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Chase Daniel
It's actually, you're actually for once in better weather than I am.
Diana Rossini
Correct.
Chase Daniel
Because it's, it's raining here and it's cold, chilly.
Diana Rossini
It's nice to see a little sunshine on my skin. Right?
Chase Daniel
How many, how many, how many people are going to be looking at you while you're doing this show?
Diana Rossini
A fairly large amount.
Chase Daniel
You need to have some like behind the scenes and put it on your Twitter.
Diana Rossini
Know what I should do is just have people that walk by or like, are you recording to just drop in, be like, just step in. Like, it's fine.
Chase Daniel
Seriously? Yeah. Come on.
Diana Rossini
There, there will be many coaches and GMs walking by this.
Chase Daniel
Grab an owner.
Diana Rossini
Welcome into Scoop City. I'm the athletic senior NFL insider, Diana Rossini.
Chase Daniel
And I'm chase Daniel. Played 14 years in the NFL.
Diana Rossini
We appreciate all you guys checking us out, listening, watching us over on YouTube, subscribing, commenting, all of it. We've got so much NFL news to get to Chase. I'm obviously not at home in New Jersey.
Chase Daniel
What a, what a setup. I thought for a second you're at the Masters because of the flowers. I'm like, but the Masters isn't set yet.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, it's, it's coming. And there are a lot of people that I've seen here at the owner's meeting who are heading to the Masters right there. So I am jealous that I'm not going to be part of that. But look, I am in Palm Beach, Florida for the league meetings and this is without a doubt the best event in football. You have coaches, GMs, owners. They're here with their families. They're in meetings a lot of the day. But those meetings wrap usually around 2, 3 o'clock and everyone's just hanging out. People are golfing, sitting by the pool, it's almost a little like mind boggling at times because everyone is just normal. There's not as many boundaries as you normally have when you're covering football. So it's been great.
Chase Daniel
The country club crew.
Diana Rossini
It is the country club crew. I was trying to play a par three yesterday afternoon, but I didn't have enough time to get over there. To do was so cool because I drove by it and a bunch of older ladies out there together having a little girls trip playing and I'm like, you know what, I want to do that. So I still may. But either way we've got a lot of news to get into. G. So let's get right to it. Here's what I'm hearing around the.
Chase Daniel
So Monday morning, Diana, all the AFC coaches spoke. What was the head coach you were most interested in hearing and where were you hovering? Because I've seen some pictures.
Diana Rossini
It's. Well, it's hard right, because they squeeze everybody in these round tables in in it basically just looks like a storage box and it's supposed to be an intimate setting. But obviously when you're covering all the AFC head coaches, you have to quickly figure out where you want to go because you only have 15 minutes and everyone's talking at the same time. So my thought was let's head on over to the Pittsburgh Steelers where the great Mike Tomlin was sitting taking questions. This guy, little sweaty was sweat. I was thinking there's only one man that sweats more than him and it's my co host, my dear friend Chase. I do the thing is, normally I will mock people that do that because I'm not a big sweater and I don't understand it. Like what are you sweating over? He had every reason to sweat this morning, every reason. It was so muggy and gross and everyone was the. It's the lights of the cameras too that are over him and we were asking him a lot of questions about a lot of different topics and obviously the biggest one being at quarterback. So we had to just be pretty direct with him on where do things stand on Aaron Rodgers. Here's what he said.
Mike Tomlin
He's a free agent, as you guys know. He came to visit last Friday. We had a really productive day. He's been in this a long time. I've been in this thing a long time. But there's no substitute for, you know, intimacy and spending time together and getting to know one another in a non competitive environment. And so that was really good. But I don't have any new updates in terms of where the process is. We'll see where it leads us. How unsettling is it or is it to not have this situation? I'm really comfortable with being unsettled this time of year, to be quite honest with you. It's about talent acquisition. We got two main means of acquiring talent. Free agency in the draft. We multitask. We do both those, those needs that we fulfill in free agency, we do so there. And when we don't, we fulfill it in the draft. And so I just learned over the years that this, this time of year, although, you know, day to day can be somewhat uncomfortable. It is a process.
Diana Rossini
Well, it's uncomfortable, right? It's uncomfortable because he's getting questions that he can't answer because he doesn't have the answer yet. He doesn't know what Aaron Ro is, is going to do. We obviously were trying to get a little bit more like, is there an understanding? Is there a day? You know what I mean? Like, is there a deadline? Is there? I, I, I wish I asked him, like, give me a percentage that you think Aaron Rodgers is on your roster. You know, may one.
Chase Daniel
Yeah, he, he was, he seemed pretty coy about the whole situation. But I, I don't know. I don't feel, if I was a head coach, I wouldn't want to feel uncomfortable, Especially if I don't have a franchise quarterback right now. I'd feel uncomfortable if I go into the, to the season with Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson and a rookie quarterback maybe that they'll draft. So I don't know. I thought the comments were interesting. Just like, when is this going to end? Like that, that, that, that was my whole thing. It's like, when are, when are the Steelers okay with setting a deadline? Because eventually they're going to have to have plans moving forward. I'm sure they have contingency plans. But, like, I know Aaron Rodgers doesn't need to be at OTAs. I know Aaron Rodgers doesn't really need to, you know, be past that. He probably needs to be there at training camp, but do you want to wait until training camp to sign him? Because he hasn't gotten the offense. He hasn't. You know, I know he was throwing with DK Metcalf. I knew he was doing all this stuff, but he hasn't been around the team. Like, it's just got to be a little uncomfortable because it sounded like it was uncomfortable to him.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, he had a throwing session with DK Metcalf and Omar Khan, the general manager was asked about it and he said I wasn't there, but that's good. If that did happen, I'd say that.
