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Zyn After Dark Host
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human love. The Night Reach for Zyn After Dark, a limited cocktail inspired series for those who get up when the sun goes down. Try Zyn's Mojito Spiced Cider and Espresso Martini Nicotine pouches. Find them at select retailers. Available while supplies last. Zinn After Dark. Bring on the night. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
Colin Coward
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Coca-Cola Announcer
A matchup we got, y'.
John Middlecoff
All.
Coca-Cola Announcer
This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beatin everybody showing that school pride. Game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.
John Middlecoff
Mmm.
Coca-Cola Announcer
Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere. And in ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
Colin Coward
Hi, it's Colin from the Colin Coward podcast. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's handmade vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting. Made the right way. Tito's made in Austin, Texas. Real attention to detail. I like to keep it simple. Tito's soda, one lime, lot of ice, refreshing, easy. Summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. The perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly.
Rob Gronkowski
This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules. For the second season in a row, I partnered with T Mobile's Friday night 5G lights powering up hometown football A across America. This year, T mobile invested over $4 million in prizes to help schools take their Friday nights to the next level. Now it's time to crown our $1 million grand prize winner. A huge congrats to Derrick's High school in Derrick's, Arkansas, home of the Outlaws and your 2020 5T mobile Friday night 5G lights champion. They scored a home field upgrade, Gronk Fitness weight room, a 2026 tailgate party and an all expense paid trip to the SEC Championship game. To every school that competed, posted and rallied your communities. Thank you and a big thanks to T Mobile for making it all possible and helping communities shine under the Friday night lights. This season be over. But the story isn't. Stay tuned for season three in 2026, the volume.
John Middlecoff
What is going on everybody? John Middle Cop, that's me three and out podcast. That's the show we are brought to you by my friends at Zone Pouches. Hopefully everyone is doing well. We've had had a lot of stuff going on obviously. Colin on Sunday Chief's Reaction Sunday night as a podcast Eagles Reaction Monday night is a podcast. Today will be a big mailbag at John Middlecoff. At John Middlecoff is the Instagram as well as reacting to Philip rivers who is 44, I'd say coming out of retirement, he's really coming off the sideline in high school where he's been coaching. Turns out he's been running Shane Steichen's offense. So some quick thoughts there as well as the mailbag and that will be the game plan today. I'm recording this Tuesday afternoon and and yeah, so you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe, subscribe to that YouTube channel. We appreciate all you guys but before we we dive into Philip Rivers, you know I got to tell you about my friends. You know I got to tell you about my partners and they're Game Time because they're the best ticketing app that you've ever seen. I've been a user of Game Time now for I think going on three plus years and they have the easiest interface you will ever see. So if you want to go to an NFL game, just download that app and you can find tickets for as low as a hundred dollars. You can find flash deals. The price you see when you purchase a ticket is the price you pay at checkout. How often on some of these sites do you, you know, purchase a ticket and then you're checking out and they hit you with seven fees? It's ridiculous. Not a game Time because they want you to take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game time Download the Game Time app, create an account and use the code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account, redeem the code Johan for 20 off down the game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Philip Rivers. Honestly, this story is one of those that just makes you smile. Partly because it's so ridiculous, partly because it's Philip Rivers who I've been banging the table forever and I get it. He's got 25 kids and he loves coaching high school ball. Turns out he's running Shane Steichen's offense and they talk every week, which makes sense. Couple just football junkies. But I think we see Drew Brees on television. We see Tom Brady on television. Philip Rivers would have been a stud. He would have been, you know, a mixture of like a. Madden meets Gruden with a. With no swear words. Obviously. Madden didn't cuss. Gruden didn't either on tv, though you could tell he always wanted to. So I, I've missed Philip Rivers in my life. There are certain athletes that whenever they come back in your life, like, we've been very lucky, right? We've had Charles Barkley in my life my entire life. When I was a kid, he played, he played in the NBA and then he immediately went into, into television and we just get to consume and he makes me smile. It's one of Charles's best characteristics. So many people want to be like him. It's like, bro, he makes you laugh. That is his key. Like that is what he brings to the table beside just whatever else he's, you know, talking hoops or being a dude and just is. He's fun. And John Madden was fun. Philip Rivers is fun. And I've, you know, back when I was around the Raiders and doing radio, going to all those Charger Raider games at the Coliseum up in Oakland, you know, I've seen them have great games. I've seen them shit the bed and have terrible games. I think the last game ever in the Coliseum was against the Chargers. And Rivers, I think, ended the game on a. On an interception to Charles Woodson. If I could be remembering this incorrectly, but it kind of feels in that world. But I think this also shows one of my first football reactions is, is this safe? Like, if Philip Rivers ends up their starting quarterback moving forward, is this safe? He hasn't played in the NFL in years. He obviously was never a great athlete to begin with. He does not have a great arm. And you look at their schedule, they get Seattle this week at Seattle. Not an ideal landing spot, elite team, speed, pass rush, DBs and linebackers that can blitz against an elite defensive coach. That is not an easy landing spot in theory because the Niners have a bunch of injuries that's a little bit easier of a team. But I don't care who plays for the Niners. They have a standard and they are looking to hit people and hit people hard. The Jags clearly have a good pass rush and the Texans are probably as ferocious of a defense as they're in the NFL. So two of the four of these opponents, I mean big time defenses, the Jags pretty good and the 49ers have one of the best, if not, you know, top two or three defensive coordinator in the league. Is he safe out there, right? He cannot run. He can't get away. There is just. If you, I don't care what you do in life. If you. And this is where I disagreed with Colin years ago, his whole thing. When Jon Gruden came back, he's like, you can't leave an industry for a decade and come back and know what you're doing. Not in a business that's