Michael Strahan on Championship Sunday, Super Bowl Predictions, Sack Records and Life After the NFL | EP 177

Summary

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

EP 177: Michael Strahan on Championship Sunday, Super Bowl Predictions, Sack Records and Life After the NFL

Release Date: January 28, 2026
Guest: Michael Strahan

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Overview

This episode welcomes Hall of Fame defensive end and media personality Michael Strahan, who joins Jason and Travis Kelce to break down Championship Sunday, the upcoming Super Bowl, his career highlights, and life after the NFL. The trio covers everything from sack records and D-line philosophy to Strahan’s wild experiences in broadcasting, locker room stories, and even his trip to space. As always, the episode is packed with laughter, insights, and good-natured ribbing.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Strahan’s Career & Locker Room Brotherhood

• Intro & Achievements (13:31)
  • Jason gives a comprehensive introduction of Strahan: 7x Pro Bowler, 6x All-Pro, Super Bowl Champion, Emmy and Peabody winner, and current sack record holder for a 16-game season.
  • Strahan reflects on his favorite achievement: “Super Bowl. …When you win the Super Bowl, it's like, you can celebrate that together with the guys.” (14:30)
• The D-line Group Chat (14:58)
  • Strahan shares that he still connects with his former teammates daily: “Every day we're hitting each other up... encourage each other or just flat out cracking jokes.” (14:58)

Defensive Line Culture & Playing for Spagnuolo

• Coach Spags Stories (16:47)

  • Strahan praises Coach Steve Spagnuolo's leadership and sense of trust, recalling the 2007 Giants turning their season around after a disastrous start due to Spags’ encouragement.
  • “He made us believe in, like, okay, just stick with him. Believe in the system. Believe in this dude. Believe in each other. And we just turned it around, man.” (17:31)

• On Blitzes & Defensive Line Job (19:04)

  • Strahan admits he preferred to rush four, not drop in coverage, and “hated the slants.” But he respected Spags’ system and did what was needed for the team. (19:04–19:54)
  • Shockingly, Strahan reveals: “I love playing the run more than I love playing the pass.” (20:03)

“Welcome to the NFL” & Playing Physical

• Greg Olson’s 'Welcome to the NFL' (21:03)
  • The Kelces recall a viral story of Strahan humiliating Greg Olson as a rookie. Strahan doesn’t remember the specific play (“That was just a regular Sunday…” [21:58]) but shares his philosophy—never allowing a tight end to block him, instilled by his first coach Earl Leggett.

Sack Records Controversy & Mount Rushmore

• On Sack Records & Bubba Baker (23:38)

  • The guys debate Bubba Baker’s unofficial sack record and Deacon Jones’ legendary claims. Strahan: “Deacon swore to me he had a hundred sacks in the season. ... He swore by it.” (24:40)

• Defensive Line Mount Rushmore (25:54)

  • Strahan names Bruce Smith, Reggie White, and Miles Garrett as his top outside pass rushers. On assessing his own rank: “I'll put myself honestly in the top two or three of all-around defensive ends ever to play, okay? Because I played the run as well as I played the pass.” (26:14)

• Late Start & Fundamentals (26:37)

  • Strahan shares his unlikely path: playing only one year of high school football, learning technique from his uncle, and struggling out of the gate at Texas Southern and early in the NFL.
  • Great advice from his dad: always say “when,” not “if.”

The Giants’ Super Bowl Run (2007)

• Hardest Playoff Path (42:24)

  • Strahan contends the 2007 Giants had “the hardest path to the Super Bowl ever,” defeating Tampa, Dallas (“I'm like, this could be it. Fifteen years, I'm done with nothing.” [43:16]), Green Bay in sub-zero conditions, and finally the undefeated Patriots.
  • He emphasizes team bonding (celebrating in London with teammates) and the emotional impact of the run: “We won because we didn’t want to let each other down and disappoint each other. And we just weren’t ready to go home.” (44:55)

• Motivation via Disrespect (45:33)

  • Strahan brings up how Cowboys owner Jerry Jones distributed tickets for the NFC Championship before their actual playoff match, firing up the Giants: “We made sure that those tickets were invalid.” (45:57)

Super Bowl 60 Preview & Championship Sunday Recap

• Championship Game Analysis (35:22–41:07)
  • Strahan and the Kelces break down the Patriots-Broncos and Seattle-Rams games, questioning coaching decisions, fourth down gambles, and commending defensive play.
  • Strahan praises Sam Darnold’s career resurrection in Seattle: “He comes in here, third overall pick doesn’t go well... everyone thinks he's washed. …Well, now you see.” (37:41)
• Super Bowl Matchup (38:31, 40:03–41:07)
  • Preview of Patriots vs. Seahawks: Seattle appears dominant, but New England’s defense is playing lights out. All agree it could go either way.
  • Strahan observes the similarities in how JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and Travis Kelce get open, often leaving defenders and viewers alike baffled: “That’s the same thing we say about Kelsey. I said, everybody know he's gonna get the ball.” (40:33)

Defensive Philosophy & Respecting Opponents

• D-line Strategy (49:34–51:55)

  • Strahan dives deep into his pass rush philosophy: always set up the opponent with a power rush first before switching moves. “You knew it was coming and you couldn't stop it. So I hit you with that three, four times. …Then big down comes up. I run up, plant. Give me that same look…then I beat you.” (50:19)

• Toughest Opponents & Respect (77:05)

  • John Runyan, Eric Williams, and Leon Searcy named as Strahan’s toughest battles: “John made me a better player… Playing against them made everybody else seem easy.” (77:22)

• On O-line Athleticism (52:03–53:49)

  • Responding to Cam Jordan’s claim O-linemen aren't athletic, Strahan disagrees: “If they weren’t athletic, Cam would be like Deacon Jones that had a hundred sacks in a year.” (52:15)
  • He stresses O-linemen’s athleticism and notes that respect, not just stats, kept him playing.

Life After Football: Broadcasting, Space & Beyond

• Transition to Broadcasting (59:06–63:54)

  • Strahan describes his organic move into TV, from The Best Damn Sports Show to Fox NFL Sunday and Good Morning America.
  • He values the camaraderie, personality, and group chat culture of the Fox set: “The group chats and all the other stuff… the older guys, Terry, Jimmy, they're the least mature.” (64:30)
  • On broadcasting: “It’s more about personalities… it’s entertainment.” (61:15)

• Working with Gronk & On-air Chemistry (65:00)

  • Praises Gronkowski’s transition into broadcasting, his kindness, and work ethic: “Gronk is an incredibly... probably the sweetest human being on the planet.” (65:00)

Wildest Post-NFL Adventure: Going to Space

• Strahan’s Space Flight (69:50–73:22)
  • Strahan recounts his 12-minute trip beyond the atmosphere—sharing his awe, the sensation of weightlessness, and the unexpected sense of peace facing mortality.
  • “One of the best parts…is that you have to come to terms with death... You just become so free. If it's God's will, this is what it is. This is how I go.” (71:46–72:00)
  • The experience brought perspective: “How insignificant you are in the world, but…how important you are to the people that matter most to you.” (73:22)

Wisdom, Retirement, and Legacy

• On Retirement and Second Careers (73:28–74:48)
  • Strahan plans for eventual retirement from full-time media but says he’ll always stay involved in projects with passion—especially business and storytelling.
  • On his journey: “I think at some point I have to look at time lived and time left.” (74:00)
• Advice and Reflection (56:06)
  • Strahan highlights the importance of character and sharing encouragement: “[Little things] show character…I always appreciated that from both of you guys. …You think nobody's really paying attention to. Really mean a lot.” (56:34)
  • On encouraging the next generation: “Don't just look at him as if he didn't play in my era, you couldn't play. Okay, okay, fine. They weren't born.” (84:31)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Banter

• On the group chat with NY Giants D-Line:
  “Every day we're hitting each other up. …Support each other or just flat out cracking jokes on each other like we did in the locker room.” (14:32)
• On Strahan’s switch during football:
  “We all have a switch. …Like, I get out there and I'm a whole different thing. Got to be after the survival.” (19:11)
• On playing hard and pushing limits:
  “If you've never pushed yourself to the extremes, how do you really know how far you can go?” (29:56)

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Notable Moments with Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights/Quotes | |---|---|---| | 13:31 | Introduction | Jason’s epic rundown of Strahan’s career; “That was the best introduction I’ve ever had.” – Strahan | | 16:47 | Coach Spags Stories | “He made us believe…” – Strahan’s emotional tribute to Spagnuolo | | 21:03 | Greg Olson’s ‘Welcome to the NFL’ | Olsen’s memory of being manhandled by Strahan; Strahan laughs, doesn’t remember specifics | | 23:38 | Sack Record Debate | Strahan on Bubba Baker and Deacon Jones’ “100-sack” claim | | 25:54 | Sack Legends Mount Rushmore | Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Miles Garrett; “I’d put myself in the top two or three all-around ends” | | 35:22–41:07 | Championship Sunday Recap | In-depth breakdown of Patriots-Broncos, Seahawks-Rams | | 40:03 | Super Bowl 60 Preview | Comparing JSN’s and Kelce’s uncanny ability to get open | | 49:34 | Pass Rush Philosophy | “Bull rush the s*** out of you. …Then after I do that, I’ll look at you and go, hey, a little bit stronger than it looks on tape, huh?” – Strahan’s strategy | | 56:34 | Reflections on Character | “Little things like that show character… I always appreciated that.” – Strahan to the Kelce brothers | | 69:50 | We Gotta Ask: Space Experience | “You have to come to terms with death… you become so free.” | | 77:22 | Toughest Opponents | “Eric Williams was my number one toughest guy. John Runyan and Leon Searcy 2a and 2b.” | | 80:52 | Welcome to the NFL Moment | Eric Williams to rookie Strahan: “You just take this ass-whipping like a man.” |

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Super Bowl & NFL Current Events

• Super Bowl 60 Predictions (38:31, 40:03–41:07)

  • Seattle favored, but all hosts agree New England’s defense is underrated.
  • Focus on key matchups: “That’s going to be a fun matchup right there…both of them at the top of their game.” (39:49)

• Championship Reactions (35:22–39:44)

  • Strahan speculates that the Broncos and Houston both let winnable games slip.
  • “I’m happy for Sam Darnold… It’s been awesome to see the resurgence…” (37:41)

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Light-Hearted Segments & Memorable Banter

• D-Line vs. O-Line (52:03–53:49)
  • Good-natured debate about who are the best athletes on the field, with Strahan defending O-linemen’s athleticism.
• On Spaceflight (69:55–73:22)
  • Strahan humorously and candidly details his brief, profound journey to space, doing flips and feeling at peace with mortality.
• TikTok Banter (93:17+)
  • Jason and Brandon riff on social media, TikTok bans, and online comments, closing with classic brotherly sarcasm.

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Closing Reflections and Acknowledgements

• Strahan’s advice for post-retirement: “As long as you know that final you'll never do it again, then great. …Everything that came after is kind of…happened on accident from working hard and enjoying what I'm doing.” (54:26)
• On paving the way for players-turned-broadcasters: “It’s been fun to not only watch you dominate in the NFL, but dominate the afterlife of NFL, man. And you paved the way for a lot of us in that regard, too.” – Jason Kelce (54:44)

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For First-Time Listeners

This episode is packed with both wisdom and hilarity: a deep football X’s and O’s dive, hilarious personal stories, and inspiring advice from one of the NFL’s greats about work, growth, and legacy. Whether you’re a Strahan fan, a Kelsey nut, or an NFL lifer, you’ll leave entertained and motivated.

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Listen for:

• Inside-the-huddle stories you won’t hear on TV
• Candid behind-the-scenes media and locker room banter
• Thoughtful reflections on perseverance, character, and football
• Honest, emotional moments about retirement and personal growth
• Laughter and friendly roasting from three of football’s best personalities

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Additional Must-Hear Quotes

• “I wanted to look in your soul. I wanted to take your soul. And I was gonna just go…every play. I ain’t gonna quit. Let’s see what you gonna do.” – Strahan on playing the run (20:14)
• “If you don’t tell your kids what they can’t do, they could do anything.” – Strahan on his dad’s attitude (26:37)

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Detailed Topic Timestamps

| Section | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Michael Strahan's intro & career achievements | 13:31–14:12 | | Locker room fun, Giants D-line group chat | 14:23–15:04 | | Coach Spagnuolo stories and motivation | 16:47–17:31 | | “Welcome to the NFL” moments | 21:03+ | | The slap philosophy: never get blocked by a TE | 21:58–23:14 | | Sack records and legendary pass rushers | 23:38–26:14 | | Strahan’s path from Germany to the NFL | 26:37–31:20 | | Championship Sunday reactions | 35:22–39:44 | | Super Bowl preview, “How does Kelsey get open?” | 39:44–41:07 | | O-line vs. D-line, pass rush “chess” | 49:34–53:49 | | Strahan’s wildest post-NFL adventure: spaceflight | 69:50–73:22 | | Strahan’s toughest opponents and John Runyan | 77:05–78:46 | | Retirement mindsets and advice for the Kelces | 56:06–58:51 |

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Listen for a masterclass in football, life, and brotherly banter.

