
Loading summary
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
This is an iHeart podcast.
Dan Patrick
Guaranteed Human.
Boomer Esiason
Everyone deserves to be connected.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the.
Boomer Esiason
Cost of optional benefits.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credit. Stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.
Dan Patrick
You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio. Final hour on this Thursday. More of your phone calls. We'll talk to RG3 a little bit later on 877 3DP show operator sitting by. Tyler will take your phone calls Sunday night. Everything on the line. Matthew Stafford leads the Rams against Caleb and The Bears Sunday 6 Eastern on NBC. And Peacock, by the way, we have a Chicago Bears T shirt for sale up on the website. Very proud of that T shirt. We do. It's a good one. Yeah. So, Paulie, could you explain why we have a T shirt of the Chicago Bears up on the website?
Paulie
You may have heard of a team called the 85 Bears, Dan. I don't know if I've mentioned them on this show particularly. They won the super bowl, the only Super Bowl I actually remember on that date. January 26, 1986.
Dan Patrick
Okay. But you can. You can get a T shirt.
Paulie
85 Bears.
Dan Patrick
86 Super Bowl. Yeah. While the. While the Bears are still alive in the postseason.
Paulie
And again, if they win the super bowl this year, that shirt will lose its luster. You better buy.
Dan Patrick
Now, that would be the only reason why I'd be rooting for the Bears. So we don't talk about the 85 bears anymore.
Paulie
I think they're on their fifth documentary.
Dan Patrick
Yeah. Poll question for the final hour. Then we'll bring in Boomer Siason. Would you rather talk about the 85 bears or the 2025 bears? I'd rather talk about the 2025 bears. Could be a disaster. Is John Harbaugh in a better football situation now than he was a month ago? We're at about 65%. Say no. Boomer Sison, co host of WFANS Boomer NGO and of course, a quarterback for 14 years. Good to talk to you, Boomer. Did the Giants get it right?
Boomer Esiason
Good to see you, Dano. And sorry about my background. We're under construction here at wfan, so you're gonna have to deal with it. It's not quite as pretty as your, your studio there. That has a ton of stuff in it, by the way. Yeah, you're like a hoarder. Yes. Everything you got in there, it's unbelievable.
Dan Patrick
You know what? I was called a collector and then all of a sudden they came up with this word, a hoarder. Yes. And I'm guilty of that. But I take it as a compliment. Thank you.
Boomer Esiason
By the way, happy Harbaugh Day here in New York. For sure. The Giants got this one right. And no, I don't want to talk about the 1985 Bears because they kicked my ass many times. But yeah, they needed, they needed somebody here, Dan. They needed credibility. They needed instant credibility. They, they do have a quarterback, as we all know, that we think is going to be really good. I think Todd Monkin is going to be the perfect offensive coordinator for him. When you think about Lamar Jackson's two previous years, 24 or actually 20. Yeah, 24 and 23. He was awesome. And Todd Monken was the offensive play caller. They had the number one offense in the league one of those years. They had the fourth offense in the league another one of those years. He won one of his MVPs. And, and that's exactly what the Giants and Jackson dart need here. So this is going to bring stability. I think it's going to make John Mara very happy, who's obviously ill, dealing with cancer. I thought Chris Mara's initial foray down to Baltimore last week to have lunch with John Mara, I mean, John Harbaugh really set the tone for these negotiations. And I think a Harbaugh to the Giants, to me anyway, and the NFL world makes a total, total sense.
Dan Patrick
But you go from Baltimore where you have to win your, you got a Super bowl roster to now the Giants, how much time do they give him to get this back to respectability?
Boomer Esiason
I mean, can he pull a Ben Johnson, Kenny pull a Mike Rabel? You know, these new guys went into places where they had second year quarterbacks who were campus players and look at what those two coaches did with their quarterbacks and what they did in free agency. Everybody forgets that, that the Patriots spent the most money in free agency last off season mainly on defense. And then the Bears spent mainly on the interior offensive line to protect Caleb Williams. And how has that worked out? So I think expectations would be high here. I certainly think with Malik Neighbors, with Andrew Thomas, with their running tandem with, you know, with, with Jackson Dart, the offense is pretty solid. I think they'll probably add a wide receiver in the Draft, but their defense is really what needs the most work. And it'll be interesting to see who he hires as his defensive coordinator because I haven't heard that yet.
Dan Patrick
What would you, can you teach Jackson Dart to play differently?
Boomer Esiason
No, I, you know, all he has to do is learn. I call it youthful inexperience is what it is. He's trying to prove to his teammates that he belongs on the field. I think he gets caught up in the emotion of the game, wants to get the fans, especially at home, into the game. He wants to lead by example. He does remind me a little bit of Josh Allen, the way he plays and at times when he runs, he's a little bit reckless and Josh has learned and nobody does it better than Josh for that matter. But I remember when he was a rookie and even to his second year, they were saying the same things about him, Dan, that they're saying about Jackson Dart and running with the football and protecting himself. But believe me, he will learn quickly.
