GBF- A Real 300's Guy

Summary

Summary of Podcast Episode: GBF- A Real 300's Guy

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
• Host: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz
• Episode: GBF- A Real 300's Guy
• Release Date: January 24, 2025

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1. Playoff Reflections and Predictions

Timestamp: [01:53] – [03:00]

As the NFL playoff season kicks into high gear, Dan Le Batard (Stugotz) and guest Mike Florio delve into the excitement and inevitable sadness that comes with the approaching Super Bowl. Stugotz expresses mixed emotions, “A championship weekend is upon us. Eagles, Commanders, Chiefs, and Bills. What a great weekend. I also get sad this time of year, Billy. I do.”

Mike Florio echoes the sentiment, highlighting the bittersweet nature of playoffs: “I'm happy because it's going to be a fun Sunday, but after Sunday, it kind of all goes downhill. It's a very slow, sad march to the Super Bowl.”

2. Fantasy Football and Quarterback Strategies

Timestamp: [03:44] – [07:10]

The conversation transitions to fantasy football strategies, focusing on quarterback selections for the remaining playoff games. Stugotz raises concerns about selecting top-tier quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, questioning, “I don't think that I want to take Patrick Mahomes. Like, that's the crazy thing.”

Mike Florio discusses the implications of weather on game outcomes and quarterback performance: “I looked up the weather and it doesn't seem like snow is on the horizon, but it's definitely not going to be 85 and sunny. So I don't think, I don't know that this is going to be a high scoring affair.”

They debate the reliability of Chiefs' defense, with Stugotz noting, “But the Chiefs do have a great defense. And I'm just saying, every Chiefs game, just about every game has been a close game. Win or lose, all the games have been close.”

3. Coaching Carousel and New Head Coaches

Timestamp: [07:10] – [15:00]

Discussion shifts to recent coaching changes within the NFL, particularly focusing on Aaron Glenn's appointment as the New York Jets' head coach. Stugotz ponders the implications of Belichick's move to college coaching: “He is clearly the man in Jacksonville now.”

Mike Florio reflects on the challenges of coaching transitions: “He wants to coach next year. Okay. You got nothing else going. You're going to coach.” The hosts debate the potential impact of Glenn’s leadership on the Jets, with Stugotz expressing optimism: “He cares about that organization. He cares about the fan base. He knows how frustrated we are.”

4. Guest Segment: Adam Vittieri on Kicking and Safety Initiatives

Timestamp: [15:00] – [27:04]

Guest: Adam Vittieri, NFL’s all-time leading scorer

Adam Vittieri joins the show to discuss the evolving role of kickers in the NFL and his involvement with the Colt Safety Impact Awards.

Vittieri elaborates on the challenges kickers face with modern game dynamics: “With now, with all these coaches, seeing the analytics and stuff, field goals are 45 to 60 yards now. Most of these guys are drilling them, making them…”

He addresses the psychological aspects of kicking under pressure: “It comes down to it, and you tell me, hey, we're in San. Well, prime example. We were playing in San Francisco one day, and it was windier than crap that day.”

Notable Quote:

“Every time I go out there, even if I give them a line and they give it and they put me out for eight yards further, I walk out there with the thought and the anticipation that I'm going to drill this kick.”
— Adam Vittieri [24:22]

Vittieri also promotes the Colt Safety Impact Awards, emphasizing responsible firearm ownership and community safety initiatives: “They’re really trying to educate everyone on safety and responsible firearm ownership… Visit safetyimpactaward.com to vote.”

5. Interview with Austin Eckler: Preparing for the NFC Championship

Timestamp: [38:20] – [65:25]

Guest: Austin Eckler, NFL Player

Austin Eckler shares his emotional and strategic preparations for his first NFC Championship game. He credits his coach, Dan Quinn, for fostering a focused mindset: “He always says that the most important fight is the one that you're in. You got to earn the right to get to that one.”

Eckler discusses team dynamics and his perspective on facing the Philadelphia Eagles: “This is the week, this is the week we are focusing on getting through this game.”

He reflects on personal motivations and challenges, highlighting the importance of team cohesion and his own role in driving the offense: “Jaden Daniels is as poised as any rookie I've ever seen.”

Notable Quote:

“The process of winning could not skip steps in the process of winning.”
— Austin Eckler [45:21]

Eckler emphasizes the significance of brotherhood and maintaining emotional control during high-stakes games: “I listen to heavy metal rock music… now put 10 mile an hour winds and some snow into that sucker and yeah, it becomes a little bit more difficult.”

6. Playoff Game Picks and Hosts’ Reflections

Timestamp: [65:25] – [98:57]

The hosts engage in predicting the outcomes of the upcoming playoff games:

• NFC Championship: Commanders vs. Eagles
• AFC Championship: Bills vs. Chiefs

Participants, including Mike Florio, Stugotz, K. Funk, and Share Bear, share their picks amidst playful banter and humorous disputes over standings and previous game outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

“The crown is yours. NFL Conference Championship Weekend… Buy it up to six and a half. I'm taking the Commanders here.”
— Stugotz [40:20]

“I love you guys. I have to run. You guys keep fighting.”
— Stugotz [93:35]

The segment concludes with enthusiastic support for Austin Eckler’s NFC Championship appearance and lighthearted discussions about personal experiences and team rivalries.

7. Closing Remarks and Sponsor Messages

Timestamp: [98:50] – [99:52]

The episode wraps up with promotional messages for sponsors such as Miller Lite and Intuit TurboTax, followed by final interactions among the hosts, celebrating Austin Eckler’s playoff achievements and teasing future episodes.

Notable Quote:

“I'm gonna pick the Bills to win the game outright. They're going to beat Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes, not getting back to back to back.”
— Stugotz [40:20]

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Conclusion: This episode of "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" provides an engaging blend of NFL playoff analysis, fantasy football strategies, insightful guest interviews, and the hosts' characteristic humor and camaraderie. Listeners are treated to in-depth discussions on team dynamics, player performances, and the emotional highs and lows of the football season, making it a comprehensive and entertaining episode for sports enthusiasts.

Transcript

[Chris Sims]

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[Stugatz]

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[Chris Sims]

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[K. Funk]

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[Chris Sims]

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[Stugatz]

Foreign God Bless Football Billy Gill God Bless Football. Mikey A God Bless Football Stugots thank you Mikey. A championship weekend is upon us. Eagles, Commanders, Chiefs and Bills. What a great weekend. I also get sad this time of year, Billy. I do.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, it's sad. You know what makes me happy though? Godless football is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. I'm happy because it's going to be a fun Sunday, but after Sunday, it kind of all goes downhill. It's a very slow, sad march to the Super Bowl. I mean, we're going to be in New Orleans for Super bowl week, so we'll be there. We'll enjoy some of the fun that Radio Row has to offer. But yeah, like, it's, it's sadness because you realize that the season is coming to an end. And once the season ends, I can't say that. God bless. Football is presented by Smirnoff. We do game days. Please drink responsibly. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. It's just a sad time. Last game of the year. There's only three of them left, right? NFC championship, AFC championship, and then the Super Bowl. And then, and then it's all over. And then after this week, things. After this week, things get complicated because if you do our weekly fantasy contest, which is presented by Smirnoff, the world's number one vodka, please drink responsibly. And you can, you can compete against us. You go to dkng co Smirnoff. There's really only two teams this week. There's four. There's four. But it's hard. And here's the thing about this week that is tricky. And we're gonna get the championship in the NC Championship in a moment. Here's the thing that's tricky. Tricky. The cheapest starting quarterback available right now is Patrick Mahomes.

[Stugatz]

Oh, boy.

[Mike Florio]

Weekly fantasy contest.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

And I don't think that I want to take Patrick Mahomes. Like, that's the crazy thing. And I anticipate it not being great weather. So I don't know, I don't know what we're doing here.

[Stugatz]

I love that everyone thinks this is going to be like a shootout because it's Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes and I have it as like 1310.

[Mike Florio]

I mean, well, I looked up the weather because there was a time when maybe we were going to go to this game. I looked up the weather and it doesn't seem like snow is on the horizon, but it's definitely not going to be 85 and sunny. So I don't think, I don't, I don't know that this is going to be a high scoring affair. I mean, I hope that it is. And I don't like the people that are like, hey, just because you don't score, you know, 30 points, that doesn't mean that it was a bad game. Like, that's fine, but like 1310, like, I don't think we're going to be leaving saying like, wow, that was like a defensive master class. This was great. Because if we're going to be honest, Buffalo is not capable of a defensive masterclass. So if it's a low scoring game, it's not because defense was great. It's because it wasn't a super fun game to watch.

[Stugatz]

Right. But the Chiefs do have a great defense. And I'm just saying, every Chiefs game, just about every game has been a close game. Win or lose, all the games have been close. For the most part.

[Mike Florio]

Sometimes. Sometimes they're great at defense. Sometimes.

[Stugatz]

Hey, don't say that about spags. Come on, you love this.

[Mike Florio]

I'm saying we have some clunkers in there every now and again. You know what I mean?

[Stugatz]

We do.

[Mike Florio]

Yes.

[Stugatz]

Yeah. You were gonna say.

[Mojo]

I was just gonna ask. Billy, what's the cutoff temperature for you to go to a game? Billy? Like, if you're like, I'm gonna go to a game, but it has to be above this temperature. What's the line?

[Stugatz]

He's not.

[Mojo]

He started to get into this on Monday because of all the snow games.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, right.

[Stugatz]

But he's not really because it's always 70 degrees in a suite, so. No, no, no.

[Mojo]

You're in the stands. I'll. I'll put you in the 200s because you're not quite a 300s guy, but you're not.

[Mike Florio]

No, I'm a 3002 guy. No, I'm a cheap guy. I'm a 3002 guy. Oh, dude. Like, I'm a. You think that I'm, like, a sweet level guy? Unless, like.

[Mojo]

No, no, no, no. Without sweets.

[Mike Florio]

No, I'm. I'm a nose.

[Stugatz]

He's a 300 level guy, Mike.

[Mike Florio]

I'm a nosebleed guy. I'm looking online and, like, I see the prices, and I'm like, three rows from the top is fine for me. Like. Right. Because I'm not. I'm not paying Pittsburgh twice.

[Stugatz]

You know how you can filter your search? You can go from most expensive down to cheap. Billy starts at the cheapest.

[Mike Florio]

What I do is I hit zoom all the way out so that I can see every single possible seat. Yeah.

[Mojo]

All right, so what's the. What's the line? What's the temperature line?

[Mike Florio]

Well, here, if I'm going to be honest with you, I have been. I've been looking. The last two weeks have been. Plans have been in motion to maybe get me to cold games just for content purposes. We spoke about Buffalo. I think the other. On Monday, we spoke about my plans to go to Buffalo for the Buffalo game against the Ravens, and then that didn't get cleared, so it didn't happen. But, like, I was looking for, like, a snow game then. And then this past week, we got an invitation to go to the game. But, and this goes against everything that we've spoken out against, that we were invited to see the game in a suite. So it wouldn't, it wouldn't have been, it wouldn't have been a cold, nice and cozy. But it's a situation where the flights were not going to allow for us to, or allow for me to, to make it to that game and come back.

[Mojo]

It's nice of Taylor Swift to ask you, though.

[Mike Florio]

It was, well, it was very nice of her.

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Mike Florio]

Not gonna say me and Billy very much appreciate the invitation from our friend Ed, but we, we are not going to be able to. To. I, I was not going to be able to make it up there and get back and, you know. Anywho.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Cut off.

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Mike Florio]

Is it, is it just cold or is it cold in the elements?

[Stugatz]

Well, Billy, here, I'll give you no elements. Let me ask you if this is acceptable. No elements, if this is acceptable. Because the forecast for Kansas City this Sunday, okay. At kickoff is 35 degrees.

[Mike Florio]

No, I saw. I saw. And there's, there's like a 2 to 4% chance of precipitation and the wind was only 6 miles an hour. I, I did my research.

[Stugatz]

Good.

[Mike Florio]

I. Wow, I'm impressed. 30 is not 30s, honestly. Summer day. Summer day.

[Stugatz]

But it's a nighttime 30, Billy. It's a nighttime 30.

[Mike Florio]

Get some hands.

[Stugatz]

An open air 30, right?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Oh, I know Arrowheads. Arrowhead's one of my second homes. Yeah, exactly. Right.

[Stugatz]

Arizona first. Right.

[Mike Florio]

I mean, well, I have a number of second homes, so. Yeah.

[Stugatz]

What are you gonna now?

[Mike Florio]

I don't play favorites. Well, they, my second homes don't come with houses. They come with like quality ins, you know, because in the hotel front, I'm also a 300 level guy, if I'm gonna be honest with you.

[Stugatz]

You're just a 300 level guy.

[Mike Florio]

Shout out to quality in. I'm sure you know we're gonna have.

[Stugatz]

Adam Vittieri, Austin Eckler and Chris Sims joining us on this episode. Plus the picks on the TV side. We will go to Austin Heckler coming up next. Vitari will be on the audio side.

[Mike Florio]

Can I tell you real quick, it's a game I like to call Zip it Up. Just real quick because I'm sure you guys would love this game. By the way, we haven't gotten into the AFC and the NFC Championship game. That's what people want to talk about this week. We're going to get to it with some of our guests. They are, they are Good games. Can we just zip it up? Sean McVay, like just zip it up. Sean McVeigh. I don't want to hear from you that you want an answer about Matthew Stafford's future sooner rather than later. Where every year you play the game, am I going to retire as a 37 year old head coach? Like, I love it. Dip it up. Okay. I don't want to hear from you trying to rush Matthew Stafford when you are always keeping people in limbo about your future. That spoiler alert always ends with you coaching again because you've been a coach for six minutes enough, right?

[Stugatz]

Yeah. You want to hear about his future, he wants to hear about your future.

[Mike Florio]

How's that rather here sooner rather than later? Yeah. So would everybody else who's trying to figure out if you're going to be the coach of your team or not when you do this ridiculous charade of I'm going to retire in my 30s from being a head coach guy. You haven't made enough money to retire yet. Okay. Like enough. Oh, I'm going to go into broadcasting. I'm going to do this and that. Enough. You're going to coach next year. Okay. You got nothing else going. You're going to coach.

[Stugatz]

Yeah. Close it out. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Any who.

[Stugatz]

Close it out so the audience could hear it. Okay.

[Mike Florio]

NFC championship.

[Stugatz]

I want to hear you say zip it up.

[Mike Florio]

I said zip it up. Zip it up. Yeah.

[Stugatz]

NFC spoke over you.

[Mike Florio]

NFC championship. Which one, which game are you more excited about? I feel like the NFC championship might end up being the more exciting of the two games.

[Stugatz]

So I, I think, I think what's going to happen here is people are going to build up such an unreasonable expectation for what they think Bill, Bills and Chiefs are going to be. And I'm not certain it's going to be able to meet those expectations. I think Jaden Daniels is going to the Super Bowl. I really do. Jalen hurts, is hurt. He's injured. I don't believe in that Eagles team. I think Washington and Jaden Daniels going to make. So I'm looking forward to the NFC championship game, to be honest with you, more than I am the AFC Championship game because that game's not going to live up to whatever expectation I've created in my head. And what I've created in my head is this is going to be the greatest game in the history of football.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. So it's 39 degrees, partly cloudy, nine mile an hour winds. So 39. It's not going to snow. You wouldn't think. I mean, it can't snow if it stays 39, you're saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that game is not. It's not going to be the weather we saw last week in Philly.

