The Best of The Week on The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

Summary of "The Best of The Week on The Dan Patrick Show" Release Date: August 2, 2025
Host: Dan Patrick
Guests: Rob Gronkowski, Freddie Prinze Jr., Philip Rivers, CC Sabathia

---

Introduction

In this episode of The Dan Patrick Show, hosted by Dan Patrick from iHeartPodcasts and the Dan Patrick Podcast Network, listeners are treated to a dynamic blend of sports insights, candid conversations, and entertaining anecdotes. The episode features prominent guests including Rob Gronkowski, Freddie Prinze Jr., former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers, and Hall of Famer CC Sabathia. The discussions span across football strategies, personal career reflections, and light-hearted banter, providing comprehensive coverage for sports enthusiasts.

---

Segment 1: Rob Gronkowski and Freddie Prinze Jr. Discuss Football Dynamics

Timestamp: [03:21] - [17:46]

Rob Gronkowski, four-time Super Bowl champion and Fox NFL Sunday contributor, joins Dan Patrick alongside Freddie Prinze Jr. to delve into the intricacies of football training camps and veteran roles.

Key Topics:

• Veterans' Role in Training Camps: Freddie emphasizes the importance of veterans guiding younger players.

  "The goal of veterans is to show the younger players the way, you know, be the leader out there..." ([03:21])

• Freddie Prinze Jr.'s NFL Journey: Discusses his transition from rookies to seasoned players, focusing on adapting gameplay and maintaining league presence.

  "Finding the little niches to stay around even though your skills aren't up to par compared to when you were 23..." ([07:24])

• Super Bowl Reflections: Freddie reminisces about memorable Super Bowl moments, highlighting teamwork and strategic plays.

  "We were just a better prepared team. And that's when Coach Belichick's coaching comes into credit..." ([09:42])

• Travis Kelce's Impact: Analysis of Travis Kelce's evolution as a player, emphasizing football intelligence and chemistry with Patrick Mahomes.

  "His smarts of the game of football is what keeps him around..." ([08:53])

Notable Quotes:

• Gronkowski on veteran influence:

  "Every year there's a battle against yourself on a daily basis. It's hard to be up every single day..." ([04:28])

• Freddie on sustaining performance:

  "He wants to show he still has a lot left in the tank and can compete at a high level..." ([07:24])

---

Segment 2: High School Football Promotion with T-Mobile

Timestamp: [09:01] - [13:15]

Rob Gronkowski introduces T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights competition, celebrating high school football across the nation.

Key Highlights:

• Competition Details: High schools compete for substantial prizes including cash awards and facility upgrades.

  "If you win the grand prize for Friday Night 5G Lights, you will win over a million dollars in prizes..." ([12:01])

• Community Impact: Emphasis on fostering hometown pride and supporting young athletes.

  "It's just such a spectacular program that T-Mobile is doing to help out these high school athletes." ([12:01])

---

Segment 3: Philip Rivers and CC Sabathia on Hall of Fame Induction

Timestamp: [24:10] - [67:11]

In a special feature, Philip Rivers, a 17-season NFL quarterback, and CC Sabathia, a freshly inducted Baseball Hall of Famer, share their career highlights and personal stories.

Key Topics:

• Hall of Fame Reflections (CC Sabathia):

  "Feeling good. It feels good. I mean, I gave the speech and had a chance to get up there and see all the guys." ([40:46])

• Career Challenges and Triumphs: Both athletes discuss pivotal moments, such as game-changing plays and personal milestones.

  "I was pretty nervous knowing I was going to pitch well, but then I saw the ball say '09 Fall Classic' and broke out." ([41:15])

• Personal Anecdotes: Humorous and heartfelt stories about their careers and interactions with teammates and coaches.

  "I give up a couple of homers to Ichiro, and those are perfect times to bring them up in the Hall of Fame room." ([43:55])

• Advice to Aspiring Athletes: Insights on perseverance, dedication, and maintaining physical and mental health.

  "Sacrifice now so you can enjoy everything later. Take an extra hour of film, recovery..." ([33:20])

Notable Quotes:

• Sabathia on Hall of Fame inclusion:

  "I'm just forever thankful for the Jordan family. I wouldn't want any other way..." ([46:03])

• Rivers on overcoming challenges:

  "I love playing just like I was as a kid in the backyard. I've been doing it all my life." ([60:05])

---

Segment 4: Justin Herbert Spotlights with Philip Rivers and CC Sabathia

Timestamp: [46:35] - [67:11]

Philip Rivers provides an in-depth analysis of current NFL quarterbacks, focusing on Justin Herbert and the offensive strategies of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Key Topics:

• Offensive Philosophy:

  "I think for us to be successful, we have to be able to do everything, run the ball, pass the ball well..." ([27:36])

• Quarterback Development:

  "Watching Tom Brady's footwork, Matt Ryan's play action fakes, Drew Brees' progression..." ([29:19])

• Adaptation and Strategy:

  "Avoid standing still in the pocket... Aligning feet with receiver routes..." ([30:31])

• Personal Reflections on Playing Style:

  "I was rolling out one year, tried to make a play and got hit, realizing how much faster the NFL is." ([31:12])

Notable Quotes:

• Rivers on offensive versatility:

  "The way he affects the game is what keeps him going and at 80 plus catches by finding the hole..." ([07:44])

• On leadership and team dynamics:

  "We reminisce about our championships and playing together, but I just want to go back to that catch." ([15:47])

---

Closing Remarks

Dan Patrick wraps up the episode by highlighting upcoming segments and reinforcing the show's commitment to delivering top-tier sports content. The episode offers a blend of strategic insights, personal stories, and promotional highlights, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging experience for listeners.

---

Conclusion

"The Best of The Week on The Dan Patrick Show" serves as an exemplar of sports broadcasting excellence, seamlessly integrating expert analysis with personal narratives. Featuring esteemed guests like Rob Gronkowski, Freddie Prinze Jr., Philip Rivers, and CC Sabathia, the episode provides valuable perspectives on both the strategic and human aspects of professional sports. Notable quotes and engaging discussions ensure the summary captures the essence of the episode, making it a must-listen for fans seeking in-depth sports conversations.

Transcript

[Unknown Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Danielle Robaix]

Just like great shoes, great books take you places through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget.

[Unknown Host]

I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.

[Danielle Robaix]

I'm Danielle Robaix and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from hello Sunshine and I Heart Podcast where we dive into the stories that shape us on the page and off. Each week I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry and add way too many books to your TBR pile. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

So what happened at Chappaquiddick?

[Unknown Host]

Well, it really depends on who you talk to.

[Unknown Speaker]

There are many versions of what happened.

[Rob Gronkowski]

In 1969 when a young Ted Kennedy.

[Unknown Speaker]

Drove a car into a pond and.

[Unknown Host]

Left a woman behind to drown.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Chappaquiddick is a story of a tragic death and how the Kennedy machine took control. Every week we go behind the headlines and beyond the drama of America's royal family.

[Unknown Host]

Listen to United States of Kennedy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ian Pfaff]

My Uncle Chris was a real character, a garbage truck driver from South Carolina.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Who is now buried in Panama City.

[Ian Pfaff]

Alongside the founding families of Panama. He also happens to be responsible for.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The craziest night of my life.

[Ian Pfaff]

Wild stories about adventure, romance, crime, history and war intertwine as I share the.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Tall tales and hard truths that have helped me understand Uncle Chris. Listen now to Uncle Chris on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the.

[Ian Pfaff]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Unknown Host]

I knew I wanted to obey and submit, but I didn't fully grasp for the rest of my life what that for my heart. Podcasts and Rococo Punch this is the Turning River Road. In the woods of Minnesota, a cult leader married himself to 10 girls and forced them into a secret life of abuse. But in 2014, the youngest escaped. Listen to the Turning river road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

We're breaking down SummerSlam, the biggest party.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Of the summer on Wrestling with Freddie.

[Ian Pfaff]

From our bold picks to storyline breakdowns.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We will discuss who walks out with.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Gold, who shocks the night and which.