Transcript

[Jason Kelsey]

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[Michael Strahan]

How about it?

[Jason Kelce]

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[Brandon]

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[Jason Kelsey]

Check out Adobe acrobat [e-mail] do that with Acrobat. Thank you to our sponsor, Liquid IV.

[Jason Kelce]

It's no secret that we have insanely busy schedules. There's never enough hours in the day to get it all done.

[Jason Kelsey]

And trying to stay on top of your game when you're running on empty, that's rough. I can attest to that.

[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelce]

KFC bowl season is over for college football, but new bowl season is beginning. That's way better. Oh yeah, it's KFC five dollar bowl season.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's right. They're serving up five different bowls for five bucks each. You get a famous bowl with those fluffy mashed potatoes and juicy chicken. Or you can try their spicy Mac and Chees cheese bowl.

[Jason Kelce]

Creamy Mac and cheese with a kick.

[Jason Kelsey]

Come on now people think $5 means you're getting some tiny portion. Nuh. These bowls are loaded.

[Michael Strahan]

Right?

[Jason Kelce]

Like we're talking zero leftovers. You're finishing this whole thing five different.

[Jason Kelsey]

Ways to fill it up. All five bucks. It's math. That's how it works. That's the kind of value we need after the holidays. Right? We just spend a bunch of money on presents and gifts that our kids have already forgotten about.

[Jason Kelce]

Five bowls, $5, zero leftovers.

[Jason Kelsey]

Tried KFC. See $5 bulls today. Actually right now. Don't even wait till later today. Go to your KFC now.

[Jason Kelce]

That's going to be a fun matchup right there.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Do young up and coming get both of them at the top of their game right now. I'm excited for that matchup.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what's so funny, man? Was we're watching a game and JSN gets catches, a touchdown. How he's like, michael, it doesn't look like he's working. And I'm like, how in the world if you're going to cover anybody, that's the dude. How's he get open? And you know what I always said to me? He goes, that's the same thing we say about Kelsey.

[Jason Kelce]

Welcome back to new heights. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, a wondery show brought to you by Xfinity. They got that best deal ever five year thing. We're going to talk about it later. We are your hosts. I'm Travis Kelsey. This is my big brother, Jason Kelce, rocking the same hoodies from the old New heights clubhouse out of the University of Cincinnati. Cleveland Heights alum. Shout out to Cleveland Heights. Well, Cincinnati alum and Cleveland Heights alum. Subscribe on YouTube One Tree plus wherever you get your podcast and follow the show on all social media at new Heights show with 1s mentioned. The Kelsey clubhouse. That's dot com if you want to check out anything Kelsey, anything. New heights. Jason, why don't you tell everyone that's listening what we have coming up.

[Jason Kelsey]

We got a great episode as we do every week. That's right. We're gonna touch a little bit of that championship Sunday as well as look ahead. Super Bowl 60.

[Michael Strahan]

Damn.

[Jason Kelce]

Super Bowl 60.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah. You know what else I like? Michael Strahan is here.

[Michael Strahan]

That's right.

[Jason Kelsey]

The one and only. We're gonna talk his career, giant super run and so much more.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

Before we get any of that, we're gonna start with some of that new news. New news is brought to you by sleep number.

[Jason Kelce]

How about it?

[Jason Kelsey]

Such a comfy sleep.

[Jason Kelce]

Every Single time. Jason, do you. You know your sleep number, it changes.

[Jason Kelsey]

I think right now it's a 55.

[Jason Kelce]

You are a soft sleeper.

[Jason Kelsey]

What are you firm?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, I'm a little firmer. I'm around the 70s. I like a good 70.

[Jason Kelsey]

I fluctuate between 55, 65.

[Jason Kelce]

Nice.

[Jason Kelsey]

All right, Trav, you're officially a mattress man.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, baby.

[Jason Kelce]

I am the mattress man. I'm selling mattresses worldwide, baby.

[Jason Kelsey]

And there's a song that sounds like Mattress Man. What is it?

[Michael Strahan]

Minute Man. Minute Man.

[Jason Kelsey]

I'm thinking of, like, I'm the mattress man. The mattress man. There's something. There's some type of song that I'm thinking of that's got that kind of melody, and it does.

[Jason Kelce]

I don't know why I can't think of it either.

[Jason Kelsey]

Muffin Man.

[Jason Kelce]

The Muffin Man. The Muffin Man.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's it. The Mattress Man. The Mattress Man. How's the rest of the song go?

[Jason Kelce]

I don't even.

[Jason Kelsey]

I don't remember this one.

[Brandon]

Free of charge Sleep number that you can have that.

[Jason Kelce]

You can have that free of charge.

[Jason Kelsey]

I'm not thinking of Mattress Man. There's another.

[Jason Kelce]

You're definitely.

[Jason Kelsey]

The one I'm thinking of is definitely based off of Muffin man, but it's not the exact same thing you just did.

[Michael Strahan]

Muffin man, though.

[Jason Kelsey]

It's not. It's slightly different. I gotta think of it. I gotta think.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm pumped, man. I've been a huge Sleep Number fan for a long, long time. They. They actually have teamed up with the NFL for the majority of my career. Yeah, I feel like. And, yeah, since 2019. And I've been a huge fan of all their products. I've been big fan of all the Sleep Number products that I've received. I've actually handed some over to my dad and sp. Spread the wealth a little bit. And I just think it's. It's an amazing product. It's an amazing team. I believe in the vision that they have going forward, and I'm excited. I'm excited to be a partner as well as a member of the Sleep Number family.

[Jason Kelsey]

Good for you, Trav, because these things are the best. I love Sleep Number. It's hard going back to a regular mattress like.

[Jason Kelce]

Like a hotel and like a dude. It's so fun.

[Jason Kelsey]

There's multiple issues with the hotels, which.

[Jason Kelce]

Don'T get me, but it's like the difference night and day, obviously, but it's.

[Jason Kelsey]

It's the mattress. I mean, listen, you go to Four Seasons, they got a nice Mattress too. But I do. I do prefer sleep number beds now. But the other thing at the hotel, like. Dude, you want to talk about something that grinds your gears? These goddamn temperature regulators. And telling me how hot or cold I can put a room at that I paid for you. That's what I gotta say. You sleeping in this goddamn room. Sweating my ass off. Not getting any sleep. It's is what it is.

[Jason Kelce]

I love you.

[Jason Kelsey]

It pisses me. It pisses me off so bad. Comforter.

[Jason Kelce]

Just sweating profusely won't let you go. Colder than what?

[Jason Kelsey]

I don't even think it does anything. Like I try to put it colder. There's no way it's that temperature in the room. It's hot as. I'm just down to the sheet and the sheet isn't comfortable. Just sleep on that. I like a little bit more weight on top of me. Not. It's useless because I'm sweating so bad. I try. I try to jimmy rig it. It doesn't even work. That's how I know these thermostats don't even work. I take the hairdryer out of the cabinet.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

And I position it so that it thinks the room's 98 degrees. It still doesn't get colder in that these thermostats don't do in these hotel rooms. The only way it works is if it has. If it's on a. What are those called? The only way it works is if the hotels have the. What are the ones where the. The unit is in the room. It's not like a. A centralized air system. It's like mini splits. If there's a mini split in the hotel room. Perfect. It should be a law requirement that you have to have a mini split in the hotel record in the room.

[Jason Kelce]

But this is why I'm not running.

[Jason Kelsey]

On the same AC that the hallway's on.

[Jason Kelce]

That's what I'm saying. Fuck that.

[Jason Kelsey]

Anyways, back to sleep number.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah. We.

[Jason Kelce]

This is why I'm with Sleep Number. Sleep Numbers. Thought about these situations that you find yourself in. And they have temperature controlled mattresses now. And it's. That's why I believe in the vision.

[Jason Kelsey]

What's your sleep number set up like top to bottom? What all products you working with? What's Travis Kelsey's ideal sleeping system? What are all the things you're doing to sleep? You got a fan? You got.

[Jason Kelce]

No, I'm just falling asleep. Put it at 67, 66 and go to sleep.

[Jason Kelsey]

I got the cooling system. Sleep number. I got my sleep number. Set up at. I think it's either 55 or 60. I can't remember it honestly off the top of my head. But then I got. You ever heard of chili paddle?

[Jason Kelce]

Of course.

[Jason Kelsey]

You put that thing over top, cool that thing down. Then I got the comforter on top of that. Then I got a fan blowing wind on my face and I am just in bliss.

[Jason Kelce]

Nice.

[Jason Kelsey]

What kind of sleep position? You go to your side, your back, your stomach.

[Jason Kelce]

You know, when I was younger I used to be a stomach sleeper. I used to sleep on the stomach but now I'm just lay on my back and just pass the fuck out.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, sleeping like Dolly Parton. Now I get it, it's harder to sleep on your stomach. I fancy myself a side sleeper.

[Jason Kelce]

It's your right side, left side. You just go back and forth all night?

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, I go back and forth. My shoulders get sore so I gotta switch and switch it up. But I like sleeping on the side. I'm predominantly sleeping on the left side. But I'll switch over to the right side to even it out. According to. To these pictures, I'm not quite as curled up as a fetus and I'm not quite the. Was that the yearner?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

Somewhere in between a fetus and a uriner is where I'm sleeping.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, I usually have.

[Jason Kelsey]

I guess I'm pillow in between the legs. Pillow in between the legs.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm not the soldier, but I'm the starfish for sure. Like I'll go like. Yeah, I'll go like I'll sleep on like the outer hip and I'll still have my shoulders flat.

[Jason Kelsey]

If I sleep like that, my mouth is dry as. And it's usually because I've passed out drunk and I'm sitting in that position chalk drawing on the sidewalk where the guy's just dead.

[Jason Kelce]

I don't sleep like this either. I'll sleep like here and here.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what I mean?

[Jason Kelce]

Like my, my. I'm not just like straight up.

[Jason Kelsey]

Are you a split down the middle of the sleep number? Are you full? No.

[Jason Kelce]

Full sleep.

[Jason Kelsey]

It's not the best for cuddling.

[Jason Kelce]

I like the full mattress because I like to roll into it, roll out of it. And if we're both. If I'm sitting up, we're both sitting up.

[Jason Kelsey]

It's really good for getting actual good sleep because now Kylie likes to put her side up because she's. Especially when she's been pregnant, she really enjoys the ability to set up top.

[Jason Kelce]

There you go.

[Jason Kelsey]

And for me, when I snore, she can Just raise my side and then I stop snoring magically. So there's a lot of benefits to independent top usage that we. We certainly enjoy.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm excited about this. This partnership with Sleep Number. Obviously believe in the product, and I'm excited to. To work with them in the future and create some fun opportunities with you guys.

[Jason Kelsey]

So. Oh, we're also gonna announce another huge announcement. New merch. That's right. We're doing a giveaway of some of our new Pro Standard sweats. I'm not gonna lie. They are incredible. I'm a big fan. I would tell you if I didn't like it.

[Jason Kelce]

As you know, Jason is very open. You might not.

[Jason Kelsey]

I think a lot of people like the soft, fuzzy, fluffy interiors. I'm out on the soft, like, fluffy, fuzzy.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm in on those two. I like this hoodie, though. This is a good wear and tear. I like. I like. You could. You could go through some on this.

[Jason Kelsey]

This doesn't feel synthetic at all. It feels like a natural fiber that my skin doesn't feel at all weird about that. I don't like the texture of those fluffy things. And then it's like that, you know, it's just polyester and it's made of. But not this thing. This thing feels real good. All right, here's how to enter. Follow New Heights and Pro Standard on Instagram and comment your favorite moment from any episode so far on our giveaway post. And we're gonna pick three people. Three people. Wow. Just giving these things away. All right, pick three people, and we're gonna send you a new Heights Pro Standard kit.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm excited about this Pro Standard collab, man. They. They do it right, and it took like, a few just, like, test runs on what they. What they have to offer, and, man, I. I absolutely love it, man. It's a good gray too. It's a solid gray.

[Michael Strahan]

I like it.

[Jason Kelsey]

The kit is going to feature New Heights merch as well as a Pro Standard NFL jacket from your favorite team. That's awesome.

[Jason Kelce]

Make sure you guys check out this new merch and make sure you guys enter to win the kit that features the New Heights and Pro Standard merch. And that about wraps up new news, which is brought to you by Sleep number my new exciting part.

[Jason Kelsey]

All right, let's get into some bold topics brought to you by Intuit turbotax.

[Jason Kelce]

I say we do it. Jason, you want to do the honors? All righty.

[Jason Kelsey]

Our guest Today is a 6 foot 5 diva event from Texas Southern University. He is a 7 time Pro Bowler 6 time All Pro 2001 Defensive Player of the Year, 2 time Emmy winner, a Peabody Award winner, a Super bowl champion, and a member of the Pro and College Football hall of Fame. You know, from $100,000 pyramid, good morning America, Fox NFL Sunday. He's literally been to space. He is still the record holder for the most sacks in a 16 game season 92. Please welcome Michael Strah.

