What is going on everybody? How are we doing? John Middlekop here with a little weekend mailbag. You guys know the drill. We like to put these out, give you something to listen to while you're going for a walk. Hanging out. I I just have so many Mailbag questions. I like getting through some of them on this Saturday. I did a little bit on the breaking news on Friday on Pete Carroll and 73 years old will be the head coach of the Raiders. The Raiders and Tom Brady and Mark Davis get their new head coach. He will team up it looks like with John Spytek and Liam Cohen. Drama in Tampa and Jacksonville. Couple quick thoughts there as well. So we will discuss that and other than that, not much going on. So make sure you subscribe to the podcast and let's rock and roll. We got to start with Pete Carroll. The Raiders go from one of the craziest stretches in recent memory of coaches John Gruden to Josh McDaniels to Antonio Pierce to Pete Carroll. That's. That's going to be hard to top of it hasn't been that long. I mean we're talking like three and a half years. They have had those guys under contract as their head coaches. Big picture with Pete Carroll. I admire this a lot about any human being and I give this advice to any young person looking for direction in college or early on in their professional career. Find what you love to do and it makes life a lot easier. No matter what you end up doing for a profession, even if you are addicted to it and love it and it's your passion, there is elements that it becomes work. So you might as well do what you like to do. And I don't think it's possible to like football. And I would, I would lump three guys into this mix. Bill Belichick is Pete Carroll's age as well. Could not get an NFL job and just went to North Carolina to coach football. Why? Because he loves coaching football like it is deep, deep into his soul. I say this all the time. No matter how much you think you like it, as a fan, as someone that follows your team, as someone that follows the league or college football and watches a lot. You don't, you don't even come close to liking it as much is guys like Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick. I've been around Andy Reid. I always laugh whenever I see Andy Reid might retire. Have you met Andy Reid? I'll promise you this. As long as he is standing up straight, he's going nowhere. You can't like football more than these guys. Pete Carroll is a good example. Takes the Raider job, which I totally understand. The Raiders hired him. They have just a disaster and they've been a disaster for 20 plus years. They just need to get the train back on the tracks. It's like when you're down seven nothing. In a baseball game in the eighth inning, you're not looking for a solo home run. Like just, let's just get on base. Let's just try to start a rally. Let's just get a little momentum. Let's, all of a sudden we got two guys on with a good hitter coming up. Let's just, let's just get something positive happening. And that's what the Raiders need. But when you look at Pete Carroll, this is a guy who, Listen, I don't have access to his bank account, but I think it's fair to assume that he does not need any money. He has been one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL probably for close to a decade. And you know, reports are he's been making 15 to 20 million dollars his last several years in Seattle. He's been a millionaire since early on in the USC days. I mean, this guy has been printing cash. So he does not need any money. This is not some golden parachute. He has been actively trying to get jobs. The jets, the Bears. I want to become a head coach. Guys like Pete Carroll, and we've all met them, obviously, you know, different industries, the word retirement makes them cringe. The thought of having nothing to do on a daily basis, that life might as well end. He wants no part of that. He wants to coach football. There have been reports for the last several years if something ever were to happen to Lincoln Riley and USC part ways him bounce, Pete Carroll would be all over that job. He wants to coach. And listen, he's 73 years old. On the surface, like, that's kind of crazy. He clearly is one of the youngest 73 year olds in the history of the world. Like if you've been around him, if you've seen him at a practice, if you, you know, I've been to pre games where he's on the field, he has a vibe of like a 40 year old. He is a young, young soul and his energy, you could argue is unmatched. Definitely his chewing of gum. But like, I totally understand the Raiders. Like, this is not about trying to win the Super Bowl. This is not about trying to become some like, dominant team again. This is about just like being a competitive football team, not being an embarrassment, not having to fire a coach because they have no fucking clue what they're doing in the middle of the season. They did that with Josh McDaniels a year and a half ago. They probably could have done it this year with Antonio Pierce, Pete Carroll. Now, I don't know if this is going to go well or not. If you don't have a quarterback, it's very difficult to coach football. It is very difficult, I guess, not to coach football, but to win in the NFL like Aaron Glenn, Pete Carroll, whoever takes the same job. If you don't have a quarterback, like, you got no shot. I don't care if you're Bill Walsh or I don't care if you're, you know, Jim Tomsula. You need that position solidified. You don't need Patrick Mahomes, but you need someone credible there just to move forward. And right now they don't have that. So it's a difficult task. Pete Carroll doesn't care. You know, Pete Carroll would have taken any job. Pete Carroll, I think would take like a one year contract to coach football. And I admire that because put yourself in his shoes. If I told you right now, whatever you do for a living, you're 73 years old, you have an unlimited amount of money in the bank to live, to do nice things, to live like a king. I mean, you have. When you do things in life, money is not a worry. Would you still be that aspirational in