[Stugatz]

No. What matchup do you guys want? We're going to New Orleans. Well, me and Billy are. Sorry, Mikey.

[Mike Florio]

Unnecessary twisting. You're just twisting it there. I don't know what you.

[Stugatz]

Me, I didn't know how to handle it. I'm sorry, Mikey.

[Mike Florio]

I'll tell you this. If it was up to me, you'd be there like in a heartbeat.

[Stugatz]

If it was up to me, you'd be there. It's not up to me. Clearly nothing is up to me, so. No, it's not up to me.

[Mojo]

It's a shame Fuentes left me out.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. You know he's threatened by you. I don't know what to tell you.

[Stugatz]

Yeah. What's the matchup you guys want to.

[Mike Florio]

See super bowl wise?

[Stugatz]

Yeah, we're going there. Like, what do you want to see? What's going to get you most excited?

[Mike Florio]

Commanders would be fun, I think.

[Stugatz]

I agree. I don't want to get Eagles, Chiefs again. We already saw it so.

[Mike Florio]

Well, commanders would be fun because then we also get the situation where we try to fire Nick Sirianni. So like.

[Stugatz]

Right, right.

[Mike Florio]

I like, I like the fire Nick Sariani after an NFC championship loss.

[Stugatz]

And I think the three of us are pulling for a boy, Austin Eckler, to get to a Super bowl here.

[Mike Florio]

So of course, definitely one. Yeah. Austin Eckler.

[Stugatz]

So I think Washington and Buffalo would be fun.

[Mike Florio]

Washington and Buffalo would be fun because as we noted, Buffalo not exactly known for their defense. So we could have a fun, maybe high scoring Super Bowl, a little back and forth between the Commanders and the Bills.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Mojo]

Give me the history. Give me, give me the Chiefs.

[Mike Florio]

Give me the three again. I wouldn't, I wouldn't mind a three p. I really wouldn't mind three Pete. And like, if the Chiefs won this year again, even after their 15 and two regular season, maybe one of their more impressive super bowl wins.

[Stugatz]

I mean, some are more. You're right. Some are more impressive than others. Yes.

[Mike Florio]

I mean, yeah, they had to go through the likes of Bo Nix to get there. So.

[Mojo]

The dominant.

[Stugatz]

That's what happens when you get the 1C, two home games to a Super Bowl. Billy. That's what Brady did.

[Mike Florio]

It would be, it would be funny if like the Chiefs go to the super bowl against the Commanders, win the super bowl and then like, things do not play out the way that we Hope they do play out. And in five years, you're like, man, the Chiefs went through Bo Nicks, and then they went through Josh Allen and the Bills, which is okay.

[Stugatz]

You're leaving out C.J. stroud.

[Mike Florio]

I forgot about Stroud.

[Stugatz]

Bonick Stroud, Josh Allen.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, you know what? They didn't. They didn't go through Bo Nicks. Bo Nicks was the.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, they didn't go through B. Right. So they went through C.J. stroud, Josh Allen, jaded Daniels, if. If that plays out. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Well, forget everything I said.

[Mojo]

Every single thing.

[Stugatz]

All of it.

[Mike Florio]

All of it.

[Mojo]

Zip it up.

[Mike Florio]

Zip it up, Billy.

[Stugatz]

No, I don't want to forget about what you said about McVey, because I thought that was great. And I agree with you. Quickly, before we get Divinatary on the audio side and we get to Eckler on the TV side, what'd you guys make of Cohen taking the Jaguars job after saying he's not taking the Jaguar job? Mikey, what'd you think there?

[Mojo]

I think it's clear who's running stuff in Jacksonville now.

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Mojo]

I mean, he showed up to an interview, goes, I don't like that guy. I'm not doing this. And they're like, well, we'll get rid of him. And he's like, okay, I'll do it. Yeah, he's clearly the man in Jacksonville now.

[Stugatz]

He is. Well, Trent Balky is clearly not. Because, listen, it was odd. It was odd to get rid of the coach and keep Trent Balky. And so I was just thinking, like, no one wanted to. No one wanted to coach Trevor Lawrence, like, but I guess someone does somebody. He got Bulky fire Billy. You get with that? A guy who's never been a head coach got Trent Bulky fired.

[Mike Florio]

Up. Yeah, I had to zip it up. The Balkies, the Bulky. I wonder, if Balky wasn't there, what kind of feeding frenzy there would have been to coach Trevor Lawrence? You know?

[Mojo]

How long until they called Dabo?

[Mike Florio]

Do you see? Belichick finally signed his contract.

[Stugatz]

Oh, really?

[Mike Florio]

That's nice.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, that's nice of him.

[Mike Florio]

He's locked in.

[Mojo]

Jaguars were gone.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, he's locked in for five.

[Mojo]

Jaguars table off the table.

[Stugatz]

I'm sorry. We're actually closer to the point where Belichick only has to give up a million and not 10 million. So.

[Mike Florio]

Wait, no, I know. I. I saw a thing where Bell were, like. I don't know. I don't know exactly the source, but it was like, had Belichick known that the Cowboys job would be available, there May have been interest there. And it's like, had he known, not know Mike McCarthy was the coach last year, the whole world knew that job was going to be available. What are we talking about?

[Stugatz]

Has he turned on the tv?

[Mojo]

Had he known the jets were going.

[Chris Sims]

To be available, he might have.

[Stugatz]

Listen, with all due respect to Bill, he's on the recruiting path, Billy. I mean, and you know what happens when you're on the recruiting path. I mean, you turn the rest of the world off. You focus in, you hone in on your recruits. You know what I'm saying?

[Mike Florio]

I'm sure.

[Stugatz]

Anyway, you were. You were gonna say, I don't know.

[Mike Florio]

You guys got a quarterback, huh?

[Stugatz]

What do you mean, Coach?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Geez, I'm.

[Mojo]

Good morning, Billy.

[Stugatz]

I'm.

[Mike Florio]

I'm rattled. Yeah, yeah.

[Stugatz]

What's the matter? Okay.

[Mike Florio]

Aaron Glenn. Glenn, I saw it. Wants to have Aaron Rodgers back.

[Chris Sims]

I mean, I don't think that's.

[Mojo]

I don't think that's. I don't think that's true.

[Stugatz]

You don't?

[Mojo]

No, I don't think.

[Stugatz]

I don't know what options they have at quarterback. I think Aaron Rodgers might be their best and only option at quarterback.

[Mojo]

When the jets signed Robert Sala, he said, oh, yeah, Sam Darnold will be great here.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Mojo]

Until they get rid of him like you.

[Stugatz]

You.

[Mojo]

You keep the. The guy who's in place happy until the next guy comes in.

[Stugatz]

Here's what I love about the jets hiring Aaron Glenn. And I'm not going to do the thing where I get excited just because it's a new coach. I don't know if Aaron Glenn's going to be a good head coach. I have no idea. Okay. The last time I saw Aaron Glenn on a football field, his team, the defense he was in charge of, was giving up 45 points to the Washington Commanders. But here's what I do know about Aaron Glenn. He is a former Jet. He cares about that organization. He cares about the fan base. He knows how frustrated we are. He wants to try to change it for that fan base. And this is his dream job. This is an end job, end destination for Aaron Glenn. No one, no one has ever had the dream of being the jets head coach. No one. This is his dream. He wants to be the head coach of the New York Jets. And I'll take that. I will take that. The bar has been set so low. I'll just take a guy who wants to be the jets head coach, and this guy wants to be the jets head coach and. And wants to be for the next 20 years. I'm good with that.

[Mike Florio]

Did you see poor Robert Sala was flying into Jacksonville last night for an interview while all of that was going down. Yeah, poor guy got off a plane in Jacksonville like. Might as well get right back on that bird buddy job.

[Stugatz]

Jacksonville's making the jets look good, huh? The Balkies. You okay, Billy?

[Mike Florio]

No. God damn football. Oh yeah. Even I missed even that up today.

[Stugatz]

Let's get Austin Eckler, our buddy who's played at a game this weekend to try to get to his first super bowl of his career. That's on the TV side. You'll hear Echler on the audio side as well. But we'll start off with Vittari on the audio side. Adam Vittiera, the all time leading scorer in NFL history by the way, is with us before the, before the conference championship weekend. He is with us on behalf of Colt Safety Impact Awards. What are you doing with Colt safety, Adam?

[Carl Douglas]

Well, they got an awesome campaign that they're doing right now. Myself and Clay, Clay Matthews, Joe Thomas and Fletcher Cox are all working with Colt for to honor nonprofit organizations that are making an impact and keeping the communities informed and safe. You know, you always, you always hear about these crazy situations where kids get guns or whatever in their household. One happened in Indianapolis just last night where a nine year old sibling ended up unfortunately handling a gun and a four year old got shot. You hear tragic stuff like that all the time and you just like, man, this, this sucks. So we're really, they're really trying to educate everyone on safety and responsible firearm ownership. And so they're doing this cool campaign that fans can learn about these great charities and vote to determine the winner of this award by visiting safetyimpactaward.com they're donating a dollar for every, let me see, Colts is donating one dollar to the winning non profit organization for every vote cast. And by voting you're entered into winning, they're doing a Colts big game safety sweepstakes. So if there's a safety in the Super Bowl, a lucky winner will have the opportunity to win up to $100,000 from Credit Cordova. And so all you have to do is go on vote and then you're automatically in. And the voting ends January 31st. So safetyimpactawards.com and let's just make awareness for people and you know, handling, you know, not everybody likes firearms. I understand some people do, some people don't. But I think we can all agree that if you're going to have them. If you're going to handle them. Let's, let's be safe and let's learn how to handle them and, and make sure that stupid accidents don't happen.

[Stugatz]

That's a good job out of you, Adam. We'll ask you about it again on the way out. Mikey, when you see Adam Venteri there as a Jet fan, are you. What, what, what are the emotions that you're feeling right now?

[Mojo]

I'm fighting the urge not to give him the finger because he's such a nice guy and he's here for a good cause, but at the same time.

[Carl Douglas]

Like you'd be the.

[Mojo]

You hurt me for a long time.

[Carl Douglas]

The only jets fan that didn't give me a finger.

[Stugatz]

You've given us enough middle fingers.

[Mojo]

Right down the middle fingers.

[Stugatz]

Wow. Why is kicking become so difficult in the NFL, Adam?

[Carl Douglas]

Philosophies have changed. I tell you what, you know, with now, with all these coaches, seeing the analytics and stuff, if it's fourth and whatever short, they're going for it, if you're inside the red zone, it seems like they go for it more than they don't. So I feel like not only not, I really honestly feel like the majority of the field goals are 45 to 60 yards now. I mean, you're seeing a ton of long field goals and, you know, just to credit the kickers, most of these guys are drilling them, making them, you know, so it's nothing for the coach to send a guy out for a 56 yarder. And sure enough, you know, it's just, it's happening a lot. So, you know, not, not all of them are successful. You've seen some guys that have a little ups and downs this year, obviously, but yeah, the expectation is, you know, that guys are going out there and kicking long ones and making long ones so good for them. You know, playoffs roll around and all of a sudden you get some wind and rain and some snow like we had this last weekend, and things can go awry at times. It's not, you know, 55 yard is difficult enough if you're in a dome, but now put 10 mile an hour winds and some snow into that sucker and yeah, it becomes a little bit more difficult. But, you know, that's part of the deal.

[Mike Florio]

It seems like a weird phenomenon and I don't know if you have thoughts on this, Adam, or maybe, you know, we're just overthinking it. It seems like kickers are getting more accurate from further away and less accurate from close. Like we've seen people Drilling the long field goals this year at incredible accuracy and missing extra points seemingly every game.

[Carl Douglas]

Yeah, yeah, I'm not going to. Myself included. At times. I feel like when you go out for that long field goal, that 50 yard or plus whatever, you're really zoned in. You're really concentrated on all of your techniques and your timing and the process, everything that goes into it. Unfortunately, you know, you line up for a 28 yarder or a 33 yard extra point or whatever, you know, you assume you're going to make those. You kind of sometimes take a deep breath or are let off of your focus a little bit, and that's when it kind of bites you in the butt. And then you, then you go to the sideline go, how the heck did I miss? There's no way, you know, I, I can make a thousand of those in a row. But, but sure enough, I mean, that's the thing that happens at times, you know, So, I mean, you know, the operation sometimes can change. You know, it could be a off snap or an off hold or whatever, but a lot of times it's just a, it's a mental lapse from the kicker, you know, not concentrating, the same as they would when they go out for a 50 yarder. They know they have to do everything right to make that kick.

[Mike Florio]

Adam, let's say in a strange world this weekend, you get a call, it's Andy Reid. He's panicked. Something happened with. Something happened with Harrison.

[Gordy]

Wow.

[Mike Florio]

Something happened with Harrison. We need you. In a pinch. How far can, how far can you still hit him from. What do you tell them?

[Carl Douglas]

Hey, honestly, it would depend on the day, obviously, you know, depends on the weather out there and stuff. But I, I've got two boys that are both kickers. One's in high school, one's going to school at Louisville punting for them. And so I go out and hit a ball with them every once in a while. I would not say that I'm at the top of my game, by no means, but I think there and bang a couple through if they needed it, for sure.

[Mike Florio]

When, when does daddy stop letting the, the boys, like, win? You know what I mean? Like, are you still out there competing with them and kicking contests?

[Carl Douglas]

As far as I'm concerned, I'm competing.

[Mike Florio]

All right, good.

[Carl Douglas]

When they beat me, there will never be a time that, that I let them win.

[Mike Florio]

So they still haven't, they still haven't beat you?

[Carl Douglas]

They'll beat me fair and square if it happens for sure.

[Stugatz]

Wait, wait. Adam has a coach Ever sent you out when you were playing, did a coach ever send you out for a kick and you're like, hey, Coach, I can't fucking kick it that far. What are you doing?

[Carl Douglas]

Like, so the majority. It's funny you asked that. I had a special teams coach named Tom McMahon. He's. He's in. He's with the Raiders right now. I love him. Great guy. One of my favorite coaches of all time. And he gave me the line, hey, listen, we're going to give you the line of demarcation. You're going to tell me before the game, hey, what's your range? What are you comfortable with?

[Mike Florio]

Whatever.

[Carl Douglas]

But he said, but you do know there's no such thing as a line of demarcation, right? Like, it comes down to it, and you tell me, hey, we're. I don't know, we're in San. Well, prime example. We were playing in San Francisco one day, one game, and it was windier than crap that day. And we warmed up both sides, and we knew it wasn't a matter of distance, it was a matter of what the wind was going to do. And so I told him, I said, hey, honestly, going this one direction, the other way, we were. We were good from 60, but going this direction into the teeth of the wind. I told him 50, 51 is realistic, right? Anything outside of that, it's a crapshoot, right? Because the wind's just. Just killing it, knocking it down. Whatever he sends me out for, I think it was either 52 or 53. And sure, shit, I hit this ball, you know, and I. I put it out at the right, right post, and the ball went up and it just kind of started fading and dying, and it fell a half a yard short in front of that left upright. And I said, 50, 51, it's good. 53, it's not. So I'm not giving you BS numbers, I'm telling you it is.

[Stugatz]

And.

[Carl Douglas]

But at that point, it was right before halftime, and they said, gotta kick it, right? So I assume every time I go out there, even if I give them a line and they give it and they put me out for eight yards further, I walk out there with the thought and the anticipation that I'm going to drill this kick, even though it doesn't always work that way.

