PMS 2.0 1266 - Overreaction Monday, Mark Andrews, Adam Schefter, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Herbstreit

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1266

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Pat McAfee Show
• Host: Pat McAfee, ESPN
• Guests: Mark Andrews, Kirk Herbstreit, Aaron Rodgers, Adam Schefter
• Episode Title: Overreaction Monday, Mark Andrews, Adam Schefter, Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Herbstreit
• Release Date: December 23, 2024

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1. Introduction

Pat McAfee opens the show with enthusiasm, highlighting the excitement surrounding the NFL and College Football Playoffs. He mentions upcoming absences due to holidays and teases the lineup for the episode, including interviews with Mark Andrews, Adam Schefter, Kirk Herbstreit, and Aaron Rodgers.

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2. College Football Playoffs Overview

Blowouts and Controversies:

• The first round of the College Football Playoffs saw several blowout victories, sparking criticism towards the playoff committee for potentially selecting teams based on resume over competitive performance.
• Pat emphasizes the impact of cold weather on the outcomes, noting that Northern teams like Ohio State and Penn State benefited from their acclimatization to harsh conditions.

Key Game Analyses:

• Ohio State vs. Tennessee (27-17):

  • Cold weather played a significant role, with Ohio State's preparation and Northern resilience leading to their victory.
  • Notable performance by Tennessee's Nico Analiava, who showed toughness despite the loss.
  • Pat comments, “[03:11] I love that he was comfortable. I love that he was confident.”

• Oregon vs. Unspecified Opponent:

  • Oregon remained undefeated, showcasing their dominance and resilience.

• Penn State vs. SMU:

  • Penn State defeated SMU convincingly, with SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings struggling under pressure.

• Notre Dame vs. Indiana (27-17):

  • A closer contest, but Notre Dame secured the win, setting up a matchup against Georgia in the next round.

Impact of Weather:

• Pat argues that cold weather acts as an equalizer, favoring teams accustomed to such conditions. He states, “[02:14] I think it was a lot of hit impact from the cold and how they handled it.”

Fan Engagement:

• Shoutouts to Tennessee fans for their dedication despite the loss, acknowledging their large presence and support during snowy conditions.

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3. Interview with Mark Andrews

Performance and Leadership:

• Mark Andrews discusses the Ravens' recent victory over the Steelers (34-17), highlighting the importance of overcoming long-standing rivalries.
• He emphasizes the team's hunger and efficiency, stating, “[17:55] We're incredibly hungry. We've worked hard to get to this point.”

Team Dynamics:

• Andrews praises quarterback Lamar Jackson, noting his continuous improvement and elevated performance. “[19:21] Lamar's playing better than ever. His consistency and intelligence have taken the Ravens’ offense to new heights.”

Tight End Evolution:

• The conversation shifts to the evolution of the tight end position, with Mark highlighting the versatility and athleticism required. “[20:22] It’s a dynamic position that requires you to be a blocker, a receiver, and a playmaker.”

Upcoming Challenges:

• Andrews expresses excitement about upcoming playoff games, particularly against the Texans, expecting another strong performance from the Ravens.

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4. NFL Updates and Discussions

Jaden Daniels - Offensive Rookie of the Year:

• Jaden Daniels is projected to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year, thanks to his stellar performance and leadership for the Washington Commanders. Pat remarks, “[34:42] It is hard to imagine a scenario in which Jaden Daniels wouldn't win this award.”

CJ Stroud's Injury:

• CJ Stroud of the Houston Texans suffered a severe knee injury (dislocated kneecap), ending his season for the second consecutive year. Adam Schefter comments on the Texans' struggles without their star quarterback, “[37:54] CJ Stroud is out for the season. The team is left reeling without him and Stefan Diggs.”

Josh Allen's Hand Injury:

• Bills quarterback Josh Allen is dealing with a hand injury but remains optimistic about his performance. Adam notes, “[39:18] Josh Allen continues to play through his injury, showcasing his resilience and MVP-caliber play.”

Dallas Cowboys' Coaching Situation:

• Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys face speculation regarding his future, despite recent wins and strong team performance. Pat discusses the loyalty within the organization, “[45:03] Players and management are backing McCarthy, recognizing his ability to inspire the team.”

Aaron Rodgers' Insights:

• NFL and Media Relations:

  • Aaron Rodgers discusses the challenges of media interactions, particularly with Adam Schefter. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining honesty and integrity despite potential conflicts of interest.
  • Rodgers shares anecdotes about playful interactions with coaches and insiders, highlighting the camaraderie and behind-the-scenes dynamics.

• Playoff Predictions:

  • Rodgers provides insights into playoff potentials, favoring teams like Ohio State and the Ravens while acknowledging the unpredictability of outcomes. “[64:44] Playoffs will come down to key matchups, and Ohio State vs. Oregon will be a defining game.”

• Cold Weather Impact:

  • Agreeing with Pat, Rodgers underscores how cold weather influences game dynamics, benefiting teams like the Ravens who are accustomed to such conditions. “[65:26] Cold weather tests every aspect of a team’s preparation and resilience.”

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5. Closing Thoughts and Holiday Season

Pat wraps up the episode by reflecting on the passionate discussions about football, the impact of weather on game outcomes, and the ongoing narratives within college and professional football. He extends holiday greetings to listeners, emphasizing gratitude for their support and excitement for the upcoming games.

Notable Closing Quotes:

• “[155:05] Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our listeners. Enjoy the games and stay warm!”
• “[160:50] These passionate fan bases make college football uniquely special, and we cherish every moment of it.”

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6. Advertisements and Promotions Skipped

As per the user's request, advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections were omitted to focus solely on the podcast's substantive discussions.

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Conclusion: This episode of The Pat McAfee Show delves deep into the College Football Playoffs, highlighting the significant role of cold weather in game outcomes, the evolution of player positions like tight ends in the NFL, and the personal insights from guests like Mark Andrews and Aaron Rodgers. The discussions are enriched with expert analysis, personal anecdotes, and a keen observation of the sport's current landscape, making it an informative and engaging listen for sports enthusiasts.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our holly, jolly, humble abode on this massive overreaction. Monday, December 23, 2024. This program starts now. Football. It's wonderful. And the playoff picture has been set a little bit more in the college world. And the playoff picture comes into focus a little bit more in the NFL. There are still a lot of questions to be had over the last couple weeks of the NFL season, but I think we know who the MVPs might be. I think we know who the offensive rookie of the year is going to be, and I think we know what the future of the NFL looks like. I think we're in a great spot all over the place, and we can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. It's a magical Merry Christmas week here at the Pat McAfee Show. We'll be off tomorrow and Wednesday as we celebrate with our family and friends. We'll be back on Thursday, but those who are normally on Tuesday, for instance, Aaron Rodgers, sure will be on today. Okay. J.J. watt, who's normally on Wednesday, won't be on.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, thank God.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he's busy. He's got another commercial issue.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you see the one where they actually had jj, tj, Jason Kelce, all in one commercial?

