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- [00:00]
John Middlekauff
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T-Mobile Representative
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- [01:02]
John Middlekauff
Picture this. You're halfway through a DIY car fix, tools scattered everywhere, and boom. You realize you're missing a part. It's okay because you know whatever it is, it's on ebay. They've got everything. Brakes, headlights, cold air intakes. Whatever you need. And it's guaranteed to fit. Which means no more crossing your fingers and hoping you ordered the right thing. All the parts you need at prices you'll love. Guaranteed to fit every time. Ebay Things people love. Whether you're teeing off, headed into the office, or kicking back to watch the big game, Travis Matthew has you covered. They create versatile apparel designed to make you look and feel your best wherever life takes you. From performance driven styles to everyday essentials for men and women, Travis Matthew bridges the gap between style and comfort I was just in Nashville, got married and we had some parties to attend. I rocked the Travis Matthew jeans the entire time. Extremely versatile, can wear with tennis shoes, with dress shoes, with boots. The style makes me look better Ready to elevate your everyday? Visit travismathieu.com and get 20% off your first order when you sign up for email. The Volume Foreign what is going on everybody? How are we doing? Little weekend mailbag at John Middelkopf at John Middlekopf is the Instagram fire in those DMS get your questions answered right here on the show Again, DMS wide open fire in them. Football questions, life questions, you name it. We get everything in between so fire in those. The draft is, if you're listening or watching this, less than a week away. It's crazy. It drags there for a little bit in April, then all of a sudden you're like, whoa, it's draft week. That's how fast it happens. So let's dive into some of your questions. But before we do, you guys know there is not a better ticketing app I've ever used than my partners, my friends in the official ticketing app of this podcast, Game Time. Listen, we got playoff basketball starting. We got baseball in full swing. Right now we have the NHL hockey playoffs are about to kick off. Concert season, comedy shows, you name it. Any event you want to go to, any place, any arena, any stadium, any team. You can search by them. Search by price point. If you want to go to a concert, you can search by the view of the stage. Used it countless times. Put me in great position because I could use the stage on the app. It doesn't get any easier to use. So take the guesswork out of buying tickets. With Game time down the Game Time app, create an account and use the code John. That's my name Johan. For $20 off, your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account, redeem the code John, that's Johan. For $20 off, download the game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. K okay, let's dive into some of your questions. Ryan why does Bo Nix seem to be an afterthought compared to Williams and May? Is it purely pre draft hype or physical attributes? He threw for over 4,000 yards, 33 combined touchdowns, and had only one legitimate target in the passing game. Sutton nearly led the team in rushing and showed better physical tools than most thought. I know having Peyton makes a big difference, but Knicks did a lot of things with average skill talent. I'm expecting a big year in 2025. Thoughts? Totally agree. I think sometimes we get really caught up early on in a I would say a player that is controversial or polarizing and then he has a good season. And there are people that with much more hype that still get talked about more. It happens a lot in sports and obviously Bo Nix falls under that category. But why would you care? They can talk about Caleb Williams all they want. Your team was in the playoffs, right? Their team was not. You have an established coach. They're praying to God. Ben Johnson is 75% of Sean Payton. So I would be less caught up in like what people talk about. You guys have been really bad for a long time. He was the Last quarterback selected. It's part of the business. I mean the guy drafted number one overall is just going to get the majority of of just talk. And plus like they got two new head coaches in Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel. So it's just a little sexier to talk about. Like let's not forget now it wasn't a good thing. But we talked a lot about the Broncos, you know, two years ago with Peyton and Russell Wilson. So it just, you know, the momentum of a headline but you know the best way to get in the headlines, win. And if they have another good season like they just did last year and they take another step and they have a good draft, who cares? I would get way less caught up than like who first take is talking about. Could you do a breakdown of different factors separating scouting departments across the league? We always hear that the Eagles have a Great Scouting Department vs the Bengals are always shit on for their small scouting department. Is it just size of the department? Are there certain teams that have heavy hitters when it comes to scouts? A league wide ranking tier list would be really interesting from your perspective. I'll be honest. Like I'm not versed enough. Like I don't know people with every team. So I think the hard part about scouting is I'm sure there are guys on every, in every organization that are really good and are prominent figures to that team that we don't hear that much about. And until you like become the number two, right, and we start kind of learning about you. Like Ryan Poles the beach before he got the job. Chris Ballard forever in Kansas City. You see Ian Cunningham now with Ryan Poles who was in Philadelphia, in Baltimore, until you become that number two unless you have a relationship with them. I mean I have a relationship with guys, I mean good, really close relationships on four or five teams. But I can't speak to the entire league in terms of like under the radar scouts. Now I think most teams have somewhat of a similar setup in the sense of you have a gm, you have essentially a number two and the number two, like the GM is in charge of pro players. That means free agency, help with trades. The entire practice squad knows the league really well. This was a big thing for Spy Tech. Like he really knew the league. But then you also play a prominent role in the college. But you know, if you usually that guy, it probably depends a little team to team, but for the most part that guy is in house. He is not like canvassing going into different college programs throughout the year. Right now he's watching Those guys, but it's usually more from like a, you know, more of a 20,000 foot view. Now not saying that those guys don't do some school quote unquote calls, but they spend a lot of time in the office with the, with the gm. Now most teams have a director of pro personnel and that guy is in charge of