NFL Cover Zero: The Best Games on the 2026 Schedule!

Summary

NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin

Episode: The Best Games on the 2026 Schedule!

Date: July 22, 2026
Host: Drew Franklin (filling in for Matt Jones)
Guest/Co-Host: Billy Rutledge
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

On this lively offseason episode, Drew Franklin and Billy Rutledge rank the Top 10 NFL games they'd most want to attend in the 2026 season. The catch: they each get five picks, only one can be an international game, and they can't pick multiple games in the same week. They treat the draft like fans with unlimited budgets, factoring in venue, city, fan culture, and high-stakes matchups. Along the way, they swap memories from NFL trips, share food and travel tips, and react to recent NFL and pop culture news.

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Drafting the Best Games on the 2026 NFL Schedule

Rules & Format ([02:15])

• Each host gets 5 picks (10 total).
• Only one international game per person.
• No stacking games in the same week; travel must make sense.
• Picks are as fans attending—not just watching.

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[Draft Begins | 06:02]

Pick 1: 49ers vs. Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Week 1)

Billy's Pick

• First-ever NFL game in Australia at Melbourne Cricket Grounds.
• Kyle Shanahan vs. Sean McVay, strong rivalry.
• Excited about Aussie culture, cuisine (meat pies), and diverse jerseys in the crowd.
• Quote: “It’s a great matchup, but I think it’s 90% location. I want to go to Australia.” —Billy [07:35]

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Pick 2: Chiefs at Bills on Thanksgiving (Week 12)

Drew's Pick

• Chose over traditional Cowboys or Lions home games for the Buffalo fan experience.
• Excited to tailgate with Pinto Ron and Bills Mafia in a new stadium.
• Anticipates wild food options and extreme hospitality.
• Quote: “You’re telling me I can go to Buffalo...for Thanksgiving, for a game against the Chiefs...I get to spend the holiday with Pinto Ron in the tailgate throwing mustard on people...I can’t think of a better way to spend the holiday.” —Drew [12:00]

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Pick 3: Packers at Bears on Christmas Day (Week 16)

Billy's Pick

• Historic rivalry, all 2025 meetings decided by one score.
• Last Christmas at iconic Soldier Field before potential move.
• Interested in wintry, classic NFL atmosphere.
• Quote: “You get to see Caleb Williams, the darling of the NFL, as Caleb is the Madden cover athlete this year...Some bad blood from last year.” —Billy [15:55]

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Pick 4: Rams at Seahawks on Christmas Day (Week 16)

Drew's Pick

• Rematch of three tightly-contested games last season.
• First Christmas for Drew’s daughter, humorously notes family sacrifice.
• Intrigued by Seattle’s stadium atmosphere and city.
• Quote: “No better place to bring an infant than to the 12th man.” —Billy [21:11]

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Pick 5: Eagles at Cowboys on Thanksgiving (Week 12)

Billy's Pick

• Seeks “classic” Thanksgiving experience in Dallas.
• Notes family tradition of Cowboys fandom.
• Emphasizes spectacle and energy unique to Cowboys home Thanksgiving games.
• Quote: “On Thanksgiving Day, I feel like...I might get a little turducken down. You always see the guys diving into some food right after the game.” —Billy [24:54]

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Pick 6: Bengals vs. Falcons in Madrid, Spain (Week 9, International)

Drew's Pick

• Picks Spain for the travel experience; notes exotic venue (Real Madrid’s stadium).
• Acknowledges odd matchup, but excited for food (suckling pig), and immersive fan experience.
• Quote: “Why go to Paycor when you can go to Real Madrid stadium in Madrid and the drunkest fan base in Cincinnati—imagine them in Spain!” —Drew [28:51]

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Pick 7: Ravens at Bengals on New Year’s Eve (Week 17, TNF)

Billy's Pick

• Stakes include Trey Hendrickson’s return, possible AFC North title implications.
• Emphasizes celebrating New Year's in Cincinnati, possibly during the game.
• Jokes about the Cincinnati nightlife vs. New York ball drop.
• Quote: “Maybe there’s an overtime, there’s a delay for some reason, and we get midnight during the game in the jungle.” —Billy [31:36]

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Pick 8: Bills at Rams on Monday Night Football (Week 5)

Drew's Pick

• Showcases previous MVPs, potential Super Bowl preview.
• Recalls wild past matchups and plans to join “Bills Mafia on the road.”
• Shares several road trip stories involving NFL adventures, including a wedding and an elevator mishap.
• Quote: “I attended a Bills wedding in Nashville...I’ve seen what they’re like on the road. Now I can join them in LA as they go up against the Rams.” —Drew [34:25]

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Pick 9: Buccaneers at Bears on Sunday Night Football (Week 9)

Billy's Pick

• Chooses to see his team—Bucs—in primetime.
• Cities and stadiums weighed in, with fondness for Chicago’s vibe.
• Notes Bears' possible move, making Soldier Field experiences rare.
• Quote: “Maybe I loved [Chicago] so much on my bachelor party, I've got to go twice.” —Billy [40:09]

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Pick 10: Steelers at Titans, Final Game at Nissan Stadium (Week 18)

Drew's Pick

• Emotional goodbye to Titans’ old stadium.
• Nostalgic about playoff heartbreaks and fan traditions; mentions being featured on stadium banners during COVID.
• Adds bonus: possibly witnessing Aaron Rodgers’ career finale.
• Quote: “I got to say goodbye to Nissan Stadium, so I pull up the schedule...I want to be at the last one so I can cry and walk that bridge one last time.” —Drew [41:48]

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Timestamps & Notable Moments

• [06:02] — Draft begins; international games, food discussion.
• [12:00] — Drew’s Buffalo Thanksgiving pick; Bills Mafia stories.
• [21:11] — Infant at the “12th man”; Seattle on Christmas.
• [24:54] — Cowboys Thanksgiving family traditions.
• [28:51] — Food culture in Spain, traveling for soccer.
• [31:36] — New Year’s Eve in Cincinnati; overtime ball drop joke.
• [34:25, 36:01] — Bills wedding and elevator mishap stories.
• [41:48] — Drew’s emotional farewell to Nissan Stadium.

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Quotes

• “It’s a great matchup, but I think it’s 90% location. I want to go to Australia.” —Billy [07:35]
• “You’re telling me I can go to Buffalo...for Thanksgiving, for a game against the Chiefs...I get to spend the holiday with Pinto Ron in the tailgate throwing mustard on people...I can’t think of a better way to spend the holiday.” —Drew [12:00]
• “No better place to bring an infant than to the 12th man.” —Billy [21:11]
• “On Thanksgiving Day, I feel like...I might get a little turducken down. You always see the guys diving into some food right after the game.” —Billy [24:54]
• “Why go to Paycor when you can go to Real Madrid stadium in Madrid and the drunkest fan base in Cincinnati—imagine them in Spain!” —Drew [28:51]
• “Maybe there’s an overtime... and we get midnight during the game in the jungle.” —Billy [31:36]
• “I attended a Bills wedding in Nashville... I’ve seen what they’re like on the road. Now I can join them in LA as they go up against the Rams.” —Drew [34:25]
• “I got to say goodbye to Nissan Stadium, so I pull up the schedule... I want to be at the last one so I can cry and walk that bridge one last time.” —Drew [41:48]

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NFL & Pop Culture News Roundup

Tom Brady in WWE? ([47:21])

• Reports he's negotiating an appearance at WrestleMania 42 (Las Vegas).
• Drew: “Why are you hanging out with the Pauls?”
• Both doubt this will add to Brady's legacy.

Netflix’s “Quarterback” Season 3 ([49:57])

• Features Baker Mayfield, Jaden Daniels, Joe Flacco, Cam Ward.
• Highlights: Flacco benched in fantasy by his son, Cam Ward’s family dynamics, Mayfield’s trash talk, Jaden Daniels’ mom as agent.

Aaron Rodgers Reunites with Family ([53:09])

• Posts with parents and brother after years of estrangement.

Titans to Honor Chris Johnson ([54:43])

• Induction into Ring of Honor, first “Titans only” player.
• Drew recalls value of acknowledging star players while living.

Athlete Home Break-Ins ([56:44])

• Saquon Barkley’s house broken into while family was home, suspects fled.

Jerry Rice Chases Heckler at Celebrity Golf ([58:21])

• Viral moment: Rice aggressively pursues fan after intentional mid-swing “fore.”
• Both agree athletes deserve more respect at events.

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Conclusion

• The “draft” of NFL games showcases equal parts fandom, humor, and travel lust.
• The hosts joke about missing holidays with family for football, but circle back to sports as a unifying experience.
• Memorable, quirky stories (Bills wedding, elevator mishap, pandemic stadium banners) bring an everyman vibe.
• The episode closes with a promise to debate more sports GOATS (Jerry Rice, Mike Evans?) and teases more fun content as the season nears.