[Michael Strahan]

I ain't gonna lie, man. That was the best introduction I literally. I say I've ever had.

[Jason Kelsey]

Come on now, let's go, babies.

[Michael Strahan]

I've ever had. And honestly, I didn't realize I did all that.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's the best part of it. When you got this many things, it's easy to forget. But, man, you've been on some incredible things, Mike.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, it's been fun, man. It's been fun.

[Jason Kelsey]

What's your favorite thing on that.

[Jason Kelce]

That list right there?

[Jason Kelsey]

What's your most football?

[Michael Strahan]

Super Bowl. Super Bowl.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, it's always.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, yeah, it's. You know what? Player of the year, all that stuff. And Pro Bowls is great, but as you guys know, when you win the super bowl, it's like, you can celebrate that together with the guys. And I'm still on a group chat with all the guys on the D line. Every day. We're hitting each other up. It's either questions, memes, support each other, you know, whatever, encourage each other, or just flat out cracking jokes on each other like we did in the locker room.

[Jason Kelsey]

So, hey, who's the biggest character in that group chat? Every group chat has one guy that's.

[Jason Kelce]

Like, all right, here he goes again.

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, man. You know O.C. you know O.C. the trip. Cause O.C. lives in London now. He does the NFL. He does the NFL broadcast. I'm very, very proud of him because he's in London doing an NFL show, and he's won the equivalent of an Emmy in London for years, years ago for the show. So it's equivalent to somebody here in the US Winning an Emmy for cricket. We'd be like, what did that sport?

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

So Osig did amazing. But I noticed every time I talk to him or I listen to him, all of a sudden he's got this deep English accent. I'm like, oh, no.

[Jason Kelce]

He went over there and just got a little.

[Michael Strahan]

Dude, you went Detroit. You went to Troy. You lived in Atlanta. Oh, man. Yeah, yeah. Well, he. The character. All the guys, the characters in their own right.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's great. I love that.

[Jason Kelce]

Listen, the D line is notorious for being the one room in the entire building that just has just one on top of another, on top of another. Just different lifestyles, different but different dudes. And just some of the funniest guys ever, man. I don't know if you spent a lot of time with Chris Jones, but he is one of my favorite people of all time. I guarantee you he would. He would light up that group chat like no one else.

[Michael Strahan]

But I tell you what, man, I. I got a chance to see Chris this season. We came to your guy when you guys played the Eagles and, and on the road. We were in Kansas City and I got a chance to see Chris after the game. And I tell you what, man, I love the dude. I wish I could have played with him. I'm telling you, man, he's unblockable. And to knowing Spags defense, because Spags helped me win a Super Bowl. Oh, yeah, man, I love to play with Chris.

[Jason Kelce]

Let's get into it, man. I gotta ask you, you already mentioned my guy, coach Spags, man. He's one of my favorite guys. One because it's so challenging. Obviously we get to work with him throughout the year in the off seasons and in training camps and stuff like that. I get to experience what it feels like, the frustration of how much he has in that. In that, that. That defensive playbook and everything. But he's also one of the best humans that I've ever met in my life and off the field, on the field, he's one of the best motivators. Tell me, tell me you got any good spag stories that aren't out there from. From your days playing for him?

[Michael Strahan]

Well, I would tell you a Spags is one of the nicest humans. His wife Maria, they bake cookies for the team.

[Jason Kelce]

I had some of the best limoncello I've ever had from. From the Spags household.

[Michael Strahan]

And what the thing is, the crazy thing is I have no bad stories on him because he's such a good guy. But I will tell you this. The year, my last year in the league, we start out 02. We gave up 80 points in two games against the Cowboys the first week and then I think 45. Then we gave up 35 against Green Bay the second week. And Spax comes into the meeting room on, you know, guys, you think you're going to show up in that meeting room, you're going to just let everybody have it. You're like, oh yeah, we garbage. We going to hear how garbage we are. Dude walks in and goes, hey, I want you guys to know, just trust what we're doing. Trust the defense. There's not one of you that I would trade for anybody else out there in the league. Now I know he was lying. I had a few guys, I'm like, coach, yeah, right there. No, but he made us believe in, like, okay, just stick with him. Believe in the system. Believe in this dude. Believe in each other. And we just turned it around, man. And all that. I contribute all that to Spags and making us feel good when we should have. Most coaches make you feel bad.

[Jason Kelsey]

I do got to ask you, because one of the things that stands out with Spags is his blitzes, right? He can give it from every single direction. Zero zone blitz, man pressures, games, all that stuff. But I know as a defensive lineman, that's not always what you all want to do, right? Especially when you're the great Michael Strahan, sack leader. Coach, don't, don't have me slanting, angling. Just let me beat the crap out of this tackle right here. What did you feel like playing in that system? I'm assuming he probably called less blitzes with you on the field. Probably didn't need to bring more than four. Quite honest.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, there you go.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what? I'll be honest with, with you. I. I've always been a nice guy, man. I really am. But in the days of football, I was a different.

[Jason Kelce]

Nice.

[Michael Strahan]

Right, There you go.

[Jason Kelce]

There you go.

[Michael Strahan]

You know, we all have a switch. We're nice guys. People know we're nice. But it's the switch. Like, I get out there and I'm a whole different thing. Got to be after the survival. I'm, I got, I got guys like you too. I can't. You're trying to kill me. I gotta survive, right? Yeah. So I, I, I hated the slants and stuff. Wasn't my thing, but I would do whatever. But don't make me drop. Even though I do have a few picks in my career. One against Washington after the game for a touchdown. But don't make me drop. Why? You dropping the best pass rushers and you got these little lightning ass dudes running in there getting rejected from the club. I mean, dudes are getting thrown out.

[Jason Kelce]

Of there like, yo, don't come in the club with fake IDs.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, but I just didn't like dropping. I love pass rushing. You know what I love most, though? I love playing the run more than I love playing the past. Really?

[Jason Kelsey]

That's surprising. I don't see a lot. I don't hear a lot of DNS say that. What's so what? Why do you say that? Just because it was more like toughness, more like inserting your will. Like, what is it?

[Michael Strahan]

100. And I, I, I felt like it was toughness. It was asserting your will. It was literally, I can take the life out of a guy. I look in your eye and I could see if you wanted to be there or not. And that was important to me. I wanted to look in your soul. I wanted to take your soul. And I was gonna just go. Every play, I just looked at it like this. You and me, every play. I ain't gonna quit. Let's see what you gonna do. And when we turn on that tape tomorrow and we watching it, I will not be embarrassed in front of my teammate. I just will not.

[Jason Kelce]

We gotta just jump into it, man. My guy, Greg Olson, man, he told us an amazing story last week on our, on our episode with him about his welcome to the NFL moment where they decided to run power as a rookie at Michael Strahan.

[Michael Strahan]

We had a home game my rookie.

[Jason Kelce]

Year in 07, and Michael Strahan is.

[Jason Kelsey]

Playing like a. I don't know if.

[Michael Strahan]

He was in a four point stance.

[Jets Fan]

But it felt like he was like.

[Jason Kelce]

An eight point stance and he was playing, he was playing six technique, right?

[Michael Strahan]

So he was like on my head.

[Jason Kelce]

But he the worst. And like, you go too far inside.

[Michael Strahan]

And he just caves you down.

[Jason Kelsey]

You stay on his outside shoulder and.

[Michael Strahan]

He just presses you back. And I'm like, I'm gonna bring everything I got. Everything I got, I'm bringing it.

[Jason Kelce]

Well, he like two gaps me, he locks me out, presses me, heading the. He takes me into the fullback, into.

[Michael Strahan]

The backside, pulling guard. Oh, no. And like, And I was like, I ran off the field.

[Jason Kelce]

Swab the hole, I guess. You threw him across the line of scrimmage onto the other a gap. Do you remember this play?

[Michael Strahan]

I do not.

[Jason Kelsey]

I was gonna say this, make this y'.

[Jason Kelce]

All.

[Michael Strahan]

That was just a regular Sunday, you what I'm saying? You know, I, I don't remember to play, but I did have this thing where my first coach in the league, Earl Leggett, rest in peace. Earl Leggett. He was Howie coaches coach with the Raiders back in the day. And that's why Howie and I have always been so tight. But Earl, man, he worked us more than anybody. I couldn't survive more than two or three years in the league without him because he taught me technique that lasted my whole career. And it. And I just couldn't rely on being athletic. But Earl had this Thing he said, if any tight end in this blocks you, son, you should be ashamed of yourself. So anytime I saw a tight end, it was like, I'm going to literally, I gotta kill you. Like, I gotta murder you right now. I cannot. I gotta watch the coach. And Earl would talk bad to you. Oh, he talked so bad to you. Oh, Kurt, guy, you got to fight him. I can't go out there. I'm too old to fight for you, son. He would say some other things I cannot say on this podcast that keep me in trouble.

[Jason Kelce]

I love some good old ball coach, man.

[Michael Strahan]

It literally made every tight end I lined up against made me like, like, salivate because I knew I had to embarrass him. I couldn't be. Be. Be dealt with like that. But I'm glad Greg remembered it. That's what's important.

[Jason Kelce]

There you go.

[Michael Strahan]

But I love Greg either. He's the best too, by the way.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, the best. You know it. Yeah, that's too funny, man. I had to ask you about it. We mentioned earlier that you're the. You're the Sack leader for 16 games. You made the comment, obviously congratulated Miles Garrett and gave him his flowers for. Because that unbelievable feat that he. He accomplished as well, being the Sack leader for 17 games. But have you heard the claim that. That Bubba Baker.

[Brandon]

Al.

[Jason Kelce]

Bubba Baker actually has the sack record from his rookie season in 1978?

[Michael Strahan]

Okay, I dispute that.

[Jason Kelce]

My question is, what. What would Michael Strahan be doing to an offensive lineman in 1978?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, man. Well, at seven years old, I'd be getting out there getting beat up. You know what?

[Brandon]

He.

[Michael Strahan]

He might. I don't. They didn't keep the records until later, which reason I disputed is not for myself. When I was coming up, man, one thing that I loved is that I. A guy that I admired, like Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Chris Doleman, Dexter Manley, Charles Mann. Every time I got a chance to meet these guys, they, like, took me under the wing and. And were really great to me, man. I couldn't believe it. But the one guy, the older of all of them with Deacon Jones.

[Jason Kelce]

Deacon Jones, man, that head slap, baby, look out.

[Michael Strahan]

Exactly.

[Jason Kelce]

And Deacon ears are ringing right now. When you said his name, my ears run.

[Michael Strahan]

It was crazy. Deacon swore to me he had a hundred sacks in the season. I'm telling you, he swore he had 100 sacks, man. Oh, that's ridiculous, man. He swore by it. He's basically like. I don't even know what the debate is.

[Jason Kelce]

Sometimes talking to those old School football guys, man is just the best, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Oh yeah. You know, even Bruce Smith is one of my favorites. And like my brother, man. And. And Bruce really took me out of this wing. Played a lot of golf with Bruce and just spend a lot of time with him. And Bruce orchestrated the 100 sack club. So at the super bowl you get like all the guys who have at least 100 sacks get together and so Bruce gets in front of the room and Bruce goes, hey, I'm glad everybody showed up at the 100 Sack Club and everything else. I was gonna do a 200 sack club, but I didn't want to be here by myself. It only took you 25 years. We didn't want to play that long, damn it.

[Jason Kelsey]

Right?

[Jason Kelce]

That's too funny.

[Jason Kelsey]

You're daming all these greats. I gotta know what's your Mount Rushmore of sack lead? Mount Rushmore of defensive lineman getting after the quarterback.

[Michael Strahan]

Geez. I mean, there were interior guys and there were outside guys. Outside guys. I would say Bruce Smith, I would say Reggie White. I would say Miles Garrett.

[Jason Kelsey]

Put yourself on if you want. Feel free.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what? I'll put myself honestly in the top two or three of all around defensive ends ever to play, okay? Because I played the run as well as I played the pass. It wasn't like hit a running back if he happens to have the ball going to wait to the quarterback. So I put myself in that realm. But as far as my whole thing is, I started football late, man. I mean, I played one year in high school, Germany. I wouldn't. Yeah, I wasn't playing football.

[Jason Kelce]

So you were in Germany all the way up until you were 18?

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, 17. 17. And so I came over, I played one year. My dad was like, gonna get a scholarship. And I think if you don't tell your kids what they can't do, they could do anything. And my dad acted like it was guaranteed you're gonna get a scholarship. Next thing you know, I get one scholarship, the Texas Southern University. I was like, dad, I don't know. He's like, well, you know, it's free. That's where you go. And then he's like, when you make it to the pros and when you do this and when you do that. So my dad was always that when not an if guy, which was important. Like I do that with my kids. Like when, when, when Never if. Never give doubt. So I came to the Giants. I mean, I was at tsu, man. I was just basically relying on athletic ability, just running and working until A guy got tired and then I would make plays. But I had no first three or four years. I didn't know the game of football. I was always behind. So I always wonder what it would have been like had I had the opportunity to learn football at the earlier age. But I'm kind of glad I didn't because it always made me interested. Always. I'm always interested in football now. Like, I watch stuff now. I'm still interested in the game. I didn't beat myself up. I feel better now than I felt when I retired. So, yeah, I got. I got lucky. I got really lucky.