[Ty Schmidt]

All the boys?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I don't know how they didn't get Peyton in there. They could have just gone, hey, every commercial into one commercial. But JJ has production for CBS because they all just got a massive thing going on in on Netflix. He's doing the thing, so he won't be able to stop by. But today is absolutely packed. In about 14 minutes or so, we'll be joined by tight end for the Baltimore Ravens, Mark Andrews. All right, Mark. Fresh off another tud. Four straight games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who don't look now. Yeah, I mean, might be over for the Pittsburgh Steelers right there.

[Darius Butler]

17, 17 rush. It had a touchdown that had been 24, 17. Everything is good.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Baltimore Ravens separated themselves on Saturday. The Kansas City Chiefs win and cover. Congratulations. Playing their best ball. Those teams played on Saturday because they're going to be playing on Christmas, so obviously had to get a day in advance. Andrews will join us in about 13 minutes or so. Can't wait to chat with him. Very thankful for that. Adam Schefter will join us after him. Kirk Herbstreet will join us in the second hour after Aaron Rodgers. Obviously, there's a lot of things being said about Kirk Herbstreet because Kirk Herbstreet's saying a lot of things.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And we would like to let everybody know. We will let him know that he's saying a lot of things because after the College Football Playoff first round, there's a lot of chitter chatter about what was right, what was wrong. I'll just say this. I was pumped that the world got to experience some home field advantage. And I was excited that one of these games or a couple of these games took place in cold climates. You know, like anytime you deem a national champion, it's always in a warm climate. Warm climate, Warm climate always has been. You know, these Big Ten teams and us teams from the north, you know, they have to deal. We're a bunch of SUVs. So you got a bunch of SUVs taking on like exotic cars in the warm international championship. And they've said, well, we've always dominated in the race. It's like, yeah, no shit. That's because the way we've had to be built to get through our entire season to manage the weather, that we have to go through a little bit different them what you guys have to go. And I thought that was on display this past week. Now, I didn't just pick Ohio State to win because of the cold. I also picked it because I'm from the North.

[Darius Butler]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, and this is one of the first times, long times, you know, where a North gets to host a situation. But the cold was very apparently an X factor in this game. I would like to say congrats to the Tennessee fans. You guys showed up and showed out. That was awesome. Yeah, that was awesome to see legitimately college game day showing up in the morning, loud, obviously standing out there in a freezing ass cold. And then they did invade that stadium. Now I think it was about 30, 30,000. So about 30% of the people there were Tennessee Volunteer fans. And they weren't given anything to cheer about, basically from jump all the way through the end of that particular game. And yeah, some of them were leaving before the game was over. I think they were about done being that cold and watching their team get their ass beat. But the Tennessee Volunteers fans, I think were one of the biggest upsides of the entire College Football Playoff first round. Their team obviously on the complete opposite end of that spectrum. But all the home teams won, all the cold teams won, which was a big part of the convo going forward. Can't wait to see what happens next year. But now, and when you think about these quarterfinals matchup with Texas and Arizona State, everybody just assumes Texas is going to do well. Let's not let Scatter boo get rolling there at Arizona State, Ohio State, Oregon. A lot of people saying this should have been the national championship.

[Ty Schmidt]

Potentially.

[Pat McAfee]

This game has already been played one time. It was very close. I think there were seven different lead changes that ended obviously with Will Howard running out of time, then potentially going down to winning. Instead, Oregon remained undefeated on the season. They're a wagon that Oregon team. Penn State taking on Boise State. Obviously, Ashton Genty has had a year that I think everybody be wildly impressed by, no matter what conference you're from, no matter what school you represent. And then Penn State just beat the hell out of smu. And Kevin Jennings, the quarterback for smu, had a great year when he got dropped in. They go undefeated. We talked to him on college game day before that game. A lot of us on the set who are from the cold and things, like a little bit worried about how he looked cold and then seemed not to be really worried about it. I love that he was comfortable. I love that he was confident. I think he had four turnovers or something like that to end the game. SMU gets blown out. Penn State has a. And then Notre Dame beats Indiana. Closest game of the weekend. It was 27:17. Closest game of the weekend. Everybody still has Indiana's name in their mouth, including Kirk Herbstream. We'll talk about in the entirety in the second hour. Notre Dame has to take on a Georgia team that's rested, healthy and got gunner stalked in. That quarterback, a guy who was able to lose his consciousness, have his leg get bent back like Gumby and still pop back up. That Bulldogs team's going to be ready. I think this Final Eight is going to be fantastic. I think when we get to the Final Four, it's going to be the right four teams, and inevitably, I think the right team is going to get crowned national champion. The conversation is, you know, these first rounds, it was all blowouts. These first rounds wasn't good matchup. These first rounds, there was nobody sticking around because of how good the game was. They were potentially just watching to celebrate this situation. Let's go to one half of the hammer, dad Cowboys AP Tone Everybody's saying the blowouts, the blowouts, the blowouts is the College Football Playoff committee's fault. What say you, my friend?

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, a lot of people are putting on the. In the. On the playoff committee. And I mean, those people could be right. We have no idea how games would have went if Bama or Ole Miss or South Carolina had gone in. Now, each of those teams had blemishes on their schedule and that's why they were not in. They lost to inferior opponents. But no, I mean it was, it was disappointing because obviously you want great games, you want close games, but this is not something that hasn't happened in the past. I saw a tweet from Bud ELLIOTT, who's from CBS, who put out 12 of the 21st round games when it was a four team playoff or 17 plus victory. 17 plus point margins of victory in those. So even just four games, the top four teams in the country were blowouts in the first round. Who was it? Joel Clapp put out a Tweet about the 2023 first round of the NFL playoffs was they were all 17 plus margins of victory there too. So sometimes just in these first round games when you have really good teams playing, you know, teams that are good, who are playoff worthy, but you know, sometimes just blowouts happen.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And are you ever going to be able to get it right? And will any of these teams that are ranked lower and not that great show up in their biggest ways? We didn't see that from Tennessee at all. Nope. Indiana, we didn't see that from their offense that had been able to win and dominate against damn near everybody all season. Notre Dame defense kept them very much in check until very late. Whenever, you know, that becomes a 10 point game SMU. What Kevin Jennings had done all year, he was not able to do against Penn State. And then Clemson, Kate Clubnik, the boys made a run late. They made, they made that a game. Obviously Texas inevitably ends up winning. And I saw Joel Klatt say during college game day, are any of these guys going to talk about Texas's strength of schedule today and why aren't they doing that? You fucking tell me, Joel. Why, why wouldn't we talk about that if we felt like it was unnecessary? We watched the film of Texas and Clemson and kind of knew how that game was going to go. Now with Texas strength, the schedule get brought up in this particular game against Arizona State? I assume probably not. Yeah, I assume it's not a valid storyline, but if Tex Texas makes it to the next one, Joel, I think there is a chance that we will bring up. How many big wins do they have throughout the entirety of the season? Maybe we just watch film, Joel. Maybe. Maybe that's why it wasn't brought up. And if he was trying to say it's because of SEC bias, well then why did all of us pick Ohio State to be Tennessee? I don't know. I just feels like you're kind of picking and choosing Joel. We're big. I'm a big fan of Joel was.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Was a big fan. And all of a sudden, Maria, he's like real chirpy. You're like Lane Kiffin right now. You guys aren't even in the game. Okay. That's. I don't even know what the hell. Yeah. Ye. A lot of that. A lot of. And then the games happening. Which leads me back to Kirk Herb Street. His take on college game day was basically the same he gave after Tennessee, Ohio State. And it's like the whole day. Are we going to talk? Because he threw Indiana under the bus again and they were.