really competitive. Right. You couldn't just leave the media landscape in 2015 and come back in 2025 and have a shot. People would be running circles around you. Right in Wall Street. You couldn't just disappear and come back. There is a massive curve because of the speed in which things change now. Well, football is the same thing. And I get it. You know, Philip would say, hey, it's still, you know, 10 yards to get a first down. The concepts, you know, from the offense haven't necessarily changed and as they have, I've known about them because I talked to the coach. But like you're not used to the speed in Collins whole thing is John Gruden, this isn't going to work. I was like, I think, I think it will. But I kind of bought the Kool Aid and I was wrong. It was not working. And I do believe that Rivers, you know, they went through that stretch with when Luck retired of having to get a lot of, you know, older veteran quarterbacks. And they multiple of the guys had something in common. They were washed. They were older players whose prime was well behind them and arm strength wise, Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers never had great arms to begin with, but by the time they played for the Colts, their arms were diminishing. Now Rivers numbers actually weren't terrible when he was in Indianapolis, but it just shows you how desperate this team is. And sometimes listen like the old Adage is like, never make big decisions out of desperation. That's all well and good until you don't have a choice and you're in a desperate mode and you have to pull the trigger and make a decision, and that's where they're at. But I do think when it comes to Indy is I do give them. I do respect the fact that. That they did this and they didn't roll out some, like, random Desmond Ritter type, some random guy on a practice squad. Right? They're in this predicament because they've had major injuries. Daniel Jones is a broken leg and a torn Achilles. That's not funny. Even though it is. Like, usually when a guy has a major injury, it's like, I tear my acl. No, this guy has a broken leg and a torn Achilles on two different legs. That's pretty crazy. It's almost like a skiing accident when a guy slams into a. A rock or something. But I don't know, man, this. This is a fun story. I hope he plays against the 49ers. That would be really entertaining. I kind of hope he doesn't play against Seattle because I think that could be really ugly. But they might not have a choice. And I mean, clearly they don't have a choice when they signed him. And I said this on. On Monday night, and I. I believe this more. You know, who's very jealous right now, you know, jealous Tom Brady is. Do you know jealous? Paid Manning is, you know, jealous Drew Brees is not that they would want to play in a game because they would. They're no dummies. They know, like, I would get killed. I can't move. But, like, just getting that call, like, Philip, you want to come work out for us? Like that had to get his juices going. You know, it's like one last ride, Cowboy. I remember the famous story Tim Flannery, who was Bruce Bochy's third base coach in San Diego. When Bruce Bochy got the job with San Francisco, I think in like, you know, the late 2000s, he called Tim Flannery, who I think he had fired in San Diego, and said, you know what, Cowboy? We got one last ride in us and they won three World Series. And just that call of, like, someone believes in me. I don't care what you do. But as an athlete, you know, as a. If you're Philip Rivers, you would say, I'm a. Has been. I'm don't have it anymore. But maybe I do, you know, let's see. Are you sure? I don't am I? Am I sure I don't? We're about to find out. So very, very entertaining story, that's for sure. Today's show is brought to you by our new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock bet. The holidays are here and the sports schedule is packed tighter than Santa's gift bag week. Fifteen football games, bowl games, NBA and college hoops, hockey, and a whole lot more. You know that new customers can sign up and bet $5 on any game. And if it wins, you'll win 150 in bonus bets on top of your winning. 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If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9 with it gambling problem. Call 1-800- Gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia love the night.
Zyn After Dark Host
Reach for Zinn After Dark, a limited cocktail inspired series for those who get up when the sun goes down. Try Zinn's Mojito Spiced Cider and Espresso Martini Nicotine pouches. Find them at select retailers. Available while supplies last. Zinn After Dark Bring on the night. This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.
Coca-Cola Announcer
What a matchup we got, y'.
Rob Gronkowski
All.
Coca-Cola Announcer
This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit chantecle drum beat. Everybody showing that spot. Cool prize game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
Richard Sherman
Let me tell you about Ready or Not, the tactical first Person shooter where you take command of a SWAT team and feel the weight of the badge. Recently I reunited with my Legion of Boom teammates Cliff Averill, Cam Chancer, Michael Bennett and Walter Thurman. We partnered with Ready or Not to go through actual SWAT training and film the whole experience. Watch it now at the Richard Sherman Podcast YouTube channel. Here's what makes this game different. It's not just mindless run and gun. Just like the Legion of Boom built an elite defense on strategy and teamwork. Ready or not demands the same mentality. You're commanding a SWAT team, clearing rooms, protecting civilians, making tactical calls. As a coordinated team with 18 missions that challenge you in completely different ways. Every operation demands that same discipline and teamwork. Best part? Try it for free for a limited time on PlayStation and Xbox. Go solo or squad up with five players in full crossplay support. If you want strategic, high stakes action that rewards elite tactics and fast thinking, then this is the game for you. Try Ready or Not for free today on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Colin Coward
And S PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance, next level efficiency and multi day battery life. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all, from highlight reel editing to intense player research so you can be at the top of your game wherever the day takes you. Learn more@snapdragon.com laptops Snapdragon the heart of your PC. Battery life varies significantly based on device settings, usage and other factors. Hi, it's Colin from the Colin Coward Podcast. That would make sense that I would be the host of the Colin Coward podcast. I mean that's the way I see it. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade Vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Okay. I like things that are built to last. A great team, a well run organization. Same goes for my vodka. Tito's. Made in Austin, Texas. Real care, attention to detail, distinct crisp taste. I was just telling my wife the other day, Tito's is the one vodka. It has a completely distinct taste. Been my go to for years so I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda, one lime, lot of ice, refreshing, easy summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. Your team's going to play 162 games. A perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly.