Dan Patrick
Yeah, but you know, Josh wasn't in the blue tent. Jackson, Jackson darted. I mean, that's a co op for him. Like, you know, we, we, we can't have that. I, I mean, come on, slide. It's okay.
Boomer Esiason
I know. And you know, he actually did learn when he came back from the, the latest injury, you know, towards the end of the year against the Raiders and at home, he, he learned how to play the position better. I mean, look, he's a football player. That's what I love about him more than anything else. You know, Patrick Mahomes, he's a football, he's a football player. C.J. stroud. I mean, these guys all love getting mixed up into the action and taking some hits. Maybe I was not one of those types of guys. I always tried to stay away from it as much as I could. Maybe that's why I lasted so long. But again, like, I don't want to take the, the in inner football player out of him because that's what makes him so special.
Dan Patrick
Why did the jets always get it wrong?
Boomer Esiason
Well, you know, it always starts at ownership. That's where it always starts. And you know, they've, they've gone this coordinator route for many years and they were really close when they first acquired Aaron Rodgers. You know, when Aaron came running out on that field that first September 11th with the flag and man, it gave me chills. And I always wish, I wish that I could have been in that uniform like he was that night. And what it really brought to all of us as football fans here in New York. And then what, three or four plays in, he blows out his Achilles. I mean, that was the moment where the jets had it right and he came back and had a pretty good second year, by the way. But then Woody Johnson got involved and they fired Rob Sala and then all hell breaks loose. So now Darren Mujee's gotta pick up the pieces. I would say that Darren's done a great job here in terms of acquiring assets for a team that desperately needs them, but until they find a quarterback, they're going to be stuck in neutral, too, just like every other team that's in their same situation.
Dan Patrick
Talking to Boomer Siason, co host of WF fans Boomer and Geo, what do you do with that second pick in the draft now that Dante Moore is going back to Oregon?
Boomer Esiason
I think the jets lucked out and I think Dante Moore is making a $50 million bet that I, that would be hard for me to do that, but I had advised him on our show here in New York, please stay in school. You need more playing time. And I think he made the right decision and I'm sure he's going to get a nice paycheck for, from Oregon, but He's making a $50 million bet on himself, which is really quite amazing. So for the jets, the second pick can be anywhere from, you know, one of these top defensive players from Ohio State, maybe an edge rusher. It also could be another wide receiver to go along with Garrett Wilson. I mean, or trade out of it and even add more assets, which would probably be the smart thing to do because, you know, the draft is a, is a, you know, it's lottery picks and you want more shots on goal than you can possibly get. And that's one thing the jets have for them going into this year's draft.
Dan Patrick
What about Malik Willis or Mac Jones?
Boomer Esiason
You know, do they want to come here? That's the thing, you know, I mean, that's. Does Mac Jones want to come play for the Jets? I don't see that. And they would have to trade for him. He's got another year in his contract with San Francisco. Malik will be an unrestricted free agent. I would hope that somehow Green Bay would be able to keep him, but I, if I were him, I'd want to go be a starter somewhere or at least have a shot to be a starter somewhere in Green Bay. That's not going to be the case, but I could see the jets trying to maybe use him as some sort of, I don't know, gap year quarterback. If you want, if you want to say that. But then again, remember next year's quarterback class could include Arch Manning and it's probably, and it will include Dante Moore and a few other guys. So maybe they'll be in a better situation to draft one of those guys next year. Meaning that I don't think you want to go out there and try to win six or seven games. I mean, realistically you look at it, you got what you want. One of those young quarterbacks that is going to change your franchise like Jackson Dart is doing here for the Giants. You're going to have to have another bad year next year to be at the top of that draft to be able to select that guy.
Dan Patrick
Yeah, but Boomer, they're trying to win six or seven games and they can't do it. So it's not like.
Boomer Esiason
Listen, I was there for three years, I had three different head coaches, you know, it was, it was crazy. And I always scream about one thing, Dan, in professional football, professional sports for that matter, is stability. You want to know who's running the organization, who the GM is, who the coach is, and if you keep changing, like Daniel Jones found out as the quarterback of the New York Giants, you know you're going to take two steps forward, three steps back. Two steps forward, three steps back. So the one good thing about the Harbaugh situation here for the Giants, I think that this solidifies Jackson darts next 10 years. If everything works out right with Todd Monken as his offensive coordinator and John Harbaugh as his coach, that should be a 10 year run. That should be great for him as a quarterb and he should be really successful. As for the Jets, I mean who is that guy and where's that guy coming from? If it is Malik Willis, God bless him, if he comes here with this team the way it's built right now, not, not the greatest place to be successful.
Dan Patrick
Give me the surprise this weekend in the playoffs. Oh wow.