Chase Daniel
Like, he knew it.
Diana Rossini
Not much, but, you know, he knew it. He knew that that happened. And, and, and. Which is great. If this is part of the plan, if, if he's going to become a Pittsburgh Steeler. This is just a lot of flirting to me until he signs. Yeah, it's. This is.
Chase Daniel
You must have watched our show because I said the exact same thing. It's a dating process. First, the first of all, the intimate conversation. That was hilarious. I'm like, you didn't have to use the word intimate, but I like what you're saying. And those conversations are probably like, how do you handle this off the field stuff? We know what you can do on the field. Yada, yada, yada. What's your plan? Like one year, two year. I'm sure the money situation has to do with it. And then you're flirting again with DK Metcalf. Oh, let me just go through a DK Metcalf at ucla and it's like all part of the dating process. Eventually, though, you got to pick your. Your girlfriend, right? Like, you got it. You got to have a pick. Is. Is from your indications down there, do you think Rodgers is definitely playing? Do you think Tomlin is being coy or do you think he really does not know anything?
Diana Rossini
My sense is the Steelers feel good about it, but there was a time when the Giants felt good about it. Right? Like, I think Aaron is a player of all players in this situation. Like, I think he's telling them everything they want to hear. Right? Like, the dating analogy is perfect in this. And I think a lot of people have probably dated people like this where they're just telling you all these things and blowing smoke and you're like, we're gonna be together and then nothing happens. Because at the end of the day, words are words. And if you really care and if you really wanna be with me, then you're gonna show me. And the only way for Aaron Rodgers to show the Pittsburgh Steelers is to show up and sign a contract and be with them. So I definitely get the sense that the people in the Steelers building just. It's a matter of time. Whereas other people around the league aren't so sure. And I think they're not so sure because it's Aaron Rodgers. I think any other quarterback would be like, ah, you know, they'd probably agree with Pittsburgh. But I do think there's a belief that there could be a day where Aaron wakes up on the beach and is like, you know, I don't want to do this anymore. So I don't think we're going to have an answer. And I can tell you whether this Mike Tomlin claims that he likes being uneasy and uncomfortable, I don't buy it. Head coaches are control psychotics, especially Mike Tomlin. So this is a lack of control and really waiting on someone else unless he feels just that good. And they've had these any. And he's even shared with us that he is in contact with him all the time.
Chase Daniel
So do you think that money would be an issue because you said Aaron Rodgers needs to show them by signing on the dotted line. Can the Steelers show Aaron Rodgers, or do you think it's already sort of set in stone the salary that he's going to have?
Diana Rossini
I. I think it's set. I think there, this is what the deal is. This. This is how we're going to do this. But it may be a situation, like you said, when you get pressed, things change. When you start getting pressed and you start hearing that maybe he doesn't want to play, and you throw a little bit more on it. Right. So the quarterback conversation in Palm beach in general has been pretty much everywhere for teams that are looking for them. And obviously all eyes were on Brian Callahan as well. The Titans table was packed with media because what are the Tennessee Titans going to do? I feel like one day we're hearing that it's definitely Cam Ward, you know, the next day we're hearing they're gonna, they're open to trading out. Like, there's, there's a lot on the table, and Brian Catlin was pretty open and was like, we haven't made a decision yet. We, we have not decided who that's going to be. Really?
Chase Daniel
Are you buying that?
Diana Rossini
I am. I am, because I did a little digging on it, I think so. His answer to the question of what are you doing with the number one overall pick? Was, we're open to everything. Okay. So that immediately tells you that they're going through the process here trying to figure out what they want to do. You have a lot of new people in this organization right now. There's been a lot of change coming off a really bad season. Mike Briganzi, obviously, this is going to be his first big pick, first time gm making the number one overall pick quite, quite the gift. And you have to. I always wonder about this Chase, like, how much is ego involved in this, right? Like, you're Briganzi and you're like, God, I don't want to trade out. Like, I want to make a pick. I want to get a quarterback.
Chase Daniel
You know, that's interesting to me because if you do have that ego, because he came from kc, right? He's like, man, I've been touching gold for the last five, six years, especially with Patrick Mahomes, you know what it. Mahomes, you know what it takes to win at the next level or this level, and that's a quarterback. And that's something that Tennessee Titans haven't had in quite some time. So I'm interested, though, if they were to trade back, because to me, the pick is Cam Moore. And like, I want to tell. If I was there and talking to Brian Callan, I would say, don't overthink this. Or to Mike or don't overthink this. Yes, the best players in the draft are Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter. But are they going to make an impact enough for one, Brian Callahan to keep his job and two, for you to win some games? I think Cam Ward can be that player.
Diana Rossini
It's such a strange time of year right now in terms of getting these evaluations of these quarterbacks, because a lot of the conversations that I've been having with teams in the lobby, by the pool, in the coffee shops has been, is Cam Ward truly the best player in the draft? And I just. I get so many different answers. Yes, he's the best quarterback, but there are many that believe that maybe the best option is to go with the board. But we know what the situation is in Tennessee. We know what the situation is.
Chase Daniel
Do you have a quarterback?
Diana Rossini
They need someone, right?
Chase Daniel
He's not the best player in the draft. He's not like, that's. That's Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. He's definitely the best quarterback, and I think it's far. There's a big gap between him and Shador Sanders. And that's not being disrespectful to Shador. I just love the way Cam Ward maybe projects at the next level because he does have that stuff in the pocket where you can make a miss. He does have that arm flare. He does have that flair for these amazing throws. Sometimes that comes in and bites him in the butt, this aggressiveness. But don't over, like. I just don't like. What would it take. What would it take, Diana, for them to move off?