[Jason Kelce]

That's awesome, man. When you came over when you were 17, 18, I believe you, you were with Art Strahan, right?

[Michael Strahan]

Your uncle. Oh, my uncle, yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

I stayed my uncle and he played. He played a little bit in the league, right? Did you learn, like at least the basics and understanding? You know, the old put your forehead right through the chin.

[Michael Strahan]

Or did I, man. Man, I came over to stay with my uncle. I didn't know really I was green. If there was a color, deepest green you could find, that was how green I was. My uncle would take me in the front yard. Cause he played seven years in the league. Oilers, Falcons, all that stuff. He would take me in the front yard, man. He would just be slapping me around. This is how you used to use your arm. And you know, my uncle's like six, seven country ass, strong, big old hands, man. He just beat this teenager up in the yard. But hey, I went through it and I look back, I could laugh at it. Being at tsu. Walter Highsmith, my head coach, whose son, Alonzo Highsmith, is the first round pick out of University of Miami. Back in those Jimmy Johnson days, his dad was tough. He would make us run gassers in Texas. 100 something degrees. The devil leaning against the goal post waiting for you to pass out that high. He was saying, we're gonna run until somebody turns in scholarship. No, give up your scholarship. Oh, passing out. I would have fell out. I just said, okay, but no, t, give up your scholarship. And we had. And we thought he was joking, man. Wasn't joking. I mean, this dude was a beast. But when I came to the pros, it was like, you can't kill me. I've been to hell already. Yeah, right. You guys are arguing.

[Jason Kelce]

You don't have shoes.

[Michael Strahan]

I wore the same pair of cleats in practice in the game every season for the whole season. I get new pair of shoes every week. This is crazy.

[Jason Kelsey]

You are bringing up something no, but this is. This is something I've thought about where there's so much sports science and, like, load management and, like, stuff now where I. I feel like if you've never pushed yourself to the extremes, how do you really know how far you can go?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, right?

[Jason Kelsey]

And 100. When I went to college, I used to think I knew what hard work was. And then a guy put me through a workout in the weight room, Jordan Roth. And I couldn't even lift my shoulders above my. My hands above my shoulders by the end of those workouts. And I was like, bro, what is this? I. I've never worked out of my life. I thought I was working hard. I don't know what hard work was. I think that's so important for young players or even something you got to work out as an adult, too. You got to push yourself, man. Right?

[Michael Strahan]

And the harder I found it, I pushed myself playing football, the easier the game became. The more I studied, the easier the game became. I could. I would be the last one to get my stance because I'm just looking and look at formations going. I know they ain't going to run this way or they're only going to be able to do this out of that. Like you knew. And as you got older, if you really paid attention, became the student, the game slowed down and became easier. But you gotta work at it. And the harder I've worked in sports, like now everybody goes, you work so hard. You're here, you're there. I'm like, you don't understand what hard work was. When you're in training camp and you guys know two A days and you gotta put those wet paths that are still wet from the day before on and run into somebody who you don't wanna feel like running into again and fighting for the next two hours, you're laying on the ground to stretch, and it's still got that cold morning dew on it. Oh, y. Yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

You can't think about. You're trying to peel yourself out of the bed. That's hard work. Talking for a living. If I knew it was this good, I'd have done it a long time ago.

[Jason Kelsey]

That is so good. So perfect. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, xfinity.

[Jason Kelce]

Xfinity is a proud partner of Team USA for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games.

[Jason Kelsey]

Let's go, baby. I'm pumped to watch Team USA crush.

[Jason Kelce]

It, as always, as always.

[Jason Kelsey]

I love seeing them every time I get a chance. One of the great regrets of being a football player is you don't get to represent your country. The Olympics are incredible. So happy to see Xfinity is sponsoring this segment and the Team USA Winter Olympics group going over to Italy.

[Jason Kelce]

I can't wait to see them all lock in. Every single sport, every single event. Did you know that Xfinity can guarantee that your Internet price will stay the same for five years?

[Jason Kelsey]

I did not know that. That is pretty awesome. Okay. One price for five whole years guaranteed. No contracts or commitments. That's a pretty good deal, Trey.

[Jason Kelce]

Man. I wonder if they could help us lock in on an event or a sport specifically to maybe get to the Olympics and be on Team USA one day.

[Jason Kelsey]

Well, if we're going winter, I tried curling recently, and I don't think we can do that.

[Michael Strahan]

All right.

[Jason Kelsey]

I tried bobsledding. They said I had some potential.

[Jason Kelce]

We'll have to see about that. Xfinity. Imagine that. Proud partner of Team usa.

[Jason Kelsey]

Restrictions apply. Select plans only. Alrighty. Thank you to our sponsor, Intuit TurboTax.

[Jason Kelce]

Tax season is here, people. Filing. Just got an upgrade.

[Jason Kelsey]

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[Michael Strahan]

How about it?

[Jason Kelsey]

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[Michael Strahan]

Wow.

[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

Get every dollar you deserve. Get started now by downloading the Credit Karma app and navigating to the tax section up at the top.

[Jason Kelsey]

Thank you to our partner, Adobe Acrobat.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, the Acrobat has been reimagined for powerful collaboration and to help you create high quality work all at one place.

[Jason Kelsey]

Brandon, can you give us a hand here in showing the 92 percenters how to use the incredible new features?

[Jason Kelce]

I love it when Brandon shows us things. Please, less work for us, more work for Brandon.

[Brandon]

Thanks, guys. I never mind doing more work for you, but. That's right, guys. Adobe's got new features like PDF Spaces, which basically helps you pull anything from the Internet that you might want. And let's just call it a podcast into one document and figure out where it goes a lot faster. Usually we put together the show. We have to dig through a lot of articles, game notes, box scores, highlights, screenshots of tweets, whatever Jake was mad about the jets doing that week. It's a lot of stuff that goes into making the show. And honestly, the segment that's toughest to put together is stamp of the week. There's actually a lot more nominees that we never really even show you guys. We look through everything from game highlights, what's going on the Internet. I watched a bunch of clips of people in Philadelphia going crazy in the snow. That was my personal stamp of the week. But we can drop everything into one PDF space and this tool can take it all into one document, put it there, organize it. We can ask the AI assistant. Hey, AI Assistant. Based on everything here, here. Who is the strongest stamp of the week nominee and why do we end up just yelling out names to each other? Yes. But before that, we can actually have some kind of plan of attack.

[Jason Kelce]

Why, thank you, intern Brandon. You're the best intern podcast could ever ask Faster prep and better picks so we can get more done together.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's right. Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat. All right, before we touch on the more of your career, Mike, we want to talk. It's championship Sunday. Let's talk about currently. All right. We got the super bowl coming up. Let's talk about Patriots defeating the Broncos. What'd you think of the game?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, man. Oh, a Patriot Broncos game. I thought, I thought the Broncos should have won the game. I want a lot interesting. Yeah, I felt like the Broncos should have won the game. I felt like Houston should have won the game. Houston had some bad bounces that went their way on some straps, strip fumbles and. And all that stuff.

[Jason Kelsey]

If they recover a couple of them fumbles, Will Campbell, everybody wants to get on him. I'll give him a couple of sacks. He fell on those two fumbles and saved them.

[Michael Strahan]

And I know nobody tries to play bad, but CJ Stroud just need to give him something, man. He had to give him something. And I felt bad for the kid because I like the kid. But in big moments like that is when you really need to show up. Like everyone talks about Eli Manning's record is 150. 150, whatever it may be. But in the biggest of moments, that cat showed up. He always showed up in the biggest moments. And that is the mark of a real. Like, that's how you get over the hump and really get yourself out there is those big moments, you rise up. But against Denver, I thought that they should have kicked that field goal gone up. I know early on, early on, take the points.

[Jason Kelsey]

You knew it was going to Be a low scoring game. Just take it.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, but I don't get these off these coaches now, because fourth down now is automatic. Go for it more than it's not. And I get analytics. But you gotta feel the team. You gotta feel the situation. You gotta. You know, I gotta backup quarterback. And this weather is. Weather's awful.

[Jason Kelce]

I felt that naked coming from. As soon as they thought about.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what I mean?

[Jason Kelce]

Because I believe they called a timeout to think about it.

[Michael Strahan]

Yep.

[Jason Kelce]

I felt it from that point. I'm like, man, they're about to run a little play action boot.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah. And I. And I felt bad for Sean Payton. Cause Sean Payton coached me back in 2000 or something like that. I love Sean. And I talked to him the day before the game. Very confident what they were doing. But playoffs, I felt like, just take the points, man. Take the point. Put pressure on. On. On New England, especially on the road to beat you with a great defense like they have.

[Jason Kelsey]

And their defense had been playing great up until that point. Right? Like, it was just like, man.

[Michael Strahan]

And the Patriots defense ain't bad. So you need to take the points that you can freaking get when you can.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, I hear you.

[Michael Strahan]

And I think Seattle game was great. I mean, that was a great game. The Rams had opportunities that. Fourth down stop on the go. Yeah. 4th and goal, red zone.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yep.

[Michael Strahan]

The muff punt, that really was kind of big turning point of the game, even though the Rams came right down and answered. But I. I'm happy for Sam Darnold.

[Jason Kelce]

So happy for that dude, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah. I played in New York. It's hard, man. He comes in here, the third overall pick doesn't go well, gets beat down mentally, physically. And then five teams in eight years, and everyone thinks he's washed. And then he goes to Minnesota, plays well last year, but then they get beat in the playoffs, and they're like, he's done. This guy. Can't play. Why Seattle pay him all this money? Well, now you see.

[Jason Kelsey]

I mean, it's been awesome to see the resurgence and see him answer the critics again, like, you're always rooting for the guys that have been down and out. And to answer that, his ability to.

[Jason Kelce]

Take that heat from everybody and still be the calm, cool, collected cat that he is, the confident guy he is in his abilities, man, I'm fucking. I've always been a big fan of his, man. And it's cool to see him finally get it, dog. But I'm with you. I thought the Broncos had a really, really fucking good chance, even with the backup Stidam in, man, they could have gone either way for him.

[Michael Strahan]

But what do you feel about the super bowl, though? What do two feel about the Super Bowl? Are we allowed to talk about that now? Since you got to talk about it, Jason? You know, I've learned about this TV deal. You can't give all your speakers out right now. You got to hold some back. We ain't holding back over here.

[Jason Kelsey]

You know, I, I think it's obviously, you know, the Seahawks look like the favorite, right? Their defense has been so good all year round. That offense has been fantastic. Pat's offense has struggled throughout the playoffs. Now they played some unbelievable defenses. Right. They played the Chargers, they played the Houston Texans. Then they've just played the Broncos. They're going to get another test with the Seahawks, who have another amazing defense. Yeah, I don't know that people are given New England's defense, including myself, enough credit. Like, I thought the Broncos, I was like, I don't think the Patriots are going to move the ball on, on the Broncos. But I didn't really think about as much as, like, this. This New England defense the last really three, four weeks is playing really good football. The way they're blitzing, they're doing a good job of mixing, mixing up these pressures and these zone drops and simulated pressures, and I just think they're doing a great job as a. As an entire unit right now. So if I'm picking, I'm going Seattle, but I, I'm looking forward to a good game. What do you think?

[Michael Strahan]

Well, I, I mean, Travis, you. You're still planned officially, so you can't say nothing. Okay, I can't say anything.

[Jason Kelce]

I'll say this. I'm at least interested in, in the, the big matchup on the outside, the numbers. Now, that's going to be a fun matchup right there. There. Do Young upand Cominging get both of them at the top of their game right now. I'm excited for that matchup.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what's so funny, man? We're. We're watching a game and JSN gets. Catches a touchdown. He's just catching balls, conversing, doing all these things, and we're like, it doesn't even look like he's working. How he's like, Michael, it doesn't look like he's working. So he catches that touchdown wide open, and I'm like, how in the world, if you're going to cover anybody, that's the dude. How's he going?

[Jason Kelsey]

Keep an eye on him.

[Michael Strahan]

And you Know what. How he said to me, he goes, that's the same thing we say about Kelsey. I said, everybody know he's gonna get the ball.

[Jason Kelce]

How the hell he get open?

[Michael Strahan]

And I think I said that to you. And I was like, dude, I gotta help. But it. It's. It's a. It's gonna be. That's gonna be a great matchup, man. It really is. I. I think Seattle had the edge. I feel like they're just. They're physically a dominant team. Leonard Williams, these guys, I. I don't think it's going to be a cakewalk, because we all know from our win against the Patriots, one game, football's not like the other sports we get the best of. If you don't show up with your best at one day, it's a wrap. So I think I feel like Seattle, but anything can happen. Of course.