[Darius Butler]

They were the best of the bucks.

[Pat McAfee]

Listen, Signetti came out and did his thing.

[Ty Schmidt]

He did.

[Pat McAfee]

So he asked for this. Okay. He certainly asked for this. 2717, that's closest margin of victory in the entire thing. Yeah, that's closest.

[Boston Connor]

If you just take away that first.

[Darius Butler]

98 yard and the red zone interception.

[Pat McAfee]

And a 49 yard field goal in 27 degree weather.

[Darius Butler]

If you play one more quarter, IU.

[Pat McAfee]

Wins that ball game. If football was five or six quarters, IU's weighted out. There's a chance, you know, IU's probably winning for sure.

[AJ Hawk]

Gronk said it best. Notre Dame's just a better iu.

[Darius Butler]

Gronk said that?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he did. He. Gronk did say that. And I think he was talking like, because they're in Indiana. I don't know. I don't know. I loved it. I love Joel Klot, but I did not appreciate that because he was like, what are you implying that I. You're saying that I won't say something, okay, because some conference. Okay, let's all relax. I've made fun of Sarkeesian's pants. I've done a lot, okay. I've done a lot of things. I didn't appreciate that from the Joel Clyde, a man who I have a lot of respect for and appreciation. But it seems like everybody has an opinion on this. Yeah. You know, this College football Playoff, that's because everybody cares so much and it's like the passion was real. It was fantastic start to the 12 team playoff. They're going to move it to 14. How those games look, we shall see. Maybe the top teams are just a little bit different.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody else.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Every single year. That might be the story talks tables here at Boss Connor at Tyschmitt. You two crushed it on Saturday night.

[Ty Schmidt]

So did you. It was a lot of fun.

[Pat McAfee]

It really was so cold.

[Ty Schmidt]

It was. I mean, first half, honestly, you know, you cut. The adrenaline's up and. And it was. It was really sweet, and we were kind of just enjoying it. We got that clutch coffee to come in. Got, you know, a couple black coffees that really kind of got the juices going again. And then when we had to go underneath kind of the tunnel there for halftime, and I don't know if there were heaters in there, but it was 30 degrees warmer, and then we had to go back out, and it was like, oh, boy, this is gonna turn into a blowout real quick. Foot warmer stopped working. I dropped both of my hot hands in the tunnel. Running field said, oh, boy, it's gonna be a bad.

[Pat McAfee]

Where are you from?

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm from Iowa.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Where are you from?

[AJ Hawk]

Massachusetts.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm from Pittsburgh. You're from Pittsburgh now you're a South Florida boy. But one Yukon, with how cold I was, that is like. That was literally how I was judging it. I understand that these Tennessee kids can be mentally tough and be physically tough and everything like that, but I was born in the dark. Yeah, I mean, I was born in the dark and I was cold as shit. And it was like, that is an effect on your body, how you perform. That's why everybody warms up. That's like something that you actually do is you try to get the body loose, you try to warm up. Everything's different. The ball is harder, your hands are a little bit more slick. The hits just a little bit more effect on it. And if you start losing that snowball, metaphor intended, pun intended, starts rolling, it only gets bigger and bigger. And that Tennessee team was just at the bottom of the hill. That snowball, as it was continuing to go, I think the cold mattered so much more than anything else in the College Football Playoff, let alone the teams got selected and everything. And Indiana is from the cold. But once again, 2717, that game ends up in there. Everything. You can't prepare for that bitter ass cold that it was if it would have been, you know, 27 feels like 27, 20, 30 feels like 27, 25. Much different than being 20s. In the low 20s, feeling like low teens. That is just. That means the wind's real. That means it's. It was just. It was cold as it was so damn cold out there. Did not expect it to be like that.

[Ty Schmidt]

And that's why we asked that question about a thousand times leading up to these games with everyone we had on. And a lot of it was just like, well, listen, you're gonna. I mean, we're not gonna be affected by the cold. You know, we'll play these games. We're like, it is but like, you don't get any brownie points for acting like it's not cold and just like running around saying it's.

[Boston Connor]

You don't. You telling me you don't get at least, I mean, 10 points with the line when you come out and warm up with your shirt off.

[Ty Schmidt]

You would have thought Tennessee thought that was the case.

[Darius Butler]

Teams do that, huh?

[Pat McAfee]

I did appreciate though that they sold them. Everybody's talking about the cold being a factor. It's not a factor. You know, we're going out there shirtless now.

[Darius Butler]

That guy's on.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm not gonna say, I'll say this.

[Boston Connor]

Was a bad look for the strength conditioning program down there in Tennessee. I would tell you that these 20 year old kids, I see a lot of dad bods out there right now. Not as they need to be.

[Pat McAfee]

No, they were getting ready for the game. They were adding on a little winter weight or whatever the case. I don't see a single jacked guy. Now that is the first time I have ever seen a D1 football team like legitimately.

[Boston Connor]

It's a big time program.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a huge program. Now granted, the Colt normally helps just by. You normally look more Jack. Nonetheless, Tennessee team, they come out, they, they want to prove that it's just a mental thing. I bet you they went back into the locker room after warmer and were like, holy shit. It's not just a mindset. It is not a. And I think that is, that just came from all of us who've played sports in the cold before and just been like, this ain't just something you can just flip the switch on mentally and be like, yeah, it's better. You got to be in it. You got to understand the suck and the misery, which you can't do unless you're practicing inside of it all week. That first practice that Ohio State had in the cold this past week or whatever, that's when they have their suck. This sucks. Then on Tuesday, they're back in it, this sucks. Wednesday, they're back in it, this sucks. Tennessee was trying to get to this sucks out before the game. They didn't even have like the full on mental. And then Jack Sawyer, you would have thought that that guy was. I mean he's, he's a Sunday player. Yeah, I mean he's JTT Jack Sawyer. They took that game over. They want nothing to do with it. Dylan Sampson. I don't know if we've still gotten an update. He's still not on the field. I guess he has certainly an injury they're dealing with. There is one player from Tennessee that we complimented throughout the evening and we would like to maintain that here on this beautiful Monday. Nico I Amaliava is a dog and I have very high expectations for him going forward. Every time he took a massive shot, not only from an Ohio State guy but also from the turf, which is much harder. Every single time you hit it, he bounced right back. I think he's a Cali boy. Him coming into that, handling it that way, I think is great for their future. Congrats to Tennessee on a great season. Got your ass beat in the cold. That's going to happen in these playoffs. But for Ohio State, they needed that. Yes, they needed that and it was very evident throughout the entirety of that.