Diana Rossini
I think it's good business for them to keep this open. I think that's the point.
Chase Daniel
What would it take for them to move on Pick?
Diana Rossini
I don't know, I don't know. They won't answer that. They won't tell you that.
Chase Daniel
It would have to be a ton.
Diana Rossini
Correct. I mean, this is an organization that is trying to completely revamp and rebuild. They are tearing it down. They did not have a good free agency last year. They don't have a court. They have so many questions that need answers and a lot of positions to fill. So I understand the argument from some in the building that I know would like to trade out because they want to build, but they've lived in a quarterback. They've lived in this quarterback situation where they don't have a lot of answers for a while. That. I put it like this. I'm not sure if there's conviction yet. And that. That was my sense. I'm not feeling this conviction from Tennessee just yet, it seems. I mean, look, we saw Brian Callahan at the workout, and he lights out like he was so happy and he loved what he saw. I. I'm. I'm just not feeling that yet. It's going to change. I'm just saying. For right now.
Chase Daniel
Yeah. Sorry for interrupting. I. I hate when I do that, but it's just.
Diana Rossini
I love when you do it because.
Chase Daniel
You'Re so excited and you're interested. So here. Here's my two cents, and we can move on after this. If. If you're the Tennessee Titans. Because I've thought long and hard about this. If you're the Tennessee Titans and you are not taking quarterback, trade back. Okay, Trade back. If you are the Tennessee Titans and you're taking quarterback, take Cam Ward, because Cam Ward's not going to be there. I guarantee you. The Browns, if Cam Ward's available, might end up taking Cam Ward, but if you know for a fact you want the quarterback, you have to stick and pick. Now, if you're the Giants and you can move up and you're. All of a sudden the Giants are like, oh, Cam Ward. And you can fall back to three. You can then have your pick between Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter. So that. That would be. And I'm sure that's probably what they're thinking, but it's an interesting fact that you said that there. You don't feel conviction yet.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. And then you have the Cleveland Browns. Right. Who. It just appeared for weeks that they were definitely going to go quarterback. It just made sense. We know what the situation is with DeShawn. And then they go and sign Kenny Pickett. So how much does that change what they want to do in this draft? Is there a quarterback that that they love. Stefanski was asked about, and yes, he did speak very highly of Kenny Pickett, but he also shared that they're going to be meeting with Shador Sanders later this week in connection with his pro day. So they're obviously doing some homework here and trying to figure out if he meets the level of quarterback play that Kevin Stefanski is looking for. And I do think there's a lot of pressure on Cleveland right now to get this right. And I don't know if you would define right as getting the right quarterback here or making the pick of the best player available. And going back to what you said, we know who those guys would be and it's a win, win if you get one of them, one of the best players available in this draft. But they still have so many questions at quarterback. Which brings us to Kirk Cousins, right? Is that a real thing for Atlanta to trade Kirk to Cleveland? From my sense, yes. I don't know how far along it is right now. I just know there's enough smoke around this and enough conversations being had that this would not be a surprising move. Knowing Kevin Stefanski coach Kirk Cousins, when he was in Minnesota, it makes a lot of sense on why that would work. But my biggest takeaway, not to bury the lead here, was the first time I have heard Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Cleveland Browns, come out and admit this. He said, we took a big swing and missed with Deshaun, as in Deshaun Watson. We thought we had the quarterback. We didn't. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him. So we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole. It was an entire organization decision, and it ends with dni, his wife. So hold us accountable. Like, surprising. When do you hear that an owner. Because he. I mean, he has to.
Chase Daniel
It was very, very interesting because we haven't this whole time heard the actual owner come out and say, we made a mistake. We all knew. We all knew it was a mistake, and we all knew that Deshaun Watson's time with the Browns was likely done, even though they paid him a ton of money for only a certain amount of starts. But I think that. I think that he almost had to say this day. And I feel like there was so much pressure on the organization that maybe it was other people's decisions. And he's saying, hey, it was. But I think it was an ownership decision, first of all, to continue to play him last year and not to move on from him because of the money. But there was this black cloud around the Cleveland Browns. There still is. But at least by saying this, it's almost like, hey, you broke, you broke it. And now it's like, all right, let's just move on and let's, let's try to get this right. But this is, and he said, I mean, this is a huge draft for them. Right. And so I don't know if you can unless you're 1000% sure. And this just goes back to me saying, Diana, about the quarterback, quarterback class in general for this draft. I don't think it's as strong as we've seen in a few, quite a few years. And so if you're reaching at number two for a pick like Shador Sanders, you better damn be sure, damn well be sure that he is the guy for your franchise for the next decade. Because if you hit and you swing and you miss on this one after you missed on Deshaun Watson, that's why I think they're probably just going to go with the safe bet in Abdul Carter.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, I know it makes all the sense in the world. And Kirk can come in and comfortably run a Kevin Stefanski offense. And, and, and it's a win for this, for this regime. And, and we've seen Kevin get a lot out of quarterbacks in the past. So, so I don't think it's a fail if Kirk Cousins. I think it's an upgrade. Obviously. I, I know if I'm them, I, I'm, I prefer a veteran quarterback right now over a rookie quarterback that you're unsure of that we don't even know is even a first round pick. Right. Because that, that conversation's been had. Is he really a first round quarterback? And, and I think most, most think that he, he, he bottom of the round at least, you know.
