, and we get to just kick our feet up and just kind of chill out because it's been a fiery first 90 minutes of the show. All. All we've been doing is arguing, and I love it. Feels like I'm getting a little bit closer to you.

[Brian Costello]

That's what President's Day is all about. You know, debating policy, sports talk policy, and covering the top presidents in New York sports.

[Tyler Kepner]

You remember Mike and Chris used to, like, rank their favorite presidents? You think we should do that today?

[Brian Costello]

Oh, yeah. Big ablazing guy.

[Tyler Kepner]

Jacob, you think that's a good exercise for us? Let's just start ranking our presidents.

[Brian Costello]

Jacob's a big TAF guy. He loved Taft. He has a bathtub. He used bath filters back in the day.

[Tyler Kepner]

Oh, yeah. And limited to, like, the last 20 years of presidency. We just ranked them 20. Yeah.

[Brian Costello]

So that'd be what, four presidents?

[Tyler Kepner]

You want to do that?

[Brian Costello]

I want a historic context. I want a little Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson, I would say, made one of the great deals of all time. The Louisiana Purchase. I mean, think about it. Honestly, the. The Darren Muji trade of sauce Gardner is the only thing comparable to what Thomas Jefferson did purchasing the Louisiana Purchase. That's redundant, what he did with the Louisiana Purchase.

[Tyler Kepner]

There are too many different ways I can go here that would get me in trouble. So let's just hit a break and hit y' all with an NFL bench when we get back. Right here on ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Brian Costello]

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[Don La Greca]

Thanks very much for having me, Michelle.

[Tyler Kepner]

We've been hearing a lot lately about.

[Brian Costello]

Cancer rates rising, especially in younger adults, which is obviously pretty alarming. What are you seeing?

[Don La Greca]

Without question, cancer rates are rising across the board and concerningly we are seeing more aggressive cancers in people even in their 20s and 30s.

[Brian Costello]

That's scary for a lot of people. Is there anything that can be done.

[Tyler Kepner]

To help alleviate that fear?

[Don La Greca]

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[Brian Costello]

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[Caller or Listener]

Did you say someone got shot?

[Tyler Kepner]

Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman for Miami.

[Brian Costello]

Gunned down the key to this case. It's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody.

[Don La Greca]

This might be a hit.

[Caller or Listener]

You want the truth?

[Brian Costello]

They just want a conviction.

[Don La Greca]

Being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us.

[Brian Costello]

Murder at the U. Listen now. Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. This is. We're going to rub football all over ourselves today. I did consume a lot of football back in the day. Pre kids in my underwear. The NFL binge. You watch every game.

[Caller or Listener]

Eve. Are you watching now?

[Tyler Kepner]

He's very talented, this guy. Not just a hockey guy. He does it all. He's got takes on all sports, Don Lagrecha takes on politics. Don the Greca, Anthony Pusick here for the NFL bench wearing his ESPN shirt.

[Don La Greca]

Known as the hockey guy. Yeah, well, that's, you know, what's that about?

[Tyler Kepner]

Are you just being A company guy.

[Don La Greca]

A company guy just got to represent the company.

[Tyler Kepner]

You just. You love the network that much?

[Brian Costello]

This is dress down day, so pretty much the team. The team, the team.

[Don La Greca]

Then didn't have my USA Hockey polo ready to go.

[Tyler Kepner]

Your Ranger shirt. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Well, now, I haven't worn those in a while.

[Tyler Kepner]

Valentine's Day treat you well?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, it was good. Just like Jake dinner, you know, nice and simple.

[Tyler Kepner]

Any kids? No way.

[Don La Greca]

No, not that I know.

[Tyler Kepner]

Not for a lack of trying, you.

[Brian Costello]

Would have known this quickly.

[Tyler Kepner]

To be fair, I was just gonna say, was there an efforting.

[Don La Greca]

Was there an efforting of the children.

[Tyler Kepner]

To get the kids, you know, part of the equation? Well, listen, because you guys are living together now.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Tyler Kepner]

How's that going?

[Don La Greca]

It's going great.

[Brian Costello]

I'm surprised you haven't asked the question.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yet that you usually ask.