pros, right? So basically him and his staff. Some teams have one or two guys, some teams have four or five guys evaluating the entire league. So every single year, every single player in the league is written up. So you have updated grades on every single player in the league. That includes practice squad, that includes backups, which is easy to do for the teams that you play because you're going to do advanced reports for those teams. But you also have to watch every team in the league that you don't play in. Teams in different conferences. So when those guys become free agency, free agents, when they get cut, when they become available in trade, you're not having to do a bunch of, bunch of work, right? You're not being, you're being proactive, you're not being reactive. Now the GM doesn't watch all those guys, but like, hey, so and so is available for trade. These are the two grades. Here's some cut ups that you can watch in 30, 40 minutes with, you know, the position coach and the coordinator and the head coach if we're interested in trading for this guy. But I think the Bengals thing was like they're scouting department, the Eagles, probably the biggest scouting department in the league. Which shows, you know, Jeffrey Lurie spends a lot of money. But I think the Bengals, they have always utilized their coaches as scouts. But again, like they're cheap. Not necessarily just because of the scouting department. It's been, you know, this goes back to the Carson Palmer, Mike Brown kind of button heads. But I think most teams, you know, have a college side. You get four, five, six scouts that are on the road doing west coast, the south, the Midwest, the Northeast. And then you kind of have a guy overlooking him. So you usually have multiple executives. One's the gm, one's the assistant gm. You have a pro director, he's in charge of pro. You have a college director, he's in charge of college. But obviously the GM and the number two guy are in charge of them all. So it's just, I mean a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but ultimately there's only one decision maker. But like for example, the Gladstone guy that was just hired by the Jacks, I didn't really know much about him, and clearly he played a very, very prominent role for the Rams. So we kind of all learn about him on the fly. Now, obviously there are some people in the media I'm sure that knew about him, but for the most part, there's typically like a groundswell for certain human beings. So before Adam Peters got the GM job with Washington, most people that follow football, maybe not casually, but you know, if you, if you're a pretty big NFL fan, you had heard that name, he was like this up and coming. Next gm, Spy Tech, same thing. Ian Cunningham is now one of those guys. There are typically four or five guys. Ed Dodds has been talked about for a long time, you know, but that's like Adam Peters deserved it, right? Some of these guys. So same with spy Tech. Some of these guys use like a media campaign blitzkrieg to kind of create. I mean, I know guys, I know multiple guys in the NFL that I wouldn't hesitate hiring that aren't just out there pounding, you know, PR directors slash agents to push narratives through the media, right? And now both these guys are under 40 and they'll be just fine. And they're doing well, really well financially. But like, you know, some of these guys in coaching, you can't fake it, really. Right? You can use a quote unquote media PR stream, but like, if you're a coordinator and your unit sucks, you're not going to get a job. Right? Whereas a gm, or, excuse me, an assistant GM or the number three guy, what are they actually doing? No one really knows except that coaching staff and that gm. So it can become complicated that way. But I think every team's a little bit different. There's not like a right and wrong way to operate in terms of that. But the one thing with becoming a GM is, as my guy Phil Savage told me a long time ago, we're not coaches. We get one shot, typically one shot. So most coaches, Dan Quinn, Pete Carroll, you know, whoever, you just go around Andy Reid, you have good and bad moments, you get a second opportunity. Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh, LaFleur, Kevin O'Connell, all these guys will probably inevitably be fired. Like, I mean, those guys are all early mid-40s. Are they going to coach for 20, 25 more years for that team? Probably not. I guarantee you they will all be head coaches somewhere else. Mike Vrabel, second time head coach. Boom. Robert Sala will probably become a head coach again, just the way it works, you know, Liam Cohen, unless it's an all time flame out, will probably get Another shot. It's why a coach told me a long time ago an assistant coach was like, why are you taking this coordinator job? And he's like, because once you get into the mix of coordinators, you're viewed as a coordinator, not as a position coach. And financially. And this was at the time when coordinators were just starting to make close to a million dollars. He's like, I get a multi year, million dollar contract, so I get like two or three years, like a million dollars a year. This was probably seven, eight years ago. He's like, it changes my whole family's life. Now that number as a coordinator might be three years, $9 million. So it's like, and obviously being a head coach, Sirianni's a low paid head coach. What's he making, six, seven million dollars a year now he's about to get an extension. But you know what I mean? It's like as an assistant gm, the money's a lot different. That's why the money for assistant coaches is pretty, it's a lot. I mean these guys are making huge money. But you could be the west coast scout and worked in the league for 10 years and be making 120 grand, right? Where the equivalent of that guy as a quarterback Coach is making $950,000. Which sucks for the scouts. Now some of them, you know, are doing well and if you become the number two, you're usually making 700 to a million dollars. So it's, it's a very lucrative profession. But like there's a big difference of like you become an O line coach, even if you're like 35 years old, I would imagine minimum you're making three quarters of a million dollars. Running back coaches in the SEC make $500,000. I mean the money for coaches is huge. Scout, you kind of got to fight a little bit more. And there is, you know, you overworked, underpaid, right? Relative to how much? Like the equivalent. I remember talking with BS and with Adam Peters like six, seven years ago about like how many hours you have to put in. And he was a UCLA grad and you know, all my Cal Poly guy, you know, state school, but it's kind of a high level state school. The equivalent if you work for a billion dollar corporation like a bank, a company, and you were working the 80, 90 hours and you had been there for a while, San Francisco and New York and Chicago, you'd be making a lot of money as a scout. Like you might not make six figures for a while as you're working your way up, it might take you a little while in the