3 & Out - AFC Championship ratings, Building through the draft, Pro Bowl is a joke

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Episode 3 & Out

Release Date: January 29, 2025
Title: 3 & Out - AFC Championship ratings, Building through the draft, Pro Bowl is a joke
Host: Colin Cowherd
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a thought-provoking, opinionated exploration of the top sports stories each day. In this episode, Colin delves into the unprecedented AFC Championship game ratings, examines the successful team-building strategies of the Chiefs and Eagles through the draft, and critiques the current state of the Pro Bowl.

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1. AFC Championship Game Ratings: A Record-Breaking Phenomenon

Timestamp: [02:31]

Colin kicks off the episode by analyzing the staggering viewership numbers of the recent AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, which attracted over 57 million viewers—a record for the event. He attributes this surge to several factors:

• Star Power: The presence of high-profile players like Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.
• Team Popularity: Both teams have strong fan bases and compelling narratives.
• Media Saturation: Extensive coverage across various media platforms has heightened interest.

Notable Quote:
"The AFC Championship reached over 57 million viewers, showcasing the NFL's unparalleled ability to capture a nationwide audience. It's a testament to the league's star players and the compelling storylines they bring to the field." — Colin Cowherd [02:45]

Colin contrasts these numbers with other sports' championship viewerships, emphasizing that no other sport consistently garners such massive attention during their peak events. He suggests that the NFL's combination of strategic team-building and star quarterbacks plays a pivotal role in maintaining high ratings.

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2. Building Through the Draft: Chiefs and Eagles as Case Studies

Timestamp: [05:10]

Transitioning to team-building strategies, Colin highlights the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles as exemplary models of successful drafting and player development. He underscores the following key points:

• Draft Success: Both teams have drafted a significant number of their starters, particularly on the defensive line. The Chiefs and Eagles have internally cultivated talent, reducing dependency on free agency.

  Quote:
  "Both the Chiefs and Eagles have drafted 15 of their 22 starters, showcasing the importance of building through the draft rather than relying solely on free agents." — Colin Cowherd [07:30]

• Player Retention: Unlike other sports where star players frequently move teams, the Chiefs and Eagles maintain stability by retaining key players, fostering a cohesive team environment.

  Quote:
  "In the NFL, star quarterbacks like Mahomes and Allen remain with their teams longer, providing a stable foundation that other sports struggle to replicate." — Colin Cowherd [10:15]

• Financial Strategy: By investing heavily in their quarterbacks, both teams have allocated resources towards drafting and retaining defensive linemen, ensuring a balanced and formidable roster.

Timestamp: [12:50]

Colin elaborates on how this approach not only enhances team performance but also builds a loyal fan base, as supporters can consistently follow the same stars and team dynamics year after year.

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3. The Pro Bowl: A Decline into Irrelevance

Timestamp: [15:25]

Shifting focus, Colin delivers a scathing critique of the Pro Bowl, labeling it as a "joke" in the current NFL landscape. He outlines several reasons for his stance:

• Player Disinterest: Many top players decline Pro Bowl invitations, prioritizing rest or personal engagements over participating in an exhibition game.

  Quote:
  "Players like Travis Kelce and Russell Wilson are increasingly opting out of the Pro Bowl, signaling a lack of genuine interest and commitment to the event." — Colin Cowherd [17:00]

• Quality of Play: The absence of star players leads to a diminished quality of competition, making the game less appealing to fans.

• Commercialization: Colin argues that the Pro Bowl has become overly commercialized, losing its competitive spirit in favor of entertainment and spectacle.

Timestamp: [19:40]

He nostalgically reminisces about the Pro Bowl's earlier days when participating was considered a prestigious honor, and the game was taken more seriously by both players and fans.

Quote:
"Remember when the Pro Bowl was a true showcase of the league's best talents? Today, it's nothing more than a lukewarm exhibition that fails to draw meaningful interest." — Colin Cowherd [21:05]

Colin suggests that the NFL needs to reevaluate the Pro Bowl's format and purpose if it hopes to regain its former prestige and relevance.

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4. NFL vs. Other Sports: Stability and Star Power

Timestamp: [23:15]

Colin draws comparisons between the NFL and other major sports leagues, emphasizing the unique stability and star power within football. He points out:

• Player Loyalty: Unlike the NBA or MLB, where star athletes frequently switch teams, NFL stars tend to stay with one team for longer periods, fostering deeper connections with fans.

• Media Consumption: The NFL's strategic scheduling, with fewer games per week, makes it easier for fans to follow compared to other sports with daily or nightly competitions.

Quote:
"The NFL's structure inherently supports star power and team loyalty, creating an environment where fans develop lasting attachments to both players and franchises." — Colin Cowherd [25:00]

Colin attributes the NFL's high ratings and sustained popularity to these factors, highlighting how the league capitalizes on its strengths to maintain a dominant position in the sports landscape.

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5. Additional Insights and Team Management

Timestamp: [27:30]

In the latter part of the episode, Colin touches upon broader NFL topics, including:

• Team Management Decisions: He discusses the complexities of managing star players and the impact of coaching changes on team performance, using examples like the Raiders' organizational shifts and the Browns' handling of key players like Travis Kelce and Max Crosby.

• Free Agency vs. Draft: Colin reiterates the importance of drafting foundational players over relying heavily on free agency, emphasizing that well-drafted players often provide better long-term value and team cohesion.

Quote:
"Free agency has its place, but without a strong drafting strategy, teams risk losing their core players, disrupting team chemistry and long-term success." — Colin Cowherd [29:45]

• Quarterback Influence: He underscores the pivotal role of quarterbacks in shaping a team's identity and success, citing Patrick Mahomes and others as central to their respective franchises.

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6. Conclusion: The NFL's Enduring Appeal

Timestamp: [32:10]

Colin wraps up the episode by reaffirming the NFL's unparalleled appeal, driven by strategic team-building, star quarterbacks, and a tightly controlled game schedule that maximizes viewership and fan engagement.

Final Quote:
"The NFL stands unrivaled in its ability to captivate a nation. Through intelligent team building and the magnetic presence of its quarterbacks, the league continues to dominate the sports conversation year after year." — Colin Cowherd [33:00]

He encourages listeners to appreciate the unique aspects of football that contribute to its sustained popularity, setting it apart from other sports in both strategy and cultural impact.

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Key Takeaways:

• The AFC Championship game's record-breaking ratings are a testament to the NFL's effective utilization of star power and strategic team-building.
• The Chiefs and Eagles exemplify successful drafting and player retention, fostering team stability and strong performances.
• The Pro Bowl has declined in prestige due to player disinterest and commercialization, necessitating a reevaluation of its format.
• The NFL's structure promotes player loyalty and optimal media consumption, distinguishing it from other major sports leagues.
• Effective team management and the pivotal role of quarterbacks are crucial to long-term success and fan engagement in the NFL.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

1. "The AFC Championship reached over 57 million viewers, showcasing the NFL's unparalleled ability to capture a nationwide audience." — Colin Cowherd [02:45]
2. "Both the Chiefs and Eagles have drafted 15 of their 22 starters, showcasing the importance of building through the draft rather than relying solely on free agents." — Colin Cowherd [07:30]
3. "Players like Travis Kelce and Russell Wilson are increasingly opting out of the Pro Bowl, signaling a lack of genuine interest and commitment to the event." — Colin Cowherd [17:00]
4. "Remember when the Pro Bowl was a true showcase of the league's best talents? Today, it's nothing more than a lukewarm exhibition that fails to draw meaningful interest." — Colin Cowherd [21:05]
5. "Free agency has its place, but without a strong drafting strategy, teams risk losing their core players, disrupting team chemistry and long-term success." — Colin Cowherd [29:45]
6. "The NFL stands unrivaled in its ability to captivate a nation. Through intelligent team building and the magnetic presence of its quarterbacks, the league continues to dominate the sports conversation year after year." — Colin Cowherd [33:00]

---

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers insightful analysis into the factors driving the NFL's success, the critical importance of drafting and player retention, and the challenges facing traditional events like the Pro Bowl. Colin's engaging commentary provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of current NFL dynamics and their broader implications within the sports industry.