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For listeners:
Even if you missed this episode, you’ll walk away with a wishlist of NFL bucket list games, several hilarious road trip anecdotes, and an upbeat snapshot of current NFL off-field storylines—delivered in classic Cover Zero style.

Transcript

[Drew Franklin]

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[Billy Rutledge]

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[Drew Franklin]

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[Drew Franklin]

NFL Cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart podcast.

[Ad Voice / American Express]

Foreign.

[Drew Franklin]

Welcome in to NFL Cover Zero, the number one show in NFL podcasts decided by us. I'm Drew Franklin filling in for Matt Jones today. Matt is out this week in Aspen, part of his annual Aspen fellowship, where he disappears for a week. If you remember, last year, it actually sent him to South Africa, but this year they're in Aspen as they wrap that up. So we're without Matt, but. But we have Billy Rutledge here and the two of us. I think we'll get through this just fine. It's another summer episode. Episode four of season two of NFL Cover Zero. We've had a lot of fun so far this summer. We started earlier this month with news topics. Then we drafted teams that we want to be fans of. We drafted quarterbacks last week and Billy, I think we should have another draft today. I brought us a game. You ready to play a game?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. Let's keep it going. Drew, what do we got?

[Drew Franklin]

As you know, I've put out in front of you one. We're going to go over the schedule and we're going to pick our favorite Games on the 2026 schedule that we would like to attend as fans. So we're going to. We're going to have, like, a fake budget that's endless. You can go anywhere you want to go, and we're going to pick five games each to come up with NFL Cover 0's top 10 games of the year. A few stipulations. We can only go international once. It's a good budget. Okay. But you can only go overseas one time, and then the rest of the four will be domestic. But things like, you know, you can't pick two week one games. You can't be in the same place at the same. So we'll have fun just going over the schedule, picking those and all that. Makes sense. It does.

[Billy Rutledge]

It would be egregious for me to pick the hall of Fame game between the Panthers and the Cardinals for one of my picks, wouldn't it? I'm starting to get that itch, though, a little bit, Drew.

[Drew Franklin]

It's right around the corner. And to get you excited about that one. Did you see Carolina Mike was on America's Got Talent.

[Billy Rutledge]

What? Carolina Mike is on America. Okay, now the. Now the podcast has made it. When our guy is on America's Got Talent, is he still in it or what's. Did they give him a golden ticket immediately? What happened?

[Drew Franklin]

You know, I don't watch a lot of agt, but I did see the clip of him singing. A lot of people sent that to, so I wish I had the results. Maybe it hadn't been decided, but, you know, I thought, big platform here with us singing. If I had 150,000. But he gets much bigger than NFL cover 0 on AGT. So good for Carolina Mike and the Panthers still taking that momentum from last season.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. Happy for them.

[Drew Franklin]

As we play our game, I wonder, will you pick Carolina as one of your games this year?

[Billy Rutledge]

No. Unless there's like a Week 17 matchup between the Bucks for the division again. We know how that ended poorly last time.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Probably won't make my cut either. In front of you. I gave you a piece of paper. I did a little homework.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

Where we have about 20 to 25 games to choose from. As I said, we'll end up with the top 10. We'll do five each international one time. And can't, you know, stack weeks. Can't go to three week two games. We're being realistic here as if we're a fan. They can go anywhere we want throughout the NFL season.

[Billy Rutledge]

And, like, we're actually attending the game. So if I pick a Christmas Day game, I have to leave my family at home.

[Drew Franklin]

Exactly.

[Billy Rutledge]

Okay.

[Drew Franklin]

You got to consider location, maybe time of year. You know, we've been to Lambeau, had a great time, but it wasn't quite cold enough for me, so maybe I want to go to the Frozen Tundra when there's snow on the ground, maybe I want to avoid that. Maybe I want to get a week one game out of the way. These are all things to consider, but most importantly the matchups of which there are a lot of good ones on the NFL schedule before we get to it. I know it's been a while and we're going back in time in the NFL offseason, but do you get into the NFL schedule, release videos that produced the schedules we're about to go over today?

[Billy Rutledge]

I mean, kind of. I like to see a couple of like the first Week 1 matchups because of like, like I alluded to, I've got an itch I need to scratch and. But the international games has really taken a turn. Like how many? There's a few international games this year. There's like eight or nine, isn't there?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, let's see. We got. They go to London a lot. A lot of London been going to London a while. It's. It's the NFL, so boy, for me,

[Billy Rutledge]

it's a team over there.

[Drew Franklin]

One of these days, Jacksonville has back to back London games this year. They're there week five, and I guess you just got to stay. There's no point in going back to Jacksonville. Right. You just, you make two weeks out of it over there across the pond.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. And you know, historically, over these years, they've been a very common team in London. So maybe they would be the team that would turn into the London team that the NFL gets one of these days. There's already what, three teams in Florida?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Billy Rutledge]

Too many.

[Drew Franklin]

And Jacksonville. No offense, but you know, I wouldn't mind getting out if I was living in Jacksonville. I'd missed the hot tub. Did get to see London. You're right. There are nine. They go to Melbourne and Australia go to Brazil. Spain gets a game this year. Paris, Germany, Mexico. They've been international for a while, but they're widespread this year with the NFL.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. In the Spain game. How about that one? Bengals, Falcons. As the international game. You've waited for the NFL and here it is. You get a little Bengals, Falcons.

[Drew Franklin]

We got to ease into that one. But let's just go ahead and get to it. We know the rules, we know what's at stake. We'll run through this. We'll get our top 10 of what we believe are the big games we'd want to attend. And then, as always, we'll. We'll brush up on the latest news in the podcast. But without further ado, NFL covers, top 10 games we would like to attend. And sticking with the format for the Fan Base game, Matt picked first, I picked second when we drafted the quarterbacks last week, as if we're starting a franchise. So, Billy Rutledge, it would only be right if you get the first pick in our top 10 games.

[Billy Rutledge]

Okay, the number one game I'm going to choose to select, I'm getting on a 16 hour flight to Melbourne, Australia.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, you're getting it out of the way.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's right. The first game in Australia is the 49ers and Rams. Week one. Can't wait for some football, so why not try it down on the Barbie? You know, this is a great matchup between two of the best coaches in the league and Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVeigh. There's a little rivalry there. You get to see Miles Garrett for the first time as a Los Angeles Ram, and maybe Aaron Donald if he comes out of retirement. I think the Rams are the slam dunk pick for a lot of people to win the Super Bowl. But they've got to get past the crafty 49ers who won a playoff game, a road playoff game last year. So two division opponents on a neutral site. I know they hate that probably. But give me the game in Australia for my first pick.

[Drew Franklin]

How much did you know? Give me the little sliding scale here. How much was location? You just want to go to Australia. And how much was the matchup? Because you're right, That's a huge NFC matchup to start the season week one.

[Billy Rutledge]

It's a great matchup, but I think it's 90% location. I want to go to Australia. I want to experience the culture. I want to see if the. The sport that's taking over Europe right now can also take over Australia. And then also just to go to a game where everybody's got a different jersey on. I think that's probably the coolest part about the international games is that you get a lot of team support. And I'm sure the Melbourne cricket grounds will be a great place to watch a game.

[Drew Franklin]

So we each get one international pick. You got yours out right away, right? Not waiting around. You don't want to go to London, you don't want to go to Brazil. Paris, Spain, Germany, Mexico. You're going to see our friend Max Duffy in Australia. Outside of the football, I'm sure you're going to get a great game. Could have big implications later in the year as the playoff bracket shakes out. But what else you doing in Australia? Is there a beach near Melbourne?

[Billy Rutledge]

I'VE heard that the surfing is pretty good in Australia. Besides the sharks that. That are everywhere in the water down there, I've heard they have some kangaroos that I've haven't done much experience with. Drew. So maybe take in the wildlife. They got a bunch of rabbits. As we learned on our show many weeks ago, as long as it's not too hot. I feel like there's a dry heat in Australia that could probably turn you away or turn some people away. But I think I'm going to have a great time. And we already have our tour guide. And like you said, Max Duffy can show us around.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. I've learned you're going to have to eat while you're over there. Cuisine is a big part of picking where you want to go.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's true.

[Drew Franklin]

In Australia, they ate these pies like a chicken pot pie, but they have all kinds of. They got lamb pies and several different variations. Mario, he's nodding his head over here because when we did our cross country road trip, we were somewhere around Denver, if I'm not mistaken. And maybe not Denver. We were somewhere. When you travel the whole country, it kind of runs together. But Max found an authentic Australia restaurant run by an Australian and it was a must that we go and everything you could order from. They probably had 10 to 15 different options. But they're all based in a pie and you just kind of eat it like we would a Hot Pocket.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I like P. And as long as I can order it myself off the menu, I think I'll be fine. It was when Cover Zero went to San Francisco and Matt decided to order off the menu for me is when I became the picky eater. That day.