private sector you'd be hitting that pretty quickly given how much you're working. But coaches and listen coaches during the season work way more than scouts and even the GMs, but the off season for them is pretty chill. So it's six months heavily and then six months for assistant coaches. Kind of hit or miss. Probably went on a tangent there about things you didn't even ask me, but hopefully that answers some of your questions. Question for the Mailbag. Why do you think it took you until 40 to get married? And did you ever have the thought in your twenties when your friends were getting married, like, damn, will this ever happen for me, I'm in this boat right now and thought it was fitting considering your recent marriage. I have a lot of downfalls and a lot of issues, like probably most people. One strength of mine though is I'm very secure about not judging myself compared to others. And that's personally and professionally I truly don't give a shit. And I think when you're not as consumed of what like whether it's family member, whether it's friends, whether it's people around you in life, professionally, even what they're doing with their personal life do I'm very unfazed. You want to get married, you want to have children, you want to work there, you want like I'm a huge believer in like you do you, I'll do me. And again, I am by no means perfect. Got a lot of flaws, a lot of issues. That is one of my biggest strengths. So I would say in my 20s it never, I mean I was so dead set and ambitious and like the football world working my way up. It just never even I just very, very casually dated people. And I say once you get in your 30s and you start definitely having people in your life, get married. My brother got married in 2018. He's five years younger than me. Again, it takes two to tango. So you don't meet anyone that you want to marry. Maybe I've been around enough people that have been in bad divorces. Family, friends, people close to me. I mean I've had countless friends and no people I went to college with or high school with. That divorce well before 40 years old. So it's like I'm not just getting married to get married so that I don't know, I just never felt I was unfazed by it. And you meet people and I think as you start dating seriously in your 30s, I definitely did not date seriously in my 20s, got more serious in my 30s, you realize like, yeah, I'm not marrying this, this ain't gonna happen. But you start dating people somewhat your age, right? I mean women take this shit very, very seriously once they get into the 30s. And as a guy, if you're not, you can be, it'd be like, whoa, this is, I don't want this. And I just think it's a learning experience. It doesn't mean, you know these people that you're dating like you like a lot and you respect the shit out of and you have a great time when you're dating them. You just are, are not going to marry them. And hell they maybe they're not going to marry you, but it's just not the right timing. But again, like I think the faster you can get over comparing yourself to others, whether that's family, friends, and I'm not saying that's easy for some people, the easier it is to live life because those people don't wake up in bed with you every day. Those people don't, you know, directly deal with your everyday issues, with your children, with your complaints internally in your home. So I, and I think I listen, I understand a lot of people deal with that. Especially if you live around family. It can, it can be tough. Pressure is coming from family or close friends. But I don't know, maybe I was just selfish. I just didn't care. It's so, just completely unfazed that way. I'm not saying I did the right way to do it. I mean there is no right or wrong way to do it. There's only what individuals and their own situations are. And every single human being on this earth has a different situation when it comes to that. If you're golfing at the Masters, who Are your pick? 3 other players from NFL players and coaches and why? I think someone asked me a similar question the other day and I think I went with like the star young quarterbacks because from a business standpoint it'd be a no brainer. There's not an easier place to get to know someone than spending three, four, five hours having a couple cocktails in a golf cart with them talking about and listen, when you're playing golf, I end up in a lot of football situation or conversations. So I mean I think it'd be a couple of the star quarterbacks. I mean Mahomes isn't going anywhere. Josh Allen loves is a golf junkie. So to me he'd have to be in it. If I wanted to add a coach again, I look at it more from a business standpoint, so I'd want to go. I already know Andy, so I don't need to start a real like I don't know, you know, I don't think Kyle, you know, he could be in a bad mood. I think. I don't even know if Sean McVay plays golf, but probably wouldn't be a terrible guy to know. Trying to think any up and comers, you know, if you could buy buy it like a stock. I don't know if Jaden Daniels plays golf, but if Jaden Daniels likes golf, if he's going to have a long career and be a star, that wouldn't be a bad guy to have in your golf cart and get to know. So I think it'd have to be the quarterbacks or younger coaches to bet the house in like Ben Johnson. The NBA 82 game grind is done and now the real fun begins. The NBA playoffs are here and it's time for the high stakes drama, clutch moments and jaw dropping plays. Can't wait if you're looking to make the playoffs even more exciting. DraftKings sportsbook has you covered as an official sports betting partner of the NBA. From the play in games all the way through the finals. Now the time to back your favorite players and teams and as they chase glory. All season long, DraftKings has been your go to spot for NBA player props. And that doesn't stop now. Want to make your playoff experience even more intense? Try placing a bet on your favorite player's performance. Will Curry drop 30? Will LeBron drop 40 or more? It's your call. Ready to place your first bet? Download the DraftKings sportsbook app now. Lock in your bets and let's make the playoff run unforgettable. Here's something special for first timers. New DraftKings customers bet 5 to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Make it a playoff run to remember with DraftKings. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app and use the code JOHN. That's code JOHN for new customers to get 200 bonus bets. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York. Call 877-8-HOPENY or text Hopeny 467-369 in Connecticut. 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- [23:00]
T-Mobile Representative
T Mobile stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network switch. Now keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com KeepAndSwitch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Last 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days device and eligible carrier and timely redemption Required card is no cash access. It expires in six months.