[Ian Pfaff]

Matches steal the show we call the winners, the upsets and the chaos to expect.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Plus whatever swerves nobody saw Coming listen.

[Ian Pfaff]

To Wrestling with Freddy as part of.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

The M Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Rob Gronkowski, four time super bowl champ and contributor to Fox NFL Sunday, is the ambassador for the T mobile Friday night 5G lights and it's a competition high school football nationwide celebration of hometown pride. T Mobile is all involved. Gronk will talk to us about that. Good to see you, Rob. What is the what was the goal of veterans when you went to training camp?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Oh, the goal of veterans is to show the younger players the way, you know, be the leader out there out on the football field and get that chemistry going within, you know, the team within the organization and go out there and show everyone how it's done out on the football field and try to find ways to get better. Because you can make big jumps from your rookie year to your second year. But when you're a vet, you got to find those little tiny details that can, you know, make your game just a little bit better compared to when a rookie is going into a second year. You see big improvement, but you just got to find those ways to stay in the league and be better so you can stick around.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, but tell me what you didn't know your rookie year.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

The playbook. I can tell you that that was number one. Also, understanding defenses. You know, you can go over defenses in meetings and understand what cloud coverage is, what Cover two coverage is. But to truly understand a defense, you got to get repetitions out on the football field. You got to be able to go against that type of speed because it's different from when you're in college. When you get to the NFL, man, it's like everything's going so fast. And I remember that my first time I stepped down the football field, I was like, how am I going to deal with this? Everything's just racing in my mind. These linebackers are so fast. Usually I'm so much faster than everyone else. So it's about getting the repetitions and, and the reps and going out there and having the game slow down for you and getting the feel of the defenders out on the football field.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Give me the defender you had to keep your eye out for.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Oh, like I'm on my team or the opposition. Just, you know, going against another team. Okay. I mean, I always had a battle with myself. That's what I always said. If I was on and I was feeling my game, I felt like I could go against anyone else at any other time and dominate, you know, but if I wasn't on point, if I wasn't feeling myself, if I wasn't I would say activated, you know, and going full go and I was feeling slow, I felt like I could get covered by any single person in the league. There was one time in training camp, I think it was my eighth year, going into training camp with the New England Patriots, and I was getting covered by undrafted free agents just because I wasn't feeling myself. My body wasn't cooperating with me. So the NFL is a lot more, you know, a battle against yourself on a daily basis. It's hard to be up every single day, you know, especially with the beating that you can take. You want to be activated, you want the muscles firing, and when they're not, I feel like anyone can cover you at any given time. But just opponents wise, I would say in the run blocking game though, Terrell Suggs was an absolute monster, absolute beast. And it's not because he was just so strong, you know, and, and scary looking. It's because he brought it every single play and he had that burst off the ball. And same with Von Miller. That dude was impossible to get your hands on because he was just so quick and that burst was just so lethal that, you know, he had the advantage there.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What is Travis Kelsey battling this year?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Travis Kelsey, what is he battling this year? I would say he wants to win football games, that's for sure. He wants to win another championship before he retires. So he wants to get back to the super bowl, which is a tough task to do. They already done it three years in a row. Are they going to do it four years in a row? They have a chance for sure. I would also say that he wants to go out there. I mean, I don't know. I don't know, you know him personally like that, that and I can't really speak for him, but after watching, you know, last year in the Super Bowl, I feel like he wants to go out there and prove to everyone that he still has a lot left in the tank and he can go out there to compete at a high level, which I truly believe he will, or else he wouldn't have came back to play football again this year.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But at that position, how much of it is just understanding body position, he's not going to be running by guys the way he once did. So now it comes down to football IQ of how smart I can be and I don't know how much that plays or played for you when you played that position later in your career.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Well, that's kind of going back to your first question, Dan, is when you were talking about what does a veteran do going into a training camp. Well, it's finding the little niches to stay around even though your skills aren't up to par compared to when you were 23, 24 years old. And that happened to me my last couple years, especially down in Tampa. It was just knowing the niche of the game, knowing the defenses, knowing where to be in zone coverage. Yeah, I wasn't running by anyone and my stats weren't particularly like they were when I was younger. But guess what, I was still contributing because I was blocking guys and also I was finding the space in the zone and making the plays where my number was called. Travis Kelce. Yeah, he probably won't be making moves like he was back, you know, four or five years ago, but the guy knows the game of football. He's such a smart football player and he has that connection and chemistry with Patrick Mahomes as well. And that's what keeps keeps him going. Every once in a while I'm sure he's going to feel himself and have that boost to get and to get by someone and run by someone. But overall, I would say his smarts of the game of football is what keeps him around and what keeps him at 80 plus catches by just finding the hole and sitting down and just catching him going up the field for a first down.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Rob Gronkowski, four time super bowl champ, joining us. What super bowl ring would you wear to the hall of Fame when you're inducted?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Yeah, I would definitely wear my first super bowl ring to the hall of Fame. When we beat the Seattle Seahawks In Super Bowl 49, it was hands down one of the best super bowl games to be played. We were down, we came back, the Seattle Seahawks came back when we got up on them and then the final drive, obviously with the Malcolm Butler interception to seal the deal, I contributed. I had a touchdown going into the first half in the two minute drill. Amendola had a touchdown. Julian had a touchdown. Our boy Shane Vereen out of the backfield had like 10 catches. So it was an overall great team win. And on top of it, it was one of the best Super Bowls out there and it got me into the super bowl club.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But how surprised were you to be on the sidelines watching Seattle throw that pass as opposed to give it to Marshawn Lynch?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Well, you got to give credit to Dante Hightower who has the biggest calves in the NFL when he was playing that they ran a similar. They ran a play where they handed it off to beast mode right before that. And Dante Hightower made the tackle one on one on beast mode, which is very, very rare. But Dante Hightower is such a beast as well that he was able to bring him down. So that maybe kind of switch up the play call for that final play that they had because he already got tackled on the two yard line from Dante Hightower. I mean to throw the ball as well. We were just prepared for. Coach Belichick showed Malcolm Butler that play plenty of times with within the weeks following up to the Super Bowl. So we were just a better prepared team. And that's when Coach Belichick's coaching comes into credit is because he had Malcolm Butler prepared for that play. And that's why Malcolm Butler made that spectacular move to have that interception.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wait, Dante Hightower has the biggest cabs in.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

He has monster cabs. Yes, monster.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Were you jealous of his cabs, Julian?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Sure was. He talked about.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Did you ever think that we would see this many pictures of Brady with his shirt off in retirement?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

No, I would have never thought that. He was always a little bit nervous to even take his shirt off in the locker room. He had more of a dad bod when he was playing. But like I feel like he got like trimmed up a little bit. He kind of has a six pack. All that baby fat and plain fat that he had is totally off him. And he's looking good. He's worried. I think he changed up his workout resume too, like Roger May and he's like lifting I think more weights now so he looks better so he can show it off. Man, he looks, he's looking good right now for 60 years old.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But he, he's on a yacht every, every week.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

It feels like, I mean he deserves it. I mean he put in 25 plus years in the NFL. You know, he deserves to be on a yacht every, every sing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I love what you're doing with T Mobile the Friday night 5G light. So explain the competition and what's at stake here.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Yes, t mobile 5 Friday night 5G lights is back and we're taking it to a whole another level. And it's its second year with more winners, more prizes and ultimately more ways to showcase hometown pride and empower communities. And what T Mobile is doing is that if you're a small town high school, you can enter these, this, these states to be able to win prizes from T Mobile. And T Mobile is giving away to 25 different high schools, $25,000, 450 schools. High schools will be receiving $5,000. And if you win the, the grand prize for Friday night, 5G lights, you will win over a million dollars in prizes, which is ultimately a brand new high school football stadium, a brand new Gronk Fitness weight room as well. You know, Gronk Fitness, you gotta plug my, my family's product right there and gotta stay strong and you gotta stay fast using our equipment. So if you want more details about it, go to Friday night5Glights.com to enter. And it's just such a spectacular program that T Mobile is doing to just help out these high school athletes.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, you brought up Dante Hightower with that stop on Beast Mode, but then Hightower has the sack on Matt Ryan in the super bowl as well, right?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Yeah, he. We called Dante Hightower playoff Dante playoffs. Or it was, it was something like that. Playoff Dante. Because he showed up every single time the playoffs came. If he was in the training room, you know, in the regular season a little bit, it didn't matter. We knew that we could count on Dante Hightower and he came through in Atlanta versus the Atlanta Falcons in that Super Bowl. Unfortunately, I didn't play in that one. I was having a great year. And then I went up to see him and Earl Thomas was the absolute missile of a guy that he is. He hit me when I was going up to see him, full speed and punctured my lung and, and broke my back basically in half. So I was out for that Super Bowl. And then obviously he came through in the Super Bowl 49 as well when he, he stopped Beast Mode.

