Mina Kimes, Shipping Joe Burrow, & Dan Campbell's Destiny

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Dan Le Batard Show

Episode Title: Mina Kimes, Shipping Joe Burrow, & Dan Campbell's Destiny
Date: August 7, 2026
Setting: Live from the Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Participants:

• Dan Le Batard (Host)
• Dave (primary cohost for this segment)
• Mina Kimes (Guest, ESPN analyst & podcaster)
• Gino Fuentes (Panelist)
• Buddy Badowski (Panelist)
• Major Randy (Mailbag/Social Media Correspondent)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into NFL preseason storylines for 2026, with a particular focus on high-profile teams, coaches, and players. With the NFL regular season approaching, the group debates quarterback tiers, head coach selections, team futures, fantasy football trends, and tackles some ambitious "time capsule" predictions. Mina Kimes joins for an extended, thoughtful segment on roster construction, coaching value, and which teams and players are most poised to make noise this season and into the future. Interwoven throughout are the show’s signature banter and unique, irreverent takes on football, uniforms, and even music.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Jersey Number 76: NFL History & Best Wearers

[05:02-08:12]

• The group reminisces about legendary athletes who wore #76: Orlando Pace, Lou Groza ("The Toe"), Steve "Mongo" McMichael, and PK Subban.
• Dave shares Steelers history: lauding the 1976 Steelers defense and the overlooked narrative of that squad's dominance.
• Notable quote:
  • “That to many is the best defense.” – Dave [07:13]
  • “The college kicker award for best kicker in the country is the Lou Groza Award, is it not?” – Buddy Badowski [06:29]

2. Great Defenses Since the 1985 Bears

[08:12-08:29]

• Gino votes for the 2000 Ravens as the best defense since the '85 Bears.
• Buddy selects Seattle’s "Legion of Boom" for their name and impact.

3. Seattle & Kansas City: Fantasy Football Focus

[08:54-11:44]

• Intense discussion about rookie RB Jadarian Price in Seattle and his fantasy impact with Zach Charbonnet recovering from injury.
• Kenneth Walker’s transition to Kansas City is highlighted as a potential game-changer for the Chiefs' offensive approach.
• Notable quotes:
  • “A running back, plug them in. There’s not a learning curve.” – Dave [10:08]

4. Coaching, Quarterback & Team Power Rankings with Mina Kimes

[14:39–39:57]

A. Mina's Process

• Mina describes her annual deep-dive into each division, combining analytics with “what’s under the helmet.” [15:11]
• Personal ranking: Mina would rank herself “outside the top 10 but inside the top 20” among her favorite people. [15:42]

B. Drafting Your Team (Hypothetical 2026)

• Head Coach: Mina picks Sean McVay: “He strikes me as the kind of guy who I could probably get a decent amount of wins with most quarterbacks.” [16:12]
• Offensive Coordinator: She leans Mike McDaniel or Ben Johnson’s tree (Drew Petzing/Declan Doyle). [17:15–17:53]
• Defensive Coordinator: Vic Fangio or Brian Flores, but Fangio top choice. [18:02]
• QB: Patrick Mahomes “in a vacuum.” [18:31]
• O-Line: Denver Broncos.
• Defense: Houston Texans. [18:52]

C. Team Perceptions and "Time Capsule" Predictions

• Dave lists his read on Mina’s NFL landscape for 2026, asking for correction:
  • Broncos: AFC’s best team.
  • Rams: NFL’s best roster.
  • Seattle: NFC’s “1A.”
  • Mina is lower than some on Caleb Williams, more bullish on Jordan Love in NFC North.
  • Ravens defense candidate for a big step under new DC Jesse Minter.
  • Travis Hunter as AFC South’s X-factor.
• Mina clarifies her Caleb Williams concerns are chiefly about accuracy consistency, drawing comparison to Josh Allen’s rare improvement jump:
  • “Accuracy is arguably the most important part of playing the quarterback position.” [20:25]
• Mina’s “No Playoffs” picks:
  • AFC: Cleveland Browns [21:09]
  • NFC: Arizona Cardinals (hard division) [21:21]
• “Definite Playoff” picks:
  • NFC: Los Angeles Rams [22:02]
  • AFC: Denver Broncos [22:51]

D. Bo Nix and the Broncos

• Bo Nix is viewed not as a generational QB but an optimal fit for Sean Payton:
  • “He's shown enough where I feel comfortable saying on that team, it's good enough to win a Super Bowl, which is not nothing.” [23:24]

E. Jalen Waddle to Denver

• Both Dave and Mina highlight how Waddle’s addition to the Broncos is “a massive piece” and expect him to be a fantasy standout. [24:03–24:33]

F. Dan Campbell & the Lions: Three Years from Now

[25:12]

• Mina predicts Campbell will still enjoy support but warns that the defense’s injury issues could reignite “Same Old Lions” talk if they decline.
• GM faces scrutiny for recent classes if regression hits. [27:41]

G. The Texans

• Texans are a “Rorschach” team: O-line is still a wild card, but Mina expects improvement; success rate and red zone numbers held them back in 2025. [28:36–29:50]

H. George Pickens’ Future in Dallas

• Projected as a top-10 WR in 3 years if kept on track; fit and environment are crucial to realizing his ceiling. [30:18]

I. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers

• Steelers offense “built smart” for Rodgers’ skillset, but skepticism about his willingness to push the ball or take risks late in the career. [31:30]
• “Not wanting to be hit and also not being able to move around much... he's just not going to do it a lot.” – Mina [33:04]
• Dave raises point about “stat padding” and risk aversion; Mina agrees there's a lack of aggressiveness reminiscent of late-career QBs. [33:57]

J. Ravens, Bills, and the AFC

• Will Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson win a Super Bowl? Mina picks “Yes,” leans Ravens due to coaching/defense. [35:00]
• Praises incoming DC Jesse Minter and expects Baltimore’s D to turn things around. [36:00]

K. Rodgers’ Legacy

• Mina anticipates Rodgers’ legacy to be “increasingly positive” with time: fandom will focus on his football talent more than recent controversies as the memory of off-field issues fades. [36:43–37:52]

L. Pop Culture, Uniforms, and Music

• Music: Worst genre—hair metal. “Nostalgic for nu metal videos, but hair metal’s the pick.” [38:30]
• Uniforms:
  • Best: Chargers powder blues, Seattle throwbacks.
  • Worst: Packers’ brown helmet/navy throwbacks—“so humiliating.” [39:39]
  • “Their normal uniforms are great. I love them.” – Mina [39:54]

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Additional Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Next-Gen Coaching:
  • “There are so many play-calling head coaches now. Makes picking a new OC really tough.” – Mina [16:28]
• On Team Regression:
  • “Attrition that’s hit [the Lions] since then is pretty hard to ignore. Offensive talent is there, but defense issues make them no longer an NFC powerhouse.” – Mina [25:48]
• On the AFC North Arms Race:
  • Dave: “Look out for them Bengals. I like them Bengals this year. I don’t like them, but I think they’re gonna be good.” [10:33]
• On the Impact of 'Hard Knocks' on fantasy and perception:
  • “If he gets out of the second round, I’d be stunned. There is an effect that happens with 'Hard Knocks.'” – Dave [09:41]

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Segment Timestamps

• Opening banter, Jersey #76 debate & Defenses: 02:00–08:29
• Fantasy Football: Seattle Backfield, KC RBs: 08:54–11:44
• Mina Kimes Segment Introduction: 14:39
  • Coaching & QB Drafts: 16:06–19:33
  • Team and Player Forecasts: 19:33–24:33
  • "Time Capsule" on Dan Campbell/Lions: 25:12–27:41
  • Texans Deep Dive: 28:36–29:50
  • George Pickens & Steelers: 30:18–33:44
  • AFC Outlook: Bills, Ravens, Rodgers: 35:00–37:52
  • Pop Culture & Uniforms: 38:03–39:57
• Show Panel Reacts to Mina’s Takes: 42:43–46:12
• Mailbag with Major Randy (Head Coach + QB Dream Combos, Listener Choices): 47:06–58:59

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Listener Mailbag Highlights

• Popular Coach-QB pairings suggested:
  • Sean McVay & Joe Burrow
  • Kyle Shanahan & Josh Allen
  • Andy Reid & Patrick Mahomes (noted as less picked this year)
  • Bill Walsh/Dan Marino hypotheticals, with reflections on QB history
• Discussion on coach-QB philosophy: Are modern systems intentionally shunning star QBs for “system guys”? Shanahan and the 49ers’ approach is analyzed [50:05–51:40].