Chase Daniel
Yeah. So let me ask this though, because you said the Kirk thing because that's interesting to me because we know he was up there visiting a Chipotle. They say it wasn't because Browns related. Yeah, right. Don't you think that Kirk would have a market especially if Aaron Rodgers doesn't sign with the Steelers? Like how does this affect Kirk Cousins market? Because now there's two teams and if you're Kirk Cousins who has a no trade clause, don't you want to go to Pittsburgh with DK Metcalf and George Pickens or over the Cleveland Browns? Because I think that might complicate some things.
Diana Rossini
I was having a conversation with a GM in their division about this, this exact situation of how are the Steelers not making sure and look, Tomlin said they have plans in place, right? Does that plan include Kirk Cousins? What are they going to do if, if Aaron Rodgers decides to retire or wait Minnesota out? Whatever he chooses to do, it makes a lot of sense from Kirk's side and Kirk in a way because he has the no trade clause and would waive it for the right team. It's funny. Kirk has power again. How did this happen?
Chase Daniel
Yeah, no doubt. That's crazy.
Diana Rossini
It was kind of a little bit of a pie in the face there. And look in both places he's going to play a lot, right? Because he's not going to have the situation that he just did in Atlanta. So we know that the Cleveland Browns pick at 2. I think we both are feeling right now that it's going to probably be best player available. We'll see what they decide to do over the next few weeks. But then you've got the Giants at three. And general manager Joe Shane met with some reporters just to talk through the free agency process in the upcoming draft. And our athletic reporter Dan Duggan had some takeaways from it because he was in on it. I didn't go to that scrum at that time, but he tweeted his information and said the biggest takeaway I had from his 20 minute session with reporters, he laid the groundwork for not taking a quarterback at number three. Now he might be being cagey because you know everyone's trying to play games here, but he really hammered how he can't force the pick if you don't have the franchise caliber quarterback. I believe him. I think Dan's observation of Joe Shane was fair. I think they are still doing work on these guys. But don't feel in love. I don't think anyone is in love with these quarterbacks in order because we've said this whole time they're going to go quarterback because they have to. Their jobs are on the line. Right. We've discussed this a million times of they're going to have to find an answer because look, you got Jameis, you've got Russell Wilson. But what's their plan? What was your takeaway from shown from Shane's quotes.
Chase Daniel
I thought he was being cagey. I don't know. I mean, look, I, I don't know if. Yeah, I, I would actually agree with him. When you don't have to take a quarterback at three, I do think that's a, a reach for the next quarterback available. Either, either Jackson Dart or Shador Sanders. Most people would say Shador. I think Jackson is Creeping up in that conversation. Not that high, but I think that's a reach in general. Not to say if Shador falls or if Jackson Dart is there at the end of round one, you can't trade back up in and my whole thing that's a better value for you can still get Travis Hunter there, pair him with Malik Neighbors, put him on the defensive side of the ball. That is a way better pick. And you still have Russell Wilson who showed he could play some good ball last year. My thing and the reason why I said it last podcast or the podcast before, I do think they need to get a rookie quarterback because I don't think going 500 with Russell Wilson, a 36 year old quarterback, I've said this before or James Winston is going to save their jobs. They're in job saving mode in my opinion right now. And how you do that is you draft a rookie quarterback and you show hope and you show you can develop him through the season. Now three is really expensive. Not to say they can't find a guy. Dude, Dak Prescott was a fourth round pick and you saw what he did his rookie year. Now it was a great roster. The Giants don't have that. So you can still find a rookie guy if you fall in love with them to pick.
Diana Rossini
So you feel, you feel confident. Not even confident, but you feel good that the Giants either way are going to come out of this draft with a quarterback. It just may not be at 3 a Shador Sanders or at 3, which makes sense. And meantime you have across town at the New York jets, they're going all in on Justin Fields. What do you make of them just believing that Justin's the guy here, naming him the starter now?
Chase Daniel
I love it. I love it. And I listened to Aaron Glenn's comments, thought he was a top notch quarterback. And the thing that stood out to me the most and I read through the whole transcript because I'm a big Justin Fields guy. I wanted to see how the team viewed him. The quote that stood out to me the most was he said let him be a quarterback. And I'm like, man, thank you so much. They try to put this guy in the box sometimes and meaning like you're trying to run offenses that he doesn't fit and this has been my whole situation. And yes, Justin Fields is not a perfect quarterback. Yes, Justin Fields needs to get better protecting the football. Yes, Justin Fields needs to get better not taking sacks. Yes, he needs to progress faster. But they've seen enough in him. He said Aaron Glenn said he went back to his Ohio State film and watched what he was good at and watched his pro film and watched what he was. He is a shotgun quarterback that can run with his legs, that can throw the deep ball accurately, stop trying to put on the box and put him in his under center play action quarterback where you only read half the field, let this guy get out of the box. So that's what I took from it. I'm like could not agree more. They're showing a lot of faith in them, especially not only the contract but those comments as well. I mean it's he's definitely the starter for sure.
Diana Rossini
Oh for sure. And it's funny because I feel like this time last year we were talking so much jets obviously because of Aaron Rodgers being there and it's just really been a quiet off season and they'll be the first to tell you they did this on purpose. They want silence after what they've been through the last two years. Where I am hearing zero silence is on the Tush Push chase. We told you here on Scoop City last week that the Tush push was gaining tons of traction in terms of the banning of it. Right. And we talked about it here on the show. Well, now we're here. They're going to vote on it on Tuesday, so we'll have an answer as to what they're going to do moving forward here in terms of how they're going to propose it for the owners to vote on. But it is all the talk. It is all tush push on seeing Howie Roseman, Nick Sirianni. Everyone is talking about this. So when we get back, let's take a quick break. I want to dive into what I'm hearing on the ground.