[Mojo]

You mentioned Coach McMahon, who's been around a while. We're in the middle of the coaching carousel. Where are all the special teams coach getting head coaching jobs? How come none of them are getting any love?

[Stugatz]

What is this?

[Carl Douglas]

You know, it's funny you asked that. I do respect the crap out of special teams coaches. And the reason why I say that is, is each position coach usually deals with, you know, hey, I'm a tight ends coach, so you got five or six guys or I'm a receivers coach and I got eight or nine guys or offensive line or whatever. Special teams coaches deal with everybody on the team except for quarterbacks and superstar running backs and number one receivers like everybody else is playing special teams. So if you've got 54 guys on your team, plus practice squad, whatever, right. 52 guys, you're, you're really coaching 40, 45 guys all the time. So their jobs are pretty difficult. And you know, I think, I think, you know, owners and GM sit there and go, well, we need to have an offensive minded coach or a defensive minded coach. I think special teams coaches can do a pretty good job because you still have an offensive defensive coordinator calling your plays and doing all that. And as the special teams coach, you're managing the team.

[Mike Florio]

Right.

[Carl Douglas]

It's more like a baseball manager than anything.

[Stugatz]

Well, perhaps there is a job in Adam Vinitari's future. Has Belichick reached out to you to be the special teams coach at North Carolina?

[Carl Douglas]

As fun as that would be, I don't think the major thing that would stop me from coaching, coaching at a big Power 5 school in college would be the recruiting off season. That's just too much. And they, you know, I understand what, what big time football is all about. I went through it for a lot for 20 some years. Right. So I understand the time commitment during the season. It's the off season that I would be like, man, I am not traveling all over this country every day for three or four or five months straight. So he has not reached out if he wants to come and consult and work with his kickers or do some of that stuff.

[Stugatz]

The least he could do for you. I mean, you kicked a lot of big field goals for him. You know, I mean, maybe I've got.

[Carl Douglas]

A little bit of, a little bit of knowledge that would help them guys.

[Gordy]

Out a little bit.

[Stugatz]

How about what surprise? Sorry, Billy. What surprised you more? Was it Belichick going to North Carolina or what appeared to be the lack of interest in Belichick at the NFL level?

[Carl Douglas]

That's a good question because both, both surprised the crap out of me. I really thought that Bill would stick around for, for an NFL job. I mean, he's so close to the all time leading winningest coach. I feel like he would want to get that record and beat Shula out for that record. But, you know, he, you know, I think he also wants the exact perfect situation.

[Mike Florio]

Right.

[Carl Douglas]

Hey, I want control.

[Chris Sims]

I want to be able to be.

[Carl Douglas]

The head coach and the gm. You sit back and let me do my job and I'll win a bunch of games for you. And I don't know if he had the exact situation this last year, so I want to say there's probably some interest in him last year, but maybe, just maybe, he didn't like any of the situation. And, and I know Nick, Coach Saban's a very good friend to him. They've both coached together a long time, and maybe, maybe Coach Saban said, hey, coaching at that college level is pretty fun.

[Stugatz]

So I don't know.

[Carl Douglas]

You know, it didn't surprise me that he went there because I, I felt like he was going to just kind of tread water this year and then get a head coach job in the NFL. But good for him. I'm sure, I'm sure he'll make North Carolina and who's an ACC team too. So my son's got to play against those guys probably. And it's going to be, we'll see. We'll see. They, he might, he might make that team, be a, be a, be a playoff team before, you know it for sure. I would think his recruiting ability and the people that want to play and people like myself who have, who have been in the league would probably tell their kids, hey, man, I want you to go there and learn from him, because he's going to, he's not only going to make you a better football player, he's going to make you a better man. He's going to teach you, you know, all of the, everything that goes into it. I think, I think he's going to turn that organization upside down and make it really good.

[Stugatz]

Which super bowl meant the most to you? Was it the one you won without the Patriots with the Colts or the four you won with the Patriots?

[Carl Douglas]

You know, first time is always the best time. Nothing against number two, three, four. Like, like those are all awesome. Trust me when I say that they're all wonderful, but the first time that you get to the top of the mountain, there's nothing quite like that. And, and the fact that we were such huge underdogs that year, you know, going against the Rams, the greatest show on turf, and, and having to beat the Raiders at home in that snowball and beating Pittsburgh on the road being, I don't know, nine or ten point underdogs. So we had an uphill battle that whole year, so that was pretty, pretty awesome. But I do say, you know, probably number two would be, would be when we won one with Indy, because, you know, going through it three times before it never, ever gets old. But being on a new team and being one of the few guys that have ever had a championship and watching, you know, 50 other guys that, that became your teammates and watching them win it for the first time and watching the tears and the emotion and all that stuff was pretty awesome, too. So, you know, I would, I would definitely say number one's by far the most, though, because it's the first time you've gone through it.

[Mike Florio]

Which one did you care about the least? None.

[Carl Douglas]

The one that I care about the least, the two that we were part of that we lost. I would like that stuff. You know, everybody sits there and goes, man, if we don't win, I don't even want to be in the playoffs. And after that, I, I understand the theory. I mean, you still, it's still a lot of hard work to get to it. But everybody forgets number two. You know, it's kind of like kissing your sister kind of thing. It's not nearly as much fun, that's for sure.

[Stugatz]

All right. Does icing the kicker work? I've always wanted an answer from a kicker. Does icing the kicker work?

[Carl Douglas]

I feel like, personally, for me, it does not. I, you know, I, I guess I can go back and do a study on every time that they've iced a kicker for a game winner versus not to see what the statistics say, but, you know, the few times that they've done it, for me, I guess, I guess it depends on the kicker, right? If a kicker starts to sit there and think about, oh, my God, this, and lets the pressure build on him, maybe it's, it's, it's a good situation for the team to do that. For me, I was always like, all right, if you want to call the timeout, and gives me 30 more seconds to figure out the wind, get my footing right. You know, I know Gruden didn't, didn't ice me on the, on the snowball one, and that was probably the right thing. I mean, the field was covered with snow, and if he would have gave me another 30 seconds, I probably could have cleared a little bit more snow off and had my footing a little bit better. So probably, you know, if it's a rookie first year guy, maybe you try that. Maybe probably you do on an old veteran guy. I don't listen I've seen it work the opposite way. I watched. Who was it? Joe Nedney when he was with Tennessee, I believe, you know, and missed a kick, but they called timeout and sure enough, you know, he goes back out there, he makes the next one. So nothing not to throw. Joe, you know, not to say anything negative about him. He's a great kicker, but I think. I think more times than not, it's. I don't know if it helps. I really don't.

[Stugatz]

All right, we're going to get you out of here. We appreciate the time. Adam Vinitari is with us. We'll have you promote that one more time on the way out. We play a game around here, it's called a drive for your life. Okay. You have to choose one of two quarterbacks. Okay, I'm ready. You're down six under, two minutes, no timeouts. You need a touchdown to win the game. It is a drive for your life. You play with both guys. There is one correct answer to this question, by the way. Brady or Manning?

[Mike Florio]

Wow, I love them both.

[Carl Douglas]

And there's zero disrespect to Peyton Manning, but I'm taking every time.

[Stugatz]

Wow, you're living. You are.

[Carl Douglas]

Too many times to ever disrespect him and not say Tom Brady.

[Stugatz]

All right, how about a kick for your life?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, you're not included. You can't for yourself.

[Stugatz]

Let me think of two good kickers here. Right? Justin Tucker.

[Mike Florio]

Well, not this year.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, not this year. Or Mark Mosley. Yeah, he was an mvp.

[Mike Florio]

Or. Or if you want to suggest someone, Adam, feel free.

[Stugatz]

Kick for your life. I love this.

[Carl Douglas]

Hey, listen, I'm still taking time.

[Mojo]

52 yarder.

[Carl Douglas]

I know he had a tough season this year, but he's pretty damn good still. I'm still taking Tucker, and you see.

[Stugatz]

What Mikey did there.

[Carl Douglas]

You could say 75 this season, but he's 9. 89 on his career. And if he knows my life's on the line, hopefully he likes me well enough to ahead and put that one through.

[Mike Florio]

Is there. Is there such a thing? Adam is like kicker envy. Like, we hear from quarterbacks, like, oh, I wish I could do that. I couldn't do that. That certain quarterback could do. Do you have that with kickers? Like, there's kickers that could do something you couldn't?

[Carl Douglas]

Well, I do. So. So I remember watching, like, Janikowski, and I'm losing the name now. When I was a rookie, he was the kicker for the Giants. He was the kickoff guy. And I just remember, like, like my best Kickoff. And his best kickoff didn't even look the same, Right. Like he's just murdered the ball.

[Mike Florio]

Right.

[Carl Douglas]

And I was just like, man, I wish I could kick a ball that far that, you know, whatever. But, you know, I kind of sat there and said my mindset and my ability to zone in and to focus, I would take that ability over leg strength or speed or whatever. Like, okay, nobody would say, well, I've got the strongest leg in the world. Well, no, I know a handful of guys that probably could kick farther than me. But hey, man, 48 yarder at the end of the game, taking nobody but myself, because I know that. That I'm going to walk out there and I'm a drill. That sucker.

[Mike Florio]

You know, who can't get further than him? Stew Guats. His son.

[Stugatz]

Well, no, but I. I do wonder if. If he notices what Mikey A did to him there, where he pushed the field goal for your life out to 52 yards to take yourself out of.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, that's not nice.

[Carl Douglas]

I'm just saying.

[Mike Florio]

Not nice.

[Stugatz]

All right, one more time. We appreciate your time during a busy time for you. Tell us what you're doing with Colts Safety Impact Awards. Yeah.

[Carl Douglas]

So Colts has got this great program going on, Safety Impact Award, highlighting the critical mission of educating everyone on safety and responsible firearm ownership. Myself, Clay Matthews, Joe Thomas and Fletcher Cox are all working with a bunch of nonprofit organization. And so the thing that you can do is go to safetyimpactaward.com vote on the potential winner, and for every vote, $1 goes to the winning nonprofit organization. For every vote cast, all you have to do, like I said, is and if there's a safety during the super bowl, some lucky winner will win up to $100,000 from Cordova. So all you got to do. SafetyImpactAward.com vote voting ends January 31st. So get out there and vote and please vote for me.

[Stugatz]

That is fine work by you, sir. Would you mind if Mikey A. Just because you gave us so many middle fingers during your career, would you mind if Mikey A just gave you the middle finger on the way out here?

[Mojo]

I kind of don't want to now.

[Stugatz]

I'm gonna do it.

[Share Bear]

On three.

[Stugatz]

Let's do it, Jet fans. On three, let's get. Let's give Vittari the middle finger. On three.

[Mike Florio]

Wow.

[Stugatz]

One. Billy, you could do it, too. I mean, he beat your team. It's on. You're a Dolphin fan.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Stugatz]

One, two, three.

[Mike Florio]

You know what?

[Carl Douglas]

I love it, guys. Appreciate you.

[Stugatz]

It is time for this week's edition of Studio Godz, presented by DraftKings. The crown is yours. NFL Conference Championship Weekend. Just three games to go this season makes me sad. 301 a week ago. 8654 on the season. 721 for the postseason. Quite simply, the greatest season of sports gambling in the history of sports gambling. I'm talking to you, Jimmy the Greek. I'm talking to you, Hammer and Hank Goldberg. I'm talking to you, Chris. Felica the Bear. I'm talking to you, Stanford. Steve. I mean, how about that? Here we go. Let's keep it going. Conference championship two games. The early game. NFC Championship game. Commanders at Eagles. Eagles minus six. Buy it up to six and a half. I'm taking the Commanders here. They win the game outright. They win by four points on the road. Nick Sirianni gets fired after the game. It's ridiculous. But anyway. Commanders Jaden Daniels, rookie quarterback going to their first Super Bowl. Commanders win. They cover Commanders by four points on the road at Philadelphia. AFC Championship game. The rare super bowl before the Super Bowl. Bills at Kansas City. Oh, what a game this is going to be. Bills are plus one and a half. Buy it up to two. Why? Because when these two teams play, it's usually close. But I am taking the Bills to win the game outright. They're going to beat Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes, not getting back to back to back. Nope, not happening. Tom Brady, still the greatest quarterback ever. Bills plus two at Kansas City. You're buying it up a half point from one and a half to two. The Bills win the game outright. They win by 10 points on the road in Kansas City and they take on the Commanders in the Super Bowl. Those are the picks. Good luck, everyone.

[Jeremy]

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[Mike Florio]

Austin, congratulations.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

You're playing for the NFC championship. Look at you.

[Stugatz]

We did it. Did it.

[K. Funk]

We did it.

[Chris Sims]

We did it.

[Mike Florio]

All of us.

[K. Funk]

Yes. Yes. Yeah. Thanks for the support, guys. Thanks for helping me get ready.

[Stugatz]

Billy started there because you were on for, like, five minutes before we went live, and no one congratulated you. And Billy's right. We're. Congratulations.

[K. Funk]

And I noticed the. The second congratulations had a lot less energy than the first one, unfortunately.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. I'm sorry.

[Stugatz]

It's all good.

[K. Funk]

I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Sorry.

[Stugatz]

It's hard to recreate these things. I'm wondering. Austin, we're talking to you, and you're about four days out from playing in your first championship game for the right to go to the Super Bowl. Can you articulate for us and the audience what you're. What you're going through right now, what you're feeling emotionally right now?

[K. Funk]

Yeah, I think. I think, actually, especially Dan Quinn has done a really good job of keeping us in the moment. Like, don't go beyond what is in front of you. He always says that, you know, the most important fight is the one that you're in. You know, don't be thinking about the next one. Right. You got to earn the right to get to that one. And so that's kind of been the mindset and the emotional kind of connection to this week is. All right, this is the week. Focus Eagles. Eagles. Eagles. That's all we're focusing on. This is the third time we're playing them, so for us, we're pretty familiar with each other, so that makes film study a little bit easier for us. But still. Still, the main focus is just getting through this game.

[Stugatz]

Have you lived in Washington long enough to hate Philadelphia and its fan base the way the rest of the country does?

[K. Funk]

The rival definitely stands strong. I think it's more so because, you know, the rap that these fans have for Philly and that they, you know, you see all the videos and just how passionate, annoying, obnoxious these guys can be. And. And so I think that's where that stems from. I haven't been around enough. My. My actually family had a good experience. Typically, if I don't like someone, it's usually because if my. My family has a bad experience in the stands and that, you know, rubs me the wrong way. But so far, it's been so good. So let's try not to jinx it, all right?

[Stugatz]

Austin, I'm telling you right now, you score a big touchdown, NFC Championship game, you keeping the Eagles from going to the super bowl, the fans are going to get on you, and they're going to get on you quickly. Where is the family situated? What are we doing with them? I'm concerned about Mel. That's what I'm concerned about.

[K. Funk]

They can get on me all they want. Like, I mean, I've been taking, you know, you know, trash talk my entire career and entire life from sports and stuff like that. But, yeah, my family, they'll be wearing some neutral colors, so they'll be hidden up there and stand somewhere.

[Stugatz]

They should wear Charger colors.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, there you go. Throw some people off.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, I'm sure you got plenty of gear still.

[Share Bear]

Oh, that would be good.