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Tone & Vibe

• Smart, playful, slightly irreverent while deeply knowledgeable.
• Banter includes both nostalgia and present-day takes, keeping things lively.
• Mina Kimes is treated as a premier voice—her insights framed as benchmarks for debate.

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Memorable Moments

• Mina on Team Building:

  • “I think it’s important to have self-love but not be excessive about it.” [15:51]

• Uniforms Rant:

  • “If you're in Green Bay, the minimum standard is that green is in your uniform. I don't care what you did 70 years ago. Those people are all gone now.” – Dave [39:43]

• Waddle in Denver:

  • “That's a massive piece to drop into that offense. I really want Waddle in fantasy… he still produced at close to top 10 levels.” – Mina [24:03–24:33]

• On Dan Campbell’s Longevity:

  • “Lions fans have been really giving me a lot of grief for not ranking them higher... But I think that defense has so many problems right now with injuries.” – Mina [25:47]

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For New Listeners

This episode is a football fan’s dream—combining in-depth analytics, amusing hypotheticals, and honest evaluation of coaching and player narratives. The dynamic with Mina Kimes, who brings serious acumen and an affinity for the human narratives behind the stats, forms the heart of the discussion. Listeners can expect both insightful takeaways for the season ahead and thoughtful reflections on football trends—and some passionate pop culture tangents to top things off.

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Transcript

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[Frank]

Worst I gotta go with okay. It's tempting to pick the Steelers. Be the, you know, disgusting stripe conversation. It's actually Aaron Rodgers other team. The weird pack. You know what I'm talking about. Those weird packers throwbacks.

[Dave]

Navy. What the hell was Navy?

[Frank]

The brown helmet like just so humiliating

[Dave]

so you call, you're. You're in Green Bay. The, the, the, the minimum standard is that green is in your unit. I don't care what you did 70 years ago. Those people are all gone now. Oh, I didn't see you come in there. My fellow football American, great news. You know who's coming in right behind you? The 2026 NFL regular season, that's who. We have a lot of work to do before then. Like, we have to figure out which AFC and NFC teams are, are going to miss the playoffs. Plus, our guest Mina Kimes is going to weigh in on one quarterback and one head coach for 2026 will also get your answer to that question. Plus Major Randy is going to tell us why you think Joe Burrow ought to pair up with Ben Johnson. Then State of the Detroit Lions. Sneaky important year for Dan Campbell in the rugged NFC North. Kenneth Walker or his Seattle replacement, Jadarian Pryce. The, the fantasy fountain. Gino Fuentes is going to weigh in on that one. Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy are back together. If you didn't hear, do they have a shot? I'm not talking about are they going to get a shot. I mean, like, because we know how at least one of them feels. I'm talking about do they have a shot at winning at all? Let's dig in. Let's start the show. Yes. Hi and hello, my fellow football Americans, and welcome to Football America, presented as ever by our pals at DraftKingsports. Now, in all 50 of these United States of Football America, the regular season is drawing ever closer. I'm over the moon about it. I am not watching the month long lie to your eyes called preseason games. I don't care about the scrimmage clips. I hope that my favorite players don't get hurt. My fantasy players. That's about the value of, of preseason football, in my opinion. In the meantime, we have Mina Kimes coming up. Like we say, there they are behind the glasses. I sit in Miami, Florida talking to my guys, Gino Fuentes and Buddy Badowski. Badowski outfitted head to toe in Dolphins gear. Yeah, I got to get ready.

[Buddy Badowski]

I got to get ready for the season, you know, Dave. No, I'm still proud to be a Dolphin fan. As much as they've brought me nothing but misery.

[Gino Fuentes]

We got to remind ourselves.

[Dave]

Yeah, well, instead of the aqua, shouldn't your shirt be red? Because that's what the Dolphins are doing with 2026, right?

[Gino Fuentes]

What?

[Buddy Badowski]

Waving the red shirt.

[Dave]

They're red shirting.

[Buddy Badowski]

Oh, Jesus, that one went.

[Dave]

Whoosh yeah, right. Waving a white flag.

[Buddy Badowski]

And I was like, white flag, red what?

[Dave]

All right, we have a lot to dig in on as we try to figure out where this season's going to go with. With the great Mina Kimes in just a second here. Before we get to her, let's do a little fantasy F. And before we do even that, let's take care of our business. It's episode 76. Who is the player in NFL and or all of sports who wore that Jersey? Number best number 76. It's not a great number, but I mean, we got.

[Gino Fuentes]

We got two that really piqued my interest here. One, Orlando Pace, just absolute beast. Rams, Bears, Pro Football hall of Fame.

[Dave]

Great one.

[Gino Fuentes]

But then the more interesting one, Lou Groza, offensive tackle, slash kicker.

[Buddy Badowski]

Back in the day, though, I wish

[Dave]

that, you know, I wish that you. That the NFL would be better. I know people think I'm making a joke. It would be way better if you made position players do the kicking. That these guys are way too good and they have nothing to do with the rest of the sport for 59 minutes. They have nothing to do with it. And then they just run out there and do their one little thing that they do and they. And ironically or not, they would be among the worst human beings in our society to throw out there and be like, hey, go do other football stuff.

[Buddy Badowski]

Absolutely. They would be miserable at any other football.

[Gino Fuentes]

The funny thing here is that he was a. He was a star kicker and an elite level offensive tackle. So he was not bad at either of these things.

[Buddy Badowski]

But, you know.

[Dave]

Right. You know his nickname?

[Commercial Announcer]

I don't.

[Frank]

The Toe.

[Gino Fuentes]

The Toe.

[Buddy Badowski]

The Toe. He was. The college kicker award for best kicker in the country is the Lou Groza Award, is it not?

[Dave]

I believe that's correct. I just like that. I mean, that's pretty, pretty on the nose. On the toe.

[Buddy Badowski]

And Dave.

[Dave]

Name is Dave.

[Buddy Badowski]

Obviously, if you're talking 76, you got to talk PK Suban.

