Hour 3: Harbaugh Watch - Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Transcript

Alan Hahn (0:00)

This is pro linebacker TJ Watt and I'm back with YPB by Abercrombie for another activewear drop. My second co design collection has new shorts and tanks that keep up with all my in season workouts. And their new restore collection is a game changer off the field too because even pro athletes like me need rest days. Shop YPB by Abercrombie in the app.

Don La Greca (0:20)

Online and in stores because your personal best is greater than anything foreign.

Alan Hahn (0:30)

This is the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

Don La Greca (0:34)

That sounds like heaven to me.

Alan Hahn (0:35)

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers. 503 in the big city with Don Legreca and Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Hahn. 800-919-3776 of course is the number. And how about right now as we get you ready for the evening, we give you a game time brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time. Donnie.

Peter Rosenberg (1:04)

It'S Charlie Dunk.

Alan Hahn (1:05)

Is he there?

Peter Rosenberg (1:07)

Yeah, it's Charlie time.

Alan Hahn (1:13)

Anybody excited about the Rangers? I'll watch. They're back home. Great. So watch Usually good news, isn't it?

Don La Greca (1:21)

No.

Alan Hahn (1:21)

They face the Kraken. Doesn't matter who they face. I guess. The coverage immediately follows us on 880 at 6:30. That's right, we are at 6:30 vehicle today and don is in Minnesota. Why? Because Los Diablos visit the wild at 8 Eastern time. Of course. And then the Nets, they're in Dallas. They take on the Mavericks at 8:30 Telemardu. The original triple distilled, triple blended triple cat. Don't forget there's a Monday night football game tonight as well. Steelers Texas. 815 is your kickoff on that local adjace that is sorta Aaron Rodgers. Is it his last game? Mike Tomlin, is he suddenly become available as a head coach? Giants fans, a lot to pay attention to here. Telemore do the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemore do or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey, during today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly.

Peter Rosenberg (2:14)

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 3: "Harbaugh Watch"

Date: January 12, 2026
Hosts: Alan Hahn, Don La Greca, Peter Rosenberg
Main Theme: Unpacking the ongoing NFL head coach carousel with a focus on the John Harbaugh sweepstakes, quarterback debates for the Jets, and a characteristically offbeat look at music, gaming, and sports life in New York.

Episode Overview

This lively hour dives deep into the latest NFL coaching rumors, especially the John Harbaugh "watch" as his future hangs in the balance. The hosts, with their signature blend of knowledge and banter, dissect what various coaching and draft moves mean for the Giants, Jets, and broader NFL, while sidetracking into the rhythms of New York sports fandom, inside jokes, and pop culture crossovers.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. NFL Coaching Carousel & Harbaugh Watch (27:47–38:34)

Harbaugh's Interview Circuit:
- The Falcons announce a formal interview (later clarified as a phone interview [31:18]), signaling they're eager suitors.
- Harbaugh is fielding extensive calls from multiple teams: Titans, Browns, Raiders, Cardinals, and the Giants, weighing his options deliberately.
- Quote, Alan: "So the fact that he has already had a formal interview with the Falcons. Does that make you wonder if he already knew? I want to meet with them and now it's like, who else is worth my time?" (28:08)
Implications for the Giants:
- Concern about whether Harbaugh's interest is mutual or if Giants might miss out as other teams jump the line.
- Don: "Now you just got to hope that he decides to pick your team. And if quarterback is important, I think the Giants are certainly in play." (29:04)
- Discussion of internal dynamics: Will Harbaugh work with Giants GM Joe Shane, or will changes be needed?
- Alan: "You're selling yourself, your process and the organization to John Harbaugh. That's what I do think that's what Joe Shane's doing. That's what he has to do now..." (30:34)
PR Spin and Semantics:
- Teams announce interviews for optics (PR, appeasing fans, and the Rooney Rule).
- Peter: "Can I also point out that I think it's weird in general that every team puts out these releases on Twitter?" (32:12)
Timing and Negotiations:
- Harbaugh is in no rush, using reported interest to raise his price and carefully pick his spot.
- Don: "...let the Giants know, hey, I'm talking to Atlanta, I'm talking to the LA and every dollar is in the Giants. I ended up being right. The reports I told you is going to take at least 20 million and that sounds like what it's going to be." (34:25)
- Harbaugh looking for $20M+ per year, exceeding his previous Baltimore contract.