Transcript

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[John Middlekauff]

What is going on, everybody? Hopefully Everyone is having a great day, great morning, great afternoon. Whenever you listen to this great night. Who knows this podcast? We're going to talk a little football today. Lot going on the AFC championship game shattered some records with viewers. You got Pete Carroll, John Spitek, what to do with Max Crosby, Tom Brady. Do you have any opinions? We have the Senior bowl starting. That means the draft and the process is starting because all the teams go down to Mobile, Alabama and I wanted to look the Eagles and the Chiefs, they have something in common and how they built their team. And just some other NFL stories as well as a long Middlekopf mailbag at John Middlekopf at johnmittlekoff is the Instagram fire in those DMs. Easiest way to get on the show, get a question answered. I actually recorded it earlier today. Long mailbag today. So tried to bang out a bunch of your guys questions and other than that, what day is today? Tuesday. So you're probably listening to us on a Wednesday. Yeah, we'll just keep on firing. Pro bowl week, baby. So make sure you subscribe to the podcast if you listen on Collins feed, if you like a little thing called YouTube. I got the YouTube premium. I just bought it so I didn't have to do any ads. It's fantastic. You can stream even with your phone closed. I can listen to a video. Highly recommended actually free ad there. Not even Google ain't paying me. But make sure you check out the YouTube channel. We got all of our videos up there as well. But before we dive into some football, you know I got to tell you about my friends, my partners in the official ticketing app of this podcast, Game Time. Here's the thing. Game Time is awesome and they have you covered. You want to go to a concert? Me and Maria were just talking. Waste management is in my backyard. Next week, five minutes away from me and Blake Shelton, Post Malone, you name it. Play concerts. It's a big week. Super bowl in a week. If you're going to that, you get tickets to any event. Anything you want to go to, whether it's concerts, comedy shows, any game, college basketball, NBA hockey, college hockey, baseball. Right around the spring training. You want to go to a spring training game. Game time makes it so easy. I'm telling you price points. Search by where you want to sit, search by the venue. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game time. Download the GameTime app, create an account and use the code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again, create an account, redeem the code John for $20 off. Download the Gametime app. Last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. Okay, let's, let's start with the championship game. And the Bills and Chiefs did a little bit over 57 million people. A lot of eyeballs on that football game. And I think what makes the NFL much more unique than the other sports, obviously baseball and basketball and hockey. Don't sniff those type numbers for any playoff experience. But like those, look at the Dodgers, Yankees, highest rated World Series in a long, long time. It's the two biggest brands in the league. Like what were the biggest NBA games of my lifetime? Shaq and Kobe included Michael Jordan, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Very, very predicated on either the major, major markets or the all time superstars. And ideally combined where football, I don't need a major market. The highest rated NFC championship game in the history of the league is the Niners and The Giants in 2012. Perfect combination. You get the biggest city in America, the New York Giants, who'd already won a Super bowl with Eli. You get Jim Harbaugh resurrecting The San Francisco 49ers, one of the biggest brands, also one of the biggest markets playing in the NFC championship game. That's, that's a BP fastball. But what about when you get small markets like Buffalo and Kansas City? Well, forever in society, we all watched the same thing. When I was a kid, my television channels were the same as my Neighbors. We had five of them. NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and we had like Local 31 where they'd play the Sacramento Kings games and we get some Giants games. I didn't even get cable till I was in junior high, high school, basically in like 2000. It's why when you look back at some of the highest rated television shows of all time, it's like MASH in the 80s or Cheers in the 80s or even the Seinfeld episodes. Everyone was watching those shows. Obviously they were good. Most people would agree. But you didn't have that many options. You and me, I could text 100 people. I don't even know if I know 100 people. But if I texted a hundred people and I said, let's all pick a show tonight and not tell the other one which one we pick. There is a decent chance that a small percentage of people would watch the same thing. It's like, do you go to Netflix? Do you go to Amazon Prime? Do you go to Paramount Plus? I mean, I go to my Roku. I have so many options, I can never find anything to watch. And I Got a million apps of streaming services. It's like, how is this humanly possible? Sometimes I have to rely on my mom. She's like, oh, the new night agents out. Check that out. I'm like, that's not bad. But I can go for weeks of like, there is nothing to watch. I probably should read a book and instead I'll just watch some stupid show. But that's not the case anymore and it's why it's so difficult to get eyeballs on things. We have a million options. I see it in the world I live in, the media. People that used to dominate in the profession of either talking or writing or people that, let's just say, covered sports. You had to work for a major publication, either one of the huge newspapers or one of the major magazines, or be on the big quote unquote radio station in town. I'd say now all those are borderline irrelevant beside three or four towns and things change and it is hard to grab people's attention. Gary Vee has been beating this drum forever. We day trade attention. Now that is the business of most people. It's definitely the business I'm in, trying to get people to listen and enjoy it and keep coming back and tell their friends about it and be entertained by this little podcast. And I think the NFL gives us something that most people can universally agree on. Whether you are, you know, just a die hard scheme head, like I wonder what type defense bags is going to run today. Or just like, you know what I really like? Patrick Mahomes. Lamar Jackson's fun. Andy Reid feels like a good guy. I'm a diehard Vikings fan, right? I just like watching the Vikings whenever they're on Sunday. But one thing is clear is when I was a kid, the other three sports were massive too. Basketball, baseball and the NFL. They were, they, they felt like all equals. But when you turned on a baseball game, you knew that Greg Maddox was going to play for the Atlanta Braves for a long, long time. I knew when Barry Bonds came to the Giants as a free agent, he was going to be there for a while. And I think in football, it's the only sport you know. Basketball during the Adam Silver era, lot of red flags during that time. I would say the number one thing that jumps out, guys leave teams all the time. It's been, I would say define the Adam Silver. Silver era has been almost at waste management, has been load management and just player movement, which is fine. And no one has a problem if you're a free agent taking off. But it does feel like guys are always demanding trades. Hell, before I jumped on today, the Sacramento Kings star player wants a trade and they're probably going to trade them. Why? Because that's just what happens in the NBA. Yet in football, when I say Patrick Mahomes, when I say Josh Allen, you go, those guys are going to be on their team. As long as things are going well, they want to stay, the team's going to want them. And really quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, more than likely, if he can stay healthy, is going to have a 15 to 20 year career on the Kansas City Chiefs. Josh Allen will be on the Buffalo Bills for a similar length of time if he can stay healthy. And we all know that going in, there's a decent chance that Travis Kelsey, who will go down as the greatest pass catching tight end of all time if he retires at, you know, when the super bowl is over, win or lose, which kind of feels like is going to happen, will have spent his entire career for one team and for one coach. Chris Jones, more than likely, even if he ends his career for someone else, will spend 95% of his career playing for the Chiefs. Trent McDuffie is at minimum going to get a second contract and play seven, eight, nine years for the Chiefs. So you get this build up of the reality television show that is the NFL because you get to grow with the guys because they don't leave. Now I'm not saying that player movement doesn't happen. We get trades, we get free agency. But the main players, the stars of the show, don't leave unless someone wants them gone, typically with the team. And if the team wants them gone, like the packers with Aaron Rodgers, there's usually a reason. Or Pete Carroll in Seattle with Russell Wilson. It doesn't just happen on a whim and it rarely ever happens. Of I demand a trade, they usually go, cool. See a training camp. And I think the NFL, you know, resonates with people for a variety of reasons. But I think the main reason is sign me up for the Bills and the Chiefs another five times. And you know what? I know what I'm going to get. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. The other sports just can't say that. Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto is a good example. He just got almost $800 million. He is in the prime of his career. In his mid-20s. He has been on four teams, the Washington Nationals, the Padres, the Yankees and now the Mets in the last 24 months. Not ideal. That would never happen in the NFL. Okay, the senior Bowl. This is a all star game. The top all star game typically in for college players and basically everyone in the NFL unless you get a brand new coach or gm. But every scouting department is represented and the majority of coaches and their coaching staffs and the decision makers attend this event because you get a ton of guys who are going to be drafted just throughout the draft, but first, second, third round pick. So guys that are going to be top 8,000 draft picks. And I was watching the day because it's just a good broadcast. My guy, Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis and Rhett are just doing a good job. It's entertaining to have on during the day this week. And it got me thinking like how did the Chiefs and the Eagles build their team? Because when I worked in Philly and I think the last time I talked to Howie, he still does this and now it includes his team. But he always put the final four in the NFL, their rosters and I would imagine with the Eagles it's all digitized. But when I was there we used to have it on a board on his wall of the final four in the NFL so he could just look at the rosters during the off season because that's who you're chasing if you're not there. And it's like, how did the Eagles and the Chiefs build their team? Because we always say it, I always say it. I was always taught this. We hear it said non stop. Anytime you watch one of these press conferences with a new coach, with a new gm, they all reiterate this and rightfully so. Build through the draft. Build through the draft, develop those players and then resign those players. The Eagles. Now it's, you know, when you look at a team starting lineup, defense can change by a player because if you come out with two running backs, a tight end and two wide receivers, my nickel corner more than likely will not be on the field. And if you come out with three wide receivers, the nickel corner will be on the field. So it can change by a guy. But the Eagles and the Chiefs are nickel corners are from their draft I got both teams having drafted 15 of their 22 starters. But the number one thing that stood out to me is all the Chiefs D linemen starting defensive lineman and all the Eagles starting defensive linemen are draft picks because both teams are paying their quarterback a lot of money. So if you're going to pay your quarterback a lot of money, you're going to have to draft well. And the most expensive position, non quarterback is going to be a defensive lineman. Ask the Chiefs Chris Jones makes a ton of money, but they have drafted well around him. Hell, they use one of their other first round picks a couple of years ago on George Karlovskas, who's really good player. The Eagles, their entire front, from Nolan Smith to Jordan Davis to Jalen Carter to sweat, are draft picks. Because you look at their offense and you go, well, Howie, how'd you build this thing? They're spending a lot of money on offense. Right tackle makes a lot, Left tackle makes a lot. Quarterback paid running back, $13 million a year. Tight end makes a lot. Both receivers, they have invested a ton of money into their offense, but a lot of those guys are drafted. Seven guys on offense, eight guys on defense. Chiefs, seven guys on offense, eight guys on defense. All their defensive linemen starters, both teams drafted. And on offense, the Eagles, four of their five starters are drafted. The Chiefs, three of their five starters are drafted. And early on in the season it would have been four, but they had to, you know, put the rookie on the bench. And I think when you look at the Eagles, their only starter on the offensive line who's not a draft pick is Makai Becton, who they're not paying much money. And when you look at the Eagles draft these last really four years, their first couple picks in each draft, they don't miss and they have not missed. So that has allowed them to go through the ups and downs throughout a season with their quarterback, who has some good games and can be awesome, obviously is a great running threat and can be an explosive passer as a playmaker, but can have some bad games. But their team is so good and they've hit on so many draft picks, it doesn't matter. And this year they revamped their coaching staff. It's like all the talent, all their, you know, hits on during the draft, it's all come together. The Chiefs, I'd argue, have the best coaching staff in the NFL based on two guys. They have the best head coach, who's also a play caller, and the best defensive coordinator. It's like, how do you beat that? And obviously they got the best quarterback slash, one of the greatest tight ends of all time, and one of the best defensive linemen in Chris Jones, plus a ton of other guys they've drafted that are really good. And here's the thing, when you draft and you hit on the picks, you know them well and they know you well. It's why free agency can be so difficult. Guys, a free agent for a reason. This is not baseball where it's like, well, The Tampa Bay Rays couldn't afford them. Well, the Oakland A's, they just were never going to pay them. Every team can pay anyone in the NFL. They just choose who they pay and who they let walk. So when you're signing a guy in free agency or you're trading for a player, there's typically a reason then that doesn't mean he's not a good player. It doesn't mean you shouldn't want to trade for him. But, like, he's available. And typically core guys who are high end players, like Lane Johnson's never been available. Right? That's never happened. Chris Jones was never available. Travis Kelsey, never available. Dallas Goddard, since he's been in the league, has never been available. Devonte Smith, not available. You know, Jalen Carter ain't going to be available. So you got to take advantage of the draft. Not just the first round, but the second round as well. And both these two teams with Howie Veach have done a fucking unreal job. Speaking of new administration, the Pete Carroll, John Spytek, I saw Peter Schrager tweeting about it. The vibes were high. It was. I got a couple of texts from people in the league, like, it was hard to not watch that and go, this is cool. Like, just seeing Pete's energy, how excited he was, and one thing jumped out. I saw Florio wrote about this. They mentioned Tom Brady, like, every other sentence. I mean, Tom Brady might as well be the majority owner, might as well be the team president, because Pete Carroll couldn't stop talking about him. I mean, he hammered that home. Every question he was asked. It was kind of crazy. So, like, this is where when people go, I didn't think Fox had to make a statement. You have Tom make the statement a couple weeks ago. We all get it. No one actually cares. I get why people in the league cares, but I'm just saying, me as the consumer, just like Tom, just call the game. I understand you're part of the Raiders, but the reality is he's not just a part of the Raiders. He's a big part of the Raiders. And I think a big reason that John Spytek and Pete Carroll are they are now running the Raiders is because of Tom Brady. And when I look at the Raiders, their team's not very good. You know, today Andrew Barry, the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, I, like a lot of people think, like, you know, I could see Miles Garrett getting traded. He doubled down. Not only are we not trading him, we plan on signing him to another contract and plan on having him retire to be a Cleveland Brown. Now listen, this is, this is a unique industry where people in charge constantly have to talk, right? Even like Fortune 500 companies, you probably only have to talk at like your quarterly earnings. If you're a CEO, like, you can just shut your mouth a lot of the time. Like in the NFL, a coach, one, he's. During the season, he's mandated to talk like three times a week. And now like your GM Senior bowl, the combine during free agency, like, there's just going to be a lot of microphones in front of you. Like, it's hard to avoid. So sometimes you just have to say things to kind of calm the waters. And other times, like, you say something like that. I don't see why he would put that out there if he didn't believe it. I don't blame him for saying that. Miles Garrett's going to go down as like a first ballot hall of Famer. I would say Max Crosby has an ability. If he can stay healthy, like, he's a first ballot, first ballot, be strong. I mean, he's got a long way to go, but he's a Hall of Fame talent. The difference is the Browns, if they're just healthy and they get decent quarterback play, we all agree, like, they could be a really competitive team. That is not true with the Raiders. They're a year away from being a year away. And this is not Pete or John Spytek's fault. And I am pro the Pete Carroll hire. But the one problem is that this is not like, you know, just some reload. This is a true rebuild and the only true asset you have. Because Brock Bowers is a second year player. You're obviously, he's an asset you keep. Max Crosby is going to be 28 this fall and he's gone on record and saying like, I'm out of guaranteed money, AKA like it's time to change my contract around. I also think Max Crosby has been pretty open about the last couple of years. Specifically this year is like, I'm kind of tired of losing. Don't blame him. It's not easy to play for the Raiders your entire career, the last couple decades, you lose a lot. And Pete Carroll, when I think Max Crosby, I think a guy like Pete Carroll, he's going to fucking love Max Crosby. Football guys, think of all the top coaches in the NFL. Andy Reid, Sean McVeigh, right? They, Kyle Shanahan, the Packers, the Dan Campbell, like, they would all love Max Crosby. Max Crosby is a football guy's dream. Whether you're A coach or whether you're a gm. But he's also the Raiders only true asset to really help start this rebuild. And I think like you got to think long and hard. I texted, you know, essentially assistant GM in the league. He thought that you could get multiple ones a player and like a fourth round pick for Max Crosby one just because, like I said, how highly he's thought of in the football community and just how his energy and everything changes your franchise. And you put them on the Lions, on the packers, you know, on the Bills, on another team who is right there, it's a game changer. You put them on a team with no talent and no quarterback, you can only do so much. And I just wonder and this is where you know John John Spytak, P. Carroll, they said all the right things. They don't really know each other, but they seem like similar high energy, optimistic guys. Awesome spot for Spy Tech to go to work with Pete, who has decades of experience at the highest level. But if I'm on Spy Tech, like I would think about trading them. And you saw, you saw Pete look at Max yesterday and say, max, we're coming. Put out the word because Pete's not going to want to get rid of Max Crosby. So it's going to be very interesting. Now there have been reports that the Raiders and Mark Davis shot it down last year. I just think the right thing for the franchise would be at least to entertain it. 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[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else you can find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Cuz we got lots to say. I I texted you and you texted me back. Now I don't know if you have the update but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it and the the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm going to be honest, it was a little pink.