[Rob Gronkowski]

I know you got your podcast with Julian Edelman. I, I was, I still can hear Cam Chancellor hit Edelman when he made the catch, you know, going, going over the middle. And then he ended up running like, what, seven yards after that. It's one of the hardest hits that I've heard. Gronk and Edelman said he wasn't concussed. I still think he had a concussion.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Put it this way, that just shows, you know, what type of player Julian Adelman is. It just shows his toughness as well. He got absolutely cremated across the middle by one of the hardest hitting safeties. And not just hardest hitting safeties, one of the biggest safeties and athletic safeties. They'll play the game of football. And he got right up to keep on running. That just shows how trained and how programmed that he is and how bad that he wants to win, you know, the game, you know, Win the games. When he's playing the game of football, especially with the super bowl on the line, I think he got concussed as well. But Julian Edelman is an absolute fighter and an absolute dog, and that's why he has three super bowl rings as well.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, he ended up having that catch against Atlanta, the ricochet that was. I mean, so we're talking about, you know, Brady and Belichick get all the credit, and, you know, they should get most of it, but you're talking about other players who make these small. Malcolm Butler, like, these small little things. You, you know, Amendola, like, that's what sometimes I think gets lost with great teams, is having the other people that fill in kind of, you know, the gray area there.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Yeah, definitely. And. And, you know, but we. We've all gotten plenty of credit and. And we're all not looking for more credit because we receive plenty of credit as well. Julian Edelman receives plenty of credit. Amendola. Every time we see each other, we. We reminisce about our championships and about playing together. But I just want to go back to that catch as well with Julian Edelman with the Atlanta Falcons.

[Philip Rivers]

And.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

And also, you saw him get leveled by Cam Chancellor, basically. Concussion, keep going. That just shows the determination that Julian Adelman has. You see other guys in playoffs, they don't come through with that little. With that catch that they need to. To keep that drive going in the fourth quarter. I'm not going to bring up any situations, but it happened a couple times last year in the playoffs. But a guy who wants to win, who wants it so bad, and he. He just digging for it and. And doesn't want to go lose, go back to that locker room losing. That's a guy like Julian Edelman. And when you're determined like that, you're going to make those plays and you're going to make that catch to keep the drive going, and it's because Julian Edelman wanted it more than anyone else. So thank you, Julian, for coming through in those situations.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How many North Carolina football games are you going to go to this year?

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

It's going to be tough because I'm obviously doing the Fox pregame show this year, so I'll be definitely tuning in. No doubt about that. I'm going to wish Coach Belichick well. I want to see him win because it's just kind of like the Deion Sanders effect a little bit. Just brings college football to the table and makes it that much more interesting. And Coach Belichick also has that effect. So if he's winning, it's going to bring that North Carolina vibe to a whole nother level. And you're going to want to tune in and you're going to want to follow and it's going to be fun.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Once again, to learn more about the contest, your local high school Friday Night lights Friday night 5G lights Friday night 5G lights.com Gronk Great to talk to you again. Good luck with this.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

All right, Dan, always pleasure man. Thank you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Rob Gronkowski Be sure to catch the.

[Ian Pfaff]

Live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio appointment. Hey, we're Covino and Rich, Fox Sports.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Radio every day, 5 to 7pm Eastern. But here's the thing.

[Ian Pfaff]

We never have enough time to get to everything we want to get to.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And that's why we have a brand new podcast called Over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun in our two hour show. We never get to everything honestly, because this guy is over promising things we never have time for.

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, you blubberlips.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Blaming me.

[Ian Pfaff]

Well, you know what it's called Over Promise.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You should be good at it because.

[Ian Pfaff]

You'Ve been over promising women for years.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, it's a Covino and Rich after show and we want you to be a part of it. We're going to be talking sports, of course, but we're also going to talk life and relationships. And if Rich and I are arguing about something or we didn't have enough time, it will continue on our after show called Over Promised. Well, if you don't get enough Covino and Rich, make sure you check out Over Promised and also uncensored by the way, so maybe we'll go at it.

[Ian Pfaff]

Even a little harder. It's going to be the best after.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Show podcast of all time. There you go. Over Promising. And remember, you could see it on YouTube, but definitely. Join us Listen to Over Promised with Covino and rich on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown Host]

Time for a sofa upgrade. Visit washablesofas.com and discover Annabe where designer style meets budget friendly prices. With sofas starting at $699, Annabe brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain resistant fabric that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high resilience foam lets you choose between a sink in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus our pet friendly stain resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality. For price, visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30 day money back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop [e-mail] Authors are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Danielle Robaix]

Just like great shoes, great books take you places through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget.

[Unknown Host]

I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.

[Danielle Robaix]

I'm Danielle Robaix and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from hello Sunshine and I Heart Podcast. Every week I sit down with your favorite book lovers, authors, celebrities, book talkers and more to explore the stories that shape us on the page and off. I've been reading every Reese's Book Club pick, deep diving booktok theories and obsessing over book to screen casts for years. And now I get to talk to the people making the magic. So if you've ever fallen in love with a fictional character or cried at the last chapter or passed a of bunch book to a friend saying you have to read this, this podcast is for you. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

From.

[Unknown Host]

Iheart Podcasts and Rococo Punch. This is the Turning River Road. I knew I wanted to obey and submit, but I didn't fully grasp for the rest of my life what that meant. In the woods of Minnesota, a cult leader married himself to 10 girls and forced them into a secret life of abuse. Why did I think that way? Why did I allow myself to get so sucked in by this man and thinking to the point that if I died for him, that would be the greatest honor? But in 2014, the youngest of the girls escaped and sparked an international manhunt. For all those years, you know, he was the predator and I was the prey. And then he became the prey. Listen to the Turning river road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Pretty Private with ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and so stories are set free. I'm Ebony and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perceptions and give you new insight on the people around you. On Pretty Private, we'll explore the untold experiences of women of color who faced it all. Childhood trauma, addiction, abuse, incarceration, grief, mental health struggles and more. And found the strength to make it to the other side. My dad was shot and killed in his house. Yes, he was a drug dealer. Yes, he was a confidential informant. But he wasn't shot on a street corner. He wasn't shot in the middle of a drug deal. He was shot in his house, unarmed. Pretty Private isn't just a podcast. It's your personal guide for turning storylines into lifelines. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect Podcast network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but going.

[Ian Pfaff]

Through something like that is a traumatic.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Experience, but it's also not the end of your life.

[Unknown Host]

That was my dad reminding me and so many others who need to hear it that our trauma is not our shame to carry and that we have big, bold and beautiful lives to live after what happened to us. And I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Leetra Tate. On my new podcast, the Unwanted Sorority, we wade through transformation to peel back healing and reveal what it actually looks like and sounds like in real time. Each week, I sit down with people who've lived through harm, carried silence, and are now reshaping the systems that failed us. We're going to talk about the adultification of black girls mothering as resistance, and the tools we use for healing. The Unwanted Sorority is a safe space, not a quiet space. So let's lock in. We're moving towards liberation together. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Your podcasts hour from now. Philip Rivers, former Chargers quarterback. The current Chargers quarterback, Justin Herbert, in his sixth. See, you're in your sixth year. Wow.