2. Jets Quarterback Debate & Fan Frustration (13:52–25:44)

Jets Fan Therapy:
- Caller Danny expresses the weariness of perennial Jets suffering and fear of the endless "hamster wheel" of quarterback searching.
- Quote, Danny: "It's so sad, man... I don't even know what the feeling would be anymore. To watch my team in this predicament, just to enjoy, you know, something, some gratitude, man, out of this. It's just sickening, you know?" (19:15)
Draft Strategy—Take the Sure Thing or Roll the Dice?
- Alan and Don debate if the Jets should use the #2 pick on a QB or trade down for capital and a later QB.
- Don's skepticism: Teams often get swept up in college playoff/QB hype, only to see boards shuffle come draft time.
- Don: "I'm just saying I think we're putting too much stock in these games." (16:36)
- Alan: "These games matter, don't they?...That's as close to the NFL as you can get in a college game. And how does he look?" (16:44)
Trade-Down Scenarios & Draft Possibilities:
- Callers suggest trading down to #10 (e.g., with Cincinnati), but hosts note the risk of missing out on their guy, particularly with wild cards like Arizona and Cleveland in the mix.
- Alan: "You just don't want to run the risk of losing the player that you want. But if you think you can do it and still get him at 10, that would be ideal..." (46:02)
History Repeats—No Easy Fix:
- The hosts note the Jets have been stuck in a loop, cycling through both young QBs and "legend" retreads.
- Peter: "Let me add the next ripple. The same Hamster wheel. Oh, my God. A legend's available. Let's get him. We bring them in. Doesn't work out. Back to another." (21:48)
Organizational Dysfunction:
- Don brings it home: "You're trying to get around the fact that they don't know what the hell they're doing. So whatever the plan is, they're going to soil themselves." (22:05)

3. Lighter Moments—Music, Games, and Good-Natured Jabs (07:13–12:11; 41:47–44:04)

Old Drops & Running Jokes:
- Teasing Don's legendary "David Blow?" (should be Blau) moment from 2019.
- Don: "You familiar with the work of David Blow?" (03:00, several times)
Music, DJ Jabs & 90s R&B:
- Friendly ribbing over the music choices/knowledge, DJ Jacob from Harlem bridging generational and cultural divides.
- Peter: "Jacob is a 33-year-old Black man from Harlem... and on the regular just drop songs that makes Don's heart sing." (07:45)
- Don admits: he recognizes “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash only because of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. (09:18)
Gaming Talk:
- Casual updates on which video games Don’s family are into (NHL 25, Gorilla Tag), leading to joking warnings from Peter about the dangers of VR for adolescent boys. (10:31–11:20)
Pop Culture:
- Talk of "Heated Rivalry," a trending series about hockey players in a hidden romance, and jokes about fake sports teams on TV. (42:31–43:58)

4. Media, Reporting, and Sports Journalism Meta-Discussion (11:43–13:48)

On Pat McAfee & Culture:
- Caller Brian vents about the Pat McAfee phenomenon, worrying about the line between sports, infotainment, and respect for the craft of journalism.
- Don: "...You're talking about people that are bad at their jobs, people that cover a sport they hate, trying to get coaches fired, asking stupid questions. I agree with that. Those people should be eradicated as well. They're doing their job poorly, but they are attempting to do their job. She was not doing any job. She just wanted a compliment." (12:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"Try to with Favre, you try to at Rodgers... But you're trying to get around the fact that they don't know what the hell they're doing. So whatever the plan is, they're going to soil themselves." — Don La Greca (22:05)
"We cannot get a quarterback right now and hope to develop him, hope to get it right and he becomes something in two, three, four years from now. We don't have that."
— Caller Danny (20:21)
"All of a sudden you let the Giants know, hey, I'm talking to Atlanta, I'm talking to the LA and every dollar is in the Giants... You want at least $20 million a year."
— Don La Greca (34:25)
"Teams that have emerged to become special have kind of almost all come from new voices and kind of hotshot young coordinators."
— Peter Rosenberg (05:10)
"If you notice in a couple of years that Marco goes upstairs with the VR headset and doesn't come downstairs for eight hours, I'm going to let you know what he's discovered."
— Peter Rosenberg, raising eyebrows about teens and VR life (10:38)
"You familiar with the work of David Blow?"
— Don La Greca (recurring inside joke, multiple times starting at 03:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

[03:00] – The infamous "David Blow" anecdote returns.
[07:45] – Inside jokes about generational music divides; Jacob as DJ.
[09:18] – Don admits his knowledge of 80s rap comes from Vice City (GTA).
[10:31] – Jokes about Don’s family playing VR "Gorilla Tag."
[13:52] – Jets fans’ quarterback despair and the "hamster wheel."
[19:15] – Caller Danny’s heartfelt plea about lifelong Jets pain.
[27:47] – Breaking down the latest Harbaugh rumors: interviews, PR, leverage.
[29:04] – Potential Giants/Harbaugh mutual interest; GM and organizational fit.
[32:12] – On the PR function of "candidate interview" press releases.
[34:25] – Harbaugh's leverage play for $20 million+ per year.
[42:31] – Pop-culture chat: "Heated Rivalry," fake sports shows, Golden Globes joke.

Summary

This episode is a prime example of Don, Hahn, & Rosenberg's weaving of sharp analysis, wit, and New York sports authenticity. Whether bemoaning the endless churn of Jets’ quarterback “solutions,” dissecting the Giants’ hopes for a blockbuster coaching hire in John Harbaugh, or throwing around inside jokes about hip hop, games, and old sports radio drops, the hosts keep things vivid and relatable. The Harbaugh saga dominates, with the trio parsing both the football repercussions and the chess match of leverage, perception, and PR. Meanwhile, callers add raw energy, voicing the frustrations and hopes of classic NY football fans.
Ultimately, this hour is equal parts therapy, hot stove, and a love letter to the agony and camaraderie of New York sports culture—always mixing gravity with gut-busting sidebars and a refusal to take themselves too seriously.