[Dave]

PK Suban. You left out Mongo himself, Steve McMichael. One of the great things. Him, all his Bears teammates. When he found out that he was going to get into the Pro Football hall of Fame on his deathbed and with his wife and for all those guys who he played with on that high end 85 Bears defense, that they were all sort of standing him around him for, for, for the big moment for him, that was, that was lovely stuff. And 76 on the banks of the three rivers. Old people will tell you that's the best addition of the Steelers or at least their defense, the 1976 dig this just a little bit of history for you. They're one in four, Terry Bradshaw's their quarterback, he gets hurt, they're the, they're the two time champs at that point. They're trying to three peat. He gets hurt, they're one in four. Then all of a sudden the defense goes on a heater unlike anything you've ever seen since 10 games, five shutouts, their foes average three points a game. They went 10 0. Franco Harris and Rocky Blair got hurt in the playoffs and so they lost to the Raiders. But that to many is the best defense. But I also mentioning Mongo, Michael McMichael, people always invoke still like that this defense blank defense ain't the 85 Bears. We need to update that. Let's let drop us a line. Would football America, hashtag football America let us know what's the best defense since the 85 Bears? Because let's update that reference right the

[Gino Fuentes]

best events I've ever seen while watching football was the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. That's the one that comes to mind for me.

[Dave]

I hate this to agree, but you're probably right.

[Buddy Badowski]

When I go to the most recent reference for great defense, mine would go to the best name for a defense ever, the Legion of Boom.

[Dave]

Legion of Boom is strong and that works neatly because while they won that super bowl, the Seahawks, as you may have heard, won the most recent super bowl as well. They're now the stars of Hard Knocks. Man, I don't we got to dig in on McDonald a little bit too. Not exactly a leader a man vibe, right?

[Buddy Badowski]

It's a little haven't gotten around to watching Hard Knocks yet. I think I'm going to this weekend. I'm going to watch the first episode this weekend, but when I do, I'll report back to you.

[Dave]

If one thing pops in terms of football, it's Jadarian Price, the replacement for Kenneth Walker, drafted out of Notre Dame. And that brings us to this week's fantasy fountain NBD Gino Fuentes. Tell us about the Seahawks rookie runner Zach Charbonnet on the shelf to start the season. This probably means good stuff, eh?

[Gino Fuentes]

So Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoffs last year, so that's going to be, you know, a late start to the season for him. First round pick on a running back is usually a good bet. There's Jadarian Price right now. He's going in the sixth round. I have to imagine that's going to Go up, because anyone who goes on Hard Knocks and gets their life story told to, you know, the country at large is just going to become a fan favorite. So I'm sure by the end of all this will probably end up in the third round. I don't know if I should be comfortable with that, because Zach Sharpenay will eventually come back.

[Dave]

Oh, I think if he gets out of the second round, I'd be stunned. There is an effect that happens with Hard Knocks, even though it's not at the height of its powers anymore.

[Buddy Badowski]

But it's splitting carries. It's splitting.

[Dave]

It's.

[Buddy Badowski]

At some point, Charbonnet will be back. And you know that the Seahawks love to give him carries because they love taking away carries from Kenneth.

[Dave]

He bangs around real good. There's no doubt.

[Gino Fuentes]

Well, it's just. It's a weird thing because Zach Schreiben, yes, you're going to want him toward the end of the season, but who wants to draft this guy and have him sitting there for two months?

[Dave]

And, you know, unlike a quarterback, as a. As the opposite end of the spectrum, running backs plug them in. It's not like there's a learning curve

[Buddy Badowski]

to hand them the ball and run through the Seagate.

[Gino Fuentes]

If you want to get off to a fast start, Jadarian Price is likely going to be like your guy because he's got. He's got Eugene Monroe behind him and really nothing else. Zach Treb will eventually get back, but he's not gonna be back till November. And until then, I have to imagine they're just gonna feed the young legs

[Dave]

of Price some questions. Clint Kubiak, of course, has moved to Vegas to toil with Tom Brady and their new friend Fernando. Kenneth Walker is in kc the defense loses a couple of big pieces. Enrich and Boye Maffe goes to Cincinnati. I keep saying it, look out for them Bengals. I like them Bengals this year, I don't like them, but I think they're gonna be good. Long story short, Gino, you can only have one Jadarian Price or Kenneth Walker.

[Gino Fuentes]

Oh, Kenneth Walker.

[Dave]

You sure?

[Gino Fuentes]

Yeah, because Kenneth Walker, they paid him. He's going to be the star guy. You know, Patrick Mahomes is going to need to lean on the run, but Jadarian Price has this unknown at the end of the season. Zach Schreibeny comes back. Is Jadarian Price the number two at that point? Is Jadarian Price healthy at that point from all the workload he's had before then? So, I mean, if it's just down to the two of them. I personally pick Kenneth Walker.

[Dave]

It's interesting with the usage that you see from Seattle running backs and how that transfers to a contending team like KC that has not depended not leaned on a feature back for the vast majority of their run in the last decade or so.

[Buddy Badowski]

So but they haven't had a feature back really.

[Dave]

I hear now they do, but we but we're assuming a fair amount about how he's going to plug in and be a Day one star for them. Maybe they do kind of flip from being Patrick Mahomes based and try to lean on the run a little bit more than what they have over the years. All right, interesting stuff. Fantasy fountain. And now let's dig in on the real thing with Mina Kimes.

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[Dave]

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[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Hello.

[Frank]

What an introduction. I'm so curious to hear what your thoughts are about. My thoughts after hearing that you've consumed them. Because I'm still working through my thoughts and one of the things I love about doing division previews, which is what I'm doing right now on my podcast, meaning capture Lenny. Is it really, it's kind of necessary at this point to like refocus, not just like see who's actually on the, you know, every team. Right. But also go back sometimes, watch a little film, revisit some of the stats. So I'm not quite ready, but I'm very close.

[Major Randy]

That's right.

[Dave]

And you try to include. You're not just analytics, you're not just X and O's. You're a human being as well and involve what's under the helmet as well as you try to factor in all those details before we start talking about the football players, college football likes doing their top 25 before and during and after the season. As a human being, where do you rank among your top 25 favorite people?

[Frank]

Where do I myself, Frank.

[Dave]

Yeah, you as a person, not as an animal. Yeah.

[Frank]

I would say outside the top 10 probably, but inside the top 20. I think it's important to have self love but not be excessive about it.

[Dave]

I like that answer. I like that answer. I wish I could achieve that level for myself, but I appreciate where you're coming from. All right, let's get warmed up here. I know you are. You already are. But for the audience's sake, Here we go. One head coach for 20, 26.

[Frank]

Go one head coach.

[Dave]

Get one head coach. Go ahead.

[Frank]

I get to choose any of them.

[Dave]

Any of them.

[Frank]

I go McVeigh. Probably because I don't know anything about what we're doing here. I don't know who my quarterback is. I don't know how good my roster is. And he strikes me as the kind of guy who I could probably get a decent amount of wins with most quarterbacks.

[Dave]

OC Well, I don't.

[Frank]

Doesn't really matter because I got Sean McVeigh, so I kind of already cheated you there. But of the non. McVeighs, man, there's a lot of play calling head coaches now, actually, which makes, you know, picking the next head coach kind of difficult. Gosh, O.C. i'm trying to think of a guy who's not already a head coach. This is actually really hard, dude. Because it is mostly head coaches at this point. I'm optimistic. No, I'm not gonna choose him. Tricky, tricky. I keep going off all the top 10 offenses that I like. All it's. All the head coaches are the play callers. Trying to think of one that's. I mean, I know. I know. I'm buying time here. Is there a top 10 offense where it's not the head coach?

[Dave]

Well, here's an interesting place for you, I think. And we're gonna get to the Lions in. In just a bit here. But what about Drew Petzing? I think this is an interesting swing by the Lions. Get Ben Johnson's best pal to basically replicate what Ben Johnson was doing two years ago.