that? Ambitious to keep wanting to do what you've been doing when money's no longer an issue and you're in your 70s? I don't think most people would. I know most people would not. And then I think you get to retirement. Like, what the hell am I going to do? I love golf. I can only play it a couple days in a row. Max. I'm 40 years old, so I get where he's coming from. But, like, I don't like football as much as him. You don't like football as much as him. Like, this guy's addicted. And I think when you look at the Raiders, you're getting a guy who just his passion. This isn't like, I want to be a head coach because it's cool, you know, I want to be a head coach and do everything like Bill Belichick did, like Josh McDaniels, you know, I think what the Raiders went through this last 12 months is Mark Davis made the right decision on firing Josh McDaniels. It was a joke. But then they hired Antonio Pierce because devonte Adams and Max Crosby and Josh Jacobs, you know, demanded it, essentially. Then devonte Adams turned on Antonio Pierce, said, get me out of here. Josh Jacobs didn't even resign. And you could tell early on, like, yeah, Max Crosby's not that into this dude anymore either. And it just was an epic disaster. Like it was an embarrassment. And I think the Patriots had a similar situation is, you know, with Gerard Maitland. I was like, we just can't go on like this. And I've seen it countless times. We saw it with Urban Meyer. We saw it with Jim Tomsula. Sometimes you see it and you're like, this, this has to end. It's not even about wins and losses. You're not winning many games. Like, this is. This is. We might just fold as a franchise if we continue with this. So you get a guy that, like, listen, I have no clue how many games this team's going to win. I would venture to say that they're not going to be any good, but, like, this guy gives you a fighting chance. I mean, the last couple years in Seattle, once they traded Russell Wilson, like they were sniffing the playoffs, they were seven seed two years ago when they missed the playoffs. I think they went 9 and 8 and they were right there till the bitter end. I think they lost a game then the year to Arizona. I don't even know if that game counted, actually. They might have lost it with two weeks to go. But regardless is you get a guy that's just high energy, high effort. And I think when you look at Tom Brady, who has a, you know, hand in this is. They're just. They're just trying to make progress. You know, some teams, it's like, how do we jump, take the next step? Like, that's what. Like Buffalo, the conversations have been having, like, that's Baltimore's conversation. Hell, that's Denver and the Chargers conversation. It's like, okay, we've made legitimate progress. How do we go from point B to point F? You know, how do we get competitive where we're like in the final four of the afc, where we're in the conference championship game? What do we need to do to. To have a chance to win the super bowl in the next couple of years? The Raiders are just having conversations like, how do we get around, like, eight wins? How do we get where we can just be discussed as a wild card team around Thanksgiving? And the bar is so low for some. And I would put Jacksonville there, I'd put the jets there, I'd put the Saints there. The bar is really, really low. So progress is viewed completely different than a lot of these other places. And you just get a guy that knows what they're doing. You know, that's the thing with some of these young coaches is they have no clue what they're doing when it comes to being the head coach. How could they? It's impossible. Now, in fairness, most of us, when we start a job or start anything, you don't know what you're doing. And you kind of figure it out as you go. It's part of life, right? There was once a point in time when Pete Carroll didn't know how to be a head coach. But in 2025, the guy's been a head coach basically for 30 plus years. He's 73. He's been a coach since his. A head coach since his mid-40s. That's always been head man. Starting in 94. Head man. That's what he knows how to do. He knows how to handle. I say this, I use this example, but like, when a guy gets a dui, when a guy has a death in the family, when a guy has a devastating breakup or divorce, you name it, there is not. When a guy fails a drug test, when dude gets into a fight in a meeting room, when something happens with his assistant, two assistant coaches, there is nothing that can happen in an NFL building that Pete Carroll has not seen. And listen, I'm not taking shots because I totally understand hiring these two guys as well. But like Liam Cohen and Ben Johnson, there's no way, there is absolutely no way that they have seen remotely anything close to what Pete Carroll has seen. So he can just handle that situation and not be overwhelmed. Right. So I, I think about like, I'm not a parent yet, but a lot of my friends are. My brother is. When I am a parent, there are situations you freak out on right away and then you realize six months later, a year later, two days later, wasn't that big a deal. And that just what happens to new head coaches? Like, oh my God, what do I do? Then you look back, it's like, oh, it's not that big a deal. We'll handle it. And I think that's what the Raiders were looking for. They to get out of this business of a Josh McDaniels that fooled everybody, ran a scam like, I could be a head coach. No, you can't. Like, you are as toxic of a candidate as there's ever been to be a head coach. That's proven. Get a guy like Antonio Pierce. The players love him. Well, actually they didn't. They pretended to. They thought they did, and then they realized they did not. So let's just get a guy that it's not about all this other bullshit. He can just get us going. Three year contract. It's not like he's going to be your coach for the next 10 years. Do think he's uniquely suited for an older guy when it comes to energy, when it comes to just his effort. I don't think this is a mail in job. So listen, if I'm a Raider fan, I would be at least just positively. At