[Don La Greca]

Well, no, the really troubling, the really troubling part of this weekend was on Friday. We talked about it. It was Don and Peter because Alan is in D.C. at a volleyball tournament.

[Tyler Kepner]

With his daughter, too busy to answer text messages.

[Don La Greca]

That was also troubling. We'll have to.

[Tyler Kepner]

We'll have to talk about that off.

[Don La Greca]

The air with Alan. But apparently, and I didn't know this, there's, you know, there's Galentine's Day, there's Valentine's Day, and apparently there's a day called side piece day. And Peter thought the best person to ask when that was was our lovely board op, Jacob Perry.

[Tyler Kepner]

Now, why is that?

[Brian Costello]

I don't know why that.

[Tyler Kepner]

Is that, like, racial? I.

[Brian Costello]

You would think it is, but. But then you put.

[Tyler Kepner]

Peter's usually on our side, though.

[Brian Costello]

He's like, yeah, but, you know, you do the math. Anthony has somebody. Don has significant, you know, so does Alan and Peter. I'm the only one on this show that's pretty much single, so.

[Tyler Kepner]

But he. Does he know that? I don't think he just assumed.

[Brian Costello]

I think he assumed.

[Tyler Kepner]

Or maybe he's just like, you're not good looking enough to have someone.

[Brian Costello]

I mean, that's not the first time he said it, so that's true too.

[Tyler Kepner]

That's disrespectful.

[Brian Costello]

So he's calling you ugly. It wasn't a racial thing.

[Don La Greca]

It was.

[Brian Costello]

It might just be a me thing. It might just be a me thing, honestly.

[Tyler Kepner]

So he directly asked you because he wants insight when his side, which is.

[Don La Greca]

The drop, Jacob, where's the drop? How offended? He was very offended. He was so offended we turned a drop into.

[Tyler Kepner]

Was bad. That's why you asking Me?

[Don La Greca]

Wait, why is he interested in that, by the way? He knew. But that's besides the point. Jacob did.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Brian Costello]

Yes, I did know.

[Don La Greca]

That's besides the point.

[Tyler Kepner]

All right, what's up, by the way?

[Don La Greca]

You had it the right way. Go the day after. Now, listen, because you have kids and everything, but that's the right way to do it.

[Brian Costello]

But that's what I was saying.

[Don La Greca]

You're on limited. You're on limited menus on Valentine's Day. Not only that, everything's eight times the price.

[Brian Costello]

Everything is discounted after the day after. Chocolate bears, flowers.

[Tyler Kepner]

Why is a bouquet of flowers running me $75?

[Don La Greca]

Weren't listening to Candy Go to Boots. You would have had.

[Brian Costello]

He would have had you take that.

[Tyler Kepner]

I did not pay at all. Exactly. Looked at that. I said, no, not today. Yo, that thing's dying in, like three days.

[Brian Costello]

75 is insane. See, but that's partially why you have to get the forever flowers. If you do go get those flowers, because they last up to a year. So it's. The investment is there? So if you're paying 75 for flowers, they're gonna die anyway.

[Don La Greca]

That then eliminates your ability to get flowers forever.

[Brian Costello]

I thought it was gonna cost way more.

[Don La Greca]

40 is good.

[Tyler Kepner]

Nah, 40 is great.

[Brian Costello]

I was like, 40 is not that bad.

[Tyler Kepner]

75. 70.

[Don La Greca]

But you get the forever flower, then you go get another flower another time. You go, but I already have the forever flower. It's like, well, that's out.

[Brian Costello]

Thomas Jefferson would have been proud of that deal I made President's Day. Yes.

[Don La Greca]

Where does Millwood Fillmore rank on the president anyway?

[Tyler Kepner]

I know that. He was 13. Yeah, you nailed it.

[Don La Greca]

He was 13th president. I was impressed by that. Something I was impressed was Bill Barnwell came out with an article today. 11 trades. We want to see this NFL offseason. Barnwell finds new homes for 15 players. And the thing that I thought was interesting about it was somebody that you guys mentioned for the Jets, Kyler Murray. Now, you guys already mentioned how you don't necessarily want him, the contract, all that stuff. When I just give you this trade in a vacuum. Bill Barnwell said, the jets get Kyler Murray and a 2026 sixth round pick. The Cardinals get the Jets 2026 fourth. Aside from the fact that you don't want this player, is this a trade that if it happened, you would be upset about?