John Middlecoff
Okay, let's, let's fire into the mailbag. We will start with Dominic. With the Bill's glaring problem at wide receiver and pass rushers, I'm assuming they will be picking up one this off season. Which do you think is more vital for the Bills and who do you think would be the best fit for the Bills, whether that be a trade or draft? In the off season, the line of scrimmage to if I'm Buffalo is what I invest in. Like, I, I. Shakir was a mid round pick, right? Cook was not a first round pick. Kincaid was, but I mean, he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire. Keon Coleman, we drafted really high and that's been very up and down. I'm investing in lineman, so I wouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Like, let's just. They have an enormous game. I mean, one of the biggest NFL games of the year is this weekend in New England. New England versus Buffalo. Like, I would spend less time worrying about like, who are we going to get in the draft and in free agency, I mean, who even knows who's going to become available. Older guys get cut, older guys are on the trade deadline or I mean on, on the trade block is, you know, coaches get fired. So you just. There's so much unknown on December 9th. But if I'm a Bills fan, the only thing I'm worrying about is can we beat the Patriots? Look, we're favored in that game, but do I feel great about it? I don't. I mean, I actually kind of think the play is New England just coming off a bye. You know, that game against Buffalo was in major trouble against Cincinnati. Now you would say Burrow, you know, is kind of the Bill's killer, but their defense has major, major question marks. And the easiest way to make a defense better is to have awesome defensive linemen. So I would, I would worry less about the off season and kind of enjoy the ride. Like you're playing. You've had this run with Josh Allen, who just had a massive game against Cincinnati. Your defense came through with two enormous plays that saved the season. Part of saving the season now is like, well, can you take advantage of it if you lose the Patriots? It was almost like, well, that kind of, that kind of was a tease. Ryan, do you think we'll see more larger football programs offer their top prospect college tuition in cash to pay for college rather than give them cash in and a scholarship so they can leverage the limited amounts of scholarships to those who they don't have to give cash to. That way they can't get around their limited scholarships due to Title 9. Well, if you run a MA, you know, Ohio State or Alabama, they get 85 scholarships. So scholarships don't really matter. I would say like they're, they're not being talked about in the conversation of landing a player. Because if I'm going to give a guy 500 grand his tuition of 40 grand a year, I'm also covering his housing costs, you know, his meals with the team. Like the scholarship is part of the deal. I hear what you're saying. I think the scholarship now is viewed as such an irrelevant piece of the puzzle that it's all about the nil and that's just part of the package. I'm pretty sure I don't know the details of this, but I don't think walk ons exist anymore. So everyone on the team technically has to be on scholarship or that's going to happen very soon with the revenue sharing agreement. So I hear what you're saying, but I think the way it's, it's going to work moving forward with the quote unquote, revenue share is not even a possibility. If you're on the team, you're technically a scholarship player and you're on revenue share. Where do you think CJ Stroud ranks amongst quarterbacks? He has shown signs of incredible talent but has been inconsistent since his rookie season. Also, I think the Texans should extend him, but it's tough to say what the price would be sometimes. Like you can watch a guy and I don't even know what his numbers were against the Chiefs. But like that was an impressive game. He missed a couple, but he made some big time plays. And to me, moments like that against a team like that whose backs against the wall on the road, there's a small limited. Guys that don't, they can't function in that environment and he can like I know like you said, he's been up and down the last couple of years because of the offensive line. Obviously got injured this year. I was impressed. Like to me he's a guy that you should like. At worst he could have a Dak Prescott like career. It's on Casario, it's on d'. Amico. Ryan's to basically build this thing up and you know, protect him. But he's I, I was, I was really impressed. Like, honestly, I thought he outplayed Patrick or every bit as good as him in that game. So I, I think CJ's pretty good ranking. You know, I don't have him like with Josh or Joe Burrow, but I, I think he's, he should be a consistent top 10 quarterback for the next 10 years. What have the scouts, NFL personnel said about Mendoza recently? I remember a few months ago, they weren't saying he, they were saying he wouldn't even be a top 10 pick. Did he, did he need to prove it? He's still the same 6, 5, good arm kid who beat Oregon a few months ago. I think when he beat Oregon, the buzz grew. I think when he beat Oregon, that's when it kind of changed a little bit. I, I think that was, I'm real guys, and that was a moment that I, I do think he kind of went from interesting prospect to like, this is a real, real prospect. And then that game against Ohio State was just, you know, some of those throws, some of those plays he made, the toughness he showed getting hit, I, I would be hard pressed to probably meet many people in the NFL that don't view him as a top. Again. Like, I understand people going, I, I wouldn't take him number one overall, but if you take him 12 overall, what the fuck's the difference? If he's the number one quarterback and you need a quarterback. This is the argument from NFL personnel people. It's like you take the guy at 4 that you would take at 12, right? If, if he, if he's your best option, right? If you're picking between three or four guys, okay, but if he's, if the other quarterbacks are not first round quarterbacks and you need a quarterback, like if someone's gonna take him at seven, then you can take him at two. And my gut, again, things can change. This is a fluid business. Injuries, poor play against better opponents. I would say as of December 9th, I would bet on him being the number one pick in the draft. Like you said, 6, 5, 230 pounds, big arm, high character kid, you know, good family, kind of goofy like cousins, luck, which is actually a plus. You don't have to worry about him screwing around, getting in trouble. I love people being like, yeah, he's kind of goofy, kind of reminds me of Kirk Cousins. You don't think teams like that like, his teammates clearly like him. So would I rather have like, you know, kind of goofy dude and just kind of nerdy, Like Luck Cousins or dude, that's party and drinking all the time. That also his teammates like. Now granted most of these guys in the NFL in 2025 are pretty focused cats, but I think that's a, that's working in his favor. Do you think the Giants can easily become the standard in the NFC East? Well, I mean, did my producer Shane write this? I think we got to pump the brakes here a little bit. Standard in the NFC East. They are currently. What's the Giants record? Oh, they're 2 and 11. So last year they drafted Abdul Carter third