[Frank]

I think that's a good bet, especially because he's been given so much to work with. I think in Baltimore, Declan Doyle is going to be set up for success. Same tree. Also, Ben Johnson affiliated. So he is another kind of by. By the youth. You know, he's like 29. So that's one that I like. Yeah. Either of them see, oh, Mike McDaniel, he's an offensive coordinator now. Right. I forgot. That's easy. I don't know why I didn't go to him. I still thinking of him as a head Coach. Mike.

[Dave]

Okay. D.C. now.

[Frank]

Okay. So here I'm gonna go big Fangio, because Mike McDonald is the head coach. And then after him, you're looking at Vance Joseph as a possibility to see you at the top. Flores. Flores is a good choice as well. But I'll go Fangio.

[Dave]

Yeah, I know. And yet it seems like if I'm picking up what you've been laying down, you're not enthused about the Vikings. We'll get back to them. The 1 QB for 20, 26.

[Frank]

1 QB for 20, 26. I'll go. I'm going to go Patrick Mahomes. Because we're not. You're not buying me. You're not. We're not saying quarterback in their offense. You're just taking someone in a vacuum. Right. I'm sticking with moms.

[Dave]

Okay. Oh, line.

[Frank]

Let's go with the Denver Broncos and

[Dave]

one defense, Houston Texans. Oh, I thought you might go Broncos again. All right, here's what I could based on what my Cliff's notes of what Mina Kime's worldview is as we head into 2026. Check me after I run through this. Here's what I've written down. The Broncos are the AFC's best top to bottom team. The Rams are the NFL's best top to bottom team. Seattle is the NFC's 1A. You're not as bullish on the Madden cover boy Caleb Williams as a lot of other people are. You expect Jesse Minter to have the same effect on the Ravens defense that Mike McDonald's had on the Seahawks defense since he came over from the Ravens. And Travis Hunter is the AFC South's X factor. But the Texans O line is the X factor of the whole afc. How say you?

[Frank]

I like all of that. A little bit of context for the Caleb take. I think the only reason I'm not as high on him maybe as some is that on my podcast Ben Solak ranked him 8th overall. So I am there. I know. So I'm, I am high on Caleb. I think arrow is pointed up. I'm excited about him. I just don't think he's the already the eighth best. You know to be fair to Ben that my exercise is a three year timeline. You're drafting whatever. But I just thought I was a little bit more I had love over him for example in the NFC North.

[Dave]

I know you did and I think the same issue and it's not a small one that everybody has assumed will just resolve itself because it did for Josh Allen. But of course Caleb Williams is not the same person as Josh Allen. Accuracy because he had this historic a historical turnaround doesn't mean Caleb Williams is going to do the same. Is that the long and short of it?

[Frank]

Yeah, the accuracy just especially unlike some of the easy throws, I think that's the main thing but it's a big thing. Accuracy is arguably the most important part of playing the quarterback position. So I think just if we're really going to talk about him in that category, top 10 category, you just need to see a little bit more down to down consistency.

[Dave]

Okay. You lose the right to watch Love island for the rest of your life if you get this one wrong. So the stakes big for you here. One AFC team. This is a game we like to play annually. And you think it would be an easy one, but it's very difficult. It's no playoffs for you. One AFC team that absolutely, positively is not going to wind up in the playoffs.

[Frank]

Cleveland Browns.

[Dave]

I'm sorry? Cleveland Browns. And Jimmy Haslam and Deshawn Shador. You did it to yourselves. No playoffs for you. One NFC team.

[Frank]

Oh, that's harder. That's harder. The Arizona Cardinals.

[Dave]

I'm hearing buzz about that team. Very hard to divine what they are because everybody's all over themselves about them in fantasy terms, but not in real football terms.

[Frank]

Well, it's not even that. I think the Arizona Cardinals are as bad as the Browns, the Dolphins, et cetera. They're in the NFC West. Right. So you just. It's a hellscape. So if the Arizona Cardinals were in the NFC south, they might not be my answer.

[Dave]

But this one might hurt. This might hurt even more than losing Love Island. You lose all rights to listen to any of your Pavement albums. One NFC team that definitely will make the playoffs.

[Frank]

The Los Angeles Rams.

[Dave]

Okay. I feel like they're, you know, their quarterback has a bad back and I don't. And are they really going to roll? Is Ty Simpson really their backup qb? There's the. Of this team is like, this is the year, like. And your backup is a rookie who was kind of a lot of people evaluated as a little bit of a reach where they got him.

[Frank]

I think that if Matthew Stafford actually were to get hurt, they might get a veteran, maybe lur. Jimmy. Jimmy out of retirement or something. Yeah,

[Dave]

maybe go the Colts route and dig up one of their. Their proud alumni. All right. AFC team that definitely will make the playoffs. This is a murky one based on how last season went.

[Frank]

I'll go with the Denver Broncos. I think they're just such a complete team. I mean, it'd be hard. The Bills are right there. That's the easy one as well. I'm optimistic about the Ravens. I think the Patriots will be good. But the Broncos, to me just seem like the most complete team.

[Dave]

And that does not necessarily equal you thinking Bo Nix is a sort of a quarterback you could drop into any situation. Rather, he is the Drew Brees 2.0. He is the optimal fit for what Sean Payton wants to do. Is that accurate?

[Frank]

I don't think he's Drew Brees, too. I think he has a lot to work on in areas to improve, but he's shown enough where I feel comfortable saying on that team, it's good enough to win a Super bowl, which is not nothing.

[Dave]

Oh, I mean but the addition, it happened so long ago. I think that we continue to suffer from short and long term amnesia. You forget that like oh yeah, the Seahawks, but also Drake May was probably hurt in that super bowl and people just wash over that and what they saw. Most recently, I think the addition of Waddle.

[Frank]

Yeah.

[Dave]

One that kind of everything that's happened since has now gotten obscured. That is a massive piece to drop into that offense. Yes.

[Frank]

Totally agree. Actually. I really want Waddle and fantasy and like every league when I get a chance to draft him, I think he's so good and it got kind of slept on because one he was playing with Tyrique and then when Tyreek was gone, the offense kind of went off, you know, to us sort of. Well, everything that happened with him that it got a little bit ignored. That in spite of that, in spite of the greater attention paid to him, the quarterback uncertainty, he still produced like at close to top 10 levels. So I think he's going to be excellent in Denver.

[Dave]

Well, you like to do your three year evaluation. I do a version of that. It's called the time capsule. Let's jump into the time capsule now and get you on the record. A few years ago you did pretty well when I broke out the literal 10 foot pole, you said Patrick Mahomes will retire as the greatest quarterback in the history of people. I think that's still in play for him. And you said way back before it was in vogue that Cam Heyward is going to the hall of Fame. So you have a good track record here. Now let's get into this one. Where are what's our, what's our perception of the Dan Campbell era Detroit Lions three years from now?

[Frank]

That's a good one. I think that because of the core that they have and because I think he is a very good coach, they will still be competitive. I don't think fans will turn on him. Maybe I'm wrong. It happens all the time. But I think the quote that always brings in my head is when they missed when they lost in the nfc, which game was it? What year was it? A couple years ago in the playoffs. And he spoke about two years ago

[Dave]

when they got whipped.

[Frank]

Yeah. And they were so hurt. Right. And when he was like, yeah. I'll be honest, there's no guarantee we're coming back here. Paraphrasing. But it's very true. And I think just the attrition that's hit this team since then is pretty hard to ignore. Lions fans have been really giving me a lot of grief for not ranking them higher in my power rankings. But I think that defense has so many problems right now with injuries. So obviously some really incredible, talented offensive players. And I'm optimistic, cautiously about Petsing. But I do think, you know, the team isn't the dominant sort of NFC powerhouse that they were at pretty recently.