[Drew Franklin]

I found the pies to be really good, but it was also December for us. So nice, warm pie. Tasted good. We were cold, you know, warmed us up. But Max told me, you know, they'd go swimming out in the ocean. They'd run off the beach and go get a big hot chicken pot pie and just barehand it while they've been out in the water.

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[Drew Franklin]

That seemed a little different to me.

[Billy Rutledge]

Wait, they barehanded the chicken pot while they were in the water?

[Drew Franklin]

I mean, they'd get out of the water, but, you know, that's not. I'm not looking for a big, hot, steaming pie of whatever lamb and cheese and onion when I just got done swimming.

[Billy Rutledge]

I'm ready to embrace the culture. So if I need to eat a pie on a beach and watch a little NFC west, then that's what I'LL do. That'll be my first pick.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, there we go. First pick in the draft Billy Rutledge is heading to Melbourne to eat pie when he is not watching the 49ers and Rams and one of the better games on the schedule. I like to pick. Could have got a lot of directions there. It's a loaded week one. We have a Super bowl rematch in week one with Patriots and Seahawks and you said nay, no, I want to hop on a plane.

[Billy Rutledge]

I will be across the country which I'm sure the players are just thrilled about doing and but also Matthew Stafford may be his last go around MVP last year. It'll be good to see him too.

[Drew Franklin]

And I don't know what time that would be for us. But you go to your game. Problem with attending NFL games is you can't keep up with the rest everything going on. You can't red zone while you're sitting in a stadium unless you do it on your phone. But you'll be able to watch that and still catch up with all the week one fun. So I like to pick all right for me, my first pick, pick two in the draft. I'm not going international yet. Now that you've picked one, I don't have to rush into what I want there. So I'm going to stay domestic. I'm going to go to kind of 3/4 of the way through the schedule. I'm going Chiefs at Bills for a holiday game on Thanksgiving. I know I want to do a Thanksgiving game and I've always wanted to go to Dallas. You know, it's always Cowboys or Lions both having home games. Dallas is high on my NFL bucket list and I was leaning that direction for Cowboys Eagles. But man, you're telling me I can go to Buffalo where I fell in love with Bill's mafia last year for Thanksgiving for a game against the Chiefs. The matchup that's highlighted the NFL for the last five years or more. I get to spend the holiday with Pinto Ron in the tailgate throwing mustard on people, eating wings, eating blue cheese on Thanksgiving. That is going to be my first pick. Send me to Buffalo for Thanksgiving Day game. Chiefs at Bills.

[Billy Rutledge]

You may have the best number one pick just for Pinto Ron reference. And on Thanksgiving. Can you imagine what those guys are going to be cooking in those lots?

[Drew Franklin]

It's going to be incredible.

[Billy Rutledge]

It already was incredible when we went to just a regular, regular season game when it was Bill's bucks on Thanksgiving. That would be phenomenal.

[Drew Franklin]

That's a.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's one of the biggest rivalries in the sport over the last decade or so. Actually, some stats to that. Drew, in the 2000s, they've met 10 times. It's five to five between the two teams. But the regular season, the Bills are 4 and 1. The Chiefs are 4 and O in the playoffs.

[Drew Franklin]

See, you're talking football. There's a chance I don't even make it into the stadium.

[Billy Rutledge]

And that only makes nine games. So, I mean, I don't. I may have got the stat wrong, but regardless, the Chiefs dominate in the playoffs, so you might get a Bill's victory against an aging Patrick Mahomes in the regular season.

[Drew Franklin]

And this is the new Bill Stadium, right?

[Billy Rutledge]

That's right.

[Drew Franklin]

New stadium. I could see that for the first time. Had we not made this Buffalo trip last year where I had so much fun, honestly wouldn't even consider this. I would have gone straight to Dallas for Thanksgiving. But I had so much fun there. Remember, there were people cooking fish in like file cabinets.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, the file cabinets.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't even remember how they had built a fire in the bottom and each drawer had something different. I think there might have been lamb in one of those. Of course, we mentioned pinto Ron. They had meatballs and a bed pan. The ingenuity with the food there was so good and so much fun. I can't think of a better way to spend the holiday. Apologies to my parents and my family. I won't be eating turkey. This usually cook the turkey. So good luck. Feed yourselves.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's true Thanksgiving. You're gone because you're at a Bills game. And not just the food. Just like how nice everybody was there. You got. Somebody gave you the coat off their back as soon as you got there. This huge fur wool coat that you kind of walked around like you were the king of the lot.

[Drew Franklin]

The issue is they're also very generous with their booze. And I worry. I worry about kickoff for this one. But you know what? I'll catch the replay. I'm sure it'll be a classic that will rerun on NFL Network later in the week. So if I do have too much fun tailgating, I'll. I'll play catch up. But it's a great matchup. A new stadium. And I can't think of a better way to spend the holiday. So my first pick is Chiefset Bills on Thanksgiving.

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[Billy Rutledge]

All right, third overall pick I'm gonna keep it on a holiday, but we're gon to Christmas Day where the packers are at the Bears on Week 16. And if you're an NFL fan, you know these two teams. Not only one of the most historic rivalries in the sport, but last year, all three games decided by one score, all in a span of 34 days. They only played late in the year that included some Chicago miracles. Actually Green Bay led late into the two games that were in Chicago near the end of the regular season and the one in the playoffs and blew both of those games. Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams, the darling of the NFL right now as Caleb is the Madden cover athlete this year. So historic rivalry, some bad blood from last year. I think Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur can be one of the better rivalries in the sport. And so how many more games did the Bears even have left in Chicago? Right? They could be moving to Indiana soon with a new stadium deal. So I get to take in historic Soldier Field on Christmas Day against the Packers. That's going to be my second pick.

[Drew Franklin]

Another great pick. It's also going to be freezing. But as I said to start, I would like that experience. Like if I'm going to be at Soldier Field or Lambeau or even Buffalo. Bring on the snow. Are you prepared to get a Christmas scene in Chicago?

[Billy Rutledge]

I'm layered up. That's right. I may throw a snowball at somebody during the game. I feel like if there is a good amount of snow, that is something that a lot of NFL fans do, whether it be the Tuck rule game or some others. So I'm for the wintry conditions of Soldier Field. You mentioned Lambeau Field. Wasn't called cold enough for you that day.

[Drew Franklin]

It was cold, definitely cold. We had to put cardboard between us and the. In the bleachers metal seat. Yeah, someone warned us about that. Oh, it was definitely cold. I mean, we were bundled up, but I want. I wanted to like, have to clear out snow. We didn't have as much precipitation, but it was cold enough. I got close to the full Lambeau experience, but I'd like to go back. I've never been to a snow game. I'd like to see a snow game sometime.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's the Vince Lombardi in. You drew that it wasn't cold enough when you went to Lambeau Field. And so hopefully it's cold enough for Packers, Bears and one that could add some pretty serious playoff implications at week 16.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Late in the year also, you know, a big part of this. As we said, you go to the game, but we have to hang out in these places. Chicago seems like a good place to spend Christmas where they have that. There's the. Is it Millennium Mile or the shopping? Is it Millennium Magnificent Mile?

[Billy Rutledge]

Magnificent Mile.

[Drew Franklin]

Magnificent Mile. I don't know why I said Millennium Mile. Magnificent Mile. You can get your shopping done. Last minute shopping while you're there. You were just in Chicago not that long ago.

[Billy Rutledge]

My bachelor party.

[Drew Franklin]

Did you have a good time?

[Billy Rutledge]

I did. I went to the Bean. That's where tourist attractions start and end in Chicago, at least for me.

[Drew Franklin]

So you've already checked that off.

[Billy Rutledge]

And then there's also a beach. They have a beach there. I don't know if I'm going to do much beach in on week 16, Christmas Day, but it's a concrete beach. So like you just. People pull up a towel and lay on the concrete, which is a little odd. Got to make a Florida boy here,

[Drew Franklin]

make doing the Midwest. I've done Chicago winners. Kentucky played there one December. And I stayed out pretty reasonably late into the evening. And Matt and I had to do KSR radio the next morning. And I remember I woke up in a different part of town, wasn't anywhere near where I needed to be. So I was like, you know what? I'm just going to walk it. I got to a point I was walking over that bridge over the river. I thought, I am going to die. This is how it ends for me. I was so cold, I was shaking and I had proper attire on, but it was so windy and so cold. I remember sitting down thinking, this is it for me. They're going to find me just sitting on this bench turned into an ice block right on top of the Chicago River. So it's, it can be treacherous. You just did summer Chicago, which is great, but it's a different beast in December.

[Billy Rutledge]

In June, I was standing on the, the tram platforms thinking, this is a lot of wind. If it was zero degrees outside, I don't know if I'd be having a good time, but took in some sights, went to a Cubs game, had a Chicago dog. So a lot of culture there.

[Drew Franklin]

And we'll.

[Billy Rutledge]

We'll have another one. Week 16.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, a great pick. I already love what we're doing here. I'm up next. Let me scan this a little bit.