[Mike Florio]

That'd be good. So you mentioned that this is the third time that you guys play this year. Their offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, was your offensive coordinator last year. How does that work out? Because obviously you have a game plan from the past games, but, like, the first time you see him, do you, like, go up and volunteer? Like, hey, I have all this information. I think they may do xyz. Do people come ask you, like, how does that work?

[K. Funk]

No, I mean, we have, you know, our coaches that basically live at the facility and watch every second of film, like, five times over. And so they're studying the tendencies like our defensive staff is. I mean, especially with our head coach, too, right? Is that's what they live, breathe, and do every single day, so they don't need my advice. And, you know, maybe they wouldn't even want it because this is a whole different team, so it probably wouldn't even be relevant anyway. But, you know, I'm gonna stay in my lane, focus on their defense, you know, and let. Let those guys do their job.

[Stugatz]

But if you see something that you recognize, might you go up to Dan Quinn and say, hey, they're going to run this?

[K. Funk]

No, for sure not. It's a whole different offense.

[Stugatz]

I usually don't even.

[K. Funk]

I'm not even watching really, like, the defense as far as, like, what they're going against on the offense and stuff like that, because I'm usually on the bench, you know, going over the next game plan, going over adjustments, things like that.

[Stugatz]

Were you surprised at how easy it was for your offense to move the ball on Detroit's defense?

[K. Funk]

You know, I think anytime we've been clicking, like, I think we've been pretty efficient being able to move the ball. I think that's, you know, why we've had some of the success and why, you know, Jaden's got as much praise as he has is because he can run, he can throw, or offense can move up and down the field. And so was I surprised? No, that's really kind of the expectation is, hey, if we are all clicking on all cylinders, not making mistakes, that's what should happen. And that's exactly what did.

[Stugatz]

Brady was calling that game last weekend and he was talking about Jaden Daniels and talking about his mentality of Jaden doesn't think he needs to wait. Jaden thinks he's going to win it right now. And that's the kind of mentality you need to be Tom Brady to be a champion. Do you sense that from Jaden? Like, hey, I'm not waiting. We have an opportunity right now.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, he's. I mean, he's steady with his emotions. Like, I saw a video of, like, when the interception happened. There's like an interception from our defense. And me, I'm like, you know, I'm jumping up out of the seat. He. No facial expression, just grabs his helmet and stands up and goes, gets on the field, like steady, like. Like silent killer, like, ready to go out there, get the job done and just a straight baller. So it's been awesome playing with him in the backfield for sure.

[Stugatz]

Is this indeed the biggest game you played? It. It has to be, right?

[Mike Florio]

Of course.

[K. Funk]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

This is the.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[K. Funk]

As far as my NFL career anyway, I would say the first ever game I played in would be the most as far as importance of my entire career as an undrafted rookie. Right. Kind of getting my. My first steps. But as far as. As far as I've ever been, this is definitely the closest I've been to getting the championship.

[Stugatz]

Can you get yourself. Are you superstitious? Like, can you get yourself to even think about playing in the Super Bowl?

[K. Funk]

No, I. I don't even want to hear the word because I don't. I don't want that energy. I don't. I'm not. I don't. I'm not. We will not overlook anybody. Right. Everyone that has made it, to this point deserves some type of respect. We don't have to respect them, but you got to respect that, hey, they're the ones we're playing. So you got to make sure that we put in the work and don't, don't skip on the process of winning. That's what DQ always mentions. I, I, I just kind of stole that one from him. I know he stole from somebody else, but the process of winning could not skip steps in the process of winning.

[Stugatz]

We're all stealing stuff. Austin, what works. What has surprised you the most about Dan Quinn?

[K. Funk]

Oh, what has surprised me the most? I would say the emphasis of his coaching style around brotherhood. I know it's kind of like you guys probably keeps talking about it, but it's actually so important when it comes to just, just general, like, business and living, like, being actually in a position where you're looking forward to go into the building because you actually are looking forward to being around the guys and being around the kind of standard that's what's upheld and how we kind of go about doing our business. And not only that, but dq, I think, has done one of the best jobs of taking care of us throughout the season as well, Understanding kind of our team and the guys on our team and making sure that we're not overdoing it. Understand that's a long season and so those are, I guess I gave you two things about him.

[Stugatz]

Billy mentioned your former offensive coordinator. How about your current offensive coordinator? Does he smell good?

[Mike Florio]

What?

[Stugatz]

Cliff Kingsbury? I mean, I'm just wondering. He's a good looking guy. I mean, he's probably the best looking.

[K. Funk]

I'll let you find out that one.

[Mike Florio]

On your own there.

[K. Funk]

You know, you could, you could actually. Yeah. After saying that, probably don't get close.

[Stugatz]

To it, but have you been to Kingsberry's house? Like that bachelor pad that he has.

[K. Funk]

Someone's got a crush on Kingsberry here, huh?

[Stugatz]

You're looking at him.

[K. Funk]

Oh, man, you know, yeah, he's, you know, he's got a reputation for, you know, the ladies liking him. That's not, hey, that's not his fault. You know, that's just, you know, that's, that's a result of being a good looking guy. And so that's what he's got going on for him.

[Stugatz]

I guess that's what happens, right? That's the benefit. There you go. Oh, that is so good. Is, is this the most excited you've been for a football game in your entire life?

[Mike Florio]

Ooh.

[K. Funk]

I mean, I get Pretty excited for a lot of our games. This one obviously has the most, you know, weight behind it as far as importance of our season and kind of a legacy. So that's a new excitement. There's different types of excitements that I had. Like, even like my first start after my contract, that was a new. So there's, there's different instances. So this is definitely one of those of being, hey, you know, being in the, you know, the championship game, the conference championship game. Anyway, so it's, yeah, definitely a new excitement to this game, and rightfully so. But at the same time, again, just making sure to lock in.

[Stugatz]

Right?

[K. Funk]

Can't get distracted.

[Stugatz]

All right, let me think about the Super Bowl. You stay. Stay where you are. Okay.

[Chris Sims]

Right.

[K. Funk]

I know, I know. I got people asking me about tickets and stuff.

[Mojo]

We'll get to that.

[Stugatz]

We'll. We'll ask. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. You don't. Don't call those people back. They don't care about you. I'm telling you right now.

[Mojo]

How have you guys sort of embraced the Road Warrior mentality? I mean, you guys haven't gotten a chance to have that game at home. You guys are on the road again. How. How have you embraced that?

[K. Funk]

Yeah, I think it came. I think DQ said it. Well, he mentioned just kind of using the home crowd or their home crowd as like an energy. And that's kind of how I've actually approached even just crowds in general during away games. Because at away games, right, they're extremely loud when the offense is on the field, which is. Which is awesome because you want that, you know, electric, vibrant, like, feeling. And when everyone's loud, it kind of energizes you as a player because it's just like more just raw emotion coming from everywhere. And so we enjoy it, we play well in it because we run a no huddle offense. So we don't even talk to each other anyway out there for the most part. And so it just gives some signals. Get lined up, let's run. And like I said, use it as energy for our advantage. You know, you get a lot of the stuff is perspective. How can we twist this in a narrative for ourselves of like, hey, this is positive for us and, you know, us going, no huddle. Us using it as an energy, you know, is something that we've been using and it's been working out for us.

[Mike Florio]

Have you ever personally had a situation where, like, you have to remind yourself, lock back in because the energy is. You're getting too excited or the energy's too Much like headed into the game, they're like, let's just like take a step back, like refocus.

[K. Funk]

I so funny you say that because not, not recently, but like when I used to play on special teams, like, that's a whole different mindset than playing on offense. Like, special team is like run and hit, you know, like that's, that's special teams. Like, I'm running like my life depends on it. Get down there type of energy. Like, that's what I was running with and that's how I ended up making the team and, and get myself into a position to play on offense. But that type of psych, like, I remember, like I listen to heavy metal rock music. Blasted it in my ears, right? I'm getting ready, I'm getting juiced for this game. And I would find myself, when I started, when I was splitting my second year, I would have to calm myself down because I was like too amped for offense, where you can still, you still gotta have the mentality that I'm gonna run through somebody's face. But you also have to pay attention and hear the play, right? You have to know the adjustments, you have to see the defense, you have to know the, all the, all the front structures, what you're reading. And so there was a little bit more thinking that went into it. And so ever since I kind of transitioned over to a full time offensive player, it's been more so. Okay, like, let me get my mind kind of in a status of like really calm but aggressive. And so, yeah, I used to get amped up a lot, but not, not anymore since join the offensive side of.

[Mike Florio]

The ball primarily during the season and during the playoffs. Do you, do you get to take a step back and like, admire what some of the other running backs do? Like the year that Saquon has had and the way that you see him kind of like what you're saying is like, slow it down, like, not hit the initial gap, take a step and then he breaks one for 70 yards. Do you watch film like that and say like, wow, holy crap, like what he's doing is special? Or do you. Are you just kind of focused on you and your team and kind of what you have coming up that week?

[K. Funk]

Yeah, you know, I think one of the positive things about the media is they do shed light on, you know, some people that are having some career years. And that's definitely something that I absolutely admire. Not just in the running back position, but just, you know, players in general. And I'm biased, obviously, for the running Backs, but just seeing running backs have success and make a huge impact in their team and help their team out like Saquon. Unfortunately, you know, not this week. You know, the time we ever play them, you know, I hope they run for negative yardage.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, right.

[K. Funk]

You know, but other than that, you know, they can have a great career. And he's. Or I mean, a season. So, yeah, he's done that. And, you know, looking forward to the defense, you know, trying to put the cork in. In that this year. But yeah, him like Gibbs, too. Even Derek, man, had a great year this year, so it's cool. And even. Even Josh, like, it's really cool to see especially the guys that were kind of getting shuffled around and kind of, oh, I don't know if these guys can still play or if they'll make an impact. Yeah, like the Giants, like, oh, what a joke over there letting this guy go, you know, prime sequin right now.

[Stugatz]

You have to play him. Right.

[K. Funk]

I don't know who's gonna pay this guy $12 million. Well, he's gonna carry your offense, so, I mean. I mean, everybody. But anyway, so don't get me started there.

[Stugatz]

I'm glad he did.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, I love to love to see that.

[Mojo]

You guys still using that text chain that run? No, you guys don't use that still.

[Stugatz]

They broke it off, actually. You could just stand next to Dan Quinn and say, they're going to run into Saquon.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, there you go. Hey, I know the game plan. They're giving it to 20.

[Stugatz]

It is kind of interesting because when we first started doing the show with you, running backs were on the decline. And now the running game, a couple of years later, the running game is back. Right.

[K. Funk]

Man, I feel like there's just. There's these ebbs and flows. Like it was just like ups and downs and it just happened to kind of be in a place where maybe it wasn't as of, you know, a kind of a flourishing year for the running backs. And it happened to be that we're all going to be in this kind of free agent position, too. And so there was this narrative spun out there that the devaluing of the position and, you know, do you pay these guys or not? And it just. There's maybe just a bad timing because I feel like even. Especially after this year is really hard to justify by that. Hey, running backs can't help you get to, you know, a place where you have a chance to. To go in. Obvious. It's not just. And again, I. This is my narrative from the beginning, it's not just running back, it's playmakers. Like, if you have playmakers on the team, you should be compensated for being that type of impact player. I don't care what position you play. That was the narrative. I wasn't saying, hey, every running back needs to be paid, but the guys that were coming up on contract were those impact players. And we're seeing those same impact players impact their team in a very positive direction. So I'll still stand on that. Not again. Not saying every running back needs deserves top dollar because. Because they don't. That's just like every other position. But the people that are making the biggest impact. Absolutely.

[Stugatz]

Do you. You gave us a quote from Dan Quinn earlier. You stole it from him. You said he stole it from someone else. Have you ever sat there, like, listening to a coach and being like, hey, I heard that somewhere. Like, has that happened to you often?

[K. Funk]

Not. That's like stood out. That's like, okay, I've heard that from somewhere else. But there's some funny one liners out there that you'll hear every once in a while. But, yeah, nothing that's like, stood out, you know?

[Stugatz]

Do you have any favorite football cliches?

[K. Funk]

Like, favorite football cliches?

[Stugatz]

Do it in the playoffs.

[K. Funk]

Sheesh. Do your job. I'll keep it. Nevermind. Never mind. It's for a different podcast.

[Mojo]

Okay, first, we can host that one too.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, I don't want that one to be clipped. And it's like, well, Austin, you know, shares this. You know, I was like, oh, God, come on, man.

[Stugatz]

I don't want to put any super bowl thoughts in your head, but I'm just thinking if you do go on, I'm just. Based on what's happened to him this year, based on the fact that he's married, he's probably wanting to start.

[Mike Florio]

I don't like the direction this is going in. I don't like how this is going.

[Stugatz]

It would be a good way to finish a career. That's all I'm saying, man.

[K. Funk]

Hey, hey, you're. You're not wrong with saying that. You're not wrong with saying that. Like, I think that's. That's. That's appropriate. Yeah, absolutely. Would, you know. But regardless, obviously, I'm. I don't want to hear the word I want.

[Stugatz]

I'm sorry.

[K. Funk]

This week, however, yes, if that was the scenario, looking back, that year would be a pretty dang good year.

[Mike Florio]

Let me tell you something, Austin. Real life sucks. Don't leave football. You don't want to get to real life, you don't want to get to marriage. Like, yeah, body hurts, but, like, you'll take that pain over the pain.

[Chris Sims]

Oh, yeah, my body doesn't hurt.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, like, don't. Don't do it. Play as long, long as you can and enjoy these happy years, because once you hit real life, oh, buddy, you're gonna miss football.

[K. Funk]

Well, yeah, I'll definitely tell you this. Like, it's definitely. It's definitely special. And, you know, I. I definitely recognize this, and I'm in year eight right now, so my career has already been long, you know, if you look at the statistics. So as long as I continue to feel good and, you know, and I'm able to contribute, like, that's. This is exactly where I'll be and continue to live this life, because it is. I understand. It's definitely special being in this moment, especially on this new team, you know, and when you're winning, it definitely changes. Changes your mindset because the. We're human, too. Like, we feel the emotional toll of going through the ups and downs of seasons, and it's. It's just like, really everything else out in life of what is your job. If it's going through an up, you're probably feeling great. If you're going through down, same thing for us. But I think it's a little bit more public, so it's even harder from that standpoint of making a decision, because I know, like, you'll see, like, some narratives are like, oh, if this person's going to continue to play, I think it was like, Cooper cup is, like, coming up on his contract and some other guys. It's like, well, we got to decide if he's going to keep going or not, you know, and those are real conversations because the ups and downs and just having those long careers, you got to decide, like, is my mind ready to go through a whole nother season? Because I even tell my wife, it's like, if I commit to a season, like, our off season is, like, structured around workouts. Like, vacations are cut, like, because I have to be regiment, I know what I have to do to get myself back in shape and. Yep, you know, to make sure you're doing everything you can to make sure you continue to make an impact. Because I always tell her it sucks to suck. So you don't want to go out there and suck.

[Mike Florio]

How much of a fan is your wife? Like, how much football does she consume? Is she at every game? Because, like, I have an idea for you. If she's not paying close attention. And that is if you don't want to go through the whole pains of another season and maybe she's not keeping a close eye. Maybe we just fake a season, you know what I mean? And then you have like a U year where you go and you're like, this is very, yeah, very regimented. And then it's just a lot of you time, you know what I mean? When you transition from football to like the rest of your life and you just slowly go into it, you like stick with your schedule. You're just like, bye, honey, see you later, off to work. And she doesn't know the difference if she's not paying attention. If she is, I wouldn't recommend it because you'll get caught and it'll be very suspicious.