least this is a positive moment. At least for the last this week it's just been positive. Right? We hired John Spitek, a guy that has been a right hand man to Jason Light, who's buddies with Tom Brady, not just because he played with them, but because he worked with them in Tampa Bay when they were good. And obviously he's been a million other. He's worked for Andy Reid. Like the guy's just seen a lot of shit. And then we hired Pete Carroll. It's like, okay, we just, just move forward. That is progress when it comes to the Raiders. On the Liam Cohen thing, I'm not going to break down. Obviously it's well reported. Twitter videos, you can figure out all the details of everything that's being said. I think just on its most basic level, here's what I will react to. They want to keep them, obviously. So I think in a perfect world it's probably more complicated than just doing this. They would have just fired Todd Bowles and kept Liam Cohen as their head coach. I think they kind of wanted to do that not this year, but just maybe next year or the previous or the upcoming year. So within the next couple years, Liam Cohen would be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here's the problem. They're not ready to fire Todd Bowles, clearly. So they offer him, hey, you're going to be the highest paid coordinator in the NFL. That sounds awesome. Four and a half million dollars a year, three year contract. So we're talking 13 and a half million dollars. Great shitload of money to 99.9999% of Americans, especially when it comes to a yearly salary. That's a lot of coin. Then things changed in Jacksonville and it was contingent on him not interviewing in Jacksonville. Well, they fired Trent Balky so now I don't have to work for Trent Balky and I can stay in the state of Florida. No state income tax, but you know, a heavenly place if you make a lot of money. Why? Because you keep a lot of it. So it's like, well, Jacksonville now is offering me a contract and it's well reported, similar to Ben Johnson money. Well, Ben Johnson's not getting normal first time head coaching cash reports are he's making between 12 to 13 million dollars so put yourself in a situation. It's like, I could stay at this job. And listen, I'm not condoning if he doesn't call them, if he's being shady about it. There's no handbook to handle situations. But I would say, coaches, once you get to a certain age, like, it's black and white, just have some balls. Say, hey, I'm actually doing this. I'm going to re interview if. Because he wanted to have a contingency plan if he didn't get hired, he could still fall back to the four and a half million dollars because they told him you can't interview for four and a half million dollars. Now, does that hold up in court? Now the reality is Liam Cohen going to sue them? Like, obviously not. But it's like, hey, fudge, you. The, the, the situation changed and now I'm interested and you're offering $13 million. Well, they're offering 50 to 60 million dollars and I no longer have to answer to anybody. I'm the boss. So, like, things dramatically change and is there a right and wrong way to handle things? Yeah. And listen, there's usually his side, his side, and then the truth. But I can understand Tampa Bay, who's paying him four and a half million dollars? The Glazers, like, we've went above and beyond. Give him four and a half million dollars. Who gives a fuck? These are all line items. 20, 25. You're making $450 million from the league. So if, like, the owners are mad that it was a little shady, like, yeah, business is shady. Sometimes you have to make tough decisions and the only person who truly cares about you is you. Because if you hadn't been really good as an offensive coordinator, they would have fired your ass without hesitation. Obviously, once you prove you're good, you get more options. The Glazers love making cash. Why can't Liam Cohen go seek out a contract that's going to pay him 50, 60 million dollars? Is there. Should he have called and texted and kept everyone abreast with everything that was going on? Maybe. But, like, if you have the opportunity to make 50 or 60 million dollars guaranteed, you're gonna probably do that over making 13 million dollars guaranteed. So I just think when you look at it from a business standpoint now, if you start lying about, like, his wife is on Twitter saying they were with his kid in the hospital, like, I don't know. I'm not gonna get into, like, you're making excuses like, you're an 18 year old trying to get out of you know, turned in your homework here. But when it comes to money, every single human involved, the owners, the GM, the coach, would take 50 or 60 million dollars, over 13 million dollars if it's legal. You know, not selling drugs or something, but if it's legal and this is legal and they're making him the head coach. So I really don't see, regardless the road that it took to get here, how it's that crazy. It's like, yeah, you're four and a half million dollars. You want a cookie? Sweet. Great offer, awesome. I appreciate it. But now I have a chance to be a head coach. They're going to pay me 11, so you're paying me four and a half. They're almost tripling it. And I no longer have to answer to Todd Bowles or the gm. I'm now the boss. Now, whether that's going to work or not, I got no clue. And I know a lot of people on the Internet have said he's done similar things in different spots, maybe has. I'm not standing up here for the character of the man. I don't know the guy. I don't care one way or the other. But like everyone acting like this is the craziest move ever is being disingenuous because most human beings would accept triple the money to be the head coach for a longer contract. I think, I think Tampa wants to get all this credit for offering him a huge number as an offensive coordinator. Well, that's awesome. If he doesn't have other options to be a head coach, especially in the state, right, that, like, what's your big benefit being in Tampa? It's like, hey, four and a half million dollars and we're a no state income tax. So you're going to take