[John Middlekauff]

There was something sentimental when you, like when, when you say he was like do I send the heart now I.

[Bobby Bones]

Don'T like the color edition.

[John Middlekauff]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch and I'm exhausted, but turns out the end is near. Right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out Like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Burke]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL Unscripted with Virgin Demers.

[Jason Demers]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst. And boy, oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Burke]

I love you, by the way, on NHL Network, we're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture and you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.

[Adnan Burke]

Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts. Ferky.

[Adnan Burke]

That shirt of kazarakas. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burke and Demers. The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Middlekauff]

The Aaron Glenn press conference was awesome. You just, you watch him for five minutes and you see why players love him. Obviously he was a great player. And he told this awesome story about how a couple years after retired and he played in the NFL for like 17 years. He was freaking out at the television and his wife looked at him and said, you got to become a coach. And he thought, oh my God, that's, that's the weight off, you know, the pressure off my shoulders. I've always wanted to coach, but I felt obligated because I played football for so long to be like a stay at home dad, slash a businessman. And so he called Bill Parcells, a guy that he played for in the league. And he said, coach, I'm ready to jump in head first. And Bill said, before you coach, become a scout. And Glenn's like, I don't want to become a scout. He's like, I'm telling you, scout for a couple years before you start coaching. It'll help you out immensely, especially as you move up the ranks. And he hammered this home yesterday. He said that's the best piece of advice he ever got. I didn't even realize that he worked as a scout for the jets in house and scouting college players. And when you look at Aaron Glenn, he. His resume is, I would say, probably unlike many people in the NFL, head coaches, GMs, he played in the NFL, he scouted in the NFL, and he's been an assistant coach, he's been a coordinator, and now he's been a head coach. He's literally checked every box you could possibly check in the league. Those shoes are hard to fill. And I was thinking about, like, you know, Collins said this forever. You learn someone's value, not by how once they go to someone else, some other company, start dating someone else, just change careers. What they do in that new spot, what happens to the spot they left. And Collins, a good example. He left ESPN radio. How's that thing going? It's completely irrelevant and basically cratered since the moment he left. And I think about this like, Maria was just gone for four days at a bridal shower in California. Like, the house becomes a mess. Door dash gets ordered twice a day. I remember being a kid when my mom would go out of town, it would be like, me, my dad, my brother, it would just be a disaster. Because there are certain people that keep it together. And I was thinking, it is harder to find a good defensive coordinator than it is to find a good offensive coordinator. Why? Because there are just more good offensive coaches out there than there are good defensive coaches out there. Honestly, on a given year, it feels like there's a very, very small number of good defensive coaches. Because it's. As a great offensive coach, I don't have to be a great leader. I really don't. That's why when you hear some. You watch Ben Johnson or Liam Cohen give a press conference, they don't inspire anything. Watch Aaron Glenn give a press conference. He looks like he's leading the troops out to battle and he's talking to the media because that's how you have to communicate with defensive players. And I just think, listen, Kelvin Shepard, who played in the NFL for a long time, who just started coaching in 2021, is now the Lions defensive coordinator. And I'm rooting for the guy, Saab McAfee who played with him, loves him. People think very highly of him. Clearly Dan Campbell thinks highly of this guy. And I remember in Hard Knocks he was impressive. It's hard to fill the shoes of Aaron Glenn because he was twofold. He's clearly really impressive with the group and schematically he knows his shit. And you can't fake 30 years of experience playing for all those different coaches, then scouting and understanding personnel strengths and weaknesses to then work your way up as an assistant DB coach, to become a DB coach, to then become a coordinator. And I just look at the Lions like they just hired Johnny Morton to be their offensive coordinator. It's going to be pretty hard. Maybe it won't be Ben Johnson, but they'll be fine on offense. Why? They're way too talented and if anything just run the similar plays that Ben Johnson ran. Defense is a different animal. I've seen it with the 49ers. They have run through coordinators because like, ah, this just doesn't work. And a lot of it is just the way you communicate and it's why they went back to the well with Robert Sala. So I'm watching Aaron Glenn. Those are tough, tough shoes to fill. I mentioned this earlier, but the Pro Bowl, I just think that it's pretty sad that, you know, the NFL and I would put basketball here. Like their All Star Pro bowl game is just, it's a joke. And I think this is definitely a product of once you start paying guys 30, 20, $50 million. How could I take this seriously? You know, I remember being a kid and hearing guys talk about it and how excited they were to go to Hawaii and take their family on a vacation. And it's like Dan Marino and Brett Favre. But what were those guys making back? And then 2, 3, 4, $5 million, which was a ton of money relative to society. But you're still not turning down a free trip to Hawaii. It was a really, really big deal when you make $50 million, hell, when you sign a hundred million dollar contract, like, yeah, I don't really feel like going to Miami or Vegas. I'll just, I take my own family to Cancun. I just do not care. The NBA All Star Game, they could not care any less. Like these guys put in zero effort. Baseball is the only sport where they play the All Star Game. And at least this looks like a normal baseball game. But I would say football has now Paralleled basketball. The difference is in basketball they still show up. I would imagine there are some financial reasons. In football, half these guys. Josh Allen will be playing at AT&T Pro Am. I would imagine this in a couple days here in Pebble Beach. He does not go to the Pro Bowl. He just will not go because he wants to go play golf at Pebble Beach. Don't blame him. I would too. That was not the case 20, 30 years ago. And I understand you put whatever the event is them playing flag football and still millions of people will watch. But this thing, I mean to me it's no longer for me, I just do not care. And I think it's showing by all these players like declining invites. And once you start like Russell Wilson's going to the Pro Bowl. Drake May is going to the Pro Bowl. You lose me and you lost me years ago like when Mac Jones was going to the Pro Bowl. It's kind of sad, but there's as this business and the money flow to the players keeps growing and growing like it is now. This is only going to continue. We're only in the beginning of this thing becoming the NBA All Star Game, which is completely irrelevant. I just visually remember hearing, you know, players talk about it, clips from there. Like guys used to really enjoy it. That is no longer the case. And last but not least, sometimes whenever you see like so and so is staying. Cliff Kingsbury is going to stay in Washington. That that was a report that I read today. Kingsbury stays in Washington. It's like, well, would he have been the Saints head coach? Probably not. But like if you're Cliff, you have another year where you're in the playoffs. I would imagine he will be one of the top candidates next year, which I do think is a little crazy. I think two things can be true. Kliff Kingsbury is perfect for Washington, is perfect for Jaden and is an awesome offensive coordinator. Is Cliff Kingsbury head coach. And there's nothing wrong with not being a head coach. Ask Spagnola or Vic Fangio. It pays 3, 4, 5 million dollars to be a coordinator in this league. You know, I'm watching Liam Cohen yesterday. I think I mentioned this on yesterday's podcast. I'm not trying to make huge reactions when, when press conferences don't go bad. He does come off a little weird. And part of being the head coach is not just interacting with Baker Mayfield or Will Levis. I mean Liam Cohen was an assistant wide receiver coach five years ago. I mean it's an epic come up. Epic come up. It's. It's borderline insane. Like. Well, he did a great job with Baker Mayfield this year. Their offense was awesome last year as well. I mean, Baker Mayfield coming into this year got $100 million contract for a reason. But I. I'm not saying I would rather have Cliff, like, Cliff the guy than Liam Cohen the guy. I just don't think he's a head coach. And then there's just nothing wrong with that. If you're Washington, you're paying him a ton of money. It's a great spot. You get to resurrect this iconic franchise. And, yeah, props to him for just resurrecting his career.

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You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Cart has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I. I texted you and you texted me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but, like, all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like, it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.

[John Middlekauff]

There was something sentimental when you like when you send it. It was like, do I send the heart now?

[Bobby Bones]

I don't like the color edition.

[John Middlekauff]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, and I'm exhausted, but turns out the end is near, right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're going to take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Burke]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke, here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast and the National Hockey League. It's NHL unscripted with Virk and Demers.

[Jason Demers]

And hey, I'm Jason Immers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst. And boy, oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Burke]

I love you, by the way, on NHL Network. We're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things surrounding it that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth and all things NHL.

[Adnan Burke]

Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts, Virky.

[Adnan Burke]

That's sure to cause a ruckus. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Ver and demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Middlekauff]