[Dave]

A brood of a division. And one of the few things, really, I feel like there's a big divide between where I am and in fact Nate Tice, who was with us a couple few weeks ago, and where you are is the Vikings. I think if the Vikings obviously in that neighborhood, if the Vikings rise up, that could well diminish, especially with the other two good teams in that division. As one of the great empaths in society, I have to point it out, the broadcasters do are not. They are more empathetic even than I apparently, because they have to declare. Lions have nothing to hang their head about as they leave San Francisco Stadium. A couple of title games ago after that deflection that landed in Brandon, I you miss your opportunity sometimes, it ain't going to come back around. Like, wow, nothing to worry about. Jared Goff's going to be back. I don't know. He might not be back. And so I'm anxious to see that moving on next time capsule. I do think, though, that the Lions kind of are at least on the NFC side. They are. If there's an America's team, this is the Rorschach team. I think a lot of people are way higher on. The Lions are way lower on the other big swing of results for them in terms of our collective perception of where they're headed, true or no.

[Frank]

Yeah. I think if they really lose pace or they're standing this year, there's going to start to be the same old Lions kind of talk. And I was maybe, you know, I could have been a little bit premature and thinking people would still ride for Campbell. I could see pitchforks coming for him for sure. When in truth, I think the GM maybe deserves a little bit more smoke for, you know, he got so much love for those early drafts and the golf trade and whatnot. And like, you know, maybe like you'd have to take a harder look at like the last two classes.

[Dave]

So by the way, I think the Rorschach team, although I'm starting to hear more and more buzz for them in the positive with very little cynicism, despite how CJ Stroud looked last Year is the Texans Tyson to go to the super bowl. And I know you well and that O line is everything for them. Right?

[Frank]

Yeah. The offense in general, the O line is definitely core. You know, I was. We're doing the AFC south this week on my pod and I went back and watched some of the Texans offense. And first of all, CJ Stroud was like, much better during this season than I think obviously he was. It'd be hard not to be better than he was.

[Dave]

But like, that refers back to my earlier comments about what we most recently saw because he didn't play well in the class.

[Frank]

So many examples like that I can point to especially when it comes to quarterbacks when we look back at the 2025 season. But the thing I'll say too about Stroud is like the. And I think Nick Kaley, their offensive coordinator, deserves a little bit of grace. The offensive line, it was so obvious they were trying to compensate for it constantly. Horrible rushing team. And I think I, I saw I had a stat that was like they had something like. I think they were like dead last in success rate in the red zone or something or close to it. The. The all kinds of like jumbo packages, quick game, rolling Stroud out. It was just always like so clearly hamstrung by how bad the line was and they remade it again. I think it'll probably be a little bit better, but it's still probably not going to be a strength boy.

[Dave]

That to me, if there is a sort of thing about the way the NFL like our teams going to all go heavier or go lighter or, you know, and who is going to dictate that as our offenses or defenses in 2026? Building on what we've seen the last couple of years. But, but to the back to the time capsule, what are we saying about George Pickens three years from now?

[Frank]

I think we probably are talking about him as a top 10 receiver still. Yeah, I mean, obviously the question is consistency and. But he's so talented, man. And it's. Maybe there'll be down periods and, you know, I don't know, more inconsistency, but I think his ceiling is as high as almost any receiver in football. I think the really fascinating question though is like, what does he actually stay in Dallas? Do they find a way to keep him? And if not, you know, then where does his career go? Because I do think in the wrong place, you could hit the downside rather than the upside.

[Dave]

You would think that would be Dallas though, right? I mean, given its history and all of that you would think Big D is a place where he might blow up.

[Frank]

He didn't.

[Dave]

He behaved himself kind of sort of. Not all the way, but that's part of the George Pickens tax. I like those Cowboys quite a bit. But what does it tell you that the steel about the Steelers process that they said, can't win with a guy like that and then he goes and thrives in Dallas. For the record, they haven't won yet with him. Nevertheless, where do you perceive these Steelers to be with their old quarterback in the roster?

[Frank]

Overall, I think I've been ranking them around 20ish. Right. And the quarterback is the limiting factor. And there's, you know, it's not a perfect roster, but I think it's pretty damn good. Like the offense, I think the way they've built this around. Aaron Rodgers is smart. The receivers that they've added make sense for his skill set. They make sense together, like it's a well constructed group. I think the offensive line has the potential to improve with some of the little tweaks in guys moving around and such. The interior is a strength. I think the run game should be good. The question is just, you know, whether or not Rogers hamstrings them by not pushing the ball downfield sufficiently or moving around. And it's hard for me to think that's going to reverse compared to what we saw last year. He's only getting older, but I do think even if he doesn't, because of the receivers that they've added, the offense could still be efficient, if not like terribly explosive.

[Dave]

You know, I always go back to the. Say, you know, he was. He was a more dynamic performer than Peyton or Brady were in that their respective primes. Do you. Do you like Rogers at 43 more last? About the same as you like Brady at, say, 44. Peyton, when the Broncos made their run, you know, he concedes he was a passenger for that 2015 title. Is he more of a detriment based on his frame of mind? We talked to Nate Tice who said, you know, my. You and I have gone back and forth offline about. I just think he's spooked at his age about getting smacked around.

[Frank]

Yeah, that's exactly it. When you watch him, when he does throw the ball downfield, it mostly looks fine, honestly. There's some moments where you're like, hey, it's not as strong as it used to be, but he's perfectly capable of doing it. I think the problem is because of the, you know, not wanting to be hit and Also not being able to move around much. Right. Which he's very aware of his physical limitations in that respect. He's just not going to do it a lot and sometimes that'll like result in, you know, dirting it, short arming it, passing up on opportunities. You didn't really see that with Brady, to be honest. At the end, I might be looking at the past that you're. A final year in Tampa through rose colored glasses.

[Dave]

But he hurdled it a lot, I think what. What Ty said, that was the hypothesis that I had not really considered. Is he stat padding, he doesn't want to throw a bad pick or. Or diminish his career numbers, which.

[Frank]

Oh, you're talking about Rogers, not Brady.

[Dave]

Yeah, Rogers. I'm sorry.

[Frank]

Yeah, yeah. Because I was like, I don't know. I think. Yeah. I don't know, man. I. All I know is last year, what was it like the worst, lowest average at the target in football, probably. Right. And like I said, it was weird though because at times he would like hit like a slot fade or something or. Or even like move a little bit and throw it and you're like, oh, that's Aaron Rodgers. But the lack of consistency in that department makes me kind of suspicious of the idea that we're going to see more of it this year.

[Dave]

I mean, Patrick Queen and, you know, Peyton, I. The linebacking core on the interior, the pass catcher, they're thin, at least at number three. But I do like Michael Pittman because it does sort of DK Metcalf, you would think.

[Frank]

Anyway, Cooper.

[Dave]

All right. Oh, here's one more time capsule. Three years from now, has Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson won a Super Bowl?

[Frank]

I'm gonna say yes and I'm gonna say which one? I don't know.

[Dave]

I'd like you to say which one? I don't know.

[Frank]

I really don't. I think the Raven. I like the Ravens roster or I like the Ravens defense more and I like the Bills offense more. So that makes it tricky. I think. I like the Ravens coach more. Got two first time coaches, so let's go Baltimore. Even though. And you know, Josh Allen has to deal with Drake, that. That the Patriots, I think are going to be pretty good for a while.