- [23:33]
John Middlekauff
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft. We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason and how teams with new coaches should approach the draft. So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made. Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [24:06]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country. I am a lifelong Republican with all kinds of different people.
- [24:12]
John Middlekauff
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [24:14]
Jeremy Hobson
That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.
- [24:23]
John Middlekauff
Anna I'm calling from Las Vegas.
- [24:25]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all Star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle. Thanks for having me, Jeremy. Neil DeGrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [24:33]
John Middlekauff
Thanks for having me.
- [24:34]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [24:38]
John Middlekauff
Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [24:42]
Jeremy Hobson
And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.
- [24:51]
John Middlekauff
We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [24:58]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:05]
Laura Carenti
This is Courtside with Laura Carrenti. The podcast that's changing the game and breaking down the business of women's sports like never before. I'm Laura, the founder and CEO of Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Your inside source on the biggest deals, power moves and game changers. Writing the playbook on all things women's sports, from the heavy hitters in the front office to the powerhouse women on the pitch. We're talking to commissioners, team owners, influential athletes, and the investors betting big on women's sports. We'll break down the numbers, get under the hood and go deep on what's next. Women's sports are the moment, so if you're not paying attention, you're already behind. Join me Courtside for a front row seat into the making of the business of women's sports. Courtside with Laura Carrenti is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to Courtside with Laura Carrenti Starting April 3rd on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
- [26:20]
John Middlekauff
Question for the mailbag. What football quote unquote, podcast, YouTube, TV, etc. Do you watch listen to? I obviously listen to yourself, but love Schlerith, McAfee, Klatt and Ms. Lombo's GM Shuffle. You know, I was thinking about this the other day. I do not consume that much football content. I watch nothing on television regarding football. Like there's not a football show that I watch on television during the off season. You know, if you know my YouTube algorithm. If like Daniel Jeremiah will have been on Rich Eisen show or like any hits he does comes up, obviously his nuggets are pretty powerful. I've been clicking on McShay a little bit. Some of his stuff for this draft, I would say I miss Lombardi's show too. Like that was really one of the only football shows I listen to. Now if people have other guys on for interviews, like just because the YouTube, the Whitworth and and Fitzpatrick had on Sean McVeigh and Kevin O'Connell on their podcast, both those were pretty good. Like I'll listen to stuff like that. I don't listen to their show necessarily, but like when they have Kevin O'Connell on for an hour, it's just a good listen. Same thing with McVeigh. So I'll listen to like specific interviews I would say with people. One guy that I listen to pretty consistently on is like Sports illustrated in my YouTube feed is Albert Breuer because Insane with Diana Rossini I need people that are talking to other people in the league. Right. So if I'm gonna listen to you one, like, I can make my opinion on stories. Like, I don't need hear other people's opinions and I don't really care. So I would say guys like, you know, Diana or, I mean, she's a girl, but Diana and Albert, they're so dialed in to. They know every gm, they know all these coaches and like, they just have good nuggets. So, like Brear has a lot of stuff on like the Sports Illustrated YouTube page that he's probably keeping that company live because he just got good nuggets. You just know shit. And that. That would probably be the extent of it now during the football season, you know, I'll listen to. It's more for entertainment. Like, I like cousin Sal and Bill to be entertained. I listen to a lot of golf content. Golf and business content. Right. So it's like that's the stuff I listen to honestly in the off season more than football content. Plus, there's just so much I don't even know where to start. I think there's got to be something. When you talk and read and think about it so much sometimes I just like to get away in the off season for sure. In season I'm probably much more inclined to just listen to, you know, local stuff to get nuggets. I watch a lot of press conferences in season. Do you think Mike McCarthy will ever be a head coach again? Is it common for head coaches to take a year off after parting ways with their former team, then come back somewhere else? Or would they get demoted to a quarterback or a skill position? What literally happened to him was in Green Bay to Dallas, took a year off, pretended to watch all the Dallas games and then Jerry Jones hired him. So I think I'd probably say it's a coin flip. I wouldn't bet $1,000 that he's going to be head coach in 2026, but I wouldn't bet against it either. Right. Just probably be a stay away. I would say he's definitely going to interview next year for some of these jobs. I think it also will depend on who, like, who else is out there. You know, Ben Johnson's now off the market. Are there Liam Cohen's off the market. He would have been a guy number one target again, probably. Who are the top guys that are in the