NFL Cover Zero: Launching Season 2, Top Summer Stories

Summary

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NFL Cover Zero – Launching Season 2, Top Summer Stories

Podcast: NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin
Episode Date: June 30, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

Matt Jones and Drew Franklin kick off Season 2 of NFL Cover Zero by reflecting on personal milestones, previewing their upgraded show, and diving into the NFL’s most talked-about stories from the summer. With the help of occasional guest Billy R, they break down the biggest trades, retirements, controversies, and off-field antics leading into the 2026 season. As always, the discussion is candid, fun, and unapologetically accessible for football fans who enjoy both the sport and its surrounding culture.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Season 2 Launch & Life Updates

• Drew’s New Fatherhood:
  • Drew shares how new parenthood has dramatically changed his schedule and routine, including recurring baby feeding, learning on the fly, and navigating baby-related classes and Google searches.
  • “It's just nonstop… There's just so many contraptions…pumps and bottles and diapers and pee pads. But it's been awesome.” – Drew Franklin (06:11)
• Matt’s Take:
  • Matt jokes about licensing births, the universal challenge of new parenthood, and baby beauty standards.
  • “I think most babies look like Winston Churchill.” – Matt Jones (07:27)
• Friendly Banter:
  • The hosts debate whether you could pick your baby out among a group, and discuss baby fandom legacies (Titans vs. Cowboys loyalties).

Notable Moment: Drew notes his baby has only thrown up on him while he’s wearing a Titans shirt, suggesting, “She’s sending a sign.” (09:05)

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2. Top NFL Summer News Stories

a. Brandon Aiyuk’s Social Media Meltdown & Trade to Commanders

(11:22–15:22)

• Matt recaps Aiyuk’s explosive departure from the 49ers and his trade to the Commanders amidst social media rants about unpaid “guaranteed money.”
• Drew: “I would love adding the talent, but I would wonder maybe his headspace a little bit.” (11:55)
• Debate: Whether teams should “lean into” a disgruntled player’s public feuds or just ignore them.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “‘It's only guaranteed if it's actually guaranteed.’” – Matt Jones (12:24)
  • “He also said Kyle Shanahan has the temper of a toddler.” – Billy R (14:30)
• Prediction: Aiyuk’s emotional game back in San Francisco could be “circled on his calendar.”

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b. Blockbuster Offseason Trades

(15:26–18:47; 25:59–30:39)

• Myles Garrett Traded to Rams:
  • Rams trade for Garrett (the reigning single-season sack record holder), signaling an all-in Super Bowl push and rumors of Aaron Donald’s return.
  • “I think Sean McVay probably is not going to coach that much longer, which is odd because he's very young.” – Matt Jones (15:52)
  • “They're a heavy favorite. The Super Bowl is in LA next year... they have to get it done.” – Drew Franklin (17:44)
• A.J. Brown to Patriots:
  • Eagles send Brown to New England. Hosts note drama around AJ’s maturity and whether the Patriots will regress.
  • “This got more attention than his talent at this stage of his career deserves.” – Matt Jones (26:17)
  • AJ’s questionable Patriots loyalty: childhood photos exposed as AI fakes. “If that's AI, you're out.” – Matt Jones (28:45)
  • Discussion about the Patriots’ likely regression given their tougher schedule.

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c. The Madden Curse and Quarterback Class Hype

(30:48–34:49)

• Caleb Williams as Madden 27 Cover Athlete:
  • First Bears player on the cover, with speculation on the famed “Madden curse.”
• Trademark Snafu:
  • Williams fails to trademark “Iceman” due to an old boot company.
  • “If he's trying to get the Iceman thing from George Gervin, that's kind of lame. But if it’s a boot company, who cares?” – Matt Jones (33:40)
• 2026 Quarterback Landscape:
  • Assessing the potential of Williams, Jaden Daniels, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy as a historically strong QB class.

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d. Sauce Gardner Age Controversy

(42:01–46:43)

• Trade to Colts & Age Debacle:
  • Sauce clarifies his actual age (24, not 25) amid widespread reporting errors.
  • “They self-verify birthdays when they enter the league... Well, I should be on Rya as 39.” – Matt Jones (43:01)
  • Skepticism and banter about NFL documentation and self-reported ages.

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e. Russell Wilson Retires, Joins TV

(47:42–49:39)

• Retirement accolades (10 Pro Bowls, 1 Super Bowl). Joins CBS as analyst after declining Jets job.
• Hosts debate his “cornball” image and speculate on his TV success.
  • “He seems like a complete cornball, but I still think he could do well in TV if he does it right.” – Matt Jones (49:12)
  • “If he comes in like Mr. Expert, he’s going to be Kendrick Perkins without the cool accent.” – Matt Jones (49:25)

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f. Travis Kelce’s Wedding & Fame

(53:44–59:34)

• New contract, upcoming wedding to Taylor Swift at MSG.
• Discussion on Kelce’s fame, with consensus he is now “the most famous player in the league.”
  • “I bet the Swifties, a lot of them can only name him and no one else, and there's trillions of them.” – Drew Franklin (55:14)

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g. Joe Burrow’s “2019 LSU Vibes” & Bengals Outlook

(59:36–64:54)

• Burrow claims the team’s vibe matches his championship LSU year.
• Debate on if that’s realistic, analysis of Bengals’ easy schedule and expectations.
  • “He's going to regret that quote.” – Matt Jones (60:03)
  • Talk of Bengals tailgating, and all-time inspiring sports stories.

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h. Jacksonville Jaguars’ Special Teams – Long Snapper Spotlight

(65:00–69:24)

• Jags sign Ross Matiscik to richest long snapper contract; high praise for Jacksonville’s special teams.
• Nostalgia about kicking, discussion on how much easier kicking has gotten.
  • "We got to make kicking harder. It's too easy." – Matt Jones (65:25)
  • “They got to bring back the one-bar facemask.” – Drew Franklin (68:20)

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i. Chris Johnson Diagnosed with ALS

(69:26–71:54)

• Touching segment:
  • The former Titans/Arizona legend and 2,000-yard rusher reveals ALS diagnosis.
  • “To see him having to use that machine, that was heartbreaking.” – Drew Franklin (69:57)
  • Hosts recall his career sparkle and the impact of ALS on several in the sports community.

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j. 2026: NFL's Record International Expansion

(71:54–76:42)

• Nine international games:
  • First games in Melbourne, Rio, Paris, as well as Madrid, Munich, Mexico City, and London.
  • Thursday night game in Australia: 49ers vs. Rams at the MCG.
  • Banter about the term “fixtures” and the logistics of Australian time zones.
  • “If their punters are not Australian, they should fire those people.” – Matt Jones (73:12)
• NFL Schedule Expansion:
  • Discussion of NFL’s “holiday takeover” (Wednesday-Thanksgiving-Black Friday multi-day football).
  • Matt & Drew rave about spreading out games for 13 straight days in September.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Exchanges

• “It's just nonstop…” – Drew Franklin on fatherhood (06:11)
• “It's only guaranteed if it's actually guaranteed.” – Matt Jones on NFL contracts (12:24)
• “If that's AI, you're out.” – Matt Jones on A.J. Brown’s doctored Patriots photos (28:45)
• “We got to make kicking harder. It's too easy.” – Matt Jones (65:25)
• “He seems like a complete cornball, but I still think he could do well in TV if he does it right.” – Matt Jones on Russell Wilson (49:12)
• “I bet the Swifties can only name him and no one else, and there's trillions of them.” – Drew Franklin on Travis Kelce (55:14)

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Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |-----------|---------------| | 03:01 | Season 2 launch, Drew’s fatherhood update | | 11:22 | Brandon Aiyuk trade & social media beef | | 15:26 | Myles Garrett blockbuster trade, Rams’ strategy | | 25:59 | A.J. Brown trade, Patriots regression predictions | | 30:48 | Caleb Williams Madden cover, QB class discussion | | 42:01 | Sauce Gardner age controversy, trade to Colts | | 47:42 | Russell Wilson retires, joins CBS TV | | 53:44 | Travis Kelce contract & upcoming wedding | | 59:36 | Bengals expectations, Burrow’s “LSU vibes” | | 65:00 | Jaguars’ long snapper, kicking in football | | 69:26 | Chris Johnson ALS diagnosis tribute | | 71:54 | NFL international schedule, Australia game | | 76:42 | Season outlook, upcoming episodes preview |

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Final Thoughts & What’s Next

• Matt and Drew will be releasing weekly episodes leading into the NFL season, amping up to two per week closer to kickoff.
• Guest lineup will include alumni of the NFL’s broadcasting bootcamp, promising new voices in football media.
• The team continues its signature mix of grounded fandom, humor, and approachable analytical takes.

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For those who missed the episode:
This installment offers both a primer on 2026’s most newsworthy NFL happenings and the vibrant, off-the-cuff chemistry that makes NFL Cover Zero a must-listen for fans who like football talk “for the rest of us.”

Transcript

[Jessa]

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[Matt Jones]

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[Commercial Announcer]

2.

[Jessa]

Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zepbound.lilly.com My name is Jessa.

[Matt Jones]

One of the things I love the most about working for UnitedHealthcare is that everybody matters. Every moment matters. There's a person behind every problem. I care because it's what I was put on this earth to do. I'm Ben and I work at UnitedHealthcare. I am just one piece of a larger puzzle, but every piece matters. It's more than just work.

[Drew Franklin]

We want to make the healthcare system better for everyone.

[Matt Jones]

I care because I want to make a difference. That's what committed to care means to me. NFL Cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iheart Pod. It is. It is season two of NFL Cover Zero. Matt Jones, Drew Franklin and the occasional guest of Billy R Sports. We are back for a second year. That's right. To the surprise of everyone, the NFL decided they wanted another year of us talking about the league. And so here we are with updated cameras. What do you think? Are we looking better? I don't know. Drew Franklin is with me. We haven't been with Drew in a while. He had a baby. It's been like crying and eating and now you're here and we're back for season two.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, actually not too much crying. I've been very lucky, been had a great run or having a great run as a dad. But I did have missed a few shows around the draft and I don't think we've been sitting together since San Francisco.