[Jason Kelce]

Right there with you, dog.

[Jason Kelsey]

Let me ask you this. A lot of people complain about that Broncos game this past week because of the weather. Where do you stand on snow games?

[Michael Strahan]

It's fun. What are you talking about?

[Jason Kelce]

Legitimately, the elements.

[Michael Strahan]

I knew you'd be in real one, man. You know what I was like, man? When you hit somebody, you slide. Now, if you were to ask me, how is it to be, like, 25 degrees and raining? That's when I'm out there looking, going, oh, when it's just over.

[Jason Kelce]

Cold Rain is different than snow. That's a good point.

[Michael Strahan]

I prefer it. I prefer. I love. I love snow. I love rain. Warm rain. Probably my favorite thing of all.

[Jason Kelsey]

Oh, interesting. I like sitting outside in the rain. I don't know why I just said that, but I do. Let's go. All right.

[Michael Strahan]

Are you, like, in the rain or are you covered?

[Jason Kelsey]

No, I like being undercover.

[Jason Kelce]

Garage to open, smell of rain.

[Jason Kelsey]

Rain.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, I like that. I thought you just walking out there with. Sitting in the rain, I'm like. It seems like it's something that needs a little deeper discussion in a private setting with somebody called a therapist.

[Jason Kelce]

That's too good, man. All right, let's throw it back to when you were in the super bowl, man. Did the 2007 Giants have the hardest path to the super bowl ever?

[Michael Strahan]

Ever? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

You know what?

[Michael Strahan]

I probably would say?

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

I mean, we were. We were six seed. We had to go to Tampa. Wasn't too worried about.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah. Had to go through Jon Gruden and the Bucks.

[Michael Strahan]

Then once we went to. To Dallas. I ain't gonna lie to you. All my stomp you out speeches. If you look chronologically. I was like, stomp them out, dude. They're talking all kinds of crazy, huh? We got to Dallas, I'm like, yo, it's been a pleasure playing with you guys. In my head, I'm like, this could be it. This could be it. Fifteen years, I'm done with nothing. And so that they. Because they were stacked, man. And then we go to Green Bay, and you're in Green Bay, and all your, like, the history, the history, the history. They're like brainwashing you on tv, and you're sitting in your hotel room and it was so cold that you had a cup of water, warm water. You threw it up and you just turned into, like. Like dust.

[Jason Kelce]

That's crazy.

[Michael Strahan]

That was so cold, man. But, yeah, I think we had the toughest role. And then we played the only team. I mean, they were undefeated, 18 and 0. And they had a group of all stars. We just produced this documentary on our 2007 Super Bowl. Yeah, that's coming out. And I was watching a cut the other day, and I was watching with a friend of mine. He go, randy Ross Guton, Brady Bruski, Seow, Rodney Harris. He just started naming all these guys, and I'm like, yeah, this team, they were beyond reason.

[Jason Kelce]

They were undefeated. Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, they were beyond. So, yeah, I think we had the hardest path, and thank God we won, so I could retire.

[Jason Kelce]

Went out on top, baby.

[Jason Kelsey]

What's the thing you remember most from.

[Michael Strahan]

The run, when we bonded as a team? Like, we went to London. We went to London to play the Dolphins, and they hadn't won a game. I think they lost every game that year. And we were like, we can't be the team they beat, especially overseas. So we go to London. We ended up beating the Dolphins, and I hosted. I, like, set up a party because, you know, I was the oldest guy there. I wanted the old guy, but I wanted to make sure I look out for the young guy. That to me, the best way, make sure we're all together. Not this guy over here. Nothing gone over there. Especially in Europe. Half these guys never been out of wherever the heck they were born. So we had the best after party plastico birds like Michael. I haven't had that much fun since college.

[Jason Kelsey]

Like, hell, yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

Guys slam dancing. Next thing you know, shirts are off. If you would have walked in. If you would have walked in there at the wrong time, you probably would have thought it was some other kind of party, because you catch them naked, basically, running to each other.

[Jason Kelce]

Y' all getting a little too hype.

[Michael Strahan]

Up in here, but we had the best time. But it was just like that bonding and. And it we got to the point of where we just didn't want to let each other down. I think we won because we didn't want to let each other down and disappoint each other. And we just weren't ready to go home. You know what I'm saying? We're not ready for this brotherhood to end. Yeah. With Tyree caught the ball off the helmet even before they threw the touchdown to Plaxico. I realized we were going to win the. Because I'm like, there's no way you catch like that. The story doesn't have a great ending.

[Jason Kelce]

I hear you on that, man. It just feels like it's so right.

[Jason Kelsey]

Do you guys think any type of way when you heard that Romo went on vacation?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, no.

[Jason Kelsey]

Is there any discussions? No.

[Michael Strahan]

I think what got us and it's in the doc. Jerry gave the team each player their two tickets to the next game. NFC Championship game. He had already given those guys their tickets to the NFC Championship game. Like, oh, the Giants are pretty. Are done. Done.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

So here are your tickets already. So we made sure that those tickets were invalid.

[Jason Kelce]

Material for you.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jason Kelce]

Let's keep it in the Giants world. What do you think of the Harbaugh hire?

[Michael Strahan]

I love it. I love it. You know, I think it brings credibility, accountability, and accountability to the team. I just love the fact that he's an established coach. I think the second he walks in the door, he's getting respect. Respect immediately. I think you have a nice young blue nucleus of players. Dart, I think could be good. Just got to teach him to get the hell down and stop taking hits. Scatter. Boo. Scatter Boo. I thought would probably get knocked out before he got hurt in the way he got hurt. Because I'm like, dude, you can't run like this and have a long career. You got to learn to pick your battle. And then once you can't knock out.

[Jason Kelce]

A guy like that, you know that you can't knock a guy out. Like, he, he, he's just unknock outable. That's. You get in a fight with him, you just got to leave.

[Michael Strahan]

If he was knocked out, we would just never know.

[Jason Kelce]

We never know.

[Michael Strahan]

He one of those dudes.

[Jason Kelce]

You asked him what day it is before a concussion.

[Michael Strahan]

He doesn't know exactly.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's how he is always.

[Jason Kelce]

Don't worry about every day Sunday. I, I He says this all the time. Every day Sunday.

[Michael Strahan]

But I love it that he brought a lot of energy. He and Dark brought a lot of energy, a lot of swag for these young guys. Gwen hath that with the Giants, it's always been like conservative type stuff. But I love our. We got a good defensive nucleus, I think, and just some pieces here and there. But I love Powerball because of the credibility, man, the respect that he's going to demand and the accountability because can't get away with some of that stuff. I think some of the guys were getting away with, from what I've heard over there. I think he's going to make guys more accountable for their actions and make sure that they focus on playing the game of football, which is what it's all about. That's how you make your life live it, focus on it.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's right. That's right. Heck, yeah. I gotta ask you, this super bowl coming up, is there anybody in the game, on the. In the trenches that you're looking forward to watching?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, who.

[Jason Kelsey]

Who's the. Who are the guys? You're like, man, I. I love watching these guys play.

[Michael Strahan]

I love watching Leonard Williams. I love watching Leonard, who was with the Giants. We see like, we have great players, and when we let them go, they go on to be all world.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll tell you this. Everybody in Philadelphia knew how good Leonard William was. I can tell you that.

[Michael Strahan]

Man, I thought you're gonna say Saquon. I was about to. To just slap.

[Jason Kelsey]

Well, that would do that one too. But.

[Michael Strahan]

But Leonard is a beast of a player. So I. I love watching Leonard. I just like watching. I like watching D live battles because, you know, that's what those trenches is where I lived. So anytime I see a quarterback back there just bouncing up and down, no pressure, I'm pissed. I ain't gonna lie. I'm so pissed, I'm like, dude. And when I see guys running there, just go straight into a guy and they just hold on to each other and dance, I'm pissed. Like, dude, look like you're trying to get there. You don't have to get a sack. But pressure make. Just making them feel your presence could be a disruptor. And there are times, man, I wake up and I'm like, at one time, I ain't gonna lie to you. About two years ago, maybe even less. Like, man, screw this, I'm coming back, man. Before Philip Rivers decided, I'm like, I'm coming back. Wow. Body feels good. And ain't really no surgeries, no nothing. I'm good.

[Jason Kelsey]

You can give you could give them a four.

[Jason Kelce]

A good four or five games, huh? Well, just a quick four or five.

[Michael Strahan]

I did one workout and I changed my mind. It made me realize, oh, hell no, that ain't happening. I'm past my. Oh, that's done. Nope. Now I just. I just Google me. Google me.

[Jason Kelce]

There you go.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelsey]

Go on YouTube as an all time great pass rusher. What would you say if somebody was going to say like, how do, how do you rush a basher? What's the oldest art? What are your, like, keys to getting after a quarterback? To beating the offensive tackle?

[Michael Strahan]

I always tell people price rushing is about athletic ability and, and all it is, but it's about, it's like, it's like chess to me. That's why I love doing it is I was known as a bull rusher. You go back and watch me and John run you and it was like.

[Jason Kelsey]

Bro, I have seen those clipped over and over again.

[Jason Kelce]

It's epic.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

But I had to have strategy against him because that was the strongest. Once they put them hands on you, I might as well just straight into the next play. But I learned like, you know, and I used to do it to everybody. I know when you watch film and I self scout like I watch myself to see, but I know guys expect me to bull rush. So you know what I do? Bull rush the shit out of you. First three rushes. The first three rushes up the field. First step, second step, plant turn, head in the chest, lock out and don't stop your feet. Don't press and neck. Then start a rush. Nope. Right through you the whole way. I don't even want to sack. I just want to make you hop and get back in your quarterback's face. And then after I do that, I'll look at you and go, hey, a little bit stronger than it looks on tape, huh? Like you thought you were gonna stop that. You knew it was coming and you couldn't stop it. So I hit you with that three, four times. I ain't worried about a sack at that point. Then big down comes up. I run up, plant. Give me that same look. If you're a big dude, you don't want to get pushed back that. So you squat and you lean and then I chop you and come across the out round. Then I beat you. I make the play and then in your head you're like, oh my God, push me back. He beat me to the outside. Next time I come up, I give you that fake power to outside move. Then I'll give you a power. Then I give you another fake outside in, power to outside move. And then need another big play. Give you the fake power to outside, make you think I'm going outside and club become inside, inside. But now I beat you straight over you. I beat you. I beat you inside. And then I look in your eye and I see you don't want no more because you don't know what's coming. That was, to me, the strategy and the psychology of football. But I didn't talk much unless you talk to me. Oh, and that reminds me, Greg Olsen play. I do remember that play. Oh, Olen Cruz, the center.

[Jason Kelsey]

Oh, yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

He had pissed me off. He had pissed me off. He had pissed me off. I remember that.

[Jason Kelsey]

He cut you on a TV or something.

[Jason Kelce]

He did something.

[Michael Strahan]

He was talking, and I took it out on Greg. I do remember.

[Jason Kelsey]

I was pissed.

[Jason Kelce]

You got to know who you're talking shit to, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, he was a great player. The olin great player.

[Jason Kelce]

Now that we're talking, a little D line.

[Michael Strahan]

O line.

[Jason Kelce]

You brought up Runyon. Cam Jordan, one of my favorites to ever go up against man, recently just said that offensive linemen aren't athletic. What's your opinion on that?

[Michael Strahan]

If they weren't athletic? I love Cam, by the way.

[Jason Kelce]

This is not a sl.

[Michael Strahan]

He's one of the greats. He had a hell of a long career. But if they weren't that athletic, Cam would be like Deacon Jones that had.

[Jason Kelce]

A hundred sacks in a year.

[Michael Strahan]

First of all. And I wish people at home who really love the game could get a chance to come down and watch, like, some plays from the sideline to see how big, strong and fast these big dudes are and footwork. I mean, these dudes are athletes.

[Jason Kelce]

Jordan Malata. Want to talk about Google? Somebody Google Jordan Malata back when he was playing rugby.

[Michael Strahan]

And, you know, it's so funny between Jordan and Lane, when we. We do with a lot of Eagles games, obviously, and. And in person, and I always look at how and I say, yeah, man, I wish I give him a run for that money. Howie looks at me, he's like, Michael. And in my mind, I would give him a run for their money. But then I watching them abuse everybody else. But I'm different, right? Dude, you know what's so funny? I literally laugh. I don'. Remember, like, I know I play football and all that stuff and the accolades and you guys bring that stuff up. But it's so funny that it's very hard for me to even consider myself to even be, like, a great football player or you know, people go, oh, you're a legend. You're in the hall of Fame. It's like, yeah, it's kind of weird to me because I played for respect. That's all. I. You know, And I guess the respect comes from those type of things. But I did, you know, I played. When you're young, you play, play. You're like, okay, I want to be respected, but I want to make some money, you know?

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

But then after a while, you realize making money is not enough to keep you playing a game. That's so hard.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

And it's great. But I wanted respect. I. I wanted that, and I got that. But it still feels weird to me for all that stuff. I don't know. It feels. I feel uncomfortable with it, man. It's weird.