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Diana Rossini
All right, back here on Scoop City, we told you a few weeks ago that the Green Bay packers were the team that proposed that the league ban the Tush push. Of course, we've seen the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely ace this. And when you think about it, you think them. And it's why right now, here at the owners meeting, you're seeing Nick Sirianni, you're seeing Howie Roseman having conversations with all different people in football, and they're having these open conversations about what the Tush push, why they should vote against getting rid of it, why they should be in favor of it. And there's, there's a lot to unpack here. So. Geez. I just want to start with some of the coaches that we spoke to on Monday that showed their support of banning it. Sean McDermott, the Buffalo Bills head coach, kept pointing to the data that's been discovered, the health and safety of the players. There is no data.
Chase Daniel
There's zero data.
Diana Rossini
The data shows nothing. And this is the sticking point for a lot of the coaches and general managers in football right now is why are we going to ban a play on the idea that maybe down the line people will be injured if the Philadelphia Eagles specifically have had what, 300 and something snaps of running the Tush push, and we haven't seen any significant injuries. Mike Tomlin was interesting on this. He sounded like he was excited to keep continuing to discuss it. Kept pointing to health and safety on this, and health and safety is the answer. Andy Reid, health and safety. But Nick Sirianni was pretty open with the media saying, look, we're gonna see how it goes, but I want Jonathan Gannon, Kellen Moore, Shane Steichen, they better vote for this thing, right? Of course, they were all together when they were coordinators with Philadelphia. And I do believe those guys are in a position. They are four the Tush push. But this.
Chase Daniel
Did you hear what he said after? He said, they are in the head coach position right now because of that play. How crazy is that to say that?
Diana Rossini
That's aggressive.
Chase Daniel
That's aggressive.
Diana Rossini
Part of it.
Chase Daniel
Oh, my gosh.
Diana Rossini
Aaron Glenn added a little something to it. He said they done a really good job of creating a play that's unstoppable in my defensive coaching mentality. My job is to stop that play. Our job is to stop that play. I'll answer it that way. So we know where he's, where he falls on that. Right.
Chase Daniel
Even D'Amico had something like that too.
Diana Rossini
He did. It's funny how the defensive coaches, although I did speak with one defensive coach who said, why are you able to push on offense if you can't push on defense? In which I pushed back and said, well, you can push on defense. And he was like, no, you can't. I'm like.
Chase Daniel
Yes, he can.
Diana Rossini
But I wasn't gonna fight with the head coach, and he was a big one. Then I had another head coach talk about the, the way the tushbush is, is essentially described in the rule book. And they want to see if the language could change.
Chase Daniel
Oh, that's interesting. What, like in what, in what way?
Diana Rossini
So I think right now they're in this gray area where it's where I'm not sensing this is going to get banned or not banned. They're trying to almost reshape it to allow the rules to, to coincide more with the quarterback sneak that, that, that's.
Chase Daniel
How I Did a bird just poop on you?
Diana Rossini
Because I definitely, I definitely looked down worried that they did. No.
Mike Tomlin
Okay.
Diana Rossini
I'm just making sure it fell on me.
Chase Daniel
Sorry for interrupting again. I just was. You seemed a little scared.
Diana Rossini
I've never asked you this. Are you for it or against it? Like, if you were on the competition, competition committee, what would you go for it.
Chase Daniel
Go for it? Absolutely. It's a play that other teams, because the Philadelphia Eagles and even the Buffalo Bills run pretty well, but Philadelphia Eagles, it is unstoppable for the Eagles. You're banning it because you're jealous. Stop saying it's about player health and safety. I talked to a high ranking team doctor and he said verbatim, there is zero data, so anything like that is bs. And I was like, oh, okay, so that's true. I mean, you can't ban a play, in my opinion, because one team's really good at it and you don't know how to get good at it and then you can't stop it. And that's the Philadelphia Eagles. I get what Sirianni is saying. It's for. It's a play. It seems soft to me that you're doing it. Like, I, I get it. I, I, I get we want to see touchdowns. I get we want to see this and that. And I said this even a month ago when you first, when you first, first brought it back up and you were the lead on all of it nationally. I was like, let's just think about not getting rid of it. Let's think about maybe limiting the times you can use it. Okay, what about you can't use it inside the two yard line so you can't just keep doing it for touchdowns or you can only use it on fourth down. You can't use it on third and short because teams want to see and players want to see and fans want to see people going for it more on fourth down. Like, what about if you do something like that? Like, so when you said wording, that's where my mind first went and it just to ban it fully outright. First of all, people don't Understand you need 24 teams out of 32 to vote against it. And I just don't know if you're going to have the sheer number of votes. Like 24 teams are going to vote against it. I don't know.
Diana Rossini
Yeah, I think it has a better chance this time around than it ever has. While you were talking, I just texted a coach who I hadn't seen and asked about it and I said, hey, what's your vibe on the, on the tush push? And he wrote, as it's currently written, I would say I'm opposed to it. So it goes back to the point you just made. I think the way it's written right now is the problem. And how is that going to, is that going to be adjusted in order to get like.
Chase Daniel
First of all, if they do adjust it, Diana, it's going to be almost impossible to referee depending on the words they say. If they're like, oh, you can't immediately push. Well, what's considered immediately? Like, do you have to wait a second and then you push? I think it's much more enforceable if you do have a certain set time, you can use it.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. And I've heard people bring that up in the meeting that they had on Monday. I heard there was a coach or a general manager who said exactly that. Immediate. What is immediate and how do you officiate that? So we'll see how this goes. I am still a little surprised that we. Maybe even by the time you're consuming this show and you're listening, the vote has come down already. But the fact that it was what's.
Chase Daniel
Your, what's your view on it? Like, what's your, what's your, what's your take?