Boomer Esiason
I did pick the Texans and the Rams to go to the super bowl. So I got to stick with those two guys. I guess I would be surprised if somehow the Patriots, you know, beat the Texans because I just think the Texans defense are like the 85 bears, they're that good. I mean they are all over the opposing quarterbacks and every quarterback has struggled. So even though the Patriots are favored, if they won, for me that would be a surprise. I guess if San Francisco wins, that would also be a surprise given what Seattle did to them the last time they played. And now with the loss of George Kittle you know, how many more guys are they going to take away from Brock Purdy and Josh Allen this weekend, Dan? I mean, those guys are playing fantastic football, but they're losing guys left and right around them. So I would think that both are going to struggle a little bit this weekend against those defenses.
Dan Patrick
What's it like to go to the line of scrimmage and you look at that defense.
Boomer Esiason
Which one?
Dan Patrick
Well, if I threw out the 85 Bears or the 86 Giant, like when you go to the line of scrimmage and. And you just know that this is going to be a long. This is going to hurt.
Boomer Esiason
Yeah, it is. And you know what? And you got to get yourself in the mindset to be able to absorb that. And playing all those years back in the old AFC Central, we had the Houston Tech Oilers to deal with, we had Cleveland to deal with, we had Pittsburgh to deal with. Jacksonville ultimately came into the mix as well. But, I mean, every weekend it felt like we were playing against a great pass rusher. And then when we did get to the playoffs, we saw Bruce Smith. I mean, that was no fun. And then years of playing him when I was with the jets, you knew that somehow, some way, he was going to get to you somewhere along the line. The game's a little bit different now, but these guys still take major hits, as Justin Herbert showed us last week and as Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen both showed us last week. But stepping up there, man, you got to have your chin strap button. You got to be totally focused, and you got to find out if you can on film and on tape, any tendencies that they're giving you, any tips that they're giving you, and hopefully you're reading it right that day.
Dan Patrick
What were Boomers numbers against the Bears? Paulie?
Paulie
Oh, man. Dan. September 28, 1986, Boomer bears 44, 7 over the Bengals. That sound correct?
Boomer Esiason
That's right. That's right. And here's the funny thing about that game. It was early in the season and thanks for bringing that up then. So the funny thing about that game was the Bears were coming to Cincinnati and it was a really hot September day. It was hot, steamy and muggy. And I remember saying to my center, Dave Remington, man, we got the Bears here. They're not going to like this weather. They're going to. They're not going to deal with it. And after the first quarter was over, Dave said, you sure they don't like it here? I think they like it pretty much. I think I remember throwing a ball off of one of the back of my offensive lineman and got picked off by Wilbur Marshall.
Dan Patrick
So what are, what are the numbers? By the way, Boomer did win an mvp. NFL mvp.
Boomer Esiason
That's all right, listen, I've been around long enough.
Dan Patrick
Okay.
Paulie
The Boomer stats in that game at 14 for 32 12, one TD. Ooh, four picks and three sacks. However, Boomer, you did lead the team in rushing, two carries, 14 yards.
Dan Patrick
I like that.
Boomer Esiason
I was running for my life.
Dan Patrick
Yes.
Boomer Esiason
That was it. That was the. You got to remember. So they had the 46 defense with Buddy Ryan.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Boomer Esiason
And it was something that nobody had ever seen before. So it took us a while to figure it out what was going on and how they were running it. And once we figured it out, our offensive line coach, the great Jim McNally, who just got elected into the Pro Football hall of Fame for assistant coaches, he came up with so many different plays to beat that defense, which ultimately propelled us to the Super Bowl a few years later.
Dan Patrick
Great to talk to you. Tell Geo we said hello. Thanks for joining us.
Boomer Esiason
Alrighty, Dan. Anytime. See you, bud.
Dan Patrick
Boomer size and co host of WFAN radio show Boomer and Geo spent 14 years. I can't imagine facing the Bears, facing the Giants back then. Oh, man. You know the Ravens back in the day, there's certain defenses where you go, God, I don't know if there's a weakness here. It's like, what's the lesser of two evils here? Yes. Seaton. Early results on the poll question. Would you rather be a backup for the 49ers or a starter for the Jets? 69 would rather be a backup for the 49ers. If I'm Mac Jones, I, I'd probably stay for another year just because I'm going to be with Kyle Shanahan and you know, I can. Mac or Brock Purdy probably won't stay healthy the whole time and then maybe you find a place, but I don't. Man, oh, man.
Paulie
It's a real question.
Dan Patrick
But they're going to pay him well for one more year there.
Paulie
Well, let's say he stays.
Dan Patrick
What's he make? 6 million.
Paulie
Mac Jones will make 4 million even next year as a backup. Let's say he was offered in a team.
Dan Patrick
He should go to Oregon. And then he go to Oregon, go back to Alabama.
Boomer Esiason
Incarnate word.
Dan Patrick
Yeah, but just watching those teams, I remember watching the Bears play Washington at RFK and that's. That was 1985. And man, was that scary. Dexter Manley. I remember asking him what did he think of the Bears defense? And his quote to me was, they be swarming. Yes, Mars.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
So basically, whoever won the NFC basically just won the Super Bowl.