[Jason Kelce]

You got the respect out of everyone, and I think that's the reason you got all.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, they're.

[Jason Kelce]

They're showing you that respect by. By telling you you're one of the greatest to ever play, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Well, I appreciate that. And me saying that, and I feel like I need one of those therapy sessions when Jason's done with his. I'm up straight. You got figured out.

[Jason Kelce]

You already know. You got it all figured out, baby. It's. It's been fun to. It's been fun to not only watch you dominate in the NFL, but dominate the afterlife of NFL, man. And you paved the way for a lot of us in that regard, too, and gained that respect for a lot of NFL guys, guys trying to. Trying to kind of walk that path after the. After the game's over for, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Well, I appreciate it. And I gotta say, Jason, you're doing a great job with it. And. And you know, Travis, I'm not even gonna get into what you're gonna do, but you're gonna be great as well. You both are great with this podcast, which is. Which is incredible. And, you know, and. And the one thing that I know, and everybody tries to give everybody advice, and I'm not trying to give you advice here, but I usually advise from you straight, you know that at some point, you never put on another helmet. You never put on another pair of shoulder pads, those pants on with the knee pads and thigh pads, you never tape your wrist again. It's final. There is no Big Three in the NFL, you know, there is no other league. So I realized, for me, after 15 years, I'd done everything. There was no way that I was going to cry at a press conference in my retirement, because I knew I put everything I had into It. And as long as you know that final you'll never do it again, then great. That's how I looked at my career. And everything that came after is kind of. I'm not gonna say kind of happened on accident from working hard and enjoying what I'm doing and just having fun. Good things seem to happen. But. But, yeah, man, it's. You guys are crushing it and everything that you do. I'm happy you invited me on to do this because I've been watching all these podcasts going down. When. When do I get it?

[Jason Kelsey]

Come on now. Come on. You know.

[Michael Strahan]

Say one more thing. I gotta say, though, for people out there, watch this about character. Okay? Both of you have character. You're raised right. Okay. And. And Jason, every time I seen you, you've been in the nicest wife and everything that you guys, you've always been great. And. And Travis, you may not remember. And you. You probably do remember, but it said a lot to me. And I tell a guy I was talking to how we about this with you the other day is I was at the airport and I get out the car.

[Jason Kelsey]

Car.

[Michael Strahan]

And you come. Coming across. You got out of your car. You're already in to come over and say what's up? Which I didn't even know you were there. And most people sit in that car and be like, nah, man, let her go. But little things like that show character, and I always appreciate it. Appreciated that from. From both of you guys, man. And like, little things like that, you think nobody's really paying attention to. Really mean a lot to a lot of people. And, you know, know I'm always here for you guys if you guys ever need anything. And I don't. I'm not saying that like, we've done podcasting. Let's keep on going. I'm sorry.

[Jason Kelsey]

No, I appreciate it.

[Jason Kelce]

And I still got to take you up for some of that golf down there in Florida, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Man, you know, I got you.

[Jason Kelce]

You know, I remember that. I. I forgot any of that.

[Michael Strahan]

Florida, Bahamas. I got you covered.

[Jason Kelce]

There we go. You were kind of talking on the retirement talk, and obviously I'm juggling it all right now. Did you know going in, it sounds like you kind of knew. Going into that 2007 season, that was the last hoorah.

[Michael Strahan]

I kind of felt like it. But I. I will say, had we lost to the Patriots, I really would have strongly considered coming back. I really would have, because it been like, man, this close. Almost like, I got to get one more run. And I'm glad I'm glad. Trust me. I'm glad we won because that was kind of like, okay, what else am I trying to prove? My body feels good. I've won every individual award. Now I've won the ultimate award, which is the super bowl with my. So it was nothing else for me to accomplish, and I had a deal already signed with Fox. Just had the deal in the drawer. Nobody knew about it, so. And so I knew I had a gig after that. And so I was able to kind of ride out to the sunset on my own terms, which is very hard because most people, they don't get to end their careers the way they want to end it. So whenever you have that opportunity, man, you're blessed. And so I realized I didn't want to stick around and be on the team. And I had my heart wholeheartedly into the game and just stick around for what? A paycheck? Stick around so one of these young guys can go, hey, I remember when you used to be. And I'm like, I'm still here. What you talking about? Used to be. So, yeah, man, I kind of went into it with the idea that that was going to be it. And I also went to. With the attitude, I don't care about a Pro Bowl. I don't care about sacks. I don't care about nothing. I just want to have fun with the guys for once.

[Jason Kelce]

How about it, man?

[Michael Strahan]

Because all the. A lot of the. The other 14, I'm so worried about winning if guys are on their game. And I started saying, hey, we're all grown. You got to be on your game. I could motivate in every way I can, but guys gonna have to show up on their own. And they did.

[Jason Kelsey]

Thank God you mentioned you already had the Fox deal inked. At what point did you know you were gonna go into broadcasting?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, man, you know, I started just doing stuff. Cause it was fun.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

Be honest with you.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

Hey, Mikey, you wanna do this? And back then, they had a show called Beth Dance Sports show. Period. Period. Come on now.

[Jason Kelce]

Come on.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yes.

[Michael Strahan]

That was an incredible, like, breeding ground to, like, get your. Your feet wet in television. And so I would go on it on a bye week. I would go and host a week of it. I tried to deal my last year or so where every Monday I would go sit in front of a camera and I would have to do the show. Every Monday, win or lose, I always showed up because, you know, I signed up to do it. You show up regardless. But doing that show show kind of gave me a Vibe for broadcasting. Let me know I could. I would like it. I did a Super bowl for ESPN when I was still playing abc. I did cbs, I did fox, I did all the networks. And I didn't really know guys made a good living doing it. Be honest with you. Football was like, man, this is, this is the best, well, opportunity. That's the opportunity I ever have. And so broadcasting was never on my forefront of my life. And I'm, I'm very much like this when I'm in something. You get everything from me. It's my primary, all the other secondary stuff and I'll make it work, but I'm not affecting my primary gig. So broadcast was secondary to me. And I think I got a call from one of these network executives who asked me to go to breakfast with him. So I meet him at breakfast and the first thing out of his mouth was, how much longer do you want to play football? I never thought about it. And that let me know, damn, they're looking at me to actually have a job and I'm done playing commentary. And I went to Fox out of all the networks because it was the most fun. It was the most fun. And it's like I hang out with my teammates and we laugh and we joke and we have more fun off camera as much as we more than we have on camera, which we have a ton on camera. It's, it's more about personalities and, and to be honest with you, we don't. It's entertainment, you know, Right.

[Jason Kelsey]

For sure.

[Michael Strahan]

People sit in meetings all week. You want to watch a football show and feel like watch another meeting, meeting or you want to make a dodge, you want to have fun with. So that's why I ended up with Fox. But I realized probably my last two years in the league that there was an opportunity for me outside of the game. But forget about sport. All the other stuff after that, I had no clue.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, that's what's. Dude, that's what's really the most eye opening is how much you've done in tv. Like you start, you're doing the Fox and all that. You do morning shows, you got game shows. Like, what is your fate? What brings you the most joy, joy that you do on television?

[Michael Strahan]

Football. Still, nothing would ever change that. Nothing.

[Jason Kelsey]

I love it.

[Michael Strahan]

Don't get me wrong. Like I love doing the news. I love, I love it. It's so. You know why? Because it keeps me interested in the world. It keeps me engaged with so many things that are going on and keeps me very aware of what's going on, which I think is important. And I get to talk to interesting people. I get to travel the world to do interesting stories. So that part I love.

[Jason Kelce]

That's awesome.

[Michael Strahan]

I love the game. Show was great beat and. But we shoot a whole season in a week or two.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's what's crazy about that stuff.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah.

[Jason Kelce]

Rapid fire, man.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah. Travis knows because I was telling Travis, I watched your show.

[Jason Kelce]

I dove in a little bit, man. You already know those shows can get crazy, man. And it's. I got more comfortable as it went on, but that's a different world that, that, you know, I had fun with and I. And I'm sure you did too, man. But I think, I think I'm right there with you, man. There's just something about talking about football and being around the game and given, given the expertise that you've gathered over, over the years, it's also this.

[Jason Kelsey]

And I want to. I'm sure you would back this up, Mike, but one of the things you miss most about playing is just being around the guys. Like nothing replaces being around football players. I don't know why it is you miss that locker room. Like, like that's the thing that you miss most about the game. Or at least that's what I do. And once you're back on a set talking ball, it's not even that you're. It's kind of talking ball, but it's also just being around like minded guys that think about the game the same way. The sense of humor is the same and you get flashback to that, you know, sitting at the cafeteria table making fun of, you know, whoever it is or talking about. Do you see what that guy did last week? Yeah, I don't know.

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, we're on a group chat. I don't want to show, I don't want to show you what they already said since we ended on Sunday. But yeah, we're on a group chat and we got talk year round. Even Jimmy's still involved on it because he's part of the history of the show. And the crazy thing is there is no age gap when we're all together. You know what I mean? Jimmy's 80 something, Terry 70 something.

[Jason Kelce]

And you feel that when you're watching it. You do. You really do feel that.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, there's no age gap. That we can make fun of each other and we play off each other, but we respect each other. And everybody has a comprehensive more in their life and in football and in sports than we ever imagined. So this is like gravy and we're so grateful. And there's no. No attitude. There's no anything about any individual. We're very much about our team and about, you know, loving each other and making sure we each are. All of us are. Are taken care of and validated and happy and. And I think that's a big part of why our show works. And, you know. But yeah, the group chats and all the other stuff. And I found, like, the older guys, Terry, Jimmy, they're the least mature.

[Jason Kelsey]

Sure.

[Michael Strahan]

Of all of us. They're at that age, man. When we be back in the green room, they be saying some stuff. He going, dude, you can't think. I didn't say that on there.

[Jason Kelsey]

Don't say that with the mic.

[Jason Kelce]

They grew up in a different era. They grew up in a different era, you know, and.

[Michael Strahan]

Exactly. Well, they're the end of Fox NFL Sunday.

[Jason Kelce]

I gotta ask, you talked about the Fox family, the addition of Robert Gronkowski. Gronk joined the Fox family not too long ago. Man, you got to tell me what it's like working with Gronk, man.

[Michael Strahan]

You know what I always say, say. And it's kind of like, Terry, people think that Terry Bradshaw is this crazy. Terry's one of the smartest people I know. I said, terry, you've done better in your life playing the dumb guy than anybody I've ever met. Mike, Terry's a brilliantly smart guy, and the businesses, the horse business, all these other things that he does. And I think I feel the same about Gronk. Gronk is an incredibly. First of all, he's probably the sweetest human being on the planet. The dude is like one of the nicest human beings. And one thing I realized from my experience of coming into Fox and after they've been on the air for 20 years or whatever, 18, 19 years without having anybody else come in, and here I show up. It's intimidating because you're looking at guys that you watched that you were a kid and you admired who are now you're sitting next to them. But it's tough fitting in. And Gronk has done an incredible job of fitting in, first of all. And secondly, I think that Gronk has done a great job of fighting his lane, because that's the hard part. When you got personalities who are established, accomplish. What's your lane? This is my lane. That's your lane. But he's getting more. And I love he get more comfortable because he's still not quite comfortable. And I don't blame him, but he gave more comfortable. And I always tell him sometimes, dude, don't wait for us to wait for the jump in. You got something to say, just jump in. We're like very casual and guys will shut up and let you have your take. No one's worried about you getting more words than the next guy. We don't do word count here. Like, we just want you to be comfortable and happy because you're helping this shelf. And yeah, Gron, I love him. We flew back to New York together and on Monday, yesterday, just Assault of the earth. Human being, man, I love working with it.

[Jason Kelsey]

That was bold. Topics brought to you by Intuit TurboTex.

[Jason Kelce]

Thank you to our sponsor, Allstate.

[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

That's right. Not checking your tea time before heading to the golf course.

[Jason Kelsey]

Not smart. No, no, that's not. You'll never hear the end of it from your friends if you're that guy that has to be carted out to join your group for the second hole.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, that's the worst. Missing the first hole. Two off the tee. You don't get too off the tee in the second hole. Yeah, checking first is smart. So checking Allstate first for a quote, that could save you hundreds. Really smart. You're in good hands with Allstate.

[Jason Kelsey]

Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company Affiliates Northbrook, Illinois away Thank you to our partner, Claude.

[Jason Kelce]

Ever notice how quickly people want answers these days?

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, right. It's all shortcuts, I guess, huh? But the best solutions don't come from taking the easy way out.

[Jason Kelce]

No, no, no. While other AI gives you fast answers and keeps you scrolling, Claude's built for the people who want to work through the complexity.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, like tackling the hard problems. And the why behind the answers they're searching for.

[Jason Kelce]

Man, I tell you, this. This is right up my alley. It's for the people who are up at 2am because they can't stop thinking about something until they solve it. Not just checking a box and going about to their day. You know that's right.