mix? Like, would you rather hire Robert sala or Mike McCarthy? Like those type questions people are going to be asking themselves. Been listening for a While and never hear much about the Broncos. With that said, what are your thoughts about the organization as they head into the future? They look better on paper but have some serious needs. How do you get ahead in division with such good competition in teams? Chiefs best quarterback and coach. Chargers added a top five coach and a quarterback with insane potential. And the Raiders Tom Brady taken over. It's funny, like for a couple years when things weren't going well with the Russell Wilson, the trade you guys were talked about a lot and it was all negative. Then Sean Payton gets there. You guys just get the train back on the tracks. You're clearly going in the right direction, but everything's normal. Like there's no drama. You guys don't have, I would say, really polarizing players. You don't have crazy situations going on. I would say you're in a really good spot. Sometimes it's just okay to be just kind of silent, you know, it's not, no one's talking about you because you're relevant, right? Like no one's talking about you because it's just nothing really going on negatively. And from a positive standpoint, all signs point to you're headed in the right direction. I saw a headline the other day. Sean Payton basically admitted like we're going to draft a running back. Like, no shit. So I'd be pretty happy if I were you guys. Question for the Mailbag. Will the day finally come where Mike Shanahan gets the credit he is due and an induction into the hall of Fame? He has two Super Bowls as a head coach and one as a coordinator. Was part of finally getting l way over the hump and introduced the zone blocking scheme to the NFL that continues to flourish to this day. Do you believe his time in Washington casts a major shadow over his credentials that many voters overlook the total body of work. You know, I think we could debate coaches and the merits of who gets in, who doesn't. Beside like the absolute the Bill Walsh or Bill Belichick types. I think once you get a certain distance away like this guy, you'd say Shanahan, who was good in the 2000s, but I mean, truly his career in the 90s is what made him a Hall of Famer. Right? Goes to the Niner, Steve Young super bowl finally gets Steve Young in that offense to the super bowl and then takes John Elway in the Broncos. They were unreal in the 90s with Terrell Davis, right? So because of his own blocking scheme. That's a long time ago, right? Like when did, what year did Mike Shanahan get hired with Denver, My guess would be 95. Like, did he officially take over 95 and then they 97, 98. So I. I just think there's a gap. And he. He might be in one of those situations where he gets in way, way later, which is sad. You know, it's like, is he going to get in in 10, 15, 20 years when he's dead? I saw being around the Raiders with Ken Stabler that finally got into the hall of Fame and he was dead. It's like, what are we doing here? But it doesn't feel like he's got momentum that's going to take him to the hall of Fame right now, fair or not. I mean, it's just one of my. I don't get caught up in situations like this guy for, like, hall of Fames. I'd even argue awards, like, I just don't care that much. If Lamar Jackson had got the mvp, I would have disagreed. I would have gave it to Josh. But it's like, whatever. He doesn't. If Mike Shanahan's in the hall of Fame, if he's not, like, it's a huge deal for him. I'm not denying that, like, for the people involved. But I'm just saying my personal, like, thoughts and takes, like, I. I have. I have to fake to get really worked up. I really do. I just really care that much about stuff like that. Every year for the past five years, at least one team picking in the top five managed to make it to the playoffs in the same year. What team picking in this year's top five do you think has the best chance of making the playoffs? Here are the past teams with the top five draft pick that made it to the playoffs. 24. Commanders and the Chargers. Because they drafted five. 23. Texans, second and third overall. 22. Jags, first overall and Giants, fifth overall. 21. Niners, third overall and Bengals, fifth overall. 20. Washington. Well, I would say that. Who's drafting one? The Titans. That feels like a stretch to the Browns. Feels like a stretch given their quarterback situation. 3. The Giants. I have a hard time seeing that. Then the Patriots and the Jags. I think it'd have to be one of those two teams. I mean, if Trevor Lawrence could just have a solid season, then who knows, maybe the Jags could actually fly a little under the radar. And then obviously the, you know, the Patriots, that division. I think Miami's going to be terrible. If I was a betting man right now, the Dolphins will be drafting really, really high next Year. I don't know what one overall, but I think they're more likely to be drafted in the top five than be a playoff team. Speak of the Dolphins, what are the odds that Gruden will be the next coach of the Dolphins? Seems like a stretch question, but McDaniel is not a real head coach. We all know that. I agree. Gruden is getting attention from the NFL and is beloved in the state of Florida. And my guess is he would love to bring the back the Miami Dolphin brand that he grew up with when he was a kid, the same way he did with the raiders in the 90s and early 2000s. I think if and when they fire everybody in Miami, and I think this year has a chance to just be a train wreck. I mean, a train wreck that you would have to imagine he would be an option he's going to want. I mean, he wanted it with Harbaugh for a while. He's wanted sexy coaches before and they've kind of ended up, you know, in a situation where they hire a really good coordinator. But like, if you told me right now the Dolphins win five games