[Boston Connor]

Stadium they needed and obviously the weather played a factor. But when you look at that roster, which has been talked about a ton even before the season, you know, best, you know, money roster that football money can buy. And they showed it. Chip Kelly was in his bag early and they continued. Will Howard, they executed, I feel like the edges, you know, we talked about it throughout the broadcast. All of the pre snap eye candy going from left to right, east to west. I feel like Tennessee defense in the middle, that was the only time they were successful when you tried to run between those tackles. But any little quick pass to Ibuka, to the outside, to Henderson, to Judkins and then Jeremiah Smith, anytime you saw him one on one with any of the guys down the field, Will Howard took some shots and was very, very accurate with the football, took care of the football, you know, got their playmakers the ball and now they executed, you know, throughout the game. And then defensively you talked about Jack Swords. We saw him pre game, you know, talking shit to every person in a Tennessee uniform. Whether you were a trainer, male, female, short, tall, lineman, running back, back, it did not matter. He talked to everybody going into that locker room, kind of setting the tone. Obviously had the bad, bad loss against Michigan, but they bounced back. They needed this in a big, big way.

[Pat McAfee]

I saw the, this clip was posted obviously on X and a lot of people's first one was going to be awesome when they get their ass beat. Going to be when they get their ass beat. Going to be awesome when they get their ass beat after seeing Jack Sawyer act like that. So for Jack to do this and then go on to dominate, that's a good payoff. That's good payoff. All Four home teams, all four favorites won and covered in a college football playoff in the NFL. There's a lot of storyline still brewing. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a man who had a massive dub over a rival Pittsburgh Steeler team this past Saturday. He has touchdowns in four straight games. He's also become the Baltimore Ravens franchise leader in total touchdowns during, during his career. An absolute stallion tight end for the Ravens, ladies and gentlemen, Mark Andrews. That looks sweet.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Hey, guys, thanks for having me on.

[Pat McAfee]

Pat, are we in the locker room right now or is this just a setup in some media room? That looks awesome.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

This is a, this is a setup for the media room. They did a great job of it.

[Pat McAfee]

Fougays. I thought I was in there. You could have had me. I was about to ask you to go through your locker there just so we could see what all is involved. Mark, congrats on everything. Congrats on the franchise record. Haven't obviously got a chance to chat with you since that all took place. Let's talk about the game on Saturday. It was being played because you have to play on Christmas. How'd it feel to get that win over the steelers? And obviously 34:17 is a pretty massive win for you lads.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

It was great, you know, and it came at a time where we really needed it. And you look at the past, you know, seven, eight games that we played, the Steelers, you know, haven't really gone our way. So for us to kind of get over that hump, have a big game and just play a really efficient ball, we've worked so hard to get to this point and have an opportunity to play a big time game in this, this time of year and, and played a great game. And I'm excited to move on and play the Texans on Christmas Day.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. You guys feel like you're playing your best ball, obviously at this point of the season, that's all you're trying to do. Had a couple losses early that were either given away or just so close. Feel like you guys are playing your best ball. And do you recognize that in the locker room?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah, I think we're playing great ball. But as you know, it's, it's one of those things. It's week by week, you got to continue to prove yourself. And, you know, the beautiful thing about this team is we're all incredibly hungry. You know, there's some games where we haven't really played our best ball, made some mistakes, kind of hurt ourselves. And we've been, you know, being able to work on the details. You Know, not killing ourselves and, you know, just doing our job to the best of our ability. And I think when we do that, we have such a complete team. We have guys all over the book that can make plays. So we do our job, we're going to be good.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so let's talk about a guy who's doing his job at a level where it's better than he's ever done. Even though he's already won multiple MVPs, he's not the favorite to win this year. Your total franchise touchdown leader in the history, because there's a quarterback there that loves throwing you the rock in Lamar Jackson. What are you seeing from him this year? It feels like he's playing his absolute best. He is so much fun to watch. We've talked about this and I assume you guys have as well. Could you imagine the people on the other side of the world that only watch one football game a year and it's the super bowl and Lamar Jackson just showing up and then being like, what the fuck is this entire thing? Feels like this team can do it. But also Lamar playing better than ever or. What have you seen from Lamar this year?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah, he's playing better than ever. You're spot on. And, and the thing about Lamar is he's found a way each and every year to elevate his game. And he's, I mean, he already came into the league and he was incredible, but every year he's found something different. And I think the game is just so slow for him right now. He's making his checks, he's making the right reads and, and he's putting the ball right in the money and, and he's always done that. But I think even more so this year, being the second year in this offense and really taking control. You know, his, the way his brain's working, it's, it's, it's on another level. It's just, it's so fun to be able to play with him and just support that guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he looks like you're a lot of fun too, though, Mark. You make those big time. He made big time catches.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. They say, look at that milk check guy doing something he's not supposed to be. Look at those hands. Tight end position over, what, the last 10 years, right? I feel like you big, incredibly athletic dudes have found a home in the NFL. Is it the rules? Is it the system? Is it the humans? What do you think it is about the tight end position that has blossomed so much?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

I think it's well, first, it's a credit to a lot of the greats that have come before us in the last 10, 20 years and even before that. This position is dynamic, it's diverse, and we're able to do so many different things that schematically and that sort of thing that we're able to make big mismatches. We're big guys that can run, catch the ball and block. So that's a beautiful thing. But at the end of the day, I think to embody a tight end, you just got to be. You just got to be a dog. Got to be hard working and go to work and be ready to go.

[Pat McAfee]

That's why we love Tight End Day. Just celebrating dogs across the NFL. Love everything about it. Got a block, got to get open, put a safety on. Okay. We're going to body you. Put a linebacker on, we're going to run right by you. Put a defensive end out there. We're going to try to hold on like hell, but we're going to get the job done. It's a wonderful position. You obviously embody it all. D, Bud has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. We were just talking before you came on Mark about planning the elements, and obviously a lot of it is new for these college kids with playoff football now having home games in the first round. But what is the mindset? What changes planning the elements? Obviously, you know, you guys, Buffalo, Kansas City, right up there at the top, going to be playing outside in the cold. What changes going into those types of games?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Well, I saw those Ohio State big boys getting after it in the cold. I don't know if that was a great look, but, you know, anytime you go into a cold, a cold setting, it's a mindset that, you know, whatever it is, you got to go, you know, cold, whatever, you got to be indifferent. Have the mindset that it's time to go to war. That's really what it is. It's time to go to war and be ready for anything.