[Matt Jones]

What has been the biggest change in your life post baby? Besides like all the warmth in your heart? Oh, it's cute. I have things to live for, all that kind of stuff. Like just as a practical impact, it.

[Drew Franklin]

I have been surprised at just how much time it takes. Like you're constantly changing a diaper or you know, my wife will feed her and then it's like time to feed her again and then after that.

[Matt Jones]

How much do you feed?

[Drew Franklin]

About every two hours is what it takes. Sometimes a little longer every two hours. But when she gets hungry, she'll start crying and that's when you know. But it's. It's just non stop.

[Matt Jones]

How much are you feeding?

[Drew Franklin]

About 4 ounces. If we're.

[Matt Jones]

I don't know if we're gonna be specific.

[Billy R]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I wonder if.

[Drew Franklin]

Did you really want to know how much?

[Matt Jones]

I'm more of a believer in six ounces.

[Drew Franklin]

Okay.

[Matt Jones]

And then maybe every two weeks you

[Drew Franklin]

might get a little full doing that.

[Matt Jones]

So how did it.

[Drew Franklin]

Just nonstop.

[Matt Jones]

How did you learn like, how many ounces per hour? Like, because that's not something. You know, I can't even get my blinds to work. So I feel like you're, like, knowing what to do with, like, an entity. A being.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Human.

[Matt Jones]

How did you learn that?

[Drew Franklin]

I will say that not a lot out there.

[Matt Jones]

You got.

[Drew Franklin]

You got to seek it. We signed up for some classes, but I assume most people don't do that.

[Matt Jones]

Where are the classes?

[Drew Franklin]

Lots of Googling. We did it through UK here in.

[Matt Jones]

Like you said, online. You take a class?

[Drew Franklin]

We went to one in person. The other three were on Zoom. But we were proactive about learning things. But, like, if you don't seek stuff out, they just, here's the baby. Good luck. Like, there's not. You know, we don't. We don't. Learning that you need four ounces every two hours.

[Matt Jones]

Like, there should be more to it. I'm a big believer of licensing the birth. You should have to get a license. I mean, we don't let people drive a car without a license, but we let them just have a life.

[Drew Franklin]

So you have as many babies as they want.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. So you give the. You give the milk. What else? Eating anything else?

[Drew Franklin]

No, just milk right now.

[Matt Jones]

When do you switch to.

[Drew Franklin]

We're still a few months away. We'll work in.

[Matt Jones]

How do you know? Did you teach you that in the class?

[Drew Franklin]

We're still. We're still researching. We're learning on the fly.

[Matt Jones]

So you might do it now?

[Drew Franklin]

No, no, no. It's too early now.

[Matt Jones]

But we.

[Drew Franklin]

We Google a lot on the fly. Things constantly pop up. You're like, well, I'm not really sure what's going on here.

[Matt Jones]

What did people do before Google?

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know. I don't know. And we also. There's just so many contraptions. There's just things everywhere. Pumps and bottles and diapers and pee pads. That's just what. But it's been awesome. It's a lot more to it than I expected. I don't know why. I just thought they'd sit there.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Need constant attention. But it's fun giving her constant attention.

[Matt Jones]

I want to grow teeth because I've heard of teething.

[Drew Franklin]

Probably a little bit before they turn one is when they start to come in. I'm still a few months away from that. She's about two and a half months right now, so we still got some time. But it's been awesome. I already took her on a flight. That was easy.

[Matt Jones]

They say it's actually easier to do that now than it will be in like a year, right?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. She did not make a noise either direction, which I was pretty nervous to be the guy with the crying baby. No, but it was perfect.

[Matt Jones]

I would have stared at you.

[Drew Franklin]

I will say, if you've. If you've lost any faith in humanity, walk through an airport with a baby, everyone will come up to you and just talk and be so nice and, oh, she's so cute. Even the pilot came out of the cockpit, talked to us. Like, if you walk around with a baby, you're going to see the best of all.

[Matt Jones]

But it's mostly women. Like, I've never gone up to someone and said their baby was cute. Like, I would. I actually think I would feel weird. I don't know.

[Drew Franklin]

We had all walks of life, maybe more often. Objectively, it's cute baby.

[Matt Jones]

You think I should just go up to people and say their baby's cute?

[Billy R]

Yeah, if you think it's cute. No, I don't want.

[Matt Jones]

You have an opinion. I think most babies look like Winston Churchill.

[Billy R]

Kind of see that.

[Matt Jones]

Not, not. Not. Avery Rose, of course.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, she's beautiful.

[Matt Jones]

But other people's babies. Yeah, we won the.

[Drew Franklin]

We won the baby lot.

[Matt Jones]

Do you think if there were a hundred babies on the floor and you had no identifying, you could pick yours out?

[Drew Franklin]

Easily? Easily. She's objectively the cutest baby of all time.

[Matt Jones]

Objectively. We do.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, everybody would say that about their babies, but anytime we go to a doctor's appointment, they're like, hey, we don't usually say this, but this is a really cute baby. 11 doct us to enter it in the Gerber modeling. No, no. The Gerber baby of the year. I was like, we're not doing that here. Look at her. Want me to be the guy showing off?

[Matt Jones]

What am I going to answer? Listen, I mean, I'm.

[Drew Franklin]

If we had had an ugly. If we had had an ugly baby, I would have said, yeah, that's an ugly baby. But it is. She's really a cute baby.

[Matt Jones]

Beautiful. Like, I don't know. I don't know that I have a standard. Plus, I just think doctors are not going to be like.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, you can tell. Like, nurses. No, nurses that delivered her have come to our. Across the other side of the hospital to, like, see her and check on

[Matt Jones]

all the way across the other side

[Drew Franklin]

of the different building. I doubt for every baby they deliver,

[Matt Jones]

like, yeah, it must be a beautiful baby.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know.

[Commercial Announcer]

I mean, look at.

[Matt Jones]

Look at this thing.

[Drew Franklin]

I only have 10,000 pictures of her in the last two months, maybe you.

[Matt Jones]

I'll tell you what. Well, I think you're being a great dad.

[Drew Franklin]

Thank you. Thank you. It's been a lot of fun.

[Matt Jones]

And I think the people at Cover Zero. This is officially the first NFL Cover Zero baby that I'm aware of. I don't know what Mario does in his personal life, but it's the first one that I know of.

[Drew Franklin]

She'll be listening, I'm sure. Be our first NFL season watching football on the couch with me this upcoming year. So I'm looking forward to that.

[Billy R]

Are you gonna make her a Titans fan?

[Drew Franklin]

Actually, she has only thrown up on me three times, and all three times, I've been wearing a Titans T shirt, so I'm starting to think she's sending a sign.

[Matt Jones]

Throws up when she sees the Titans.

[Drew Franklin]

My wife's a Cowboys fan. I think she's leaning Dallas's direction. Maybe Bill's mafia, but she doesn't seem to like the Titans.

[Matt Jones]

That's an interesting question. If you have parents where each parent is a fan of a different team, when you pick one, are you implicitly deciding which parent you love the most?

[Drew Franklin]

That's tough. I've thought about this. Do I want her to be a Titans fan? Yeah. You know, I want her to be happy, and I love my Titans. But if you're ranking the teams that make you the happiest, they're towards the bottom of the NFL.

[Matt Jones]

By the time she's of age, who knows? Maybe the Titans will be the best team in the league.

[Drew Franklin]

That's true. I love the optimism. Cam Ward. She'll be a big Cam Ward fan.

[Billy R]

Nobody really wants to be a Titans fan. You're kind of born into it, right?

[Drew Franklin]

That's right. Mine was just proximity to national one.

[Matt Jones]

Wants to be a Titans fan.

[Billy R]

Well, I feel like most fandoms are where you're born or where you grow up.

[Matt Jones]

Most are. Yeah. And then the other day, that, though about any team, like, you don't really want to be an Eagles fan. You're like, I just. That's. You just become one.

[Billy R]

Yeah. And some people used to say I used to watch the Cowboys and they used to win a lot, and that's how I became a fan. Well.

[Matt Jones]

Well, that is kind of. I became a fan of the Bears because they were winning when I was of the age that I noticed the NFL. But we live in a place where there's not an NFL team. Chances are, if there had been a Kentucky Jackrabbits, I would have been a Jackrabbit. Fan, but there was no team so I picked the Bears. But I have wondered what if, you know, what if I was born a few years before or a few years after because I might have ended up a Dolphins fan, a Giants fan, then, now Commanders fan. It's a different life.

[Drew Franklin]

See, I grew. My bedroom was all Dallas Cowboys and then out of nowhere I'm from little over an hour from Nashville. The Titans just pop up and you just switch. Well, I had to because they're local or close to local.

[Matt Jones]

I switched because I wanted to be root for the Reds. Terrible choice to go from the Braves to the Reds in baseball. That was a really dumb choice but I did it and have paid for it ever since. Well, so we haven't been on in the last few months. There's been a lot of news. Billy has compiled the top 10 news tidbits in his mind since we've been gone. Before we get to them. There's an even newsier news before his news.

[Drew Franklin]

The news before the news.

[Matt Jones]

Actually news since his news. Brandon Ayuk. He just keeps going online. Actually I was on ESPN radio yesterday and they asked me to play a clip and there were more beeps than there were words really talking to clip. It was just beep beep, beep. What do you, what do you think of the guy? I guess he's on the Commanders now but he seems very worked up and he seems to really not like John Lynch. Would you, if you were a Commander's fan, would you be excited about his, his new team?

[Drew Franklin]

I would. I would love adding the talent. You know they could use some talent. He's obviously very talented but I would wonder maybe his headspace a little bit.

[Matt Jones]

He's very, very angry with the 49ers.

[Drew Franklin]

I guess they took away his guaranteed money. He has reason to be mad, but it seems to be over the top frustrations coming from.

[Matt Jones]

Explain to me. I don't totally what is he mad about?

[Drew Franklin]

I think that's he was guaranteed money and they somehow got out of it. If I'm not mistaken. I don't know if they found a loophole but he didn't get what he thought. He wasn't guaranteed. Yeah, it's only guaranteed.