and Steven Ross fires everybody, give me your top three candidates that Steven Ross would be going after. I would say Belichick, Gruden, and like Kirby Smart. He's going to want. He going to want a name, you know, he's going to want a sexy name up there. So I'm in agreement there. I would say Gruden would be in the mix football question. Do you think the Commanders should trade for Trey Hendricks, Sin or Jalen Ramsey? Or do you think it would be better to give Adam Peters a chance to make impactful picks in the early rounds like he did last year, which would make us a contender. Thanks from the coffee. Big mob guy here. I would say that what it would cost to get Hendrickson, I feel is a little risky at 31 years old. To me, Myles Garrett is such a great player, no brainer. And he's actually a little younger too. And obviously Max Crosby would have been worth it. I think in that situation. Trading, I mean, I wouldn't give up Trey Hendrickson for minimum. Like 1 and a 2 is like the Washington commander is really a player away. You can also utilize Jaden's rookie contract the next couple years as well. So I would say no on that one. And Jalen, not because I wouldn't want Trey Hendrickson on my team. Like to me, I would have. We're getting a meeting. It's like, hey, would you guys be willing to trade Trey Hendrickson. That's the Bangles to me. If I'm Adam Peters, I'm getting my number two. I'm getting Dan Quinn, I'm getting the defensive coordinator, and we're having a pow wow. Jalen Ramsey. I don't even need to really tell Dan that's. I'm hanging up. You mean the guy that we all kind of know has been showing up late, that you don't want that, didn't ask for a trade that you're trying to kick out? Did for the first time in his career, didn't make a Pro bowl last year, and makes a ton of money? Nah, dog, we're good. We also just traded for a corner now over the last five years. I would rather have Jalen Ramsey than Lattimore, but in 2025, Lattimore's on my team. And two, I'm just not trading for Jalen Ramsey. Is Kyle the next Andy Reid? Your last pod got me thinking. He's been in the super bowl, but could never get over the hump. Has mostly had good, not great quarterback. Is it possible the Niners will eventually let him go the same way Philly let Andy go and he flourishes with his next team? Yeah, I mean, as Kevin Garnett once said, anything is possible. Is he going to win a Super bowl with Brock Purdy? Well, you would say. Two years ago, he had his opportunity and he fell up short. Now, unlike Andy, I think Andy only went to one super bowl in Philly. Kyle's been to two and was leading in both. So Andy maintained winning for a long time. Right. He didn't get fired, I think, till his 14th year in Philadelphia, but he just had come off an 8 and 8 and then I think a 4 and 12 season. So does Kyle have, like, another bad season? I think here's the thing is the Eagles, clearly the owner was very, very into, like, the two guys they went after when they fired Andy. Bill O'Brien turned down the job because he had just gotten to Penn State and he felt kind of obligated to help clean up the situation after. After Paterno mess in Sandusky and then Chip Kelly. So, like, they were on two guys that Bill O'Brien was a huge top candidate around football, and Chip literally had just turned down the Bucs job after he accepted it the previous year. He's like the number one candidate on the market. Aged a little poorly, but that's a fact at the time, and it was a really big deal when he got hired. Like, who is that guy now? Who am I firing Kyle Shanahan to hire? Because listen, I will entertain. Like, he has another six, seven win season. Like, listen, it's football. He'd get immediately hired. But I would understand people not being happy. But who are you going to replace them with? Who are you going to replace them with? And the answer is there isn't really one. Like, I can't hire a 75 year old Belichick who's, you know, who's like, does his girlfriend get to come too? Speaking of Belichick, maybe I subconsciously, I kind of saw it in my peripheral vision here and that's why I said his name. But like, I don't. Who are the other names? Like, you're hiring next year's Liam Cohen to take over for Kyle. I'm a big college football fan and I'm excited to see how Belichick does North Carolina. In your opinion, what would success look like for him in his first year? Is there a benchmark, benchmark number of wins or recruiting finish? Do you think that he is actually committed to coaching at the college level or is this just something that will fill the time? Assuming he is reasonably successful, is it a possibility that he is at UNC for more than a year or two? I just don't believe Bill would stick around in college for any teams that came knocking. What do you think? I'm just not sure at this point in time. He's getting hired back in the NFL ever again. So I think there's a fair chance that like that ship is sailed. Like I know he, they love to say that. I'm trying to look for his team, North Carolina. I'm trying to look at their schedule. I don't think anyone's ever hired him in the, in the NFL again. Now he goes 10 and 2 or he does something like that, 100% he would be back in the mix. But like to me, a successful season. What was our record last year? They were 10th in the ACC. So they weren't very good. Eight and four, is that pretty good? So they open with TCU at home at Charlotte, Richmond, ucf. So I think it's fair. Anything less than like a 3 and 1 start would be a letdown. Then he gets Clemson. Okay, I'm going to go lost there. Cal just had like six guys transfer, so he should beat Cal. Now it's at Cal. Long road trip. If Bill's done that. Virginia at Syracuse, Stanford, Wake Forest, Duke, NC State seems like a pretty manageable schedule. I would say eight to nine wins is realistic. Recruiting rankings are hard to tell now with nil. What's Good, what's Bad.