[Dave]

So I. Yeah, I feel like you. And I know you were talking. I felt smart when I saw Mina Kimes talking about it as well. Just because they're called the Baltimore Ravens doesn't mean that they're still the Baltimore Ravens defense. And that's been going on in spite of Kyle Hamilton for the last couple of years too. It's like even is not good. It's. It's a deficit to the, it's a detriment to what the team's trying to do, but nobody seemed to turn it around.

[Frank]

I think that's going to turn around this year though. I really do. I'm really high on Minter, man, like I always look so dumb. His in Chicago with the Chargers. Every year I'd be like, this is no way. This is the top 10 defense. And then they would come out and they would play in a way that it was very obvious how well coached they were outside of just game plans. Just the way they would rally the football, the way there would always be, you know, the feeling of like constricting. And I think he has the potential to really turn around this Ravens defense pretty quickly, coupled with some of the additions they've made up front.

[Dave]

Let me get your answer on this. I had some fast action ones, but I am interested as we round out the time capsule here. Three years from now, what is the conversation around Aaron Rodgers football career?

[Frank]

Three years is.

[Dave]

It will be long retired, you assume, not guaranteed, but probably disappearing.

[Frank]

Dave, we're never going to hear from him. I think that there'll be a bit of, you know, he was credible at his peak. One of the most talented quarterbacks ever. Maybe some, you know, like mild criticism. Well, you know, the postseason runs. Couldn't he have had more? And then I think further out they'll start playing like, kind of like with Elwood. They'll start playing the highlights and a lot and people will remember at his peak. Oh yeah, this is, this guy was. He was capable of doing things that I think maybe three quarterbacks of all time could accomplish on the field.

[Dave]

Right. I just, I guess the question, what I'm getting at is, you know, what his prime was. It was great, but it fell flat in January. I wonder if, if he the last five, six years because he's brought a lot of attention on himself from off the field and the academy, all that. I wonder if it's sort of like if it adds up to like. Yeah, hey, yeah.

[Frank]

Further out. I think three years is pretty fresh. I think the further out you get, the more it'll just be love for the football aspect of his career and appreciation for it.

[Dave]

All right, let's get through these real quick here. You are, like I say, a music person as well.

[Frank]

Yeah.

[Dave]

New. This is one I've, I've been bringing up on Levitard lately and gotten some really Crummy answers. Worst popular music of our lifetime. We can go with a specific band, but nu metal or hair metal? I'll say you option C if you wish.

[Frank]

Yeah, those are pretty bad.

[Dave]

Poison or corn?

[Frank]

Yeah, I'm gonna go hair metal purely because I have nostalgic new metal metaphor. Not for the music but like the videos we used to watch on mtv like Freak on a leash. It's a great video. So I'll go hair metal.

[Dave]

All right, last one. I've never heard you talk about uniforms before.

[Frank]

You're a big uniform guy.

[Dave]

One or two great one or two or three best. And the one that is an eyesore

[Frank]

to you all time or whenever. I am a huge fan of the Chargers powder blues. I was just at Chargers camp and admiring some of the gear and just thinking how resplendent it looked. I'll give a homer pick and I'll say the Seattle throwbacks are simply magnificent.

[Dave]

They are.

[Frank]

Should be their full time uniform worst. I gotta go with okay. It's tempting to pick the Steelers be the, you know, disgusting stripe. It's actually Aaron Rodgers's other team, the weird pack. You know what I'm talking about? Those weird packers throwbacks.

[Dave]

Navy. What the hell with navy? Where

[Frank]

the brown helmet like just so humiliating.

[Dave]

So you call your in Green Bay. The minimum standard is that green is in your uniform. I don't care what you did 70 years ago. Those people are all gone now.

[Frank]

And their normal uniforms are great. I love them.

[Dave]

The classics are also very good.

[Frank]

The whites are great. So yeah, I'll go with. I'll go with those.

[Dave]

Those are tough Mina Kimes. As good as it gets in this business. We're going to have to put a pin in my great idea from a decade ago. You and Ryan Clark with a great play by play guy in the booth as a three person. But I don't think you could do any better than that. We'll wait for that one. In the meantime, Mina Kyme show featuring Lenny viewer discretion with David Dennis, so on and so forth. She's all over the place buzzing about football and guess what. But the great news is football season is here. Thank you so much for the time, Mina Kimes.

[Frank]

Thanks for having me.

[Dave]

You're the tops.

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[Dave]

and [e-mail] it is the dawn of a new Dave. Thanks to my pals over at Quint's outfitting me looking more dapper than ever and August is the perfect time to hit reset before the autumn rush begins. Honestly, I can't think of a better place for you to do it than in your closet. And you got to do it with quints if you're hanging onto the same worn out basics. To Quince makes it easy to upgrade. They have premium denim and tailored chinos from just $60 with the kind of perfect fit structure and high quality fabrics you'd expect from a luxury brand. They are able to price things 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out middlemen. You're paying for high quality, not brand markup. I particularly have enjoyed as I travel across Football America the Comfort stretch traveler pants quints. I've gone with a deep navy, but there are many colors from which to choose and it isn't just about the clothing. Quince has become my favorite Go to for everything from hotel quality bedding and bath essentials to premium cookware and travel must have. So upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app exclusive offers or go to quince.com fba that's short for Football America. Get free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada and the UK too. That's Quince Q-U-I-N-C-E.com FBA all right, good times with Mina Kimes back in studio now. Anything jump out at you guys? I thought the Caleb Williams or Jordan Love ahead of Caleb Williams.

[Gino Fuentes]

That was the part. That was the part I can say Caleb Williams. You know people have their opinions about him but to put Jordan Love on top of him kind of, kind of does a little bit of slotting that I don't agree with there. I mean I'm not gonna be out in public saying I disagree with Mina Kimes. It's not a, not a winning position

[Buddy Badowski]

to be in but never want to take the side opposed to Mina. I'll say that I'm big on both of these guys. Like I like Jordan Love and Caleb Williams. I understand why they're kind of compared to each other. They're both like gunslinging NFC north quarterbacks that are going to be Showing down for the next decade, likely. I do think she was a little harsh on Caleb, and I understand the concerns that the only guy that's ever, you know, there's evidential proof of a guy actually improving his accuracy is Josh Allen.

[Dave]

To the degree.

[Buddy Badowski]

Right, to that degree that Caleb Williams might need to improve his accuracy. But he did so much last year and made so many winning plays. That team has gotten better around him. I think the Bears are going to be really good. I know that division is going to be an absolute gauntlet, so it's hard to say who's going to come out of it. I expect another step forward from Caleb

[Gino Fuentes]

for me, for Caleb Williams, what he needs to learn how to do is to do less.

[Dave]

That's right. I was going to accuse you both of. Of reacting to the splash. Although, you know, obviously the. The Bears outstripped the packers ultimately last year. But I do think, you know, one's obviously empirically, you know, a dynamic player, and the other guy is a pocket passer who. Who rarely takes off with it. Man, those packers are under the radar. And it's like I said, it's because of amnesia. People forget how good they were looking to be as they were getting the receivers healthy and Micah Parsons gets hurt, and that kind of undid their season. But they were. They were lining up to be a factor.