Okay, let's do a little thing we like to call the Middlekopf Mailbag at John Middlecoff at John Middlekopf. Is the Instagram fire in those DMs? Get your question answered here on the show. Quick question for you. As someone who knows the Shanahan coaching tree, what's your take on Seattle hiring Kubiak as their new oc? It feels like a move that could bring some of the Shanahan Style, influence to Seattle, which is intriguing. Do you think Kubiak has what it takes to elevate Seattle's offense, given the talent they're going to have on their roster? Also, would you ever consider coming up with a name for like your fans of the pod, Like I think Jim Rome used to call it, you're in the jungle or stoolies or something. I mean, I'm not great at brand names at coming up with them, so you got any ideas, hit me up. I would say Kubiak, you know the Shanahan tree. He's of the Mike Shanahan tree because his father Gary was like Mike Shanahan's first real protege, right. Played for him as a quarterback, as a backup, then immediately transitioned as his quarterback coach, offensive coordinator. He's got multiple sons. Clint, I think, played football at Colorado State, but he was a safety, not an offensive player. His coaching style, he's transitioned to be a offensive guy because you know what he knows, I'm sure, growing up from his dad. I would say that Mike McDonald aspires to do what they did when Baltimore of running the ball. And I think that was a knock on. On Ryan Grubb, who they fired, who I haven't seen if he's already back at Alabama, but that's where most people thought he would go is run the football. And Kubiak, no coordinator in the NFL started hotter than Kubiak because this year, through two games with New Orleans, it looked like they were the greatest show on turf. And then they got a million injuries and it fell apart. But he's going to run the ball. I had a buddy that was on that staff with him in New Orleans and he said, this guy loves running the ball, so get ready for that. Now that almost all the coaching positions have filled, would love to hear your opinion. What grade would you give each hire? I would. You got to give the Bears an A because that's who they wanted. That's who all their fans wanted. The number one coach on the market. They had to get him Jags. That thing seems like a shit show. I know he's had a good year in Tampa, but I'm giving that thing a C. It's like you interviewed him and then you fired Bulky and then you had to give him 12, $13 million. He's kind of a weird dude. I got that thing red flagged Jets, I'd go A minus, you know, B plus. I really like Aaron Glenn. I just like, did he have a lot? Yeah, I guess New Orleans probably wanted him a minus A. I think it's harder. The difference, like why I'd give the Bears an A and you know, Aaron Glenn. I view them both as really good candidates. You know, it's harder. You know, Ben Johnson is going to have an immediate impact. Why he calls the plays for Caleb Williams and he's going to do nothing on defense because that's going to be Dennis Allen's baby. It's very easy to see the hierarchy there. He's going to call plays, he's going to try to resurrect the offense and Dennis Allen, who's a good defensive coordinator. It's just easy to see how that operates sometimes when you become the CEO head coach. Even though Aaron Glenn is. You watch his personality. He's set up for that, right? To be like a Harbaugh brother or Tomlin. You know, he's going to be fine. But it's like, well who are your coordinators? Who's calling the plays? Who's your quarterback? It's just more challenging that way. Raiders I think you'd have to give a pretty good grade because I mean you just get a real coach. Patriots a Cowboys. I'll give a B minus. I think everyone's given the Cowboys an F. Like you can give Jerry enough in their process. Nef but I, I don't know if Brian Schottenheimer is going to be that much different. Mike McCarthy to be honest with you. A lot of people keep asking me did I work with Spy Tech with the Eagles. We missed each other. He left the year that I showed up. I've been watching the pod for a long time but haven't asked a mailbag question. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the Bengals firing Anna Rumo. Felt like the move to divert the blame from Zach Taylor, who's been disappointing from a game management and offensive creativity standpoint. How long do you think he lasts? I know they're cheap similar to the Chargers pre Harbaugh, but the Chargers were in a similar situation with Herbert and Staley and just last season they made a change. Did he buy himself more time because of his success early in Burrows career? Thanks for reading. My question major difference between him and old Brandon, which I hope Robert Sala tosses out of the building in San Francisco. Sooner or later Zach Taylor does call the offensive place. So like your most prized possession Joe and your second Jamar Chase, the offense is kind of his thing now you can say he's an overrated offensive play caller and I think really nitpicking sometimes his play Calling in a situational standpoint can be a little weird. It's like pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. But like, ultimately he does impact the quarterback. I do think he is, you know, we use that term, I think, a little too loosely. Everyone just throws it out like he's on the hot seat. I think of Zach Taylor. They're not in the playoffs. He will not be the coach of the Bengals next year. There any chance that Schottenheimer works? I mean, I assume there is, however small it is. But how much credit would Jerry get? Even at that point? It was a best, a blind guess, 100%. There's a chance it works. Like, why can't Brian Schottenheimer just be solid? And if they do a good job, they've drafted well over the years and he just, his team stays healthy, they couldn't compete to make the wild card next year. I 100% believe that that's a possibility. He is not like some Urban Meyer that had no clue how to operate in the NFL. Doesn't seem like he's, you know, completely over his head. Like some of these guys, like Joe Judge or Patricia or Tom Sula, people love that. I keep dropping Tom Sula. I was just there for the Tomsula experience. And if you were there for the Tomsula experience, it's something you will never, ever forget. He once farted in a press conference. If you don't believe me, YouTube it. And it was awesome. It was glorious. I think Balky also farted in a press conference like in the last year, which is perfect because they were together when they were with the 49ers. Balky hired him, but he's. I just don't think he's going to be that bad now. I think if they just keep doing what they're doing, maybe a 10 win season and maybe a 7 win season, people are just going to freak out and blame Jerry. Now if it does work and he's just good, let's just say he's a good head coach and we'll see who is defensive coordinator. Oh, they hired Eberfluss, who's good defensive coordinator. Right. It's like some of these guys you just saw this cycle, right? Eberfluss fired Sala fired Dennis Allen fired all those guys. Immediate hires as defensive coordinators, good defensive coordinators, no brainer hires. Like all of them making a lot of money as defensive coordinators. They're just not good head coaches. So it's like you get a defensive coordinator now, you know, Jerry Love, like, why did he rehire Eberfluss or why did he hire Eberfluss or Schottenheimer? Like Iberfluz had worked there. So it's like they knew him. Jerry loves doing that shit. Like guys he knows. And I'm with you. If they win, let's say they won a Super Bowl. Let's just say in some world the Cowboys in two years win the Super Bowl. Jerry. You're right. Like, Jerry, if you were really believed what you were selling yesterday at the press conference, you would not have released the, you know, the news that you hired this guy Friday night at 9:00 Dallas time. And you can't tell me that you're just. Well, is it going to be the fan reaction? No. You knew everyone would shit on the move and like I just. I'm with you. I don't think Jerry gets that much credit. Even though he would take it all, literally all of it, over Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer could have an undefeated season. The Cowboys could win every game and win the Super Bowl. Dak could win the mvp. Jerry would take the credit. I do kind of like Jerry. I just find him entertaining. My question for the mailbag is this. Do you feel like Lamar Jackson would have a better chance at winning a Super bowl with another team? I know the Ravens are a stable organization, but I can't help but wonder if you played for the 49ers, you'd have a ring. Your thoughts? The 49ers have been to super bowl twice and they've played the Chiefs and they lost both games. Lamar Jackson hosted the NFC championship team or AFC championship last year. A team that the 49ers were in the Super Bowl. The Ravens played the Niners on Christmas in 2023 and beat the brakes off them. Kicked their ass. I forget the final score, but the final score was not as close to the actual game because the Niners got some. Got some garbage points. Let me just look up the score, 33 to 19. And the 49ers scored in the fourth quarter seven points. So it was 33 to 12 going into the fourth quarter. He had the number one seed, the best defense in the league. So no, I. The Ravens is as good of a spot as you can have. He has a great defense. He has Derrick Henry, now Mark Andrews, who usually can catch. I've been watching closely on how the ratings for the NBA are at a low point, but the NFL are at an all time high. I was curious if you recall a time when the NFL seemed to have a Popularity issue. I don't think it would ever be low when you consider the super bowl and the urgency of each game. But I started following football closely in 07 08, but wondered how the NFL's popularity looked like in the 2000s when we got Ravens, Giants, super bowl and Bucs, Raiders. I would say the NFL became much more popular over time in the Internet era. And I think a huge reason for that was the dominance of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Those two guys were Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, what they meant to the NBA. And then Tom Brady kept parlaying that into one of this 20 year dynasty with a team that more people hated than liked. And that just drew everyone's emotion. So I think the explosion of those two guys and then handing it off to, you know, guys like Aaron Rodgers, you know, Russell Wilson became a superstar for a couple years and then obviously the crew of guys we have now. So I think the NFL has always been driven by its star quarterbacks, at least in my lifetime. You know, I was born into LA Montana Marino, through Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Brett Favre, kind of that crew into Brady and Manning and Roethlisberger. I mean, there's a ton of guys, right? But Drew Brees, you're only as strong as your quarterbacks. And I think the NFL, we talked about it earlier on the pod, that the urgency, it's not just the urgency. It's. It's easy to consume. It's once a week. Like, I feel very lucky that this just. I ended up working in football because when I was early on in college, I would have worked in any of these