[Matt Jones]

It's only guaranteed. It's like it's only guaranteed if it's actually guaranteed.

[Drew Franklin]

But he is outspoken, we can say about how he feels about the 49ers.

[Matt Jones]

What do you think about people who just when they're upset just go to Instagram and start talking. Good idea, bad idea. Well, when it's like, they're not out. They're not misquoted. It's not taken out of context. It is there. They control it.

[Drew Franklin]

It's just unique because we never see it before. Used to just getting, you know, a reporter quoting him at a press conference, but now we have him in the NBA. We have Jalen Brown basically just making the case for himself to get paid this offseason. So you don't see it that often. So when you do, it's like, whoa, you know, really standing up for themselves here and sometimes a little over the top.

[Matt Jones]

So if. So if you're the commanders, when he shows up for the first day of training camp, you just act like it didn't happen.

[Drew Franklin]

No, I think you lean into it. I think you let them know you hate the 49ers too. Like, we're on your team.

[Matt Jones]

Oh. So you play up. Like we have someone who might be a little unstable.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. Like, we don't like John lynch either. Welcome to the family. And you lean into it.

[Commercial Announcer]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

It's a different. I mean, maybe that is kind of modern media strategy, though. Just lean into whatever mistake you make.

[Drew Franklin]

I might be like, let's turn. Turn down the post.

[Matt Jones]

Does he score 10 touchdowns this year?

[Drew Franklin]

No. Tens a lot.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Billy R]

Tens high.

[Drew Franklin]

I'll give him seven or eight.

[Matt Jones]

So. But you do think he's like a regular player? Like, you don't think this is going to end his career?

[Drew Franklin]

As long as he's healthy, plays the full season. I mean, he's a talented guy. Even though at the end of his San Francisco career died down.

[Matt Jones]

He is playing a game at the 49ers this year.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, I didn't realize that. So now you really got to lean into it.

[Matt Jones]

So it's like October because he said something like, I will never walk into the city of San Francis again. Like, he blames the whole city.

[Drew Franklin]

He's mad at the bridge.

[Matt Jones]

I will never. Except on October 17th. And I said, when they. When I will beat their bleepity, bleep, bleep, boop.

[Drew Franklin]

See, if I'm Washington, I have a calendar above his locker with that circle in San Francisco. I want to let him know we got you.

[Matt Jones]

Gets a good reaction.

[Drew Franklin]

No, not. Not at all.

[Billy R]

He also said Kyle Shanahan has the temper of a toddler.

[Matt Jones]

It seems like he though glass houses. I'd say so maybe a little bit. I mean, no offense. Like, I don't know the guy. I'm not saying he's got a bad temper, but I don't know that he would say the most stable.

[Billy R]

But you're right. I mean, you go live on Instagram, it's like calling your own press conference. And that's a lot easier to do

[Matt Jones]

now, but with no questions, no question, no one tapping and go. That's the end of the questions.

[Billy R]

You should probably leave.

[Matt Jones]

You should probably go ahead. Well, good luck to Brandon Iuk. And for what it's worth, I've always thought that Kyle Shanahan and John lynch seemed like good fellas.

[Drew Franklin]

And we learned guaranteed money. Maybe not always guaranteed.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it was like 25 million or something. Talk to his agent about what guaranteed means because I think he was told something was guaranteed and maybe it wasn't quite.

[Drew Franklin]

Check that. Fine.

[Matt Jones]

All right, so 1010 news stories to get us ready here on season two. What's number one?

[Billy R]

We talk about one of the biggest trades, not only the off season, but in the NFL all time when it comes to defensive players. The Brow traded Miles Garrett to the Rams for Jared Verse and three picks. A 2027 first, a 2028 second and 2029 third. Garrett, who is 30 years old, set the NFL's all time single season sack record last year with 23 sacks and he's under contract till 2030. So the Rams going all in this year.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I think the two takeaways from this deal is a. The Rams, like want to win the super bowl now. I think Sean McVay probably is not going to coach that much longer, which is odd because he's very young.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. By the way, did you see the picture of him this week?

[Matt Jones]

I was going to say, first of all, he's ripped.

[Drew Franklin]

Is he a linebacker?

[Matt Jones]

I don't know. I'm not married. Maybe at some point someone will check me on this. I just don't see, like posting a picture of my wife in a bikini to the masses. But he did. But he's ripped. They're both like, they're way too good looking. How old are those people? He's what is even 40 yet he's under 40.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know. He'd be close, man.

[Matt Jones]

He's had a lot of success for somebody under 40.

[Drew Franklin]

40 even.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, good. Kudos to him. He's got, he's got a great body for somewhere similar to me. Great abs. And how old is his wife? Because his wife, she, I. If she's 40, then the two of

[Drew Franklin]

them, I would suspect she's not.

[Billy R]

For 36, it looks.

[Matt Jones]

Well, that's kudos to both of them, man. Like, that's what a life Living in la, I feel like they would be on some ad for like a pill, you know, you take. No, I mean, not that kind of pill, but like, you know, like, here's a vitamin you take kind of thing. Yeah. Because they both look amazing, but clearly like they want to win now. I kind of. So I think that's a good deal for them, and I think it's actually. I feel like I'm in the minority on this, but I don't think it's a bad deal for the. For the Browns. They're not going to win right now. Jared versus still very good. You get a first round pick, you get a second and third. Like, I'm okay with it, honestly, because I don't. If they were close to winning, I'd have a different opinion.

[Drew Franklin]

But they're not to a completely different situation. I mean, the Browns are constantly rebuilding. They've been rebuilding forever. I was shocked Garrett even resigned with Cleveland. I thought he'd go chasing a ring. Just this past season, he gets that big deal and now he moves to la. I mean, they're a heavy favorite. The super bowl is in LA next year. I mean, it is almost like they have to get it done or it'd be disappointing at this stage. I think they're five to one super bowl favorite.

[Billy R]

Rumors that Aaron Donald will come out of retirement.

[Drew Franklin]

That's crazy. They'll have two hall of Famers.

[Matt Jones]

How long has he been retired?

[Billy R]

Just a couple years.

[Drew Franklin]

It feels like he's a superhuman.

[Matt Jones]

When you say just a couple years. I mean, it's not like he's like stopped doing radio for two years. You know, I mean, I gotta assume he's not working out like he did when he.

[Drew Franklin]

He's got some videos. I think he just started working out more when he retired. He didn't go to the beach and just get fat.

[Matt Jones]

See, I don't know how you do that. I don't know how people.

[Drew Franklin]

He's not real. Well, he and Miles Garrett are freaks of nature.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

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[Matt Jones]

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[Jessa]

Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound Tirzepatide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is Approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15mg injection. Zepbound contains Tirzepatide and should not be used with other Tirzepatide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zeppbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor, call 1-800-545-5979 or

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Matt Jones]

So do you consider last year I had the Rams to the Super Bowl. They ended up losing in what? The championship game in the NFC championship. I'm going to probably pick them to the super bowl again, maybe even pick them to win. Matthew Stafford's old so he doesn't have that. I mean like this really is an all in year, right?

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, definitely. Like I said, it's in their hometown. It's like they have to do it. If you're going to do it, it's set up perfectly. And then to add Garrett and I think Donald, if he does come back, would have enough life left to just absolutely terrify offenses. If you look up and see those two guys on the defensive line and then everywhere else, they're probably the best all around team anyway. Even before adding Garrett, they have everything you could need. They just have to go out and finish the job.

[Matt Jones]

And for Cleveland. So what's the plan this year, Shador?

[Billy R]

I think it's desean Watson.

[Jessa]

Why?

[Billy R]

Because he's under contract.

[Matt Jones]

Well, okay, but nothing's guaranteed. We learned. Yeah, but I mean look, you got a great quarterback draft coming. The Sean Watson might be good enough to win you six games or five games. What's that do for you?

[Billy R]

Middle of the road, nothing.

[Matt Jones]

Whereas you play Shador. One of two things would happen. Either he would bomb, at which point maybe you get the number one pick or he might be all right and I don't. But stop shaking your head. Barley dang ain't going to happen. But if he, if he happened to be that, then, you know, maybe I got a guy. I don't understand what DeSean Watson does for you because Deshaun Watson is not your short term or your long term option, Right?

[Drew Franklin]

No. And I feel like even though Shedor people were iffy on him, it's easier to root for Shador Sanders than DeSean Watson, especially when you factor in age.

[Matt Jones]

Should be happy he's on there. He's the good guy.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. And if you said if he doesn't work out there's a pretty good QB class. Especially if you believe in Arch Manning. You got Dante Moore at Oregon. I mean if you did stink with Shador, you know I'm going to have a good pick and can go get someone I can build around.

[Matt Jones]

Do they still have Dylan Gabriel?

[Billy R]

Yeah, dg, I think he's still there.

[Matt Jones]

That's his boy, dg.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Everybody forgets about him.

[Drew Franklin]

See if he's still there.

[Matt Jones]

And I feel like they still have someone else too, don't they?

[Billy R]

Like with the Browns they could have eight people.

[Matt Jones]

They do have a lot of people. Usually Eric Zaire.

[Drew Franklin]

Don't know since he's Brandon Whedon. Is he back?

[Matt Jones]

Well, yeah. Good deal. You don't usually see players that good be traded. I was trying to think of how many players in history have been that good and at the peak of their power. You know like Joe Montana got traded but he was kind of at the end of his career. How many people at the peak of their power get traded? And it's very, very, I mean Micah Parsons had it last year but there aren't many that in that world. And you are that good that get

[Drew Franklin]

traded and maybe like the best player in the entire league.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Just off the top of your head

[Drew Franklin]

that was Herschel Walker.

[Matt Jones]

But he was not great. I mean he was good but there was more, it was more like they thought he might be amazing. He was certainly not the best player in the league at his position.

[Drew Franklin]

And if just taking him last year he was he the defensive player of the year and Matthew Stafford was the offensive player of the year and you're pairing them together. That's just nuts.

[Matt Jones]

That is amazing. Well that should be interesting to see how it happens. And good for Miles Garrett gets to play for a winning team. What's next?

