Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast — Hour 3: NFL Trust Tree

ESPN New York | September 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This hour finds Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg right in their New York wheelhouse, blending sharp NFL analysis with inside jokes and caller interactions. The big theme? NFL unpredictability, trust—or lack thereof—in teams amid a chaotic early season, the emotional state of Giants and Jets fans, and exactly what kind of hope, if any, is left for lovers of New York football. Along the way, the crew shares reactions to Jackson Dart’s first Giants win, bemoans yet another MetLife ACL injury, dives into coaching bravado, and takes light-hearted detours through sports nostalgia and New York lore.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The ESPN NY Couchcast & Celebrity Lineup

[00:52-03:22]

• The guys riff on the upcoming “Couchcast”—an ESPN NY alternate feed for Jets vs Dolphins with a parade of on-air personalities dropping by, building hype for a new kind of viewing experience.
• Internal jockeying about who’s showing up, with playful needling over absences and side gigs.

  “Tell ass man to get his ass here and work for us. All right.” — Don La Greca [02:19]

2. Giants’ Win, Draft Dynamics, and Quarterback Futures

[03:22-04:23]

• Discussion transitions to the Giants’ much-needed win and how draft order angst (“tanking”) does or doesn’t matter in hindsight.
• The QB debate: Cam Ward vs Jackson Dart—highlighting the unknowable nature of draft-day decisions.

3. The NFL Trust Tree: Chaos Reigns

[04:23-07:06]

• Peter marvels at how every team feels untrustworthy: huge swings week-to-week, defenses that disappear, offenses evaporating.

• “You just cannot figure this league out for the first…” — Peter Rosenberg [05:12]

• Don contends, “We’re still in preseason,” pointing to teams not knowing their identities until October.

• Alan and Peter agree: right now, only the Eagles and Bills (and maybe the Lions) inspire actual trust.

  “All right, so the only two teams you trust are the Bills and the Eagles right now.” — Alan Hahn [07:46]

4. NFC and AFC Frontrunners, Up and Down Teams

[07:06-10:25]

• Deeper dive into specific teams: trust issues with Detroit, Green Bay, Baltimore. Peter: “Everything they gained in the first two weeks, they lost in the next two weeks.”
• The consensus is that even teams like Baltimore and Cleveland feel shaky, and the AFC North is a mess.

5. The Giants' Decision-Making — Coaching Aggression and Hindsight

[10:44-14:23]

• Caller Frank from Harrison questions how a young, losing team gets inspired—Do coaches have to be aggressive?
• Don argues for “logical aggression,” pushing back on recklessness, especially with young teams.

  “It's got to be logical aggression, Frank...” — Don La Greca [11:11]

• Peter brings old-school wisdom:

  “I've been watching football for 40 years...No, get the points. Go up six.” — Peter Rosenberg [13:59]

6. Jackson Dart’s Debut & Giants Euphoria

[14:24-17:51]

• Hahn notes the rookie QB played with poise (no turnovers, managed the game), but Peter is less wowed:

  “Can we just meet in the middle here? He didn't give you, oh my God, I think we found our guy.” — Peter Rosenberg [14:42]

• The loss of top WR Malik Nabers to an ACL injury darkens the win—both as a blow to team and Dart’s development.

7. MetLife Turf Debate — Injury Plague

[16:49-18:13]

• Don laments the “wet blanket” of ACLs at MetLife.

  “Somebody gave the list, like, how many guys have lost seasons to ACL injuries at MetLife?” — Don La Greca [16:38]

• The troubling stat: 14 ACLs at MetLife since 2020.

8. Giants Fan Raw Emotion: Voicemails from the Meadowlands

[32:26-36:44]

• Tessa from West Caldwell calls, voice hoarse from cheering at MetLife—her emotion underscores just how starved Giants fans were for hope.

  “It literally...the building was shaking. I've never...been a part of something like that.” — Tessa [32:41]

• Appreciation of the Giants’ conservative gameplan for the rookie, and skepticism about Dabol’s offensive ceiling.

9. Jets Fan Malaise, Expectations, and Coaching Doubts

[27:11-30:18]

• The guys prod Alan about his dead-inside attitude as a Jets fan: “Is there anything that could happen tonight to get you in the vicinity of how Giant fans feel?” — Don La Greca [27:28]
• Alan is downbeat, unconvinced anything would restore hope. The only thing that would make him emotional is more evidence the Jets are poorly coached.

10. Who’s the Most Swole New York Football Coach?

[40:01-44:36]

• Mo from Jacksonville raises a coaching scuffle, leading to an extended riff on which current or past NY coach was the most “swole.”

• “I don’t like that word, but Damian Woody described him as swole…” — Don La Greca [40:53]

• Jokes about memorable old baseball managers (Sparky Anderson, Jim Leyland) looking ancient while in their 40s, and the difference in athlete size through eras.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “In the NFL, you can’t mess around.” — Don La Greca [07:44]
• “You can bury yourself. Right. So the Jets lose...your Own four. It doesn’t matter, really.” — Don La Greca [06:05]
• “If they just attack the Tush Push from a football fundamental standpoint instead of the Eagles are too good…good burns. That’s what they do.” — Don La Greca [06:37]
• “Well, I know we got some large...Understand we're not missing any. Now Ray Santiago is gonna be here...” — Don La Greca [03:08]
• “That neighbor's loss, man, that's a big loss.” — Alan Hahn [16:31]
• “Tessa from West Caldwell: ‘It literally...the building was shaking. I've never...been a part of something like that yesterday. Everybody was hugging, kumbaya. It was insane. It was thrilling. It was uplifting. It was motivating. I feel like they attached pieces of my soul again, you know?’” [32:41]
• “If the Jets look poorly coached, they get run out of the gym and they lose. Livid, because then I know I don’t have a coach.” — Alan Hahn [29:51]

Highlighted Timestamps

• Couchcast preview, wild lineup: [00:52-03:22]
• Giants’ win and tanking argument: [03:22-04:23]
• NFL Trust Tree: chaos, trust issues, Eagles & Bills: [04:23-07:06]
• AFC/NFC division debates and trouble teams: [07:06-10:25]
• Caller Frank—aggression, coaching style debate: [10:44-14:23]
• Jackson Dart’s debut & Malik Nabers injury: [14:24-17:59]
• MetLife’s ACL problem: [16:49-18:13]
• Tessa’s powerful Giants fan call: [32:26-36:44]
• Jets emotional state, pessimism: [27:11-30:18]
• Swole coaches & Sparky Anderson’s age: [40:01-44:36]

Tone & Style

As always, the tone is quick-witted, irreverent, and authentic to the hosts’ New York radio roots. There’s the banter and razzing you’d expect between old friends, but also flashes of genuine feeling—especially from fans desperate for hope and from the hosts when discussing the realities of team-building and the grind of NFL seasons.

Don is big on old-school football logic, has emotional investments in NY teams, and relishes a good tangent.
Alan is the battered Jet fan, always analytical but a tad fatalistic.
Peter brings the zingers, hip hop analogies, and a sharp eye for what the audience is really feeling.

For New Listeners

This episode is a strong standalone—an immersive primer in both the current mood of New York sports and the whiplash nature of modern NFL fandom. Come for the breakdowns, stay for the catharsis, and enjoy the inside jokes about swole coaches and curly-haired broadcasters. Whether you’re a New York diehard or just love football’s unpredictability, you’ll recognize the mix of hope, skepticism, and gallows humor that defines the city’s sports pulse.

Want the full fan experience?
Don’t miss the “Couchcast” for Jets/Dolphins on YouTube—it might just be the start of a new tradition in sports media.