3 & Out - Cowboys Draft Room REVEALED, Aaron Rodgers Wants a RAISE + Rookie Mini Camp Takeaways + NFL Offseason Mailbag

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd

3 & Out - Cowboys Draft Room REVEALED, Aaron Rodgers Wants a RAISE + Rookie Mini Camp Takeaways + NFL Offseason Mailbag

Host: John Middlekauff
Podcast: The Herd (via iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)
Date: May 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, John Middlekauff delivers his signature blend of inside football analysis and candid, unfiltered takes on the biggest NFL storylines post-draft. Topics include a behind-the-scenes look at the Cowboys' draft room, Aaron Rodgers’ contract situation, rookie minicamp insights, major NFL rumors, and listener mailbag questions ranging from NFL finance to parenting advice for raising kids in a digital world. Throughout, John mixes football talk with personal anecdotes and his recognizable, conversational tone.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dallas Cowboys Draft Room Documentary (02:06 – 08:15)

• Theme: ESPN+ aired an hour-long documentary on the first round of the NFL Draft, revealing Cowboys draft room operations.
• Main Insight: Contrary to public belief, Jerry Jones is not micromanaging—Steven Jones runs the show, acting as the de facto GM.
  • “Steven Jones might as well be the GM. He's running the trade chart, he's running the calls…” (06:41)
• Organizational Structure: Steven negotiates with other teams' GMs/AGMs, not owners.
  • “When you see these videos, him calling the Cleveland Browns... he's talking to the GM and assistant GM.” (06:42)
• Reflection: The Cowboys have quietly become a more professionally run operation, empowering their scouting department and relying less on Jerry’s direct input as he’s aged.
• Memorable Moment: Jerry’s public persona overshadows the actual behind-the-scenes authority shift.

2. Aaron Rodgers Wants His Due (08:15 – 15:47)

• Theme: Rodgers is holding out for a major pay raise from the Steelers.
• Comparison: Frustration over Malik Willis’s $25M/year contract, versus Rodgers playing for much less.
  • “If I was Aaron Rodgers, I'd go, well, if I played for $20 million… Who the is playing for that much money?” (11:00)
• Rodgers’ Leverage: Points out his own value after making the Steelers playoff-relevant.
• Predicted Resolution: Steelers will likely cave; the dispute is purely financial.
• Arizona Cardinals Rumor: Cards gaining buzz as contenders for Rodgers due to cap space and insider connections (Nate Hackett, Mike LaFleur)—hypothesizes a potential bidding war.

3. Anthony Richardson, Rookie Camp Realities, and Early NFL Trends (15:47 – 21:33)

• Anthony Richardson: Requested a trade, but no market exists; only showing up for “rehab” his image because there are no buyers.
• Rookie Minicamp Takeaways:
  • Players often out of shape due to pre-draft travel/workouts.
  • Rapid adjustment needed, especially for QBs like Fernando Mendoza taking first snaps under center.
  • “Most of the guys you drafted are not going to be in shape. So you got to be very careful about pushing it too hard because they get injured.” (18:07)
  • Main metric for QB readiness: Comfort under center.
• Mahomes Update: Chiefs will ease Patrick Mahomes back post-injury; focus on long-term health, not rushing him for early OTAs.

4. Brendan Sorsby: Gambling Investigation & NCAA Integrity (26:07 – 31:07)

• Key Issue: Sorsby is in hot water for gambling on his own team—possible NCAA season-long suspension.
• John’s Take: Understands the strict stance but recognizes youthful mistakes.
  • “If you bet $100 for his own team to win, uh, I don't really give a shit. I don't think most people care...” (27:44)
• Broader Point: The NCAA’s authority is fragile, and lawsuits/arbitration could mitigate punishment. NFL doesn't care about NCAA eligibility, which affects supplemental draft strategies.

5. John Sterling’s Legacy (Yankees Broadcaster) & the Power of Sports Radio (31:12 – 36:13)

• Tribute: Reflects on what it means for the Yankees community to lose a legendary daily presence.
  • “The guy went 30 years — 30 years and didn’t miss a baseball game.” (34:40)
• Broader Reflection: Voices like Sterling’s become pillars of fandom, especially before the proliferation of cable/social media options.

6. Dad Diaries: Family, Grandparent Spoiling, and Childhood Anecdotes (36:13 – 40:36)

• Anecdote: Commentary on his nephews being spoiled by Grandma (milkshakes, ice cream for breakfast).
• Classic John: Mixes football with relatability and humor about generational differences in parenting.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cowboys Operations: “We talk about Jerry like he’s the one running the franchise, but you watch Steven Jones handle himself in that room — he’s running the show.” (07:14)
• On Rookie Camps: “No one knows the plays. Half the people aren't in shape. No one knows what they're doing. You only get a couple days. It’s just kind of a zoo.” (19:00)
• On John Sterling: “You can’t imagine a lot of Yankee fans…that guy went 30 years and didn’t miss a baseball game.” (34:38)
• On Technology and Parenting: “You can’t be one of those people that never gives your kid a device…they will just get lapped in society.” (50:05)

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Segment Timestamps

• Cowboys Draft Room/Documentary Reaction: 02:06 – 08:15
• Aaron Rodgers & Contract Talk (Steelers/Cardinals speculation): 08:15 – 15:47
• Anthony Richardson & Rookie Mini Camp Issues: 15:47 – 21:33
• Patrick Mahomes Injury Update: 21:11 – 21:33
• Brendan Sorsby & Gambling Scandal: 26:07 – 31:07
• John Sterling/Yankees Sports Radio: 31:12 – 36:13
• Dad Diaries / Grandparent Spoiling: 36:13 – 40:36
• NFL Offseason Mailbag (selected topics): 40:36 – 71:05
  • Draft picks: 40:36 – 43:22
  • Coordinators and regression: 43:28 – 45:11
  • QB prospects (Will Howard): 45:11 – 46:22
  • Video game parenting: 47:42 – 51:50
  • NFL Finance/Luxury Taxes: 61:01 – 64:19
  • Rams’ contracts, value picks, more: scattered throughout

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Highlighted Mailbag Answers & Football Insights

• Best Draft Value Picks: Caleb Downs to the Cowboys singled out for talent and plug-and-play potential (42:00).
• “Regressing” Playmakers: Defensive coordinators are slow to treat stars as ordinary—self-preservation keeps them game-planned until production really falls off (43:58).
• Upcoming NFL Coaches: Anthony Weaver (Ravens DC), Brian Flores considered top up-and-coming head coaches (54:01).
• 49ers Roster Concerns: John commends their top-end talent but questions their positional coaches' sway in drafting and overall roster depth as being in decline (56:46).
• NFL vs. NBA Finances: NFL’s hard cap and shared revenue mean every team can be aggressive—huge competitive/business advantage over NBA/MLB (61:31 – 63:55).
• Rams’ Roster/Contract Outlook: Young stars’ looming paydays will force tough choices; rookie QB contracts are key to balancing future big contracts (64:02).
• Parental Guidance/Video Games: Cautions on banning devices, urges balance and ongoing communication: “We gotta communicate. We gotta talk.” (51:50)
• On ‘Cream Rises to the Top’ QBs: High draft picks always get more chances, even if not always deserved; less so with lower picks (67:40).

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Final Thoughts

• Consistent Tone: John’s frank, humorous, and practical style connects NFL front office analysis with real-life stories.
• Memorable Episode Moments:
  • The revelation that Steven Jones is really driving Dallas’ football ops.
  • Rodgers’ salary standoff as a microcosm of player empowerment in the modern NFL.
  • Nuanced, inside-scouting views on rookie camps and draft value.
  • Mailbag segment as rapid-fire, insightful, and approachable for fans.
• Relatable Sidebars: His “Dad Diaries” and video game discussion provide a break and window into the personal side of sports fandom.

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For listeners seeking in-depth draft/NFL analysis, a peek behind the curtain of franchise operations, and thoughtful discourse on the modern athlete and fandom, this episode is a must-listen.

Transcript

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[John Middlekauff]

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[John Middlekauff]

What is going on my people? How are we doing? John Middlecom three and out podcast back again. Took the weekend with my family just being a good dad said. You know what, let's fire up the old podcast and give some takes on football and that's what we will do today. So some thoughts these viral clips of this doc on on the Cowboys Aaron Rodgers Mendoza taking snaps under center John Sterling, legendary Yankees broadcast broadcaster and play by play voice dies dad diaries Some mailbag questions at John Middlekopf. We got a lot going on today so you guys know the drill. Fire in fire in those dms. If you want to get on the mailbag. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to three and out and never miss an episode on video because you just go To Netflix. Hit the alert button and you'll see this beautiful face, smiling, slinging takes. But I do want to start with the pick is in. I don't know if I would imagine NFL Films was, was involved in this. It's on. I watched on ESPN plus and they did like an hour long documentary on the first round.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I just kind of powered through the first 30 minutes and because I saw