Diana Rossini
And sort of like, do you think it passes? I don't think it's gonna pass this time. I think it's gonna be close, though. I think it's gonna be close. I think it'll be closer than we think.
Chase Daniel
Are the votes anonymous?
Diana Rossini
Yeah.
Chase Daniel
Put your name behind it. Like, if you're going to ban a football play. Yeah. You're gonna. You found on those packers, of course.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. They didn't love that. Yeah. So we'll. We'll see where this goes. I. I just was surprised that at this look. How much does it have to do with the fact that the Eagles won the Super Bowl? Don't you think it's weird that Sean McDermott is against it, yet his team does it so well?
Chase Daniel
They do it the second most and do it well.
Diana Rossini
Correct. That. That was surprising to me. I. I thought he would be on the other side to it.
Chase Daniel
Classic defensive coach, I guess. Right. But there were two other defensive coaches that were for. I don't know. It's.
Diana Rossini
I don't know. I know it is. So we'll see where this thing shakes out, and on the next show, we'll dive into and discover and find out who was in on it, who was against it, and if they even delay it. So let's take a quick break. It is without a doubt my favorite part of the owner's meetings. The coach's photo. I wonder if they know how awkward and ridiculous it looks. They have to.
Chase Daniel
They follow some of their fashion choices, too. What are we doing?
Diana Rossini
It's the fashion. It's the smiles. So I figured that we would kind of rip through some of them in a nice way. We won't be mean. We'll be nice. Oh, by the way, I talked to Nick Sirianni for a while about some of our harsh opinions from the past season. First of all, he was awesome. He was so cool about it. He's like, you have a job to do. You guys need to be doing that. I get it.
Chase Daniel
How did that get brought up?
Diana Rossini
It was actually amazing. So it was me, Jeff Darlington, and Adam Schefter from ESPN in the lobby just catching up. And Nick came over and. And Nick's always very kind and warm and Italian. You know, they're all the same. How are you doing? And Shefter goes, wow. Like, I didn't know you guys, you know, knew each other so well. He's like, well, you know, we get along great unless she says things about me. And I was like, oh, my God, I freaked out. I, like, freaked out. But I was like, nick, I. I think that at the time we were criticizing you on Scoob City, it was because I believe that the team, the roster, were built to win a Super Bowl. And at the time, I didn't think that you were doing some of the things that were gonna get them there. And I was critical of it. But guess who won the Super Bowl? You did. You won the argument.
Chase Daniel
Such a great answer.
Diana Rossini
I had to apologize, by the way. He didn't even want the apology. He was awesome. He was so cool. And look, when you win, you don't care. And he said that. He's like, a lot of this is. He's like, I know what I signed up for. I'm the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles Eagles. But it was just so cool to have that conversation with him and not fight and just be respectful. So shout out to Sirianni for being a stud. Maybe we'll get him on the podcast at some point in the summer when we visit training camp. So let's take a quick break and then we'll do the coach photo and wrap this thing up.
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Diana Rossini
All right, back here on Scoop City, where it was Picture Day for the head coaches in the NFL. Jesus. Already laughing.
Chase Daniel
I'm looking at. I'm looking at it. I'm just like. I mean, yeah, it's.
Diana Rossini
There's so many different ways we can go about it, but before we go into it, specifically, give us your, like, kind of your. No pun intended, your big picture takeaway of this photo.
Chase Daniel
Well, the big picture takeaway is how many solid colors there are. Like, no one's stepping outside the zone other than the two super bowl coaches. Everyone else, other than. Well, variable, too, but Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni are in somewhat of a pattern. Every other person is a just flat color shirt with some, like, trousers. It's like, such coach.
Diana Rossini
I love the fact that Pete Carroll looks like the uncle of the Harbaugh brother.
Chase Daniel
He looks young dude, right?
Diana Rossini
And he's stuck right in between them. And it's just funny that he's seated right there with them.
Chase Daniel
Oh, yeah. Like. Like, why can't you. Why can't the brother sit next to each other? The. The next biggest thing staying on that. How bad does Kyle Shanahan look? He looks hungover and tired.
Diana Rossini
No, Kyle looks like he was in Cabo. He looks tan.
Chase Daniel
I saw him look at his eyes. He looks so tired.
Diana Rossini
My other takeaway from the photo is when they said cheese. By the way, that alarm that you're hearing is because a very big thunderstorm is coming in, and I think that's an emergency.
Chase Daniel
It's not a tornado siren.
Diana Rossini
It's. I don't know what it is, but.
Chase Daniel
People are running, freaking out.
Diana Rossini
So I think when they said, like, say cheese or 1, 2, 3, that person was camera. Right, Right. They were away from the lens because if you look in the eyes of Brian, Brian Callahan looks like they just told him you are not allowed to have an opinion in the upcoming draft. Right.
Chase Daniel
You were the youngest rookie head coach.
Diana Rossini
Like, you are not. You did not win a game.
Chase Daniel
Well, also, Dave Canales looks like he can still play like. Or he can play ball. Like, look, dude looks freaking jacked. And actually, this is so funny because Dan Campbell, okay, first of all, huge, but also, like, tall. T City. Look how big that shirt is that he's on.
Diana Rossini
I don't know why that is so large, but it's probably one of those. You don't want to wear the tight shirt because then you're Sean McVay. Right. Sean usually wears those. Sean McVay used that same smile for, like, his grade school photos. Like, he looks like a little boy in that photo. I mean, he's not 40 yet, so.
Chase Daniel
First of all, Sean Payton. Love him. He's age. Why is he smiling like this?
Diana Rossini
Why? Sean looks. Well, I don't get that nervous or scared. Sean McDermott thinks he's taking his high school wrestling photo right.