a lot more than if you were the OC at some, a lot of these other teams around the country. Okay, well, I'm staying in the state of Florida and shot Khan's given me a four year guaranteed contract at $12 million a year. You do the math. It's a big difference. That's a lot of money. Now, big picture, I'm not acting like sometimes you got to be a man. And anyone that had anyone when you're growing up, worth their salt teaches you. Listen, some discussions are harder than others. And when you're breaking up with someone, when you're quitting on someone, if you are going to do it. And listen, never quit. Those are easy things to say when you're 10, 12, 13. Those are good lessons to teach. But there are times in life where it's like you're going to make a tough decision and you're going to piss some people off. If you don't piss some people off along the way, you know, you're probably not making a lot of progress, especially in big money situations, part of life. And you got to have the balls to be like, hey, I'm re interviewing. So if you're going to take the money off the table, fuck it, so be it. But I'm doing this. And if you want to ding them for anything, he didn't have the stones to do that. Like, text Jason Light. Like, hey, and Todd Bowles. I'm going to Jacksonville. So if you want to pay me one and a half million dollars or whatever I was actually making if I don't get this job, so be it. But I'm taking this interview now that they fired Trent Baalke because things dramatically changed. I think you guys can understand that. You both have been in the league forever. You've seen it all now. He didn't do that. So if you want to ding him on that, okay. But anyone dinging him for taking the job, I think is absolutely insanity. NFL playoffs. We're talking about the NFL playoffs. You bet we are. Get in on the action at DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NFL. Scoring touchdowns is a key to winning in the NFL playoffs. And the key to you scoring big is betting on them at DraftKings, the number one place to bet touchdowns. Ready to place your first bet? Try betting on something as simple like a player. To score a Touchdown, go to DraftKings Sportsbook app and make your pick. Here's another reason to watch your favorite players crush it in the playoffs. New customers bet five bucks to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. Score big during the NFL playoffs with the DraftKings sportsbook. Download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use the Code John. That's Code John for new customers to get 200 in bonus bets instantly. When you bet just five bucks only on DraftKings sportsbook, the crown is yours. Gambling problem. 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John Middlekauff (27:07)
Okay, let's dive into the mailbag at John Middelkopf Instagram, firing those DMs. Get your question answered here on the show. I'm gonna try to go rapid fire to a lot of questions. John, new to the pod, what are your plans this NFL off season? You have been a content machine, but after only discovering your stuff during the year, I'm wondering what the offseason is going to look like. I just don't think it's going to look any different. We just, my mindset is, and really I've done this now. I mean, I've been doing this pod for five, six years, but I've been approaching it with the relentless vigor of daily shows now for, I don't know, a couple years plus. I, we just approach it like normal. I mean, I Approach like a daily radio show which, you know, what would have been in 1996 or 2007. We just do a, it's just a podcast form obviously on video and audio, but we just go every day. This is, this is my life, this is my job, this is how I feed my unborn children. So I, nothing changes. Luckily, you know, it's a year round sport if you're new. I, I, you know I'm a golf junkie so we do I have a Go Low podcast which comes on the feed once super bowl ends and golf season gets going. Gambling and just different stuff. But that's more of, that's my passion project. But this is, you know, football pays the bills around here. So. Yeah, no, no stopping question for the pod. As a Pats fan, who would you pick at 4? Abdul Carter. Will Campbell. The Patriots offensive line is bottom of the barrel. David Andrews isn't getting any younger, but we have so many needs. I would say that Abdul Carter, I think there's a 50, 50 chance that he goes number one overall. I think that if the Titans can't trade that pick and they are not enamored with either quarterback, especially now that they got a new gm, you know, I think adding Borghazi and Chad Brinker who is, I don't even know what his really official title is, but he's like the guy kind of above the gm. But I'm pretty sure you know, Chad Brinker was in green bay from 09 to 22. So those guys have seen Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. I just think if they, if they don't believe that either one of those quarterbacks is going to be a top five quarterback, I think they're passing on a quarterback and that should be the right move. Like I would not force a quarterback when you first take over. No chance. I would try to sign like Sam Darnold or something, but I think there's a decent chance that they don't draft a quarterback. Obviously they would love to trade back a couple spots and still get Abdul Carter, but I don't think he's going to be there for you at four. I'd be very stunned if he was. If he looks like the guy that we saw coming down the stretch, I mean he looks like Micah Parsons. Well, if you, if you compare them to Micah Parsons, guys like that typically go pick one or two in the draft, not pick 11. Now Micah was in a weird draft. He had sat out the season after the COVID year, whatever. But I think look at looking back, guys like him typically don't make it till 4. This draft isn't very good either. And when I say that, I mean like it's not loaded with a bunch of Abdul Carters. Like, I think Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are viewed easily as the best players in this draft. Now you asked about Will Campbell. When