[John Middlekauff]

a lot of content online of these inside the draft room of the Cowboys talking to the Browns, talking to the Dolphins, talking to Howie when they made their trade, you know, late in the first round, I'm like, where is this coming from? And then you did a little AI and you realized there's this documentary out there. So I wanted to check it out. And one thing really jumped out to me in the clips and then watching it is, you know, the funny part about the Cowboys, if I just said a meta random fan of football and I said the Dallas Cowboys, the first thing most people would say would be Jerry Jones. Right? I mean, Jerry Jones isn't just synonymous with Cowboys since they haven't won the last 30 years. He's kind of the defining poster child of the franchise. Like when you think about Dallas, Jerry Jones just comes up in a lot. He's prominent in all these, in anything going on in football. Jerry Jones is out front and center in a league where the owners never talk. Most owners talk once at the owners meetings and maybe if they fire a coach and even then, a lot of times they just throw out their general manager to speak for it. It takes something like the Rooneys or Steve Buscati when John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin had been Almost a combined 40 years for those guys to lead the press conferences. But a lot of times the GM just goes out there and runs it. And I think Jerry is just addicted to the spotlight. He's been like that since he bought the team. It's why him and Jimmy Johnson butted heads, which, listen, you cut the checks, you can do whatever you want. You would say the best case for the health of an organization would be an owner in the background paying a guy a ton of money to run your franchise, coach your franchise. You just cash them checks, enjoy it in the suite, and ideally, you know, win some Super Bowls over the course of your career. Jerry is not taking that tactic. But I think, and I'm guilty of this, Jerry Jones the gm. Jerry Jones is the gm. I, I say it all the time because Jerry literally says it when they asked him, Jerry, when will you ever relinquish being the gm. And he always goes on these rants of like, well, I'm signing the check. There'd be a middleman, and might as well. I just do it. So I'm watching this documentary and I'm thinking, Jerry's going to be on the horn trying to wheel and deal. It turns out the guy running the entire draft room is Steven Jones. And listen, you get old enough, I knew a lot of people growing up whose families had small businesses, farmers, people in construction, and as either the grandparents or now, you know, where I'm at in life, the parents get into their 70s or 80s, it turns out so and so owns Company X. But it's a family business.

[Co-host/Analyst]

The kid is doing it all.

[John Middlekauff]

And when we think about the Cowboys, we go, oh, Jerry's making this happen. Jerry's negotiating and butting heads with David Mulgeta. Jerry. And some of the times, clearly he is a part of that. But it's pretty clear when you watch these videos, and even if you haven't watched the documentary, if you just watch the clips that have gone viral online, Steven Jones might as well be the gm. He's running the trade chart.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He's running the calls.

[John Middlekauff]

And the other thing is, when you see on these videos, him calling the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam's not picking up the phone. Andrew Barius when he calls the Miami Dolphins. I didn't even see Steven Ross in the room. I'm sure he's there, but he's not on the video. He's talking to the GM and the assistant GM when he called the Eagles. This be Steven Jones. He's not talking to Jeffrey Lurie stalking Howie Roseman, who also on that video, got down to brass tacks pretty quick

[Co-host/Analyst]

and a deal was made.

[John Middlekauff]

Hey, we want this. You want this? No. Yeah, deal's done.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Let's go.

[John Middlekauff]

Like the two franchises ready to pull the trigger when a deal needs to get done. But I think we do a poor job. And ultimately, like in the. The people that I've known, if whoever the patriarch of the operation wants something done, that thing will get done. But I think sometimes they get discussed in the world like they're more active than they typically are. And as they age, most people become a little hands off. And the younger person in their family who is running point on all the deals is the guy actually doing everything. And you watch Stephen Jones handle himself in that room, look pretty normal. Like, I. I've said this forever, and Jerry has been a very, very important

[Co-host/Analyst]

figure in the history of the league. And obviously You're a Cowboy fan. You're pretty disappointed. You haven't even been to a championship game in three decades, which is kind of unheard of.

[John Middlekauff]

I mean, the Jags were in one

[Co-host/Analyst]

not that long ago, right? The Cardinals have been to a Super Bowl.

[John Middlekauff]

I mean, some of the worst franchises in the NFL have had success, right? I mean, the Seattle Seahawks, who, when I was a kid were not good, have won multiple Super Bowls in the last decade. Right. And I just think you look at the Cowboys, you would say more should be desired. Totally agree. In their own division, Eli won a couple how he's now won a couple, right? I mean, it's like, what is ha. It took Dan Snyder ruining that franchise to only make it. Like, you weren't the incompetent one. But you watch over the course of this last, I don't know, seven, eight years, I do think the Cowboys do a good job. They've drafted well for a long time because they clearly empower their scouting staff. But I think when you get in your mid-80s, like, Jerry looks old. Hell, Steven looks old. It's not like Steven's 38 years old. I mean, I think his kid was in high school, like, 10 years ago. Right. I remember when they played that high school championship game at AT&T. And Steven's kid was the starting quarterback. That had to be minimum seven, eight years ago. So I just think this version, the way we talk about the Cowboys, isn't the version that's actually happening because Jerry no longer is running point in all this stuff. Like, ultimately, you have to. Okay, it may be in the draft room if Steven wanted to draft someone else. But, like, Steven's running the show. The other thing that happened, I think, over the last four or five days is the Steelers, you know, Aaron Rodgers is an unrestricted free agent, but they play some tender that. So they would get a comp pick. I. I'd never even heard of it. And it's pretty clear this Aaron Rodgers situation. One of their local beat writers was, I think, wrote in his column over the last couple of days that patience could be wearing thin inside the Steelers kind of brass, that this Aaron Rodgers situation hasn't been figured out. And one of my predictions was during the draft is, I thought we'd know, I guess Thursday. But if you would have told me over the course of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and even Sunday, I would have been like, we have a resolution with Aaron

[Co-host/Analyst]

Rodgers and a contract has been determined.

[John Middlekauff]

But I also don't think this is that emotional. Like, I'll defend Aaron Rodgers here. Aaron Rodgers saw Malik Willis, who started a career four games, who's going to get his teeth kicked in down in

[Co-host/Analyst]

Miami, who couldn't throw a strike to save his life. I don't know if you saw that

[John Middlekauff]

clip just get $25 million a year. Aaron Rodgers cut them a major discount. I think he had $10 million guaranteed.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And when it was all said and done, his contract was $13 million.

[John Middlekauff]

If I was Aaron Rodgers, I'd go, well, if I played for $20 million, that would essentially be giving you guys a two year, fifteen and a half million dollars a year. Look around the league. Who the is playing for that much money? Daniel Jones just got $40 million a year. Couldn't even make it to December without tearing his Achilles and breaking his leg. So you have this guy who without me last year, there's no way you make the playoffs.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think we can all agree on that.

[John Middlekauff]

You need me. I've seen your quarterback room texting people in the league. And I would agree the Drew Aller

[Co-host/Analyst]

pick people think is insane. They're like, he was not getting drafted probably to like the fifth or sixth round.

[John Middlekauff]

This is, I mean look at the two guys the previous year, Riley Leonard,

[Co-host/Analyst]

Will Howard, both went in the sixth, seventh round.

[John Middlekauff]

So Drew Aller, I get he's got some traits like car. I understand Carson Beck went on the second day as well. Carson Beck actually has proven to be

[Co-host/Analyst]

a decent football player.

[John Middlekauff]

Drew Aller is not proven that by any means.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And he's coming off an injury.

[John Middlekauff]

But that's neither here nor there. I think Aaron Rodgers wants a big

[Co-host/Analyst]

race because he goes, listen, it's probably going to be my last year. I'm not playing again for $15 million. Now you don't need to pay me 40.

[John Middlekauff]

But if we look at it over a two year span, I would say

[Co-host/Analyst]

that number somewhere between 20 and $25 million. And that's where I would guess the Steelers are balking at a little bit of like, we thought we could just keep rolling you for 10, $15 million a year. And Aaron Rodgers goes, not so fast.

[John Middlekauff]

And that's where I think this Arizona Cardinal.

[Co-host/Analyst]

When I was at the combine the

[John Middlekauff]

first night I got there, I was

[Co-host/Analyst]

just having dinner by myself at this, at this like restaurant, bar and it was like a steakhouse.

[John Middlekauff]

I was like, you know what? I kind of want a nice meal first night away from the.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think it was my first night ever away from the baby.

[John Middlekauff]

I was like, you know what, I

[Co-host/Analyst]

just, I just want to get like a Nice steak, got a couple crab cakes in Indianapolis. I don't know why I did that, though. They were fantastic. A couple cocktails and just there was a basketball game on. I think it was like Duke, North Carolina, just enjoying myself.

[John Middlekauff]

And I saw James Palmer, and, you

[Co-host/Analyst]

know, he's reporter, covered the Broncos forever, worked at NFL Network.

[John Middlekauff]

And I was like, you know what?

[Co-host/Analyst]

I'm gonna go say what's up to him.

[John Middlekauff]

And Nate Hackett was with him. So I introduced myself. Nate Hackett went to UC Davis, where

[Co-host/Analyst]

I'm born and raised, where my dad went to school, and I spent 18 years of my life.

[John Middlekauff]

Nate Hackett's dad, who coached at UC Davis, sold his house to one of my best friends, Guy Haberman's parents. When they moved to Davis. Guy Haberman lived in Nate Hackett's house as a kid. Guy showed up to Davis, I think, in like eighth or ninth grade. And so we start talking about it and shooting the shit. And they're drinking a bottle of wine. I just walk over my cocktail, kind of barge in on their conversation, but we're just all shooting the shit. And then I, what are you doing now? He's like, oh, I working for the Cardinals. So I was like, oh, I live in Scottsdale. We just talked really quick. And then I left.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And their night went on.