Dan Patrick
Yeah, but God, you had the Niners and you had the Cowboys. You. I mean, you had a lot of the Washington Redskins. And that was at the very tail end of the Washington Redskins dynasty when the Bears came into RFK for that playoff game. Damn. And watching the Giants got to see that defense up close in person a few times that super bowl year. In fact, for a couple of years. Yes, Todd.
Boomer Esiason
And therefore we saw The Bills lose.
Dan Patrick
Four straight Super Bowls and the Broncos get humiliated three and four years. Thank you, Todd.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
You're welcome.
Dan Patrick
Take a break. RG3 will join us next. We're back after this Dan Patrick Show. Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Fox Sports Radio is taking over YouTube and you can be a part of it. Pay attention. Just go to YouTube and search Fox Sports Radio. Hit that subscribe button and smash that notification bell and catch all the videos.
Boomer Esiason
From your favorite shows.
Dan Patrick
Two pros and a cup of Joe, Dan Patrick, Colin Cowherd, Doug Gottlieb Covino and Rich the Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, the Jason Smith show with Mike Harmon and the Ben Mailer Show. Fox sports radio on YouTube.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Subscribe, hit that thumbs up icon and comment away. The new year brings new health goals and wealth goals.
Boomer Esiason
Protecting your identity is an important step.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Your info is in endless places that could expose you to identity theft leading to lost funds.
Boomer Esiason
LifeLock monitors millions of data points per second. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's restoration.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back.
Boomer Esiason
Resolve to make identity, health and wealth.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Part of your New year's goals with LifeLock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com sports terms apply.
Boomer Esiason
Everyone deserves to be connected.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the.
Boomer Esiason
Cost of optional benefits.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Plan features in taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third line free via monthly bill credits Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required.
Dan Patrick
Paulie, you ran around the neighborhood naked when the Cubs won the World Series, correct? What will you do if the Bears.
Paulie
Win the Super bowl the same or more?
Dan Patrick
I guess more.
Paulie
You gotta. Can't do what you did before, but I would do the same for sure.
Dan Patrick
So you're gonna run around a bigger block?
Paulie
Yeah, maybe a longer.
Dan Patrick
Okay.
Paulie
Longer stretch.
Dan Patrick
Yes. Seaton.
Boomer Esiason
Why.
Dan Patrick
Why run naked? Yes.
Paulie
I was asked.
Dan Patrick
Asked? Yeah. You said ass. I thought you were asked. You were asked.
Paulie
In all seriousness, I. When the Cubs won there, everyone was asleep, ran out of the house naked, yelled, no. Very sleepy town.
Dan Patrick
Okay. All right. Well, now that people know that you could be doing it around here, they draw a crowd. Yeah. Yes. Todd, tough transition for you right now to the.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
To the guested waiter. Talking about Paulie running around naked.
Dan Patrick
We bring in Robert Griffin Jr. The third. He ran around naked when Baylor was winning. Winning football games. Right. Or Washington was winning football games or something like that. Great to have you back. The Fox football analyst. I was just talking to Boomer Esiason about going to the line of scrimmage and you look over and you go, there's the 85 bears.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Yep.
Dan Patrick
86 giants. Was there a time, a moment where you went up to the line of scrimmage and you looked over and you go, oh, my God.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
There wasn't Dan. But that's. That's just the quarterback in me.
Dan Patrick
Wow.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Being the fearless guy that. That you have to be to put that position. But I will say, when I first got in the league, those moments came more on the fact that I was watching these guys growing up. So. Okay, the Bears is a great example. You know, look, I look across the line of scrimmage, and I've got Brian Erlacher and Lance Briggs, and those are guys that I like, grew up watching and, you know, admiring. So to play against them, to play against DeMarcus Ware, to play with Santana Moss and Chris Cooley at the time and London Fletcher, those moments really hit me. You know, I. I got Ed Reed. Ed Reed tried to. Ed read me, and I. And I got him to move off the middle of the field and do a touchdown against him. Like, those types of moments were pretty cool. I had one against Tampa Bay with Ronde Barber, and, you know, he was a slot corner, had a really good reputation of being able to ride the inside slant and fall off to the outside slant, pick it off. And he almost got me. And Kyle Shanahan was my offensive coordinator in Washington during that time, and he told me during, you know, before the game, like, hey, don't. Don't try to pick on Ronde. Like, he's really good at it. And we got him on a, on a third and 11 on a slant route and I threw it, completed it, looked at coach and he was like, hey, you better be careful. Those kind of moments for me that were, that were more so, like, why? I'm just blessed to have a chance to play against these guys.
Dan Patrick
All right. How'd the Giants do?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Oh, I mean, they, it's a plus higher with John Harbaugh, you know, down. Know if I've talked to you about it before, but John's the best coach I ever played for in the NFL. When you talk about identity, creating identity for your team, I don't think the Giants could have got a better guy, especially with the young talent that they have. If you just look at their roster, they have the quarterback in Jackson Dart. They got the running back in Cam Scatter Boo. They got the receiver and Malik neighbors, they got the young pass rushers, you know, Abdul Carter, especially from last year's draft. And they just need direction and that's what John Harbaugh provides. So I think, I don't know what the other hires are going to be during the cycle, but this is the best hire and the Giants knocked it out the park.