I watch lsu, I didn't view Will Campbell some elite prospect. Obviously he's a first round talent, but there's a big difference of going pick like 20 and pick four. If you're going to take a tackle at pick four, Glen Johnson went pick four. Better be pretty good. I got my degree in advertising and prior and have been pigeonholed into working at marketing firms my entire career. Now I'm hoping to break into the sports world. Over the last year, I've reached out to professionals in the industry, Detroit sports teams. Ideally, I like to work for the Lions. Only one person replied and actually made the time to connect with me, which I really appreciate. But I'm discouraged by the lack of progress. I feel stuck on how to get out of the agency setting and into sports. I'm in my early 30s and don't really want to go back to school and oh, this is this Natalie. And my husband owns a bar and I'm tied to the area. We can't move elsewhere. Is there anything else I should be doing to try to get a gig with the Lions? You know, it is hard. Especially it's one thing when you have a wide scope and you can just attack every team and connect with people on LinkedIn. And you know, if you get, if you DM and message 75 people and only five get back to you, if two of them are real, that's all you need, right? Any sales guy will tell you that. I think you, you got to get if the lot it has to be the Lions and that's what you want to do. You got to get really aggressive. Yeah, it's hard. Like you can't just show up at the practice facility because I don't know the Lions specifically but like, you know, the Eagles, the Raiders, the Niners, ones that I've been around, even the Titans when I was there. Like you need, you need access to get even close to anybody. So I would just be kind of relentless. And I think sometimes when you're relentless, that can stand out even if they don't know anything about you. You're also young, you know, early 30s. It's not. If you Google a lot of people that are presidents or head marketing people for teams, they don't always start in sports. You just gotta be, I mean, I don't have a, like a playbook for you, but you just gotta do everything humanly possible within your means to try to get in front of these people. Just graduated college and started pretty serious federal job in D.C. and it'll be the first quote, unquote, real job I had any advice to climb the ladder without becoming overly obsessive, without my professional life. Thanks again. This guy's on the come up. You know, it's hard. When I was young in my career, I annoyed a lot of people. I, I, I do think there's a balance of being super annoying and super aggressive. You know, even in 2025, I, I think, you know, you're, I'm sure working an office job and being around people that are very powerful. I, I would just try to be there before them and leave after them. And sometimes you're just killing time, but early on in your life, you don't have much going on. You're not married, you don't have kids, you just don't have anything going on. Maybe you do, but I think most people fresh out of college, you can put a disproportionate amount of time if you're all in on, on moving up and an ambitious person on doing that. So, I mean, I think one thing that really helped me when I left Cal Poly to go to Fresno State, like, I spent so many hours just with everybody in the building. Like, I, I worked, I mean, and it didn't matter because I, I didn't, one, I didn't have any money. Two, I didn't have anything else to do and I just dedicated myself to like, what do I have to do to move up in this business? And so to me, time is a powerful thing when you're young because you can dedicate a lot of it to doing your job. And I, I would just go above and beyond every task. That's the other thing. Like, you're not going to be, I don't, you didn't tell me what you're doing specifically, but whether you're working for a football coach or whether you're working for a senator, they're not going to ask you things that are going to change the world, right? Like the football. Pat Hill didn't look at me like, give me your top five players, we'll, we'll sign them all. But like, hey, we need breakfast right now. Hey, we need, you know, my car. We're bringing in this recruit. Or I'm just giving you Examples this defensive coordinator interview. Can you take my car at a Hummer and go pick him up at the airport? Hell yeah, coach. Do it. You just. You say yes to everything, even things that sound pretty stupid when you're young. The best part is you can do stupid things and they feel cool. Looking back, I can't believe I did that. And I'm not saying picking people at the airport, but just other minute tasks. As a Niner fan, much like other Niner fans, I'm excited about the news of Salah potentially coming back now that Cohen is headed to the Jags. But I can't help to think that if Salah thrives in SF next season, he would end up getting interviewed for another head coaching spot and will put the 49ers back in search of another DC. So my question is, do you think the Kyle and John lynch will have a plan in place to promote someone from within if Salah were to leave next season? I think you're getting ahead of yourself. I think they just need a little like the Raiders, like we just need to get settled in if Sala is getting interviewed. Like I guess he'll get an interview. In what world is Robert Sale of viewed as some hot candidate? I just. Yeah, he's a good defensive coordinator. He was completely over his head as a head coach. Can we just be real about that? Nice guy, good guy. Like probably a number two. You know, even if he's good at like we saw Cliff Kingsbury is good at offense. In what world? He's an NFL head coach. I have a hard time seeing Robert Salah get a head coaching job next year. Unless the 49ers the greatest defense since like the 2000 Ravens people are going to hire Robert Salah be their head coach. I don't know man. Why no discussion on TB12 and his conflict of interest between Fox and the Raiders? Why not Belichick to coach Baltimore? It's close to his hometown and he could