overall. Let's just, let's walk before we run. Let's get a real coach, let's get some better players, let's keep elevating the guys we got and just try to become an eight win team. So I do think the standard to be the standard in the NFC east, listen, Phillies and Shambles, they are. What do they have a. I guess they only have one less loss than the Cowboys, but the Cowboys have two less wins so they would have to lose another game. And even if the Cowboys win out, so if the Cowboys won out 10, 6 and 1 and if the Eagles won out at 8, they'd have 12. They'd have to lose two of their last four. Probably pretty unlikely. I would say the Eagles, they've won the division, what, two of the last three years are probably going to win it again. I think. Listen, we can make fun of them all we want. They're pretty clearly the standard. I have a Jordan Love MVP ticket at 4,000 to 1. So I guess plus, yeah, 4,001. So basically 40 to 1. So if you bet 100 bucks, you win 4K. If you bet a thousand, you win 40. Be a nice hit if you did. Would you cash it out now or let it ride? I can double up with a cash out now. This weekend's kind of tricky because he could throw three touchdowns in Denver. They win in Denver, that cash out could double. From where you're at, he throws for 140 yards, a couple picks, they lose. Kind of comes back to earth now. He could vault back up in a week against the Bears, but this is kind of a pivotal point for him. Right. So if I let me bring up the packers schedule. If we assume he plays well in this game, he could really drive it home the next couple of weeks. They go to Chicago, he plays well, they win it. I think he'd be right there. Then the Ravens and Vikings, he can kind of hammer it home toward the end. Plays bad this week though. I think it would Be a little unlikely that he wins it. So if you want to take the logic of you never go broke taking a profit, I think you can't be mad at yourself for cashing out. Now I don't know your financial situation, but I'm just going to. Let's just assume you put $100 on them so you have the opportunity to a hundred dollars into forty thousand, the enjoyment and the fun. Now if you need the $200, I get it. I don't know what you can even get for $200 in 20, 25. And that buys you like a sandwich, a bag of chips and like you know, a quarter tank of gas. But if you need that $200 today, then cash out. But if you don't and $100 is something that you can handle, losing it makes the last month of the season really fun. I say sometimes, like when I do some of these like hundred dollar parlays, you know, they pay, I don't know, 30 to one that would win three grand. Even if I don't win. The enjoyment I got out of that game was worth a hundred dollars of entertainment. Like nothing.
Rob Gronkowski
This.
John Middlecoff
What do I had get for entertainment anymore, right? Like when I bet on these PGA Tour events and I get a guy 30 to 1 or 40 to 1 and I put $50 on him if he's in the mix on Sunday, even if I don't get my money back, that $50 has me glued to the couch in the middle of May when there's nothing else going on and that entertainment's worth it for me.
Colin Coward
So.
John Middlecoff
I personally again, assuming it's not a large amount of money or amount of money relative that's going to impact you, I'd let it ride for the enjoyment. I'm a 2nd gen Lions fan and I rep hard, go to games, buy swag. Heck, my friends made me a Lions cake for my 40th. Check my IG and you'll see the Lions logos everywhere. I was never into college football, but I now because of college Football playoff have a lot of love to give but I need a team. I want one I can grow with. But not a current front runner because I hate bandwagoners. I'm open to being. I'm open to being open. Any suggestions? Until I read the part about front runners, my first response was just, you're already Detroit guy. Just go with Michigan now. You know Michigan is down a little bit relative to what they were a couple years ago, but they're not going anywhere. That would be my first response. It's an easy carryover. You get Michigan alliance, right. It's like a Browns fan, Ohio State, right. Niner fan, cow fan, you know, Cowboy fan, Texas fan. It's an easy transition. Now if you want to go a little off the beaten path, I think you still need to root for a team that has a chance to get in the playoffs. Right. You wouldn't want to just be a fan of like Mississippi State to be counterculture and have them never make the playoffs. That would suck. So you need more of a team in like the 15 to 30 range. And I think the team would be, I think it would be a couple. If you want to bet on the changing landscape of the sport. I think Vanderbilt would be pretty cool. Their head coach, Clark Lee, who had an awesome comment today about like, yeah, we, this program plays football. They always ask if they were going to opt out of the bowl game. He's like, no, we're a football program, we play football. I mean if Pete Bavac was one more fucking thing, I'm going to puke in my mouth. But respect to Clark Lee, I think Vanderbilt, the ever changing world with nil could really benefit them. I think they just landed the number one quarterback in the country to replace, you know, if it wasn't for Fernando, Diego Pavia would have won the Heisman Trophy. And I'm a sucker for this program now. They're going to have a new coach in the next year or two because Whittingham is going to retire. I do think Utah is a team that you can just kind of be proud of. They're usually good on defense. They're usually pound the ball, running it and if they get a decent quarterback like they can be a top 10 team. They went 10 and two this year. Their two losses were to Tech and BYU. And Tech they got worked. But BYU, it was a close game. It was a fun game. On, you know, Saturday night. I would go with Vandy or Utah if you want to go non, like Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon types. I think those two would be cool. And on a yearly basis, Utah, I think you have a better chance on a yearly basis to make the playoffs. Vandy would be fun if it does turn around. Question for the mailbag. What do you think people talk about coaches being good at making halftime adjustments. I heard someone ask Ben Johnson after the game on Sunday about how he managed to make his halftime adjustments adjustments and he responded by saying he didn't make any at all. Is this normal thing or misunderstood? I think where all these guys have always pushed Back on that is you're making adjustments based on every play, every series. So just because you come in at half, you have been making adjustments throughout the first and the second quarter, right? The first couple series, you guys are kind of feeling each other out. By the time you've each had three or four possessions and it's seven minutes left in the second quarter, like, you're on the headsets, you're like, hey, let's scrap this. This was a game plan play. They're, let's take this away. Let's keep running this because clearly they're buying into it and we can hit them with the counter. So I think when like Brady and Peyton Manning and those guys always say, like, half halftime adjustments don't exist because you adjust every single snap, you adjust every single series. So halftime's more about like, everyone gather yourself. Maybe like a big picture message and maybe like you could be a little calmer and do specific adjustments that