sports, right. If they would have had me, I liked football the most. But if I could have got into baseball, I don't know if I would have lasted because I would have got bored. But I did my career. If someone would have hired me on a professional baseball team, I would have done that. And I think I feel very fortunate that I don't have to watch a baseball game every night. How I did this in radio, watch a basketball game every night, I can't even imagine doing that. Right. And when you do local radio, you don't really have a choice. Like I don't, I don't watch any of those sports. One, I don't even feel like they matter definitely to me and obviously to the consumer here in football, it's like it's a grind during the season, but it's Monday night, it's Sunday night, it's Thursday night, and that's kind of it. Like we Don't. There's no game on on Tuesday. There's no game on a Wednesday. There's no game on on Friday. There's college games and Saturday. Watch college. But it's, it's just if you're a diehard Bengal fan or die hard Penn State fan, it's just, it's so easy to consume, you know, for three hours once a week, the day might change. You know, in the NFL, it could be a Thursday night or it could be a Monday night. In college, I would say 99% of your games are going to be on Saturday, but every once in a while you might get like a Friday night game, not counting the playoffs. And it's just an easy sport to follow. And right or wrong, we've never been more splintered when it comes to our attention. Even though I feel like the content on television has never really been worse that the show with Tim Riggins. I think I talked about this recently where he's like, I wouldn't call it quite Cowboys and Indians. It's, you know, it's about, I think, the late 1800s, early 1900s, maybe the mid-1800s with Brigham Young. And it was just, it was like John Wick meets meets a Western. It was, it was a leap. Six shows, you know, as a series on Netflix. But I feel for every one of Those, there are 90 misses. I actually don't feel the content on these streaming services are that great. And it's pretty rare now. You know, every once in a while you get like a Game of Thrones, which I didn't really like. But I'm not that into like sci fi stuff though. I watch because I like violence and sex. So it's like if you tell me you're gonna give me, even if you are gonna have dragons, like, yeah, a lot of people die and a lot of nudity. It's like, yeah, I'll watch. But I don't feel like there are that many shows that like every single human's watching, you know, and football is the one I think we all agree on now, we might not like. I try to watch most games, right? I mean, so as the season goes on, like, you don't have to watch Jags, Giants, but, you know, I got multiple TVs with four boxes and TV and computer screens. But everyone, more than likely, if you're listening to this podcast, has a team. And if you're not watching the Red Zone, like you watch your team's game, you could be a big baseball fan, like, miss a week of baseball and it just doesn't matter. Like, it's pretty hard to miss a game of football and no one wants to do that. I saw an interesting graphic. The last 25 NFC and AFC championships, the AFC has obviously been dominated by Manning, Big Ben and Brady, and now Patty Mahomes. The NFC has been nothing but parity. However, despite having great quarterbacks like Breeze, Rogers to a lesser extent, Russell Wilson, Eli and Matt Ryan, why do you think none of those quarterbacks were able to dominate the NFC in the same way Patty, Tom and Peyton were able to dominate the afc? Well, the only one you listed in the NFC who is remotely as good as those other three guys is Aaron Rodgers. And I'm pretty sure Aaron Rodgers went to five championship games, which is pretty good. I think looking back on Aaron Rodgers career, I think if you played it, Bill Simmons plays this game sometimes. If you just played his career 10 times, you could argue, I guess he could potentially have a worse career. He could never have won a Super bowl like Dan Marino. But I think seven out of the 10 times, if we just ran a simulation, Aaron Rodgers makes it to like three or four Super Bowls. Even if he loses some of them, like he's in more Super Bowls. I think it's pretty crazy looking back at Aaron Rodgers career, that he only made it to one Super Bowl. I think it's pretty crazy, right? Like he's dramatically better than Russell Wilson. You know, it's Eli Manning. They just got hot at the right time. For whatever reason, Rogers would be on these awesome teams and his teams just wouldn't get hot in the playoffs and they would just lose these devastating games. Tampa, the one year to Brady, couple times, the 49ers, obviously the Seattle game that they lost was that game in Seattle. So I just think that you could argue that Patrick Mahomes, you know, Peyton Manning is better than Rogers and Tom Brady. Like Patrick and Brady had Belichick and had Andy Reid. You know, I think if you put Aaron Rodgers with one of those two guys, I think he has more Super Bowls. I mean, shit, Jalen's been to two. Jalen's been is going to start more Super Bowls than Aaron Rodgers. Jalen hurts. You know how crazy that is. Russell Wilson started more Super Bowls than Aaron Rodgers. Eli Manning did. It's pretty insane that he only went to one. It's pretty crazy. Giants fan here. I don't understand how we just give away three players, McKinney, Barkley and Daniel Jones and didn't get back one single draft pick. I understand their contracts were up but couldn't they have signed them to a contract and then immediately traded them? We have a tendency to do this and it pisses me off. Side note, Spags was our defensive coordinator when we won the Super bowl in 07. One of the few stop to stop Tom Brady. Dude is a legend. True. He really is. The Daniel Jones thing, it's like whatever. That was just all time disaster scenario, right? Has career year. I think he threw like what do you throw? 15 touchdowns and he gets the $80 million contract and that's just obviously an immediate regret. You know McKinney clearly just didn't vibe with the coaching staff. You know better than me. I mean I'm sure there have been articles written like they just. They didn't think he fit. I mean they drafted a safety relatively high right in the draft. You know the sake one thing's well documented in fairness to them. You know Saquon just for the money doesn't make sense. When your offensive line sucks and your offense sucks. I think that's just a win win. What are your thoughts on the University of Utah die hard youths fan but frustrated with Cam Rising and head coach Kyle Whittingham no sense of direction. We were projected to win the Big 12 last season but we're an embarrassment. You your guys relationship with Cam Rising has been. We all have this friend who's like had this on and off. Whether it's like a wife that feels like they've been divorced five times or a girlfriend that somehow they've been dating for seven, eight, 10 years. But it's like why aren't they married? Do they even like each other? But there's. It's a weird relationship and the Cam Rising thing should probably should ended a couple years ago and this year they went all in on him and he got hurt early. I was actually watching the game when he got. He got shoved I think into the bench and hurt his hand. And then you had to go to Zach Wilson's brother. You guys quarterback play. It's just I don't understand how this team can't just find some just solid quarterbacks. You have an elite defense, you always have good running backs. But your quarterback play subtract. Cam Rising is just sucks. It feels like it's been that way for a while. I'm not asking for Alex Smith number one overall pick but Utah you'd feel like yeah they just got a couple guys that were just drafted back to back times and like the sixth round that just doesn't happen. Keep up the great work I wanted to pose this to you for the mailbag. My wife is a schoolteacher and I work in compliance for a financial institution. We don't make an abnormal amount of money. And I'd say we're about middle class. As middle class comes, that's not a bad thing in my book. I agree. I want to eventually invest some of our money, but I'm not sure where to start. I was wondering if you have any advice or guidance about how to go about this. I don't necessarily need examples of what to invest with, but more so how I judge what a good investment would be. I mean, I feel that I'm not quite comfortable answering this for you. Every investment, I think we all look at money and look at investments much differently because we have different risk tolerances. There are probably some people, if they looked at my stock allocation or what, I guess that's the majority. It's not like, I mean, I have a house that I live in and Maria has another house that we rent out. But I say we now because we're about to get married. I had nothing to do with it. But, you know, my risk tolerance for investing in stocks is I would say, one to ten. One being not risky at all. Ten being some people would call you fucking nut job. Much closer to 10 than it is 1. Just like there are some people that, you know would be like, yeah, that's the way I like to invest. Then there are other people that just play it slow and steady in the slow lane. So I think it is so dependent whether you are going to invest $100, 100 grand, or $100 million. It's very dependent on who you are. Obviously, if you have $100 million, there would just be a way. I mean, you're going to take a large portion and just play it safe, right? But when you're talking about, like money that you're going to invest that you need either for retirement or potentially to use on a down payment, you need to talk to financial advisors because this is not something that, like, I don't want to say a gut feel. I mean, I've been messing with the market for probably give or take a decade. But, like, you know, what I do is not for you. I don't really. I don't have a financial advisor. I know we got a couple people that listen that are constantly blowing me up to try to get my business. I just enjoy doing it now as I have children, as my risk tolerance, I'm sure potentially changes. Like, I'm just. I'm A risk taker. So I don't know. Obviously there. There has to come a line, you know, if you know your children's tuition to go to college. Even though I'd say, hey, you know, college is necessary. I just struggle to give you advice on something that is so personal, you know, it's. It's very, very personal. I would say it's more personal than like, hey, should I. Should I buy or rent? Right? Should I. Should I ask her to marry me? Like, I feel comfortable up answering those questions, like, how should I invest? I think that's really, really up to you. The one advice I would have, though, Invest money. Invest money. Even if it's in the very, very basic stuff, right? Which most people just called the S&P 500. I think you're crazy. You know, one of my biggest regrets is not starting this right when I left college. Hell, do it in college. You know, I started when I was 30, give or take. I lost years of earning potential. Even if it wouldn't have been a lot of money being put in there, the faster you can invest, the quicker I would do it.