[Billy Rutledge]

What do you want to do here? You gonna go on another holiday?

[Drew Franklin]

So I've already, I've already done Thanksgiving. I still have. You know what? I'm just going to keep blowing off my family for NFL games. I'm doing a Christmas game with my second pick.

[Billy Rutledge]

Okay.

[Drew Franklin]

You're going to be in Chicago. We'll have to do cover zero remotely because I will be on the other side of the country at Rams, Seahawks on Christmas Day. I'm going to spend Christmas in Seattle. I don't know what that means. I've been to Seattle briefly just to get on a cruise ship. So I didn't get to see much, but. No, actually that's not true. We went to Seattle. That was our road trip. What am I talking about? That was just last year. I didn't do the Space Needle or all the hits. Maybe I'll. Maybe they put Christmas lights on that. I'll check it out. But of most important importance, Rams, Seahawks, their three games last year, all classics. Seahawks won two of the three. All three games decided by a total of seven points. Of course, the Seahawks go in and go on to win the super bowl. But it could have been the Rams as well as they played them all year. So I'm getting a great matchup. I'm spending Christmas pretty far away from my family. They're not going to love it. You know, this will be my baby's first Christmas. She will be eight months at the time, so. Avery, dad will miss you. I'll send you a postcard. Maybe in this, in this exercise, I can bring her with me to Seattle, but I'm leaving my family for more football. And with my second pick, I'm going to Seattle.

[Billy Rutledge]

No better place to bring an infant than to the. What 12th man is what they call themselves. And that would be cool to see the Seahawks home field advantage, because I've heard about this stadium and how it's shaped in a way in which it funnels the sound down and, you know, they have this such a big advantage. I expect Seattle to take a step back this year. You know, Sam Darnold can't do that again, Drew.

[Drew Franklin]

They lose their attitude.

[Billy Rutledge]

They lose Kenneth Walker, their Super bowl mvp. That was such. You know, I think the Rams are going to be looking for some revenge in that game. No doubt. And another game with some. Some pretty big playoff implications late in the year.

[Drew Franklin]

That's right. It's a rematch of the last year's NFC championship, as I said. Also, let's not forget this is a $9.6 billion franchise we're talking about here. So I'm going to excited to go see what I've done with the place. See what the new owner's done.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's right.

[Drew Franklin]

Maybe the new owner will be sympathetic to me since I'm just walking around with an in Seattle for her first Christmas. She doesn't want to be there, but I made her go. Maybe he'll invite us up to the owner's suite so I can see what billionaire life is like now.

[Billy Rutledge]

I've seen infants at NFL games. Normally you got to go headphones, though.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm definitely going headphones.

[Billy Rutledge]

The only way it's going to work is you cover up those ears because it can get a little loud at some stadium.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. So Merry Christmas, baby. We're going to Seattle.

[Billy Rutledge]

Sorry, Abby, we're on the other side of the country right now.

[Drew Franklin]

So to rehash, you're going to Australia, I'm going to Thanksgiving for the Bills, and then we're both splitting up Christmas, you're going to Chicago. I'm going to. Going to Seattle. We'll just have to be on different parts of the country for cover zero. What is your third pick?

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I didn't plan it like this, but again, sorry to my family. Oh, no. Both of our families. We were just taking holidays away. The great games are on holidays this year. It seems like I'm going to pick my Thanksgiving Day game. And that's Eagles at Cowboys. And you mentioned you always wanted to see a Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day. I might be stealing your thunder there, but did you know it's the 59th time the Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving day? They are 35, 22 and 1 and have won their last four games on Thanksgiving Day. Well, why not the Philadelphia Eagles to break that streak up?

[Drew Franklin]

I love the pick. We need to look in the mirror though, about what we're doing. We're early in this game and we are just abandoning the holidays. You're going to be newly married this year. You're telling me. Your first Thanksgiving and your first Christmas as a husband in this beautiful marriage. You're going to work.

[Billy Rutledge]

This was part of the deal when we got working with the NFL and iHeartRadio, the premier podcast of the NFL. We're going to have to travel to some games and I think that family understands that. The Cowboys won on Thanksgiving Day last year against the Chiefs. It was the most watched NFL regular season game of all time, that 31 to 28 thriller. So things happen on Thanksgiving for the Cowboys. I'm going to be taking in my Thanksgiving Day in a place that is, you know, historically the place to do it on Thanksgiving. If it's not Detroit, it's Dallas. So send me to Texas for Thanksgiving.

[Drew Franklin]

See, my family would be supportive of this. I married a Cowboys fan. She would love to go. Growing up, I was in a Cowboys family. I mean, I still to this day throw on an old school cowboy sweatshirt. Even though I'm Titans first for Thanksgiving. It's like a tradition. Some people get dressed up on holidays. We just wore our Cowboys gear around the Thanksgiving dinner table. I remember, remember those gigantic box TVs? They're huge.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, sure.

[Drew Franklin]

Like you'd have to roll them around. We watched Leon Lett in the Fumble on Thanksgiving at his house on one of those gigantic TV' with horrible pictures, like a 70 inch TV. And the picture was terrible. But we're all sitting around, we have our TV trays. I don't know if people still use TV trays, but my family, it's. It's been about the Cowboys for many years. So high on my bucket list is to get to a Thanksgiving game. And if not for me hanging out with Pinto Ron in Buffalo, this would have been my pick. So I, I like what you're going with.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, and on Thanksgiving Day, I feel like, you know, we were on the field at that Bills game. We kind of walked around. I didn't talk to Baker Mayfield when we saw him out there. Maybe I can get a little turducken down. You know, they've got chicken or not chicken, chicken, turkey. John Madden was all about the turducky. And maybe I can sneak a little something because you always see the guys diving into some food right after the game.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, this is. This is a classic high on anyone's NFL bucket list. Respectfully, neither of us can make it to Detroit because we're going to be busy. But I would be just as happy to go into Detroit too. I would love to see Thanksgiving football.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, now that the brown paper bags are on the fan bases heads, they got a lot of pride now with Dan Campbell, so. Yeah, that sounds like a good trip, too.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, I'm going to be interested to see if any of us try to do the Thanksgiving Black Friday double header because that would fit within the rules.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you would be. We got more holidays we could get to here on our schedule.

[Drew Franklin]

All right, I'm up next. I've already. I'm already booked on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Let's see, is there a game on my wife's birthday? No. I'm going to go and get my international game out of the way. Okay. I'm pretty conflicted though, because with the international game, for me it's not so much about the teams, it's where do I want to go. I'm very well traveled in the United States. I haven't got to too many places globally. I've been to Ireland and Scotland and in Liverpool and Manchester in like one trip in like a week. But other than that time in the in the UK in that area, I haven't really seen much unless we're counting all inclusives in Mexico. So I really want to go to Spain. But Billy, what are we doing with Bengals Falcons in Spain? Like that's the.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's the game I get do it. Tua is going to be slinging it by then, but I could wear my

[Drew Franklin]

cowboy sweatshirt against Lamar and the Ravens in Brazil. A much better game. Brazil would also be a fun driver trip.

[Billy Rutledge]

Brazil be a very fun trip. You got a couple of options here.

[Drew Franklin]

You know what? I want to see Spain. I wish I could flip the games. I wish it was Ravens Cowboys in Spain. This would be easy. But now I'm going to go watch Joe Burrow if he's healthy verse whoever's playing for the Falcons in week nine. World class food. Some landmarks. They're playing in the home of Real Madrid, one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Really, everything about it checks the boxes except the matches up. But I'm still going to go anyway.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, speaking of Food Spain has the the oldest, longest continuously running restaurant in the world where you can get suckling pig. So I think you got to make

[Drew Franklin]

a stop there, make it easy. Give me the suckling pig before I go watch the suckling Falcons play the Bengals.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's very good. And then Cincinnati, I mean, man, they've missed the playoffs for three straight years. They've got to start winning these games, these ones, the ones at the beginning of the year, because it feels like they always drop two of the first three games of the season or the first three, and then you've got to win these games versus middle of the road NFC south teams like the Atlanta Falcons. So I think there's some high expectations on Cincinnati to come in and win and take over that country as the official team of Spain.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, listen, as long as the Bengals are healthy, as Joe Burrow has taught us this off season, it's his LSU team reincarnated. That'll maybe be the best offense in the NFL, maybe even the best team in the NFL. Who knows? The way he's talking, if they can stay healthy and then on the other end, I'll get to see Tua.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yes. If he's still playing.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, or Michael Pennix, whoever's behind them.

[Billy Rutledge]

Trevor Simeon, Kyle Pitts, who we learned signed a contract extension just recently, really respectfully, to Atlanta.

[Drew Franklin]

You're bringing down my Spain trip, but that's okay. I'm going to get this suckling pig that Billy's talking about. It's week nine, so I'm probably not missing too much in life at that point, I don't think. And I'm heading to Spain.

[Billy Rutledge]

So in Spain, you know, they shut down the country to take a nap in the middle of the.