[Tyler Kepner]

Say it again. I'm sorry.

[Don La Greca]

Kyler Murray.

[Tyler Kepner]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

And a 2026 sixth to the Jets. The Cardinals simply just get the Jets 2026, fourth round pick that's not bad.

[Brian Costello]

I'm out on it. You're out. I don't want to take on Kyler Murray.

[Don La Greca]

So you just don't want Kyler Murray at all?

[Brian Costello]

No, I would take Kyler Murray. If they release him and I could get him for next to nothing, then I would take that trade.

[Tyler Kepner]

Would. Would upset you.

[Brian Costello]

I'm taking on his contract. Then I'm stuck with the guaranteed portion of his deal for this year and million in total.

[Tyler Kepner]

Right.

[Brian Costello]

Part of it's guaranteed for next year. How much dead cap are we going to have for quarterback to play for the Jets? Another year, Fields. Now we'd add Kyler Murray to that because there's no chance of that working out well for the Jets. We're going to be drafting a quarterback in 27 and Kyler, just like Justin Fields at this point wouldn't be on the team. I just. I don't want anything to do with Kyler Murray.

[Don La Greca]

That's fair. I think there are more interesting trades in this also. I'm playing technical director also. I'm just moving our shots around. You know, we're having fun here doing what we gotta do.

[Brian Costello]

You do it all on President's Day. Well, listen, would you consider yourself the president of the producers?

[Don La Greca]

No. Absolutely not. R.J. ray. Ray Dinahan. Anybody who's been here before me certainly has that. What would I be that young presidents before Attorney General, Secretary of State?

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, maybe.

[Don La Greca]

Can I be the Fed Chair? I know John Winthrop wants to be the Fed chair or be. Is that not the most Winthrop job that you've ever heard?

[Tyler Kepner]

Be the. You could be the secretary of the.

[Don La Greca]

DHS could do that too.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know if I can make the commercial.

[Tyler Kepner]

Maybe you'll end up in too many scandals.

[Don La Greca]

I don't know if I want to.

[Tyler Kepner]

Too many workplace scandals.

[Don La Greca]

All right, so there were some interesting ones here. I'm not going to go through all of them, but there were a couple that I thought would get your guys attention. How about this one? A trade between the Raiders and the Bears. The Raiders get D.J. moore and a 2026 first. The Bears get Max Crosby and a 2027 fifth round pick.

[Tyler Kepner]

I like it for Chicago.

[Don La Greca]

I do like it for Chicago.

[Tyler Kepner]

It's a great trade.

[Don La Greca]

Raiders end up getting a wide receiver for Fernando Mendoza. Another first round pick.

[Tyler Kepner]

Chicago gets a pass rusher for that defense.

[Brian Costello]

I would trade him if I were the Raiders. Oh yeah, because I. By the time they're ready to win, he's not going to be the same player. And if you can maximize him now and get assets to help build around the quarterback you're taking. I would do that in a second.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah. The package for him is never going to be larger than what it is right now. And as I'm saying that that's a bad way to phrase it.

[Don La Greca]

No, that's good. Jacob 4:39.

[Brian Costello]

I didn't realize it was that kind of show.

[Don La Greca]

Mark it down.

[Brian Costello]

Listen, he already has two in this.

[Don La Greca]

He says he's done.

[Tyler Kepner]

As you're saying it, you're like, this is not going to end.

[Don La Greca]

It's the Valentine's Day.

[Tyler Kepner]

Point is you're never going to get a return as big as what you're going to get.

[Brian Costello]

A return package, if you will.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, the package, the roi, it's all about the package. Another one. Bills Jaguars. A swap of wide receivers. The Bills get Brian Thomas Jr. And a 2026 fifth round pick. The Jaguars get wide receiver Keon Coleman and a 2026 first. We all know that the Keon Coleman situation was kind of weird last year. So I guess now I don't think the Jaguars have a problem with Brian Thomas, but they clearly would like to get a first round pick. So a 2026 first to get Keon Coleman. In an exchange. The Bills get Brian Thomas 2026 fifth.

