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

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.

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)

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.” |

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)

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.

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)

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.

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

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)

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 |

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