Chase Daniel
Shane Steichen has lost a lot of hair since he's become a head coach.
Diana Rossini
I saw him at the coffee shop, and I got to tell you, it took me a second to recognize him, but then I did. He's awesome. He's. He's another great guy. Liam Cohn, the Jacksonville Jags head coach.
Chase Daniel
Right next to the Bucs head coach. Like, what are we doing? Todd Bowles and that whole situation. That's awkward city.
Diana Rossini
I just don't know if I've ever seen Liam Cohn and Arthur Smith in the same room at the same time. They look identical in this photo, honestly.
Chase Daniel
Day ball. Okay, what does Dabo look like? Because I had my words. What do you think?
Diana Rossini
I'm not sure if I'm going to be the head coach of the Giants in November.
Chase Daniel
Okay, first of all, you're getting fined if you're head coach society. You're wearing team gear. You're the only person wearing team gear.
Diana Rossini
Oh, he is wearing.
Chase Daniel
He's wearing a giant zip up. Absolutely not. That's bad news.
Diana Rossini
I love the fact that Sirianni showed up to the team picture with a hat, but they made him take the hat off. You see the hat down by his feet?
Chase Daniel
Another thing, too. I noticed Andy Reid, usually in shorts, lost the super bowl, decided to be in pants for the first time.
Diana Rossini
Oh. Trying to change it up. All right, well, let's go the other way. Who nailed this? Like Rabel set in the edge there.
Chase Daniel
Dan Quinn is lafleur. Lafleur is good. I like lafleur. I like Dan Quinn.
Diana Rossini
Oh, yeah. They. They.
Chase Daniel
McVeigh.
Diana Rossini
Glenn looks great. He looks happy.
Chase Daniel
Somebody, I think his big cat said McVeigh, Lafleur and Canales were the hot boys club. I'm like, yeah, yeah, makes sense.
Diana Rossini
Well, they're so young. They. They should be. But you're.
Chase Daniel
I think McVeigh. McVeigh. McVeigh probably gets an A plus.
Diana Rossini
Yeah. Zach Taylor's happy that he's got some weapons on offense that are going to be happy and keep his quarterback happy. That's what he looks like in that.
Chase Daniel
And yes, we also know that the top right, second from the right, that is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Just so we know.
Diana Rossini
Oh. Because some people are probably like, who is that?
Chase Daniel
Some people are like, who is that? That is Brian Shotna.
Diana Rossini
I think there are people out there who will skin that photo and wonder who some people are for sure. Even when I see them in person, it took me a second to see Mike McDonald. Oh, yeah, I struggle with that one, right? The Seattle Seahawks head coach. I'm like, oh, yeah, that's Mike. It happens, but every year, it's a blast. I wish they would just have fun with it all, just, like, stick their tongues out or just do something ridiculous just to be like, you know, what could you imagine? They can't win. That's the thing. They can't win in this. Like, we're gonna make fun of them and.
Chase Daniel
Yeah, totally.
Diana Rossini
You know? Totally. All right, so that'll do it for us here. Hold on.
Chase Daniel
We got thunderstorms coming in. We got Diana losing her ear.
Diana Rossini
Sorry, I'm back.
Chase Daniel
You didn't hear me? We got Diana losing her ears. We got thunderstorms moving in. We got sirens going on.
Diana Rossini
This is what you do when we're down on the ground and we're live in action. Good job for you here in Scoop City. So thanks so much for hanging out with us. Leave some comments. If you got some questions before I leave Florida, you know, let me know, and I'll. I'll. I'll. I'll run around and see, see what kind of intel I can get for Scoop City, especially for the next episode, and we'll have some answers to some of these proposals coming up. So thanks so much. We'll see you guys next time.
Chase Daniel
Bye, guys. Tag me next time.
Scoop City: A Show About the NFL
Episode: Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf Hold Offseason Throwing Session & Tush Push Ban Gaining Momentum at Owners Meeting
Release Date: March 31, 2025
Hosts: Diana Rossini & Chase Daniel
In this episode of Scoop City: A Show About the NFL, hosted by The Athletic's Senior NFL Insider Dianna Rossini and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel, the duo delves deep into the latest offseason developments, focusing on key player movements and significant rule changes being considered by the NFL ownership. Skipping the ads and non-content segments, the hosts engage in a dynamic discussion filled with insider insights, humorous exchanges, and thoughtful analysis.
Exploring Rodgers' Future with the Steelers
The episode kicks off with Diana recounting her experience at the league owners' meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, highlighting interactions with various NFL figures. A significant portion of the conversation centers around Aaron Rodgers, the legendary quarterback whose future with the Pittsburgh Steelers remains uncertain.
Mike Tomlin's Comments:
Diana shares her interview with Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin, who addressed Rodgers' free agency status.
"He's a free agent, as you guys know. He came to visit last Friday. We had a really productive day... But I don't have any new updates in terms of where the process is." (06:26)
Rodgers' Indecision:
Chase expresses skepticism about Tomlin's comfort with the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers:
"I don't feel, if I was a head coach, I wouldn't want to feel uncomfortable, Especially if I don't have a franchise quarterback right now." (07:28)
Throwing Session with DK Metcalf:
Diana mentions Rodgers' offseason throwing session with DK Metcalf, adding intrigue to the potential partnership. Chase likens the negotiations to a dating process, emphasizing the need for definitive commitment.
"It's a dating process. First, the intimate conversation... Then you're flirting again with DK Metcalf." (09:05)
Financial Considerations:
The discussion touches on the likely hefty salary Rodgers would command, questioning whether the Steelers can meet his financial demands. Both hosts agree that while the deal might be set, future negotiations could shift based on Rodgers' decisions.