[Buddy Badowski]

No, I agree with you on that. But also, people have amnesia that they lost to the Panthers and Browns last year, and that was before Micah Parsons got hurt. So they had flaws. Like, I thought they were the super bowl favorites, but then they lost to the Browns, and I was like, this team is flawed. They're really good. And now Micah Parsons is saying he expects to be back by October, which is a better timeline than the November that we thought it would be. It's now moved up a month, so that will obviously be a huge boost for them. I think the packers are going to be really good. I think the Bears are going to be really good. I think the Lions are still going to be good, and I think the Vikings are going to be really good as well. Like, it feels like we talk about

[Dave]

the NFC looking past, but I, you know, I happen to like the Vikings quite a bit.

[Buddy Badowski]

I like the Vikings, too.

[Dave]

Yeah, I, you know, I counsel everybody on what you just said there. Well, but they lost to Blank. They lost to that bum team. Every good team, even good. What didn't happen 25 years ago was that the very best teams, the real super bowl contenders, rarely lost to bum teams. Now, good contending Teams get whipped by three or four touchdowns some weeks.

[Buddy Badowski]

Any given Sunday.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Right, Dave?

[Dave]

I mean, this. Right. Truer than it was when people first started saying any given Sunday.

[Gino Fuentes]

Oftentimes those. Those games that those teams lose, those teams will look back on those games and point them out. Correct turning points. Yes.

[Buddy Badowski]

They'll say, we needed a kick in the ass because we got too confident in ourselves. We realized where our flaws are and we got better because we realized where our flaws are and tried to fix our flaws. You know, and I do think that. Again, I don't. I'm not saying the packers are not that good because they lost to the Browns last year. Like, last year has nothing to do with this year. They're going to be a really good team.

[Dave]

I hear you. I'm picking up what you're laying down. But also, just as a reminder, the Seahawks lost in week one to the Raiders. Yep. Wait, no.

[Buddy Badowski]

The Patriots.

[Dave]

Patriots. I'm sorry. I'm getting myself confused now. All right. Also, that was interesting. Of all the quarterbacks on the big blue marble that she could have for this season, Patrick Mahomes. It's a bold choice there.

[Buddy Badowski]

I'll always take Patrick Mahomes over anybody else. I know he's coming off an acl. If you can give me one quarterback, I'm taking Patrick Mahomes.

[Dave]

I know Josh Allen makes. I know Josh Allen makes sense. I might go. Joe.

[Frank]

Cool.

[Dave]

I really like those Bengals. We have to dig in on them in the next couple of weeks as well. But right now. And when you mentioned Caleb Williams with Ben Johnson and how different he was, that reminds me of what we wanted to talk in this week's mailbag with. It's time once again for Major Randall social media's correspondence from the digital front lines. Look at that mustache, looking like a Civil War officer. How are you, Randy? Major Randy.

[Major Randy]

I'm doing well. Doing well. Happy to be here.

[Dave]

The Puma logo kind of offsets the. The, you know, 19th century vibes.

[Gino Fuentes]

19th century.

[Major Randy]

Well, we're a little. Yeah, we're going a little football America over on. On my end right now. So.

[Buddy Badowski]

Is that a St. Paulie jersey?

[Gino Fuentes]

Second division German.

[Buddy Badowski]

Wow. It's a beauty, too.

[Dave]

Dork fest. All right, let's talk about pro football. The. The kind that. That I enjoy watching here. And as a reminder, always subscribe, wherever you listen to your podcast and on YouTube. Football America. Leave us a comment. And perhaps on the next time the mailbag opens up, it will be your correspondence that Major Randy reads. What do you have for us? This week, Major Randy.

[Major Randy]

Yeah. So this week, kind of just going off of the conversation that you just had, we asked if you could have one head coach and one quarterback for this season, who are you taking and why? And we got an interesting mix of responses here because a lot of people were saying, took that as okay, if I could have anybody this season, as in active players, which I think is what I was trying to ask. But we actually got a lot of responses that were saying, like, all time, like any coach, all time, any quarterback, all time. And we asked this question with a photo of Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy in the Steelers black and gold. So I can say, at least initially, that the majority of all responses were you, not these guys, or some variation of that.

[Dave]

You led the witnesses.

[Major Randy]

Yeah, yeah. They. There was a few saying that that choice of photo was. Was rage bait.

[Buddy Badowski]

But is there anybody that said they would want to have McCarthy and Rogers?

[Major Randy]

No, there were zero people who chose Rogers or McCarthy in any capacity, I believe.

[Dave]

Well, I do think it would be funny. Aaron Nagler, big time with the packers, and we look forward to catching up with him before the season kicks off. He weighed in with an image of Bart Starr with Vince Lomb, and I responded, be way funnier if you had Vince Lombardi with Aaron Rodgers. I would lie as long as they're videotaping it, as long as it's hard

[Buddy Badowski]

knocks running between the alleys.

[Dave]

I just would love to hear those two.

[Buddy Badowski]

We got a seal here and a seal there.

[Gino Fuentes]

I don't.

[Dave]

I don't know what you're talking about, bro. Sounds like a conspiracy to me. How are we gonna seal it off? Go ahead, Randy. What else? What do we have?

[Buddy Badowski]

Have?

[Major Randy]

Yes. I'll just run through some of. Some of the options here, and I can kind of just rapid fire a bit and just interject, jump in where we want to have any discussion on it. So I'll start with more of active players that I thought were interesting. So Jason Riffle says he would take Sean McVeigh and Joe Burrow.

[Dave]

I love that combo. That's a good one.

[Major Randy]

A lot of people said Shanahan and Josh Allen, which is a conversation that was also had on the show previously.

[Buddy Badowski]

Shanahan would never willingly have a quarterback that good.

[Dave]

You know, I've never tried to have a quarterback that good. You talk about, or I mentioned as a joke, conspiracy theories, but there are people who will tell you that coordinators have enough of an ego that that is. It's borderline true. I think if you're chasing a Ring then you would be. You would want to find that missing

[Buddy Badowski]

link I on Shanahan, he's.

[Gino Fuentes]

Buddy, you forget Shanahan tried to have a quarterback that good. Trey Lance was supposed to be that.

[Major Randy]

Right.

[Buddy Badowski]

And we all just kind of let him get away with the fact that he drafted Trey Lance third overall. I guess because it's worked out for them unbelievably because John lynch is such a great GM and they draft so well. But yeah, they've never attempted to have a quarterback that good. I mean, I guess you're right.

[Dave]

They try. Well, I wonder if his name will come up here. But. But probably, you know, Joe Gibbs always gets left off these lists. Reminder, he won three Super Bowls with three non hall of Fame QBs. He's the only cat to come anywhere close to doing something like that. Chuck Noel always gets left off these four Super Bowls and six teams with teams that he had a big hand in building. But Bill Walsh is a name that gets, I think he's probably the best for sort of transforming the nature of offensive football. Everybody continues to, to some degree follow what he's doing. And people are saying he didn't want a great. He didn't want, you know, he had Joe Montana who was maybe not as highly skilled. He, he wanted John Elway and he wanted Dan Marino. And had they not won that second super bowl, there's a lot of evidence out there that they were sort of positioning themselves to take a run at one of those guys.

[Buddy Badowski]

Well, this has been a means take for a long time that he, he had this take a long time ago already about Rogers, that Rogers likes for it to be tough because then he, when he was in Green Bay specifically, he liked his, that they didn't have a defense, he didn't have a receiver. He brought, you know, he brings in Randall Cobb when he goes to New York and you know, Alan Lazard or whoever it was. Right. Because he likes to do all that. Because when it doesn't go his way, he can say, well we don't have a defense, we don't have receivers. The, you know, the OC's not the guy. Well, but I think that like some people will apply that theory to Shanahan where he can say, I mean he's never going to put it on his quarterback or anything but he's never had a good enough quarterback to win the Super Bowl. They've been as close as you can

[Dave]

be at the, I mean, you know, listen twice the Falcons.