[John Middlekauff]

So when I saw this story about Aaron Rodgers, Cardinals gaining some buzz, I went, wasn't Nate Hackett one of his best friends? Mike LaFleur is Matt LaFleur's brother, who obviously Aaron Rodgers holds in high regard. And then I look, Today they have $40 million in cap space. Now, Jeremiah Love, I don't know exactly what his contract will be, but you amortize that money, whatever the signing bonus is, $30 million over the course of the four year contract. You have a lot of room where you could easily sign Aaron Rodgers. Hey, Aaron, we'll give you a one year, $25 million. So what if the Steelers have to bid for a service? What else do the Cardinals have going on? Jacoby Brissette, who's mad and wants his contract guaranteed. Gardner Minchu, who hasn't been good in a long time. Or Carson Beck, who, to me, if

[Co-host/Analyst]

Aaron, you know, obviously goes back to the Steelers, I. I would think about when Carson's ready. I'm giving him as many games as I can this year.

[John Middlekauff]

But I do think this thing is simply over money. And I don't blame Aaron. Like, I think it gets blown out of proportion when players go, you guys know, it's a business. Like, yeah, guys, we understand It's a business. Like everyone's getting paid here but sometimes like you have to act in your best interest. And if this is going to be your last year, you're not just going

[Co-host/Analyst]

to take a discount because like, ah, I get to wear the Steelers uniform. It's just.

[John Middlekauff]

You think you're getting me easy because Mike McCarthy's back now. Like, what, you just going to roll out Will Howard McCarthy can talk him

[Co-host/Analyst]

up all you want.

[John Middlekauff]

Like not typically how it works. You just starting a six round pick

[Co-host/Analyst]

year two when he's never played in the NFL. So I think the Steelers will eventually cave and his number will be much higher than it was last year.

[John Middlekauff]

Some other stories around the National Football League is, you know, Anthony Richardson, over

[Co-host/Analyst]

the course I think at the combine,

[John Middlekauff]

asked for a trade, which I'm sure

[Co-host/Analyst]

the Colts were going to trade him no matter what.

[John Middlekauff]

But then once OTA started it's like, bro, you haven't been traded. The draft came and went. The packers who were interested in him just signed Tyrod Taylor. So it's like the, the Chiefs who I would have been like, I could see Andy Reid having some interest, signed Justin Fields. It's like, bro, you don't have a market right now. You can ask for a trade, but it takes two to tango. It's like in the draft, like, hey, I'd love to trade back. You start picking up the phone, no one wants to trade up. You just have to stick and pick. So Anthony Richardson eventually had to look in the mirror and go, I, I gotta rehab my brand because obviously on the field is not good. But off the field I don't think people are doing cartwheels like let's get Anthony rich building. So to me I guess I'd give him credit, but to me you didn't have a choice. Like you just got to show a kind of a team player. No one is trading for you. They would give you away if they would, if someone would take the contract. So Anthony Richardson showed up was basically a formality because nobody right now wants them. These rookie minicamps I saw Fernando, the Raiders just had their rookie minicamp and he gets under center for the first time. I remember talking to a friend, I think it was Khalil Max first year

[Co-host/Analyst]

and he was like, bro, rookie minicamp. And he worked for the Raiders for a while and he used to always tell me they are the biggest shit shows because you have all these rookies, especially if you have a high pick like Fernando Mendoza, he's a bad example because he hasn't been making visits.

[John Middlekauff]

But you know, if you get, if

[Co-host/Analyst]

you're the Chiefs and you bring in Delane and Peter woods and our Mason Thomas and you bring.

[John Middlekauff]

These guys have been making visits. They haven't been working out. I saw Brian Schottenheimer. I think they just had their rookie minicamp. Said no one was in shape because no one's in shape. Right. All the draft picks are doing private workouts, are traveling to different teams, are doing zoop interviews. Football players are creatures of habit, like I know I am. I'm sure a lot of people listening are creatures of habit. This is where the kid has really thrown me off. When my routine gets thrown off mentally,

[Co-host/Analyst]

I kind of break.

[John Middlekauff]

So I've had to learn to kind of be adaptable. And I think players are no different. Typically their life, January through December is pretty structured. How they work out, when they train, when they practice, and during that draft period, it's all thrown out the window. So you go to rookie minicamp. Most of the guys you drafted are not going to be in shape. So you got to be very careful. Careful about pushing it too hard because they get injured. You have all these Johnny Tryhards and

[Co-host/Analyst]

listen, sounds like I'm making fun of them.

[John Middlekauff]

Clearly. If you played a high level college

[Co-host/Analyst]

football and are getting invited to a NFL minicamp, that's, that's an impressive, impressive accomplishment in itself.

[John Middlekauff]

If you know a dude that's 40 and went, Hey, I played it. I played, you know, football at Boise State and I got invited to the Kansas city chiefs minicamp 15 years ago. I didn't make it, but that's, that's

[Co-host/Analyst]

my claim to fame.

[John Middlekauff]

I got pretty decent player, right? So all these guys getting invited have done something in college, right? And showed enough to at least get a phone call. But no one knows the place. Half the people aren't in shape. No one knows what they're doing. You only get a couple days. It's just kind of a zoo. So I saw the headline that Fernando Mendoza is taking the first snaps under center really of his career. I would say the only thing holding him back from being the starter week one over cousins is how quickly he can get comfortable under center and then the drop backs from there. And in that offense play action, the boots, the waggles, all his stuff was in shocking. So even if I'm on the move, balls snap to me, I'm going right or left. A huge part of the Kubiak, Shanahan, Mike. Going back to Mike and going back to Bill Walsh under center movement. The Steps, turning your back to the defense. It is just something that you can't really prepare for being in shotgun your whole career. Now, how quick you get accustomed to that, that's how quick you'll get on the field. But there's no guarantee. So when people go, you think Fernando Mendoza, we'll start week one, I'll have an opinion in like middle of August. Is he comfortable doing that? Because if he is, then he's going

[Co-host/Analyst]

to be better in Kirk Cousins.

[John Middlekauff]

If he's not, remember Jared Goff who played for Sonny Dykes at Cal, who's now a tcu entire offense, spread offense in the shotgun, Right. So Jared Goff's rookie year, now it was Jeff Fisher.

[Co-host/Analyst]

It was a nightmare.

[John Middlekauff]

But I bet even if Jared Goff was sitting here right now, even if he had Sean McVay, he. He would have been a little uncomfortable. I mean, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers said the first year they were around the floor in Shanahan, in Atlanta and in Green Bay, like playing under center and turning their back to the defense is just an uncomfortable feeling that they weren't at ease with. And then once they got over it, it opens up the offense and make things a lot easier. So that's definitely something to keep an eye on with Fernando Mendoza. I think Veech said last week to the McAfee that Mahomes is rehab is. And I remember talking to a buddy

[Co-host/Analyst]

on the staff at the combine. They're like, this guy's attacking it like he's fucking climbing Mount Everest.

[John Middlekauff]

You know, the headline is he's going

[Co-host/Analyst]

to be ready to participate in OTAs.

[John Middlekauff]

I would imagine they will ease him

[Co-host/Analyst]

into the off season. I think the goal would be by

[John Middlekauff]

the time the pads come on in

[Co-host/Analyst]

training camp, is Patrick Mahomes a full go.

[John Middlekauff]

Because I think you got to be very careful. Acl, Achilles. I mean, look at Jason Tatum, right? Jason Tatum said after they lost, he's like, yeah, my. My right leg was only 85% of the same strength as the other leg. And once you get off kilter with a leg, it's like how Klay Thompson torn Achilles next year. He tears his or acl, then he tears Achilles. Because until your both legs are at full strength, like most healthy humans are, when you're rehabbing back, Daniel Jones is going to be into the same category, different injury, but you want to be very, very careful with the opposite leg, that you're not putting too much pressure on it because then you're likely to tear something in the other leg and then you're just back at square one. The whole rehab process was pointless. So I My guess is with Patrick Mahomes they take this May and June extremely slow. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet Florida's sports book.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Love these guys.

[John Middlekauff]

Obviously we talk football on the show, but the NBA playoffs is heating up. So with all these win or go home game sevens, these new series starting anytime you want to get a little action. Joel Embiid to get a triple double shade to score 40. You name it, you got it. Same game parlays, easy to build all playoff long. And if you're a little late, don't worry, Hard Rock Bet lets you live bet all game long. Try your first bet on Hard Rock Bet today and you can score 150 in bonus bets. If you win, just place a $5 bet and if it hits, you get not only your winnings but an extra 150 in bonus bets. And sure, Hard Rock is Florida's only legal sportsbook, but you don't have to be in Florida to join the party. Hard Rock Bet is also live in Arizona, Ohio, Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado and Michigan. Download the Hard Rock Bet app now and let's get the party started. Payable and bonus bets Not a cash offer Offered by Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida. Offered by Seminole hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. You must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling in Florida? Call 1-833-Playwise in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-809-with-ITWORKING PROBLEM call 1-800- GAMBLER Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia Today's podcast is brought to you by Ferguson Home. Whether you're a homeowner creating your dream space or a pro managing multiple projects, Ferguson Home is where it all comes together. Ferguson Home is designed for the way you want to shop. Experience today's top products by brands like KitchenAid firsthand by visiting a Ferguson Home showroom, where you'll explore stunning displays featuring today's latest products and innovations, or browse their extended selection of products online. Ferguson Home understands that every project is made up of countless decisions, and that's why their expert consultants are committed to helping homeowners, builders, contractors and designers bring all the details together. You can count on support from them start to finish, from choosing the right products to coordinating deliveries with your project schedule. Book a one on one consultation at your local Ferguson Home showroom or shop [e-mail] whether you're working on a new kitchen, a new bathroom, or a whole home remodel, you'll find the latest designs and technologies from the brands you trust at Ferguson Home.