[K. Funk]

Yeah, yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not sure because I know just even on the back end of that, because she already has a few vacations she wants to go to that we have to decide if we can or not. And so if I'm like, hey, she finds out actually wasn't playing, now she's like, whoa, we didn't go to Europe because of that. And yeah, so I, I don't know. I don't know if that one's gonna make it through.

[Mike Florio]

Well, tell, tell DQ tell, hey, just make sure that we have another 30 out there next year. You know what I mean? And then like, what difference do we know?

[K. Funk]

Yeah, I don't know about that one. Let me know how it works.

[Stugatz]

Does Mel know all the rules? Like has she mentioned New Orleans to you? Like, what's that?

[K. Funk]

She. So she didn't watch football before, right? And so like I was like the first game she like ever watched back like three, four years ago, and she still doesn't know all the rules. She knows most of kind of the rules. And she really only likes it when I'm playing. So she's like, it's not as fun when you're not playing. Like when I was out with my concussions and stuff like that. And so I know, you know, who knows her football watching status after I retire and you know, whenever.

[Stugatz]

Or you fake retire, right?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, fake retire.

[K. Funk]

That was, that was definitely not making.

[Mike Florio]

It when, when you do. When you do, obviously not that we're talking about retirement, but like when you do, do you think that you're going to stay connected to the game in some way or like stay following the game or like, are you gonna kind of disconnect from it for a little bit?

[K. Funk]

It's Hard to say. It's hard to say because, as you mentioned, like, your life does change so much. Like, you're in a structured environment, right? Go through the regimen every single year, go through the season every year. But then you go away from that while I'm in it and being like, man, like, I want to break from this. It's easy to want to break because I'm in it still. But if I step away, it might be a position where I'm like, you know what? I might want to be in some type of media position or, you know, calling some games or doing some analysis stuff or maybe coaching. And so I don't think I can really answer that right now just because of kind of the situation that I'm in. Like, I'm in it, and when I'm. I know when I'm ready to retire, it's like, I'm gonna want to break. And then who knows. Who knows how long that break will be? Might be a month, might be a year, and then I might have an itch, you know?

[Mike Florio]

Well, that's the thing. It's also hard, right, because, like, this is your life. It's just been your life, what you've been working towards the entire time, and then all of a sudden, you can't just cut it off like that.

[K. Funk]

Well, you. You can, but, like, I've been building up so much kind of just, you know, equity in this stuff, right, of my knowledge of the game, of kind of my name that's out there. And so you have a lot of value there, so it's easy to find opportunities in that space as opposed to going and starting to build equity in a new sector, which I'm. I mean, I am. You guys know how active I am, so I like to at least have some options. But I know that being around football is definitely one of those that I'm keeping open that door open.

[Mike Florio]

Europe, getting you out of here, it's going nowhere. Don't worry about Europe. It'll always be there.

[K. Funk]

Hey, that's what I told my wife, you know, like, hey, it's. It's not. It's always going to be there, so always, you know, next month or next.

[Stugatz]

Year, we'll get you out of here. Do you have any extra tickets, though? I mean.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, God.

[Stugatz]

Austin, we're rooting for you, man. Good luck. Listen, I don't want to jinx it, but I have you guys, and I am on a heater this year, but I have you guys beating the Eagles and moving on to the Super Bowl. I'm not trying.

[K. Funk]

Hey, I got us beating the Eagles.

[Stugatz]

Don't say anything. I'm just saying it.

[K. Funk]

I got us beating the Eagles too, man. That's. That's all I'm worried about this week.

[Stugatz]

All right, thanks, guys. So happy for you. What an exciting time for you, for Mel, for your entire family. So good luck on, on Sunday, man and appreciate it. Hopefully we get it done, you get it done and move on to move on to the big one.

[K. Funk]

Sounds like we. If you got some money on the game. So let's do it.

[Stugatz]

All right. Oh, yeah, no, I do. I have a lot of it on. On you to score a touchdown, so make sure Quinn gives you the ball when you're down close.

[K. Funk]

I'm always trying to score every time. I got the ball every time, so. No doubt. All right, see you guys.

[Stugatz]

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[Chris Sims]

What up, mofos? How we doing?

[Stugatz]

What's going on?

[Chris Sims]

Another day, another hard earned dollar. That's what's going on. I love the talking football.

[Stugatz]

I love the text exchange where Billy is saying no rush. And you respond, well, I feel like when you say no rush, Stugatz is going to be late. So thank you for that.

[Chris Sims]

Usually when he says no rush, it means like we haven't located you yet and you're walking around somewhere. So that's what I felt like that was. But then I was. It was nice to see you respond so nicely and say, no, I'm sitting right here waiting for you hurry the up. That was a nice. Well done. Well done.

[Stugatz]

Well, thank you. Thank you. We have. We have a lot of questions for you. Billy was asking, what do you do once football night in America is over? Are you sad towards the end of the NFL season? Are you happy?

[Chris Sims]

No, definitely sad. Like, feeling emptiness in my soul this whole week already.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

I mean, it's like, in phases. First off, it's like that first Thursday night. You're like, damn. Like, Thursday night, it's 17 weeks in a row. It was drinky, drinky, smoky, smoky in the barn on Thursday night. Now I don't get to do that. Right. It's an end of an era, and I do. I get sad. When football season ends. There's definitely an adjustment period. Like, there will be a part of me. And it already hit me this week where I'm like, damn, we got three games left. I can't believe this. And this week, even, like, damn, there's no game on Saturday. Like, what the hell am I supposed to do with myself on Saturday? And I am one that's like, yeah, I've been known to shed a tear when the football season's over because I'm just like, I can't believe it's over. And I get bothered by that.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Stugatz]

I think Billy's calling bullshit on that. I think Billy. I think Billy thinks she's never shed a tear towards the end of the season.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. When's the last time you cried? After the super bowl because football was done.

[Chris Sims]

I. I usually cry. I can cry, like, sometimes. Like, multiple times. During a Super Bowl.

[Mike Florio]

During the game.

[Chris Sims]

I'm pretty famous in my household for crying even before the game starts. Right. I definitely get emotional.

[Stugatz]

Wow.

[Chris Sims]

It was my dream to play in the Super Bowl.

[Stugatz]

Right?

[Chris Sims]

It was my dream. You know, when your dad Madsville Sims.

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Chris Sims]

And I also, like, sit there and I'm happy. I'm happy for these young guys who are, like, living their dreams. So, like, every year, when they're in the tunnel or whatever, my kids look at me and they're like, are you crying, dad? Are you crying? Are you crying?

[Stugatz]

Right?

[Chris Sims]

So I can definitely, like, I have moments. It's not like I'm like, yeah, I'm like, you know, happy tear, trying to fight it back a little bit. Excited for the moment, what it means. And I just know how excited those young men are to be out there in that situation.

[Stugatz]

Billy, what's that look? What are you doing there?

[Mike Florio]

It's fine.

[K. Funk]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

I was gonna ask that. Like, what does this cry look like.

[Chris Sims]

Yeah, yeah. And then, like, at the end of the game, it's not really a cry. It's more just of like, ah, I can't believe it. It's over.

[Stugatz]

Just to be clear, they're still drinky, drinky, smoky, smoky. Just no football.

[Mike Florio]

Hmm?

[Chris Sims]

Oh, of course, yes. I mean, this is Chris Sims you're talking about. That's a part of my life. I have to do that. I mean, it. It's drinky, drinky, smoky, smoky. Only on the weekends. During the week, it's just smoky, smokey.

[Stugatz]

Right, Got it.

[Chris Sims]

Yeah.

[Stugatz]

I want to have one of your kids on to give us play by play of you crying during the Super Bowl.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

Well, I'm keeping my kids away from you.

[Stugatz]

They're.

[Chris Sims]

They're. They're not ready for you.

[Mike Florio]

3. Good decision. As you showed. I've always. I've. I've always thought, like, the super bowl is exciting, but to your point, it's really kind of like, even a sad week at Radio Rogue because it's kind of like a march towards the death of the season. Like, you know, the season's over. Like, opening night is fun. Super bowl week is fun because everybody's in town. You get to see people, you get to interview people, like, hang out. But you know that the party's over on Sunday.

[Chris Sims]

Yes. Yes. Yeah. I mean, you get to halftime in the super bowl, and the halftime show gets over, and you're like, damn, we only got a half a football left. And it's like, I'm gonna have to start watching basketball here a little bit. Doing that.

[Mike Florio]

Right?

[Chris Sims]

You know, it's just. It all starts to hit me. And then also like, oh, man, the super bowl here, that means, like, in two more weeks, I gotta start the draft process. So I'm a little bit of that, too, where I'm like, oh, my gosh, here comes the endless list of players and me sitting in front of the TV screen for the rest of the spring. So that all hits me, too.

[Mike Florio]

I was gonna say the sadness lasts, like, two weeks. And then you're in Indianapolis at a combine. You're like, okay, this never actually does end.

[Chris Sims]

No, it doesn't. It never. It never does end. But yet it's like a league year switchover when you go to Indianapolis, there at the end of February, you're really like, okay, you know, 24. 2024 is done. It's 2025 now. Nobody's even talking about last year. We've moved on, and it's like, you just wiped the slate clean.

[Stugatz]

PFT with Mike Florio every day on Peacock, the unbuttoned podcast. Football night in America. Chris Sims with us. A sad. Chris Sims is with us here. God bless football. Bill's Ravens last week, just going back to Lamar Jackson. Before we look, look ahead to the games coming up this weekend, and there are two great games coming up this weekend. But, Chris, the problem, why Lamar Jackson will never be viewed the way we view Patrick Mahomes, the way we're starting to view Josh Allen, the way we looked at guys like Tom Brady, is simply because he makes in big games, not during the regular season, but in big playoff moments. He makes big mistakes that cost his team a chance to advance and move on. The other guys don't. Josh Allen does it. Patrick Mahomes does not. And that's why Lamar Jackson will always be third or fourth in that class of quarterbacks, and I'm including Joe Barrow.

[Chris Sims]

Yeah, well, he's got to fight that narrative there. There's no doubt. I don't disagree with what you're saying there, and I don't think it's because of, like, you know, what's different here is sometimes you have guys in that situation where you just be like, the moment's too big for them. They kind of choke, right?

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

I don't get that with Lamar. I honestly think it's actually the opposite. He wants it so bad that it's like he doesn't control his emotions in the way he plays the game. Right where you want to be like, hey, the ball snapped bad. It's on the ground. Don't try to. Now somebody's holding your leg. He's trying to 360, spin himself out of it and still make a play. Right. Part of, like, playoff experience is like, hey, this is playoff football. Every play matters. A mistake could really lose the game. And we've seen Josh Allen is starting to learn that or has learned that, like, sometimes just let the other team beat themselves. We'll play clean football, they'll beat themselves and mess it up. And unfortunately, that has been a big part of Lamar's playoff career. Lamar's so awesome. You see all the great plays he makes.

[Stugatz]

I love him.

[Chris Sims]

He's incredible. I mean, he's. He's one of the greatest players we've ever seen. There's no denying that. But the playoff trials and tribulations, the thing that bothers me more than anything about it is in his playoff losses. And this is where it's different than other guys. And even Josh Allen, I would go, Lamar was the Quarterback on the team that was better in every loss. That's the more troubling thing, right? All these guys have losses in the playoffs for the most part. But like, Josh Allen's losses were like, oh, oh, well, yeah, it was the Chiefs. They, they beat him. Oh, yeah. Well, Cincinnati was really good. They outclassed them. There wasn't like, oh, like the Bills should have won that game. They weren't in the class of the Bengals. They were clearly the better football team. These were. Every game with Lamar, we're like, whoa, no, they were better than the Chiefs last year, but they decided not to run the ball. And he held the ball long A few times this year. The same thing you saw. I mean, the Bills couldn't stop the Ravens. They did whatever they wanted the whole night long. But the interception, the fumble, the Mark Andrews fumble, and then of course, the two point play. Yeah, Mark Andrews should have caught that ball. But, you know, Mark Andrews is making what, 10 million? Lamar's making what, 55 million, right? The guy that's five and a half times better, he's got to throw the ball on the money. That ball was late. It was not. Same with thrown with the same pace. He made it as hard as it possibly could be. Both things can be true. Mark Andrews should have caught it, but Lamar Jackson definitely could have thrown a better ball in that instance, he made it as hard as possible for Mark Andrews.

[Stugatz]

People don't realize the importance of that, Chris. Putting it on the numbers, putting it in a place where a guy doesn't have to break stride, it's a game of inches. We kind of make fun of that cliche, but it really is. When you're throwing a football, I am with you. That is on Lamar Jackson.

[Chris Sims]

Well, when the play happens and if you practiced it and you went back and if we got to see film with them and practice during the week, it's a. It was a great play. It was a great play designed by Todd Monken, right? They did a legal pick play at the line of scrimmage. And it's one of those where, hey, you pick my guy. I turn around and boom, the ball's on me right here. And I just turn up and score, right? If you go back and watch the replay, it's, wait, my guy got picked. I turn around, wait, the ball's still not here. Wait, the ball's still not here. Lamar takes a hand off the ball and pump fakes it for some reason, which was not necessary. And now Mark Andrews is like, wait, I'm running towards the sidelines. Oh, no. The ball's behind me. Hold on. I'm big and huge, and I have to turn my body. Oh, no. I'm very close to the sidelines now. I need to make sure I stay in bounds. Oh, no. He threw me a ball where now I'm in front of the goal line. I got to worry about catching it and getting it back over the goal line so we get the two points. So again, like I said, I'm not trying to give Mark Andrews a pass here. He needs to catch that. In his room. He was graded negatively, but in quarterback rooms I was ever in, you also, as a quarterback, would have been graded negatively for that throw as well. And that's where it definitely could have been better for the Ravens.

[Mike Florio]

Chris, I don't know if you saw it yesterday, I believe it was. Or the day before, you mentioned how Josh takes care of the ball. He doesn't turn the ball over now. He's learned where they ask him on that third and goal where you were rushing in, you look like you wanted to pitch that ball back and try to get someone into the end zone. He's like, no. He's like, did I think about it? Absolutely. Would old Josh have done that? Absolutely.

[Chris Sims]

But that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. That's the part of where Josh Allen has gone a different way here, Right? And that's where Lamar, I think, has to like Lamar, it can't be the greatest show on turf all the time. You're awesome. You're the man. You're gonna make highlights. You don't need to make every play a highlight. Right. Sometimes, like John Gruden used to say to me, don't make a bad play worse. And that's where I feel like Josh Allen's found the. The Midas touch with that. But I. It's funny you're bringing that up, because I was just bringing that up with Mike Florio when we were doing our podcast a little while ago, because, yeah, that thought definitely went through his brain. You could see that.

[Mike Florio]

But everyone watching side is like, oh, my God, Josh.