[Drew Franklin]

Now I'm all the way in.

[Billy Rutledge]

It's literally like, you know, it's like 1 to 3pm all stores close. People are expected to go home and relax and rest. I mean, you will never see that in the States as we've got to make as much money as possible at all times of the day. But Drew, you could work in an afternoon nap on the regular.

[Drew Franklin]

Exactly what I need after tailgating with my Bengals friends. It's also funny. I'm going to see a team that I could go watch every weekend. Really. They're an hour from my house in Cincinnati, living on the north side of Lexington. It is a very easy trip for me to go to a Bengals game. But you know, you know what? Why go to Pay Core when you can go to Real Madrid Stadium in

[Billy Rutledge]

Madrid and the Drunkest fan base in Cincinnati. They could have a good time in Spain.

[Drew Franklin]

And Spain just won the World Cup. Maybe that party's still going. Maybe I could catch the tail end of a World cup celebration. Watch the Bengals. That's my pick at number three for me and number six overall. So that leaves us with two each. You're up next, Billy.

[Billy Rutledge]

All right, two more to go. I will go to a Bengals game myself, Drew. And I will continue the trend of holidays spending away from my family. Week 17, New Year's Eve Thursday, December 31st. Give me Ravens at Bengals. The return of Trey Hendrickson as he is with the Baltimore Ravens now, and he will play in Cincinnati. Maybe the AFC north will be on the line during this game, and Baltimore's got a new head coach. And just like we said, Cincinnati hasn't made the playoffs in a while. I think both of these franchises are at a crossroads right now, and that could be a lot of fun. Thursday night, New Year's Eve action for football. I don't think we've had that in the NFL, have we?

[Drew Franklin]

I can't remember you mentioned the matchup. I completely forgot about the Trey Henderson angle. Obviously know about the new quarterback, right? Derek Henry will still be Derek Henry at that point because he's not human. But when you said it, my brain immediately went to New Year's Eve in Cincinnati. You got you excited about watching the ball drop in Cincinnati?

[Billy Rutledge]

I am.

[Drew Franklin]

You could. Honestly, you could come on home.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you know, maybe we'll find ourselves in a bar at that point. Hopefully not too crowded. Cincinnati nightlife may not be New York City nightlife on New Year's Eve, but I don't need all that Drew. People wear diapers on Times Square to take in the ball drop. Can you think of anything that you would want to do less than sit in a diaper and wait for that ball to drop?

[Drew Franklin]

I might love New York City more than anyone in the world. Absolutely love it. I'll do anything there except go to the ball drop. I want no part of that city on New York City.

[Billy Rutledge]

Exactly. So have a Skyline chili dog in Cincinnati.

[Drew Franklin]

Are you gonna wear a diaper for that?

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I mean, don't rule anything out,

[Drew Franklin]

but maybe you need diapers in both places. If you're eating Skyline with the drunken

[Billy Rutledge]

fan base, maybe you need that diaper. But, you know, these are two teams that have some pretty bad blood for each other and. But a night game on New Year's Eve, I think would be a lot of fun.

[Drew Franklin]

Great game there. I like it. You can celebrate on the banks. There's some good bars in Cincinnati. Or with it being an 815 game, as I said, you. You live near me. You could get home and watch Dick Clark and Ron C. Well, you know, Ryan Seacrest, RIP Dick Clark. But you could. You could. You could be home and on your couch in time for the. For midnight.

[Billy Rutledge]

Or maybe there's an overtime, there's a delay for some reason, and we get the midnight. Midnight during the game in the jungle. Yeah. Maybe a little rain delay, lightning delay or something like that.

[Drew Franklin]

You're rooting for a lightning delay.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Billy Rutledge]

Week 17, we need a little lightning delay so we can get the ball to drop during the Ravens Bengals game. All right.

[Drew Franklin]

I like it.

[Billy Rutledge]

So what have we got?

[Drew Franklin]

Hopefully Lamar will be healthy. I didn't have us having two Bengals games in our top 10 back to back here.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, it's a big year for Joe Burrow and in Zach Taylor, who I think if they don't make the playoffs this year, they probably make a change.

[Drew Franklin]

All right. Good pick again. You in the holidays?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, sorry.

[Drew Franklin]

Just trying to get away from. Sorry, folks.

[Billy Rutledge]

Mom, dad, fiance. She'll be wife by then.

[Drew Franklin]

So you're committed to the game.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, just like you bringing your child across the country to the 12th man.

[Drew Franklin]

Yep.

[Billy Rutledge]

And we're doing it for our family here.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, she needs to see Seattle on Christmas. And maybe your wife can go with you to celebrate New Year's Eve. Get that first New Year's kiss as a married couple.

[Billy Rutledge]

Come on down to Cincinnati.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. And pay court.

[Billy Rutledge]

So you have two more to select.

[Drew Franklin]

I do.

[Billy Rutledge]

And I've got one more. Where are we going next?

[Drew Franklin]

I'm going to keep it away from the holiday games. I've already used my international. I'm going to be a little more regular with this pick, but I am traveling to the other side of the country again with another NFC west game or at least an NFC west host. I want to watch the bills for a second time in my five picks. They're at LA, the Rams. Week five, Monday Night Football. These are your last two MVPs in Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford. Two super bowl contenders on each side. Could even be a Super bowl preview. Who knows? And two years ago, these teams met. It was 44 to 42, an absolute shootout. Josh Allen was on the losing end, but he had 400 yards and six touchdowns. Neither he nor Stafford had a touchdown. It was just an offensive, you know, shootout. I just use the word again. Those two just went back and forth. Rams getting the win. I think we're in for a great rematch and Stafford's likely last season. We all know as you said because you're going to see the Rams in Australia. Maybe Aaron Donald's playing got the Miles Garrett angle. Super bowl is in la so I'll go ahead and get a little preview of what's coming up in la. Also, who doesn't like a good trip to la? So I'm excited about this matchup and spending some time in California week five.

[Billy Rutledge]

I remember that game you said it was in 2024, December 2024. It was the color rush uniforms I believe because it was like ketchup and mustard were playing a football game in front of of us and I don't know where we're at on the color rush uniforms but that was an all timer like that was one of the best games I've seen. I guess not in person because I wasn't there but it just on TV it was just so exciting. So I like that. Two heavyweights when it comes to super bowl favorites this year and you're adopted member of Bill's Mafia so it would only make sense for you to spend your Thanksgiving there and then also go to a Monday Night Football game this year.

[Drew Franklin]

And at this point I've already been to Buffalo twice, both of them stadiums. Now I get to see how Bills travel road game I've actually seen. I went to Bill's Titans Monday Night Football in Nashville a few years ago. Great game, another thriller. Titans won it in a close one. But this is before I loved Bill's Mafia. I got to see them on Broadway. They are maniacs. They are absolutely crazy. I attended a Bill's wedding the day of the game. I got up early because I'd stayed the night before and I'm just on a coffee walk with my wife. We walked a little bridge there. I mean we were talking 10 hours before kickoff and we just happened to see two Bills fans getting married on the bridge in Nashville. And we got our picture with them. We stood in as witnesses and they had like a little Nashville street performer playing music for them. So I attended a Bill's wedding in Nashville. I've seen what they're like on the road. Now I can join them in LA as they go up against the Rams.

[Billy Rutledge]

So you're telling me Brown Spider and first lady getting married in the tailgating parking lot of a Browns game last year wasn't the only NFL wedding that there's been or you don't even know about?

[Drew Franklin]

No, I. I'll try to pull this up on the fly.

[Billy Rutledge]

I love that. They were just getting married on the bridge.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

At like, 10am on a Monday morning.

[Billy Rutledge]

Before or I guess after Titans built. Or was it before? Was it Monday?

[Drew Franklin]

It was the day of the Monday night game. So there's, like, people on their way to work, and we're just out getting coffees, trying to get some steps in before we, you know, hit Broadway. You don't want to get to Broadway too early. And we look up and there's this. This lovely couple getting married.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I hope the Bills won for their sake that day, because there'd be nothing worse than to get married and then go to a losing game. But that is the NFL, folks. That. That is where love can find each other. This is Drew showing me a.

[Drew Franklin]

There's video.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, you got a video of.

[Drew Franklin]

He's wearing a red suit with a blue shirt.

[Ad Voice / American Express]

Wow.

[Billy Rutledge]

That red suit's pretty bold, too.

[Drew Franklin]

There's a little jagged edge that they were playing for him.

[Billy Rutledge]

The speakers out.

[Drew Franklin]

Great time.

[Billy Rutledge]

Wow.

[Drew Franklin]

Also, more from that night. Another video. Titans 1. We got stuck in an elevator. Titans, you've been stuck in an elevator?

[Billy Rutledge]

No. That's a nightmare scenario, buddy.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't recommend it. I like. Well, actually, I say we.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I.