[Buddy Badowski]

Well, okay, as an offensive coordinator, yes. But since he's been a head coach. They've been as close as you can be twice and they haven't come out either time because they lost.

[Dave]

Well, he wants and he on purpose is going after Brock Purdy. But we'll see what happens after this year. Let's see if the equation changes a little bit. If Josh Allen still hasn't won after this year and the Niners are sort of feeling maybe like this little mini era is not as satisfying as it looked like it was about to be three years or so ago. Jim Ursay, famously or otherwise said, why would I be worrying about defense like it's all about Peyton. We don't need a good backup quarterback because if he gets hurt, the whole thing is. Is blown up anyway. There. I have some level of respect for that. Anyway, back to you, Major Randy.

[Major Randy]

Yeah, so most, again, modern interpretations of this are a mix of Ben Johnson, Kevin o', Connell, Kyle Shanahan with Joe Burrow and Josh Allen. Not a lot of Patrick Mahomes, which is interesting. I, I get it coming off of the injury. But also it's, it is Patrick Mahomes. There were a few Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes. Gotta take him if you have him kind of comments.

[Dave]

Where do you have your beloved Chiefs? Where do you have them slot in that division this year?

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Year?

[Major Randy]

I, I think they're going to win the division.

[Dave]

I'm based on what beyond your. That that you would like.

[Buddy Badowski]

And the Broncos don't. The Chargers don't and the Raiders don't. That's.

[Dave]

That's what it comes down to.

[Buddy Badowski]

Right?

[Major Randy]

Like that's pretty much what it comes down to for me is they have, they have Patrick Mahomes, they have Andy Reid, they now have the Super Bowl MVP at running back.

[Dave]

They have a fat guy. Tight end.

[Major Randy]

Yes, him at tight end. And it's just, I don't know. I, I'm obviously like to some degree I'm going to be a homer here, like no matter what. But I do believe that if I have, if I can have any quarterback in the NFL on my team, if I have a healthy Patrick Mahomes, I feel like I'm going to win every single time that team takes field.

[Buddy Badowski]

You're not being a homer, Randy. Because I would say the same thing. Like there is no guy still to this day. I know he was hurt last year and it hasn't been as pretty the last few years before that. He didn't win a Super bowl that long ago. Right. Like it was what, two, three years ago.

[Dave]

Neighborhood by the three neighborhoods ago, you

[Buddy Badowski]

know what I mean? Like, I know that, you know, Raiders ain't a joke.

[Dave]

Raiders ain't a joke. Broncos are real good and the Chargers look like they're about to be.

[Buddy Badowski]

But you know who else is coming off of a big significant injury? Bo Nix is coming off of a big significant injury.

[Dave]

Touche.

[Buddy Badowski]

And the Chargers. What are the. Like. Like we've done this thing with the Chargers for so long and, and I don't.

[Gino Fuentes]

I. Chargers.

[Buddy Badowski]

I know, don't get me wrong.

[Dave]

But that's a weird bit of logic that people like you and Jeff Schwartz continue to apply. Like, how many years are you going to do this? I don't know. As long as they continue to bring in, have Jim Harbaugh as their coach, seem to set up for success.

[Buddy Badowski]

When they finally get it done, I'll be like, okay, they got it done. Congratulations. You know what I mean? The Carolina Hurricanes this past year, even though it was a total asterisk because the Panthers weren't in the playoffs, they finally got it done. Okay, congratulations. We'll see you next year. You know what I mean?

[Dave]

From the Miami guy. All right, major rating.

[Buddy Badowski]

But no, the point being Mahomes is still, to me, there's nobody I would rather have on the field at the end of the game than Patrick Mahomes.

[Dave]

Okay. Still, I'm not going to.

[Major Randy]

I mean, I was at that last AFC Championship and there was no point in the game where I felt like the Chiefs weren't going to win. That's like, that's how it. That's just how it's felt. And like, I mean, obviously they haven't won, you know, every super bowl ever. But. But you've won three Super Bowls with him, continue to go to the AFC championship. I mean, been to the AFC Championship basically every single year of his career. He's been healthy until that starts not happening. I think I'm just going to feel

[Dave]

that way, I think. But you know what? There's a certain voodoo that is self imposed or at least the influence of that success in big spots by Reed and Mahomes that spooks the other sidelines and creates unforced errors. So we got to do some Bills, they're going to do. We got to do something here. And that, I mean, that was the same punted that fake Belichick and Brady did that to teams over and over again during their run to major. Randy, who else?

[Major Randy]

We had Bill Walsh and Joe Montana.

[Dave]

Ha. I mean, Bill Walsh with Dan Marino would be even better.

[Major Randy]

Well, following up on that we have Dan Marino and Andy Reid would win five straight Super Bowls.

[Dave]

That would be beautiful. That's nice. And listen, here's an easy one for me. Since he's a Pittsburgh guy, put him on the Steelers with Chaz Noel. They should have drafted him when they had a chance to. Obviously, that's a lament for anybody from Pittsburgh, but for real, the thing that he lacked was a defense. As I've said before, and we'll say again, Don Shula was. Is a great. But he also failed Marino in his prime. He just had terrible draft after terrible draft. Chaz Noel would have had a defense around him. And you know, Louis Lips or whatever,

[Buddy Badowski]

you don't need to do this thing where, oh, if you were just on the Steeler.

[Dave]

I'm just telling you, Dan Marino feel

[Buddy Badowski]

bad enough that the Dolphins never won a Super bowl with Dan Marino. Dave, you don't stick it to us

[Dave]

one more Major Randy,

[Major Randy]

we have this one's a little bit out there, but from the Austin eater, which has 110,000 followers on Instagram, apparently suggested they would take Kurt Signetti and Michael Vick.

[Dave]

Kurt Z. I don't even know.

[Buddy Badowski]

Yeah, I don't even know what to say about that one.

[Gino Fuentes]

Just let him cook.

[Buddy Badowski]

Yeah, that's right.

[Dave]

Best college quarterback for one season, perhaps. And if he's not the answer, Joe Burrow might be. And if Joe Burrow isn't, Fernando Mendoza might be right. Cam Newton might be right. But he just coached Fernando.

[Gino Fuentes]

But do you remember Michael Vick in college?

[Dave]

Oh, yeah.

[Gino Fuentes]

He had no conscience. He just would just take off every play.

[Dave]

He was the only player on that team. He didn't have to abide by any. The other 21 guys were like, yeah, Michael, you do it because we have no shot. We're playing Florida State. What do you expect us to do?

[Gino Fuentes]

Man, he had no conscience. There were games where he. It was just him and 10 blockers out there.

[Dave]

Social. Randy, I thought this was another successful visit from the front lines. How say you? There you go. He just not.

[Major Randy]

Yeah, I think so. I think so. I think we had some. We had some interesting responses here. But yeah, we'll. If anybody watching this has some fun ideas on what we can. What we can bring up next time in the mailbag. Feel free to please tweet them at the Le Batard show accounts or comment on the YouTube video and let us know.

[Dave]

Yeah, if we have any leftovers. You'll just keep them right in that mustache and pull them out when we need them. Well done, Major Randall social media. Thank you once again. There he goes. And I guess here we go too. So thanks to Mina Kimes for the great turn there. Thanks to Gino and the buddy and to you my fellow football Americans. Until next time as pro football regular season draws ever closer. Thanks so much. It's been a thin slice of heaven.

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