you were already talking about out on the field. But I, I think a quote unquote adjustment in football, in the NFL and college is like a fluid thing throughout the game after the first series or two. So I, I don't think he's acting like they don't adjust. They just don't adjust. Like, they don't talk about. They just run the game plan and they go into halftime and they either throw away the game plan or adjust the game plan. Where I think he would tell you is like, it's just a constant thing, start to finish in the game in theory. I feel like the conversation around CJ is always. He's been a shell of himself since the rookie year. Since I'm a Texans fan, I watch every snap and give my biased opinion. But he's extremely accurate. And the Chiefs game shows he has a lot of playmaking ability. When Caleb Williams has one good half against the packers, the narratives look how talented he is. And the narrative around CJ is, when will we see rookie CJ again? Just curious your thoughts. I think Chiefs game was a pretty big moment for the guy. I think he was. That was impressive. That was like, okay, let's, let's win this division, baby. Let's do it. I have a parlay, a pretty aggressive one with Houston, with Denver, who's going to do it. With the packers, who still can do it. With Seattle, which was 5 to 1, that still can do it. And my parlays to win the division was Houston, Denver, Green bay, Tampa, Seattle, $50 to pay 10k, also have one I made middle of the Season with Denver, New England, Seattle and Pittsburgh. That's 100 bucks to pay 7K. So we'll see. I'm a Houston Texans fan and I have Denver Green Bay 83 to 1 with 100 bucks to pay $8,400 to make the Super Bowl. So that's who I'm rooting for right now. That's who I'm rooting for in Houston. I was dead. We were all dead. Until we're not now. We're going to need Jacksonville to lose a game and I. You look at their schedule, they might not. Do you think the college football committee are having nightmares of Tulane and James Madison actually winning? No, I. I think that's. I would say they have. No, they're not worried. Those teams are both getting their ass kicked in the first round. I'm a Ravens fan, so I need your opinion. We love to put blame on Lamar. We love to put it on the players. We love to blame the coordinators. When are we going to hold John Harbaugh accountable? I know he's a good coach, but we are very, very poorly coached team. And it starts with him like nobody ever calls him out. I feel like we could bring in a Brian Flores or Clint Kubiak and they'll turn the team completely around. Plus, that line of ours is very bad. But he keeps saying they're doing a good job. I mean, it's. I think what drives fans nuts, and I see it because I'm pretty in deep with Niner blogs and stuff falling on social media is when everyone agrees, like, the O line's terrible or like a couple offensive linemen are bad. I remember everyone thought the 49ers center sucked the last couple years, and then their own line coach said he was like one of their highest graded guys in the league. It's like, are we. Are we all idiots? And the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes, like, they can be biased. I think they also need to build up their players. They're in the business of, like, making these guys believe they're actually better than they are. But if John misses the playoffs, it's. It'll get louder. It'll get louder for sure. I think you know the reason Tomlin's under more. He hasn't won a playoff game in 10 years. John Harbaugh was in the AFC championship game two years ago hosting it. He's been the number one seed multiple times now the last couple years. So I, I think that that's why he gets treated a little bit differently. Giants have the number one Overall pick currently, if that stands, do you think they trade back and get a haul? I. I think they would definitely trade out of it. Now, a Hall, you know, it depends how many people are bidding for it, but it would at this point in time, if you're a Giants fan, you might as well just lose out and get that number one pick because if Fernando comes out, let's see, right now, if you go to the league standing, they would be one, the Titans being two, which is good for you too. Like you want the Titans to keep losing, so teams like the Raiders, the Browns, the Cardinals, the Jets get in a bidding war. I think the best case scenario I see with my wife in real estate, you get a couple people that want the house and that house goes, I was on the market for a million, all of a sudden it sells for 1.2 and it just takes two, baby. But if you just get one, luckily there's not just one and you're just better off at this point losing out. Assuming that Fernando is viewed as the number or, or Dante Moore, I think the best case scenario for the Giants is only one of those two guys comes out and so it's just them versus a group of other guys that aren't even viewed as first round picks. So if you want to get the quarterback, you got to come up and get them. If there's multiple guys, then the. It's like multiple homes on the block. The negotiation power isn't quite the same. I think that's what you got to root for if you're a Giants fan. Only one quote, unquote star quarterback comes out. Pretty sure Fernando doesn't have a choice. But let me, what's his eligibility? I just, I don't know why. I've just been talking about him like a senior. But so he. His first year at Cal, he red shirted. I mean, technically he could come back to Indiana. 22. He red shirted 23, played 24, obviously was full time starter Cal. And then this year, God, his numbers. He has more touchdowns this year at Indiana 33 than he did the last two years combined and started at Cal 20. Now granted, he only played. He started 19 games. He's played 13 this year. But I would say, like I said, I would say Fernando is going to be the top pick in the draft. With Jalen Hurts regressing, it seems like every game. How long until the Eagles move to Tanner McKee? Clearly they like McKee and he's shown some flashes during preseason games. There's one little problem when it Comes to Jalen Hurts and it's called this thing called a contract. Now I'm not trying to bury him off a weird season in these weird games, but Jalen Hurts is what you would call in the mob a made man. He's basically these next couple years he's going to be on the team. So I would say under no circumstance, even if they lose out and he keeps playing shitty, he's on the team in 2026. He is 100% the quarterback at least next year. Now Philly their. Their cutthroat as any organization and how he proved it with Carson Wentz. Now this guy won you the super bowl, right? I mean, he didn't just win the super bowl, but he was a starting quarterback. You know, it was easier on the Wentz thing. It's like, well, he didn't even win it. Foles did. I. I do think he's a little bit of a made man, at least for sure 26 especially because what are they going to do? This. They're going to get rid of A.J. brown this offseason. So they'll. They'll get rid of A.J. brown. They'll probably draft a guy high and kind of give him a new look offense. They'll probably try to improve the offensive line for sure. Actually they're probably more likely to draft offensive lineman. Well, I guess they could sign him in free agency, but they're expensive and I don't think. I don't know how much money they're going to have. Tanner McKee, what year is he in?