[Pat McAfee]

Those are Tennessee guys. The shirtless guys. Just want to make sure you know that the Ohio State strength staff wants us to tell you that those are not their guys that were. Sure. I've never seen anything like it. That was a conversation, I assume, not just in our group text, but in a lot of group texts, especially diner. Yeah. Okay. I mean, law me, love me, love me. I mean, is that the least jock team I've ever seen? I think they got. They got that power, though.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

They got that SEC power.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. They didn't show it, but they got that.

[Pat McAfee]

It's in there. Yeah, yeah. They've been working for the last week to get the, you know, like the, you know the whale has like that layer, the blubber. They put a blubber on top. It's all right. Hey, it's okay. You got to do whatever you got to do to deal with it. Speaking of deal with it, there's somebody on your team now that nobody can. Yeah, Mark.

[AJ Hawk]

Someone who has no blubber. Derrick Henry has been running wild for you guys. And obviously early on the conversation was, you know, we're not going to give Derek Henry 20, 30 carries like we did at Tennessee. This is going to be a very balanced offense. And then, you know, this past weekend I think he had 24 carries for a thousand yards against the Steelers. How has it been playing with a guy like that? And also blocking for a guy like that? When he runs into the back here, do you collapse down to the ground or how does that work?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah, you know, Derek's been, you know, one of the most incredible teammates and you immediately when he gets into to, to be a Raven, it's. You see how much he really puts into himself and in his body and the daily effort to just to be the best that he can. It's, it's non stop. It's every day. It's doing everything that he can to be the best. And he really is. And yeah, you know, if he gets running and, and you're in front of him, you know, get out of his way. I think Charlie Kohler broke his forearm from getting ran into from him by him. But he's been awesome. We got to keep feeding him the rock. He's a beast.

[Pat McAfee]

We thought it was cheating. When he signed with you guys. Did you feel like it was the.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Perfect fit, legit, no tampering, man. It was, it was. It's an amazing fit.

[Boston Connor]

It.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah, he's, he's, he's. If not, you know, one of the best of all times, if not the.

[Pat McAfee]

Best, well, then you got Ricard too. And then the way you guys go about it. And then what? Lamar can just sneak out at any given time, feels like it's unstoppable. And that's kind of what we're witnessing right now. Speaking of witnessing, we're getting to see the Harbaugh camp and what you guys got going on. Is that a castle over there? Ty's got a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Mark, we've all really enjoyed watching Hard Knocks so far. Just seeing all the stuff that, you know, you wouldn't Typically. See, even if you're, you know, not a fan of the Ravens, obviously you guys outfit doesn't seem like it's really about the bull and all that kind of stuff. But what has that whole experience been like with Hard Knocks? Because I assume that if you guys keep winning, you know, and this season goes where you want it to go, that those cameras are going to be in the locker rooms and in the meeting rooms, you know, through the stretch run here into the playoffs.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah, you know what? I actually haven't even watched an episode just yet, but good.

[Pat McAfee]

They're good. They're good. Mark, it's fun.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

I'm staying focused. Man. We got the Texans this week, so we got to get it going. But to be honest, it's been. They've been, They've been great. They've been uninvasive. Been. They've been. They've been awesome. So we haven't really noticed them too much. We noticed the cameras are there, but at the end of the day, we're going about our business and, and doing our jobs and not changing one bit.

[Pat McAfee]

Makes you guys look good. It literally makes everybody look good. And I did not know your guys's facility was like, beautiful.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Geez, it's amazing.

[Pat McAfee]

It is, isn't it? I mean, it is bananas over there.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yep, Yep. Steve Bashai does a great job top, top down. So that's what it's all about here.

[Pat McAfee]

Is it all updated in there? Because obviously you see like the castle stuff, so you think it's kind of old, but then we see the meeting. Like you're in a lodge, like a cabin in there. It's beautiful. I, I haven't, we haven't seen the entirety of the building, but it looks gorgeous in there.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Yeah. Yeah, it is. And like I said, it's a top notch program. It's, it's, it's beautiful. It's got that kind of like old lodge, but it's. It's not old, man. It's. It's. It's amazing. It's got that castle feel and it's. It's amazing to come to work here every day. It feels like home.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it's been fun to watch you guys work and watch Hardball kind of do his thing versus Tomlin and how he does his Stefanski and then obviously Taylor. It's been, it's been the best hard knocks they've had. Long time, Mark. It's been the best one in a long, long time. Tone has a question for you.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, Mark, I know it wasn't the first time this season. But your matchup against Patrick Queen this last week or this last weekend, I saw one where you gave him a little wiggle at the top on kind of a crossing route. How was it to go up against your old teammate again?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

It's great. You know, I got a lot of love for Patrick and the type of player for that he is. You know, that was. That was a good one. You know, there's one in the end zone where I should have had on him, but he made a good play and. But it's always good to see that guy and go against him. And I'm sure there's going to be many more battles for years, for years to come.

[Pat McAfee]

Is there anybody. What is. When you face a guy, is it somebody that hits hard, that's hard to block, somebody that you can't get open against? Who are the people that you go against that keep you up at night? Or is it everybody?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

I think you got to treat everybody seriously and take a mindset that you got to go. I think someone that you know throughout the years is. Kevin Byard was a really, really good kind of COVID safety for. For tight ends. That was a guy you got to get up for when he was on Tennessee. That was a good matchup.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, Connor just pointed something out there. Rashad Bateman has a crown in his locker behind you instead of a helmet. Did he take that from Derek? How. What do we got going on back there?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

I don't see that, but it fits him, right? Man, he's been right behind, right over your left shoulder.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that a screen? Other way. Other way.

[Boston Connor]

It's fake.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

He deserves a man. I'll ask the media guys. What's going on with that King Baitman?

[Pat McAfee]

Mark Andrews. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry.

[AJ Hawk]

What?

[Pat McAfee]

Patrick Ricard.

[Boston Connor]

W. Say flowers.

[Pat McAfee]

Say flowers.

[Darius Butler]

Linder Bomb center.

[Ty Schmidt]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Just so many weapons over there. You're fun to watch. We can't wait to see you on Christmas. Thanks for working on the holiday so we can all watch and enjoy it. Of course. Merry Christmas. Favorite. Have you done all your Christmas shopping? No.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

A little bit, yeah. Yeah, I have for my parents and stuff like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I. I don't. I don't want to say, like your favorite gift you've ever received. Favorite gift you've ever given.