- [43:02]
T-Mobile Representative
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- [43:28]
Laura Carenti
Six months.
- [43:34]
John Middlekauff
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft Draft. We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason and how teams with new coaches should approach the draft. So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down once all 257 picks have been made. Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [44:08]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country. I am a lifelong Republican with all kinds of different people.
- [44:13]
John Middlekauff
You know, I'm a mother, I'm a grandmother.
- [44:16]
Jeremy Hobson
That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation.
- [44:24]
John Middlekauff
Anna, I'm calling from Las Vegas.
- [44:27]
Jeremy Hobson
Each week we bring together an all star panel. Mark Cuban, so great to have you on the Middle.
- [44:31]
John Middlekauff
Thanks for having me.
- [44:32]
Jeremy Hobson
Jeremy Neil DeGrasse Tyson, welcome to the Middle.
- [44:34]
John Middlekauff
Thanks for having me.
- [44:35]
Jeremy Hobson
And hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country on the most important issues.
- [44:40]
John Middlekauff
Hi, my name is Venkat. I'm calling you from Atlanta, Georgia.
- [44:44]
Jeremy Hobson
And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news.
- [44:52]
John Middlekauff
We should be examining what our government spends its money on and are these jobs necessary and what are we doing here? But that doesn't seem to be what we're doing in this situation.
- [45:00]
Jeremy Hobson
Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [45:06]
Laura Carenti
This is Courtside with Laura Carenti, the podcast that's changing the game and breaking down the business of Women's sports like never before. I'm Laura, the founder and CEO of Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Your inside source on the biggest deals, power moves and game changers Writing the playbook on all things women's sports, from the heavy hitters in the front office to the powerhouse women on the pitch. We're talking to commissioners, team owners, influential athletes and the investors betting big on on women's sports. We'll break down the numbers, get under the hood and go deep on what's next. Women's sports are the moment, so if you're not paying attention, you're already behind. Join me Courtside for a front row seat into the making of the business of women's sports. Courtside with Laura Carrenti is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to Courtside with Laura Carrenti Starting April 3rd on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
- [46:22]
John Middlekauff
Is Russell Wilson a first ballot hall of Famer? I'm a lifelong Hawks fan, so answer to me is a resounding yes. But I've seen this topic of convo on my feed a lot lately and opinions are pretty split. I would think a Super bowl ring should have been 210 Pro Bowls pass, a rating of 100, 350 touchdowns and 111 interceptions would make it obvious. What are your thoughts? Five years ago I would have said a no brainer. Now when you say the word first ballot, like I gotta hesitate on that one a little bit. You know, I think he definitely had a five year span where he was a pretty special player. Right. But that second super bowl would have made him a no doubter. It's gone pretty weird the last four or five years. I mean it's getting really weird and I think first ballot's off the table. So we won the Walter Payton man of the year in 20. You know, sometimes with the Pro Bowls, obviously some of these he was a first ballot Pro bowl guy. But are some of these trying to think of the nfc? You had a couple good Stafford years, obviously had Rodgers all those years. You had Drew Brees all those years. Jared Goff had a couple, you know, in the late 2010s. I'd have to go back and look who this Cam Newton. He was a second team All Pro one time in 19. Yeah, I don't think he's a first ballot. So I would say no on that. No on first ballot. Packers fan From Ireland here. Congrats on the wedding. Non football question related. I'm headed to Philly for the summer to work. I know you spent a few years in Philadelphia. So what are some of the must see spots, things to do there, Touristy or non touristy? You know what's funny is like some people ask me about my time there. Obviously I went out a little bit like with some of my buddies that worked on the staff, but I spent so much time at that facility and I wasn't exactly flush with cash. So in terms of like checking out the restaurants, I eat the facility, I would say 90% of my time there. And if I wasn't either the facility, it was like subway or something. I did not lead like a life that was very cultured in Philly beside my second year. I lived right behind the art museum which has the steps where Rocky ran up. So I would say downtown's pretty cool. You know, Pat's, Geno's. I always liked Tony Luke's. There was this deli right by Chickies and Pete's kind of by where the stadium is that I thought had like the best turkey sandwich I've ever had. I think it was the bread, but like, I don't know, you know, King of Prussia Mall. I probably didn't do as much as I should have when I was there. It wasn't like I was like, let's go see where Benjamin Franklin signed the Constitution by the Liberty Bill. So you're probably asking, you know, go see the NovaCare, NovaCare school, go to a Phillies game past Geno's. I mean, just say you did. It would probably be my recommendation. But before we get out of here, I need to welcome you to Chasing Challenges brought to you by Microsoft. In the NFL, just like in the business world, overcoming obstacles is key to success. Microsoft empowers business decision makers with AI solutions, simplified cloud and data management, and trustworthy, responsible technology to turn challenges and into opportunities. In this segment, we'll explore the biggest challenges being faced in the NFL and how they can be overcome. Whatever challenge you're facing, Microsoft empowers you with the expertise to say, bring it on. This week we're discussing