[Jason Kelsey]

Well, whether it's building something with purpose, diving deep on a complex decision, or feeding genuine curiosity about understanding something, Claude's built to expand your thinking, not rush you past it.

[Jason Kelce]

Breakthroughs versus shortcuts. That actually makes sense.

[Jason Kelsey]

Check out Claude AI slash New heights for Problem solvers who keep thinking. Thank you to our partner, Liquid iv.

[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

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[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, baby.

[Jason Kelsey]

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[Jason Kelce]

All right, straight. Before we get you out of here, we always end our conversations with a little segment called we gotta ask. But you don't have to answer. You can just tell us to off. But we gotta ask is brought to you by Allstate.

[Michael Strahan]

Oh boy.

[Jason Kelsey]

You do not have to answer.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah, you can tell us the off.

[Michael Strahan]

I'll be honest with you. Kind of hard. Hard. Not kind of hard not to answer though. I kind of. I kind of like skating on the edge, man.

[Jason Kelce]

There we go.

[Michael Strahan]

All right, here we go.

[Jason Kelce]

We'll talk about skating on the edge of the atmosphere. What? What was it like going to space?

[Michael Strahan]

Amazing, dude. Crazy. Cuz the whole thing was like 12 minutes.

[Jason Kelsey]

Boop boop.

[Michael Strahan]

Felt like hours.

[Jason Kelsey]

What really.

[Michael Strahan]

To be in the light and you're looking up at space, looking at the darkness up there. And then the rocket starts taking off. And it's not like Apollo 13 movie with Tom Hanks. It's kind of. It's just gradual, like a gradual push. And you're looking at your little screen because each seat have a little screen. Tells you the altitude, the speed. You're like, oh, 40,000ft. I've been in a plane. Then you're looking down, then you look back. It's like you're 200,000ft. You're 2,000 miles per hour or something crazy. And you're going, oh my God, this is real. And the design of the ship is a mate. When it goes up, it's designed to twist so you don't have to turn your head. Just look out your own window. And you get to see the full 360 because there's an emergency booster in the middle. So you got to keep your head back because something happens, and that shoots you off. That shoots you off at nine GS. When you're going up, it's like three and a half. Yeah, like your Top Gun or something. But the gradual push up is like three and a half GS, I want to say, coming down, it's like five GS. But when you get up there and they release the main rocket from the cap capsule and they go poof. And then you realize, oh, my God, my arms are flowing. And then the lights go off. You can undo your belt, put your belt up, and you. But you. You push as hard as you to your two fingers, like holding the cell phone, like, that kind of pressure. And then I'm doing flips, man. My. My big ass has never done a flip. I haven't done a flip side of the kid. I'm doing, like, flip. We had little mini football that you do like that. And it's just go. It does it. None of it's just. And blowing in one space and doing, like, the cartoons where you're flapping do have nothing. You'll just sit in one spot. And then it's just amazing to float around. You're looking back at Earth, and it's like you're watching when you leave your. Your.

[Jason Kelce]

Your.

[Michael Strahan]

Your Apple TV on too long. And it was literally you. One of the best parts with Sean's kind of creepy is that you have to come to terms with death.

[Jason Kelsey]

Oh, wow.

[Michael Strahan]

And by that, I mean before you take off, you become so relaxed and free. Best way to put it. You just come so free. If it's God's will, this is what it is. This is how I go. And believe me, though, I was happy to come back, but everybody on the ground was crying, and except for my mom. My mom was like, your dad did worse. He was jumping out of planes all the time. He was a paratrooper. I'm like, well, damn, mom, you know what? But come on. But everybody else was crying, but all of us on there were just so happy, man, so filled with joy. And it was. It was. It was one of the best things I've ever done in my life, without a doubt.

[Jason Kelsey]

Wow. That is incredible.

[Jason Kelce]

That's what I wanted to hear, baby.

[Michael Strahan]

And that was a long explanation, but I.

[Jason Kelce]

No, I loved every second of it, man. I'm so in.

[Michael Strahan]

I tell you, you would love it. They do an incredible job from start to finish. And I. I would highly recommend It. If you get the opportunity to do, do it, I would jump on it in a heartbeat. It's life changing and a lot of ways makes you realize how insignificant you are on this in the world, but it also makes you realize how important you are to the people that matter the most to you. Because I'm on there thinking about my family and, like, I'm not ready to leave them, and they're not ready for me to leave either. Like, it really puts a lot of things in perspective.

[Jason Kelce]

That is beautiful, man.

[Jason Kelsey]

You've done so much, Mike. What's next? What is the next thing for Michael Strahan?

[Michael Strahan]

A retirement, like, full, just all around work retirement.

[Jason Kelce]

You know what?

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, they're in the way at some point. Some. Some. Some point, man. You know what it is? I. I love Fox. I absolutely love that. But I just want to. He works so much, and then if I want to go here, I want to go there, and I can't do a lot of things because I got. Got these commitments and schedule stuff. And I. I think at some point I have to look at time lived and time left.

[Jason Kelsey]

I got you.

[Michael Strahan]

You know, I hear you. And you guys are young man. Y', all, y'. All, y' all enjoy. You got more time ahead of you than behind y' all got more time behind me than ahead of me. So I'm starting to look more in that vein of life, and I'm not just going to completely disappear. But another thing is I love business, and I got a lot of other businesses that I do, and I'm. I. And those things interest me like football did, because I have had to learn them like I have. I had to learn football later. And I love doing those things. And I think I could get a lot of, you know, validation or out of just, you know, not. Not feeling completely retired and doing nothing. But that gives me enough. And on top of that, I was still. I. I do Fox until they throw me off of Fox, man, I don't want to be 80 years old on Fox, but, you know, I stick around a little bit longer.

[Jason Kelce]

You got some fun stuff coming up on. On SM with Smack Entertainment.

[Michael Strahan]

Right?

[Jason Kelce]

You guys got some. Got some docu series coming coming out, right?

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, we got a docu series coming out, Coach Vic. And this is the second one we did with. With. With Mike, because, Mike, we did the evolution of the black quarterback with Vic.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yep.

[Michael Strahan]

Which. Which Andy Reid, your coach, paid a big part in that doc. Because think about the quarterbacks. He, McNav, Vic, all these guys that he really Brought in and gave a chance when other people probably wouldn't have. So he's been very instrumental in that. So documented mean that. And now we have Coach Vic and his, his, his, his foray into coaching at Norfolk State.

[Jason Kelce]

Norfolk State, baby.

[Jason Kelsey]

Him and desean Jackson going at it right there. Two former Eagle greats.

[Michael Strahan]

I came down for GMA and I was at the stadium and we had both of them there because they were doing the game there and at the link and I'm like, I felt out of place in Philly, man. All that Eagle stuff. I'm like, we could have done this at a neutral site. Don't bring me up in here to. So we got, we got Coach Vic coming up. We also, we have a movie coming out too. I'm going to screen it right after we get done here. And, and that one is about John Madden. We did the documentary on the Mad video game.

[Jason Kelce]

Yeah.

[Michael Strahan]

And then we did, and then we did Bill Belichick on the Madden Madden Cruiser for the super bowl in New Orleans. We produced that. And now we're doing the Madden movie with David O. Russell directing. Christian Bale Play Thou Day Davis Nicholas Case plays John Madden. And so that I'm going to scream.

[Jason Kelce]

Now because that's, Man, I can't fucking wait, man.

[Michael Strahan]

That's gonna be good.

[Jason Kelce]

That looks awesome, man. That looks so awesome.

[Michael Strahan]

It's gonna be incredible.

[Jason Kelce]

And obviously John Madden is, he's one of the biggest personalities that I, I, I like. He was the world when I was growing up and I can only imagine what it was to actually be like, be in a room with him and, and to enjoy who he was as a person.

[Michael Strahan]

Man, but you know, those pregame meetings, I mean, imagine doing those pregame meetings than you're meeting with John Madden. Yeah, that's crazy. And then you're at the stadium and that bus is sitting there, you're like, oh my God. John Madden fear. That was more pressure than freaking John Runyon.

[Jason Kelsey]

I gotta ask you, you brought up John a couple times. I do gotta ask you this. I see the highlights and I see a lot of Michael Strahan highlights. I know you've always given John his credit as being tough, tough, physical. But what was, what was it really like? How, what was it like for Michael Strahan going up against John Runyon?

[Jason Kelce]

Tough.

[Michael Strahan]

Easier when he first got there because he was in, he was in Tennessee. And then when they brought him to Philly, the whole thing was we brought him to Philly to stop Strahan, which pissed me off. So I studied John Runyon more than I probably study anybody, anybody. I could tell what he was going to do before he can do it. I could tell he was going to fart before he farted. That's how much I knew that. But I will say, as we played each other more and more over the years, the tougher it got, the more savvy he got. He and Eric Williams with the Dallas Cowboys was my number one toughest guy. John Runyon and Leon Searcy, who was the offensive tackle, played in Pittsburgh and then in Jacksonville, where the award 2.2a and 2b. And so freaking strong and tough and smart. And I love John because John made me a better player. Those. Those three I named made me a better player because playing against them made everybody else seem easy. And even at the super. At my hall of Fame induction, John came, which meant the world to me. And I had to give him a shout out. I had to give him a shout out. So I said, John Runyon, 6, 7, £350, whatever, of. Of. Of. Of twisted steel and no sex appeal appeal. So gotta go give him a compliment. Hell no.

[Jason Kelce]

Could you have ever called out that he was gonna be the VP of Rules and Policy and hand out fines for guys with that are given late hit and cheap shots?

[Michael Strahan]

You know, it's kind of like, what's that? Catch me if you can Character.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's exactly.

[Michael Strahan]

Hired a guy who does the crime so that you know, how. Who now who the cats do on the crime? John, man, I. I couldn't believe it. I'm like, how are you finding anybody? We should go and retroactively find your ass for what you were doing.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, man, that's so good. All right, man, we're gonna. We gotta wrap and get you out of here, big dog. Know we appreciate the time, but we. We always end these. These interviews or these talks with a welcome to the NFL moment, man. What was your welcome to the NFL moment?

[Michael Strahan]

Oh, man, I've had. Well, one was, I was actually playing in the game. The other one, I was just actually a rookie at the game. As a rookie at the game. We were playing the 49ers in the playoffs in San Fran. And I just remember being there, and I'm coming from Texas Southern, man. I'm watching Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Ricky Waters, all these guys. And I'm like, can I have your autograph? That's what I wanted to do. I want an autograph. A lot of Adolf Jerry Rice coming out there running like a damn stallion. It was. That was the most amazing, amazing Thing. But my welcome to the NFL moment was playing the Cowboys, playing against Eric Williams. And we're out there and we're fighting, man, we're battling. And I'm like, you know what, mother? You wait till next time. I'm gonna do that. I'm do that. I would do that. He looked at me and he said, let me tell you something, young fella. That may happen in the future, but right now, you just take this whipping like a grow. You take this ass whipping like a man. You just take this ass whipping like a man and say, whoa, okay. And he was right. Sometimes you gotta. You gotta try to take that ass whipping like a man. And that was my welcome to the NFL. There's some bad boys out here, you know, Always king of the jungle. I love that.

[Jason Kelsey]

That is so good. That's similar to mine. I. I've told this. We probably won't even put in the episode. But I gotta tell you this. After that, my guy, Jay Ratliff with the Cowboys, and it was my first time playing like a head up, nose lose. We're five zero and everything. So it's me and him, one on one. And he was whooping my ass like I could not block him. He didn't have. He didn't have a sack. I get a holding call later in the game and I'm. And I didn't think it was a good call. I start yelling at the ref, and I look back at Jay. I'm like, man, you know, that's some bullshit. He's like, son, I've been whooping your ass all day. I just figured I deserve one of them. You know what? I ain't got nothing to say.

[Jason Kelce]

You're right.

[Michael Strahan]

But we all have that one guy, man. Yeah, that one guy. And we all had those moments. But hey, if you didn't have those kind of moments, you didn't play football.

[Jason Kelsey]

Seriously. Serious.

[Michael Strahan]

Who was yours? What was your mom?

[Jason Kelce]

I had about five of them.

[Michael Strahan]

I had. I had a guy.

[Jason Kelce]

I had one of those guys on every team. Actually. It was just about, you know. The one I saw twice a year was Von Miller, though. Von.

[Michael Strahan]

Von.

[Jason Kelce]

And knows when they had.

[Jason Kelsey]

They were.

[Jason Kelce]

They were try. They were on those super bowl runs with. With Peyton. Man, Von was. He was. He was a beast and he was mean, man. I've learned. I've learned to know Vaughn. Von is like you. He's a great guy. Like just a. Just a. A one human being. But, man, when he. In between those whistles, he was trying to embarrass you.

[Michael Strahan]

I tell you what, man, I was. I was in the Bahama and then Von came over to hang out. I'd never seen somebody with legs that big.

[Jason Kelce]

Oh, yeah, he's. He's, he's, he's an animal now, really.

[Jason Kelsey]

I wouldn't expect that.