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Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it

[John Middlekauff]

all embedded in the games and with

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the athletes for a full year.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on £10. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

[John Middlekauff]

Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The other story when it comes to a quarterback is Brendan Sorsby, who officially, over the last couple days, acquired legal counsel. And I think they're trying to find out immediately whether he's going to be suspended and if so, how long. And I've kind of come around. I mean, I don't think he's in

[Co-host/Analyst]

trouble for gambling on Cincinnati Reds games.

[John Middlekauff]

He's clearly in trouble for betting on his own team. He was also a true freshman. Like, boys are dumb. But I also understand if you're going to be in bed with gambling, you cannot have players betting on games that even if they're red shirting, they're a part of. That is a very, very slippery slope, I don't think. And definitely the NFL doesn't care about this. Like, you're allowed to gamble on the NBA. You're allowed to gamble on the PGA Tour. You're just technically not supposed to do it in the building. But you can gamble on other sports. You just can't gamble of. Like, hey, I'm on the practice squad. I know Lamar Jackson's injured. I'm going to bet on our team to lose or, or win, right? Because maybe I got a buddy on another team who, hey, three of their five offensive linemen are out this week.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Can't have that. There has to be some integrity.

[John Middlekauff]

And I, I also, though, would have to see, like, if you bet $100 for his own team to win, uh, I don't really give a shit. I don't think most people care, though. I understand that. I, I could see them taking this extremely seriously and suspending him for the season. Now, one thing that is very clear about the NCAA is they don't like getting sued.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I mean, they have lost lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit. I mean, you could argue that their kind of operation and their organization is holding on by a very, very thin string. If these football programs ever wanted to go into business with each other and ditch them, what would they do if

[John Middlekauff]

they ever separate from the academic side

[Co-host/Analyst]

of their universities and just become the Alabama football program, where you don't have

[John Middlekauff]

to go to school?

[Co-host/Analyst]

I don't know why you would need

[John Middlekauff]

the ncaa, but my guess will be

[Co-host/Analyst]

he's going to get a harsh suspension. They will try to sue or get an arbitrator involved. I, you know, the supplemental draft, the

[John Middlekauff]

way that works is historically, it's like a guy right now realizes he's going to be academically ineligible for the fall

[Co-host/Analyst]

and he's a good player.

[John Middlekauff]

Well, do you know who doesn't care about your academic eligibility?

[Co-host/Analyst]

The NFL.

[John Middlekauff]

They don't give a shit what your

[Co-host/Analyst]

GPA is if you're a good player, right?

[John Middlekauff]

So, guys, historically, a lot of it has been that. And back in the day, the transfer

[Co-host/Analyst]

situation was much more difficult.

[John Middlekauff]

So once the supplemental, and there hasn't

[Co-host/Analyst]

been one I think since 2019 is

[John Middlekauff]

the first round starts and if you want to pick Brennan Sorsby, you just

[Co-host/Analyst]

say, hey, we'll pick Brandon Sorsby.

[John Middlekauff]

But if I'm the Arizona Cardinals, I have the third pick and it's the

[Co-host/Analyst]

same draft order that just happened. And if I'm the, you know, I'm just picking teams. New England Patriots, I don't pick till the end of the round.

[John Middlekauff]

So as the rounds go, obviously no

[Co-host/Analyst]

one would take this guy in the first round. And I haven't watched that much of him. If he came to supplemental draft, I'll peek at him.

[John Middlekauff]

But like, my guess is these teams, like, this is one of those situations that are, how comfortable are you going to be when you have similar situations? We've had guys get suspended for this and you don't have that much time. One to vet the person because he's not coming out like a normal prospect where you have all off season. And a huge part of his story was what was he going to look like transferring to Texas Tech? All eyes were going to be on him. So I, I know a lot of people think he'll go the supplemental draft. I think there's a pretty big red flag because there's so much unknown about what's going on. He's checked himself into rehab. Is he still there? He's getting this lawyer. Like, it's kind of a messy situation for a league that is also very sensitive with the gambling of their own players. Because we can't get to a spot where it's just like no integrity of the game. And it's like everything is everything fake because some people believe that. And there are times when you're watching, especially if you're gambling on it, you're like, I think this thing's rigged. In these leagues, obviously college, they're very sensitive to that. And I, my guess is, you know, would Soares be, be cool if he only gets a three game suspension and

[Co-host/Analyst]

playing out the rest of the year?

[John Middlekauff]

Because to me, if it gets like

[Co-host/Analyst]

over half the season, I would guess he just goes in the supplemental draft.

[John Middlekauff]

The other story from this week or

[Co-host/Analyst]

it happened today, actually.

[John Middlekauff]

I'm not a Yankee fan, but I've always appreciated the brand and the power

[Co-host/Analyst]

of their fan base. I remember going to Europe when I was in college and seeing Yankee hats everywhere.

[John Middlekauff]

They're a worldwide brand and John Sterling

[Co-host/Analyst]

was the voice of the Yankees.

[John Middlekauff]

Didn't miss a game for 30 years. And when I was a kid, it

[Co-host/Analyst]

felt like they won a World Series every single year.

[John Middlekauff]

It's like, did they win 10 World Series? Turns out they won in 96. They won a 98, 99, 2000.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And then Luis Gonzalez, actually not far

[John Middlekauff]

away from where I'm sitting, hits the crazy bloop single with Kurt Schilling and Randy Johnson on the Diamondbacks.

[Co-host/Analyst]

They could have won four straight.

[John Middlekauff]

And then they lost again to the Marlins.

[Co-host/Analyst]

They didn't win again till the late 2000s.

[John Middlekauff]

But you know baseball.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I grew up loving radio.

[John Middlekauff]

And once you start working in sports radio and you see how the sausage is made, historically, you know, radio's never meant less terrestrial radio than it does today. But in certain markets it's still pretty big. Like the Celtics losing, do you know who that was great for? Mike Vrabel. Because 98. 5, which you could argue is as big and in terms of their market, might be the biggest radio station currently in America. Because in Boston, in New York and Philadelphia and Chicago, some of these markets

[Co-host/Analyst]

still crush when it comes to radio.

[John Middlekauff]

They get massive ratings. Where I live in Arizona, local radio is deader than doornail when it comes

[Co-host/Analyst]

to Sports talk

[John Middlekauff]

and your voice of a baseball team, especially when it's as prominent of a baseball team as the Yankees, become a huge part of people's lives. And when the Yankees really took off in the 90s, the Internet didn't exist. Most people did not have 100 cable TV channels. You didn't have that many options for things to do. So if you like sports and you like the Yankees, you heard that guy a lot. And because of the sport, not every game's on at 7 o' clock at night. You play a lot of day games, you play on the weekends. So if you're in your car, you are just hearing this human being. And growing up a big Giants fan. Mike Kco and Dwayne Kuiper, it's a little different, Sterling, because they were TV guys, but they also did radio. And the way the Giants work, they got John Miller, they got Dave Fleming, all their guys kind of do it all now. Kuiper and. And Mike Kruco. The majority of their work is on television, but, like, they can be heard on radio constantly. And they become a huge part of your life and you feel like, you know these guys. And obviously baseball isn't quite the same of what it used to be, the, the national pastime. But this guy. When the Yankees really took off, baseball was enormous. And the Yankees in the late 90s, I remember watching those World Series on television. I remember when Bruce Bochy and Tony Gwynn took them on in that World Series after they beat the Braves and the Yankees. Did they sweep them? Or maybe it was gentlemen, sweep. It was like, this team is fucking incredible. And unlike, you know, the Dodgers, who, you know, they trade for Mookie Betts, they buy Ohtani and Yamamoto, you know, Derek, Tito was a homegrown guy, pretty sure. Jorge Posada, Andy Pettit. Like, there was an organic nature to those teams. And I can't imagine a lot of Yankee fans and New York's our biggest media market now.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He's 87 years old.

[John Middlekauff]

He's been sick.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He's hasn't been doing it for a

[John Middlekauff]

while, but the guy went 30 years. 30 years and didn't miss a baseball game. I feel very fortunate that when I. The way my life has played out,

[Co-host/Analyst]

working in sports, it turned out to be football.

[John Middlekauff]

Like, there was a point in time if a professional baseball team would have hired me out of college, who knows?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Not that I'm that big of a

[John Middlekauff]

baseball guy, but I probably would have tried it and done it. I worked for this tiny, tiny little summer League team when I was at Cal Poly, it's kind of fun, but it was like, you played 30 straight. You played 30 games in 35 days. Like, God damn, every single day. Football, you play once a week, you know, so these, if you're Mitch Holtis or Greg Papa or Sandusky who retired, not that Sandusky, but the guy that called the Ravens games, you just get to prep all week, get excited. You get to watch all the other games and call your game. Travel with it's. It's the easiest sport by far. To be associated with it on the

[Co-host/Analyst]

outside, obviously, as a player and a

[John Middlekauff]

coach is intense, but in baseball, like, these guys are there every single day

[Co-host/Analyst]

and they become a huge, huge part of people's lives. And you know, RIP because to have that career, to be a part of one of the biggest dynasties of my lifetime, definitely in baseball, the biggest dynasty, we'll see if the Dodgers can match them. But that, that team, to win that many World Series in that short period of time was. Was really cool to watch.