[Tyler Kepner]

I like that trade. And if you can unlock whatever there is with Keon Coleman in Jacksonville coming off of a great season, Trevor seems to be trending toward being the guy we thought he was then. Yeah, I really like that trade for both teams.

[Brian Costello]

Pick 26 is Buffalo's pick of round one.

[Don La Greca]

Okay.

[Brian Costello]

Are you finding a better player than Brian Thomas Jr. With the 26 pick? When you're a win now team, probably not.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

So you're out on that trip.

[Brian Costello]

I don't hate it. I don't understand the logic for it. And from a Jacksonville standpoint, I mean we'll see what they do with Travis Hunter. If you think they'd want to create more of a role from to be this two way player they traded. A fortunate move up and get.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, I look, I see why the Bills might want to get away from Keon Coleman. Even though Joe Brady says no, we love you, it's fine. Okay, we'll see about that. But why the Jaguars have to be the partner and trade a guy who while having some injury history, it was great as rookie year and that team's on its way up, as you guys mentioned. Liam Cohen, an example of a guy who may not nail the first press conference, but it doesn't matter as long as he knows how to coach an offense. Duvall did not play well in the way he did it, but that team is certainly looking up.

[Tyler Kepner]

By the way, speaking of the Bills, so Tyreek Hill gets released today.

[Don La Greca]

Oh yeah.

[Tyler Kepner]

And it feels like because he's been hinting at this for like years now, he wants to go back to Kansas City. So just get the band back together.

[Don La Greca]

Be Enemy Hill and Bradley Chubb gone from the Dolphins today.

[Tyler Kepner]

And so like if I'm Baltimore and I'm Buffalo and in years past I've just decided to punt on the idea of giving my superstar corporate quarterback a number one receiver, I'd be interested in Tyreek Hill. I know he's coming off of a brutal injury and he's not going to be the same player, but like I can't do too much more of the like Lamar Jackson in his prime. Zay Flowers is his number one option. Or you've got Josh in Buffalo and since the departure of Stefon Diggs, like we're just going to do this whole like the Titans are actually our best skill position players. I think you need a number one guy and Tyreek Hill, both of those teams should be interested and if he is interested in going there. But obviously I would imagine Kansas City is going to be priority number one for him.

[Brian Costello]

Is he playing football next year though? Like, he didn't just have the acl, right? He had the acl, the mcl, the dislocated knee.

[Don La Greca]

That was on that Monday night game.

[Brian Costello]

It was the night of the Couchcast.

[Don La Greca]

That was the Couch cast game. Right?

[Tyler Kepner]

We were here.

[Don La Greca]

That was some. That was something, man. That was some game. There's a trade here, guys, that involves another New York team and it's the.

[Brian Costello]

New York Football Giants champions within five years.

[Don La Greca]

Within five years. I think that's just how we're gonna label them from now on. And it'll be 4, 3, 2, 1. And that may not happen involving John Harbaugh's old team, the Ravens.

[Tyler Kepner]

I like this.

[Don La Greca]

They get cave on Thibodeau, the giants get a 2026 4th round pick back. I'm fine, I guess with moving on from Kayvon Thibodeau is the best value the Giants can get for him. A 2026 fourth round pick.

[Tyler Kepner]

Now this speaks to why I would question, is this a Baltimore Raven kind of guy? Because they're all about like culture and you know, having consummate professionals as evidenced.

[Don La Greca]

By John Harbour wanting to get him out in this trade.

[Tyler Kepner]

Exactly. So like is Kayvon Thibodeau like a Baltimore Raven now. Does he help their defense? Absolutely. I just don't know that. I don't. I don't want to be harsh and saying like they're looking for high character guys and he is not shown to be that. But it just doesn't feel like the fit for me like in that locker room that that would make sense from Baltimore.

[Brian Costello]

I agree with you. What would be the rush for the Giants to trade him? Wouldn't you be selling low if all you got was a 4th round pick? I know he's got a year left on the deal. I understand that.

[Don La Greca]

But at the deadline it might be better.