[Philip Rivers]

Going by fast.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wow. Take me back to your junior year. You had really good numbers at Oregon. How close were you to coming out after your junior year?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, really not that close. You know, just the way the season ended, I wanted to come back and, and make sure that we ended on the right foot. And I, I still feel like I had so much to improve and get better at. And, you know, I think that was something that we accomplished my senior year.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And then you played, what, 13 or 14 more games and scouts like to have around 25 to 30 starts to be able to assess. So I think you had close to 40, 45 starts in your career. Does that sound about right?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, that sounds about right. I missed six games my sophomore year with a broken clavicle, so I feel like that was, you know, good film to put back on on tape.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How's the relationship with Coach Harbaugh?

[Unknown Speaker]

It's awesome. You know, he's. He's an incredible coach. Everyone loves to play for him. We just want to make him proud. And, you know, he's a competitor, and I think that's the best thing about him is he just wants to win. However, you know, we go about it, that's his main focus.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's a little goofy, though, at times, right? Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

And I think that's a good thing. You know, I think, you know, to have a personality as a coach is great. He walks into team meeting rooms and, you know, it's not always just football. It's, you know, it's. It's more than that, and I think the guys respect that. They appreciate that, and it makes it easier to, you know, relate to him.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How would you assess his throwing motion, his arm?

[Unknown Speaker]

I actually haven't seen him throw a lot recently. I think he's been catching more passes, and, you know, I think his arms have kind of taken a toll and. But you can still throw if you need to.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, you're being polite here. You're. You're choosing your words carefully there.

[Unknown Speaker]

I respect that, man.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Does he go into the weight room with you guys?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, he's in there all the time. He's lifting. He's. He's getting in the cold tubs. He does everything a player does. It's awesome.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wait, he gets in the cold tub with you?

[Unknown Speaker]

He does. Well, not. Not like with me specifically, but.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, there's only room for one in the cold tub.

[Unknown Speaker]

No, it can fit, you know, 15. 15 guys. So after practice, he's in there recovering and doing everything he can to, you know, maximizes his recovery.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But his brother said that Jim gets in the. The ice tub in his khakis. Is that right?

[Unknown Speaker]

He has before?

[Ian Pfaff]

Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think it's maybe a, you know, a time constraint if he's low on time.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Oh, okay.

[Unknown Speaker]

Just. He'll just maximize the recovery.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, so you're not playing tonight. Are you going to have an earpiece in, headset on?

[Unknown Speaker]

I think so. I think that'd be the plan. Just to be able to hear the play and, you know, talk about whatever. Whatever I need to.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Any input?

[Unknown Speaker]

No, probably not. I think more so, you know, when we're playing a game. Greg Roman and I will meet and we'll talk about, you know, the plays that I do like, what I, what I don't like. And I think that's a meeting that happens with the quarterbacks the day, day before, a couple days before, just to talk through it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Help me understand the offensive philosophy because statistically they weren't great numbers, big numbers, but your quarterback rating was, I think, your highest. And Jim loves to run the football. So what. How would you describe the offense, the. That the Chargers will have this year?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I think for us to be successful, we have to be able to do everything. You know, I think it starts with our run game, you know, the offensive line that we've put together and being able to run the ball behind those guys. But then at the same time, you know, that's what's going to open up our play action game. And I think we had a really good play action game last year, but something continued we can continue to improve on. And then when we're running the ball well, I think we're going to pass the ball well too. And you know, being able to scramble, extend plays on my feet, you know, I think that's something I wasn't really able to do much of last year, but it's still a huge part of my game and something that we need to do this year.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, we were talking about this yesterday that I go back to. I think the Rose bowl where you had your legs were on display. You had a, you know, great performance there that you're around the same size as Josh Allen, aren't you?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I think. I think I might be a little lighter. He's probably a little bit stronger.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But can you run like he runs? Would, would Coach Harbaugh let you have that kind of weapon?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I think one of the things that I really respect about his game is, is how many times they run quarterback power and you know, he's running between the tackles and he's able to take those hits and, you know, deliver a few of them and you see how many touc touchdowns he scores in the red zone. And just the way he affects the game too. I think that's something that we really expect and if we can emulate that and kind of work that into my game, I think that'd be really helpful for us.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's Justin Herbert, Chargers quarterback, sixth season, sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Chargers. He was the offensive rookie of the year, made the Pro bowl in 2021. Give me the quarterback or quarterbacks. Like, do you Sample from quarterbacks and say, maybe I could use that. I could put that into, you know, my repertoire.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, for sure. You know, especially coming out of college, that was one of those things where you watch a lot of film on the, on the NFL guys. And at the time we were watching Tom Brady, just how, you know, he did everything footwork wise was, you know, the best. We watched a lot of Matt Ryan with his, you know, play action fakes. You know, I think that was something that we always talked about, how quickly he snapped his head around, was able to get his eyes downfield, and then Drew Brees, his footwork, too, and just the way he went through progressions and played the quarterback position, I think those three guys were, you know, really important for me watching.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, explain footwork with Tom Brady. What exactly is that, and is it teachable?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I think, you know, the easiest way to describe it would be just to time everything up with the route. You know, a short route is going to have quicker footwork and, you know, a longer route play action is, is going to time it up. And one of the things that I always try to avoid is, is standing still in the pocket and just, just, you know, bouncing around because you have a tough time seeing when you're, you know, you're going up and down and, you know, as long as you're in rhythm and the, your, your feet are aligned with how deep the receiver is going to get, you know, I think it makes it easier on the throw and definitely easier, you know, stepping up in the pocket as well.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, but what's that clock like in your head when you go back to pass? At what point do you go, oh, like I. Now I got to start. I gotta have my head on a swivel.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, but as soon as you get to the top of your drop where you, where you're dropping back and, you know, it's either a quick setup where you're hoping the ends go around you and the tackles push them up field, or you're finding a lane to run through. But it's. It's quick and, you know, that's just how. How fast those guys are on defense. And you gotta protect the ball, you gotta avoid sacks, and, you know, that's something that, you know, Coach Harbaugh talks about all the time, so we're gonna get better at that this year.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What was your welcome to the NFL hit?

[Unknown Speaker]

I would say I was rolling out one year, tried to make this, this play where I could spin in the pocket and just kind of run around, and then I got hit by Max Froggy, and I didn't even see him. And that was when I was like, yeah, these. These guys are much faster than I am. I. I gotta be able to step up, throw it away. Taking a SAG is not the worst thing, but, you know, running into that thing, that was.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, and, you know, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, two of the greatest ever had no problem just kind of going into the fetal position instead of, you know, you left to live to. To call another play. And that's hard for you because in college and high school, you could get away with this stuff. In the NFL, you can't. How tough is that to go? Just take a sack or just throw it away?

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, that's. That's the tough part, because like you said high school and college, you'd be able to make some of those plays and, you know, you'd get reward for. For making a crazy play like that. And then you come NFL, and, you know, everyone on defense is. Is faster than you. And, you know, sometimes it's okay to, you know, wave the white flag, go down and live for another play where, you know, a sack is. Is not as bad as a fumble, and a throwaway is not as bad. So it's just kind of living through that list and making sure that you're. You're protecting the ball and putting the team in a good position to win.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Who's your rival?

[Ian Pfaff]

Shoot.

[Unknown Speaker]

I. I would say we've. We've got a lot of rivals. I. I definitely would say the Chiefs, Raiders, and the Broncos. I think the AFC west is, you know, we've. We've definitely, you know, had our fair share of competitions with those guys. Chiefs have gotten us the past few years.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But do you hate the Chiefs? Like, do you. Do you hate one of them a little more than the other ones?