amp up the defense. Thanks for the shout out golden sacks. I'm working Proposal inspired. I just really don't care. Like I mean I'm just not as obsessed with it as like Mike Florio. It is what it is. It just. It doesn't bother me. Conflict of interest like you have to. If the owners don't want it, they'll cut them off. If they don't really care, they won't really care. I just at this point in time, I mean my. I doesn't like, I don't spend one second thinking about it. The only time I think about Tom Brady situation is like when he's on my television I just don't think he's that good. He's just kind of annoying. I don't know what else to say. Belichick signed his contract with the with North Carolina I think yesterday. But huge fan of the POD mailbag thought do you think the Falcons looking back on it, wish they would have just hired Belichick. The question is would they still ended up with panics if they did hire Belichick? I would guess they are happy to have a young quarterback that looks special. So they probably are okay with Raheem for now. I don't know. Yeah they're in a rough spot. I just think that yeah they're in a weird spot. I think Raheem if they go under.500 next year like he could be like two and done. He got a lot of hype. They wanted him because Rich McKay and their GM get to keep the job. But they better make the playoffs next year and making the playoffs in that division basically means winning the division. They better win the division next year because if they don't I think he would be in major trouble. Do they regret hiring Bill belichick? Well, the GM doesn't. Rich McKay doesn't because they would have got axed out. What I think they regret assigning Kirk Cousins. I think the Bills lose this weekend and if they do, is it possible for McVeigh to attempt to pivot to Josh Allen, a player who has given all he can to frankly a perennial weaker slash top team roster and probably needs an offensive coach? You mean like he tries to get the Bills job or tries to trade for Josh Allen? I'm not quite sure what you're asking, but McVeigh is under contract with the Rams. He's going nowhere. Josh Allen, the ownership with the Bills would sell the team before they ever traded Josh Allen to the Rams. And if they were like let's just say recording this, I don't know, 30 hours before the game, I would say the only thing that would be in doubt would if they got blown out, would McDermott get fired? If he did, Sean McVay is just not an option. Sean McVeigh is not leaving LA to move to Buffalo, even to coach Josh Allen. Zero chance question for the mailbag two parts as a Patriots fan, now that we have our coach and coordinators, what do you think the Patriots need to do in the offseason to make the playoffs next year? Is it possible for them? Second question I started folding seven months ago. I Started folding. Any tips on how to start. Stop slicing. Oh, golfing. My driver. YouTube. Just type it into YouTube. You know, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not Butch Harmon here. So I would just type whatever your issue is into YouTube and then go to the range and try to fix it. Because unless I saw you, and even if I saw you, I'm not a golf teacher. I actually have no clue on any of that stuff. So YouTube is a great, great helping hand. I think you guys need a lot of talent. I mean, you got. Your offensive line is a joke. Your receiving core is not very good. Your offensive skill guys and explosive on offense is not very good. I think defensive. Defensively, you're going to be solid. I think sign some offensive linemen, draft some skill guys, and you'll be fine. You know, if Rabel's really good and you have a good off season, why can't. If Drake may solid next year, I think you can compete to win seven, eight games. A lot of people are hitting me up because I said the wedding registry. This guy said, I got second marriage at 53. We went with no gifts, please. Your presence is our present. Yeah, it was out of my hands, but I hear you. I'm right at the cusp. Now, granted, she's 32, so.
John Middlekauff (45:12)
I'm sorry, Jon, I'm faded. But why is B. Enemy forced out of the league? Like, no one mentions him, nothing. He has a guy behind Mahomes lighting up the league and he never got a shot. Like, I heard he's a hard ass, but like, dudes, one of the more successful offensive coordinators ever, Andy Reid, calls plays in Kansas City. So I think that's part of it. Like Eric B. Enemy, you know, Nagy and B. Enemy then and Nagy now. Like, they get to call plays. Doug Peterson too, a little intermediate intermittently. But the offense is Andy Reid's baby. Like, that's his. So it's not like Eric B. Enemy ran Patrick Mahomes in the offense again. All my guys in Kansas City, and I know a lot of them, they like him a lot. I just, I don't know. I don't have a great answer for you. I don't know specifically what happened in UCLA, but like, he just got fired in UCLA from a guy that he coached 20 years ago in college. Like, that's a little weird. And last year in Washington, like, he just tried to copy Andy Reid of just passing all the time when they had an awful offensive line and it was a disaster. So I was, I. I mean, everyone, Kyle Shanahan had a bad year. So I don't know. I can't tell you. Maybe he ends up getting a coaching job, like as an assistant coach here soon. Question for the bag. The golf bag. Been watching you for a long time, trying to think of a question that no one really asks. I used to golf competitively in high school and shortly in college, but that was nearly 20 years ago. Life got in the way. I stopped golfing for about 10 to 12 years now. So much has changed since I played, it's ridiculous. My question is, what is the strongest part of your current game? And have you ever gotten custom fit clubs, irons or driver? Most of this tech didn't exist when I played. And I'm interested if you have done it and if it makes a difference in your game. I would say that my current. I haven't played in probably almost two months now. I got probably like five, six years ago, this dude from TaylorMade followed