Dan Patrick
Is Pittsburgh a good job? Ooh.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Prestige wise? 100%. It's a great job. You know, when you have a team that's only going to have their fourth.
Dan Patrick
Head coach, but let me take away that. It's, Let me just give you the roster. Let's just look at rosters. Is Pittsburgh a good situation?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Oh, that is so tough. The answer, outside of the organizational prestige and the fact that you're going to get an owner that's going to be dedicated to you, it's not a great roster because it's aging and you don't have a quarterback. So I, I know that's what you're getting at, Dan. It's like, I think Rogers is done. If Tomlin stayed, I could see Rogers coming back for another year. But I don't think Aaron Rodgers wants to deal with a first time head coach coming back in there. And now, if you're a coach, it's attractive. If you, if you're saying, okay, I'm gonna have T.J. watt like, is Camp Cam Hayward coming back? I, I don't know. He's been fighting with the organization the past couple off seasons for money and, and rightfully so. He's, he's one of the best players in the league, although he's aging. So if you come in and you think that one of these young quarterbacks in the draft is a guy that's gonna, that you can build around, then I think it's an attractive job. If not, it's really hard to go to a place that has a bunch of old players and no quarterback.
Dan Patrick
Would you rather coach Atlanta or Pittsburgh?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I'm. I'd rather coach Atlanta. And it's not because of, you know, again, I, I think you have to put a lot of value in the organization. I think what they do there and how they run their ship is a great thing for Pittsburgh. But if I'm looking at it for division and talent, I'm going to Atlanta. You know, I got Bijan Robinson, arguably the best running back in the league this past year. You know, I've got London at receiver. I've got, you know, potentially Kyle Pitts at tight end. Like, I've got a young QB, and Michael Penix Jr. If you still believe in him, like, I can go in there and make that work and, and, and when pretty immediately, because that division is so. I mean, it's tough to say, but it's a weak division.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
When your division winner has a losing record every single year, like coaches should be falling over themselves to go to Atlanta right now.
Dan Patrick
What do you think Mike Tomlin does next?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I think he'll be on tv. He. He resigned, stepped down. So, you know, it's not like he retired. So Pittsburgh still owns his right. So if he goes and coaches somewhere else, that they're gonna have to trade him. And if you're looking at a place like Atlanta, which he clearly fits in to the fabric of what Atlanta is, you know, the black Mecca, and it's like, yeah, but then you're gonna probably have to trade one of those young assets or trade some picks to get him to go there. So I think he goes to tv. I think he's earned it. I think every time I've heard him talk, he. He teaches you something. And I think that's what TV networks, they covet. Personality, the ability to storytell. I think he's the total package when it comes to that. So I definitely see him being in a studio show, you know, for one.
Dan Patrick
Of the major networks, talking RG3, Fox football analyst, and his podcast out of pocket with RG3. Give me the surprise this weekend.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Oh, the surprise this weekend. Boy, oh, boy, that's a good one. I think the Bears beat the Rams. I think people will be surprised by that. You know, Matthew Stafford, number one quarterback in the NFL, throwing the deep ball this year. And I think it's gonna. It's gonna stress that Bears secondary, but I think the Chicago Bears played the three worst quarters of football I've ever seen in my life. Wild card round.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
And they found a way to have one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history. I think Caleb Williams in that locker room. Did you see, you heard the speech after the game by Caleb Johnson that was so impactful. If you just know the whole story of what he went through last year and, and how he wasn't being taught and how he felt, you know, middle of the year, like he. He shouldn't have been there to come back and now have a coach that believes in you, instills that. That confidence in you. I think the Bears are one of the hottest teams in the league, and if they can even play 45 minutes of great football, I think no one in the league wants to play them right now.
Dan Patrick
Yeah. And I wondered about Caleb last year. Was he being taught. I wondered about him at usc with Lincoln Riley. Did he want to be taught?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Okay.
Dan Patrick
And what was he taught? But with Ben Johnson, there was. You're going to be taught. There's no doubt about you're. So there is a real difference in that. And. And you got to embrace each other.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Yeah.
Dan Patrick
And having that head coach, normally you're OC but, you know, Ben's your oc, your quarterback whisperer, all those things. Just like Kyle Shanahan. I mean, the value of having somebody like that who puts you in those positions. I mean, you know that feeling when you go to line of scrimmage and you're like, damn, this is going to work. This is going to be a touchdown. Like, I got the answer to the test, and that feels like Caleb. And I made the analogy. Ben probably wants Caleb to be more like Jared Goff for the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, you go be Caleb Williams.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Correct. And you're right. You're 100 right there. Dan. Personalities, they. They have to match. And when you look at Lincoln Riley and what he was able to do with Caleb, like, Caleb followed him to usc. It wasn't like he. He had to really try to recruit him to go there. Like, Caleb knew. Like, I've had success with this guy. You know, I know him. I know this system. I'm going to be successful at usc. And he was maybe not as successful as they wanted to be, national championship wise, but he was successful. Then you come in to a situation where you don't have an offensive head coach, that coach is on the hot seat. He's trying to do everything he possibly can do to save his job, but you're not taking priority there. And so Brent Johnson comes in and I think they're on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. I think, you know, Caleb is the. He's painting his fingernails. He's wearing the craziest clothes. He's got a different personality. You hear him when he talks like he's a deep thinker and Ben Johnson is like a maniac, you know, like, he wants. He. He's like Kurt Signetti. He wants to score 65 points on you and he doesn't care. Like, that post game handshake with Matt LaFleur was. It was hilarious.