[John Middlekauff]

Before we do a mailbag, I do

[Co-host/Analyst]

want to do a quick dad Diaries. And this is actually about my nephews.

[John Middlekauff]

Maria is in a wedding.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So last week she went home on like Friday. She went to the wedding shower on

[John Middlekauff]

Saturday and then just stayed with her mom throughout the week.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And I was like, I.

[John Middlekauff]

When they left on Friday morning, I

[Co-host/Analyst]

drove him to the airport, helped him load all the stuff, and then she just took Jack through check in and they were gone.

[John Middlekauff]

It's like, you know what?

[Co-host/Analyst]

She's like, come help me.

[John Middlekauff]

Come back.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So I went out on Friday and we went to her brothers. Has a daughter who just turned one, Lucy. She had a birthday party. Her birthday party was nicer than any birthday party I ever had in 40 years of life. Not even close. I mean, it was. It was incredible.

[John Middlekauff]

There was like 80 people there, kids everywhere.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I kept telling Matt or brother, I'm like, none of your friends have fertility issues. I'll tell you that. There are babies everywhere you turn. And my brother, we stayed with my mom, who lives in the general Sacramento area. And my brother, she lives in a cul de sac.

[John Middlekauff]

Lives in the cul de sac too.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And. Which is great, you know, my dad's dead. The kids are. He has a six year old and

[John Middlekauff]

a three year old. The three year old Maddie, she takes

[Co-host/Analyst]

to school and picks up and I guess every single day. Maddie's no dummy.

[John Middlekauff]

He's like, I want to go to McDonald's.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So she takes him get chicken nuggets

[John Middlekauff]

and he asked for a milkshake all the time.

[Co-host/Analyst]

My mom struggles to say no. Gets him a lot of milkshakes. He's living large. They hang out. I came out one morning at like 7:30 in the morning on Saturday morning. And Maddie was just sitting there with my mom watching cartoons. So it's, it's very cool for her.

[John Middlekauff]

But one thing these kids know is that she doesn't say no. And I was thinking this weekend, like, I remember begging for stupid shit at

[Co-host/Analyst]

like longs drugs, which is like CVS mixed with a Target. I don't think they exist anymore.

[John Middlekauff]

Always wanting toys, her saying no, always wanting to go to McDonald's or Burger

[Co-host/Analyst]

King on the way home, her saying no. I remember one time, I don't exactly

[John Middlekauff]

remember what happened, but like most probably the first 12, 13 years of my life we said this two bedroom house

[Co-host/Analyst]

since they've remodeled it and the house looks a lot different.

[John Middlekauff]

But then it was just two bedrooms.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Probably like, I don't know, 2,000 square

[John Middlekauff]

feet, two bedrooms, a kitchen.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Honestly, it might have been less than that.

[John Middlekauff]

It was, it was a small house. Houses in the 80s, you know, in the 70s.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think the house was built in the 60s.

[John Middlekauff]

They were just smaller to me. My brother shared a room and I

[Co-host/Analyst]

just remember pissing her off so bad and she came at me with a spoon. I definitely deserved it. And she was just, she was great. I mean, when I would get in trouble, she'd always threaten to call my dad. She wasn't the disciplinarian. But this time I remember I made her really, really mad. I was probably like, I don't know, 9:10. But on Sunday morning we're flying out at like noon.

[John Middlekauff]

I can HEAR it's probably 7:15 in the morning.

[Co-host/Analyst]

We're in the back bedroom and they're out like toward the kitchen. But there's like a hallway, but you can.

[John Middlekauff]

The sound travels in the house.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So sometimes like if she's watching TV

[John Middlekauff]

in the living room, even though it's

[Co-host/Analyst]

in the opposite end of the house, she has tiles and the sound just travels.

[John Middlekauff]

So you can hear a lot of

[Co-host/Analyst]

what's going on out there.

[John Middlekauff]

And I just hear my brother really and his two kids, Maddie and David, like, ah. And there's a commotion going on out there. It turns out Maddie and David, who,

[Co-host/Analyst]

you know, young kids, walk over to

[John Middlekauff]

my mom's house like 7, 7:30 in the morning and look at my mom, Joan and say, can we get some ice cream? And she can't say no.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And she gives him a bowl of ice cream.

[John Middlekauff]

And then my brother who is just looking for his children who are nowhere

[Co-host/Analyst]

to be found walk in and there is David eating ice cream at 7:45 in the morning. So it's just, it's funny how life works, you know. And you see these memes and these videos online like your parents treat you way different than they treat their grandchildren. Right? So yeah, my, my nephew's had ice cream for breakfast.

[John Middlekauff]

Okay, let's, let's bang out a couple mailbag questions at John Middle Coff at John Middle Coffee is the Instagram fire in those dms. Get your questions answered here on the show. Just curious, what are a couple of your favorite first round picks? Well if, if Arvl Reese, let's say goes back to school I think there's a chance non quarterback, he's the best

[Co-host/Analyst]

player in the country.

[John Middlekauff]

One more year at Ohio State, one more year of Patricia puts up dominant, is unblockable and we go this is one of the better players in recent memory coming out of the draft. But he was 20 years old, didn't have that much experience. People didn't know what position he was really going to play. It was like he could be Micah Parsons. But those are the type guys I am taking all day long and I think in a couple years if they are able to figure this out they could have one of the best pass

[Co-host/Analyst]

rushing duos in the NFL because Abdul Carter is, he has no excuse not to be a Pro bowl player. And Arvell Reese's ceiling is every bit as high if not higher.

[John Middlekauff]

So I, I, I think them getting,

[Co-host/Analyst]

I, I think the Titans could regret that. I, I really do.

[John Middlekauff]

I think they could have got a wide receiver later.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I understand liking Carnell Tate but I,

[John Middlekauff]

I would had a really really hard

[Co-host/Analyst]

time passing on RVL Reese.

[John Middlekauff]

And then the other is I would imagine on every draft board Caleb Downs

[Co-host/Analyst]

was a top three or four player in the draft. People just thought he was one of the best football players in this draft.

[John Middlekauff]

The Dallas Cowboys defense obviously trade Micah

[Co-host/Analyst]

Parsons right before the beginning of the season.

[John Middlekauff]

But no one knew where to go. You would watch them play. It was like watching Texas Tech for Mike Leach. It was like are these even Division 1 players? Are these even NFL players? Does anyone know what's going on? Could have been Eberfluss who I think

[Co-host/Analyst]

I don't know what cons he's been on but he's, he's pulled a pretty good con job.

[John Middlekauff]

Bill Polian got him hired and then you know, with the Bears and then the Cowboy, I mean, Matty Refluz is

[Co-host/Analyst]

just position coach at best, but no

[John Middlekauff]

one knew where they were going. So now you get Caleb Downs, who's one of the best players in the draft, who is also like a genius and just can point everyone where to go and what to do. And you're clearly going to have a defense with a lot more younger players on it. You know, they draft Lawrence later in the first round. They have a bunch of veteran defensive linemen now. I just think if you would have told Jerry Jones, Brian Schottenheimer, Stephen Jones that Caleb Downs would be on your team and you would only have to trade up one spot, I don't think

[Co-host/Analyst]

they would have believed you.

[John Middlekauff]

I don't think most people in the

[Co-host/Analyst]

league would have believed you.

[John Middlekauff]

So you could argue that's my favorite

[Co-host/Analyst]

pick just because the plug and play nature of it, it's just, it's just perfect

[John Middlekauff]

when it comes to playmakers that DC specifically scheme for JJ, Chase, CMC, etc. Once they start regressing, how long does it take for the coordinators to catch up where they realize they no longer

[Co-host/Analyst]

need to scheme for them?

[John Middlekauff]

Example, I keep hearing AJ is regressing, but defenses still treat him as a prime threat even if he isn't. At what point do the DCs realize this?

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think it's gotta, it takes a little time because you can't go into

[John Middlekauff]

a game, let's say A.J.

[Co-host/Analyst]

brown is never the same. And then you play him and you're

[John Middlekauff]

like, you know what, we're not going to shade the coverage over there. We're just going to treat him like a run of the mill wide receiver because we think, I know he's making $28 million. We view him as a just a guy we see every week, no big deal. And then he goes for 10, 130 yards and two touchdowns on you.

[Co-host/Analyst]

You're going to get crushed, crucified.

[John Middlekauff]

It's like, oh, McCaffrey's not the same. And then he rushes for 140 yards and scores three touchdowns against you. You are getting eviscerated. So I think a lot of the coordinators get very nervous. Like you got to be really shitty

[Co-host/Analyst]

for them not to pay attention to

[John Middlekauff]

you because like that was the whole point of the game plan. The other thing is if the player's regressing, but does the offense still revolve around them? Because if the offense, offense still revolves around them, if you take out their number one option, it makes it more difficult unless you believe like their number

[Co-host/Analyst]

Two option is like sneaky, underrated.

[John Middlekauff]

So I, I think it takes a

[Co-host/Analyst]

little while and I think a lot of it is because self preservation. You don't want to get crushed.

[John Middlekauff]

Big Steeler fan out of Salt Lake City.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Beautiful place, Salt Lake. I can't speak to Pittsburgh. Never been there.

[John Middlekauff]

What are your initial thoughts on Will Howard? Seemed like a big kid with a strong arm and won the natty with Ohio State and sat behind Rogers for a year. Everyone wants to know about this guy. I, I just, I've said over and over, I think it is very, very

[Co-host/Analyst]

difficult for a franchise to start a six rounder who's never played before week one.