[Drew Franklin]

We were back at our hotel. We went up in groups. My group went up first, and we get out, and we're waiting for our friends to come up because we're going to a rooftop bar. And we're waiting, and we're waiting, and then we hear yelling in the walls. And I'm thinking, oh, no, these idiots. They. Out of excitement for the Titans. Did the jumping in the elevator move?

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, no.

[Drew Franklin]

No one in this group is under £230. They get stuck between floors, and I can hear them yelling, and they call me to go get help. So I have to go down to the front desk through the other elevator because there's two elevators, get help, and then meet the maintenance man on this floor. And that's what this video shows. I'm sorry. This is a podcast to keep showing videos. Maybe Mario. I don't know if my friends would want this on camera, but we have to pull them out, and they're all sweaty. But we had just left Nissan Stadium when those idiots thought they would jump in an elevator.

[Billy Rutledge]

So the elevator's not on the floor exactly. Kind of like crawl out of there? Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

We pried the door open and pulled all them out and then kept the party going. So it was really an eventful Monday for me with Bill's Mafia in Nashville.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Billy Rutledge]

I think I'd take the stairs next couple times after something like that, but luckily you were on the outside of that elevator, not actually in it.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, there you go. See, there's. See the maintenance man. It's got a nice ponytail.

[Billy Rutledge]

So how long did it take for you to get help? Like, was it like a 30 hour?

[Drew Franklin]

I will say everyone worked pretty quickly. They weren't in there more than 10 or 15 minutes, but it was an uncomfortable 10 or 15 minutes.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's not bad. That's not bad.

[Drew Franklin]

Also, look at this beautiful couple. There's the photo of us being witnesses in the wedding.

[Billy Rutledge]

Now, that is. Who did you say it was? Bill's.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, Bill's fans. I mean, look at the.

[Billy Rutledge]

Mario.

[Drew Franklin]

Maybe we'll have to post this because I'm talking about a visual here on a podcast, but look at the. The bride's dad has beautiful long hair. He's wearing a red shirt and blue tie. Just a heck of a Monday. Going from being in a wedding to helping friends get stuck in an elevator. Pulled out of a stuck elevator after the Titans beat the Bills on Monday Night Football.

[Billy Rutledge]

What an eventful day.

[Drew Franklin]

So that's what I'm doing in la.

[Billy Rutledge]

All right, so we both have one pick left. I have run out of holidays to avoid my family on, so I'm gonna have to pick something else. I'm gonna go a little selfish here and I'm going back to Chicago. Give me Bucks at Bears Sunday Night Football weeknight nine. Got to see my Bucks in action somewhere. But this is an interesting moment. I mean, both teams are about to go on their bye week, and I think, you know, the Bucks have a ton of division games after this moment, so I think it's. It could be for both teams. It kind of. Are you ready for the final stretch of the year? Week 9, Sunday Night Football action. The Bears play New England, Seattle, and then Tampa Bay from week seven through nine. I think you're going to learn a lot about the Bears. And if Baker Mayfield's healthy. I like the Bucks chances, even on the road.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm not sure about two trips to Chicago, but this is a great game. Have you. I know we saw your Bucks last year in Buffalo. That was a one o' clock game. Have you ever been to a prime time NFL game, like I just mentioned, going to Monday Night Football?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yes, I have.

[Drew Franklin]

It's, it's. It's a different animal.

[Billy Rutledge]

The night, like, atmosphere is different. And even for like a Thursday Night Football Jags, Titans game, which I've been To before, it's just. It gets a little bit more amped up under the lights.

[Drew Franklin]

It's like you know that you're the only game on tv. Correct. Even though you're there, you can feel the broadcast is different. All out are on you. The night game makes it special, even though it may not even be meaningful. Like a lot of games, it's. It. It feels like a different beast when you're at a. At a primetime game. So I like the Sunday Night Football game.

[Billy Rutledge]

You're right. I'm going to Chicago twice. I guess I loved it so much on my bachelor party, I've got to go twice. But again, like, they might be in Indiana soon, so it could be not the same moving forward after this year. Or maybe after a couple years.

[Drew Franklin]

Maybe you should just get season tickets and sell the other games and just go to your two. You got Christmas. And then what is this one? Week nine, Sunday Night Football?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. And I guess I'm standing in for Matt today, and that's why the allegiance is coming out of me since he's not on the show.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, this one might come to fruition. We've talked about going to this as a podcast because two nights after Bucks Bears, our Kentucky Wildcats play Kansas in Chicago in the Champions Classic. So you could go watch both your teams. You could watch Bucs on a Sunday night, hang around Monday, go back to the Bean, take more pictures of the Bean, in case you forgot what it looks like. And then on Tuesday, you could watch college basketball.

[Billy Rutledge]

Now I know why, subconsciously, I want to keep going back to Chicago. It's that big Bean, Drew. You see your face in the Bean and you just never go. You know, life isn't the same after that.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, enjoy your, your, your two times in Chicago.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

I will.

[Billy Rutledge]

So what's. What are you going to round this out with?

[Drew Franklin]

There's a lot left. I mean, none of us have picked week one. Super bowl rematch, Pats, Seahawks. Well, no one's picked the Pats at all. Ravens play at Buffalo. Remember week one last year, that game, the Comeback? Yes.

[Billy Rutledge]

We sat here and watched it on this TV right here.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, yeah, we like. Well, let's go and start the podcast. This game's over and then we epic comeback. But I'm already going to Buffalo once and seeing the Bills again in la. I can't pick that one. I think I'm going to copy your format and no one else out there listening to this will agree with this as the 10th best game on our schedule. But I got to see My Titans one last time in Nissan Stadium.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, yeah, they're moving into a new stadium next year.

[Drew Franklin]

So many memories. I just talked about going to Monday Night Football there, being a part the of wedding, helping people get out of an elevator. I've been to playoffs games there. They've not gone well. I went and saw the Ravens rip our hearts out in 2008. I was in there wearing my Chris Johnson jersey. Shout out, Chris Johnson. I had a CJ2K jersey on. We had Kerry Collins at quarterback. We lost on a field goal when they went. When the Ravens went to kick the field goal, I turned around and put my head like face first into the bleacher seat and like a Ravens fan behind me, like had a hand on my back. I didn't watch it go through. I just. I felt the energy of the crack and that's all I needed to know, that the Ravens had won. I was also there for the playoffs against the Bengals. Just three or four years ago, Titans were a one seed, hosting in the playoffs. I was convinced we're going to the super bowl. And a young Joe Burrow rips our hearts out in that game. Now that I keep talking about it, not a lot of great playoff memories, but I have to say goodbye to Nissan Stadium. So I pull up the schedule. I want to be at the last game. I don't need to go to week whatever against the Colts. I don't need division. It's not the best division in football. I want to be at the last one so I can cry and I can walk that bridge one last time. And it just so happens they're hosting the Steelers, so I can also wave goodbye to Aaron Rodgers.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, yes.

[Drew Franklin]

Week 18 Steelers at Titans is my pick. Goodbye to Nissan Stadium. Goodbye to Aaron Rodgers. It's a game no one will be talking about at that point in the season. Can't imagine these teams are in contention. But I got to say, Freddie, wow,

[Billy Rutledge]

Very poetic to end this, this little game here for the last game at Nissan Stadium. I love that. Not only that, but you'll get Aaron Rodgers his final game because there's no way they're making the playoffs this year

[Drew Franklin]

if he's still healthy at that point.

[Billy Rutledge]

If he's still. Yeah. Even in it. We'll get to him in a little bit with the news, but we got some stuff on him. But I like that. Drew, you were really bringing me back down memory lane there. The Kerry Collins was at the 13 and 3 year for the Titans.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, he was balling.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, that was. That was A strange anomaly of a year for Titans fans. But I'm going to miss Nissan Stadium. I spent some time in Nashville. I interned at the local radio station down there. Met Marcus Mariota on the streets one day. It's going to be a little bittersweet, don't you think?

[Drew Franklin]

It's a good time. It needs to. To go. The new one's looking good. I was there recently, driving by. It's coming along, but there's the upper foundation. Like, you're just sitting on these cracks and you're like, is this building okay? Like, it's already to be. Not that old. It's not in the best shape.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, now you get to host Super Bowl. Now that's the whole point, right? Is you get a dome and you can play these games in February.

[Drew Franklin]

I just thought of another Nissan Stadium memory. Did you know that I was at every game during COVID when there were no crowds? Everyone didn't miss a single one. I was on the. On a banner in the end zone. Okay. Where there were no fans and they printed out big, not like a cutout in the crowd. I was like on the wall in the end zone for every game to the point. Josh Allen, who played a couple Kentucky played place for the Jags, obviously Josh Heinz Allen now.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's right.

[Drew Franklin]

He did an interview. He was a Jag to preview, I guess maybe Kentucky had a bowl game in Jacksonville and, you know, it's the zooming days. We're all at home and I'm on the zoom. I'm not even asking questions. And he goes, drew, I was like, why is Josh Hines Allen calling me out? He's like, did I see you on the wall at Nissan Stadium? I think he might have scored a touchdown that game and ran towards it. And there I am on the wall, big smile on a Titan shirt. So, wow. Even though I wasn' I was there.