Quarterback Contenders and Team Strategies
The conversation transitions to the NFL Draft, with a focus on quarterback selections and team strategies, particularly scrutinizing the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns.
Tennessee Titans' QB Situation:
Diana highlights the Titans' indecision regarding their quarterback choice.
"Brian Callahan was pretty open and was like, we have not decided who that's going to be." (12:32)
Chase weighs in, suggesting that if the Titans don't commit to a quarterback, they risk falling short:
"If you're the Tennessee Titans and you are not taking quarterback, trade back." (16:20)
Cleveland Browns' Dilemma:
Diana reveals that Jimmy Haslam, the Browns' owner, publicly admitted a misstep in acquiring Deshaun Watson, signaling a need for strategic rebuilding.
"He said, we took a big swing and missed with Deshaun Watson." (18:25)
Chase connects this to the broader quarterback class, questioning the strength of available QBs and emphasizing the necessity for the Browns to choose wisely to avoid repeating past mistakes.
New York Giants and Jets:
Diana and Chase discuss the Giants' cautious approach, with GM Joe Shane hinting at not prioritizing a quarterback pick at number three. Conversely, the Jets are commended for their unwavering support of Justin Fields as their starter, highlighting his potential despite areas needing improvement.
"They're showing a lot of faith in them, especially not only the contract but those comments as well." (25:43)
Debate Over the Tush Push
A major segment of the episode is dedicated to the contentious debate surrounding the potential ban of the Tush Push play, a strategy prominently used by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Arguments for Banning:
Diana outlines support from coaches like Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills, who cite player health and safety, despite Chase challenging the validity of these claims.
"Sean McDermott kept pointing to the data that's been discovered, the health and safety of the players. There is no data." (31:01)
Eagles' Stance:
The Eagles, particularly Nick Sirianni and Howie Roseman, defend the play's effectiveness, arguing its strategic advantage without significant injury data.
"They done a really good job of creating a play that's unstoppable." (32:18)
Rule Clarifications and Enforcement:
Diana mentions attempts by teams to refine the play's rules to make it less ambiguous and more enforceable, though Chase remains skeptical about the feasibility of such changes.
"If they adjust it, it's going to be almost impossible to referee depending on the words they say." (36:38)
Host Opinions:
Chase passionately argues against banning the play, criticizing the purported health and safety rationale as unfounded and suggesting that banning successful plays due to jealousy undermines competitive integrity.
"You can't ban a play, in my opinion, because one team's really good at it and you don't know how to get good at it." (34:03)
Potential Outcomes:
Diana speculates that the play might not be banned outright but could see adjusted usage rules. Both hosts agree that the vote will be closely contested, with the outcome uncertain but impactful for future gameplay strategies.
Humorous Breakdown of Coaches' Appearance
Shifting gears, Diana and Chase engage in a lighthearted critique of the head coaches' official photo taken during the owners' meeting.
Fashion and Presentation:
The hosts humorously analyze the coaches' attire and poses, noting patterns like solid-colored shirts and expressing amusement at specific coaches' appearances.
"Dan Quinn is lafleur. Lafleur is good. I like lafleur. I like Dan Quinn." (45:00)
Notable Observations:
Respectful Exchange with the Eagles' Coach
Diana recounts a memorable interaction with Nick Sirianni, the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, who graciously received their past criticisms following the Eagles' recent Super Bowl victory.
Acknowledging Past Criticism:
Diana admits to past critiques of Sirianni's decisions but acknowledges his successful strategy in leading the Eagles to a championship.
"But who won the Super Bowl? You did. You won the argument." (39:38)
Sirianni's Response:
Sirianni responded with professionalism, dismissing the need for an apology and exemplifying sportsmanship and mutual respect, leaving room for potential future collaborations on the podcast.
"He's like, I know what I signed up for. I'm the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles." (39:40)
The episode wraps up with Diana and Chase reflecting on the day’s events, teasing future discussions, and encouraging listener engagement.
Upcoming Topics:
Diana hints at exploring the finalization of the Tush Push ban and revealing which NFL figures supported or opposed it, promising deeper insights in future episodes.
Final Thoughts:
The hosts sign off with light-hearted remarks about impending thunderstorms and humorous observations about on-air mishaps, maintaining their signature engaging and relatable style.
"So thanks so much. We'll see you guys next time." (47:28)
Mike Tomlin on Aaron Rodgers:
"He's a free agent, as you guys know... We'll see where it leads us." (06:26)
Chase Daniel Comparing Negotiations to Dating:
"It's a dating process. First, the intimate conversation... Then you're flirting again with DK Metcalf." (09:05)
Chase on Tush Push Ban:
"You can't ban a play, in my opinion, because one team's really good at it and you don't know how to get good at it." (34:03)
Nick Sirianni on Winning Argument:
"But who won the Super Bowl? You did. You won the argument." (39:38)
Aaron Rodgers' Status with Steelers Remains Uncertain: The Steelers are navigating the complexities of acquiring Rodgers, balancing financial considerations and team needs.
Tush Push Ban is a Hot Topic: The potential rule change is creating division among coaches and teams, with significant implications for gameplay strategies.
NFL Draft Focus on Quarterbacks: Teams like the Titans and Browns are grappling with their quarterback choices, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right player to secure their future success.
Lighthearted Host Dynamics: Beyond serious analysis, Diana and Chase incorporate humor and personal anecdotes, enhancing listener engagement and providing a well-rounded listening experience.
This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the Scoop City episode, providing a detailed overview of discussions, insights, and notable moments for both seasoned NFL fans and newcomers alike.