[Brian Costello]

You couldn't see him one maybe at the deadline. Sure you could maybe get more than a fourth of the deadline, but why not keep them right? You could add maybe Caleb Downs hypothetically to your defense. Pick six. I think the Giants defense could be really good. Why not have a staple of pass rushers? You know your offense is going to be probably more consistent as a whole this year with another year of development for Dart to go with Neighbors being back. Like what's the rush to trade Kayvon Thibodeau if I'm only going to be getting a fourth? Keep him and let him play with Abdul Carter. Let him play with Lawrence for another year. Let him play with Burns for another year. Like when you have a lot of really good pass rushers at a premium spot, what's the urge to get rid of the guy for just a fourth round pick?

[Don La Greca]

Cap, it's 14.7 million this year. It's not something that's going to break the bank for them. And they certainly have the pass rushing talent around him. I guess that's why he's movable. But as you guys said, if it's for a fourth round pick, I don't necessarily need that. I'd rather get more or have a great start to the year. And they say we really still don't need this guy and then try and trade him later. That would be the way I go about it. One more before we get out of here. The Broncos and the Eagles make a trade.

[Tyler Kepner]

Oh, I love that. This trade.

[Don La Greca]

The Broncos get A.J. brown and a 2026 fifth. I guess A.J. brown's got some issues in Philly. I haven't heard about that over the last two, three years. It's been very quiet. While the Eagles get cornerback Riley Moss, a 2026 second and a 2027 fifth. You love it, Ty?

[Tyler Kepner]

I love it for Denver Bull. Nicks comes back off of his injury, him, Sutton and like he's going into year three. So there's still a lot of room for him to get better. A lot of people talked about wasn't exactly impressive. This is this season had a lot of fourth quarter comebacks. But then you watch that playoff game where he was just spectacular. It's the best game he's ever played. So hopefully he can build on that. You get him now AJ Brown, who's still one of the best receivers in football. I love, I love that for Denver. You like it?

[Brian Costello]

I am on board with that as well. I wouldn't A.J. brown cost more than a two and a five. He's not worth a first round pick.

[Tyler Kepner]

No, A.J.

[Brian Costello]

Brown, A.J.

[Tyler Kepner]

Brown, he's a great receipt. What's his.

[Don La Greca]

Does the value go down? Because everybody knows everybody except for the Eagles, barely. What's that? He wants to be out of Philly.

[Tyler Kepner]

What's his contract situation?

[Brian Costello]

Denver, by the way is pick 30. I if I'm the Eagles, I'm asking for the 30th pick in round one, a late one because not all first round picks are created equal. Give me your first round pick for A.J. brown, otherwise I trade him.

[Tyler Kepner]

Capit of you have to trade him at this point.

[Brian Costello]

Do I have to trade him to Denver though? I can get a first I think for A.J. brown from a different team maybe he.

[Don La Greca]

Signed a three year deal in 2024.

[Tyler Kepner]

Cap hit of 23 million.

[Brian Costello]

He's 28. It's not like he's old.

[Tyler Kepner]

He's a pain in the pain in the ass.

[Brian Costello]

Yeah, but how much is he a pain in the ass? Because he knows his quarterback can't consistently throw the football.

[Don La Greca]

That's definitely part of it.

[Brian Costello]

Like if he goes to a team that is going to basically tailor their offense to him, is he still going to be as big of a pain in the ass?

[Don La Greca]

It was cute when it was the book. When he had the book and everybody. The book made great deal and everybody loved it. But then again you did it this year after knowing that he had frustrations with the offense last year. Devonte Smith even had some frustrations with the offense this year. And you're saying maybe there's something there.

[Tyler Kepner]

Do the Bills. Are the Bills Interested in A.J. brown? They should if you're Buffalo.

[Brian Costello]

I think if you're Buffalo and the same thing we talked about with what Brian Thomas. So Buffalo, they have the 26 pick. I would trade the 26 pick in two seconds to Philadelphia for A.J. brown upon the Bills and I'm trying to Win now with Josh Allen.

[Don La Greca]

Let's just give Howie Roseman more first round picks because he doesn't have enough.

[Tyler Kepner]

Does Josh Allen after watching what happened with him and Stefon Diggs want another diva receiver on his team. I think Josh has to force feed you the football. Like, it just feels like he plays freer now.