[Billy Rutledge]

I had no idea.

[Drew Franklin]

Yep, a friend made that happen. The new someone in marketing. It wasn't like a little bitty thing where I was blending in with other people. It was pretty prominent location.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, a good person to do it is somebody that's been a loyal fan for all these years. Even though you wavered a little bit with Buffalo last year and the Titans kind of broke up with you via email last year as well. Now you're still all in, though of

[Drew Franklin]

course I will love them forever. Listen, couples, they go through things. Sometimes you fight, sometimes you. You fall in love with a guy named Pino Ron and his meatballs in a bedpan. And the mustard I stepped outside my Titans relationship for one Sunday for a few hours, had a little fling with the Bills. But just like they broke up with me via email, we got back together. Because love is love, Billy, and I will love the Tennessee Titans forever. Even if I don't know how much success is in our future, I will still be there rooting along.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, speaking of couples going through things, we're going to be going through some things after we're gone for New Year's Eve, for Christmas, for Thanksgiving and all the important holidays.

[Drew Franklin]

That's a fun game. Yeah, that was fun. Glad you get to see the Bengals and Bears so much.

[Billy Rutledge]

I guess I'm going to two Bears games and we both are going to be watching some Bengals games. You in Madrid?

[Drew Franklin]

Can't wait. What am I getting again? Suckling pig.

[Billy Rutledge]

Suckling pig. Yep.

[Drew Franklin]

And me and Bill's mafia are going to take over LA in week five. Looking forward to that. But those are NFL cover zeros. Top 10 games. In theory. I don't know if Those are the 10 games of the year, but as we set the rules, that's how it shakes out. Billy, that was a lot of fun. I wish we could even pull some of them off. I think your Bucs Bears it can be done for NFL cover zero.

[Billy Rutledge]

Sounds very doable.

[Drew Franklin]

We get busy this time of year, but I think we could pull that one off actually. Going to Christmas or Seattle on Christmas. I don't know if I'll be doing that, but it was fun. Exercise. Moving on. As we do as always, we wrap up our podcast with the latest news. It is the off season. Training camps are ahead, so it'll be getting newsy quickly. But here lately hadn't been a ton of stuff. But Billy, we do have a short list of topics of things since we've last recorded an episode. So what do you want to start with?

[Billy Rutledge]

Start with Tom Brady the. The Goat, you could say. He is reportedly in negotiations with the WWE regarding a possible appearance at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. I don't know if you saw this over the weekend. Him and Logan Paul were doing this. This thing where they're slapping each other and they're flipping each other off at the World cup final. You know, Gronk was in the ring at WWE over nine years ago, but do you think we will see a Logan Paul Tom Brady matchup in the WWE soon?

[Drew Franklin]

I think so. And I hate this. I'm not even a Tom Brady fan. But he's the Goat. He's a legend. Why are you. Yeah, why Are you hanging out with the Pauls like the man? This is something I would expect, like, Jackson Dart to do, like, right now, while he's still young. Why is Tom Brady flipping off Logan Paul at a World cup match? I know it's the staged feud to build up drama for whatever they're going to do and make money, but of all people, Tom Brady, I wish he wasn't doing it.

[Billy Rutledge]

People online were calling it divorced dad energy, and I kind of agree with that. Tom is kind of. He's entered this new phase of life where he's doing all these different things. He's also associating himself with the Paul brothers. Like you said, Logan Paul has offered a million dollars to fight any NFL player, and that currently stands. I think Le'Veon Bell wanted to take him up on that offer, and then he backed out of it. But that's who we're talking about here. Le'Veon Bell's of the world, not Tom Brady's. So I, you know, my radio co host said, you know, that was probably a childhood dream of Tom's, and, And that's a cool event to be a part of, but I, I'm with you. I think it cheapest him a little bit.

[Drew Franklin]

I need less of the Pauls. We've had too much Paul's. They're fine, but we've had too much of them. And it's like Tom Brady's even elevating their status by associating with them. You're Tom Brady. You have all these business ventures going on.

[Billy Rutledge]

You're.

[Drew Franklin]

You work for Fox. You own an NFL team, you got all these companies. You're doing roasts. You don't need to hang with the Pauls.

[Billy Rutledge]

No, but, you know, he's now, what, a part owner in the Raiders, and they just drafted Mendoza number, number one overall. So you think he. He's got his hands in that right now, but when it comes to, like, pop culture, he's doing a little bit of everything. The roasts, right? There was a Tom Brady roast recently, too.

[Drew Franklin]

I did enjoy the roast. I had no problems with the roast.

[Billy Rutledge]

That was a good. I, I liked the roast, too. Kevin Hart did a good job as the host of that. So Tom Brady, you might see him in the WWE ring here pretty soon.

[Drew Franklin]

I will not, because I will not watch.

[Billy Rutledge]

Speaking of quarterbacks, Netflix's Quarterback Season 3 came out recently. Actually, both two episodes are out now. They're following four quarterbacks. Baker Mayfield, Jaden Daniels, Joe Flacco, and Cam Ward. And Drew. I watched the first episode the other day. Can I give you some highlights from it, please? Because I'm not sure if you've seen it yet or not, but it's on my list.

[Drew Franklin]

But when you have a. We have an infant at home TV shows, you don't see as many as you used to.

[Billy Rutledge]

I understand. But, you know, I've enjoyed this series. I think it's taken over Hard Knocks for me as my favorite kind of off season NFL show. Joe Flacco was benched by his son in fantasy football. I always appreciate that.

[Drew Franklin]

I did catch a clip of that on social media. Big fan of that.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Yes.

[Billy Rutledge]

They just love giving it to him, honestly. And him going from Cleveland to Cincinnati is going to be really interesting. Cam Ward, his mom stole the show. I think in the first episode, she was telling all these stories about Cam. You went into his childhood bedroom and saw the pictures of Kobe Bryant on the wall. And then she had his first speeding ticket framed. And she had kept it all these years. And I guess Cam had waited till they got to church for him to tell her that he had got a speeding ticket. Well, that did not go over well for her. She has kept the speeding ticket all these years. So to see Cam and his mom was, I thought, pretty cool.

[Drew Franklin]

I like my quarterback's IQ that he thought, you know, he thought that through. Where should I tell her this bad news? Oh, she can't be that mad in church. I'll hand it to her then. I like that. That shows some.

[Billy Rutledge]

And I also like Cam kind of seeing behind the scenes about him. I think he's kind of got the temperament to be a good NFL quarterback.

[Drew Franklin]

Big fan of Cam. I was just hating on my Titans a little bit. I love him. I'm excited about Cam. You think he'll be good? I'm excited. It's all about, you know, a lot of stuff around him, but I think he was a great pick and has a bright future.

[Billy Rutledge]

Baker Mayfield started off the episode and it was a lot to do with him meeting his wife. We didn't see a lot about his NFL journey or not. I expect a lot more Baker and a lot more trash talk because there's not many better offense like quarterbacks that can trash talk as much as Baker Mayfield. So there's still a lot more to be discovered there. And then Jaden Daniels. I mean, I had forgotten how good his rookie season was. Oh, yeah, like he was rookie of the year. Led Washington to do the NFC championship game before that injury, which has not happened in the series yet. I'm Going to be catching that up soon. I mean, he was maybe the darling of the NFL, so seeing him work through that process of instinct was. Was pretty interesting, too.

[Drew Franklin]

His dynamic with his mom has been a popular topic. Is that. Does it cover that in there?

[Billy Rutledge]

She's in it. Yep. Not so much of she's my agent. Why that's a good decision over getting another agent. But she's very involved with everything that he does. Yeah. And people have said kind of like Lamar Jackson, who I think his mom also represents him. Maybe not the best decision, but that's what some people say.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, for our purposes, it's got our quarterbacks in it. And then the Flacco story is great. Jayden Daniel, that's. That's a fine addition, but I'll make sure I see it in when we get done here. I'm going straight home. We got bad weather in Lexington. Maybe I'll just go ahead and knock out a couple episodes.

[Billy Rutledge]

Speaking of quarterbacks, Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has remained distant from his immediate family over the years, posted pictures on Instagram over the weekend with his mom and his dad and his brother.

[Drew Franklin]

I like that this has been a big talking point about Aaron Rodgers since he's been in the league. You know, it's weird when people don't talk to their parents. Like, you got to get to a real bad place to just not associate with your parents at all. So even though I'm not an Aaron, Roger, Roger sky, it's important to love your family. So I'm glad that all that they had going on, whatever it was, it's been speculated about, but I'm glad that they're back on the same page.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I think it's been for a while, too. I think the reported feud started in 2014. His brother Jordan Rogers went on the Bachelor, I think, or Bachelorette, one of the two in which some of that dirty laundry was aired. And it's, you know, we are the podcast that makes fun of Aaron Rodgers, as Matt likes to do. But he was our last quarterback in the draft the other day. But to see him making up with his family over the weekend.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, and I mean, I'm going to see him in week 18 in Nashville.