Dan Patrick
I love it.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Bad sports ship like I get. But this is the guy that said, hey, I like beating that guy two times a year.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
You know, so I love that part of it. And I think they balance each other out. And I don't think Caleb Williams will ever be Jared Goff. And I think that's okay. When he was on the sideline during the game last week and he was, you know, some people are saying he was throwing little, you know, little fits on the sideline and getting upset. I just looked at as like, hey, when we do good, it's not good enough. When we don't do good, it's not good enough. And he held them to that standard, and that's why I think they got out of the rut that they were in. So I'm seeing massive increases in the leadership ability from Caleb Williams, and it's because Ben Johnson has created an environment where he can lead. I thought that was the most impressive thing, and I think they're flourishing together.
Dan Patrick
Finish this sentence. If the Bills lose in Denver, oh.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Sean McDermott is gone. I thought for sure if they lost to the Jags, they would make a organizational shift. But I think the narrative outside the building is really strong right now that Lamar Jackson isn't there, Patrick Mahomes isn't there, Joe Burrow isn't in the playoffs. And, you know, I, I've been very adamant and vocal about all the clowns out there that keep saying that this is a legacy defining playoffs. Or Josh Allen, I don't think it is. He's one of the greatest playoff quarterbacks we've ever seen. You know, you can list the stats. He's Total touchdowns, he's thinking he's first or second in, in league history. Total yards, he's number one. Touchdown reception ratio, I think he's one or two. So like, he, he is a high performer and wins aren't a Quarterback stat. But if they lose with the same staff, essentially in the same head coach, without those guys being there, the noise from Bill's Mafia alone would be enough for them to make a change. So I think if they lose that game, McDermott goes with it.
Dan Patrick
How did the Niners beat Seattle?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Got to get pressure on San.
Dan Patrick
They don't sack anybody.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
They don't. They don't got Bosa. Fred Warner. I've seen his miraculous comeback. I don't know what he's taking, but we all need to eat some of that. They're not. They don't sack anyone. They don't have the pressure. Yeah, but when you look at Sam Darnold, like, as a coach, if I'm the defensive coordinator, I don't go in the game saying, damn, man, we can't. We can't sack the quarterback. I just have to look at the numbers and say, when Sam Darnold is pressured, He's a 50, 50 quarterback. I think he's. His touchdown interception ratio is 6 to 6. And when he's not pressured, he is unbelievable. He might be the league MVP when he's not pressured. So if you're Sam Fran, you have to decide, do you want to die fast or to die slow? If you want to die slow, play. Play zone coverage. Don't, don't bring any pressure. Don't try to blitz him and just see if he has a, you know, what Mo many believe is like a Sam, Sam Donald moment where he, he just doesn't perform in the playoffs. Or you can say, you know what? I trust our guys. We're going to bring pressure and we're going to try. We're going to try to make him uncomfortable not just by rushing four. And I think that's what they have to do. And the same thing on the other side for Seattle with Brock Purdy. Brock Purdy was 1 for 7 against the, against the blitz against the Eagles. Like I anticipated a lot of blitzing in this game. I don't think they're going to sit back and say, well, let's just see if we got it today. You know, I think they're going to try to go make it happen, and that's how they beat them.