Rob Gronkowski
Three.
John Middlecoff
So he is. He was drafted in 23, so this is his third year in the league. I mean, he'll be on the team next year.
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What a matchup we got, y'.
Richard Sherman
All.
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Richard Sherman
Let me tell you about Ready or Not, the tactical first Person shooter where you take command of a SWAT team and feel the weight of the badge. Recently I reunited with my Legion of Boom teammates Cliff Averill, Cam Chancer Brad, Michael Bennett and Walter Thurman. We partnered with Ready or Not to go through actual SWAT training and film the whole experience. Watch it now at the Richard Sherman Podcast YouTube channel. Here's what makes this game different. It's not just mindless running gun. Just like the Legion of Boom built an elite defense on strategy and teamwork. Ready or not demands the same mentality. You're commanding a SWAT team, clearing rooms, protecting civilians, making tactical calls. As a coordinated team with 18 missions that challenge you in completely different ways, every operation demands that same discipline and teamwork. Best part? Try it for free for a limited time on PlayStation and Xbox. Go solo or squad up with five players in full crossplay support. If you want strategic, high stakes action that rewards elite tactics and and fast thinking, then this is the game for you. Try Ready or Not for free today on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Colin Coward
And S PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are made to go the distance with blazing fast performance, next level efficiency and multi day battery life. Snapdragon processors are built to tackle it all from highlight reel editing to intense player research so you can be at the top of your game wherever the day takes you. Learn more@snapdragon.com laptops Snapdragon the heart of your PC. Battery life varies significantly based on device settings, usage and other factors. Hi, it's Colin from the Colin Coward Podcast. That would make sense that I would be the host of the Colin Coward podcast. I mean that's the way I see it. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade Vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Okay. I like things that are built to last. A great team, a well run organization. Same goes for my vodka. Tito's. Made in Austin, Texas. Real care, attention to detail, distinct crisp taste. I was just telling my wife the other day Tito's is the one vodka it has a completely distinct taste. Been my go to for years so I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda Water one lime, lot of ice, refreshing Easy summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. Your team's going to play 162 games. A perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly.
John Middlecoff
Who are the dark horse super bowl contenders? I got the Texans and the Niners. Texans case is easy defense against mediocre afc. The Niners case would be having the best coaching staff in the Shanahan era. He's had some great ones, but Kyle finally gave up and decided special teams matter. Kyle and Sala and Kyle frequently start drives in favorable positions. I do think from a personnel staff or standpoint it would be really difficult if they're a wild card team to win three games with that defense. Their margin for error on offense would be slim to none. They'd have to be the best offense in the playoffs to have a chance to like make a Super bowl run. Because defensively, like listen, they play really hard and they're well schemed. They do not have the bodies. Their best pass rusher by a mile is huffing. Who is a situational pass rusher that they're having to play a lot more. Who's good pass rusher? I mean he'd be really good if they had Bosa Mikel Williams. I mean he'd be good for like a sack a game. But now it's like you just kind of know if you can just kind of double team him. Who else is beating you the 40. What both those two teams have is you'd want no part of either one in a playoff game and you would want no part of either one in that first round. Because in that first round, let's face it like you just won your division. Unless you're the Bucks or the Panthers. Like if they're the 3 seed and you're the Eagles and you're like 11 and 6 and you're playing the 49ers who are 12 and 5, it's like yeah, they got some issues but they ain't going to be scared of playing you and all the pressure is going to be on you and that crowd will turn on you. If you're the Texans and you're playing know the Patriots and Broncos in some order will probably be 1, 2, then that'll probably be the Jags or the Texans. I guess it could just be Texans Jacks. If you're the Jags, you don't want you. You'd rather play the Chargers than the, than the Texans in that game, I think. How are the Colts? I heard they're trying to call Philip Rivers. At what point you might as well try North Nicole Jokic to be your quarterback. Where do the Colts go from here? Yeah, man, they're in trouble. I mean, it's just, you just find yourself in some of these situations once upon a time where you just have some injuries. I mean, there's a famous story I think in like 2002, that Donovan McNabb got hurt and Andy Reid called Troy Aikman and he was calling games and he thought about it, but he ended up saying no. But sometimes you find yourselves in these situations where you're just completely desperate and if you were 5 and 8, you would just sign some dude off practice squad and you wouldn't even care. But when you're 8 and 5, you're like, if we can just get to 10 and 7, you know, we can be in the playoffs. We could, we could still win this division. Right. And that's what they're thinking. And the answer is actually, you can't. Like, you guys are too close to the sun. My mother could tell you you're screwed. It sucks, but you're screwed. But that's not how you think when you're in a team, when you're in the environment, you can't tell your players that. It just sucks. If you're them, I don't really care. I'm rooting for Houston. I have a question with. With honestly, no agenda at all. Four to bag. If you could to informally pull some of your NFL exec connections, I think that would be wonderful. This guy wants me to grind out here, start sending some text messages. If this past year's NFL draft was conducted all over again, in which round do most people feel Shador would be selected this time around? Sincerely curious. I would say watching him play.
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He.