[Brian Costello]

It's Josh's team. He's the he like, he's now the dude. When Stefon Diggs became a Bill, Allen was still on a rookie deal learning to be the guy he hadn't broken out yet. And Diggs could say, you were nothing until I showed up. And to be fair, Allen didn't become the Josh Allen we've seen now until Diggs was there. I think it's. He's in a different spot in his career now. I think A.J. brown would be there being like, I get to play with Josh Allen, not, oh, I'm going to make Josh Allen a really good player. He's already really good. I'm going to help be the missing piece to get us over the top.

[Tyler Kepner]

Or he could say I'm a champion. He could like, you've got your cute little envy, but I've been in multiple Super Bowls and I've won a ring.

[Brian Costello]

But that's not Josh's team. He would basically say, of course we're gonna feature your AJ Brown. We want to get you the ball.

[Don La Greca]

Guys, we ran out of music. That's a good sign of a binge. That's the NFL bench.

[Tyler Kepner]

Wow. Great job, man.

[Don La Greca]

Thank you.

[Tyler Kepner]

And I hear that you're going to be back with us at 6 o' clock for ENN.

[Don La Greca]

That's what they tell me.

[Tyler Kepner]

Are you a big fan of When Peter's off so you get to do enn?

[Don La Greca]

No, I love it when my whole show is together. Come on. It's the best when the show is together. You know this.

[Tyler Kepner]

We've had this conversation as he's wearing his ESPN shirt. He's giving us the company, the team.

[Brian Costello]

The team, the team.

[Don La Greca]

All about the team.

[Brian Costello]

USA Hockey. Will that be in ENN anthem?

[Don La Greca]

I would hope so. I would hope so.

[Tyler Kepner]

Very disappointed that putting it on the Germans yesterday.

[Brian Costello]

It was fantastic.

[Tyler Kepner]

Are you disappointed we haven't gotten to hockey yet?

[Don La Greca]

No, I'm not surprised.

[Tyler Kepner]

Punching air in there. Is he doing that?

[Brian Costello]

No.

[Don La Greca]

Me and Jacob, we've been watching the games.

[Brian Costello]

No. Yeah, I'm tuned in.

[Don La Greca]

We've been locked in.

[Brian Costello]

Anthony. 3:10 every day.

[Tyler Kepner]

I know why you're tuned into this event. What's this event called?

[Brian Costello]

Figure skating.

[Don La Greca]

What?

[Brian Costello]

Double skating.

[Tyler Kepner]

Double skating. Yeah. That was.

[Don La Greca]

That was revealing.

[Brian Costello]

He was all over the figure skaters today.

[Don La Greca]

That's. Yeah.

[Tyler Kepner]

We got our poster boy for. What is it? Side chick Valentine's Day. Side chick, side chick, side piece day. Watching figure skating.

[Don La Greca]

My day kicks off with a refreshing Celsius energy drink. Then straight to the gym, pre K.

[Tyler Kepner]

Pickup back home to meal prep. Time for my fire station shift. One more Celsius. Gotta keep the lights on when the three alarm hits.

[Brian Costello]

I'm ready.

[Tyler Kepner]

Celsius Live fit.

[Don La Greca]

Go grab a cold refreshing Celsius at your local retailer or locate [e-mail].

[Tyler Kepner]

Your little one grew three inches overnight.

[Don La Greca]

Adorable. Also expensive. Sell their pint sized pieces on Depop and list them in minutes with no selling fees because somewhere a dad refuses to pay full price for the clothes.

[Tyler Kepner]

His kids will outgrow tomorrow.

[Don La Greca]

And he's ready to buy your son's entire wardrobe right now. Consider your future growth, Bird.

[Tyler Kepner]

Budget secured.

[Don La Greca]

Start selling on Depop, where taste recognizes taste. Payment processing fees and boosting fees still apply. See website for details.

[Caller or Listener]

We heard you.

[Tyler Kepner]

Nine years of bring back the snack.

[Caller or Listener]

Wrap and you've won. But maybe you should have asked for more. Say hello to the hot honey snack wrap. Now you really want.

[Brian Costello]

Go to McDonald's and get it while you can. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I didn't listen to anything you just said. Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast.