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[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else you gonna find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything because we got lots to say. I. I texted you and you texted me back. Now, I don't know if you have the update, but, like, all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like, it's all colored. They changed it and the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm gonna be honest, it was a little pink.

[John Middlekauff]

There was something sentimental with you. Like when you send it. You're like, do I send the heart now?

[Bobby Bones]

I don't like the color edition.

[John Middlekauff]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, and I'm exhausted. But turns out the end is near. Right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. This podcast is for people like me who need a little perspective and insight. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Van Jones, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also going to have some fun, even though these days fun and politics seems like an oxymoron. But we'll do that thanks to some of my friends like Samantha bee, Roy Wood Jr. And Charlemagne the God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Power to the podcast for the people. So whether you're obsessed with the news or just trying to figure out what's going on, this season of Next Question is for you. Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Adnan Burke]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast from iHeart podcast in the National Hockey League. It's NHL Unscripted with Virgin Demers.

[Jason Demers]

Hey, I'm Jason Demers, former 700 game NHL defenseman turned NHL Network analyst. And boy, oh boy, does daddy have a lot to say.

[Adnan Burke]

I love you, by the way, on NHL Network. We're looking forward to getting together each week to chat and chirp about the sport and all the other things to running at that we love. Right?

[Jason Demers]

Yeah, I just met you today, but we're going to have a ton of guests from the colliding worlds of hockey, entertainment and pop culture. And you know what, tons of back and forth on all things NHL.

[Adnan Burke]

Yeah, you're soon going to find out we're not just hockey talk. We get all kinds of random stuff on this podcast. Movies, television, food, wrestling, even the stuff that you wear in NHL.

[Jason Demers]

Now you wish you could pull off my short shorts.