[Chris Sims]

Oh, my God, he's gonna do that. Don't do, like, Josh Allen over the head crap that we saw early in his career or whatever, but I think he's learned. And I think yesterday, you guys, I don't know if you saw this. You need to watch Josh Allen's press conference yesterday because he kind of alludes to, like, you know, like, the Chiefs, they have a magic of. They don't control the game, but they control the moments. Right. And that's how they win these games. You just go back to any big moment that's like, oh, here come the Chiefs. They, they're going to win this moment right here. And the Bills have kind of found that same magic. They do the same thing. They've won 12 out of their last 13. I'm not counting the last game of the year where they didn't play their starters. Right.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

They out momented the king of moments, the Chiefs in a head to head matchup. They also did it to the Lions. Right. That's why I voted for Josh Allen to be the mvp. There was just more moments from them this year and him altogether. But either way that's where it's the clash of the Titans in this one and the Bills for the first time in Josh Allen's career, the, the Chiefs will not be able to play. We just got to stop Josh Allen defense. They will not you. The Bills can run the ball. The Bills are going to win the battle up front. The Chiefs for the first time ever are going to have to worry about. Damn, we got to worry about the Bills O line and James Cook or we're going to get steamrolled and that changes thing. Let alone he has better support outside at receiver than he ever has before too. And that's where I think it equals the, the scales on this one more than than previous matchups.

[Stugatz]

Chris. It's funny because I think most people when you see Patrick Mahomes taking on Josh Allen, they're expecting, you know, like 42 to 35 game. I think we could be in store for a defensive battle like a 1713 score. Do you?

[Chris Sims]

I, I, I wouldn't be shocked. I don't, I don't think it's going to be like incredibly high scoring. I'm not expecting a shootout. That, that's what I would say. Right. I'm, I'm, I, I think I, I'm going bills 27, 24. So I'm just going to put that out there right now. Yeah, I'm going to do it. But, but, but, but I would I be shocked with like, oh, it's two teams that know each other so well that there's some stall, stalling on the offensive side of the ball and it's more of a game like you're saying 20 to 17, 23, 20. I wouldn't be surprised by that. I wouldn't at all.

[Stugatz]

Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes being turned into game managers.

[Chris Sims]

I mean, well, you Know. Yeah. And. And like, taking the old adage that I've heard Tom Brady and Bill Belichick talk about before.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

You know, just play clean football. And most times, teams will beat themselves. Right, Right.

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Chris Sims]

It's. It's. You know, sometimes you don't have to go out there and win the game. Sometimes you can just sit there and go, hey, let's play our game. And they'll get up and we'll still win. Right. But that's where these teams are. They both do that. Both of these teams, they both kind of go, we'll be conservative. We'll feel it out. We'll just hang around. Because we think when it gets clutch time, we're clutcher than you. And that's where I think it's going to be awesome. Because I think both teams have that belief that in a close game, they're going to find the way to win the game. And of course, the Chiefs are the ultimate ones in that way. I'm going to go with the fact of, like, hey, we've seen three peats almost happen, and it's always the rival team that is a thorn in their side, you know, that ends it. Right. Whether that was like. Like the, you know, the. The giants upsetting the 49ers in the 80s, right?

[Stugatz]

Yes.

[Chris Sims]

Or the Niners upsetting the Cowboys and doing that. Or. And I know this wasn't a three peat. Or like Peyton Manning and the Colts, they were a thorn in the side of the Patriots, and then they finally got over the hump. I'm going to play that angle that this Bill's team's motivated, ready to go, and the Chiefs just are not quite as good as years past, in my opinion, as what we've seen.

[Stugatz]

Do you think Lamar Jackson will ever win a Super Bowl?

[Chris Sims]

I do. I do.

[Stugatz]

Because, Chris, I'm sitting here and I'm doing the numbers. I'm looking at the quarterbacks now. Jaden Daniels is involved. Burrows in the afc, Mahomes in the afc, Josh Allen in the afc. I don't know if there are enough Super Bowls for Lamar to win.

[Mike Florio]

One second. Hold on a sec. What numbers are you crunching here in this analysis of yours?

[Chris Sims]

Listen, they're not exactly counted quarterbacks. He was like one quarterback. Good. Two quarterbacks.

[Stugatz]

Here's what I did. Here's what I did. I factored in maybe they have 10 years left. We have no idea who's coming down the pike. But what we do know is that Jalen Hurts is playing right now. We know that Jaden Daniels is playing right now. There are a number of good quarterbacks and not all of them are going to win Super Bowls. That's all I'm saying.

[Chris Sims]

No, I, I think the worst thing and you, you're, I think you're saying it right. You're along like I'm going to say yes, but man, it's going to be hard, right? I mean, yeah, Michael Jordan and the Chiefs are still there. They're there. They're not going anywhere.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

There's one of the youngest teams in football. So that's. Sorry everybody. Sorry everybody who looks for at the sixth play of the game and go, oh, they called robbing the passer in the sixth play of the game. That's why the Texans won the game. Like, what? The Chiefs are going to be here. Like, what a bunch of bullshit. That is the sixth play of the game. I hit to the head. They go, that's what won the game against the clutchest team we've seen in football for the last five or six years. They're down by 10 at every super bowl and they come back and win. But we're going to go to the sixth play of the game and go, that dictated it. Okay, Right. Like that's how much people hate the Chiefs right now. But that's how good they are to get you to hate them that much.

[Stugatz]

Billy was right. That was a bad call though, right?

[Mojo]

Yeah, that was a bad.

[Stugatz]

Call.

[Chris Sims]

They're all bad calls. They're all out the whole year. This is all. They all suck. I mean I grew up in an era where like my dad literally got his head knocked off by Reggie White every week and now they're like, like, oh, fingernail to the eyebrow, you're ejected. Get out of here. That was attempted murder. Like, I don't know, old school player likes the way the game's ref now, right? But like that's consistent with what we saw all year. So like I'm not, I've seen way worse than we saw that he got hit in the head, right? Like boom. They call that. You know the other one, he didn't even get hit at all. But the Texans launched at his head and put the crown of their helmet down. And when you do that to a national artifact, right? As far as a national artifact and Patrick Mahomes, the NFL is not going to let these superstar quarterbacks let big defensive linemen headhunt them and knock them out and up the whole playoffs in the NFL season.

[Stugatz]

How surprised were you by, by how poorly the Lions played against the Commanders.

[Chris Sims]

I mean, obviously surprised I. I picked them to win. I think where I was just surprised that the offense let them down. That was the surprise, right? We knew the offense had to carry the squad because of what the def was, the injuries, all of that. And for them and Jared Goff to probably play his worst game of his career as a lion in that moment and then make some other stupid mistakes. Yeah, that. That's what surprised me. I'll say this at the end of the day, the Lions, I love their aggressive, you know, tactics and approach, but this was a game where all that aggressive talk and see, sometimes I just think they go. Some teams go into a game with the way they want to win the game instead of just like evaluating the game and then going, wait, let's play this way now. Like, the aggressiveness came back to bite him in the ass. I mean, the interceptions, they were all aggressive. The in cut, pick six. Like, there's four guys there, but they're, you know, they're being aggressive. Throw it in there. Oh, pick six, you know. Oh, the post. Down the middle before halftime, right to Jameson Williams. I mean, he took five hitches. He was like four seconds late to throw the ball, but he still throw it. Oh, we're being aggressive. Reverse pass with Jameson Williams interception. We're being aggressive. You know, we're actually slowing them down on defense when we play normal defenses. But let's blitz and be aggressive. Oh, see, a Terry McCormick's Gone Zoo. Whoa. Okay. So that's where I was disappointed in Detroit, is that they just didn't read the flow of the game, and they just were like, we're coming and being aggressive, and that's no matter what. That's what's going to happen. Okay, well, you did that and you lost. And I just, you know, they don't need to be so aggressive all the time, I guess, is what I'm saying.

[Stugatz]

Chris, what I love about Jaden Daniels, you spent some time with Jaden Daniels. So let me frame it this way. Let me ask it this way. There are four quarterbacks remaining. Alan, Mahomes, Daniels, and Hertz. My guess is the time you spent with Jaden Daniels, did you get the sense he thinks he's the best one left of the four remaining?

[Mike Florio]

He.

[Chris Sims]

He does. With, like, humbleness, though, right?

[Stugatz]

Like, it's like a smile.

[Chris Sims]

I think he thinks, hey, I'm as good as anybody. That's it. But he would probably give respect to Josh, Allen, Mahomes and Jalen hurts for what they've done. And, you know, I'm not those guys yet, but also totally would tell you, like, oh, do I believe I can beat them? Sure, of course I do. Right. He's got that type of confidence. He's, he's amazing that way. And that's why it's like, I don't look at this game. This will be the toughest environment he ever, ever to play in. And of course it's a good defense and all that, but I certainly am not like, oh, this is the week he falls apart. Not at all. He's. He's incredible. They got an uphill battle. He's going to have to be incredible in this football game to beat the, the Philadelphia Eagles, especially with the right guard being out and Cosmi, now that's one less good player to block. Jalen Carter, who I'd say is incredible. Right. I worry about Washington not being able to run the ball, which then therefore is going to have to be Jaden Daniels surgically destroying the Eagles, which he might be able to do, but that's a tough task against that defense. They usually make you drive the field long, consistent drives, and within that they make a play or two that mess everything up. And that's what you worry about with Jaden Daniels in Washington this Sunday.

[Stugatz]

But I think if you're a Washington fan, correct me if I'm wrong, you, you, you feel pretty good about your chances because you have Jaden Daniels and because Jalen hurts, appears to be hurt, definitely.

[Chris Sims]

You feel good too, because you go, wait, we're playing our best ball. And yeah, the Eagles might be a better team, but they're not playing their best ball right now.

[Stugatz]

They're not.

[Chris Sims]

And Jalen hurts with the injury. And then Jalen hurts. I mean, the way he's played last two weeks, it's going to be hard for them to win the super bowl with the way he's playing.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

The plain and simple. They might be able to do it. They're that damn good. Right. But they're certainly making a whole lot riskier with the fact that the passing game is so non existent and not contributing to the football team. You know, like I said last week with, with the Rams game, there was 131 plays in the game. I would say The Rams won 115 of them.

[Mike Florio]

Them.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

It's just when they lost them, it was 70 yards of the house or 50 yards of the house or 60 yards of the house. That was the big problem of the game. Right. The Eagles are not playing their best, but maybe, you know, two weeks playoff Football. This is the week they get back on track and play their best ball. They're better than Washington. I'm going to pick them to win the ball game. I picked them 2817. But I am definitely nervous about the confidence, the way Jaden Daniels is playing and the Jalen hurts and passing offense and the way it looks not so good lately.

[Stugatz]

Sometimes teams going run in the postseason, Chris, you've seen, right? Like you can't explain it. All of a sudden the Giants are in the super bowl, you know? Yeah, yeah.

[Chris Sims]

Well, yeah, no, but you're right. And then, yeah, teams that get hot, there's belief. And when you have a quarterback like Jaden Daniels, I say this to Florio a lot, just like Mahomes or Brady back in New England. The whole locker room believes because they go, wait, our quarterback can get us through anything, Right. We might go down 10, nothing. But he'll get us back in it. You know, we might, we might blow him out. We got him. Who knows? Right, right, right. So they're all like, chest out, like, yeah, we feel good because we're hot and we got that guy at quarterback. So watch out.

[Stugatz]

Can you explain what that feels like for a team? Just to know that you're never out of a game because you have that guy?

[Chris Sims]

I mean, I never got to.

[Mike Florio]

Never had that guy. Yeah, I never was never that guy.

[Chris Sims]

No, I was ever. But I have one Brady of like, like I will say, one year, 2005, we went to the playoffs and we watched lost to the Washington football team in the wild card round. We had six or seven fourth quarter comebacks in that, that season.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

And I could speak to. I don't know, I'm not saying I was looked at and they were like, oh, we got sims. It's captain Clutch time. Watch out. But I know as a team, we were like, hey, we've been doing like, we've been doing this all years. Them. Let's go down the field and score right here.

[Mike Florio]

What you make Thanksgiving, though? Are you ever that guy? Thanksgiving, family.

[Stugatz]

I was talking about his time with the Patriots and what it felt like to know, like, you were never out of a game. That's all.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, Chris. Chris knows from Thanksgiving. Yeah, he's there.

[Chris Sims]

All the, all the nephews want to be on my team. They know I'm the, the Tom Brady of the backyard. They know that.

[Stugatz]

Tom Brady of the back backyard. Just what you were driving for when you set out on your football career. What'd you make of the jets hiring Aaron Glenn? Would you make of that higher.

[Chris Sims]

I, I like it. I do. I, I, I mean, I'm a bit, I'm an Aaron Glenn fan. One, I mean, Aaron Glenn, awesome defensive mind, the ability to communicate and lead men. I have no doubt about that. I've been around him a few times in my life. He's got that ability. All you could do is, first off, Dan Campbell doesn't have anybody on his staff that's not capable of doing that. So that's the one thing you got to know then with that defense and Aaron Glenn, I mean, this is the most talented defense he's ever coached. And like, it's, you know, I, I love it because the jets run that Seattle scheme and I like that scheme when you have really good talent, but there's not enough, like, game plan specific creativity. And as for, as good as they are, they don't create a lot of chaos or turnovers ever, when you play in that scheme. And that's where Aaron Glenn, as we saw with Detroit, he can create chaos and do a lot of different stuff and do things to teams that like or like, whoa, we didn't prepare for this. And that's an element I think he's going to bring to the jets, is going to make them a different football team. So Eddie knows how to handle the New York media. He's been there, he's done that. You know, he's been under Bill Parcells. He knows Dan Campbell. He's got that charisma. I think this is a good thing. And of course, he played here, and that's always good to have a guy that, you know, knows the culture and wants best for the fan base and the organization.

[Stugatz]

I think what's great is this is a dream job for Al, For Aaron Glenn. Like, no one has this dream that no one dreams of being the New York jets head football coach. This is a final destination for Aaron Glenn. He wants the job. He knows how tortured the fan base is, and he wants to try and help turn it around. And that's as good as Jet fans are going to get at this point.

[Chris Sims]

That, that, that is exactly right. He's coming from a winning culture, so he's going to know that the fact that he does want the job. Right. I'm just. Yeah, you're exactly right. That's a short list of people that are like, I want to deal with the jets in that situation.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

But, you know, he's, I think, again, that's where the playing history goes here. He's got pride as a Jet. They drafted me right they had some good years here and all that. He understands the jets fan base and their attitude, so that's, that is special to have a guy like that that wants the job and all that. And I think he certainly can, can bring some attitude back to the Jets. He's got decisions, the team's good. There's a lot of pieces on the roster. You like, they're gonna have to figure out the quarterback situation and where they want to go, but yeah, I, I am. I definitely like this. Aaron Glenn hiring.

[Stugatz]

We'll let you go in a second. What the are the Cowboys doing?

[Chris Sims]

Good question. Did the Cowboys know? I, I don't know. I mean, what a debacle.

[Stugatz]

They have two coordinators who are, who are a game away from making it to a Super Bowl. They had in house coaches and he didn't choose any of them.

[Chris Sims]

I, I, I know, I, I, I don't know. And then it doesn't really seem like they had a plan or really envisioned this happening with Mike McCarthy. I mean, they blocked them for an interview with the Bears and then four days later they were like, we don't want you anymore. All those again, show me that they didn't really know what was going to go on. And it kind of makes me feel like they felt like they were going to probably strong arm Mike McCarthy into some contract he didn't want. And he was like, nah, see you later. And they're like, whoa. What? What? Oh, well. Oh, Brian Schonheimer, you want to be interviewed for the coach of the team? I mean, I know none of it, none of it really excites me a whole lot right down there right now. And you talk about a place where coaches who have options that are not going to want to go there. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. If your ex quarterback who won three Super Bowls for that team is telling you that the owner takes away the power from the coach, then maybe we should listen to that quarterback who won three Super Bowls about the owner who takes away the power from the coach. And they've never been the same since Jimmy Johnson left the organization. Ding, ding, ding. Troy Aikman.