[Billy Rutledge]

He's still playing, so I'm glad it's working out.

[Drew Franklin]

Do you worry that we're going to be in an Aaron Rodgers situation? Do you think our family will be estranged when they see our schedule of where we're going?

[Billy Rutledge]

That's actually a great point, especially since I'm just getting married in the month of August and you have your first child. I think timing could not have been worse for our escapades here.

[Drew Franklin]

Matt's the main hater of Aaron Rodgers. I'm not the biggest fan but I will say the man can throw the football.

[Billy Rutledge]

He can.

[Drew Franklin]

It's a little sad seeing him rotted out this long. Who knows, maybe you'll surprise us. But he is, you know, on the Mount Rushmore guys that could just sling it.

[Billy Rutledge]

But I would not have guessed he would outlasted Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh.

[Drew Franklin]

Not at all.

[Billy Rutledge]

So it's going to be interesting year for the Steelers, no doubt.

[Drew Franklin]

But good for the Rogers is right. Rogers, Rogers.

[Billy Rutledge]

A couple other things. The Titans are going to induct Chris Johnson into their ring of honor in this this season. He's the first Titans only player in the Titans Oilers franchise to receive this honor. It will be on September 13th against the New York Jets. So you gotta think they may be up at halftime when they do the ceremony.

[Drew Franklin]

They pick that game.

[Billy Rutledge]

Recently Chris went public with his ALS diagnosis. He had six straight seasons of a thousand yards rushing, just under 8,000 total yards. That's fourth in Titans history. And CJ2K, what was that 2009 that that happened?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Just incredible. He was. It was like watching the game character, the way he would run, break tackles. All those other years were good too. But the 2k year was special. As I mentioned, I had a Chris Johnson jersey. I'm so glad the Titans aren't waiting around to do this. We saw how quickly ALS has moved through him and impacted him, so I'm glad he's going to get his moment. Too many times in situations, teams and franchises wait to recognize somebody when they're gone and don't really get to live it and appreciate it. I'm glad they're prior to priority prioritizing getting him up in the ring of honor and letting him have a celebration in Nashville because that is in a place that's been loaded with running backs. You know, Eddie George, Derek Henry, you can go way back to Oilers days. For others that's true. CJ was special and I'm glad he's going to get that moment.

[Billy Rutledge]

Little surprise, he's the only Titans only player. I guess Eddie George was a Oiler back in the day.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, that's. It's, it's hard to believe, but I guess if you're counting anyone that played in Houston, like even McNair was in Houston for a little bit.

[Billy Rutledge]

Right.

[Drew Franklin]

There should be more though. I mean they've been the Titans for 17 years now. 16, 17.

[Billy Rutledge]

Derek Henry, right. He'll be, he'll be one of them, I'm sure.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, he's, he's been a Raven, so he doesn't fit the category.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I guess that's true. I guess I just didn't mean that they played for the Oilers as well.

[Drew Franklin]

But yeah, good, good, good on the Titans for getting it done early. Glad, glad it's happening. Also, he's brought back the ice bucket challenge. I've been seeing that going around lately.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, maybe we should do that in honor of Chris Johnson.

[Drew Franklin]

You've got to be challenged. So if anyone wants to challenge us, I guess we will.

[Billy Rutledge]

A couple more. Two more. We'll end this thing at 5, 10 in the morning. Saturday, Saquon Barkley's house was robbed, or at least attempted to be robbed. Two suspects broke into his home while Barkley and his family were home. No one was injured and the suspects fled the scene. Barkley is now added to the list of high profile NFL and NBA athletes who have seen their house broken into over the last. What would you say, like 3, 4, 5?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, this has been crazy. I know Burrow was a very popular one. We learned that this ring was targeting these players when they knew they were. You know, if I'm watching them on Sunday Night Football, I know they're not home. I just can't think of anyone I'd want to mess with less than an NFL player.

[Billy Rutledge]

You see the quads on Saquon Barkley and you're like, that's who you're going to try to rob. I don't think that'd be a very smart decision. But, you know, strange that he was home with his family while it happened. You know, I got to think that could probably shake you up after something like that.

[Drew Franklin]

Absolutely scary situation. I guess all these guys probably have to be ramping up security at home. You know, the little ring camera can only go so far. People are robbing you when you're home in the middle of the night. So scary, scary stuff. And odd that it seems to be the NFL that's targeted so much. I haven't really seen any of these stories out of other pro leagues.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you remember Joe Burrow was the victim of this a couple years ago. And so like you said, they were kind of waiting until they were playing. And I now guess they're getting even bolder. But everybody's okay. Nobody was injured, suspects left, but they did enter the home just this past weekend.

[Drew Franklin]

I bet you no one's robbing Miles Garrett or Aaron Donald's house?

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you'd think that, but Saquon, I feel like, is on that list. Right.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

So.

[Billy Rutledge]

But you're right, you know, it's Miles Garrett's house. You're probably not going to go in there. And finally, we had a good time talking about bad celebrity golfers on cover zero the other day. I want to take you back to the American Century Championship in South Lake Tahoe where all those celebs were playing. Did you see the viral clip of Jerry Rice and what he did?

[Drew Franklin]

I did. This came out right after we talked about it last week. I wish we had seen it before.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. So Jerry Rice is, you know, teeing off, and right after he tees off, a heckler yells four. But this is right after he hits the ball. So it's a little early on.

[Drew Franklin]

The four seemed intentional.

[Billy Rutledge]

Jerry immediately turns around and goes under the ropes and starts running after the heckler that has already started to walk away. Jerry is asking the audience, which one? Which one? As he runs towards this heckler. After a few brief words, he then comes back, and that's the end of the fiasco. But it is a little jarring to see Jerry rice, who is 63 years old, holding a club, going under the ropes and chasing a heckler after somebody yelled for.

[Drew Franklin]

And Jerry Rice can still move at 63.

[Billy Rutledge]

He's still. He's still got a little quickness in him.

[Drew Franklin]

Doesn't he fully support Jerry Rice here? I mean, glad he didn't, you know, get his hands on him and do anything he regrets. But it was an intentional yelling in his backswing. People are getting a little too confident in themselves lately. A lot of it is online, but people, even in golf tournaments think, you can do this. I'm glad Jerry gave him a little scare there. Let him know this is unacceptable behavior.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, like, even like in NBA games, I feel like we see this where the. The fans are right there, and sometimes, you know, a player will fall into them or make a comment that can be heard very easily by these players. NFL is a little different since the sideline is a little farther away. But you see this often in the NBA where people have to be escorted out or banned for life after they think they can say these things to professional athletes. It's like when I'm behind my car windshield, Drew. Like, I just don't act like myself. I'll just start screaming at people I would never scream at because I'm behind that windshield. And I guess I think I have some security there.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. You mentioned it doesn't have the NFL, but let's not forget DK Metcalf with the Lions fan last year. Almost happened there. The fans just need to calm down. Cheers for your team. Heckle a little bit, because that's part of it. But when you're just intentionally being a jerk, you need to be brought down a notch. So Jerry Rice, of all people, going full sprint through the golf course there, I had to have been jarring to the person that thought they were being cute.

[Ad Voice / American Express]

Yeah.

[Billy Rutledge]

How crazy would that be if he came up to you after you've walked away, like you think this interaction's over, Jerry Rice taps you on the shoulder to say, hey, that wasn't cool.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Of all people, Jerry Rice, hall of Fame legend. You know, you're sitting there just full of regret, wishing you hadn't done it. I think it was a young person probably thinking, my dad's going to kick my. When this video comes out, knowing Jerry Rice just chased me down the golf course. But good for Jerry. This is where people say, shrink the game in golf. This is where we need to shrink the game. Show some. Some respect, especially to Jerry Rice.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. I mean, that's the greatest receiver of all time still, right?

[Drew Franklin]

Certainly in the conversation.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. I mean, I'm going to selfishly put Mike Evans in that conversation. He tied Jerry Rice's record for consecutive thousand yard seasons to start a season or start a career. So he's up there.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I'd say Jerry's probably. Probably still the goat. Maybe we can debate that on another podcast.

[Billy Rutledge]

I think this was a great podcast. Drew, good job filling in. Thank you. Gone.

[Drew Franklin]

Matt will be back next week. Maybe we'll do another draft. It's been fun summer content, but this one was a blast. Kind of going over the NFL schedule and learning how much Billy loves the Bengals and the city of Chicago.

[Billy Rutledge]

I guess so.

[Drew Franklin]

Billy was fun. We'll do it again. Until then, thank you all for listening to NFL Cover Zero. And we'll be back next week as we get closer and closer and closer to the season.

[Billy Rutledge]

Foreign.

[Drew Franklin]

With Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and I Heart Podcast. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.