[Unknown Speaker]

I would just say that the. It's been a little lopsided the past couple of years, and that's just something that we, you know, we've got a great opportunity to play them twice this year, and, you know, we know how good they are and how much success they've had in the league over the past several years. So it's always a good opportunity for us to go play and be the team that we want to be.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What advice would you give a rookie quarterback? Let's say Cam Ward calls you up and said, give me some advice on what it's like.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I would say to sacrifice now so you can enjoy everything later. Just to. To go through everything and, you know, watch an extra hour of film, you know, do an extra hour of recovery, make sure you're taking care of your body. And you know, there's always going to be times to, you know, go hang out with your friends and do all these extracurricular activities. But right now, you're a quarterback. You know, a team, has a franchise, has put their trust in you to lead this entire organization and to make sure that you're doing everything you can for your teammates, the coaching staff, the community, because it's really important. And at the end of the day, if you're doing that, you're, you're in good steps.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wait, did you give me an organ organization? Did you give me a Canadian organization?

[Unknown Speaker]

Organization?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, it sounded like, you know, maybe, maybe that's Canadian. You, you know, proximity there. But your organization, you gave me an organization which is what they do in Canada. So don't want you to think too long and hard about that. Maybe, you know, any Canadian roots in your family?

[Unknown Speaker]

I don't, I don't think so now that I'm aware.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay. I just want to make sure you gave me a little organization. Hey, it's great to see you again and we'll be. Well, you're not going to be doing anything tonight, so I was going to say we'll be watching, but, but you're going to be watching too.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm going to be supporting the team. I'm going to be out there, you know, offering whatever I can.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So thanks for joining us. Yep, you bet.

[Unknown Speaker]

Thank you.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's Justin Herbert.

[Ian Pfaff]

Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show. Weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio in the iHeartRadio app.

[Unknown Host]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. At WashablesOfAs.com, you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699, the stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable style flip covers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Danielle Robaix]

Just like great shoes, great books take you places through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget.

[Unknown Host]

I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.

[Danielle Robaix]

I'm Danielle Robe and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club, the new podcast from hello Sunshine and I Heart Podcasts. Every week I sit down with your favorite book lovers, authors, celebrities, book talkers and more to experiment. Explore the stories that shape us on the page and off. I've been reading every Reese's Book Club pick, deep diving booktok theories and obsessing over book to screen casts for years. And now I get to talk to the people making the magic. So if you've ever fallen in love with a fictional character, or cried at the last chapter, or passed a book to a friend saying you have to read this, this podcast is for you. Listen to Bookmarked by Reese's Book club on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts are wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown Host]

For My Heart podcasts and Rococo Punch, this is the Turning River Road. I knew I wanted to obey and submit, but I didn't fully grasp for the rest of my life what that meant. In the woods of Minnesota, a cult leader married himself to 10 girls and forced them into a secret life of abuse. Why did I think that way? Why did I allow myself to get so sucked in by this man and thinking to the point that if I died for him, that would be the greatest honor? But in 2014, the youngest of the girls escaped and sparked an international manhunt. For all those years, he was the predator and I was the prey. And then he became the prey. Listen to the Turning river road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Pretty Private with ebony, the podcast where silence is broken and stories are set free. I'm Ebony and every Tuesday I'll be sharing all new anonymous stories that would challenge your perception and give you new insight on the people around you. On Pretty Private, we'll explore the untold experiences of women of color who faced it all. Childhood trauma, addiction, abuse, incarceration, grief, mental health struggles and more. And found the strength to make it to the other side. My dad was shot and killed in his house. Yes, he was a drug dealer. Yes, he was a confidential informant. But he wasn't shot on a street corner. He wasn't shot in the middle of a drug deal. He was shot in his house, unarmed. Pretty Private isn't just a podcast. It's your personal guide for turning storylines into lifelines. Every Tuesday, make sure you listen to Pretty Private from the Black Effect podcast network. Tune in on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite show. Both. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but going.

[Ian Pfaff]

Through something like that is a traumatic experience.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

But it's also not the end of your life.

[Unknown Host]

That was my dad reminding me and so many others who need to hear it that our trauma is not our shame to carry and that we have big, bold and beautiful lives to live after what happened to us. I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Lea Tritate. On my new podcast, the Unwanted Sorority, we wade through transformation to peel back healing and reveal what it actually looks like and sounds like in real time. Each week, I sit down with people who've lived through harm, carried silence, and are now reshaping the systems that failed us. We're going to talk about the adultification of black girls mothering as resistance and the tools we use for healing. The Unwanted Sorority is a safe space, not a quiet space. So let's lock in. We're moving towards liberation together. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Final hour in this Thursday, we'll talk to the former charger Philip Rivers finally got around to announcing his retirement. CC Sabathia, freshly minted hall of Famer, will join us momentarily. The last women's major of the season and it's the world's best. Testing their metal. The AIG Women's Open. That'll be coming up July 31st through August 3rd on NBC USA and streaming on Peacock, which is where you'll find this show. Good morning. If you've downloaded the app, our phone number 8773 DP Show. We'll get to more phone calls coming up. Update the poll results as well. He is a CC Sabathia hall of Famer. Now, how does that feel to be called a Hall of Famer?

[Philip Rivers]

Feels good. It feels good. I mean, it's, it's real now, you know, I mean, I gave the speech and had a chance to get up there and see all the guys. So it feels. It feels, feels good.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Your wife doesn't call you hall of Famer, does she?

[Philip Rivers]

Nobody in this house.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How nervous, how nervous were you? Compare that to pitching in A World Series when you give your hall of Fame speech?

[Philip Rivers]

I was pretty nervous. I mean, you know, knowing, you know, from the time that you get elected that, you know, you have six months to. To kind of give this speech and talk about, you know, your life and this life achievement and who you want to thank and, you know, all these different people. So that. That gave me a lot. A lot of anxiety. But I feel like the way I deliver my speech and not trying to thank a bunch of people and just tell stories about, you know, who, you know, helped me get to this point, I think that, you know, helped me out a lot. But I'll tell you a quick story about the World Series. You know, I would get nervous when I walked out before games or whatever. And, you know, that postseason in 09, I wasn't getting the butterflies. I was just feeling good. You know, I was feeling confident. I was feeling like I was going to pitch well. And, you know, I went out for the same thing in Philly. I went out for game one. It was in Yankee Stadium. And everything is fine. Like, I feel great. Great October night. And, you know, my routine was after we threw the ball down to second base, I would go walk the A rod and get the ball from him, my bare hand. And I walked. Walked over to him. He tossed me the ball, and he was like, let's go. I looked at him, I was like, let's go. And I looked down at the ball, and it said 09 Fall Classic on it. And I immediately broke out. I hadn't been nervous the whole time until I looked down and realized what I was doing.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like, damn, I'm in the World Series.

[Philip Rivers]

Got back into it. But, yeah, I mean, I broke out in a full sweat, like, oh, my God. Like, this is game one of the World Series.

[Rob Gronkowski]

When you're at the hall of Fame, do you meet anybody who brings back bad memories?

[Philip Rivers]

Oh, no, not bad memories. You know, just like, I'm a huge baseball fan. So just, you know, they had a garden party on Friday night that Jane Forbes Clark hosted. And everywhere I looked around the room, I'm seeing my favorite player. Like, I grew up playing, you know, Nintendo RBI baseball, and it's Rod Carew in there. It's. You know what I mean? It's your Eddie Murray, It's Ken Griffey Jr. Is Sandy Koufax, Randy Johnson. I mean, it's. It's everybody's favorite player in the room. And on Friday night, I'm not gonna lie, I got, like, a little imposter syndrome. I'm like, should I. I'll be in this group. You know what I'm saying? Like, this is like the elite of the elite. And to be part of that. That. That crew now feels good.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But. But there's nothing. Like, I gave up a home run to that guy. I hope he doesn't bring it up.

[Philip Rivers]

No, I mean, that's. That's the perfect time to bring it up, right?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Like, yes, as a Hall of Famer.

[Philip Rivers]

Yeah, I gave up a couple of homers at Ichiro. You know, we always tell. The story is, you know, it's fun now to be able to tell those stories in that room because, you know, you're all on the same team.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Couple of home runs to each year.