[Stugatz]

That was like some weird PSA or something.

[Chris Sims]

Yeah. I don't know where, why I did that, but I give Troy Aikman a lot of credit for saying that. I really do.

[Stugatz]

No doubt.

[Chris Sims]

Because that's the truth of the matter. And yes, like, it's hard. And I wouldn't think any coach that has options at all is going to want to go down there and have to coach the team the way Jerry wants it coached, right? And yeah, they, they gotta be feeling it. You know, it just dawned on two NFC east teams in the NFC Championship game too, right?

[Stugatz]

It just dawned on me that has to be hell in the Sims household. Like Eagles and Commanders. That's terrible for you, man.

[Chris Sims]

It's kind of funny actually. Like, all right, as a Giant fan, it's the hundredth year anniversary and it couldn't have been worse, right? Saquon Barkley leaves, He's awesome. Xavier McKinney leaves. He's awesome. Right? The Giants absolutely suck. And the Commanders and the Eagles are in the NFC Championship game. Boom. There. That caps off the 100 year anniversary. But I don't know, like, I don't know if it's like I'm a nostalgic and like, because I grew up in the 80s, even though I'm a Giants fan, I actually like the NFC East NFC Championship game. I don't know what it is about it, right? It's like the old glory days. That's, that's the way football's supposed to be. The NFC is supposed to dominate. So there's some part of me that's like a little bit proud of that.

[Mike Florio]

Drew Locke gave you guys a memorable game. I mean, it cost you the number one pick in the draft, but you had a five touchdown Drew Lock game.

[Chris Sims]

Yep, yep, yep. Thank you for reminding us of that. Maybe we'd be able to draft the quarterback if we didn't do that.

[Stugatz]

Sims is a Giant fan. And you rooting for Saquon Barkley, which means there's a Sims rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, which Big would not be happy about that.

[Chris Sims]

I mean, well, yeah, but, yeah, I, I, I am. Well, because what happens like with people like me is there, there's just too much personal stuff that go in my life with relationships and people I know in the NFL to where, yeah, I'm a big Giants fan, but damn. As you know, I know some of these people and I've known them for a long, long time. I love Saquon Barkley. I love him as a player. He's one of my favorite to watch. And I couldn't be more of a fan of Saquon Berkley the person. I mean, I think you guys see it, it speaks for itself. He's, he's like borderline perfect. I mean, he really is. He couldn't be cooler, he couldn't be more humble. He's respectful of the history of the game. He works hard as hell. Like, I love it. And again, it's another thing of, like, along the Trevor Lawrence and what Billy's trying to say, like, again, support system matters. Oh, you're on the Giants. You don't look so good. Oh, you're on the good Eagles. Damn, are you the best running back that ever lived like that. That's where it's gone. And we can't forget about that aspect of football. That's the harsh reality of football is you can be awesome and be on the team and you will look like. And that's what sucks about football at times.

[Stugatz]

Billy, here's the difference between Chris and his father. His father is. Is rooting for both teams to lose on Sunday. Both of them.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

Yes. Yeah. Seriously, no rooting interest. Knowing my dad, if it did come into that, and, you know, he's like, me too, where there's a lot of personal relationships, but he would probably root for Washington over Philadelphia. That would be my guess, right? I mean, Philadelphia and my dad's heyday, literally, the dead quarterback, you know, dead weight on the quarterback rule was invented because of Reggie White doing it to my dad all the time.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Chris Sims]

And the Eagles were such a pain in the ass for the Giants, and they always had the Giants number. And the other side is that the Giants always has always had Washington's number. So, like, Washington was one of those rivals where we as growing up were always like, oh, yeah, they're good. That's cool. The cute little Washington teams that are coming to town and, and we'll beat them and they'll be pissed off and we'll see him again later and do that. So it wasn't as Percival with the, The Eagles where I was literally nervous for my dad's life when I would go to the games.

[Stugatz]

All right, so it sounds like you think Bill's Eagles in the super bowl, is that fair?

[Chris Sims]

That that's what I'm. I'm picking. I. I mean, again, I. I don't feel that, that, you know, I don't feel totally confident. I feel confident. I feel like that the Eagles will win the football game. It's the Chiefs, you know, Bills game. That's certainly a coin toss, but I'm going to say this is the year the Bills get over the hump and make it happen.

[Stugatz]

All right. Little steak dinner, New Orleans, Radio Rose, super bowl week. What do you think, Billy? Me?

[Chris Sims]

Yeah.

[Stugatz]

Let's do that.

[Chris Sims]

That's like 100%. Let's do that.

[Stugatz]

Okay. Yeah.

[Mike Florio]

Really?

[Chris Sims]

Okay. Yeah.

[Stugatz]

Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

Wow.

[Mike Florio]

Last year you told us to off.

[Chris Sims]

No, this. This year let's do it. I had a lot of plans last year. Last year I had a lot of friends in town because Shanahan was in the Super Bowl. It was a busy week. It was crazy.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, this.

[Chris Sims]

This year I'll have a little more free time. So let's definitely pick out a night and we'll go out. Let's, you know, have some drinks first and do all that, and then we'll have a good dinner and. And have a good time.

[Stugatz]

I'm thinking Wednesday night. Billy, you. I'm thinking Wednesday. Just.

[Chris Sims]

Okay. I'm good for Wednesday night. I like Wednesday.

[Stugatz]

All right.

[Mike Florio]

He's up to something. Chris.

[Stugatz]

Sims. We're gonna make. No, I was teasing. Sims up Wednesday. Sims. We're gonna make this happen though, right? Definitely.

[Chris Sims]

We are. 100 gonna make it happen.

[Stugatz]

I can't wait for us to have Sims where we're going for.

[Chris Sims]

I can' pod that night.

[Mike Florio]

Wait, wait, hold on. Where are you doing it? Like a live show?

[Chris Sims]

I think we are doing a live show. I don't think it's been settled yet. It's to be determined, but. But. So then let's kick it to Tuesday night. Or we could maybe do it after the pod Wednesday night. I mean, it's not like I'm doing a seven hour pod here, so.

[Mike Florio]

Well, it sounds like you're putting this. Sounds like you're putting this together. You need some guests. I mean, we might have some availabilities, you know what I mean?

[Chris Sims]

But at the super bowl, we can find so many cooler vests than you, so we're not gonna go there.

[Stugatz]

Billy, baby steps. We got a dinner, okay?

[Chris Sims]

We will have walk on passerbyers. That'll be bigger deal than you at the super bowl that we'll bring on real quick. I mean, that's.

[Stugatz]

That's not even BFD with Mike Florio. Every day on Peacock, the unbuttoned podcast, Football night in America, and every week right here at God Bless Football. Chris, we'll talk to you next week. We'll see you in New Orleans for state dinner.

[Chris Sims]

All right, awesome. See you later. Steak dinner on Billy. Peace out, mofos.

[Mike Florio]

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[K. Funk]

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[Mike Florio]

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[Chris Sims]

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[Mike Florio]

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[Mike Florio]

Oh, Carl. Oh, Carl. We have a development from last week that we're gonna. I think we're gonna need you involved in, but I don't think that there's much, if any, wiggle room in this situation.

[Gordy]

Okay, let me hear it.

[Mike Florio]

We'll get. We'll get to it shortly. Stugats is joining here, but we have various witnesses to. What. What. What happened? Mojo, I don't think is aware of the situation. He is involved.

[Stugatz]

Oh, boy.

[Share Bear]

What happened?

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, Mojo, we can't. We can't see you. I don't know if it's intentional or.

[Billy]

Not, but I need to hear about this.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Share Bear]

So I'll take my video on once I know what the situation.

[Mike Florio]

Okay. I believe that Mike Rollis is the only person that. That was familiar with what was going on and agreed to this. Oh, and he's joining now, which is perfect because he.

[Share Bear]

He too, already.

[Mike Florio]

He too is involved in this. In this scenario, unfortunately. And he may be the one that is affected the most, aside from.

[Share Bear]

From K. Before I even know what this is, I would like it on record that Mike Rollis has a history of stabbing me in the back. I'm just on television.

[Stugatz]

That's Mojo.

[Mojo]

Just let it happen, buddy.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Yeah. So, Carl, Share Bear, Mike Gordy, K. Funk, the rest of the class. Last week, K. Funk was extended an offer, a unique offer for the college football national championship game. A very generous offer. Mojo, you're not aware of this? It actually wasn't that generous. The. The. The offer. The offer was if K. Funk won the game, won his pick, like he, you know, selected against the spread. If he won that, that it would count as plus 10 wins. However, if he lost, it would count as 10 losses.

[Share Bear]

Hold on right there. That would mean. That would mean he would move into literal negative wins on the season. That's not even possible.

[Mike Florio]

Well, well, Mojo, that's not what it was agreed on, but keep going. And, and Mojo, seeing as you came in and you said that you would be taking opposite Funk, that meant if K. Funk won, you would get 10 losses and he would get 10 wins. There was a potential for a. Wow. A 20 game swing in the standings.

[Stugatz]

Red Master.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Carl Douglas]

Okay.

[Mike Florio]

Now.

[Share Bear]

Considering I still don't even know who picked what last week, I don't know respond to this right now.

[Stugatz]

Well, just know that you got 10 wins and know that K. Funk got 10 losses.

[Mike Florio]

Well, thank you for ruining the end of the story, Stach. So this is.

[Stugatz]

I'm just trying to get to it. So Mojo, he's so confused.

[Mike Florio]

So, so this is.

[Share Bear]

I don't know what K. Funk picked. Can I just a double or nothing to that right now?

[Mike Florio]

Well, okay, so here's the situation. K. Funk ended up taking Notre Dame plus eight and a half.

[Mojo]

In my life, every single person in this zoom is smiling except K. Just.

[Stugatz]

We all know the game and I'm smiling.

[Mike Florio]

So for those unfamiliar with how that game ended, Notre Dame had it within eight points. And then there was a seemingly meaningless field goals, you know, 20 seconds left in the game to make it an 11 point game game. Thus costing K. Funk 10 losses and giving Mojo 10 wins.

[Billy]

It got even better. The guy ran out of the end zone for the two point conversion. So I didn't the game end at nine.

[Mike Florio]

That was.

[Share Bear]

Yeah, that happened in the NFL.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, that was.

[Billy]

That was an eight and a half.

[Mike Florio]

That was, that was as well. And K. Funk lost that game as well. K. Funk, last of that safety, K. Funk last week went 1, 12 and 1.

[Share Bear]

Oh my God. I went 12, 1 and 1.

[Mike Florio]

You went 12, 1 and 1 last week.

[Share Bear]

The spread master does it again.

[Stugatz]

There was only one game.

[Mike Florio]

Am I allowed to talk here?

[Stugatz]

Let me know when I'm allowed to.

[Chris Sims]

Talk because I didn't agree.

[Mike Florio]

So here's, here's the thing. It was looking like Carl had a bad week at 031. But K. Funk made it, came in at 12, 1 and 1 share. Bear had a 1, 2 and 1. Gordy had a 2, 1 and 1. Here's where there may be controversy. So I updated the standings and I. I have an update of the standings headed into last week and then after last week. So headed into last week, Mike Rollace was our new leader in the Clubhouse. He had a 5.93win percentage. He had surpassed Mojo with a 579 win. Yes.

[Gordy]

Yes, yes.

[Mike Florio]

Mike Rollis has been hot as of late. Carl has a 558 win percentage. Gordy has a 488 win percentage. K. Funk had a 441 win percentage and share. Bear had a 411 win percentage. Now after last week there's been change in the standings. Because Mojo went 12, 1 and 1, and K. Funk went 1, 12 and 1. So because of the 12, 1 and 1, Mojo now has a.621 win percentage, and Mike Rolls has a.608 win percentage. Oh, my gosh. Had Mojo only been 3. 0 and 1, Mojo's win percentage would have been.585, and Mike Rollace would still be the leader at 608. So the 12, 1 and 1 has now catapulted Mojo back into first place. Now.

[Gordy]

No. I say no. I say no.

[Mike Florio]

Hold on.

[Stugatz]

Oh, wait, hold on.

[Mike Florio]

Let me finish. I will. I will say this. I will say this. Mike was in the room when we made this agreement, and he approved of said agreement, so.

[Stugatz]

Oh, well.

[Mike Florio]

Though I don't know that there's a lot that he can argue. I will say this just one, one last thing, and I don't know if this will sway the jury here. Here. Because of his 112 and 1 record last week, K. Funk's win percentage is now 394, and he has fallen below Share Bear for the season at.410 percentage.

[Stugatz]

Congrats.

[Mike Florio]

Last place after his 112 and 1 week.

[Stugatz]

All right, let's have Carl speak here. I want to hear from Carl Douglas on this. Go ahead. Okay.

[Gordy]

Okay. I. I think K. Funk, yeah. Clearly was in control of his own destiny.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Gordy]

So K. Funk should absorb however many losses he agreed to absorb, because.

[Stugatz]

I.

[Gordy]

Also think Rawls has to maintain the top spot because Rawls was in the top spot. So Mojo should not get the 10 wins to upset for the victory. But key Funk should take all the losses.

[Share Bear]

Very wishful thinking, Carl Douglas. And I see you trying to do your thing here, but that's just. Unfortunately not the way the cookie crumbles. Because if you're just the lawyer, I'm the judge around these parts. If Rollace is the one that signed off on this damn thing, then that stuff stands at least as it pertains to Rollis punk. The rest of you have a case here because, like myself, I didn't even know that this happened until about 35 seconds ago. Well, that's the argument. However, Rollins is the one that let this happen, so he's eating that.

[Mike Florio]

L. I got.

[Stugatz]

Let's go to K. Fong.

[Mike Florio]

K. Fong took notes.

[Stugatz]

Back to Carl.

[Mike Florio]

Hold on. Maybe we can.

[Mojo]

Okay, let's hear Carl.

[Mike Florio]

I think. I think. Look, I think we all agree K. Fung gets the 10 losses, right? Maybe.

[Mojo]

I think that is fact.

[Mike Florio]

All right, hold on a second. Maybe. Maybe okay, how about this? Maybe we can do this because Rallis was in first place. Maybe what we can do is maybe Gordy, maybe we split the 10 wins and Mojo gets five and Mike Rollace gets five. K Funk still gets his 10 losses and we all are happy.

[Mojo]

I'd be happy with that.

[Share Bear]

He didn't even stand to lose anything.

[Mike Florio]

I think, I think the most important thing though is if it wins and.

[Share Bear]

If it lost, he was going to get nothing.

[Stugatz]

12 losses. Well, we would.

[Share Bear]

We would have to first place all season.

[Mike Florio]

Well, not two weeks ago.

[Share Bear]

Undefeated or four and one every week. So I don't know how of a sudden pass me because that.

[Stugatz]

There are no rule. There are no rules here. Except when Carl Douglas raises his hand, he speaks. That's the only rule we have here. Go ahead, Mojo.

[Gordy]

First of all, Mojo made very, very good sense in his arguments until I understand that Mojo never agreed to the deal himself until 35 seconds ago.

[Mike Florio]

Well.