Dan Patrick
The Texans, to me, are really fascinating because people just don't talk about the Texans. They don't. And that defense has been staring at everybody the last half of the season. I don't know about Nico Collins. CJ Stroud can't have that kind of game on the road, but, I mean, I wouldn't Be surprised at all if they win that game and they win it with defense. But, you know, you. You got to get a couple of offensive touchdowns there and take a little bit of pressure off that defense.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Correct. You know, before we get into that, did you guys see the. The post game press conference when. When Will Anderson was sitting next to Al Shazir, the. The linebacker? The. The contrast and how big of a human being? I mean, that's. That's a big linebacker. And Will Anderson was, like, double his size. It looked like he ate him for breakfast. So, like, you look at an offensive lineman and you're going against these guys and. And Will Anderson isn't even the biggest one. Daniel Hunter is bigger than he is. I think that's an intimidation factor. But for the Texans to win, they have to do essentially what they did to the Steelers. They have to. They have to run the football. You know, Woody Marks and. And Chubb had, you know, over 100 yards. You know, combined, I think it was 160, something like that. But they have to be able to run the football to take pressure off of CJ Stroud. Because CJ has struggled this year.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
And it could be new offense. You know, Nico being in and out of the. Of the lineup. You know, I don't know what it is, but it's. Something is off with him. So, yes, C.J. you'll have 10 great passes and you'll have seven throws. You're like, where did that come from? So when you have that situation with your quarterback, you have to play great defense and run the football. The Patriots on the other side, Drake May, I noticed during the game, like, he got sacked five times in that first round. It's like, at some point, Drake May has to make the decision to get jiggy with it in the open field. He's got to use his legs. The Texans are top 10 in every dang near defensive category. The number one defense in the league, I believe. But they're the worst defense in the league against quarterback scrambles. So if you're Drake, Matt, you have to say to yourself, hey, after one or two of these sacks, man, I gotta give my line some confidence and I gotta break out in the open field and go make a play happen. You know, I. I could see in my offensive lineman's eyes when they couldn't block, sack someone. I walk in the hud, I'm like, hey, we got three Jet. They're like, three Jet. Come on, man. I'm fighting for my life out here. And one run would give them the Confidence, Dan. One run would give them the confidence to say, all right, even if I miss this guy, I'm still going to fire my hands quick because my guy back here is going to have my back. You know, 70% of the time, maybe I'll give up a sack or two, but I'm not going to get beat the entire game. And I think Drake has to take that mindset into this one. The corner quarterback scramble is going to be a big part of it.
Dan Patrick
I can't wait until after the game at the Patriots win and he has some of these runs and he said, you know, I'm just quoting RG3. I was just getting jiggy with it.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That'd be better than some of the quotes he's had with Cam tearing him down. Right?
Dan Patrick
I know.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
What.
Dan Patrick
Why is Cam tearing down a kid who idolized Cam Newton growing up?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
It's. It baffles me. And listen, I know Cam's your guy. He's my guy. We like Cam. Like, but at the end of the day, they always say, don't meet your heroes sometimes. And this is one of those moments, like, Drake may loves Cam Newton. It's like top two and MVP voting. I always find it weird when people hate on people or try to devalue them when they're having the, like, the greatest seasons they've ever had.
Dan Patrick
Yes.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Like, we're supposed to celebrate.
Dan Patrick
But Cam was upset the Colts didn't reach out to him, and they reached out to Philip Rivers.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I know that's a. That's a relationship thing, Dan. Philip was there and. And he knows those guys. He knows that system. I think sometimes in this media game, when it's. When it's. Everyone's trying to compete for attention, like some people are trying to find ways to be slighted, and I, you know, I just.
Dan Patrick
Okay.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I don't think that. I don't. I'm not mad that the Colts didn't reach out to me, you know?
Dan Patrick
Are you.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Are you.
Dan Patrick
You're not in the College Football hall of Fame yet.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Me?
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Did that vote. Have you been breaking news here? I didn't know that.
Dan Patrick
No. No. Did you. You're not in the College Football hall of Fame, right?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I'm not.
Dan Patrick
Okay. Are you upset that you're not in the College Football hall of Fame?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That's a great question, Dan. I. I don't. I don't. Wouldn't say upset. I would say that it'd be an honor to be in the college football. I would say that, you know, as a Heisman Trophy Winner and everything that I was able to accomplish at Baylor with my teammates, that's a, that's an honor that I look forward to sharing with them. I wouldn't say I'm upset that I'm not in. I would just say I look at it as just being grateful and not, not worrying about that that stuff's gonna happen when it happens.
Dan Patrick
Cam is not in either.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Really?
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That's.
Dan Patrick
Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Now I can go harder on that for you. For me too.
Dan Patrick
That's legitimate that he would be upset, you know, if he was going to be upset not being in the hall of Fame. College Football hall of Fame. He can, he can be upset.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
He should be more upset that he's not in the College Football hall of Fame. As a guy that won the Heisman national championship, put a team on his back and had one of the probably the single greatest year, maybe him and Joe Burrow, single greatest year I've ever seen in college football. He could be upset about that more so than he should be upset at.
Dan Patrick
Drake May for being an NBA Better college quarterback. You or Cam Newton better college quarterback. Yeah.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I mean that's, it's a hard question. One year college football, you.
Dan Patrick
You had two.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
I had two. Great American. Here's the question. Would I take Cam Newton over myself in college football?
Dan Patrick
Y. Great to, great to talk to you. Have fun this weekend. Good luck with the podcast.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Appreciate you, brother. God bless.
Dan Patrick
That's our G3 out of pocket with RG3 podcast Cam Newton had. You can make a case like Joe Burrow had two of the greatest receivers in college football history. Cam Newton had Cam Newton. So if you want to talk about single handedly, he's more responsible probably for a national championship than maybe any other quarterback. Yeah, Paul, Yeah.