John Middlecoff
Shouldn'T have been a fifth rounder one to begin with. Right. But he did that to himself by saying, do not draft me. All these, the Ravens and the Eagles, these teams were going to draft him in the fourth round. He said, no, I. I think 100. If you redo it, he goes on the second day where on the second day it's hard to get. You know, if I pulled these guys, a huge part of the draft is like, what's happening leading up to the draft. So if, you know now he'd just be cool with coming to your team? Yeah, I mean, I think he'd go somewhere between like, Middle of the second round and middle of the third round, depending on your quarterback needs, depending on who your quarterback is, Right. If you, if you have an established starter, you know, it's. You got to feel, you know, if, like the Chiefs, they wouldn't waste a pick, but like, you don't have to if you take them in the second round. But that was the whole thing. Shador didn't want to go to Lamar Jackson because he would never play, even though, ironically, he would have because Lamar missed games this year. So he should have gone last year based on the talent. I thought on the second day. Dylan Gabriel going in the third round is insane. So, you know, historically, we've seen a lot of guys. Russell Wilson went in the third round, Dak Prescott went in the fourth. But part of the reason he fell, he's got a DUI right before the draft, Cousins the fourth now, it's almost like saying, well, yeah, that home used to cost 400 grand. It costs $1.2 million now. There's quarterback inflation. It's like the Dak Prescott's, the Cousins. Those guys would never go that late now, right? They would go somewhere between pick 20 and 50. That's probably where Shador goes. It's like you're an investment banking high finance guy meets cooler version of Mike Mayock. That's quite the fucking compliment. I like that question for you, though. What was the moment you realized you weren't scouting, you weren't for the scouting personnel game? And why did you decide to stick it out and stay in the sports media space, given all the adversity from the sector and the sport and the media industry? I, you know, I got relieved of my duties. My contract ended. It just didn't get extended by the Eagles in 2013 after the draft. So that's like, you know, May 1st, I started doing radio stuff by that summer and into the fall. And when I started doing that, you know, in football, I could love a guy and we could sign him, but it's not like I get a bonus off that. You get like, good job, and you just move on, right? And part of it was you get in the radio, you're like, God, I'm doing some shows like, we're rating really well, getting a lot of positive feedback. And it kind of hit me that I control my own destiny doing this, right? Like, even at the time, I didn't have a radio show or whatever. I was going on as a guest. But I remember the boss who had come from ESPN was like, your segments rate really well. And it's like I had control now again, I didn't control the ratings, but luckily people enjoyed listening to me. Part of it. They probably never. I was kind of a unique voice at the time, and I was unique because I was from, you know, I was doing local Bay Area radio. Like, I'm from Northern California. So it's like I grew up rooting for these teams. It wasn't. It was a pretty easy landing spot for me in terms of the knowledge of what I was talking about. And I just remember thinking, like, I control my own destiny here. It's almost like when you hear an entrepreneur guy who'd worked at a corporate job and goes, the thing I wanted was no longer I want to do control. I wanted to have control of where I went, win or lose. And once I started doing this, I realized, like, there as you do it longer, like anything, there are things out of your control. But I control way more of doing this than I did as the scouting world. Right. I mean, a huge part. I say this all the time. Tim Skipper is. I've been around Andy freaking Reed. He is one of the best coaches I've ever been around. He is big time. And he just. He just took the Cal Poly job. And you see some of these guys that end up at, like, Auburn or Urban, you know, Ryan Day at Ohio State, it's all about getting hitched with the right guy. Once upon a time, when his career was taken off, he got on with Jim McElwain, went to Florida. He was Jim McElwain's assistant head coach at Florida. They were making the SEC championship game and they got fired. I mean, he was. If it had gone a little bit better, maybe. He's an SEC head coach. So much stuff as a. As coaching or scouting, they're probably great scouts. On the Cleveland Browns, on the Raiders, on wherever. But in this business, I'm essentially a salesman for myself. I'm selling John Middlekop's the product.
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John Middlecoff
It's. It's impossible to get any easier than go, well, do I believe in what I'm selling? I'm literally selling my own body. Not technically my body, you know, unless for the right price, but just like me. And it hit me kind of early on doing that that I was like, God, I'm pretty good at this. And I remember the feedback. It really kind of clicked in, like, God, I'm kind of in the driver's seat. I'm no longer in the backseat. Right. You know, you see with the Eagles, like, guy gets Fired. All of a sudden, Chip comes in, a bunch of new people that you don't really know, and it's like, where are you in? Are you out? It's like, if I do a good job doing this and, you know, over the years, I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm doing. Like, I'm in complete control of what happens to, you know, for the consumer to enjoy it or not, Right. And then you just get with the right people, the right infrastructure, the sales, the financial aspect, the distribution aspect. Obviously, you got to be smart about that. And I've been lucky. The relationship with Colin is definitely, in this career of mine, is the most important thing that's ever happened to me. Well, I would say that's twofold. The guy that officiated my wedding, Guy Haberman, got me into the business in. In the Bay Area, had me on. He's the reason that it took off. Then we had a radio show and we did a podcast. Without that starting point, who knows? Who knows? I mean, that was. It all got started there, and that was integral. It doesn't exist without me getting my foot in the door. And I got my foot in the door because of him. And then we had a radio show that did well, but then that thing got canceled. When we start pissing people off. Well, somehow I pissed people off. Even though he was kind of saying the same things too, but, you know, he's probably a little nicer about it. And they. The Raiders held it against me more, but it is what it is. All in good fun. Well, not really. At the time, I was pissed, but so were they doing a. The one thing in the radio business or any of. Like, I see this with espn, where, you know, the. The analysts, they get. They love to push back. Like, the SEC is not telling us what to say. When you're in business with someone, regardless, at that level. No different with radio and business with the Yankees or the Lakers, even if you're paying the Yankees or the Lakers to have their product, what they say really matters because they're really important to your business model. And there are 100% pressures of, like, you know, in this line of work, they always say, don't get personal. Well, that's kind of entertaining to do that, you know. Now if you're just getting personal 24 7, 365, you don't even know the guy. It's like you're kind of a douche. I often say, like, if I don't know the guy, this isn't Personal. I don't know the human, but I can also just. I don't have to know you to not like you or think you stink, right? But you got to be very careful when you're in business. And I saw it forever with the big radio station in the Bay Area. They had the knbr, they had the San Francisco Giants, and the Giants got very, very. They get very sensitive about what you say. It's like, guys, you've lost 20 game 20 of the last 25 games. What am I supposed to do, throw you a fucking party? Send you guys cookies? I mean, it's.