[John Middlekauff]

Even if it turns out like he's the next Kurt Warner or he's the next Brock Purdy. Kurt Warner got his start because Trent

[Co-host/Analyst]

Green tore his acl.

[John Middlekauff]

Brock Purdy got his start because Trey Lance broke his ankle and Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot. You just don't throw. You can't be taken seriously inside your building.

[Co-host/Analyst]

If you just hand the starting job

[John Middlekauff]

to that guy now, people on the team can go, this guy's good, this guy's good, this guy's good. But typically it takes an injury for

[Co-host/Analyst]

that to guide to get on the field.

[John Middlekauff]

Now if it's Will Howard versus, you know, if Rogers never shows up, it's Will Howard, Drew Aller and Mason Rudolph.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, you can start him but.

[John Middlekauff]

But if it goes wrong, you're going to get crushed. Like it's a slippery slope. Part of when Kurt Warner or Purdy gets in. There's no expectation right when Kurt Warner started week two. No, no one even thought. Or was it week one. The trinket hurt in the preseason. Purdy got thrown in in like December or late November. Your expectation on the player is nothing. Enjoy. When you talk about what it was

[Co-host/Analyst]

like growing up as a kid in the 90s.

[John Middlekauff]

Hop on our bikes, meet up with neighborhood friends, cause a little mischief. That we did. That we did. I remember I was telling someone the

[Co-host/Analyst]

other day we had this water balloon launcher. And I remember in the summer one year, me, I used to run with these older kids and the UPS truck, you know, used to drive around the neighborhood, you know, like the afternoon to do his drop offs. And if you could time it up right on the water balloon launcher, if you hit the side of the UPS truck as he's driving by, it would make like a bomb like sound because

[John Middlekauff]

the UPS thing and one day we

[Co-host/Analyst]

were on bikes and one dude was in a golf cart and the guy got out of his golf cart and chased him down and we, we all got caught and we got in big trouble. But simpler times. This is when I was like 12.

[John Middlekauff]

I was born in 89, so right on the cusp. Growing up without cell phones and the Internet, gaming has become so huge, kids even prefer to watch others play video games. Don't get me wrong, my siblings and I got down N64 Goldeneye NFL Blitz Mario Kart as a JV high school football coach. Now I'm noticing how gaming is all they want to do and talk about. My stepson loves Sports, just turned 6. I have a PlayStation I never use and hesitate to introduce him to because I don't want him to lose the passion for real life and interaction. How do you think you will approach this with Jack as he continues to grow up? Not saying gaming is bad, but I'm learning on the fly how to balance so it's not all he wants to do. Thoughts on parenting and potential gaming?

[Co-host/Analyst]

I, yeah, I mean I, I, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love video games when I was a kid. I remember PlayStation, N64, Sega. I remember I had a Sega when I was probably in junior high. N64 was pretty sweet, but by, you know, Xbox, I never, that was a little past my time. I didn't really play video games though after freshman year of college. So I mean I've gone 20 plus years of playing video games. My wife does not like them. So that, that's he. We are not gonna have a gaming kid.

[John Middlekauff]

But I'll be honest, I, I thought, you know, I'd write down a lot of stuff and how I'm gonna approach

[Co-host/Analyst]

life lessons and stuff. I think I've mentioned this before. When your kid is so young, you're just trying to get day to day. It's like yesterday we're in the plane flying home and he has a meltdown and I'm like, oh my, what do you do? You're just, you're like Darrell Revis on an island. Everyone's staring at you. He's, he's screaming as loud as he's ever screamed.

[John Middlekauff]

I mean the whole American airline plane

[Co-host/Analyst]

is just echoing up and it's like, oh my God, everyone.

[John Middlekauff]

A couple people like, hey, I'm a grandparent, no worries. One lady said after it went on for a couple minutes, like I didn't even know he was there till that. So everyone was cool. But you're just in the fog of

[Co-host/Analyst]

war just trying to get by. But I think there's Going to be a fine balance. I mean, I've thought big picture about this.

[John Middlekauff]

You, you can't be one of those

[Co-host/Analyst]

people that never gives your kid a device, right? Or never let your kid go on a computer because he was born in

[John Middlekauff]

19 or 20, 2026. So he's going to be growing up in the 30s and the 40s where. Think how often. I mean, I got, I'm talking into a computer to make a living. I wrote down notes on my iPhone. I, I'm recording it into an external monitor where I got two televisions that I'm about to throw on the Knicks game that are wired to my. I mean, our whole life is technologically determined and we, we live through it.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Most of us, obviously some people for jobs don't.

[John Middlekauff]

But even if you run a restaurant and you're the head chef, well, can I order doordash? Can I get the thing delivered through my phone? You don't want them to not understand and be technologically advanced. My brother's kids are older, you know, at 6. And there's a balance of how much you let them watch. You can't just never let them use

[Co-host/Analyst]

the iPad or never let them learn, you know, mess around with a computer, right?

[John Middlekauff]

Or they will just get lapped in society. Now there's clearly a balance of, you

[Co-host/Analyst]

know, I, I can't just have you, you know, being 13 years old, have a phone, just looking at porn all day.

[John Middlekauff]

I, I don't know exactly how I'm going to attack that, but their life, it's funny, you hear some of these

[Co-host/Analyst]

stories from people who have like high school kids and they will like DM the girl, right? And they'll be talking on Snapchat or Instagram or Tick Tock or whatever. And he says when they get to school, they won't even communicate. Like, they will just text it all night and they walk right by each other at school. That's like, we're not gonna, that's not gonna be tolerated. We gotta, we gotta communicate. We gotta talk.

[John Middlekauff]

The one thing he'll never have to

[Co-host/Analyst]

do, which my generation did. And everyone younger, if you wanted to

[John Middlekauff]

talk to a girl, call your girlfriend. You had to call her house.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Her father might pick up the phone, her older brother might pick up the phone. Her dad could listen as you're talking to her.

[John Middlekauff]

I remember text messaging first came out

[Co-host/Analyst]

when I was either like a junior or senior in high school. I remember my high school girlfriend, we were texting all the time. But back then I got, you don't get charged for texting anymore, right?

[John Middlekauff]

It was like 10 cents a text. And I remember I was working for

[Co-host/Analyst]

my dad on the ranch, and I

[John Middlekauff]

remember, like, kind of looking down and

[Co-host/Analyst]

I see this cloud of dust. And I was, like, doing something on a tractor, and it was. It had beds. So, like, if you're gonna drive a truck onto the field, you would have to kind of go around and then go up. You. You couldn't go horizontally from an angle. You'd have to go vertically. So you weren't. Bumps. He doesn't even break stride. He's going like 50 miles an hour hitting these bumps. I'm like, did I kill someone?

[John Middlekauff]

And then as he gets closer, the window comes down, and I see outside the window him holding some paper. So finally I just get out. I'm like, what? What? He's just furious.

[Co-host/Analyst]

This shows you where we are with the bill was like $600, which, you know, 2002, a cell phone bill for a high school kid, $600 would probably be like 5,000 now.

[John Middlekauff]

He was so mad. I'm like, dad, I'm just texting her, like, what?

[Co-host/Analyst]

He.

[John Middlekauff]

He didn't even. I mean, at the time, he wouldn't even be able to comprehend what that meant or what that was.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And you got. You got charged per text message. So simpler times. Now,

[John Middlekauff]

John, who would you consider the next upand coming coach in the NFL?

[Co-host/Analyst]

That's a good question.

[John Middlekauff]

I. I would say. I think I heard someone say this the other day.

[Co-host/Analyst]

There were 10 openings this year, right?

[John Middlekauff]

So next year or the previous year,

[Co-host/Analyst]

I forget how many there were in 24, but let's just say there were five or six. And that's like half the league.

[John Middlekauff]

So half the league has come open

[Co-host/Analyst]

in the last couple years.

[John Middlekauff]

More than likely there aren't going to be 10 again. There's a decent chance that it's three or four. If Mike Tomlin wants to coach in

[Co-host/Analyst]

the NFL, Mike Tomlin is 100% getting a job.

[John Middlekauff]

So, like, Mike Tomlin is immediately taking

[Co-host/Analyst]

one of the jobs.

[John Middlekauff]

Like Harbaugh this year, like Vrabel last year. They're just taking one of the jobs. So then let's just say there's four. I think Anthony Weaver, the Ravens defensive coordinator, is. I met him at the combine.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He's an impressive guy. He's. He's very highly thought of.

[John Middlekauff]

I would say Flores, from just a coaching standpoint, is clearly one of the best coaches in the league, did sue the league, and is not great treating quarterbacks. So he's got to do a Little rehabilitation with just.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I'm cool with offensive people because one of the knocks, I remember a coach telling me like, bro, some of the stories I've heard, the way he treats the offensive staff, it's like, bro, offense

[John Middlekauff]

pays the bills in this league.

[Co-host/Analyst]

But he's, he's pretty elite, I would

[John Middlekauff]

say those two guys, defensive guys, offensively,

[Co-host/Analyst]

I mean, all the Kubiax, all the floors have jobs. You know, if Jackson Dart and the

[John Middlekauff]

Giants are really good this year offensively,

[Co-host/Analyst]

you know, Nagy clearly wanted that Titans job and they went with Robert Sala instead, who, you know, Salah was just coming off an incredible year with the Niners and Nagy had a bad year, so it wasn't even that crazy. But if you tell me The Giants win 11 games and their offense is awesome, like now, you probably get a job. But I, you know, Josh McDaniels is

[John Middlekauff]

never getting a job.