[AJ Hawk]

Christmas movies.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, Christmas movie. That's a good one. Yeah. What's your favorite Christmas movie? Christmas song.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Christmas vacation or family vacation? Those are go to's.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. How about song?

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Man, you're. I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

What.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

What's yours, man. I don't know. I like.

[Pat McAfee]

I like the Bang Bang Bang. I like that one. What else?

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, Santa Claus coming to town by the Boss.

[Darius Butler]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

That's not bad. Jingle Bells is obviously always going to be good. Walk.

[Ty Schmidt]

Frost Wonderland.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy's in the middle of football season. Stop asking. Christmas.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Come on, man.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. I appreciate you. Good luck. Five straight games with a Todd. If it happens on Christmas day, we'll donate 50 grand to a charity you're choosing. You're the man.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Let's go.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Let's go. Thank you, Pat, for having me on.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, thank you for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen, Mark Andrew.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So good at football. Yeah, Nasty. So, so good at football.

[Boston Connor]

Big.

[Pat McAfee]

He goes up and gets.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, yeah, he big.

[Pat McAfee]

Just big, comfortable Oklahoma guy, too, you know, And Oklahoma gets cold, I think some parts.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

But once again, it's. The latitudes determine how cold it actually gets. Like, I think, you know, science, which is always.

[Adam Schefter]

Right.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, it is.

[Ty Schmidt]

Never hasn't been.

[Pat McAfee]

Do we know it? Well, science is always changing. Yeah, but that's part of science. Exactly. It's always getting better, Right. Smarter and everything like that. But I think the latitudes do, like, kind of, you know, latitudes are these ones, I think, right? Yep. Latitude. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then the launch.

[Ty Schmidt]

The difference is, like, the one day, you know, like, that's like people were saying, like, well, it gets cold in Tennessee sometimes. It's like, well, yeah, but when it gets cold here, like, it's cold here for four months, and it's every single day. Like, you're not getting like a. Oh, Geez, it was 35 yesterday, but it's 6. It's 62 and sunny today. So we got a little bit of a reprieve. Like, we don't get any of that.

[Pat McAfee]

As I was thawing out yesterday. Yeah. Thawing out after Friday in South Bend and then Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday. On Sunday, I was thawing out. I've never felt. I've never felt that before. I actually felt my body, like, coming back to it. And I thought to myself, man, I'm happy some of these, like, big games took place in a cold climate.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Because it's always in a warm climate. Always in a warm. So, like, an SUV going against a long Lamborghini is obviously favoring the Lambo. And then as soon as you got to come up into the elements, though, those Lambos are getting potholes and things are having. It's a little bit of a different ball game. It's like the northern teams have never really been built to be able to play at their maximum whenever it's 85 in sunny, because only half of their season, it's going to be like that. The other half, they still have to survive the back end. So I almost think it's a little fairer here now. I almost think it's a little bit fair. With that being said said, I don't think they need to do any more of them next year, you know, because if this thing was in January, just like we were chatting about at the end of the Ohio State game, it only gets colder from this point on, you know, and. But these southerns had to deal with the north, you know, a couple different times, and it did not go well. D Budge.

[Boston Connor]

That's true, that's true. But like Ty said, when you're living in it, it's just a complete different ball game because the best player on that field was a South Florida boy, Jeremiah Smith. But he lives in it. He works out in it when he goes out to his car, if he got to pre start that thing or scrape off some shit off the windshield, like dealing with that type of thing. Because Ohio State, this is their first game at home in December as well, right? So as far as football, you're both teams, both coaches, everybody's figuring it out. Training staffs, equipment staffs, you're figuring it out as you go. But living in it, waking up and going through Monday through Sunday with it, that's a whole different ball game. It played a factor big time.

[Pat McAfee]

It was the biggest. I mean, it was the biggest. And also nobody else was Jeremiah Smith on that field.

[Gumpy]

True.

[Pat McAfee]

Him just that first touchdown and they showed a side angle. He had no idea that ball was in the air. He's looking back at like quarterback and everybody else is looking up and he's like, oh. And he just looks up, tracks it, no problem. Touchdown. He did that twice. It's like this dude.

[Boston Connor]

Unguardable, smooth, just under control. Didn't look like he like broke a sweat almost just looking at it from field level, like running across the field, running down the field, still moving faster than everybody else, but it just looked so under control. Man, he is absolute freak show.

[Pat McAfee]

Travion Henderson did Jesus loves you in sign language whenever he scores touchdown. We missed that.

[AJ Hawk]

Pretty cool.

[Pat McAfee]

That's on us on the coverage. You should have got that. Joining us now, he's a man who will fill in the cracks for anything that we missed in the NFL. Ladies and gentlemen, senior NFL insider at ESPN, Adam Schefter we've been talking about for the first 30 minutes here. Even tried to sneak it in with Mark Andrews, just how cold we were over the last couple of days. That college football playoffs. Legit.

[Johnny Violence]

Hey, it is freezing in New York here. It's a perfect time. I want to thank you for getting a ice cream cake for my birthday. What is. What is. What are you saying here? You did it.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Johnny Violence]

What did I do, Pat?

[Pat McAfee]

What survived? You survived another year. Happy birthday. Yeah, that's. That's the thing. We had no idea. And I think you've brought it up to us before because when you ran that 40 and weren't able to stop. Remember he ran those little legs? Yeah. And then you weren't able to stop and just crash it. Boom, bang. And we looked it up. Up. You're. This dude's 58 years old. Yeah. You look phenomenal.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Chef. Legit. And happy birthday, pal. Happy birthday to you. All right, we're not doing a whole song of dances. Not today.

[Johnny Violence]

It was. No need to do that.

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[Johnny Violence]

I appreciate you guys being a part of the celebration. That ice cream cake will come in handy on this 10 degree day. I thank you for thinking of me. Very, very kind. And I'm glad we're all thawing out here. Freezing on the east coast.

[Pat McAfee]

Up the heater. Don't go outside. You know, that's why they talk about seasonal depression. It's like. Like you. You Southerns that grew up in only warm weather, or maybe even Southern California people who have no idea. It's like, why don't you guys go outside and exercise a little bit and see, it's like there is no sun out there and you can't go outside. How about that? I have to go to my car and that's long enough. I almost get hypothermia. And that game the other night was obviously a display of it. Same with the smu, Penn State stuff. Let's get to the NFL. Now, obviously, Jaden Daniels locks down the offensive rookie of the year with his performance yesterday. A two minute drive to come back and beat. Beat the Philadelphia Eagles. And I think there's a bunch of stats here that we have gotten from Hembo about the most amount of pass touchdowns that they gave up on the season against the team was like two. Obviously he goes for five. I mean, there's just like so many things that he did against his Philadelphia Eagles defense that nobody else has been able to do. And then in the biggest moments, this guy has played his absolute best ball. Everybody agrees that Jaden Daniels is the offensive rookie of the year in your eyes, Shefty, or how do you think this conversation's going?