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John Middlecoff
It's a very difficult business to do if you are connected with leagues. Cause, like, what if you truly believe you're sitting up there? Like, I don't think Alabama's that good. Like, what if you believe that but you're in business with the sec? Like, they're not going to want you to say that. It's like, yeah, I think sec. I think Bama sucks. I don't think Bama's a top 15 team right now. I don't know if you're hearing many people say that, but there has to be some people that believe that, right? 100%. No different at Fox. Like, they take care of the Big Ten. You would. You never hear any negative Ryan Day stuff. Like, it's why they kind of get very sensitive with Portnoy now. Portnoy, I'd argue. I mean, it's like, even my wife says, God, he's. He's always talking about Ohio State. I'm like, yeah, it's kind of his thing. But I. I do get. If you're Fox, like, Ohio State, if they had to choose the entire Big Ten, right? All the teams, not Ohio State or just Ohio State and lose all the teams, they would choose Ohio State. That's how powerful that brand is. And Michigan and Oregon and USC are huge. But Ohio State is that powerful. They're essentially like a big NFL team. And, you know, you just got to be careful what you say. Now, I do believe that, like, Klatt likes these guys and stuff, but, you know, I've heard him be really negative on the sec. Like, he's not. He wouldn't throw those type flames at Lincoln Riley. He wouldn't throw those type flames at, you know, Matt Rule. You know, it's just part of the thing. And one thing I realized in getting in the podcast business, like, I can say whatever I want about teams. Again, I'm just saying what I think, anyway. But if we had a partnership with, you know, Major League Baseball and Rob Manfred. We would, it would be hard, right? And I don't even talk baseball. But my point is you just wouldn't just be shitting on them constantly. They would be pissed. That happened with espn. That was the issue at the end with ESPN of like, you guys don't even talk about us. And when you do it's like negative. So I, I think these things get very complicated and it's easiest to just be kind of independent and say whatever you want because it's easy to just be authentic. And that's what resonates with the most people. I don't know why that was so long winded and why I talked about it for so long, but I appreciate my. You guys listen to my TED Talk. Adios.
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The volume.
John Middlecoff
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Colin Coward
Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.
John Middlecoff
Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you need@liberty mutual.com Savings very underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Colin Coward
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John Middlecoff
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John Middlecoff
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And official rules, visit toyotasgamedaygiveaways.com what a matchup we got y'. All. This is that classic hbcuva non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat everybody showing that school pride. Game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate. And fans, school colors everywhere. And in ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
Zyn After Dark Host
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
Date: December 13, 2025
Host: John Middlecoff (on Colin Cowherd’s feed, produced by iHeartPodcasts & The Volume)
This episode of the 3 & Out podcast, hosted by John Middlecoff, dives into several current football stories, including the surprise return of Philip Rivers to the NFL, a lively debate on whether Jordan Love is a genuine MVP contender, and speculation about the future of Ravens coach John Harbaugh. The episode largely unfolds as an unscripted mailbag, as Middlecoff answers pressing listener questions about coaching, players, team strategy, college football, and the changing sports landscape.
“Is he safe out there, right? He cannot run. He can’t get away. ... I don’t care what you do in life ... there is a massive curve because of the speed in which things change now. Well, football is the same thing.”
—John Middlecoff (07:03)
Notable Quote:
“This story is one of those that just makes you smile. Partly because it’s so ridiculous, partly because it’s Philip Rivers who I’ve been banging the table forever ... But is this safe?”
—John Middlecoff (06:22)
Memorable Moment:
Middlecoff tackles a variety of mailbag questions, peppered with his usual quick takes and analogies. Below are highlights from the segment:
Notable Quote:
“When I bet on these PGA Tour events and I get a guy 30 to 1 or 40 to 1 and I put $50 on him, if he’s in the mix on Sunday ... even if I don’t get my money back, that $50 has me glued to the couch in the middle of May when there’s nothing else going on.”
—John Middlecoff (29:40)
On Rivers’ Comeback:
“There are certain athletes that, whenever they come back in your life ... they just make you smile. ... But is this safe?”
—John Middlecoff (06:22)
Jealous Legends:
“You know who’s very jealous right now? ... Tom Brady ... Peyton Manning ... Drew Brees ... Not that they’d want to play in a game ... but just getting that call ... had to get his juices going.”
—John Middlecoff (11:03)
On Sports Betting as Entertainment:
“The enjoyment I got out of that game was worth a hundred dollars of entertainment. Like, nothing.”
—John Middlecoff (29:07)
On being a Media Entrepreneur:
“I control my own destiny here ... once I started doing this, I realized ... I control way more ... than I did as the scouting world.”
—John Middlecoff (54:44)
Middlecoff’s podcast maintains its regular direct, conversational, and often irreverent tone—balancing analytical insight, personal anecdotes, sharp humor, and listener interaction. He is candid about what’s plausible in football, not shy about poking fun at desperate teams, and reflects deeply on changes within both the NFL and sports media landscape.
This episode is an engaging blend of hot takes, measured skepticism, and advice for both sports fans and bettors. Middlecoff’s personality shines through as he weighs the glory and danger of Rivers’ comeback, debates real and imagined MVP candidacies, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at football—and sports media—decision-making.