[Tyler Kepner]

Here we go. Game time. Brought to you by Tullimore Jewel Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, it's telly time. There we go. Side piece, my man. Nice little side. Why are you asking me? Today's the semifinals of women's hockey at the Olympics in Italy. Anthony, you're gonna be dialed into that one. Right?

[Don La Greca]

Well, the women already. The US women already won.

[Brian Costello]

I was about to say.

[Tyler Kepner]

Oh, okay.

[Brian Costello]

This is not 1980 where we gotta wait till ice.

[Tyler Kepner]

I was reading what the copy had.

[Don La Greca]

No, I got you. No, listen, when you Write it at 8 o' clock last night, it's like, yeah, the hockey will be going on five nothing.

[Brian Costello]

The women won today.

[Don La Greca]

They haven't allowed a goal since the Chechya game in the second period. I think they have the longest shutout streak of any team, men's or women's, in Olympic history.

[Brian Costello]

Now destroyed Sweden.

[Don La Greca]

So they will play the winner of Canada, Switzerland. That's going on right now. And it's two nothing. Canada after two.

[Brian Costello]

So what?

[Don La Greca]

Everybody anticipated Us, Canada and everybody else. That's probably what we're going to get in the gold medal game.

[Tyler Kepner]

Shut out. Just defensive wizardry going on with our women. So shout out to them.

[Brian Costello]

You were locked in clearly to the game.

[Tyler Kepner]

Yeah, man, clearly. Tell them more, dude. I'm getting ready for the show, brother. I was actually. I was listening to Bill Simmons podcast on the way here.

[Brian Costello]

You chose Bill Simmons over your country?

[Tyler Kepner]

Well, I wanted to, on President's Day, of all the days, get my guy's feel for what he thought about All Star Weekend. And him and Zach Lowe, like, that's just the duo you dream about.

[Brian Costello]

I saw a great video. Someone on Twitter put it together. Together. Like Bill Simmons talking about how Seattle's not that good. You know, their defense is not as good as what the numbers would indicate. Like a montage. Just Drake may getting destroyed in that game. Over his commentary talking about how the New England's going to win and they got a chance and all these matchups actually favor them. Oh, I enjoyed that.

[Tyler Kepner]

That was funny. Tullamore. Do the original triple distilled, triple blending and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore, Dewey. Try the new Tullamore Dew, honey. During today's action. Glasses up to enjoy and Tullamore due responsibly. 800-919-3776. You know, we gotta hear from my man Richard in Manhattan. He's got an idea on how the NBA can fix the tanking problem that's, you know, got all of our attention right now. Richard, lay it on us.

[Caller or Listener]

Hi, Ty. Hi, Jake. Here's what we do, okay? Now, this is not for the position seatings for the playoffs, you know, where teams, you know, clinch and they don't care they're in the playoffs. This has nothing to do with the 20 teams that are in the playoffs. You have 30 teams. 20 are in the playoffs. Am I correct? 10 in each conference, including the play in games, you got 20 teams. All right? So that leaves 10 teams out. And these are the 10 teams you're worried about tanking. Here's how we do it. We play seven games during the playoffs and call it the draft tournament. Okay? So you're gonna have 10 teams. It's not gonna matter. There's no positioning.

[Don La Greca]

Now.

[Caller or Listener]

You just draw up five different games. You have five games, okay? Then you have two games and then one game. Now you're gonna say to me, well, wait, you went from five to two. That's impossible. That's right. The team, the fifth team that wins by the. Well, you're laughing, so that's. Obviously. You're not going to listen to the rest of my poem.

[Don La Greca]

No, no, no.

[Tyler Kepner]

I just thought that what you. What you did by narrating that was funny.

[Caller or Listener]

Well, I'm narrating it because I'm describing the whole thing. It's all been thought out.

[Brian Costello]

I don't know how.

[Caller or Listener]

That's why.

[Brian Costello]

Realize how funny you are, Richard. I think you're one of the funniest.

[Caller or Listener]

I'm not trying to be funny. It's either if what I'm saying is funny or them tanking is funnier. Then let's go with the funnier part.

[Tyler Kepner]

Like the Hubie Brown cadence to it, which I love, man. Keep.

[Caller or Listener]

It's not about me. It's about what I'm explaining to you. That's a little better than the tanking.