Paulie
As you said, Cam barely played at all at Florida one year at Auburn, 30 touchdowns, seven picks. And then of course you know, he ran for almost a thousand yards actually check that. Oh, check 1473 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Dan Patrick
We will take a break. Last call for phone calls. What we learn what's in store tomorrow after this. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows@foxsportsradio.com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to listen live. Just got more information here. Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of people in a wide ranging scheme to fix basketball games in recent years. Indictments target about two dozen people, sports gamblers and others to recruit players to participate in a variety of schemes to impact the games, including point shaving Betters would cast wages against the players team. Some of those bets were for hundreds of thousands of dollars. The scheme allegedly involved Division one players from Tulane, Nichols State, Kennesaw State, Northwestern State and La Salle. The operation involved 39 players on more than 17 Division 1 teams, with betters waging millions of dollars on at least 29 different games. One of the players who is indicted is the leading scorer right now for Kennesaw State. Simeon Cottle is currently the leading score in Conference USA at 20 points per game. So there's a long list of players, former players that are indicted here. You're talking millions of dollars. Now, as I said to you, sometimes you go to these smaller schools. So we're talking Kennesaw state, Nicholls State, LaSalle, Tulane. I mean, these aren't basketball powers. That's why you, you can go to these kids at these schools and you probably. They think nobody is going to follow this. Nobody is going to notice this. They're not making nil money there. That's where. If I was going to fix a game, that's where I would be going. Yes, Todd, I think they're barely making a nickel at Nickel State.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Sometimes you got to do what you're going to do.
Dan Patrick
Thank you, Todd. Too soon. How about we go around the room? We're at the end of the show.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Where did the time go?
Dan Patrick
I don't know. Let's do another hour. Who's with me?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
No.
Dan Patrick
Wow.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
That's a bad attitude.
Dan Patrick
Wow. Todd, what'd you learn today?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
RG3 says if the Bills lose in.
Boomer Esiason
Denver, Sean McDermott will be fine and.
Dan Patrick
Drake may have to get jiggy with it in the open field against the Texas Seaton. What did you learn? 76% of our audience would rather be a backup for the 49ers than a starter for the Jets. Marvin.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
It's Harbaugh Day in New York.
Dan Patrick
Paul.
Paulie
Kennesaw State played just last night with that player.
Dan Patrick
Todd, what did I learn?
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
Great broadcasters like Costas Nance and yourself.
Dan Patrick
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. You guys make it look easy. For over 40 years, Tire Rack's been helping you find the right tires for how and what and where you drive ship fast and free. Backed by free road hazard protection. Convenient installation options like mobile tire installation. Tirerack.com the way tire buying should be. Thanks for the phone calls, emails, tweets, the all around support. Can't wait for tomorrow. Meet Friday. Hope you'll join us. Have a great day, everybody.
Robert Griffin III (RG3)
This is an I Heart podcast.
Dan Patrick
Guaranteed human.
Hour 3 – Boomer Esiason, Robert Griffin III
Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Dan Patrick (iHeartPodcasts / Dan Patrick Podcast Network)
Guests: Boomer Esiason, Robert Griffin III
This hour of the Dan Patrick Show dives deep into current NFL headlines—coach hirings (especially John Harbaugh to the Giants), quarterback futures, playoff predictions, and broader reflections on franchise cultures, player development, and the pressures of legacy. The episode balances expert insider opinions (Boomer Esiason and RG3) with Dan’s humor and the show’s trademark blend of banter and analysis.
Boomer Esiason’s Take (02:42):
On Todd Monken (02:55/04:03):
Describing the Impact (03:52):
Why the Jets Struggle (06:37):
Draft Strategy with the #2 Pick (07:40):
QB “Gap Year” Ideas (08:38–10:43):
On Giants hiring Harbaugh:
“They needed instant credibility.” — Boomer Esiason (02:42)
On Jackson Dart’s play style:
"I don't want to take the inner football player out of him because that's what makes him so special." — Boomer Esiason (06:13)
On the Jets:
"Until they find a quarterback, they're going to be stuck in neutral, too." — Boomer Esiason (06:37)
Facing the 85 Bears:
"I was running for my life." — Boomer Esiason (14:00)
RG3 on lining up vs. NFL legends:
"To play against them... those moments really hit me." — RG3 (21:32)
On John Harbaugh as a hire:
“He's the best coach I ever played for in the NFL.” — RG3 (21:50)
On coaching Atlanta:
“When your division winner has a losing record every single year, coaches should be falling over themselves to go to Atlanta right now.” — RG3 (24:46)
On coaching/quarterback chemistry:
"I'm seeing massive increases in the leadership ability from Caleb Williams, and it's because Ben Johnson has created an environment where he can lead." — RG3 (29:53)
If Bills lose in Denver:
"Sean McDermott is gone." — RG3 (30:04)
Advice for Patriots rookie QB:
"Drake May has to make the decision to get jiggy with it in the open field." — RG3 (34:06)
On Heisman guys and the Hall of Fame:
“Cam should be more upset he's not in the College Football hall of Fame.” — RG3 (38:04)
This summary captures the major strategic debates, sharp insights on franchise building and coaching, and offers a rich snapshot of both NFL analysis and the uniquely personal, humorous atmosphere of the Dan Patrick Show, making it a valuable read even for those who missed the episode.