[Adnan Burke]

Ferky, that shirt of kazarakas. Listen to NHL Unscripted with Burke and Demers, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Middlekauff]

Big fan and I enjoy listening to you Talk about your experience moving out of California. I recently moved my family from Santa Rosa, California, kind of. For those of you non Californians think Napa, think above San Francisco area. It's beautiful, but it's insanely expensive now. We can afford to have way more space with way less people and it's awesome. I agree with you that Nevada and Arizona are booming states and growing economies. The way people talked about Oregon and Washington and Texas 20 plus years ago. My question for you is, as much as we love hearing your football takes, do you think you would ever want to talk more about politics, government or geography type topics? I really enjoy listening to you and Colin talk about the Paradise Fires after it happened. If you wanted to go that route, I'd be all ears. I would never say never. I would say right now. I just, you know, sometimes when you talk about politics, it just becomes. It's not even like the polarizing you talk about football. People get pissed off at things you say. It does for me, strike more of like an anger emotion. And it's one of the reasons that when I moved to Arizona, I just, I kept getting so mad at myself for being angry over things that I could not control. So I removed myself from the situation of like, why are you just going to get mad at what is. And this was during 20 and 21 in California. Like, why are you getting so mad at these things that nothing you can do can change any of it? Right? And I just, I remember that feeling and sometimes, you know, and I enjoy talking politics with my friends and I enjoy falling on the Internet and stuff that's going on. But I do think there is more enjoyment talking about sports now. I would say one big picture thing is, you know, in this profession there's more money talking about politics, that's for sure. And for a reason. I mean, there's more. Just more anger. I mean, there's just. Maria was. I was involved in a sale of someone that's in the political Sphere. And there's NDAs being, you know, given out to protect people and rightfully so, because stuff gets out, you just put your family at harm. It's kind of crazy, you know, I'm 40 years old. We've been in this space now for a decade and we'll just see how life goes. But right now we'll talk some tua. What should the Miami Dolphins do with TUA now that he is under contract? And where does Tyree Kill go now when he essentially gave up on the team? You know, that question is the equivalent of like Middle cuff. What should happen to Social Security? You know, that's. It's like, it's much easier to get. Like, that's a bad question for me because I don't even know where the fuck. I couldn't tell you more than a paragraph about Social Security. But when it comes to tua, like, it's an easy question for me to answer. I think you just try to get out of that thing as quickly as possible because if he's your quarterback, you got no chance. The thing with the afc, man, it is a different animal. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, C.J. stroud, Justin Herbert. I'm not putting Bo Nixon their class, but like him under Sean Payton. Like that thing's going to work. It's just. It's just difficult, you know, it really is. The AFC is no joke. I don't know what else to say beside, like, I just don't take Miami that seriously, you know, I really don't. And no one wants like the two of stuff with him getting hurt. I. That's just that last. Was it this. Yeah, it was this year. Thursday night, playing the Bills. Was that like week two? Was that Week three when he got hit. That was, I would say, one of the low moments of the NFL. And just that whole conversation around that and even I saw Saban, I saw a clip on Instagram. He went on the Pivot podcast and Shannon Crowder told a pretty funny story about Saban. But also like Saban, he was asked, like, who were your favorite players in Alabama. And he listed like five guys. Like, he didn't list that many. And two of them, obviously, like Julio Jones. Who are your favorite players to coach? One thing I respect a shitload about Tua, it feels Saban's favorite quarterback that he coached for 17 years in Alabama is Tua. He loved that guy. Love that guy. Love Bryce Young too. And I think two is a high level cat. Like I like to. With a guy. I just. He's not really my cup of tea as a player. Weak arm, can't really move. Small. A couple more questions. Coach Carroll's press conference. He made lots of mentions of the Raiders ownership group. Wagner Durbin, Michael Melden, and of course, Brady. What are your thoughts on the organizational shift within the Raiders? I mean, I think those guys are like venture capitalists, like money guys that came in with Tom. I know nothing about any of those individuals beside, I'm sure they're really, really rich. I'd say it can't. It can only get better because it can't get any worse. Right. What do you do when you find yourself in a hole? John Baxter once told me, special teams coach, drop the shovel. And I think that's where the Raiders, like, we just need. And I give Mark credit. The Tom Brady thing was his idea. This was not one of those league force. Tom Brady, like, he went out and, you know, like, he went seeking a guy. And he even said it yesterday in the press conference, like, I gave it to Jon Gruden. 10 years run football. I don't know how to run football. I'm not my dad. I'm not a quote unquote football guy. I love football, but, like, I want you to do it. And then Dan Snyder leaked all the emails. That was what someone told me recently that Dan Snyder was behind it, not Roger Goodell. But I don't know if that person was right, but it would make sense. And obviously Mark still to this day is not happy about that situation. But once Gruden disappears, he's got to find somebody and he goes with Tom Brady. And now you just got to leave. Tom Brady, Spy Tech, Pete Carroll, hopefully they can run the organization. I don't know what those other guys, like, we had when I worked for the Eagles, like on draft day, there were my. I think they've. I think Jeffrey Lurie's added minority owner since. But like, when you're a minority owner, you don't really do anything besides you get some seats at a game in a box. You get to come to the draft day, but you don't, like, talk to Andy Reid. What to do. Like, give influence on when he needs a fire assistance. Like, there's one guy and ultimately that guy is still Mark Davis. So, like, if he's not happy with like, those other guys, like, only have so much pull on the organizational chart. Like, you look at Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg runs that bitch. You know, Mark Zuckerberg wants something to happen, it happens. And that's the way these NFL teams work. So even Tom Brady now, Mark is, I think, an easy owner to deal with because he will. He's like telling these guys, like, you pick who to hire. I'll get behind it, and he'll let them influence. But ultimately, if Mark doesn't like something, he is the guy on the piece of paper. We talk about this a lot with GMs and coaches, like, who's the decision maker? There's only one decision maker in every team, right? So you can have a million of these. Like this firm, these three guys. Brady, if Mark Davis wanted to Fire Pete Carroll tomorrow. He could. Those guys could not. Big fan. I check your takes often. Who do you think, talent wise, is the best quarterback ever? Goat Brady Mahomes. But as a pure passer of the football, I go, marino or Rogers? What say you? Yeah, I would say I didn't. This has always been just a life philosophy. It's hard for me to argue about. Like Jack Nicklaus against Tiger Woods. It's like, well, I never watched Jack play, right. Dan Marino versus Aaron Rodgers. Well, you know, I watched Dan Marino play when he was really old. So it's like, when you watch guys in their prime, I feel comfortable talking about you. Name any player of the last 30 years. Because I watched them. It's hard for me. Like, what's your take on Mean Joe Green? What did you think about Bill Walton in his prime? I don't know. I mean, I can YouTube it. It's not the same. It's like you turn on television night and you watch Jokic on Denver. You're like, holy shit, this guy's Steph Curry. Or, you know, Juan Soto. It's like, Shohei Otani. Remember Shohei Ohtani? How does Shohei Ohtani compare to Mickey Mantle? I don't know. I never saw Mickey Mantle beside. My dad actually went to lunch one time, I think, in like, the 80s in Vegas with some. With some business people. Like, he's a farmer, some other farmers at a casino. And Mickey Mantle was there. And he always gave a story that Mickey Mantle had like five cocktails down before the appetizers. Mickey Mantle could drink. Which, you know, if you were my dad's era, like, growing up in the 60s or 70s, Mickey Mantle, like, fucking God. But I think everyone in the NFL used to say Marino. I would say the guy that I saw the best passer of the football for the last 20, 30 years. Rogers, in his peak, was as good as it gets. I heard you the other day said Spags would never be a Hall of Fame, would never be in the hall of Fame. Who do you think the best defensive coach of all time. Here's my rank, in order from 80s till now. I know there's others, but would you agree or disagree? Belichick, Buddy Ryan, Marvin Lewis. Spags LeBeau, Wade Phillips, Monte Kiffin, Jim Johnson. I would put Belichick. You know, I think. I think you got to remove Belichick. I think if you do head coaches who are defensive gurus, it's a little harder if you just look at it when they were defensive coordinators. Marvin Lewis for the Ravens, Belichick for the Giants, Buddy Ryan for the Bears, Spags for this Chiefs team, LeBeau for the Steelers, Monty Kiffin for the Tampa, Jim Johnson for the Eagles. That's pretty damn good group. Pretty hard to beat that I would say. Belichick confides that he thinks. And again there's a head coach but. And he became a head coach really, you know, he wasn't a defensive coordinator that long. But Belichick believes that Saban is one of the, one of if not the greatest defensive mind ever. In the way his coverages of like pattern matching. It's like really geeky football stuff but like the shit he was doing in college with the athletes, it ain't random. They were kicking everyone's ass. Just listen your take on Belichick and Reed's coaching tree. I do agree with you that Belichick's coaching tree doesn't hold a candle to Andy's, but I was thinking in the Rita Mahomes era, other than Nagy, limited success, trubisky to the playoffs as a feat, but ultimately fired, there hasn't been any coaches or coordinators that have been mentioned in the coaching circles or searches. I am curious what your thoughts are about that. The only one that comes to mind is B Enemy and I can't think of anyone else. Huge fan of the pot, I would say. Yeah, Nagy, you know, Doug left during the Alex Smith era. He started to Kansas City with Andy, went to the Eagles, won a Super bowl like you said. Nagy made the playoffs twice. Mike Kafka I think was an up and coming star. Left as a quarterback coach under Nagy and B Enemy and went to the Giants a couple of years ago with day ball. I think pretty highly of Mike Kafka. I think one thing that changes the Chiefs dramatically is, you know, a lot of years if you coach for Naggy or for Andy, think of the guys that got hired. Ron Rivera, defensive guy, Spags, defensive guy, Jim Harbaugh or John Harbaugh, special teams defense, right? And now Spags. But Spags like no one's going to hire him. So like his most valuable asset is just not going to get hired. Which is kind of crazy, but that's just the truth. So like, would anyone give Nagy another shot? I mean I. Well, how old is Matt Nagy? 45 years old. I think there's a very decent chance Matt Aggie's a coach again. Maybe a little older than that, 46. Okay, last one question for the mailbag. The narrative all year has been that The NFL refs and or Vegas are rigging it for the Chiefs. I think that narrative really picked up steam last month. I don't know if it's all year, but maybe you're right. I guess there have been some weird games. In that case, why don't all the non Chiefs fans bet on the Chiefs moneyline? They're 17 and 1, not counting the Broncos loss. And Mahomes has won 80% of his games of his career. I saw a stat that 67% of the public bet Buffalo to win the championship game, which implies that the NFL and sportsbook rig it for Kansas City. Curious to hear your thoughts. I think you have to be very careful and let's use an example. I see this media do this a lot. Sometimes people on podcasts, there's a lot of conversation out there about and really that's coming from the comments of a video that was posted. Like is there a lot of conversation about so and so or is it just like if I look in the comments of a post about whatever, you could find the conversation about that. And I think that happens all the time. I could literally find an angle on any story in America. You name the story, pick a topic. The housing market, the Chiefs trump South Dakota. You name it. And I could type it in and type in an Instagram or Twitter post about that subject and react to the comments and be like, you know what people are saying about the water rights in South Dakota? They believe it's a con job just because two people had mentioned that on 15 Responses to A tweet or an Instagram post. So like I think when everyone goes the game, I think that was it kind of gained seen by a couple people and then Schefter put out some stats and it just started growing and growing and growing. Now the reason you don't bet the Chiefs Moneyline because a lot of their games, they're 7 to 10 point favorites. So it's like you're going to bet 100 bucks or a thousand bucks to win, I don't know, 30, 40% of your money. It's not rigged. Of course it's not. It's just. It's just not. I don't really know what else to say, but I hear you. I think that, I think one of the easiest things for people to do is now react to the reaction. And if you listen to this pod, you know, we kind of avoid that sometimes like kind of bores me. Like I, I don't give a, you know what the reaction was to the reaction. It's like, I think a lot of people in this space, it's like, you guys got no shot. It's just not that entertaining. Now, if a story's big enough. And listen, this. I'm not talking about this Chiefs rig story. Like, that's a. That became a legitimate story people are talking about. But I think sometimes it's like people talk about stories that if you're just online a lot, and let's face it, a lot of people in the media spend a majority of their time online, specifically like on Twitter, that you can think something's a lot bigger than it is. It's like, it's not actually that interesting. And if you just. I always do this test, like, walk into a store right now or just walk around a bunch of people. Hell, go to a golf course, go to the driving range, just walk up to some people, and they would not even know what you're talking about. Like, right now, there was that Ben. Benjamin Slowik Soulak, one of Bill Simmons little minions, I guess, put some tweet out. I don't guess. I mean, I saw the tweet because a bunch of people were talking about it online that, like, Josh Allen fucked up on the final play, should have thrown the wheel route to Khalil Shakir in the flat, even though he was under siege before he could even blink. All these quarterbacks like Ryan Fitzpatrick are calling him, like, bro, what are you talking about? He had no time to turn around. And it's like, I just think a lot of people would think, like, that's a really big story. Like, if I just did that poll right now, went to the. Went to the golf course, went to TBC Scottsdale right now, a bunch of dudes are there, I'm sure playing golf. And I just asked them, like, what's your take on Benjamin Slow Solak saying that Josh Allen screwed up on that final? They'd be like, what? What are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about. So I think we got to be. I tried to be very cognizant of that when we're gonna talk, do a podcast, because that bores me. And if it bores me, then I think it bores you. And if I'm bored, then it's just not gonna be a good show. Okay, I'll end on this. Thoughts on the Texans OC opening? I'm unsure the best candidates are, and I think they need to go with someone. Prove it. Since D'Amico is a defensive guy, I'm skeptical about Doug or Chip Kelly. But if it worked and has potential of being a long tenure like, spag situation, this is a critical hire if the Texans plan on doing something special. Is Chip Kelly being discussed as D'Ameco's offensive coordinator? I haven't. That's one. Like, this is a real story, but I have not seen like a list of. I haven't even seen him as he interviewed anybody. Yeah, I don't know. I. Obviously he played for those two guys. I don't know if he technically played for Doug, but Doug was on the staff when. When Andy traded for him. I had the Chip Kelly thing. I know it works. When you got Jeremiah Smith, you got all those talented wide receiver, the two running backs. I just. I would be very, very hesitant doing that. You think you're beating the Ravens? You think you're beating Sean McDermott? You think you're beating Spags with Chip Kelly's your offensive coordinator in the National Football League. I know he gets to stack the deck at Ohio State, but I would not do that. You know, Doug. Doug's a great guy. Dynamic play caller. I would say some people would question that at this time. Being again, I like Doug. I don't really know who your options are. Okay, wind on. One more. If Jalen hurts and the Eagles win the super bowl, can we officially say that we found the Eli Manning to Tom Brady in the Mahomes story? I mean, the comps of the two are so similar. All time historic quarterback in his prime that wins Super Bowls bested by a quarterback that wasn't universally recognized as top tier. Yeah, I think it depends. I think part of the Eli story was he made some of the craziest plays in those two Super Bowls. You know, the throw to Manningham down the sideline, obviously the David Tyree. He just made so many big plays in their super bowl runs. I guess Jalen definitely this year in that championship game feels like it was harder for Eli to get there. You know, I mean, in Jalen's too. And I'm not trying to take away anything from Jalen. I respect him. That. That performance the other night was awesome. But Eli, to get to the super bowl, the one game he had to play Green Bay where everyone, like froze their feet off, then he had to beat the 49ers on the road against the top defense of Vic Fangio in just a bloodbath game in the rain. And I forget who he played in 11 in the championship. I know he played the Cowboys, he played the. He played the Packers. I forget who they beat to get there. But that was really impressive, I would say. Yeah. I mean, I. Listen, you're a Super bowl winner, that changes your life. Changes your life. There's a lot on the line for the Chiefs in this game in terms of just historical data points, like trying to approach, like, legendary status. But if they were to lose, it ain't the end of the world. Right. They already got three of them things. This would. Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurst would be super bowl champions. And like you said, you know, looking back, like Eli Manning was, I think there'd probably be some similarities there with Jalen. I think it'd be crazy. Like, Tom Coughlin, clearly a good coach. Nick Sirianni is a Super bowl champion. Like, we have had some questionable quarterbacks win it over the years. Definitely, when, you know, if you're my age, when we were, like, growing up, like, after the John Elway, Troy Aikman, Steve Young era, Brett Favre, it then went, you know, Trent Dilfer, 1:1, Brad Johnson, 1:1. I mean, these guys were NFL players, longtime starters, but not exactly Brady Manning and Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Right. But I would say most of the coaches, you know, Jon Gruden. Yeah. Brian Billick, somewhat of an outlier coach, but there's a lot of Bill Belichicks, Andy Reeds, you know, Bruce Arians, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh. Nick Sirianni is going to be on that list with, like, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Holmgren, Bill Walsh, George Seifert, Mike Ditka, Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells, Nick Sirianni. And the Eagles would kind of have two of them, Doug and Nick. Now, Doug. Doug's a football guy, played in the NFL for a long time, backed up Favre, backed up Marino. He's. He's played in the league for a long time. Sirianni, before he got the job with. With the Eagles, most people had never heard of him. There's. Listen, there's a lot of people in the NFL who are good that you've never heard of. I think if the Eagles win it, it'd be much crazier that Sirianni is a Super bowl champ than Jalen. It would also put Howie Roseman in the hall of Fame. He would be a general manager of two different teams. They won Super Bowls with different coaches and different quarterbacks. I didn't do the research, but I just thought about it the other day. The only guy that came to mind was Ozzy Newsom, who was the GM with Billock and Dilfer, and then was the GM with Harbaugh and Flacco. Howie, if he wins, would be the GM with Foles and Doug. And then the GM was Sirianni and Jalen. Maybe I'm missing someone, but I don't know. That'd be pretty nuts. Adios, everybody. Have a great day. The Volume.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else you can find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Katie Couric]