[Philip Rivers]

Yeah. Yeah, a couple of home runs.

[Ian Pfaff]

First time.

[Philip Rivers]

So I started throwing 2006. Me and Carl Willis were trying to figure out an out pitch, and, you know, I was throwing like, this big, loopy, kind of slurred curveball thing. And we went down to the bullpen in. In Oakland, and he was like, I'm teaching you how to throw a cutter. So we came out of that bullpen session with, like, this 82 mile an hour, 83 mile an hour slider. And me, in my mind, I'm thinking, oh, this thing is disgusting. Like, I'm taking this right into the game. So I take it into the game, get onto an Ichiro, hit it off the window. It's first at bat. Like, you know, it's Ichi. You know what I mean? Like this. I've seen this thing move like it's nasty. So he comes up again. First pitch, I throw it to him. First pitch of that bat, he hits it out again. But they end up becoming like my out pitch. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's the pitch that, you know, kind of took my career to the next level. And, you know, Ichi loved it the first time he saw it.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Well, no, it was his out pitch. He hit it out of the ballpark. Who picked out the Jordans that you wore during your speech?

[Philip Rivers]

It was. They were actually specially made from Jordan. They were kind of. I made a bunch of shoes my. My last year in 2019, during players weekend, and they were combined like a high school shoe. It has some Milwaukee stuff in there, some Cleveland stuff in there. The cool part about it is I played for three teams that have navy in it. So, like, you know, the. The left shoe was. Was navy and gold, and that represented my Yankee, you know, Milwaukee and Cleveland. Cleveland days. And then the right one was red, which represented My high school. So, you know, I'm just forever thankful for the Jordan family. The way they treat us after retirement is special. And, you know, I wouldn't want. Wanted any other way than going in the hall of Fame wearing a pair of Jordans and a pair of threes up on the, up on that stage.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, but what was it like the first time you. I, I think you were the first baseball player part of the Jordan brand, or does that sound about.

[Philip Rivers]

I was the third. So it was. Derek was the first, and then it was Andrew Jones and then me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

And what was it like, first time you met Michael?

[Philip Rivers]

Oh, it was incredible. You know, he, he's. You got to be confident when you around mj, right? Because he's, he's the, he's, like I said talking about earlier, is everybody's favorite player. He's, he's the alpha of all alphas. So you gotta, you know, you gotta be confident when you're around him. But I, but I enjoy him, spending time with him.

[Rob Gronkowski]

CC Sabathia, the newly inducted member of the Baseball hall of Fame. You know, you did all these things with the Yankees, but it feels like people still bring up what happened, like the last two months when you're with Milwaukee, where they were like three days rest. Cece, go out there and get them. And you had an incredible, you knew that you were, you were leaving Milwaukee. They knew you were leaving, but they worked your ass off. And, you know, I, I still look back on that. I mean, that's an amazing run. What, what were your thoughts when they kept sending you out and it felt like on three days rest.

[Philip Rivers]

Well, it wasn't, it wasn't so much them. They were, you know, they were kind of freaking out just along with everybody else. My agent, you know, everybody except for kind of me and my wife. Like I told her, you know, how I felt. And the biggest thing was, you know, I had got traded from, from Cleveland. And, you know, I had been in that organization from time I was 17, and that summer I was, you know, 28 years old. I've been there for, you know, 10 and a half years. And, you know, when I walk into the clubhouse in Milwaukee, you know, I was scared to death. I didn't know what was going to happen. I had never been in another organization. And I walk in and my best friend Dave Risky is there. I play with him in Cleveland. And then Mike Cameron is there and Billy hall is there and Prince Fielder is there. And, you know, these are still some of my closest friends to this day. All Those guys I just named were in Cooperstown, you know what I'm saying? So I just didn't want that season to end and I felt great and I felt like I was going to go out and win those games. And it was more so about me going in there and telling them I'll pitch on three days rest than it was them, you know, asking me or okay, even wanting me to do was more me. So one thing is, is, you know, during that time, I never in my career felt like I was gonna, you know, knew that I was gonna win games. And during that time, I felt like, you know, if you give me the ball, I can go out and complete a game and win the game. So I wanted to get that, that franchise in that, in that city, into the playoffs. And I think it was more about me, you know, telling them that what I was doing more so than, than them, you know, kind of, kind of asking or demanding.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The car breaking down en route to Cooperstown, that's what, a three and a half hour drive that took eight hours or so to get there?

[Philip Rivers]

Yeah, three and a half hour drive normally. And for some reason, you know, normally when we go on a road trip, me and my wife, we drive all over Martha's Vineyard, Hamptons, whatever. If we're on a road trip, she drives so slow that I'm usually like, I'll meet her at the house and I'm there by, you know, an hour before, for some reason on that day, I was riding behind her and you know, we were just, you know, kind of making our way up there and we had the kids with us. And we pull up on the side of the road on 17 to get on the on ramp. And she stopped, she's got let up, let a bunch of cars go by. And I saw a caller, I'm like, what's going on? And she was like, my car just stopped. And I'm like, what? And I could tell in her voice that she was really irritated and, you know, on the verge of kind of, you know, not breaking down, but kind of crashing out. And my kids and I can't take anything seriously. So we all get out of the car. Kids start making tick tocks. I'm taking pictures on the side of the road. She's very serious in the back, calling the, calling the tow truck. But like, people started noticing, noticing us on the side of the road. They're honking, we're laughing. It, it made for a good time. And, you know, I feel like we, we know every time that we're all together, my wife and I and the four kids, if we're traveling, we're gonna. Something's gonna happen. So, you know, we're used to it and, and we always make the best out of it, but makes for a good story.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Who gave you the Oakland Raider helmet behind you?

[Philip Rivers]

This is a, this is actually a phone. My cousin Demetrius Davis was Mr. Irrelevant, I think it was in 1990. And he got all these different gifts from, you know, from every team. You get a gift. And this was the, the phone from the, from the Raiders.

[Rob Gronkowski]

So that was on the draft. That was on their table.

[Philip Rivers]

Must have been on the draft. Yeah, this must have been on, on the draft table. So, you know, you get. He was Mr. Relevant. You get a bunch of different trophies and stuff. And this is the one thing that I kept. And I got this Marcus Allen Super Bowl, super bowl helmet right here that I always keep up. And you see my Raiders clock that just went down. But I always have to have something Raiders around.

[Rob Gronkowski]

It seems like you're a football guy more than a baseball guy.

[Philip Rivers]

I'm just a fan of everything. I'm a huge, huge, huge sports fan. But the Raiders are. I'm die hard Raiders. Like, I don't waver at all. If you, you watch me with my basketball, I'm usually picking the best team just because I'm always in a bad mood after football season. So I got to pick basketball season. So if the warriors aren't in it, I'm always going for a winner. But yeah, I mean, I'm just a, a huge Raiders fan and I don't think that'll ever, ever leave me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, what do you think's going to happen this year?

[Philip Rivers]

Hopefully, if, if, if, if we can stay healthy. I mean, the defense is really good. You know, I love Brock Bowers. I would love to see what Geno Smith is going to do for us, but I think if we can stay healthy, we'd be okay. I mean, obviously we're in, in that division with, with Mahomes and, you know, the Chiefs and I think Justin Herbert is great. I even think Bo Nixon and the Broncos are going to be good. So it's going to be a tough division, but we'll see what happens.

[Rob Gronkowski]

If you could have Geno Smith as your quarterback or Tom Brady comes out of retirement.

[Philip Rivers]

Oh, I would want Tom Brady to come out of retirement to like, run the organization. I need, I need somebody young, young with fresh legs. I mean, I'm fine with Gino being quarterback as long as he can stay healthy, but I want Tom to like really be hands on and be running like the football ops.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Probably going to happen sooner than later.

[Philip Rivers]

I would love that. I would love that.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Congrats. You're always a great guest. We appreciate it. Congrats on the great career and thanks for joining us.