[Billy R]

Another big trade this off season on the offensive side of the ball. A.J. brown traded from the Eagles to the patriots for a 2028 first and a 2027 fifth. AJ is a three time Pro Bowler and last season he had just over a thousand yards and seven touchdowns down. When it comes to his production, this

[Matt Jones]

was like the most poorly kept secret kind of in the world. I mean they've been talking. Assuming this was going to happen forever. I sort of feel like it was more. I feel like this got more attention than his talent at this stage of his, of his career deserves. I mean this is not the A.J. brown of the Titans.

[Drew Franklin]

I loved me some Arthur Juan Brown, that was my guy.

[Matt Jones]

But he's not like that anymore now I mean the analogies you say, okay, well it'll be like when Randy Moss went to New England. But Randy Moss was still in his last year or two. He had had a bad final year in Minnesota, but at his peak he was the best player in the league. I just don't feel like it's quite the same. Plus Belichick's not the coach. I mean Brable's good but he's still

[Drew Franklin]

a thousand yard guy. But it seemed drama get got to him a lot in Philadelphia. He and Hertz were best friends when he went from Nashville to Phil and then at the end the reports are they were the farthest thing from best friends. I mean see him reading books on

[Matt Jones]

the sideline, I'm good with that. I like to read books places too.

[Drew Franklin]

As a huge AJ Brown fan, he certainly has some maturity issues and I think he can get back to that level with a fresh start. Drake May gets a receiver he wants. Brown and Variable were very close in Nashville, so I think it'll work out.

[Matt Jones]

I think you also this year we'll get to see whether or not Drake May is. I mean he struggled in the playoffs last year and so there are Drake May truthers like me who've always thought he wasn't good. But then, you know, you could say but for 17 games he was great. So which one is correct? I think if you have A.J. brown, you got your receiver, they up their offensive line, you have the coach. Now we'll find out in year three. If you look historically at quarterbacks, year three is when you decide if they're good. The great ones take a step up and become great in year three. Year one depends. Year two can be inconsistent in year three. So we'll find out with him and Bo Nix and Caleb Williams, all those guys kind of.

[Drew Franklin]

I do have two fair foul questions for the AJ Brown trade. He claims that while he was a Philadelphia, Philadelphia Eagle, he had Patriot stuff in his house, including a Patriots rug in his house while he was an Eagle. Is that, is that fair game?

[Matt Jones]

But he never played for them.

[Drew Franklin]

He claims to grow up loving them. Is that okay?

[Matt Jones]

No, because that's foul because he never played for there. And where did he grow up?

[Drew Franklin]

Mississippi, not far from Nashville, he'd stop it.

[Matt Jones]

He's not well.

[Drew Franklin]

The second one, he posted childhood photos of him in a Brady jersey and the Internet found out he used AI to make them. They weren't even.

[Matt Jones]

Well then he's completely lying. So those are both fats. So he was. Now if he had had a childhood picture of Brady, then I would have said okay, maybe fair. But no, if that's AI, you're out.

[Drew Franklin]

I'll admit I even fell for it. I was like, oh, this is sweet. And then the Internet sluice discovered it was not real.

[Matt Jones]

That's bad. And it's even worse that you faked one.

[Drew Franklin]

It goes back to that maturity thing. Like people will believe you if you just say you like the Patriots. You don't have to photoshop yourself in jerseys.

[Matt Jones]

Are you picking the Patriots for a regression team? You know, they had a stupid good record last year, but they were playing the worst schedule in the league. Then they got kind of exposed losing to a Denver team that didn't even have their. Excuse me, they beat a Denver team that Knicks got hurt and then they got destroyed in the Super Bowl. Are you picking them to maybe?

[Drew Franklin]

Absolutely.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Because they're going to have I think the third hardest schedule in the league.

[Drew Franklin]

Like I that their coach had a pretty busy off season.

[Matt Jones]

I mean if you're, if you're being objective, if you're looking for the regression team, they're the obvious choice because the losers of the super bowl always stink. Like that's happened for 30 straight years. And I think in the NFC, my bears are your contender. Same thing.

[Drew Franklin]

They had a lot of comeback, fourth quarter magic that you can't repeat and

[Matt Jones]

first, first play schedule, you know, a lot like if you were trying to pick the two teams most likely to regress, you would pick those two.

[Drew Franklin]

And didn't they go like undefeated on the road last year? Mostly close, low scoring games. It was cool to see them make that run, but I don't think they can do it again.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, so I think both teams, you know, I mean historically the super bowl loser has like I think a couple years ago I remember I looked at the stat and like they missed the playoffs Something like 15 of the 18 years. I don't know if that's still the case.

[Drew Franklin]

But have the Bengals been back to the playoffs since they were the super

[Matt Jones]

bowl laser the year before it was the. The Eagles lost to who?

[Drew Franklin]

The Eagles.

[Matt Jones]

How can we not think one the year before right.

[Drew Franklin]

When they.

[Matt Jones]

And they beat the Chiefs who didn't make the playoffs. So I mean it tends to be. That tends to be a. That's correct, yeah. All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

Speaking of your Bears, Caleb Williams was Named the Madden 27 cover athlete, the first Bears player to receive the honor. And the United States Patent and Trademark Office refused Caleb's request to trademark his nickname, Iceman. So a big setback.

[Matt Jones]

Well, first of all, is that who you would have picked as Madden? I don't feel like that's a bad pick. I mean the Madden player on the COVID first of all, I think you have to pick someone who's never done it before, isn't that right?

[Drew Franklin]

I don't think they've had a repeat

[Matt Jones]

and it's less about who's the best than who's the combination of best and cool. Feels like Caleb Williams is young, young.

[Drew Franklin]

It'd be a fun team on Madden

[Billy R]

with that offense he's doing the jump pass and the picture.

[Drew Franklin]

Are you worried about the curse?

[Matt Jones]

I think though that curse has kind of gone down in the last few years, hasn't it? I mean there was a time that

[Drew Franklin]

was a big curse every year there for a while.

[Matt Jones]

I think they. The last few years it hasn't been, if I remember correctly.

[Billy R]

Well, I asked somebody at the super bowl about it. Was it Sean Alexander or Christian McCaffrey? One of the two. They said, ah, we don't think about that.

[Matt Jones]

McCaffrey, I'm sure they don't think about it and go, I'm cursed.

[Billy R]

Well, Peyton Hillis might, he was on it.

[Drew Franklin]

That was the most random Madden cover of all time. Yeah, Antonio Brown was on it just a few years ago. That was probably.

[Matt Jones]

I feel like Caleb Williams is a perfect one because you also again, back to the third year thing. If for some reason Caleb Williams ends up stinking, this was the year to use it. Like if you put Jaden Daniels on that for that first year, do you think he'll bounce back by the way?

[Drew Franklin]

Well, he's got Brandon Oak now who's. Who's laser focused and ready for San Francisco.

[Matt Jones]

This will be a fascinating year for all those guys, like all those third year quarterbacks, you know the rankings have been after the first year you would have thought, well, Jaden Daniels by far number one and then maybe Drake may, Caleb Williams maybe last year after year two I don't think you would have that ranking. We think it's going to be after year three.

[Drew Franklin]

I think Daniels bounces back, has a pretty big sophomore slump. I think K. Williams will be about the same. I mean as I said, you can't expect him to have those crazy finishes like four or five of those games last year.

[Matt Jones]

But do you think you're going to end up with four star quarterbacks? That's very rare.

[Drew Franklin]

I really believe your Bears have arrived. They might go back just a little bit, but that offense with a new head coach was so fun last year. I don't think they're going away anytime soon.

[Matt Jones]

The fifth, it's. It's Nick's, Drake, May, Daniels, Williams and. Who's the other one? There's one more that was part of that group. J.J. mcCarthy.

[Billy R]

Oh, nice.

[Drew Franklin]

That's your boy.

[Matt Jones]

And he made.

[Drew Franklin]

That's the one you can eliminate from the conversation.

[Matt Jones]

But you could end up with four franchise quarterbacks in a draft. That's very, very rare.

[Drew Franklin]

You know, I was surprised on the Iceman trademark that you brought up. Isn't it like a boot company? It wasn't George Gervin or Chuck Liddell. I thought that was his biggest competition. It's some old shoe company from the 80s story.

[Matt Jones]

I thought, if he's trying to get the Iceman thing from George Gervin, that's kind of lame. He shouldn't do that. But then when I heard it was a boot company, I was like, I think I'm okay with him trying to get it now. They ended up not giving it to him because the boot company got it first. And there, there are rules about how they picked that. So I'm not commenting on that decision. But when I thought he was trying to steal it from George Gervin, I thought that was poor form. But I'm fine. Go after the boot company. Who cares?

[Drew Franklin]

I know it's a boot company. I can't tell you the name of the boot company. Don't know why they're. The Iceman could have like Chuck Liddell also had that nickname. I'd understand one of those two. But does this boot company still exist?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I saw someone go. I saw. I think it was somebody on espn say they should give it to Caleb Williams. He's more known than the boot company, which may or may not be true. But you got to be careful with that precedent because I can't start calling myself Coca Cola. That is your opinion. So that I can take their trademark.

[Drew Franklin]

I guess we have rules around trademarks. And they got it in decades ago.

[Matt Jones]

Mercedes,

[Billy R]

it's mine now.

[Matt Jones]

And then, by the way, now it's mine. I don't think you could do that. So I sort of understood the.

[Billy R]

The rule.

[Drew Franklin]

Are you.

[Commercial Announcer]

You.

[Drew Franklin]

Did you ever play Madden? You Madden guy.

[Matt Jones]

I play. I kind of quit at Super Tech Mobile.

[Drew Franklin]

That's a good one. I've.

[Matt Jones]

I've really peaked at John Elway's quarterback.

[Drew Franklin]

I was more of a Troy Eggman quarterback and super.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, there was a Troy Aikman.

[Drew Franklin]

But I've.

[Commercial Announcer]

I've been.

[Drew Franklin]

I've bought Madden every year since the beginning of time, but I've never played it. Like I've already preordered. I pre ordered this year's. I doubt I play a single game, but it's like I have to do it every July. I have to get my pre order in.