[Share Bear]

You, Carl.

[Mike Florio]

Well, there's a mediator. We had a mediator there.

[Gordy]

I'm not in the deal. I'm in third place. I'm securing third place.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, I think, I think 40 was.

[Share Bear]

Yeah, that's a way to live, sir.

[Mike Florio]

How about this? You want a couple wins, Carl? We can throw you a couple wins.

[Billy]

I'm fine with it.

[Gordy]

I'm fine with it on this show.

[Share Bear]

What happened to the integrity of this chat, man?

[Stugatz]

Carl, if you want to move up to second place, just let Billy know.

[Mike Florio]

I mean, yeah, maybe Moja stays with. With five. Give you three, Rallis two. As long as 10 losses, we're good. Good.

[Share Bear]

You guys are dividing Mojo's wins right now you're taking Mojo's 10 wins.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Share Bear]

And you're trying to allocate it amongst the rest of the chat because Mojo has been a dominant first place all year. And everyone's trying to take me down on Patrick Mahomes over here.

[Chris Sims]

That's what's happening.

[Mike Florio]

Well, I'll say. I'll say this before K Fun comes in and starts spreading his propaganda.

[Stugatz]

I was gonna get to the games right after this.

[Mike Florio]

I know what he's gonna say. Well, we have two games. We have two games. I know. I. I know what he's gonna say. So when things get started, if you guys remember correctly, last week, the. The original starting place was 10 wins and 5 losses. And then we said that would then be 5 wins and 10 losses for Mojo. And then as we were talking it out, I subtly changed it to 10 and 10. Kept saying 10 and 10 over and over again. And asked, do you agree to this? And he said, he agrees to this. This. Now, Billy, he started at 10 and 5, but I kept changing it to 10 and 10 until he ultimately agreed to 10 10, not knowing that it had been changed. But it was cleared, stated, or it stated clear as day over and over.

[Stugatz]

Yes, over and over.

[Share Bear]

I would like to just add one.

[Mojo]

It was notarized.

[Mike Florio]

All right.

[Share Bear]

They need to add one note.

[Mike Florio]

Hold on.

[Gordy]

Is that true? Is that true?

[Mike Florio]

Wait, hold on.

[Stugatz]

Mojo has something. Mojo has something.

[Share Bear]

This is the way we got to look at this, guys. Because if we're talking about crowning champion for the season.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Share Bear]

Mike Rollis gambled with my record willy nilly with the intent of moving into the first place spot. That is why this whole 10 win.

[Mike Florio]

That's not true.

[Chris Sims]

He should be held completely false allegations.

[Stugatz]

Okay, you'll get your choice. You'll get your chance. Just hang in there. Okay.

[Mike Florio]

After we picked the game.

[Stugatz]

Right, Right.

[Mike Florio]

No, he was a witness.

[Stugatz]

Nearly a witness.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Gordy]

I.

[Share Bear]

Did you sign off on it?

[Stugatz]

I didn't sign off on it, and.

[Mike Florio]

I did not sign off on it. There you go.

[Stugatz]

I just witnessed it.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Stugatz]

Did you nod your head, like, in any sort of direction?

[Mike Florio]

I think I went.

[Carl Douglas]

Oh, man.

[Stugatz]

So if anything.

[Share Bear]

Yeah, that sounds like a yes to me.

[Mike Florio]

Well, and he had a big day. He had his show. Yeah. There's a lot going on his face.

[Share Bear]

He was very excited about that.

[Stugatz]

All right, well, Gordy and Sherman, Gordy and Share Bear, who don't care about any of this. I don't. I don't know if they have any thoughts. I was going to go to Game Funk in a second, but Share Bear, it's a good point by Billy. Do you have any thoughts on any of this, Share Bear?

[Mike Florio]

Oh, I mean, I'm just happy to be still.

[Chris Sims]

Still. Be still.

[Carl Douglas]

Still.

[Mike Florio]

Well, and you just stopped ranking.

[Stugatz]

Right. You just got less. Right, Gordy, Any thoughts on this? Right, Gordy? Anything?

[Billy]

No. Me and Share Bear actually spent some time together yesterday, so we were just both happy guys, you know, to be back on the show.

[Mike Florio]

So that's great. I. I also say this. Gordy was in a very bad spot about six weeks ago where he asked. He asked us flat out, please do not say my record because of how bad it is. And now he's one game under.500. Gordy has very quietly gone on a tear as of late, and he's got himself right back in the mix.

[Share Bear]

I got him.

[Billy]

I got emotional early on in the season. I got really emotional. You know, Mojo And Kay Funk were, you know, the way they were battling it out. And I. I just didn't stick to my game plan. And then I had to get off one show. I took a show off. Yeah. I emotionally got my mind in my body.

[Chris Sims]

Right.

[Billy]

You know, and then I. I started putting the picks in ahead of time without letting them, you know, get in my mind. So, yeah, here we are. This is how G Money really picks. So hopefully I'm the spread master next year because I don't want to hear Mojo still talking about this.

[Stugatz]

Exactly.

[Mike Florio]

Comeback player of the year, Gordy. Comeback player of the year Gordy. I think deep down is the company you keep. You know, everyone thinks Gory's this big time partier. He's kind of a stay at home kind of guy. Yeah.

[Chris Sims]

I think in Vegas with Sherbet and Seiler, I think once he had to.

[Mike Florio]

Reevaluate his life, it's got to change things, you know?

[Share Bear]

Did you just say Gore doesn't know how to party anymore? Is that what you just said?

[Carl Douglas]

I mean, either Mojo, I guess, you.

[Chris Sims]

Know, I mean, I don't know.

[Stugatz]

I just.

[Carl Douglas]

I'm just kind of.

[Mike Florio]

Things have changed ever since he got out of Vegas.

[Share Bear]

That's the most insulting thing anyone said.

[Chris Sims]

To anyone else on the show.

[Stugatz]

I've never seen Mojo so upset and disappointed in my life.

[Carl Douglas]

Broadcast.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah.

[Share Bear]

Party.

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Share Bear]

Junior, you just said that too.

[Stugatz]

That's rough tarnish that name and image. What are you doing?

[Mike Florio]

I mean, it seems like this has been settled, so maybe we just get to the games to.

[Stugatz]

Guys, let's get to the game. Championship weekend.

[Share Bear]

Y so what are. What are our final standings going in? This is going to carry water with these.

[Mike Florio]

Really doesn't matter.

[Chris Sims]

Bill just makes up in his own records.

[Stugatz]

Well, I believe Rallis or Mojo are in first, the others in second. Carl's in third. He could be in second if he wants to be in second. He can also jump up the first if he feels like jumping up the first. Is that about it? Like, I'm cool with.

[Gordy]

I'm good with third.

[Mike Florio]

Third is fine. Yeah.

[Stugatz]

So the micro said, that's no way to live. That's what he said, Carl. He said that's no way to live. You got to strive for.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah, well, we'll revisit the car, the. The Mojo and Rolls thing. We'll take it under advisement and figure out what we do here so we don't get caught up in this. I think, think.

[Stugatz]

All right. Championship weekend. Yep. Championship weekend. Here we go. Commanders at Eagles. Eagles A six point favorite at home. Commanders and Eagles. Let's go to K. Funk first. K. Funk who? You take it here.

[K. Funk]

I mean, doesn't matter.

[Carl Douglas]

I take.

[Stugatz]

Billy's just gonna make record.

[Mike Florio]

What do you mean?

[Share Bear]

Yeah, but you're still gonna dictate.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, we didn't get to you. What did you want to say before? Sorry.

[Stugatz]

You're hilarious. But you're hilarious. We love you, K Bug.

[Mike Florio]

I never agreed to 10 losses.

[Stugatz]

I agreed to 10 and 10 wins, five losses.

[Carl Douglas]

It's on the record.

[Mojo]

Yeah, I have the audio. I have the audio.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, so do I. I have the audio.

[Carl Douglas]

Guess what?

[Mojo]

That's not audio.

[Stugatz]

What are the notes?

[Mike Florio]

What do your notes say? Just out of curiosity. Because every week you tell us you have notes and you've never shown them to us. It's just like doodles at the end of the season.

[Stugatz]

You'll see, buddy. You'll see. Don't worry. And he's gonna. What are you writing a book?

[Chris Sims]

Publish this.

[Mike Florio]

Like, what's happen? I'm still waiting on your book to.

[Carl Douglas]

Arrive at my doorstep here.

[Stugatz]

Okay, that's fair. Everyone is totally fair. Listen, Carl Douglas has. Has to be in court.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. What to do? Go to car.

[Stugatz]

Real job.

[Gordy]

I got a real job. 12 o'clock at night.

[Chris Sims]

All right, Carl.

[Stugatz]

Go. Eagles -6 at home taking on the Commanders. This is second place, Carl Douglas making the pick. Go ahead.

[Gordy]

Jalen Daniels is as poised as any rookie I've ever seen. I'm going with the commanders. I'll take the point points.

[Stugatz]

Okay, Mike, roll us. Who you take it here? Commanders at Eagles. Eagles minus six. Yeah, same thing. I'm with Carl.

[Mike Florio]

Let's keep it short.

[Stugatz]

Bear, who you taking here? Eagles, Commanders.

[Mike Florio]

I wasn't going to some saber metrics.

[Carl Douglas]

But I'll keep it short for Carl.

[Chris Sims]

I'm going with the Eagles.

[Stugatz]

Okay, Gord, who you taking here?

[Billy]

Quick story. The reason and. And you know, mine and Mojo's friendship and where it started is in D.C. and I got some serious brush burns. We can talk about that story later. On my knees and in his bedroom when he allowed me to stay there with his mom in the room next door. With that all being said, Mojo hates going to Washington. I'm right. I'm on the train with everyone else.

[Mike Florio]

All right.

[Stugatz]

It's an odd way to get to that pick, but I loved it.

[Share Bear]

I feel like everyone.

[Stugatz]

Does anyone know who Gore took?

[Mike Florio]

Did you take Commanders then?

[Stugatz]

Right.

[Mike Florio]

I don't know.

[Stugatz]

Who cares? I mean.

[Carl Douglas]

500.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. This is an important pick. So did you take The Commanders or the Eagles?

[Chris Sims]

I did.

[Stugatz]

I did.

[Billy]

I took the Commanders.

[Mike Florio]

Okay.

[Stugatz]

All right, all right, so, K, who you take it here, give me this game.

[Mike Florio]

I think this game is going to come down at one yard, and I'm going to give me the touch. Push on this one. I'll take.

[Stugatz]

I'll take Herz. All right, Mojo, just.

[Share Bear]

Just for clarification here, everyone has taken the Commanders except for Funk, who has taken the Eagles.

[Mike Florio]

And Share Bear.

[Share Bear]

Yeah, Share Bear also took the Eagles.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stugatz]

We're not sure who Gordy took.

[Mike Florio]

They're both. It's second to last place and last place.

[Share Bear]

Well, for maybe the first time all season, I will be taking the Commanders, obviously, to go opposite Funk, but also mainly because that story that Gordy kind of just told only partially really brought up some. Some great memories of back in the day. And I will. I will say you gotta have some serious torque on a carpet in order to have no skin left on your body after. Afterwards.

[Mike Florio]

You guys keep that to yourself.

[Stugatz]

Let's get to the next game.

[Mike Florio]

The Commanders, right?

[Stugatz]

Yeah, we think correct.

[Mike Florio]

Okay, good.

[Stugatz]

Okay, Carl, here we go. Bill's a Chiefs. Chiefs. Minus one and a half at home. Who you taking, Carl?

[Gordy]

As I have all. All year, but two weeks, I'm going with the Chiefs and rolling with Patrick.

[Stugatz]

Okay, rolling with Patrick. Mike Wallace. Are we taking here?

[Mike Florio]

I'd really like to just really quickly.

[Stugatz]

Throw my hat in the ring for.

[Mike Florio]

Rookie of the year. Yeah, he was comeback player. Year.

[Stugatz]

Yeah, you got it.

[Mike Florio]

Yeah. Agree.

[Stugatz]

Unanimous.

[Gordy]

Unanimous.

[Carl Douglas]

And then I'm gonna.

[Stugatz]

Speaking of Gordy, I'm gonna make the mistake that he's made too many times.

[Mike Florio]

This year, and I'm gonna get emotional.

[Stugatz]

And, you know, I want it. My brain wants to pick the Chiefs.

[Carl Douglas]

But I just want the Bills to do it, man.

[Billy]

So I'm going Buffalo.

[Stugatz]

All right, Share Bear, who you taking here?

[Mike Florio]

Me too. I'm feeling Buffalo. I'm feeling Buffalo, too. And I'm actually gonna be in Kansas City next week, but kind of messes up my party plans if they lose. Lose. But, yeah, I'm gonna go Buffalo.

[Stugatz]

All right, Gordy, who you take it.

[Billy]

So I saw what my brother did last week, and he went against the Bills, and everyone is really pissed off at him, but it was a good strategy because he wanted the Bills to win, but he took the other team thinking they would win, so he was happy that he won. He didn't. He didn't get caught up in the emotions that everyone else, you know, really got, you know, cared that he picked Baltimore. So I am actually going to go with Kansas City.

[Mike Florio]

Oh, wow.

[Stugatz]

Wow. Amazing. All right, who we taking here, K. Funk? I have a futures bet on the.

[Mike Florio]

Bills, but like Carl says, when the.

[K. Funk]

Money'S on the line, you don't go.

[Mike Florio]

Against my homes until someone proves different.

[Stugatz]

I think it.

[Mike Florio]

Give me the. Give me the Chiefs, man.

[Stugatz]

Wow.

[Chris Sims]

Gordy, did you.

[Stugatz]

Gordy, did you have something. It's rare that you wave a finger wanting to get back in. Did you have something there, Gord, or.

[Billy]

No, I think the entire family is walking in right now.

[Stugatz]

Oh, Jesus. Oh, my God. And I have to get out of here. Oh, my God. God. Yeah. We have the entire Gronkowski family. Mojo. You're just going opposite that, right? Oh, oh, here we go, Little Gron.

[Share Bear]

Gather the entire Gronkowski family. I want them to hear this. I want the kids to hear this.

[Mike Florio]

I don't know if the kids should hear whatever you're gonna say.

[Share Bear]

You guys look at me like I'm Patrick Mahomes because I win every year, every season.

[Stugatz]

Season.

[Share Bear]

The spread master has been on. He's won, and people are getting tired of it, and they're all coming together and they're getting the refs and. And everybody's trying to take me down. So because I can feel what Patrick Mahomes is going through, I'm not going with them because I'm not the Patrick Mahomes of this thing. I'm not just the best player right now. I'm the Tom Brady of this thing. I'm the best player that's ever done this show. Show ever. And I'm gonna win another season. And because of that and because Funk took the Chiefs. Give me the Bills.

[Mike Florio]

Oh.

[Stugatz]

All right. Boom.

[Share Bear]

Also the lack of intelligence by both Mike Rollace and Funk. You guys gotta be smarter than this. Because now, Rallis, as the reigning defending first guy, we just took the same picks to jump ahead of me.

[Stugatz]

You guys, listen, I. I love you all. I have to run. You guys keep fighting. Billy will handle the proceedings from here. I love all of you. Carl, promote your law firm. Make sure you get that in Carl Douglas.

[Mike Florio]

X love.

[Gordy]

I'm in trial right now doing justice. See you guys next week.

[Stugatz]

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