[Tyler Kepner]

We've got Richard upset. Richard, go ahead.

[Caller or Listener]

I'm just trying to explain. But we're spending more time on my entertainment value. It's not important. Okay? It's left. Okay, you have five teams left. The team that finished, that won their game by the least amount point differential, they're out. So the other four are in. They play two games and then one, the winner has number one, the one who came in number two, the team that had the better differential. Game three is third, and that's it. So you're watching every game because not only is wins and losses important, it's the differential in points.

[Tyler Kepner]

So here's the problem, Richard. If I'm.

[Caller or Listener]

It's seven games.

[Tyler Kepner]

Richard.

[Brian Costello]

Here's the.

[Tyler Kepner]

If I'm Atlanta and I'm the 10th seed right now.

[Caller or Listener]

Wait, wait, wait, wait. There is no 10 seed. Where did you say was 10? You mean if you were. If you lost by 80 points in.

[Tyler Kepner]

Your number 10, Richard.

[Caller or Listener]

Yeah.

[Tyler Kepner]

10 teams make the quote, unquote, postseason. They are seated one through 10, right?

[Caller or Listener]

They're not seated. That's my point. There's no seating. Richard, you're flipping. You're flipping. No. Tight, Rich.

[Tyler Kepner]

Richard, if I am currently a playoff team right now.

[Caller or Listener]

You'Re in the play in game.

[Tyler Kepner]

Can I finish my question? If I'm currently in the playing tournament, why would I just. Why would I decide not to just tank out of the playoffs? I can get a participation into this tournament to get the number one pick. Like, is there more value in making the postseason?

[Caller or Listener]

That's your business decision. If you go into the playoffs into a tanking playoff, the draft playoff, thinking that you can beat every one of those teams, that's fine.

[Tyler Kepner]

No, it's not. It's bad that playoff teams are taking too far.

[Caller or Listener]

I'm giving you seven games that are going to be must see tv.

[Tyler Kepner]

Okay?

[Brian Costello]

Players want to play hard. Richard who? Why? Current players don't care about getting a better draft pick for the.

[Caller or Listener]

That's fine. Their owner is. Their owner is watching. Their owner knows what's going on.

[Brian Costello]

But these.

[Caller or Listener]

Coach knows.

[Brian Costello]

These are. But they played a full 82 and now you're asking players.

[Caller or Listener]

But they were for three months, Ty. They were for three months, Jake. The NBA playoffs go on. There are 10 teams that go two and three months without playing, watching TV. I'm only. My point, fellas. I'm telling you. Seven games during. They sprinkle them in just like the tournament they do in the beginning of the season. You can sprinkle in seven games and it'll be must see. There's no. There is no seating here.

[Tyler Kepner]

I'm gonna be honest.

[Caller or Listener]

Performance in a tournament.

[Tyler Kepner]

I'm gonna be honest.

[Don La Greca]

That's it.

[Caller or Listener]

Everyone is blank.

[Tyler Kepner]

I'm be honest. It's your worst phone call ever. We appreciate it. But that disastrous.

[Brian Costello]

At first I thought he was saying you do this draft pick tournament for lack of a better name after the regular season is done. And that to me wouldn't make any sense because there's no way the bad teams are gonna be incentivized to now try knowing that they're trying to basically have their replacement come in in the draft. It just.

[Tyler Kepner]

You wouldn't get the pending free agent. Like, why would you care about that?

[Brian Costello]

The game doesn't count. You're not being paid extra to do it. What's the motivation? Like the motivation for the NBA cup that they sprinkled in, to use Richard's word in season is that there's a half a million dollar prize for each player on the winning team. Right. They made it a real thing. Now he's talking about in addition to already the NBA Cup. You're going to sprinkle in these tank games somewhere in the middle of the year when you don't know the teams at that point that are quote unquote, tanking. It just. He didn't explain it well and I don't think it makes any sense.

[Tyler Kepner]

And he keeps calling it must see television. Pacers, Wizards. Nothing quite says must see television like that game.

[Brian Costello]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man.

[Don La Greca]

I just want to know.

[Brian Costello]

It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8.

[Don La Greca]

80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app.

[Brian Costello]

And your smart speakers.