[Matt Jones]

You know, during COVID I was like, all right, I'm gonna get back into video game. I hadn't played them since Super Mario Kart in college, right in Goldeneye. And I bought a PlayStation. I was going to be in New York for a few months, living with my girlfriend there, so I bought a PlayStation, hooked it up at her house. I bought the NASCAR game and what was it? Red Dead Redemption. Red Dead Redemption. Hooked it up, decided to play. She would go to bed early because she had to get up early. So I went and I was like, here we go. Time to start playing Red Dead Redemption. I started the game and I couldn't get on my horse.

[Drew Franklin]

It's a big part of Red Dead Redemption.

[Billy R]

The very beginning.

[Matt Jones]

I know also you ride the horse a lot.

[Drew Franklin]

Like you spent a couple minutes just riding the horse across the road.

[Matt Jones]

I literally could not get on my horse and I kept trying to get on it and I couldn't get on it and I just turned the game off and then never played PlayStation again. It is still at my ex girlfriend's house. Never turned it on again. She told me once later that her next boyfriend played it and he wanted to take it with her on the breakup. And she was like, I just couldn't.

[Drew Franklin]

He hopped right on the horse. She's like, there's my man. She's like, look at this cowboy.

[Billy R]

Damn.

[Matt Jones]

She said though she fell out of loyalty to me, she could not give him my PlayStation. I understand, which I appreciate that for. But so I think that was when I knew my video game career was over.

[Drew Franklin]

There's a new 007 game and I thought it looked awesome. I bought it about three weeks ago. Haven't turned it on, probably never will play it.

[Matt Jones]

There's any game that'll ever be better than Super Mario Kart. I mean, I. Whatever the best version of that is. What was better than racing your friends and then throwing turtles at them and banana peels how's there a better game than that?

[Billy R]

You guys sound so old, but Grand Theft Auto sounds so old.

[Matt Jones]

What do you play, man?

[Billy R]

Appeals.

[Matt Jones]

First of all, I don't sound like Uncle Remus Madden, dude.

[Billy R]

I mean, new college football games.

[Matt Jones]

He's like dead. He's. I mean, like, I love John. Like John Madden was awesome.

[Billy R]

His legacy lives on through the video games.

[Drew Franklin]

I keep giving him money. I just don't play it.

[Matt Jones]

His estate still get. I mean, they have to, right? They have to still get money from that. Yeah, it's pretty amazing if you think about it, because he kind of lucked out in getting his name on it.

[Billy R]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, they. We don't call the NBA game, I don't know. Steve Snapper Jones.

[Drew Franklin]

That's what you went with the mod Rashad 64.

[Matt Jones]

We don't. I'm just saying, like Tim McCarver, baseball madness hung on for a long time.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tremphya offers self injection or intravenous infusion from the start. Tremphya is administered as injections under the the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self inject Tremphya, proper training is required. Tremphya is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease and adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, serious allergic reactions, increased risk of infections or lower ability to fight them and liver problems and may occur before treatment. Get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu like symptoms or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about tremphya today. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit

[Drew Franklin]

tremphiradio.com Lowe's knows Sundays are for football, so tackle your home improvement projects by Saturday and earn your Sunday with great deals on LG and Bosch appliances, select Bounty and Swiffer cleaning products and more. Then once your to do list is done, get ready to kick back, relax and enjoy the game. Shop in store or online now and earn your sundae with help from Lowe's, official partner of the NFL.

[Jessa]

Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound Tirzepatide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is Approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15mg injection. Zepbound contains Tirzepatide and should not be used with other Tirzepatide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepound is safe and effective for use in children. Don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take a valve allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia Syndrome Type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zepbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor, call 1-800-545-5979 or

[Matt Jones]

visit zepbound.lilly.com Innovation is what gets your

[Drew Franklin]

business to the big leagues and Wasabi is designed to give every business a shot at competition. Break free from skyrocketing storage costs and unpredictable egress fees and top heavy legacy providers. Wasabi is the world's hottest cloud storage

[Matt Jones]

company and the go to provider for

[Drew Franklin]

professional and collegiate sports teams and leagues around the world.

[Matt Jones]

And here's why.

[Drew Franklin]

Innovation from Wasabi's AI enabled intelligent media storage Wasabi Air to the industry's only cloud storage service with triple protection against cybercriminals, data deletion and ransomware, Wasabi has taken the lead in big league data storage. Remember, Wasabi is up to 80% less than market competition and doesn't charge a cent for businesses to access their own data. Wasabi Another championship story. Check them out for [e-mail] Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage proud partner of the iHeart Podcast Network.

[Matt Jones]

All right, what's next Bill?

[Billy R]

All right, let's go over to Colts minicamp where two time all Pro Corner Sauce Gardner. He was the fourth overall pick for the Jets. Traded to the Colts for two first round picks, he clarified to Reporters just a couple weeks ago that he's in fact 24 years old, not 25 as widely listed online. ESPN.com Pro Football Reference Even the 2025 NFL record and fact book all had Sauce Gardner with his birthday. It's August 31, 2000. It is actually August 31, 2001.

[Matt Jones]

I mean do we know that what that like what Sauce said? Do we know that Sauce is right or could Sauce be doing a little Matt Jones Facebook age thing?

[Billy R]

Well, we are taking Sauce at his word.

[Matt Jones]

But why would we do that if we can't take. Whose word am I supposed to take? Well to that point and I need a birth certificate.

[Billy R]

An NFL spokesperson came out and said all players do self verify birthdays when they enter the league.

[Matt Jones]

Well that seems like, I mean not to talk about the mothership league, but it seems like maybe we should require a birth certificate because if that's what you get to do. Well then I'm going to come in as a younger. I mean if that's the case, I should be on rise. 39.

[Drew Franklin]

Joe Flacco is going to change his to 23. Try to get him more.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, Flacco, he's going to come in, isn't there like why would he do that though? Like I mean 25 and 24 is such a little difference. Like let's just assume it's wrong. Why would he wait so long to correct it? What do you think?

[Drew Franklin]

Well I just, I know they say they self verify but at some point you have to fill out like tax forms and give over your id. Like I kind of believe Sauce a little bit. But I would wonder, I don't know how you wouldn't correct the Internet if it just kept been reported over and over and over. At some point he'd notice and be like hey guys, I guess that's what he's doing now. But it went on for so long.

[Billy R]

His government stuff is all intact with the correct date. NFL.com how do you know that?

[Matt Jones]

Just because he says it.

[Billy R]

Yeah, that this has been. There was a discrepancy that was found out through the athletic through this because the Colts website had his birthday correctly labeled and so did the NFL.com website but the record book didn't. ESPN didn't.

[Matt Jones]

So some football reference did have it correct.

[Billy R]

Correct, yes.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. Well I was going to say I feel like it should have been called to go back to Raya. They told me I accidentally filmed the filled the form out one year wrong and they when I got accepted had it correct. Which means they had on their own.

[Billy R]

So you're trying to go a little younger.

[Matt Jones]

No, I accidentally went older.

[Billy R]

Really?

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I didn't do it on purpose, but you know, you have this like thing and I think I scrolled one too many and then I realized it. But you had already submitted it. And I wanted to be like, no, don't do that to me. And then they actually, when they put it up, they actually had it correct. So my point is like they had a verification.

[Billy R]

They knew. They were just waiting for you to confirm it. Sounds like.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, Yeah. I believe Sauce one year at his age. What would be the. The motive? It seems like it just got misreported at first and just kept going and kept going.

[Matt Jones]

Does not want to be responsible for renting cars.

[Drew Franklin]

It's true.

[Billy R]

Being on his own health insurance.

[Matt Jones]

It's exact. He wants to be on his parents health insurance. He doesn't like the Colts plans exactly right. He does. He wants to be on his own health insurance, which is good. I understand. You just hit it. He everywhere. Everywhere. They would go on team trips, they would go, all right, man, you got

[Drew Franklin]

to rent the car. All these NFL players rent cars on trips.

[Matt Jones]

You all don't know what it's like to be in the league.

[Drew Franklin]

I'm glad I got corrected, though.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, me too. Well, good for Sauce.

[Drew Franklin]

And shame on everyone that called him 25 when he's 24 or the other way around.

[Matt Jones]

You think he'll be good for the. For Indianapolis?

[Drew Franklin]

I was very intrigued when they made that move last year.

[Matt Jones]

Was it two first picks?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. That was pretty surprising, especially when they had Philip Rivers as a quarterback. But I mean, saucy. I think he's really good. He didn't. He only played half the season at Indy. They were better than people expected, but I was shocked that they made that move.

[Matt Jones]

Do you know that song, My Baby's got sauce? Your baby ain't sweet like mine?

[Billy R]

No. Can you sing it?

[Matt Jones]

I'm not gonna go into the verses. It was by G Love and the Special Sauce and their number one song was My Baby got Sauce. And I went and saw him in concert.

[Billy R]

Big fan.

[Matt Jones]

Where they. Where Casey and the Sunshine band opened up for him in Baltimore, Maryland. My college roommate Tall and my mother and I went when we were 19. That sounds exciting.

[Drew Franklin]

Actually, knowing Tall, that sounds like a lot of fun.

[Matt Jones]

It was a lot of fun. My mom wanted to take us to the Orioles game and we saw that G Love was playing and so we did both. Mom left after Casey and the Sunshine Band. She was not interested in G Love and the special sauce.

[Billy R]

I'll have to look at that.

[Matt Jones]

And we met G Love when it was over and he said he was coming to Lexington in a few months. And he said, I'd love to. Do you all know where I can get a pickup basketball game? This is a true story. So we said, well, you could play with us. We'll get a group together at Trancy. And he said, well, give me your number. We will set it up. He never called.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, man.

[Matt Jones]

And it was before text, right? So he had to call us.

[Drew Franklin]

He called the house.

[Matt Jones]

Tal was a big G Love fan. So he was like excited, like, oh, we're gonna play basketball with G Love. Didn't he never. So G Log. If you're out there, we're still hurting,

[Drew Franklin]

still have this moment.

[Matt Jones]

This was like 1998.

[Drew Franklin]

Maybe you can get redemption. Maybe he's listening so you can fix this problem.