[Co-host/Analyst]

No one's hiring that guy in the NFL. What if the Vikings suck this year?

[John Middlekauff]

Could Kevin o' Connell get fired?

[Co-host/Analyst]

Because he would immediately get hired. But like, is he just safe there

[John Middlekauff]

for the next couple years, regardless how things go, something to keep an eye on.

[Co-host/Analyst]

That'd be kind of my wild card.

[John Middlekauff]

I'm a Seahawks homer, so I'll admit I'm biased. But. But are the Niners in trouble roster wise? They are now a clear third in the division, in my opinion. Kyle is, no doubt about it, one of the best coaches, which is why their run last year was insane. But they lost solo. That being said, I wonder if his power in the draft room is becoming a problem. If you look at the Niners last five or six classes, it's abysmal outside of a generational pick with Purdy. I look up and down their roster and I see age, injury prone and lack of depth. They will still be good because they got Kyle, but it still feels like they're far away from a talent standpoint only. They can only go so far from a talent standpoint. You have to go back to 19 to find a great draft for them.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Yeah, I mean,

[John Middlekauff]

your position coaches cannot

[Co-host/Analyst]

be making your picks the position 1.

[John Middlekauff]

I was texting with a buddy this, you know, Kyle told Rich Eisen that

[Co-host/Analyst]

the position coaches have to sell him on a player.

[John Middlekauff]

The position coaches are not your scouts. The position coaches are paid to coach their position. You think Bill Walsh or Al Davis or Andy Reid or John Schneider or Howie Roseman would let his position coaches pick players or just have a ton of influence? Position coaches leave. There's no guarantee they'll be there more than a year or two. And with the 49ers, they leave all the time. So that was like, what are we doing? That being said, I would not count these guys out.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I think Niners going to be good.

[John Middlekauff]

A lot of question marks with health, but the high end talent they have as elite.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Their quarterback still elite and their coach is awesome.

[John Middlekauff]

And Salah hurts. But you know Raheem Morris, one of Kyle's best friends, like Sala, big time defensive coordinator.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He was awesome with McVay who's also

[John Middlekauff]

one of his best friends. I think that's about as seamless of

[Co-host/Analyst]

a transition as you're going to make.

[John Middlekauff]

And you know, Kyle's pretty ruthless when it comes to that type stuff. Everyone thought Gus Bradley was going to be the job.

[Co-host/Analyst]

You cannot hire Gus Bradley to be your defensive coordinator and I'm glad they did not.

[John Middlekauff]

Nice guy, felt member of the bald community.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He cannot be your defensive coordinator.

[John Middlekauff]

So I think from a coaching standpoint they'll be high end.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I just think Kyle and again, stripling I had no issue with.

[John Middlekauff]

But the, the running back, you know, I think some people are questioning that one a little bit. Understandable. Everyone thought LA, you know, they went

[Co-host/Analyst]

12 and 5 last year with scrubs all over the place.

[John Middlekauff]

So what happens if they're just not nearly as injured because the previous year

[Co-host/Analyst]

they were, I guess three years ago now they were in the Super Bowl.

[John Middlekauff]

But yeah, there's no doubt about it. Coming into the season, they're not going to be favored to win the division

[Co-host/Analyst]

like they were last year.

[John Middlekauff]

Seattle and the Rams should be both. I haven't even looked at the odds. I would say Seattle and the Rams, I would both put it like plus 125 and I put the Niners like plus 275, plus 300 and the Cardinals like plus 10,000. I enjoyed the segment on NFL Finance.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Cash in the cap. This is a little bit of an old dm. I tried to.

[John Middlekauff]

I got so many new ones.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I've left some people in the dust. I'm like, I don't want. If you sent me a dm, I want to answer it.

[John Middlekauff]

But it seems to me that a top 10 coach and a top 10 quarterback is what wins closer. You get to the top five in each category at the same time, the deeper the playoff run is. This seems proven time and time again. Lombardi star, Noel Bradshaw, Walsh, Montana Aikman, Jimmie Johnson, Belichick, Brady, Reed Mahomes, so on. Even the Cardinals put it together short term with Arians and Carson Palmer. Slide the rankings any direction and you'll get winning seasons, playoff success and more importantly, hope.

[Co-host/Analyst]

As a fan, I would not disagree with you. I think football has become very, very simple.

[John Middlekauff]

If you have an elite coach and you have an elite quarterback and the

[Co-host/Analyst]

quarterback is playing well, you're a lock to win.

[John Middlekauff]

If you have an elite coach and your quarterback is a little up and down, but he's talented. Bo Nix, you can make the playoffs.

[Co-host/Analyst]

You can be in the championship game.

[John Middlekauff]

Vrabel, Drake, May right a couple years ago, Harbaugh, Lamar, Jackson. If Joe Brady is better than Sean McDermott, the Bills are going to win

[Co-host/Analyst]

big because we know Josh is unreal.

[John Middlekauff]

Sean was solid, but I don't think

[Co-host/Analyst]

anyone thought Sean was like a top seven. I think he's better than the public beliefs but like I you're not ranking him ahead of a lot of these guys.

[John Middlekauff]

If Joe Brady becomes like one of the top offensive head coaches in the

[Co-host/Analyst]

league, they're going to win a Super bowl in the next couple years. So.

[John Middlekauff]

Totally agree. But that's where you also, you know I was thinking about this.

[Co-host/Analyst]

The the Celtics losing. They made a trade this summer during the season where they traded Anthony Simons for a center and the reason for the trade was it saved him money that they it keeping below the luxury tax. I think the Knicks this year paying like 50 or 60 million dollars in luxury tax. The Nuggets a couple years ago got rid of a bunch of guys to get under the threshold.

[John Middlekauff]

Several years ago the warriors because they were a repeat offender, were paying like

[Co-host/Analyst]

150, $180 million in luxury tax.

[John Middlekauff]

If they hadn't shed some salary, the next build the next year would have been like 300 million in tax. In the NFL there's no luxury tax, right? There's a hard cap. You can't go above it. You can spend more cash than the cap, right, and manipulate deals, but you can never just have unlimited players because you can't manipulate the cap that much.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Once you have high priced players, we're

[John Middlekauff]

in the NBA like it is what it is and if you want to go way over the cap, you are going to get a huge bill. And unless you're winning championships, it is never going to be worth it. In the NFL it's like the Bengals who are quote unquote cheap, have three guys making huge cash on offense, quarterback, two wide receivers and then this year trade the 10th pick which would actually be a cost effective player for a guy making $25 million a year and give him an Extension index for Lawrence. It's like, yeah, we don't pay a

[Co-host/Analyst]

tax on any of it.

[John Middlekauff]

I was like the power of the NFL over, over the NBA who just 3x their media deal is everyone's rich.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Everyone has the money if they want to.

[John Middlekauff]

Everyone pulls from. There is no local television deals. They're not as I would say, what

[Co-host/Analyst]

word am I looking for?

[John Middlekauff]

They don't rely on the local revenue

[Co-host/Analyst]

like they do in the NBA and baseball.

[John Middlekauff]

In baseball, it's a huge advantage that

[Co-host/Analyst]

the Dodgers sell out every single game. 50,000 people like the Giants over the

[John Middlekauff]

last couple years have not been good. They don't sell out like they used to with Buster Posey, Tim Lincecom and Madison Bumgarner. They are making less money now than they used to make and that impacts their bottom line. We're in the football. It's like the Bengals just had an awful season and they're still flush with cash. It's just up to the owner whether he wants to be aggressive or not. And it's one huge, huge advantage of just being in the NFL in terms of the business structure of an owner. It's like you got the money if you want it and if you get the right GM who can figure it out, like you can do some serious damage where I mean, baseball only. How many teams are even trying. And even if you try, you're not guaranteed. Look at the Phillies in the Mets. They suck.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Phillies got right actually because they played the Giants, but the Mets have been terrible.

[John Middlekauff]

Would love to know how you think the Rams will approach paying these younger players. In 23, the Rams drafted Puka, Byron Young, Steve Avila, Kobe Turner and more. I think the Rams will have to make some serious decisions over the next 12 months.

[Co-host/Analyst]

This is the knock on not going all in right now because Jared versus going into year three, if he has a big year, he's going to get an enormous contract. We saw if Puka can get right with, you know, with the rehab stuff, that number is not going to be small.

[John Middlekauff]

So the Chiefs have traded Tyree Kill,

[Co-host/Analyst]

have traded Trent McDuffie.

[John Middlekauff]

Not because they didn't like those players

[Co-host/Analyst]

on their team because financially it was like we can't pay this much.

[John Middlekauff]

So the Rams are going to have

[Co-host/Analyst]

very, very tough decisions now.

[John Middlekauff]

Maybe less need would go.

[Co-host/Analyst]

This is why we got a rookie quarterback. So when Stafford, let's say, retires at the end of the year, we have a quarterback who we like who also

[John Middlekauff]

doesn't make that much money. So I see both sides, but this could be the Last year with this

[Co-host/Analyst]

many good players on the team because

[John Middlekauff]

there's no way you can pay all these guys. Especially if Puka gets on the straight narrow.

[Co-host/Analyst]

We know how much his contract costs.

[John Middlekauff]

If Jared Verse has a big season,

[Co-host/Analyst]

we know how much edge rushers cost.