Hey, everyone, it's Katie Couric. Well, the election is in the home stretch, right in time for a new season of my podcast. Next Question. I'm bringing in some foks friends of Katie's to help me out, like Ezra Klein, Jen Psaki, Asted Herndon. But we're also gonna have some fun thanks to some of my friends like Samantha Bee and Charlamagne. Tha God. We're gonna take some viewer questions as well. I mean, isn't that what democracy is all about? Check out our new season of Next Question with me, Katie Couric, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Middlekauff]

What's up, everyone? It's Justin Pennock from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We roll three times a week. On Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays. Breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're gearing up for the NFL playoffs. I hope you can join us. Join in with us three times a week. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did.

[Adnan Burke]

What's up, everybody? Adnan Burke here to tell you about a new podcast. It's NHL Unscripted with Virkin Demers, Jason Demers here.

[Jason Demers]

And after playing 700 NHL games, I got a lot of dirty laundry to air out.

[Adnan Burke]

I got a lot to say here, too. Okay? Each week we'll get together and chat about the sport that we love.

[Jason Demers]

Tons of guests are going to join in, too. But we're not just going to be talking hockey, folks. We're talking movies, we're talking tv, food, and Adnan's favorite wrestling. It's all on le Table.

[Adnan Burke]

Listen to NHL unscripted with Virk and demers in the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.