[Philip Rivers]

Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[Rob Gronkowski]

That's CC Sabathia, just got inducted into the Baseball hall of Fame. There's nothing better that I want to hear than when somebody says, got a quick story to tell you. When he tells me about the World Series, when he looks at the baseball and it says the 2009 World Series and it's printed on the baseball and the fact that it hit him that he's now pitching in the World Series. That's what you want. I love when I get stories from these guys. Philip Rivers, he better be telling stories. Fritzi, he's ready. Oh, he is. Okay. All right, we'll take a break then Philip Rivers will join us. And I know we're backed up with phone calls. We'll try to sneak those in as well. We're back after this Dan Patrick show.

[Ian Pfaff]

Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's Philip Rivers. He played in the NFL for 17 seasons and now a high school coach. Look at there. You look good. You look like you're ready to play.

[Ian Pfaff]

What do you say, Dan?

[Rob Gronkowski]

Could you play right now?

[Ian Pfaff]

Oh, yeah. I'm a little heavier than I was, but I could get through a game now. I may need a wheelchair the next morning, but. Oh yeah, I can still, I can still. I can still play a little bit.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay. Did you need to announce like did you retire twice?

[Ian Pfaff]

No. Here. Well, yeah, I don't know. Maybe. Yeah. The reason there was a little bit of a wait is I honestly wasn't I. There were a couple November decembers there in 2021, 2022 where I was getting. I was staying ready. I was, I was, I threw on shoulder pads a few times and helmet and throwing in the yard and, and working and there were a few things that kind of got close. But then the last two years is pretty much I've known, I've been done it really just timed. I wanted to retire a charger and do it, do it right with the Chargers over 16 years. Gates coming up with the hall of Fame, one of my favorite all time teammates and locker mate side by side for 16 years. I was. I was doing some stuff. Some video stuff for him, and I was like, hey, guys, when are we going to do this? I want to retire a charger. Should we do something on video? And it's. It just all worked out.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What team or teams called you.

[Ian Pfaff]

I knew you were going there. I guess I teed you up for that one.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Dan, you can say it now.

[Ian Pfaff]

No, I know. It doesn't matter. Yeah, well, I think, you know, it was the year that the 49ers had the injuries at quarterback, you know, and before. Early on, before Purdy really got going, you know, it was. There's still probably six weeks left in the year, and it was. So there's a little interaction I've had there with John Lynch. Certainly kept in contact with the Colts that first year, year or so out when the Saints had the injuries, you know, I think they called Drew and I both. I remember being on a phone call with Drew, and it was over Christmas, and it was like the first Christmas I'd been all, you know, been off and not playing, and. And I was like, I can't believe I'm even considering this. But Drew and I ended up talking about, hey, were you serious? And he was asking me if I was serious. And I was like, it sounds good. You know, it sounds good in theory, but then it's like, man, I felt like the later the season went, I was going to become a guest quarterback. And to me, that just was what ultimately. Ultimately, the teams didn't want me. It didn't get that far to where it was in my control, but I didn't want to be a guest quarterback. You know, you wanted to at least have some camaraderie and. And some sense of, man, I've been in this. On this journey with you guys, at least for half a season. But when he got to the playoffs, it's like, man, you're going to go and play one game and you're either the hero to help them win, or you came in and cost him a playoff game. So it just didn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, you could have been a Joe Flacco.

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, yeah. Which. Shoot. I thought it was awesome. I was. I love watching Joe and pulling for Joe when he was in that situation.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But take me back to when you came out of college. I remember the knock on you was your arm. Your arm angle or how you, like, how you threw. Like, it felt like that was one of those. You. You just didn't throw it the way quarterbacks. The other quarterbacks threw the ball. Is that correct?

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, yeah, no, it is. I think it gradually got less and less awkward, you know, as, even as my career went. There is a uniqueness to it and I shoot, I appreciate that now. Yeah, I hear you hear people say, oh man, that's how Philip Rivers threw the ball. So I guess uniqueness to it, that's end up being kind of one of my trademarks. But growing up as the son of a coach, I was the ball bo waterboy when my dad was coaching high school ball 5, 6, 7 years old and I was throwing a regulation size football, so that's the only way I could throw it. You know, you kind of laid it in your hand and, and, and, and pushed it. And so then as I grew up, you know, as I got bigger and stronger in my hand, could reach, there was still an element of that, you know, muscle memory motion that just became my own. And, and so that's where it was. I remember Norm Chow, you know, we had, we had one of the great offensive coaches of all time in college football at NC State my freshman year. And the first day he watched me practice, he, he asked me if I was hurt.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Is your shoulder, is your shoulder, is.

[Ian Pfaff]

Your shoulder bothering you? And I said, no, my shoulder's fine. And he sent the tape off to Mike Holmgren and said, hey, you need to take a look at this. And, and, and, and Coach Chow ended up telling me, Holmgren said, if he's not getting balls batted down and he's accurate, he said heck with it, leave it alone. And so we did.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

We did.

[Rob Gronkowski]

How is the position changed? Like what's the most important part of playing the position?

[Ian Pfaff]

I still think, and I am biased I guess a little bit. I bet if you ask most pocket pastors like myself, they may say this may not. I still think you got to be able to stand in the pocket and make quick decisions and be accurate with the football and throw it from the pocket on third and eight in crucial situations on a two minute drive. All those things that, that is still going to be a necessity of playing position to me. I think it's a bonus. It's a bonus if you can do the other stuff like many of these guys nowadays can. You know, the, the Josh Allens and Lamar Jackson's and Bo Nicks has the ability to run, you know, as you know, had an unbelievable rookie year. Obviously Mahomes and I'm leaving guys out unintentionally, but if you can do those things, it helps you, but you still got to be Able to stand in there and make a throw and take a hit right under the chin. Because if you can't do that, if all you can do is just kind of run around and you're 50% passer, I don't think you can last.

[Rob Gronkowski]

He's Philip Rivers, NFL quarterback for 17 seasons. Fan base that probably disliked you the most was which fan base?

[Ian Pfaff]

Probably Denver.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, let me. Can I bring in. Fritzi is a Denver Bronco fan, and he all my guests. So Fritzi would always complain that you complain too much, that you wind too much when you play. This coming from a Bronco fan, would you say that's fair assessment of you? You were critical. Philip Rivers whining?

[Ian Pfaff]

Yes, and I hope Philip agrees. And I got nothing against the guy.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

But being a huge Bronco fan Since I'm like 7 years old, I did.

[Rob Gronkowski]

See, like, there was a lot of complaining to the officials, a lot of trash talking.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Even though he didn't curse, he.

[Philip Rivers]

He was always kind, I guess, with his trash talk.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But there seemed like a lot of.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Whining was going on.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay, Phil.

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, I can see it. I can see it coming across as whiny. It was more a fire and passion and drive to want to win the stinking game, the call to be right and for the, you know, all those things to go. So. Yes. Would it be classified as whining in some cases? I'm sure. I'm sure it would. I'm not proud of every. Every moment. Believe me, there's some. Many that I look at and I go, man, I lost my mind. What was I doing? But there's a lot of it that I laugh at. And then there's a lot of it that I go, man, I hope people realize how much I love playing. I love playing just like I was as a kid in the backyard. And I got to do it as a, you know, 40 year old all the way through my 30s, 250 times. And it was. It was trul. Just how you would be in the backyard, you know, playing with your buddies or brothers and arguing and carrying on and talking smack and all those things.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But you did it in a polite way. Like, how do you talk trash in a polite way?

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, I don't know if it's necessarily polite. I think sometimes maybe that's what made it sting a little worse. It wasn't the four letter words.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Wait, wait. How would you talk trash to me if I'm a defensive player? I just sacked you, and I got something to say to you. You.

[Ian Pfaff]

I. I don't I mean, I was gonna say, Dan, I. I could better do it with you and your role there. I'd be like, dan, really? You're gonna start off the interview at saying, I retired twice? I mean, come on, I haven't talked to you in five years.

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, hey, will you stop whining?