me on Twitter and so I DM'd him asking if he could hook me up. Well, we were just dming back about football and he gave me a code. So I got 50% off irons. They weren't custom fitted but then I took them in to like a club champion and they bent them for me. I think I, I bought my woods at like the PJ Superstore. Honestly, part of the reason I do golf content is just try to get free. So hopefully that plays out. But my current game, I mean who knows? I was thinking about. I'm recording this on Friday morning. Michael hit balls this afternoon. But you know I'm a decent striker of the ball pretty long. Yeah, I mean I, I just, I, I've really gotten into just playing. I just enjoy myself now. I'm a decent player. Like, you know, I can shoot high 70s, low 80s but I just don't take it as seriously as I used to. I just want to do it. Get out of the house, get some fresh air. Question for the mailbag. I don't know if you've answered something like this before, but I'm wondering what games come to mind when thinking about the greatest games ever played in your opinion? I think several factors have come into play here. Namely the stakes at hand, the players involved and most importantly the overall quality of play on both sides. My personal pick Is Super Bowl 49 Pats and Seahawks biggest stage imaginable. Both teams were proven winners. Coaches and players were making constant adjustments all game long. Both sides made incredible plays and of course the interception really cemented the game. As an all timer I would, I would put that really, really high. The game the Pittsburgh, Arizona Super Bowl, Kurt Warner, Roethlisberger, Tomlins super bowl where I almost said Heinz Ward but it was what's his name not Plaxkill Burris. He went to Ohio State. I don't know why my brain's not working this morning, but the touchdown in the corner of the back corner of the end zone, that game stands out. I mean there have been some pretty epic championship games. I would say that Bill's the bill's Chiefs 13 second game feels like it'd be pretty up there now if I remember serves me correct, there wasn't that much defense there off top my head, it's hard. I just think, I mean we could list a ton of different games anyone's in recent memory. The Patriot Chiefs game when Patrick Mahomes first year starting. I want to hear your perspective about the top prospect tight ends in this year's draft. I'm a Broncos fan born and raised and I would love the idea of Warren coming to Denver but fear he may not be available the time that we draft. Do you value Loveland as a day one draft pick and do you think he would fit into Sean Payton scheme? Honestly, I haven't really watched them just because Michigan was so bad this year. They were just tough and offensively what the hell you're getting out of it. So I'd have to go back and kind of watch. I don't have a great feel for leveling as a prospect. I have to text some of my buddies that go through that school. I'd have to watch them on my own. I don't think Tyler Warren I think Tyler Warren ends up being pick somewhere between 10 to 15, you know, kind of in the Brock Bowers range. Now he's a different player than Bowers, but I, you know, in a draft that's not that great, there's not a ton of quarterbacks. I think he, I think he goes high as like the 49ers at 11. Who knows, maybe he could go like pick 10 11. So I hate to say I just don't really have a take on Loveland. Huge Packer fan. Wanted to ask you a mailbag question. What do you think the packers need to do this off season to finally make and win a Super Bowl? I'm seeing a lot of rumors that we might get Devonte or T. Higgins. Also I heard we may trade for Max Crosby. Do you think that would be possible? Yeah, I mean I defense wasn't your issue. It really wasn't like your defense played winning football against the Eagles. Honestly, your defense was much improved. It's really the quarterback now. I know you got some question marks at the wide receiver. Those guys didn't really break out and you battled some injuries. Now Christian Watson's ACL is injured. You got second whatever concussion for Dobbs. You had Jaden Reed hurt his shoulder. But offensively I think you guys have enough pieces. I would just keep dominating the line of scrimmage. Would I trade for Max Crosby? I would highly think about it. And if it was, would I trade for Max Crosby? If I thought that the Detroit Lions were going to get him, that might be the difference in me upping my trade value. Now my trading two first round picks for Max Crosby, that's a pretty risky move. But again I would think long and hard about it. My name is Anthony. I'm a Charger fan from North Carolina. Still sad after the disappointing playoff performance, but I can't help but be ecstatic about the future. Greg Roman's offensive scheme, one reliable pass catcher and a shaky run game. Can't help but think Herbert will win the MVP by playing in Super Bowls. Several more pieces on offense. What do you think? Just need to improve, man. They got to get some pieces. They need a game changing offensive weapon for him to throw to with McConkey, whether that's a tight end or a wide receiver and then draft a running back. Draft a running back plug and play guy. And luckily this draft is full of plug and play running backs. So I think before we get ahead of Super Bowls, like this is a big off season for the Chargers. This is a really big off season for the Chargers. Vikings fan, hoping you can answer the question for the podcast. What are your thoughts on the Vikings GM Adofumenta, what grade would you give him on the drafts? His first round picks are terrible. Has he improved? But his free agency has been pretty good. Now I would say the best player in your team he doesn't get credit for. Justin Jefferson was there when he inherited it but you know he was a part of hiring Kevin O'Connell and like I think it's been successful. You're going to miss on some draft picks but you know we'll, you know, if he hits on JJ McCarthy, who cares about the other first round picks and you drafted Dallas Turner. So like this year's draft should be