[Matt Jones]

All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

After 14 seasons, 37 year old Russell Wilson announced his retirement over the off season. He retires as the fifth highest paid player in league history with a total career earnings of $315 million. Ten Pro Bowls, one Super Bowl. Turned down a job with the jets this off season and will be joining CBS Sports as an analyst on their pregame show the NF today.

[Matt Jones]

Do we think he'll be good at that?

[Drew Franklin]

He should, but he's already been labeled as this cornball into it.

[Matt Jones]

Like he could be the cornball Broncos country. Let's ride, let's ride, let's ride.

[Billy R]

Mr. Unlimited.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it's the subway. I mean, I think there's a good chance he's not going to be liked, but I also think he's got the talent to do it. I mean, someone is his career underrated or overrated? I mean, they just said 10 Pro Bowls now. Shador made the Pro bowl last year, so maybe that's not the best, but the super bowl, it's.

[Drew Franklin]

It's unfair to him. I feel like if he retired three or four years ago, he's probably hall of Famer and everybody talks about how great he is, but it's just been such a rough few years. I mean he got benched in like two or three games for Jackson Dart just this past year. The jets were looking at him to be a backup to Geno Smith this upcoming year. I mean it's. He fell off a cliff at the end and probably regrets not retiring a little earlier. When he was on of top, his

[Matt Jones]

teammates didn't really like him. No, there's that's tough.

[Drew Franklin]

He's always like the reports. You'd also be off by himself and like had his own staffers and didn't really gel well with his teammates in the locker room. Anywhere he's been.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, yeah, he seems like a complete cornball, but I still think he could do well in TV if he does it right.

[Drew Franklin]

His football resume is enough that he shims.

[Matt Jones]

Seriously, because I think if he does, if he comes in like Mr. Expert, he's going to be Kendrick Perkins without the cool accent.

[Drew Franklin]

It's gotta loosen up, try to have fun with it. But I don't think he will. I don't think it's gonna work out.

[Matt Jones]

We'll find out. But you know, let's ride.

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[Drew Franklin]

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[Matt Jones]

All right, that's we're halfway through what's

[Billy R]

next Bill in March. Earlier this year, three time Super bowl champion Travis Kelsey signed a three year $57 million deal with the Chiefs. The Chiefs missed the playoffs last season for the first time in a decade, but they will bring back the 36 year old tight end. Kelsey will also be married by the end of this week as TMZ has reported to an up and coming country music singer Taylor Swift. They will have the wedding at Madison Square Garden with a guest list of over a thousand people.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, so we do believe that's happening, right?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I think so. At this point.

[Matt Jones]

At this point, it's happening. Okay. He's not going to play three years, but I'm kind of surprised he's playing this year. I guess he just doesn't want to go out with a bad team, you think?

[Drew Franklin]

I think if they win that super bowl two years ago, he walks off, we don't see him again. But now that he's been so bad, his numbers have dropped the last year, too. I think he feels like he has to go back and finish strong.

[Matt Jones]

Terrible, though, last year, I think people just act like he's like a decrepit old man. He's all right.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, remember, he had some huge drops in, like, key moments. There were just things he didn't normally do where you're like, oh, has he lost a little bit? And of course, even though it's probably unfair to him, people are, you know, blaming that, oh, he's about to get married to her now. He's not focused.

[Matt Jones]

I wouldn't play. Like, what's the point? You're Now. I mean, is he the most famous player in the league?

[Billy R]

Good question.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, when you. Yeah. When you lump in the Swifties.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, well, is he. Is he more famous or is Mahomes more famous?

[Drew Franklin]

Definitely, Kelsey, because I bet the Swifties, a lot of them can only name him and no one else, and there's trillions of them.

[Matt Jones]

And I would think Mahomes isn't number

[Drew Franklin]

two for that reason. He plays with draft. They're kind of a.

[Matt Jones]

So, I mean, the two most famous people in the NFL, which is the most famous sport in America, playing Kansas City.

[Drew Franklin]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

So you. Does anybody disagree that he's the most famous player in the league?

[Drew Franklin]

Not at all.

[Billy R]

I don't. Because everybody. All the guys that know my homes know Kelsey as well.

[Matt Jones]

So, I mean, that's what I was gonna say. Everyone who watches the NFL, let's say you're not a Taylor Swift fan. There's no NFL fan who doesn't know who Travis Kelce is. And then you have this whole other universe of people who also know who he is, and he might be the

[Drew Franklin]

only one they know.

[Matt Jones]

And he is. He did a reality show where he picked women that if you go back and watch, you think, how in the world. But you know what? Good for him. He seems like a good guy. I mean, I don't know if he is but don't you think he seems like one?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah. And, like, it's, I guess, funny, sweet, whatever you call it. He, like, said, I'm going to this Taylor Swift concerts, and I hope to meet her. And then they end up getting married. I mean, that's pretty wild in itself. He was, like, showing off his bracelets. Like, I hope I get to go backstage.

[Matt Jones]

So who would I do that for? I'm going to this concert to meet this woman. All right, so who are my choices? Needs to be.

[Drew Franklin]

Are you an Ella fella?

[Matt Jones]

No, she's too young. And also, I don't like her music, so that would be. I mean, I don't dislike her music, but it's just not my thing.

[Billy R]

What if Madonna's in?

[Matt Jones]

How old is Dua Lipa?

[Drew Franklin]

I'd put her a little shy of 30.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, but I think she just got married. I saw there. I saw their honeymoon pictures. People were saying her husband had a dad bod. Go, look, if she's 30, her husband has a dad, by the way, if that guy, then we're all in trouble. Did you see him?

[Drew Franklin]

No, I haven't seen him.

[Matt Jones]

He looked. To me, he looked completely ripped. And people are like, oh, she married a dad bod guy.

[Billy R]

That's not good for us.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. So I don't know.

[Drew Franklin]

Have you seen the. The guy, you know, Lena Del Rey? Have you seen who she married?

[Matt Jones]

Who'd you marry?

[Drew Franklin]

He, like, ran one of those fan boats in Louisiana. He's, like, older than her. She just married a dude. He, like, gives boat tour.

[Billy R]

Oh.

[Matt Jones]

Like, nothing.

[Drew Franklin]

Like what you think?

[Matt Jones]

Does she look like one of those. The. The guys down there that got famous with the beards?

[Drew Franklin]

I need.

[Matt Jones]

What are their names?

[Billy R]

Who are you talking about?

[Matt Jones]

The reality show guys.

[Billy R]

Oh, Duck Dynasty.

[Matt Jones]

Dynasty. Is he one of the Duck Dynasty guys?

[Drew Franklin]

Let me see this. But she married just a guy that

[Matt Jones]

does boat tours in Louisiana. That is just a guy.

[Billy R]

Lucky dude.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. That is definitely not even a Cad Mod. That's like a. So there's hope for anyone, Uncle Bob. Well, good for him. Yeah. I can't think of who. Who I would. Cheryl Crow is maybe a little old. I don't think I want Alanis Morrison.

[Billy R]

I was thinking that.

[Commercial Announcer]

Weird.

[Drew Franklin]

You said that about Shakira.

[Commercial Announcer]

She available?

[Drew Franklin]

Sorry. At the World Cup. Now she looks like she's 20.

[Matt Jones]

There you go. If you could get me tickets to Shakira. Is she married?

[Billy R]

She was.

[Matt Jones]

If she's single, I think she would like a podcast host of the NFL. Shakira.

[Drew Franklin]

I went to type in Shakira married. And accidentally typed Shakira, Matt. Like, there's already gonna be results. Not married, not married. Currently single.

[Matt Jones]

How old is she?

[Drew Franklin]

She went viral this week for not looking her age. I want to say it was close

[Matt Jones]

to 54, so a little older than me. So she's kind of robbing the cradle with me. I. I mean, in.

[Billy R]

I bet you are. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Billy gets Shakira's number.

[Billy R]

Hello.

[Matt Jones]

See if you do as well at that as you did getting our guest last year.

[Drew Franklin]

So we need G Love and Shakira to be listening to this for Matt's

[Matt Jones]

dreams to come true, I think. Yes. And I'll invite G. Love to play the reception.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, what a wedding. What color are we going to wear?

[Matt Jones]

Brown? No, she's Colombian. I'll wear yellow. Okay. Gold, right? Isn't she Colombian?

[Billy R]

Yes, she is Colombian.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, so then I'll wear gold.

[Drew Franklin]

I like this. It's going to be the beginning of a beautiful love story.

[Matt Jones]

I'm in.

[Billy R]

We'll invite Brown Spider to the wedding. How about that?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Or we could go get married in the Cleveland parking lot. Like. Like this?

[Billy R]

Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters at minicamp just recently that the vibes around the team resemble those of the 2019 LSU team. And I said this, Joe Burrow.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Billy R]

And I quote, you go back and watch what I said before the 2019 season at LSU. I feel very similarly about this team. I'm so excited to get started and get moving. I feel like there's so much greatness we'll be able to achieve this year that I'm just excited to get going. The.

[Matt Jones]

He's going to regret that.

[Commercial Announcer]

Quote.

[Billy R]

Burrow led that team to a 15 and oh mark and the national championship in 2019. Jamar Chase being on the team also helps with those vibes, but he's been

[Matt Jones]

on the team for a long time.

[Billy R]

He has. But Cincinnati's all in. They traded the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence.

[Drew Franklin]

Sexy. Sexy.

[Billy R]

Cincinnati is favored in 15 of their 17.

[Matt Jones]

They do have a good schedule to do it. Yes.

[Drew Franklin]

They only won six games last year, so they got. They got the 30.

[Matt Jones]

So let's look. The problem for them is always they lose their first three or four games. So let's see who they start with, because that'll be their season.

[Billy R]

Start with the Bucks, week one.

[Matt Jones]

So they start with the Bucks, the Texans, the Steelers, and the Jaguars. You could see them winning all those. You could see them losing all those. Right. So, I mean, that's. Then they. Then the schedule actually gets much easier after that. But if they start, oh, and four one and three again, they'll be in trouble again, right?