[John Middlekauff]

So just in those two guys alone, I mean, Puka would be $120 million guaranteed. Jared Verse be over $100 million guaranteed. That's just in two players, not even counting your quarterback gets very, very complicated. I don't know which players. We'll have to see how this year plays out, but they're going to get Trent McDuffie. They just gave $100 million complicated. I'm expecting my second in July. Buckling up part two. I got the gram partially to message you I enjoy and most of your takes. I love football and graduated back in 08. You have that I do disagree with is that the cream always rises to the top. There are plenty of quarterbacks who don't get the recognition like Stafford when he was in Detroit did on a national scale. Also, Baker Mayfield's career has been awesome since he left the Browns. Imagine how many other quarterbacks got one shot and did not get another. What do you think contributes to the third? Point is, haven't heard too much business talk from you in the last couple of months.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Do you have any stocks that you see value in? I have.

[John Middlekauff]

I have a one.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I have an etf. No, this isn't financial advice called pbw. It's like a clean energy that I got heavily in like three years ago. And that thing four year, it plummeted. I mean, I was down 80% and he was like, you know, I can either take a loss or we can just battle back. And you know, you would think that

[John Middlekauff]

the Democrats would be good for clean energy.

[Co-host/Analyst]

But Trump, this, this thing has exploded when he's been in office. So it has ripped back. I meant like I averaged down to like $45. I mean, at one point I was in like 70. It was down below 20 and I think it closed the day like 37, 38. I was always like, if I ever

[John Middlekauff]

get back to even, I'm out. But if I ever get back to even, it means it's been ripping.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So no financial advice here?

[John Middlekauff]

None.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I wouldn't even recommend that one. I don't even know. I. I'm just. I've been in it so long and haven't wanted to take an L. I

[John Middlekauff]

would say the quarterback thing. Most guys do get another shot though. Like, find me people that don't get another shot. Who are drafted high, you don't get another shot. The cream doesn't always rise if you're drafted later. Like there's no guarantee Will Howard or

[Co-host/Analyst]

Riley Leonard or, you know, Garrett Nussmeier, any of those.

[John Middlekauff]

But that's, you weren't drafted that high. You did not have much value coming

[Co-host/Analyst]

onto the market and then you haven't done enough to get a shot.

[John Middlekauff]

But if you are drafted high, Baker Mayfield, you get shots. Sam Darnold, you get shots. Daniel Jones, like Trey Lance has been signed multiple spots. He just can't win a job. But Zach Wilson, like, those guys just haven't gone away. They're getting opportunities to play, you know, or to be on a team, to be a backup, to win a backup job. And when you're a backup, you're one rolled ankle or one broken clavicle away from being the full time starter. So Matt Stafford also signed up to stay in Detroit. Right.

[Co-host/Analyst]

He kept taking an obscene amount of money in contracts. He could have got out at points, done or forced his way out, but he never did. He liked the money and he got kind of lucky the way it played out.

[John Middlekauff]

But he was, I don't want to say he was cool with losing, but the money made him okay with losing. There's just no way around it. Love the show and dad Diaries. I've just recently became a father as well and ready to snap on the daily with the lack of sleep. Do you think Les need is secretly happy the puka went to rehab? Now they don't have to match the contract from Smith and Jigba and allows them to use the immature behavior as a bargaining chip. Well, it wasn't sustainable, you know, it's

[Co-host/Analyst]

like he was in kind of no man's land where he was so elite, but then off the field, like it was one thing after another and you just can't have that, especially when the guy wants a lot of money.

[John Middlekauff]

But if I go to rehab and I clean my up, it's like, okay, I, I understand you're not going to

[Co-host/Analyst]

pay me top dollar because I just went to rehab. That's part of life.

[John Middlekauff]

See a camp, I'll be ready week one. Well, what if I'm dominating again? You could argue the price and then I stay out of the straight narrow. I don't think the price is going

[Co-host/Analyst]

to go down if he has another huge season.

[John Middlekauff]

So I think he's happy. Went to rehab because he wants one of his best players, one of the best picks that he'll ever make to like get his shit together re I

[Co-host/Analyst]

don't I think it was technically like a wellness center or whatever one of those things they have in SoCal that for the rich and famous uh regardless

[John Middlekauff]

I I I I can't see another

[Co-host/Analyst]

headline about you buddy.

[John Middlekauff]

It can't not gonna happen like Justin Jefferson, Jackson Smith, all these guys making all this money. They never have negative headlines they're never an issue. We get it, you're famous, you're in la but you can't be causing problems.

[Co-host/Analyst]

So

[John Middlekauff]

do I think he was happy? I I don't know if he was happy. He just I think they just want

[Co-host/Analyst]

this to go away like figure it

[John Middlekauff]

out be able to hand mature if you can't handle booze, no more drinking if you can't handle booze drink a little less. Start hanging out with some non losers get with some normal people

[Co-host/Analyst]

like can

[John Middlekauff]

you just hang out with devonte can you just hang out with like people with some families so these streamers that have absolutely nothing to lose because their job and the business they're in is to do crazy shit. That's how they make money. A potential fugazi Friday I'm about to graduate law school and pursue a career as a tax attorney. Like any other business, a lot of what I do is rubbing elbows. My fugazi is all these successful attorneys I talk to love to chat for 30 minutes about guidance, career choices, etc. But each one of them of these people make it very clear at the end of the convo that their firm is not looking for a hire. I didn't freaking ask them for a job. I don't expect them to just offer me one while we're sipping on a beer the first time we met I get it from their angle, it's just funny to me.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I hear you dog.

[John Middlekauff]

Actual bad question. Being a Birds fan I got to suffer through the awkward 25 season. Like us all, I don't think the O line collapse injuries gets enough credit for the contribution to the mess. I think it's a one off disaster but I design it. At least 25% of the 25 offensive implosion blame thoughts Big Dom was extended.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I saw that. So you lost.

[John Middlekauff]

You lost Halaby who I started working

[Co-host/Analyst]

with back in the day and Big Dom.

[John Middlekauff]

Big Dom told me some pretty funny

[Co-host/Analyst]

stories I don't think I'm privy to say about his life in the ex. You know not about the extension necessarily

[John Middlekauff]

but big time's got just a lot

[Co-host/Analyst]

going on guys a stud. Love that guy There can't be many

[John Middlekauff]

security guards, people in his role that get extended, get a contract extension.

[Co-host/Analyst]

And people talk about online shows you he's really become a caricature.

[John Middlekauff]

You guys won the Super Bowl. You had to a guy have one of the great seasons in the history

[Co-host/Analyst]

of the league at running back.

[John Middlekauff]

And I mean the league was defined by Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Jim Brown. Like historically running backs were like the best players in the league beside the quarterbacks. And right there with the quarterbacks, especially in Walter Payton and Jim Brown's era, he just, yeah, I mean I think your running game, you know, Saquon even

[Co-host/Analyst]

said like, did he work as hard, was he as focused?

[John Middlekauff]

He just clearly offensive line injuries, the Stoutland, the offensive coordinator, the mesh was off with the cohesion. The play calling was shitty. Saquon just couldn't get going. Did he lead the league and most

[Co-host/Analyst]

times hit behind the line of scrimmage.

[John Middlekauff]

It was just off.

[Co-host/Analyst]

I mean, I totally agree, I couldn't agree more. Might even be more than 25% but

[John Middlekauff]

also shows you like a lot of Hertz's success is tied to the run

[Co-host/Analyst]

game, which is why they hired Manion, who kind of is going to get him under center running the ball, play

[John Middlekauff]

action, some easy layup throws.

[Co-host/Analyst]

It's going to be fascinating to watch. Wind on this.

[John Middlekauff]

Being a Canadian fan, I'm also a huge CFL guy and the rivalries that develop with the nine team league make the games exciting. My questions are this. Do you ever watch the CFL in the summer when the American sports calendar is slow? If so, what are your thoughts on the game overall? When you were a scout, how often did you look for CFL players? Appreciate the question. My second year in the league I

[Co-host/Analyst]

was a pro, quote unquote, a pro scout. So basically you evaluate. I got like 10 teams, so I evaluate all the players on the team throughout the year. And then I also do the leagues, right, practice squad guys too and then like the random minor league teams and CFL was one of them. I actually went to Vancouver to scout this guy on the BC Lions who

[John Middlekauff]

was a defensive tackle who ended up staying in Canada.

[Co-host/Analyst]

But we tried to sign him and he just wouldn't come. But he was a legit, remember like 6, 4, 2, 90. Well, I scouted the CFL multiple years.

[John Middlekauff]

Actually I got nothing against the league.

[Co-host/Analyst]

One of a buddy of mine's brother, Travis Brown coached there for a long time in the league I've always, you know, people have gotten their coaching profession started there. Obviously once you play in the winter, it gets really cold certain places it's a competitive league. You know I where I grew up in Davis UC Davis's rival was Sack State. Ricky Ray was the quarterback at Sack State like when I was in junior high high school. He went on to become like a legendary quarterback in the cfl. But I, I don't at this point in time in my life I, I haven't watched it in my adult life so beside for work when I did it in the league I have not watched cfl.

[John Middlekauff]

Now if it's like on TV and

[Co-host/Analyst]

I'm like having a beer and there's

[John Middlekauff]

nothing else on I will watch a little bit of it.

[Co-host/Analyst]

Obviously the running starts from the wide receivers the difference between the two downs and the three downs right before a punt.

[John Middlekauff]

Yeah I respect it. That's why I would say I respect it. Just don't really watch it. The volume.

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[John Middlekauff]

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