pretty big. Meaning those two guys, the two rookies. Now I think the decision that's going to define his GM careers, what he does this off season and with how bad Sam Donald was the last couple games, you know, does he resign him? Does he let him walk? Do they go to jj? Like that's going to define him. Not does he hit or miss a draft pick. A lot of people miss draft picks. Howie Roseman took Jalen Rager over Justin Jefferson. It happens. I don't get caught up on an individual draft pick because you're not paid to pick players in the draft. You're paid to run A team. In two of his three years they've won 13 and 14 games. So it's like he's, he's clearly good and smart. My question is this. It baffles me every NFL team doesn't look at Green Bay and try to copy their quarterback progression plan. Roger Sapp for years behind Far Love sat for behind Rogers. How far Love goes yet is yet to be seen. But all these quarterback issues don't find their guy in the draft and sit him, no matter what for a few years. I think it's easier said than done. You know, it's easy to sit a guy when you have Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers. It's harder to sit a guy when Lamar Jackson's a bad example because Lamar turned out to be a star. But like Joe Flacco, it's like, yeah, we'll bench Joe Flacco and put Lamar Jackson. So usually Alex Smith, you know, Mahomes got this out for a year. Alex Smith is having the best year of his career and the Chiefs were winning the division. Usually when you're sitting a guy, the other thing is those two. Here's the unique part about both those guys. Aaron Rodgers was picked 24. Jordan Love was picked 27, 29. So it's like, usually the guys that sit like you get to Jimmy Garoppolo picked in the second round, you know, a lot of times, like, why didn't you sit player X? Well, I drafted him third overall. My owner wanted to see him play. So did the fans. And in fairness, the fans, it's like, we suck. No one wants to watch this player. I kind of side with the fans that way. What were the Patriots supposed to do this year? Just keep rolling out? Jacoby Brissette? No, they had to put in Drake May. Big fan. Broncos fan. So I'm in on Knicks, obviously, but I also love Penix coming out. And I think coaching is the most important thing for you. Rookie young quarterback development even above the town with O'Connell locked in with J.J. peyton with Knicks, Ben Johnson with Caleb Cliff with Jaden Bravel with May and the Flashes, Pennick showed in limited action. What chances do you think the 24 quarterback class goes 6 for 6? I think it's impossible. I just think it's statistically impossible to go 6 for 6. I think we are guaranteed, guaranteed one of these players. I think if five of the six got their fifth year option picked up, that'd be one of the most insane things we've ever seen. I think you could almost say I wouldn't put my life savings on it. But the best case scenario is four of the six guys get their fifth year option picked up, meaning they're going to get second contracts with that team. The other thing is you can't overreact off one year though. Like, you just never know things. Things change really quick. So I. Six for six to me feels like just impossible. Like, can't happen. Got drunk the night Penn State Notre Dame game after Drew threw the terrible pick and cost us both money. Do you think that now with the transfer portal in nil, college quarterbacks aren't developed the same way? And it's such a mystery on why and who can play really on Sundays and who is just a liability for moneyline wagers. Well, Drew Aller didn't transfer. You know, I think overall, yeah, because, you know, Tom Brady's been hammering this home. Most quarterbacks, young quarterbacks, don't get to start right away. Aren't Caleb Williams usually sit for a year, maybe two. You're mad, you're pissed off, you think you're better than the guy starting. But you kind of learn a lot about yourself. It's the first time you've ever struggled in life because if you're at a big time program, you've been, you know, the toast of the town. In high school, you were not just the best player in your area, you're probably one of the best players in, you know, your state. You're the best looking guy on campus, maybe even if you're ugly because you're the star quarterback. And then you get to college and it's like, damn, this sucks. Why? We see so many guys transfer, but Drew Aller didn't transfer from Penn State. Drew Aller has been there the whole time. Now, he's had some different coordinators, but that's, that's normal in football. He is a 20 year old kid, so. But he's been there three years. Like I can't excuse him for the pick that he threw. That's just a poor decision. And listen, quarterbacks make poor decisions. Everyone has. Okay, last question for the mailbag. If you're the New York Giants, like I am, fan, like I am, sadly, what do you think they should do with the number three pick? I do think taking one of these quarterbacks is a major risk. Major risk. I think there are a lot of people in the NFL that think both these quarterbacks would have been like the fifth, sixth, seventh guys last year. So it's, it's just, you take Shador sanders there at 3 or Cam Ward if they struggle as a rookie, you're getting fired. Now what are your options? Like are you, what are you going to do? Sign, trade for Kirk Cousins or sign Kirk Cousins as a free agent. I bet day ball wants to do that. Now would I get her Cousins and draft Shador Sanders? Maybe that's the move. But the Giants offensive line is not great. So it's not like Cousins can move. Sam Darnold, I don't know. I don't think there are great fixes at quarterback this offseason. Aaron Rodgers, if he's cut and available, I don't really see a path for these quarterback list teams like the Raiders, the, the Giants, like there's no quick fix. I don't see a, a fix that all of a sudden it's like, oh, the Giants won nine games. I don't really think that's on the table. So I think you just got to get ready for another shitty year. Appreciate everyone listening. Have a great weekend. Adios.