[Johnny Violence]

Yeah, I think he put it away yesterday. The only way he would not win it right now would be if somehow Washington crashed and burned in these final two games and all of a sudden Bo Nix came on and played lights out the last two weeks and led Denver to the playoffs. But short of that, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which Jaden Daniels wouldn't win this award. And I go back to the spring last year talking to a lot of people across front offices, and there were a lot of people who felt like he was going to be the best prospect in that draft. I know Caleb Williams certainly had his supporters and Caleb Williams has a lot of talent, but there were people who felt like Jaden Daniels was Lamar Jackson 2.0 and that he should have been the number one pick. So I don't think this is that surprising to a lot of people. And he has helped elevate that franchise to where they were really irrelevant. And now they're going to make the playoffs. He's going to win the offensive rookie of the year. They're trying to get a new stadium, new ownership. It's just a whole new day in Washington. And Jaden Daniels obviously is the central figure in why that's happening.

[Pat McAfee]

Absolutely. And obviously he and Terry McLaurin are awesome. Obviously the passer ratings over here in the himbo stat. It's perfect. Or whatever. Whatever he's throwing to Terry, Terry seemingly never has a misstep or a bobble. Never. Now Devonte Smith, he catches that ball, it game's over. Yeah. Philadelphia wins that game. That's two games. Now if you think about the Philadelphia Eagles, go back to Saquon Barkley where that game was locked up and he doesn't catch it normally would. And here's this one. He catches this. This one's basically over. They only have one timeout on the other side. It's a game changer. But who cares if you're Jaden Daniels? You take the walk right down the field. I mean, they walk right down the field. Need a touchdown, not a field goal. So you thought maybe Philly was doing the whole bend, don't break type situation.

[Boston Connor]

They were not.

[Pat McAfee]

They were not. Because they broke. They broke immediately. And crowded scores a tud. Josh Harris, the new ownership, he was on his sideline, obviously. He was incredibly pumped. Washington Commanders fans who used to be Washington football team. Yeah, definitely. And the. Was it. What was the name There were the.

[Boston Connor]

Hogs up front, the Wild Hogs.

[Pat McAfee]

Fans. The Hogs are the fans.

[AJ Hawk]

No, they're there, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Anyways, deep history of fans. Yeah, they're all coming back. I think they're all very excited. You talk about a new stadium. That's a massive ordeal because remember, their poop pipes were bursting in a stadium last year. Their railings were falling. Now they're winning games. They're in it. Everybody wants to talk.

[Johnny Violence]

That stadium, that stadium that they play in right now, that is the most stale.

[Pat McAfee]

It is.

[Johnny Violence]

It's. It's not great.

[Pat McAfee]

What was the word you were going to use there? What was the word you were going to use there? I felt like I was about to learn a new word I was going.

[Johnny Violence]

To use homogenous, I guess, for that stadium.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know what that means, but I like what you said there. Context clues. I'll piece it together. Crop drop is what you said. Jaden Daniels having a phenomenal rookie season at quarterback. We didn't think it was going to be able to happen again, especially after what C.J. stroud was able to do last year. Now let's talk about C.J. stroud and that Houston Texans team they play on Saturday. That Tank Dell injury, obviously disgusting. Not good. CJ Stroud visibly flustered on the sideline. What are you hearing from the Texans about it all and what do you think is happening down there going forward?

[Johnny Violence]

Well, obviously he's not going to play again this year. Unfortunately, he came back to Houston, already has the dislocated kneecap. We'll see how much other damage there is in that knee. Hopefully not at all. And hopefully he's able to get back next year. But you could see how distraught the Texans were as soon as he went down. Second straight year he's had a season end due to injury. Last year it was an ankle injury. This year it's a knee injury. And obviously he means an awful lot to that team. You could see how emotional C.J. stroud was during that, that it just. It just sucks the light out of the life out of an afternoon out of a team. And it's unfortunate that this team loses a guy that's so revered and so respected and hopefully he'll make it back next year. Now they have to go on without him and without Stefan Diggs. And here was a team that had all these receivers at the beginning of the year and they've lost two of their top three wide receivers and they just. They haven't looked like the same team all year long. I think a lot of people thought that they would have a really memorable year with the chance to maybe represent the AFC in the super bowl and we'll see what they could do in the postseason, but they just have not played to this point at that level so far.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, and it's. It's a shame because what CJ and them were able to do last year, and we love d'ameco and then Aziz Al Shayer getting suspended for the final three games as captain of the defense at Tone Center. I mean, that is tough stuff as well. Nothing has seemingly gone their way, but hey, you win a couple games, all of a sudden it's not even talked about. Speaking of winning a couple games, there's a team that has won a bunch of games. Actually. This could be the year for them. Quarterback, though, has an elbow and a hand situation. Ty has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Shefty? Are there any updates on Josh Allen's hand? There are a lot of reports going around that say, like, at times during the season he may have been dealing with like a broken hand in some respects. And even yesterday we saw Trubisky warming up and thought he was maybe going to have to go in. Obviously that didn't happen, but. But how serious of an issue is Josh Allen's hand and is it something Bills fans should be concerned about going forward?

[Johnny Violence]

I think yesterday it looked like he heard his throwing hand. He's been playing with the other hand. And look, the guy has been indestructible and played through everything and put up MVT MVP type numbers. So it doesn't look like it's really affected him that much. But the right hand yesterday looks like he might have aggravated something there. But he doesn't come out. He doesn't miss time. There's always with him. He plays a different style than anybody else. He's running around, he's exposed, he's. I'd be surprised. He misses any time. But Josh Allen has had a rough go of it this year and taken an awful lot of physical abuse here.

[Pat McAfee]

Did I. Did I read it right? It was something elbow that was like a nerve thing that shot to hand, like funny bone type situation. Not too humorous. Shot through his hand. They couldn't feel his hand.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, he said he couldn't grip the ball. That's why they thought Trubisky was gonna have to go in.

[Pat McAfee]

But then they get the ball after a certain time where he was getting feeling back in his hand. And the thing about it though is they could probably do an entire drive with Joe Brady in that offense where he just takes a snap and runs it holds in his left hand and they would probably be able to have success with it. That's how dominant Josh has been this year. And it's like, I think the Patriots had a great game plan. Oh, yeah, I think the Patriots played very well. Buffalo Bills, I think, needed that a little bit after the buzzsaw that they had been for a few weeks. Excited to see who ends up going and who ends up slowing as we kind of get to the tail end. Could be the year for Josh. Tone has a question for you.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, Chef, I wanted to ask you about Christmas Day. I. I believe you said George Pickens has a chance to go coming out of this weekend's games. Is. Was Mahomes all right? Did he re. Re aggravate? Was TJ good there? I believe Steelers may also get DeShawn Elliott back. They may get Dante Jackson back. What's the situation like for Christmas? Do you know?