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know. I don't. I'm not going to get behind the LSU comparisons. That's like one of the best college teams of all time. But I am a Bengals believer this year. If he can stay healthy.

[Matt Jones]

Schedule is a big part of it.

[Drew Franklin]

Schedule is a big part of it. They said because they were so bad last year, they got the third easiest. Well, 30 in the whole league, but also in their division, they were the third team. They are pretty loaded. In the years he had, has played a full season, he's been one of

[Matt Jones]

the best quarterbacks for the first week, Correct?

[Billy R]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

He also mentioned for several years they've had contract disputes, behind the scenes locker room drama. He's like, all that's gone. Everybody's on the same page.

[Matt Jones]

So are we going? We should. We should go, right? We could probably get credentialed. Yeah, we should go. It's your team, Cincinnati. We're an hour away.

[Billy R]

Yeah, that'd be fun.

[Matt Jones]

You get his credentials, set it up, you can meet.

[Drew Franklin]

You gave that guy your digital business card from Tampa.

[Matt Jones]

You get us credentials and then get us five, the four of us, and then we'll save a seat for Shakir.

[Drew Franklin]

Orgy love. First one to respond.

[Matt Jones]

Well, Mario, we've.

[Drew Franklin]

We've tailgated in the jungle before. We can run that back.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, that was a wild day with all those people dancing and all that stuff. 2019, LSU was I. You said it's probably one of the three greatest college teams of my lifetime, so I think he needs to slow down. But he was just talking vibes, though. He wasn't saying talent.

[Drew Franklin]

He said everybody should be talking about the Bengals this off season. He's filled himself a confident burrow. Could be scary if he stays.

[Matt Jones]

We're talking about him right now.

[Billy R]

I think Joe Flago is my favorite story last year, honestly, just the old man getting another shot.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, you like those, like, Disney movies where they find some old dude and he, you know, the. It was a good story. It's not the best. I mean, the best story that's ever happened was the guy who they just got out of the stands to play goalie that one time. Do you remember that story? It was for the Carolina Hurricanes. They were playing in Toronto. All their goalies got hurt. And the obscure NHL rule that no one knew, which is in every game, there's just a dude sitting in the stands is in the world. There's just a guy sitting in the stands who will play for either team. That's what's so crazy about that to me. Every game. For people who don't know, every NHL game, the home team just brings a guy to the arena whose job it is to. If either team loses both their goalies, he gets to play.

[Drew Franklin]

He's on standby.

[Matt Jones]

So this guy was a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, comes to the game, probably has done this many times, just like eating his food, like, here we go again. And then they're like, hey man, it's time. Need you. And then he plays and they win. He saves like 10 things. They give him a parade in Raleigh, North Carolina. Man never plays again.

[Drew Franklin]

That's the Disney movie.

[Matt Jones]

That's a movie, is it not?

[Billy R]

Sports movie.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that's one of the Wild. And that sounds like a story you would hear 1953. And it's now.

[Drew Franklin]

Imagine that in other sports, the warriors are down to four players and just some guy comes out of the crowd. That's me.

[Matt Jones]

Or a quarterback. Instead of having a third emergency quarterback, a guy just sitting in the stands,

[Drew Franklin]

get loose, get the bullpen.

[Matt Jones]

That you could be required to play for either team, especially if you have

[Drew Franklin]

allegiance to one of the teams. Just go out there and throw the game.

[Billy R]

Miss a couple and you literally have

[Matt Jones]

to not be good. Because the whole premise is if you were good, you'd be playing somewhere. So it's a person who doesn't even play hockey.

[Drew Franklin]

I think instead of having like the designated goalie, it should be a random draw of the crowd. It could. Everyone in the building is eligible.

[Matt Jones]

But it also made me kind of think maybe being a goalie's not that hard.

[Drew Franklin]

They can get Darryl out of the crowd. Put your popcorn down and get in there.

[Matt Jones]

And then they come in and they win. Still, that is still the weirdest sports story I've ever heard. All right, there's next.

[Drew Franklin]

Go Bingles.

[Billy R]

Though let's talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars. Liam Cohen, 13 and 4 in his first season in Jacksonville. They did have that wild card loss to the Buffalo Bills. But remember how much fun we had with Cam Little, the kicker who made a 68 and a 67 yard field goal. Made a 70 yarder in the preseason. That did not count officially. Well, the Jags are signing their long snapper, Ross Matt matissic, to a two year extension worth $3.8 million. He is now the highest paid long snapper in the NFL. He's Made three straight Pro Bowls, two first team all pros, and is raking in the money now with after his extension.

[Matt Jones]

I'm surprised you think this is one of the 10 biggest stories of the off season.

[Billy R]

I think the special teams unit for Jacksonville is a game changer. And now they've locked up their long snapper.

[Matt Jones]

What makes one be such a. Like, what makes him so. Like, he's all Pro. What makes him so great for him? Yeah, go ahead.

[Drew Franklin]

He's like. Because it's not just snapping. He makes a lot of tackles. So he'll snap it and he'll get up and get involved.

[Matt Jones]

So it's not just

[Billy R]

snaps really well,

[Matt Jones]

too, because it feels like that's something that they all do pretty well.

[Drew Franklin]

He's made a bunch of big tackles for him.

[Matt Jones]

All right, fair enough.

[Billy R]

Undrafted free agent in 2020 doesn't miss a snap, guys. An ironman and then tied for third in the league in town.

[Matt Jones]

I would hope he doesn't miss a snap. Isn't it illegal to hit him?

[Billy R]

Yeah, he can't jump over him with his head.

[Matt Jones]

I don't think you can even hit him till he gets up. Right?

[Billy R]

Well, you got to protect the long snapper. I mean, they're important.

[Matt Jones]

Well, good for him. I'm going to, in year two, continue my rant about we got to make kicking harder. It's too easy.

[Drew Franklin]

So you don't like the brand. Aubrey's just bombing it in the can because the.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, so I. This guy. I don't know if you saw this story. This guy went back and he watched one random college football game from 1990 to 1999. He basically watched whatever was the biggest regular season game every year. And he wrote it was for the athletic. And then he wrote about the differences he notices in football from then until now. It's really interesting story. And he talked about how, especially in the early 90s, they didn't have the score and the clock.

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, that was so maddening. If you go back and watch old

[Matt Jones]

games and the game clock, they would have the clock but the play clock and the score wasn't up. And he was like, you know, you just might forget what the score is during the game.

[Drew Franklin]

There's like a video of the clock. It's like shaky. Wasn't even like they had the.

[Matt Jones]

And then they have the first down line, right? He said they would just go to break sometimes during the drives, which if you might think about now, people would go because they had the Colorado Missouri fifth down game. Do you remember that? When they Accidentally gave Colorado down. They said he missed second and third down. When you watch the game, a lot of people didn't know it was a fifth down because they had missed two downs.

[Drew Franklin]

We'd go crazy if we missed any of the games now.

[Matt Jones]

That's right. But one of the things he was talked about was kickers. He said that in college back then, he counted 74% of the kicks were made. And in last year in college football, the average was 89. And he was like, so that's a huge difference. And in the pros, that's got to be even more of a difference.

[Billy R]

Well, we learned they're using a separate ball just to kick, which I think we have to eliminate this year. I don't. I don't know how we get that done.

[Matt Jones]

I don't like that. That would be my rules change.

[Drew Franklin]

Adding to that, if I could change one thing about special teams, they got to bring back the was named Scott player that would wear the one bar like the kickers. It would be. The bar would, like, go under their chin. Their full face would be exposed to

[Matt Jones]

face mask to see, right?

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, but how do they not worry they'd get hit if someone's returning a punt or, you know, coming to block,

[Matt Jones]

usually be like, right, yeah, there was

[Drew Franklin]

a couple be under their chin. They would be fully exposed. I think we need to bring that back, add a little pressure to them. Gotta keep your head on a swivel if you're wearing that face mask.

[Matt Jones]

I feel like, though, the fact you can do long kicks hurts scoring, because you can. I mean, you probably get objectively more points, but, like, if I'm at the 45, I'm much more likely to kick than if I was. Well, when you also said one of the things they noticed is that people go for it so much more now than they used to. Back then, if it was 4th and 2, they were always punished. And now, you know, oftentimes they'll go for it.

[Billy R]

You might also be in range sooner, so you might play more conservative if you can pick a ball now, some

[Drew Franklin]

of it's probably the ball, but also, it seems there's just like so much more training and people working to be a kicker than maybe there was back then.

[Billy R]

Or a long snapper, too.

[Matt Jones]

Yep. All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

All right, two more. Our hearts go out to former Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinal running back Chris Johnson, who revealed just this morning on Good Morning America that he has been diagnosed with ALS. Johnson is 39 years old and has no history of ALS in his family, but used a speech generating device based off recordings of his own voice. Worked with his eyes to be able to speak with Michael Strahan. CJ2K. I know Drew remembers fondly played 10 seasons in the league. His 2006 yards in 2009 ranked seventh all time in a single season.

[Drew Franklin]

Went to several of those games in 2009. Have his jersey. Almost wore it today, but it would take me a while to find it. Didn't want to be running late maybe. Man, I love Chris Johnson. I tuned in this morning for that interview because it was kind of rumored that's what he was going to announce. I was shocked by how far it already progressed. I thought he would be talking and explaining what he's going through. To see him having to use that machine, I mean, that was heartbreaking. That's a guy he talked about just a year ago. He's playing with his kids at a birthday party and now, I mean, he can't even, you know, talk. So I couldn't believe how far off it's gotten him. Just terrible story for Titans legend.

[Matt Jones]

Very sad, Very sad. I mean, that dude was so. I remember him going all the way back to East Carolina. Kentucky played him in a bowl game and he talked. They would enter and they interviewed him during the game. I don't remember what he said, but I remember him like talking trash in the middle of the game because they had taken the lead. I think we won the game. But you know, he had those electric few years. Sad to see that. Seemed like a good. Seems like a good dude. And 39 years old. I mean, very young. But you know, that disease, man, that's such a sad disease. And there's a. There's a broadcaster in Louisville who just got diagnosed with it recently and, you know, prayers to everybody involved, including Chris Johnson. And he was. He was. For a handful of years, he was a dog.