[Ian Pfaff]

I didn't retire twice, Dan. Ask me something else. Golly. How long are you gonna do this, Dan?

[Rob Gronkowski]

How. How are the kids? What, are there 10 kids now?

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah, there's. There's 10. And I got a little grandson. I got a little grandson. My oldest two daughters are married, and my oldest daughter and her husband have a little, little boy that's almost a year old. So that's a blast. And then she's. The other children are growing up fast. So I have three that are out of the house or high school or beyond this year, and then still seven at home. Three boys, seven girls and three boys. But they're growing up fast, man. My oldest son will be the quarterback again this year at the high school. He's a junior, and he's gonna have a chance. He's going to have a chance to play at the next level, which is exciting. I was going to say, too Back to the throwing motion thing. I threw that way because I think I had a ball, you know, a big ball when I was little. He throws that way a little bit. I don't know if it's just from watching me or if it's just in our DNA, but he's a little more over the top. But when people watch him throw, they go, man, he froze it, like you. And I go, well, he did watch me play for his whole life growing up.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Why didn't you teach him how to throw like Brady?

[Ian Pfaff]

Brady's a little too over the top, you know, so it's over the top.

[Rob Gronkowski]

What about Aaron Rodgers?

[Ian Pfaff]

I like Aaron Rodgers. Motion. He flicks it. He can throw it every different way. Mahomes kind of can throw at every different arm angle. I was kidding about Brady being over the top, but. But, but I think the different arm angles is huge, Is key, you know, it's key to be able to do that because you're throwing it. People think, you know, that to me, the height thing is not as big of a deal. You know, Drew Brees, one of the best ever. Six, you know, six foot or so. But it's is. It's not as much a height deal as ability to throw arm angles. None of us are throwing over 66 linemen. You know, none of Us are. So you got to be able to throw around and change different arm angles as the pocket, you know, collapses on your changes.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Philip is the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. How would you assess the Chargers this upcoming season with Jim Harvo?

[Ian Pfaff]

I'm interested to see them. You know, they made some, made some additions in the off season. You know, they, they got a lot of good young offensive linemen. Obviously. Derwin James still kind of the captain over there on that defensive side. And Justin Herbert is, you know, a heck of a player. A heck of a player. They, they, they, they, they nailed, they nailed that pick. It was the timing of me to move on and then to get one. They got a good one. They got a good one. So excited to see, to see them this year. Certainly. I still pull for the Chargers. I pull for the Colts one year there, but then also one of my closest coach friends, Shane Steichen, is the head coach there. And then I, I pull for the Eagles. Sirianni being there. Coach Sirianni was, I was with him a long time with the Chargers as well. So you find yourself pulling for either coaches you were with or teammates, you know, that are either at the, at the, at the team you were on, or either they're somewhere else. You know, you pull for them on Sundays and we still watch, we still watch, watch all day. We go to mass on Sunday morning and we have games on every TV.

[Rob Gronkowski]

We can find your longest career run.

[Ian Pfaff]

Longest career run. I probably, I don't know. I know y' all got the stats in there. Fritzi, what is it, 11 yards?

[Rob Gronkowski]

You know, it's 18.

[Ian Pfaff]

18. 18 yard run. My favorite run was against the Ravens in the playoff, divisional round playoff game. A third down and I kind of got out of there and got a big first down and was able to kind of do the first down sign, you know, that you see all the wide outs and backs get to do. I felt, I felt like a real, I felt like a real athlete. Felt like a real athlete. My teammates. Keenan Allen, he was mic'd up on that play. And you can hear him saying, do it, do it, do it. You know, he was, like, he was, like, proud of me. Like I was actually gonna, like, do.

[Rob Gronkowski]

A little something like a parent watching their kid take their first step. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But was there somebody slower than you in the NFL at quarterback?

[Ian Pfaff]

I believe I could outrun Payton and Brady.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Okay.

[Ian Pfaff]

Yeah.

[Rob Gronkowski]

But that still makes you slow.

[Ian Pfaff]

Oh, it does. I, I definitely definitely wasn't fast. Roethlisberger Ben could run a little better than me, maybe as we got, you know, as he got later in his career maybe. But no, Ben could run. Ben was one of those, you know, throwback quarterbacks that could run, you know, and he wasn't going to run for 70, but he had a, he had an ability, capability in the pocket that was, that was unique. I think that certainly helped his, his game and why he had a lot of success.

[Rob Gronkowski]

If Michael Vick and you ran a 40 yard dash.

[Ian Pfaff]

That may be one of the fastest men I've ever seen on a football field. We were at The Falcons in 2005. I believe it was four or five. I wasn't playing. Drew was the starter. I was backing up and he scrambled left down our sideline and scored and scored with it and ran through the tunnel. And I just remember going, that's. That's just not fair. It's not fair that he can run like that and throw.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah. Let me know if you retire again. We'll have you back on. But if not, good luck with the upcoming high school season.

[Ian Pfaff]

I appreciate it, Dan. And hey, Fritz, you said I probably did complain and whine, but what made you so mad is we were beating their tail a lot of times.

[Philip Rivers]

That's fair. That's part of the reason why I was upset with you beat the Broncos too much.

[Ian Pfaff]

There's smack talk right there.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Yeah, take that, Todd. Yeah, that's smack talk. Very impressive. Thank you. Thank you, Philip.

[Danielle Robaix]

Just like great shoes, great books take you places through unforgettable love stories and into conversations with characters you'll never forget.

[Unknown Host]

I think any good romance, it gives me this feeling of like butterflies.

[Danielle Robaix]

I'm Danielle Robaix and this is bookmarked by Reese's Book Club. The new podcast from hello Sunshine and I Heart Podcast where we dive into the stories that shape us on the page and off. Each week I'm joined by authors, celebs, book talk stars and more for conversations that will make you laugh, cry, and add way too many books to your TBR pile. Listen to bookmarked by Reese's Book Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

So what happened to Chappaquiddick?

[Unknown Host]

Well, it really depends on who you talk to.

[Unknown Speaker]

There are many versions of what happened.

[Rob Gronkowski]

In 1969 when a young Ted Kennedy.

[Unknown Speaker]

Drove a car into a pond and.

[Unknown Host]

Left a woman behind to drown.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Chappaquiddick is a story of a tragic death and how the Kennedy machine took control. Every week we go behind the headlines and beyond the drama of America's royal family.

[Unknown Host]

Listen to United States of Kennedy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Ian Pfaff]

I'm Ian Pfaff, the creator and host of the Uncle Chris Podcast. My Uncle Chris was a real character, a garbage truck driver from South Carolina who is now buried in Panama City alongside the founding family families of Panama. He also happens to be responsible for.

[Rob Gronkowski]

The craziest night of my life.

[Ian Pfaff]

Wild stories about adventure, romance, crime, history and war intertwine as I share the tall tales and hard truths that have.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Helped me understand Uncle Chris. Listen now to Uncle Chris on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the.

[Ian Pfaff]

Iheartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Unknown Host]

I knew I wanted to obey and submit, but I didn't fully grasp for the rest of my life what that meant for my heart. Podcasts and Rococo Punch this is the Turning River Road. In the woods of Minnesota, a cult leader married himself to 10 girls and forced them into a secret life of abuse. But in 2014, the youngest escaped. Listen to the Turning river road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ian Pfaff]

We're breaking down SummerSlam, the biggest party.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Of the summer on Wrestling With Freddie.

[Rob Gronkowski]

From our bold picks to storyline breakdowns, we will discuss who walks out with.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Gold, who shocks the night and which.

[Ian Pfaff]

Matches steal the show we call the winners, the upsets and the chaos to.

[Rob Gronkowski]

Expect, plus whatever swerves nobody saw coming.

[Freddie Prinze Jr.]

Listen to Wrestling with Freddy as part of the Michael Kura Podcast Network, available.

[Rob Gronkowski]

On the iHeartRadio Apple Podcasts or wherever.

[Ian Pfaff]

You get your podcasts.

[Unknown Host]

This is an I Heart podcast.