the challenge faced by. I think it's two teams. I think it's the Browns and the Giants. And we're less than a week away from the draft and their quarterback situations are dire. And if you look at both these two teams, start with the Browns. DeSean Watson is never going to play another snap for them. They play in a division with Lamar Jackson who's won multiple MVPs and Joe Burrow, who was just in the MVP discussion when his team went 9 and 8 and took the Bengals to the super bowl. So. And who knows, maybe Aaron Rodgers ends up on the Pittsburgh Steelers. But that's obviously a big coin flip if you are going to pass on a quarterback here too. You have to realize like you could be crappy for the next couple years and never sniff a top five pick. And there is no guarantee the guy that you're going to draft on the second day of the draft is going to be any good. So you better think long and hard about like should we just pull the trigger here too? And obviously the same thing with the Giants. You're in a division now with Jalen Hurts, who just won the super bowl and before he won the super bowl when you said Jalen Hurts, best game of his career. It was also in the Super Bowl a couple years ago. Jaden Daniels, who looked like one of the best rookies we've ever seen. And listen, we can debate this guy all we want. Dak Prescott, the Giants would sell their left leg to have Dak Prescott have been their quarterback for the last six or seven years. So you're just going to play a season if you're Brian Day Ball who's coaching for his job and Joe Shane is GMing for his job with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston with Tommy DeVito in the room like that, that's what you're going to do. You're drafting number three overall. I just think that these teams, the discussions they're having and listen, you can say owners medal, they shouldn't not get involved. If I was Jimmy Haslam or I was the Maras or the Tish's or whatever, like are we sure guys this isn't just about getting Shador and get the names up and like you can even bring up the other quarterbacks, like are we sure? Because the hit rate on guys in the second and third round for every guy like an Andy Dalton that starts for a long time, there are a lot of guys that you couldn't even think about because they never played and they weren't any good. And our careers feel like they're on the line here, especially through the Browns, like you have a good team, like you have really good players and Travis Hunter just had one of the most remarkable seasons you'll ever see in college and who knows, maybe he ends up playing both ways in the pros. That would be even more remarkable. Who's playing quarterback for you? Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett. I just think that these meetings that these teams, those two specifically are having their coach, the GM and the owner and we saw last year with Hard Knocks when they were all powwowing there in Joe Shane's office with the owner and it was just like, are we sure guys? And I think it is very fair for both those owners who even if they are desperately trying to be hands off, are we sure boys? This is what we want to do. This is the right decision because if we take one of these players, awesome, it's cool. But if we got no quarterback, that guy could be an all rookie player and it won't mean a damn thing because we're going to get our ass kicked more often than not come Sunday because we don't have good quarterback play. So I think the challenge of making this decision has to be bringing stress, keeping these guys up and like going through every single scenario of like, we better be sure when we finally do pull the trigger. That's it for this week's Chasing Challenges. Remember, Microsoft's AI Solutions empower you to take bold steps and make informed decisions, sparking new ideas to help drive your business forward. With Microsoft as your trusted partner, you can navigate your journey with confidence, finding innovative solutions and reaching new possibilities. Visit Microsoft.com challengers to learn more.
- [54:16]
T-Mobile Representative
The volume.
- [54:23]
John Middlekauff
The 40s and free agents Podcast with Daniel Jeremiah and Greg Rosenthal has produced prepared you for the 2025 NFL Draft. We've told you what last year's playoff teams need to return to the postseason and how teams with new coaches should approach the draft. So as draft season comes to a close, we've got you covered. Before your favorite team goes on the clock, we'll break it all down. Once all 257 picks have been made. Listen to the 40s and free agents podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [54:54]
Jeremy Hobson
We live in a divided country, and our media couldn't be more polarizing. That's why we started the Middle with Jeremy Hobson. It's about bringing voices not from the extremes, but from the vast middle into the national conversation. Each week, we hear from ordinary Americans from all over the country. And when you subscribe to the Middle, you also get an episode each week called One Thing Trump did that focuses on just one item from the avalanche of news. Listen to the Middle with Jeremy Hobson on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [55:24]
T-Mobile Representative
In 2020, a group of young women found themselves in an AI fueled nightmare.
- [55:31]
John Middlekauff
Someone was posting photos. It was just me naked.
- [55:34]
Jeremy Hobson
Well, not me, but me with someone else's body parts.
- [55:38]
Laura Carenti
This is Levittown, a new podcast from iHeart podcasts Bloomberg and Kaleidoscope about the rise of deepfake pornography and the battle to stop it. Listen to Levittown on Bloomberg's Big Take podcast. Find it on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.
- [55:52]
John Middlekauff
Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lodd. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of star studded a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at the Record Recording studios. Stories matter and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast. Season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.