[Drew Franklin]

Derek Henry kind of stole his shine doing it over the more longevity. But Derrick Henry's CJ, CJ2K year, there's not been a more fun running back year to watch than. And then he was smashing dash with Lindell White. Even though it's still mostly Chris Johnson. It was just a fun backfield for the Titans, who've had several running back legends. He was my favorite to watch when he was at his peak.

[Matt Jones]

I didn't remember it was called CJ2K. That's a cool nickname. He was unbelievable. Yeah. An East Carolina Pirate where I think he still holds a record for most yardage.

[Drew Franklin]

He picked East Carolina over Eastern Kentucky University out of high school. Wow.

[Matt Jones]

And ended up as good as he was. All right, what's next?

[Billy R]

And finally, you know, week one on the schedule. Wednesday, September 9th will be a Super bowl rematch as the Patriots will take on the Seahawks. But the second game of week one is on Thursday, September 10th. That's in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers will take on the Rams at the Melbourne Cricket ground. In fact, 2026, the NFL season will see a record breaking nine international fixtures, three games in London.

[Matt Jones]

Did you say fixtures? What are you been watching the World Cup?

[Billy R]

Well, you go overseas, it becomes a fixture. It's a fixture, it becomes a match.

[Matt Jones]

It's a fixture.

[Drew Franklin]

What shirts are they going to wear? Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Pedal day going to play on the pitch.

[Billy R]

There'll be first ever games in Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and Paris this year. Also some more fixtures in Madrid, Munich and Mexico City.

[Matt Jones]

Well, good day. Yeah, good. That's. That's very cool. I mean it's a long way away but you know, it's not as far from the west coast, so that's good. They don't have hard to fly.

[Billy R]

True.

[Matt Jones]

San Francisco and la. I mean those two, their players are complaining about. They don't want to go that far. I tell them shut up. We're trying to grow the game. And it feels like Australia is the market where there's a real chance to grow it because they have a lot of players. Here are the kickers for LA and San Francisco. Australian, because if not they should be.

[Drew Franklin]

I don't know, but maybe they'll come back with one if they don't have one.

[Matt Jones]

If their punters are not Australian, they should fire those people and make them have Australians for that game.

[Drew Franklin]

I wouldn't even take them like you stay back. We're going to pick some up while

[Matt Jones]

we're taking the Australian. Australian guys.

[Drew Franklin]

As a fan, I love these games because we get games and time slots. We don't normally have them. I love waking up and there's already

[Matt Jones]

a game slot for this one. I. Australia is a weird. It's like 14 or 16 hours at difference than us.

[Billy R]

Yeah, I'd have to look it up here when we will be watching is something I might be able to look up here a little bit sooner on the flight. 8:35pm On Thursday, September 10, we will be able to start watching.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, well that's a normal. That's a normal Thursday night.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I think they. They though that'll be. If I'm. If I'm right. That might be like 10am or noon

[Drew Franklin]

morning game for them.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, because I know Max, who's our Australian friend. He will text me in the morning and it's like it's late at night for me.

[Drew Franklin]

It's 14 hour difference.

[Matt Jones]

Is that what it is? So yeah. Well I'm glad. So is that going to be the Thursday night? Is that the.

[Drew Franklin]

See that goes against what I like because that's just a normal game.

[Matt Jones]

I actually let the super bowl champion.

[Billy R]

They're playing Wednesday.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Billy R]

September 9th, Pat's at Seahawks and then it's Thursday next day 49ers Rams.

[Matt Jones]

Is that the game? Is the one on Wednesday the NBC and then the other one's the YouTube game or something. I think one of these Games is on YouTube. I don't know. I know that there's something like 13 days in a row where either the NFL or college football has a game.

[Drew Franklin]

I love that.

[Matt Jones]

To start in September.

[Drew Franklin]

I love that they just keep taking over. New games, new holidays. Fridays we'll take Fridays, Saturdays we'll take.

[Matt Jones]

Do you think there's ever a risk of there being too much like eating too much pasta?

[Drew Franklin]

That's a good analogy.

[Billy R]

Or like bowl games I don't see.

[Matt Jones]

But. But you know, they keep the bowl games. Like people can't get enough. But. But with bowl games you can skip them and nobody cares. But with the NFL, people kind of want to see everything.

[Drew Franklin]

I love them. We don't have to channel surf just one game on, spread them all out. Well like this year on the players

[Billy R]

Thanksgiving there's a game on Wednesday, three on Thursday, a game on Friday and then the normal slate on.

[Commercial Announcer]

Love it.

[Matt Jones]

See, but that's how it's been for a while, hasn't it?

[Billy R]

Has there always been a Black Friday?

[Matt Jones]

There may not have been a Wednesday.

[Drew Franklin]

Black Friday was new last year and

[Billy R]

then they added Wednesday.

[Matt Jones]

I think they've added Wednesday Black. No, the Black Friday has gone for a little while. Cuz I have done my ESPN show on Black Friday a couple times and had to talk about. I remember one time having one of the 16 O's as my co host and we had to talk about it the whole time.

[Drew Franklin]

Well, I support it more. NFL games at random times. The best. And not just saying this running fellow podcast. The other sports can't compare if the NVA or NFL picks a Tom, they own that.

[Matt Jones]

I mean you just get it.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Billy R]

Well the Jags, you know, they're playing two games in a row in London. One of them they're going to be a home team for there's rumors that they might move to London one day.

[Drew Franklin]

They should embrace the Jaguars.

[Matt Jones]

They should. I mean, have you been to Jacksonville? No, I'm just kidding. That's mean. I got a great long story. We had like three years where you and I were in Jacksonville like every few days.

[Drew Franklin]

Kentucky had a couple of games, maybe

[Matt Jones]

a March Madness basketball. It was like I was just always in Jacksonville walking across that bridge.

[Drew Franklin]

We should go back.

[Matt Jones]

I've walked that bridge so much.

[Drew Franklin]

Let's do Cover zero does Jacksonville. Billy can interview his long snapper. Talk to Liam Cohen.

[Billy R]

We looked up hot tub prices. The tickets you gotta buy whole cabanas to even get in the hot tub.

[Matt Jones]

You ask them how they keep gnats out of their hot tub. Can they give me Even nats don't

[Drew Franklin]

want to get that hot.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I feel like we we captured the off season. Well, we're going to be doing this show once a week until we start doing our season previews and then we might do it. We'll go back to twice a week. Billy will be in charge of the news. We're going to have some guests. So the NFL does this thing where they take 25 former players and they go through a broadcasting school and we're going to have some of those guys on here for interviews. Over the course, of course of the thing, which I'm excited about. Some of these people I know, some of them I don't, but we might become friends. Like I've become friends with the World cup commentators on espn. They're all like, we had a guy from Trinidad and Tobago and I said, Tobago, Tobago. Let's call the whole thing off. And

[Drew Franklin]

that's good. I like that a lot.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you. We're gonna have some of those guys on over the next few weeks and

[Drew Franklin]

some of the people that have gone through in this past are now some of the biggest personalities on tv.

[Matt Jones]

We can be part of their training

[Drew Franklin]

as they begin their careers.

[Matt Jones]

Well, they'll probably thank us. Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

I mean we are a stepping stone to. To what's next for them.

[Matt Jones]

No, no, we are the st step right over. We're not. Don't step marinate.

[Drew Franklin]

It will be fun to have some

[Matt Jones]

guests on it will so be looking for that. Thank you all very much. Hope you are glad to have us back. Thank you to Drew's baby. Thank you to Russell Wilson and everyone else. We'll foreign. NFL Cover 0 with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and iHeart Podcast. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jessa]

Are you looking for support in your weight management journey? Zepbound Tirzepatide may be able to help. Zepbound is a prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Zepbound is Approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15mg injection. Zepbound contains tirzepatide and should not be used with other Tirzepatide containing products or any GLP1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Zepbound is safe and effective for use and should Children don't share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take if allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or if you've had multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop zepbound and call your doctor if you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing pregnant, plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking zephbound with a sulfonylurea or insulin may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting which can cause dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor, call 1-800-545-5979 or visit zepbound.lilly.com this is Tab Ramos from

[Matt Jones]

Inside American Soccer and this summer summer topgolf is turning into the ultimate soccer destination. They've got a new soccer themed game you can play with your group, exclusive food and drink items. They've even installed full size soccer goals so you can try to hit golf balls right into the net and every match all summer long will be on throughout the venue. And if you want to keep the fun going all summer, you can get the topgolf Summer Fun Pass which lets you play every single day and bring up to five guests every venture.

[Billy R]

Get yours [e-mail] FunPass Are you really

[Matt Jones]

buying a car online on autotrader right now?

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

Really?

[Drew Franklin]

At a playground?

[Jessa]

Yeah, really. Look at these listings from dealers.

[Drew Franklin]

Wow, your search can really get that specific.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

Really?

[Drew Franklin]

And you just put in your info and boom.

[Matt Jones]

Cars in your budget. Mom needs a second.

[Drew Franklin]

Honey, you can really have it delivered.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

Really?

[Jessa]

Or I can pick it up at the dealership.

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

One sec sweetheart.

[Billy R]

Sweetie, Mommy's buying a car.

[Drew Franklin]

Mommy, look.

[Matt Jones]

I think your kid is walking up the slide. Kyle again?

[Pharmaceutical Advertiser]

Really?

[Jessa]

Auto trader buyer car online really big transfer news today.

[Matt Jones]

Who's moving me to the couch with Domino's? Best deal ever since they just added

[Billy R]

stuffed crust Any pizza any toppings now with stuffed crust for 9.99 it's a

[Matt Jones]

long term contract with no Release clause only 9.99 the yeah, that sounds like the move I'm heading straight to

[Drew Franklin]

prices higher for some locations excludes excellent specialty

[Matt Jones]

pizzas select this offer from 6:15 through 7:26 online only. Size availability varies by crust height max 7 topping 6 for pan and New

[Drew Franklin]

York style crust Minimum purchase required for delivery prices, participation, delivery area and charges may vary.

[Jessa]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.