[Michael Strahan]

I didn't even. I didn't either. I was like, maybe I should be commenting on other man's ass and legs. But I was like, damn if I was built like that. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, he produces some tort, man. With that being said, though, before we go, I gotta. I gotta give a shout out to my guy. Mouse G it, though. Yeah, yeah. Incredible season. Unstoppable, unblockable player, man. I've never, you know, usually a guy has like one move or something like that in a counter, there's nothing he doesn't have. And it's like, you watch him and going, ah. How could a guy that big be that fast and lean that low? How could a guy be that big and that strong and run somebody over? How does he open at the hips and come inside or such a savvy.

[Jason Kelce]

Ball player too, man. He knows what's coming.

[Michael Strahan]

But, yeah, congrats to Miles, man. Incredible season. I'm so happy for him. And he really is a good dude, man. I've had Chance, you know, have lunch and spend some time with him and. And hit him up and talk to him before and after that. And I always try to encourage him because as you guys know, we play and pretty soon we're just another guy who played in the league in so many ways. And it's time for the next generation. And you just got to encourage them because I always had guys encouraged me. And I hate to see when, when, you know, old guys, we tear down these young players. Games do different, pay is different, all these things are different part of the game. I remember making 3 million bucks a year, and I was the highest paid defensive end in the league. And that was a big deal because I was making as much as more than Bruce Smith and Reggie and all those guys. And then, then I end up jumping up like 8 million bucks a year. And that was unheard of. Now, five times, that'll probably be the going rate, but you can't think back because back then, like, that was. That was doing well in those times. So I always want to encourage these young guys and I always wanted to create these older guys, encourage these young guys, man. Don't just look at him as if he didn't play. In my era, you couldn't play. Okay, okay, fine. They weren't born. What can you do? Blame the parents.

[Jason Kelsey]

No doubt, no doubt.

[Jason Kelce]

We can go ahead and leave it right there. That was beautifully said, Big Dog. And I can't thank you enough for the wisdom. Just you being you, your personality. Seriously, I'm telling you, man, what you've been to just me as a, as a player and always reaching out and being kind, man. I can't thank you enough for being you, Big Dog.

[Michael Strahan]

Well, I appreciate you both for having me, man. And really, in all sincerity, I think you two are the best. So keep on doing it. And I love the brotherly love and I love the fact that you guys are just who you are and you're being yourself. And that's your. That's. That's the magic of the Kelsey brothers, man.

[Jason Kelce]

Come on now. Thank you, Big Dog. Appreciate Mike.

[Jason Kelsey]

You're the best, brother.

[Jason Kelce]

You're the best, man. Appreciate the time, dog. Once again, that was. We gotta ask. Brought to you by Allstate all right.

[Jason Kelsey]

Let'S wrap up this episode with some stamps of the week. Stamp of the week is brought to you by Adobe Acrobat. Jets fans finally have a quarterback sort of in the Super Bowl. Look at this. Jake Chaty. I hope the Patriots get shit rocked in the Super Bowl. What the Disney.

[Jason Kelce]

That's an hilarious tweet though I'm fully biased.

[Jets Fan]

I hate the Patriots. They've ruined. They've ruined the majority of my football watching life.

[Jason Kelsey]

You're putting the Patriots at fault for the jets being an awful organization.

[Jets Fan]

As a Jets fan, I don't like the Patriots, Jason. Like you don't like the Cowboys.

[Jason Kelsey]

I understand how fandom works.

[Jets Fan]

Right.

[Jason Kelsey]

I don't blame the Patriots for your guys malpractice of what Football has been played well.

[Jets Fan]

And yes, I agree, fine, those are separate issues. But when one of the teams that is like my bitter rival has six super bowl and all this success and then I have to hear about Patriots fans like going through a hard time in their rebuild of what, four years and two quarterbacks and that's it.

[Michael Strahan]

Yeah, it's.

[Jets Fan]

And so I hope that they get super bowl it.

[Michael Strahan]

To me, it is.

[Jason Kelce]

To me it is like I, I don't think it's. I think they went out and got a great head coach and then they found a great quarterback. I don't think it's.

[Jets Fan]

I mean, yeah, that, that's. Well, it's just. I can never have nice things. The jets just keep up and like.

[Jason Kelce]

You can have nice things. You can just Turn in that jets green for some Patriots gear and you can have.

[Jets Fan]

No, I would not.

[Michael Strahan]

That's not.

[Jason Kelce]

That's going to make you puke more than your, your experience with the jets over the past however many years.

[Jets Fan]

I'm a loyal guy. I will be loyal to the jets until the day that they finally kill me, which is probably how I'll end up dying. But I will not turn my back on the team, even though they keep making dumb decision after dumb decision. And if the Patriots weren't smart enough, they'd probably have Gerard Mayo and we'd have Mike Vrabel. So like, that makes it even worse is that I have to watch Mike Vrabel, who is in all likelihood probably going to be the jets coach last year, go do this with the Patriots. It's just, it's a nightmare of errors. We should have had Sam Darnold. He should still be our quarterback. But no, he had to like go to five different teams before he could go to a super.

[Jason Kelsey]

The Super Bowl.

[Jets Fan]

And now I just have to root for Sam Darnold to avenge his ghosts and let me have like a slight win in the fact that Patriots fans will not be happy.

[Jason Kelsey]

How many great jets players are playing in the Super Bowl? You got Sam Donald. Another one people don't want to talk about Leonard Williams. Leonard Williams stand out with the Jets.

[Jets Fan]

Yep.

[Jason Kelsey]

Who else is. There's got to be some other names that I'm not even thinking about that are playing in the Super Bowl.

[Jason Kelce]

I lost the Leonard Williams and the Jets. Yeah.

[Jets Fan]

I can't think of many off the.

[Michael Strahan]

Top of my head.

[Jason Kelsey]

But all I'm saying is it doesn't sound like you can blame the players or the Patriots. Patriots.

[Jets Fan]

I, I just don't, I don't want good things to happen to that franchise in particular. Like the people who root for that franchise are like people who have been tormenting me personally for 30 years and those people don't change. You know what I mean? Like the Patriots fans who are rooting for Tom Brady and being like, hahaha. The jets, they're the same people who get to enjoy Drake May now. So I understand it's like a different team, but I will not be happy for them.

[Jason Kelsey]

All right, that's understandable. Understandable. Who you rooting for, Trail?

[Jason Kelce]

I probably, you know, I like, I love a good Mike Vrabel story, man. I love Braves. He's always been the best man. It just felt like he would have been an awesome coach to play for. But I do love the Sam Darnold story I love. I got a lot of guys over in Seattle that I admire.

[Jason Kelsey]

You know, there's a good. There's a good storyline on both of them.

[Jason Kelce]

Cincinnati Bearcats got Kobe Bryant over there playing Dan. I'm rooting for him. I'm rooting for A.J. barner, another Cleveland kid. Both of those guys out of Cleveland. So I don't know. Sam Darnold is. I like that story right now. And to see him flourish would be pretty damn cool to see him go from where he's been to winning a Super Bowl.

[Jason Kelsey]

I like Sam Darnold. I love the Seahawks defense. I like the way they play. There's just a certain amount of respect that you have. Kenneth Walker, the way he was running this last game. Oh my gosh. But then there is something like, I like Drake May. I like the rookie quarterback.

[Jason Kelce]

I like what they not like about the Patriots. It's just the story.

[Jason Kelsey]

The defense I like. I don't know, man. I like that defense over there in New England. I like Milton Williams, my former teammate. Mack Holland's my former teammate. Yeah, it'll be interesting. I can't wait to watch it.

[Jason Kelce]

Mac Holland is like Anderson Verjau.

[Jason Kelsey]

He is. Which, you know, I was a big Anderson Barejoff fan.

[Jason Kelce]

Who was it? If you were a Cavs fan.

[Jason Kelsey]

I do think, I think teams overthink the third receiver sometimes.

[Jason Kelce]

I think Matt, dude, he is a. He's been amazing. Everywhere he's been.

[Jason Kelsey]

He really is saying they, they all. I feel like they're always trying to get like this shifty like route runner. It's like, dude, get the guy that.

[Jason Kelce]

Just plays ball, man.

[Jason Kelsey]

Dude, get into 11 personnel and have a guy that can do all these things that you can do out of 12, 12 if you want to play nickel. And I, I don't know, man. I just think he. And then he's also like a mismatch, height wise and size wise for a lot of the safety. He's trying to guard him like. Anyways. All right, let's get back on track. Stamp of the week. Stamp of the week. Stamp of the week.

[Jason Kelce]

I'm going to go our. Our old Cincinnati Ga. Yeah. Jesse Minter, obviously his father is a well renowned coach in the college and NFL and Minner has been unbelievable since he's been with the. The Chargers. Really since he's been at Michigan under Harbaugh but now is the new head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Has some big shoes to fill over there in Baltimore, but happy as hell for you, Coach Minner and good luck in the AFC next year, brother.

[Jason Kelsey]

That's a great one, Trav. I love that. That one. I'm going to go. I mean, we just talked about hating the Cowboys and Jet and Jets, Jake hating the Patriots. I'm going to go with a former Cowboy, DeMarcus Lawrence.

[Jason Kelce]

This is a great quote, man.

[Jason Kelsey]

Dude, he called this back then, then. And I, when he said it, I was like, this is a bit much, but God damn, I got to give him credit. Now, DeMarcus Lawrence said back in March when he signed in Seattle and left Dallas Cowboys where he had been his whole career.

[Michael Strahan]

Yep.

[Jason Kelsey]

He said, dallas is my home, but I know for sure I'm not going to win a Super bowl there. And DeMarcus Lawrence is now going to the super bowl with the Seattle seats on.

[Jason Kelce]

Damn it.

[Jason Kelsey]

That is aged very well. He also got into a back and forth with Michael Parsons over this, where Parsons was kind of calling him out on his podcast or whatever platform that was was and D Law shots words back at him.

[Jason Kelce]

And now neither are in Dallas.

[Jason Kelsey]

Yeah, there's one common denominator, but either way, yeah, DeMarcus Lawrence is, you know, this is aged very well to age even better if they end up pulling the win off against the Patriots. And maybe I should wait on this. Should I wait until after the super bowl to make this the stamp of the week? Is it not good enough until he's won the Super Bowl?

[Jason Kelce]

Nah, let's see. You gotta. You gotta cash. Yeah, you gotta cash in on that when you can.

[Jason Kelsey]

Just. Just the fact that you called this and you're in it is enough for me.

[Jason Kelce]

And that wraps up staple the week brought to you by Adobe Acrobat.

[Jason Kelsey]

And that wraps up another episode, New Heights. Thank you to Michael Strayhair. We've also got some more New Heights coming this Friday with a Super bowl edition of Heights Hotline that you're not going to want to miss. So make sure you subscribe to the New Heights channel on YouTube and follow new Heights in the Wonder App or wherever you get your podcast. You can listen to new episodes of New Heights ad free right now by joining Wondering plus and the Wonder App or on Apple Podcast.

[Jason Kelce]

Once again, New Heights of one Wonder show brought to you by Xfinity. Make sure you follow the show on all social media at new Heights show with 1s. Thanks to the New Heights production team for always making us look amazing and making our job so much easier and we really appreciate what you guys do and tell you 92 percenters, you guys should appreciate them too. Because we appreciate you. You guys should appreciate them. And we love you guys. We'll see you guys. Sounds like Friday.

[Jason Kelsey]

Tick Tock was trying to ban me. Trav only three ticks in. They were trying to talk me.

[Brandon]

What'd you post?

[Jason Kelsey]

I think it was because I had Tick Tock in my username. My username was at Jason Kelsey hates Tick Tock.

[Brandon]

And they were like, we can't have.

[Michael Strahan]

That on the platform.

[Jason Kelsey]

It didn't really give me a lot of good answers. And then when we reached out, it was like, you can't have Tick Tock in your name. So I thought about doing like, Jason Kelsey hates this app. And I was like, you know, it's not worth it. Let's just make it Jason Kelsey.

[Brandon]

That's why Jake's best in the biz. He said, just use your name. I'm getting banned like tomorrow.

[Jason Kelsey]

What'd you post?

[Brandon]

I sometimes leave comments and sometimes those comments aren't what people would call helpful.

[Jason Kelsey]

Give us a mundane one that isn't going to get you in trouble.

[Brandon]

If it's a front facing video and you're in your car recording it, I know I'm in for a bad time the second you get this and it's like, all right guys, let's talk. I'm like, I'm already furious if the car is moving and you're talking into your camera. Furious.

[Jason Kelsey]

I'm not a big selfie taker but my TikTok right now I have two that open up on my face and I think they're funny. So I got to break that trend.

[Michael Strahan]

You'd be fine.

[Brandon]

You're. It's ironic when you do it. It's funny when you do it. When people are generally want to see their own face is when I get disgusted.

[Jason Kelsey]

Why are you this self confident?

[Brandon]

What is wrong with you? You shouldn't feel this good about yourself.

[Jason Kelce]

All right, I'm going to yell into this camera, let's do this.