[Johnny Violence]

You know, it sounds like they will get some of those parts back. Most notably George Pickens. It sounds like they have a realistic sense that he has a chance to be back there, which would certainly help the offense and look their seasons on the line here. Division's at stake. I think that they had hopefully that game in mind the entire time for Pickens to come back for some of these other guys. Mahomes, you know, what's interesting about Holmes is that he seems to play better when he's hurt like this. There's almost this sense where he has to stay in the pocket and he did run around Saturday some. But when he's staying in the pocket and he's focusing on not having to activate that injury, risk himself any further, it almost feels like his play is elevated. And if you look at some of his stats and numbers while he's played through some of these high ankles, he's played very, very well. And it seems like it locks him in and he gets even tougher. And that saying something because you're talking about a guy that said top level anyway. But he seems to play some of his best football when he's beaten and battered like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And we're showcasing him running here to showcase that. He could still do that. But when he's beaten and battered and not choosing to extend every single play, everything has to work on timing, which he has the ability to do. And Andy Reid has the ability to draw up those particular plays. I think they lock in more on that on the weeks where he might be a Little bit banged up. He also might have the Luke loosest joints of anybody. He goes from a sprained ankle to being able to play when other people would be a couple weeks. And we know that they're real because we saw him on quarterback with the scans and everything. He's just one tough son of a bitch. That's Patrick Rollins football. And that's why we're lucky he is currently the guy in the entire thing. Speaking of the guy in the entire thing, let's go down to the Big D. Darius Butler has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Big Mike down in Dallas. Now, their team, Cowboys, were eliminated before they even kicked off, but played their asses off and got a big, big win on primetime time. Everybody's talking and running and showing, you know, some of the clips with him and Jerry Jones post game, Big Mike, safe. Obviously, there's been a lot of conversation coming into this year without him having an extension beyond this year. Anything you're hearing out of the Cowboys camp?

[Johnny Violence]

Look, we've heard player after player come out and support Mike McCarthy. We've heard Jerry Jones support Mike McCarthy, and now they've won four of their last five games. The only one they didn't win was that weird special teams play against the Bengals. They're rolling along here. They're playing pretty good football and yes, they're out of it. But I think that's even more of a credit to Mike McCarthy in that organization that they've played as hard as they have, losing some of the players that they have to injury. When I watched them last night, I. I mean, they were bringing it like they were like a playoff game for those guys. It was very impressive to watch how they played Tampa last night. All out, all effort, effort. And I think Jerry Jones recognizes and appreciates that and knows the type of coach that he has in Mike McCarthy. And they're playing hard right now for this guy and we know how they feel about him. And so his contract's up. So, look, it's going to be addressed one way or another, but I don't think right now it surprised anybody if they brought him back again again. Up until this year, they had won 12 games in each of the past three years, fell short in the playoffs. I mean, you can make a change, but it's not easy to come up with a coach like Mike McCarthy.

[Pat McAfee]

I believe Jerry Jones said after the game, the way Mike's got these guys believing they're playing in the super bowl every week is certainly a testament to him and his coaching and everything. And I think that's what he was punching him in the chest there in the locker room. He's saying, listen up, fatso, I thought this team was going to quit on you. And instead these boys are playing hungrier than ever. I am nothing short of impressed at you, you, Yinzer and I. I think if you talk to anybody that's ever played for Big Mike, they all love him. Yeah, everybody, A.J. aaron, everybody that played for him back in the Green Bay days, they still love everything about him. He's a Pittsburgh guy. How could you not? He loves ball. But CD Lamb, I'd like to say he's got a banged up shoulder.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Him getting tackled with his arms down with the ball slammed in there. Easy tap out moment. Had a couple big plays already.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Could have said. I'm trying, I tried, I did my. He comes back out, makes even more play, scores. It's like that is. That is good news for the culture that is in Dallas that I thought was lost. I thought Dallas was lost. I thought they need to do in a complete flip of the culture. Him Micah playing. I mean, you talk about everybody that is bought in down there. Obviously a Testament to Mike McCarthy and the culture that they have, but also the players that I thought were not like that. Yeah, I thought it was the complete opposite of that.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, we talk about it all the time. At this point in the season when you are eliminated, when you aren't expected to make a playoff run, you know, a lot of people start to opt out and get surgeries and look, everybody's banged up and hurt and a lot of guys are playing through certain things, but for them to come out and play like they're playing, and you mentioned it, starting from the top, like CD just got what, 35 a year come right, right before this season, and he's out there gutting out that shoulder. Michael Parsons coming back from that injury, still setting the tone up front, just up and down his roster on both sides of the football, you know, playing their asses off of their coach. They're coming out publicly backing their coach to quarterback, defensive end. So that's great, I think, for Big Mike from the outside looking in, especially.

[Pat McAfee]

With how Tampa was playing like this Tampa team goes into la, does whatever the hell they wanted to. So for Zimmer and his defense, huge game for Tampa. Huge, huge controller, Huge game for Tampa. Let's talk about the other team that's dancing with Tampa down there in the NFC south, obviously, storylines in abundance. Connor has a question for you.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, Huge game for Atlanta too shefty. Obviously they win in Pennix's debut. He plays pretty well, throws an interception. If Kyle Pitts had fingers, there's a chance he doesn't. But what do you think about that entire thing is Kirk Cousins. Cousins, it was reported they're just probably going to cut him and they're already done with Kirk. Is that how that's going to go and how confident do you feel? Like they are in panics? Because obviously there was a report that, you know, Zach Robinson, the OC said, hey, we all felt very strongly about this decision one way.

[Johnny Violence]

Yeah, well, I think in relation to Kirk Cousins, the Falcons haven't gotten there on a decision yet. They will. But I think when you speak to people across the league, there seems to be a widespread expectation that that's what they're going to do. Now, could they opt to Pay Kirk Cousins 10 more million dollars by March 17? Sure they could and they have not made that decision yet. But this is very similar to the Russell Wilson situation last year where there was a lot of talk about whether he could be traded, whether he could restructure, whether he would be brought back. And ultimately in the end, the Broncos did the logical, plausible thing and they released him before that guarantee kicked in. And I know the number with Kirk Cousins is much smaller, but that is the sense from most everybody that I've spoken to that that's what will wind up happening. He's got a no trade clause in his contract and once you give him the no trade clause, you give him the leverage. So he's not going to. It would surprise me if he signs off on any trade. So the widespread expectation is that they'll wind up releasing him before March 17th. Now they believe that going to Michael Penix Jr. Now is going to jumpstart this team. And he's looked like a really impressive quarterback in practice. Running scout team and Kirk Cousins was tied for the league lead and lost fumbles and led the league in interceptions. And they wanted to get away from the turnovers. They wanted a new spark, a new energy again. I think it's asking a lot for a rookie quarterback to come on in the final three games of the year. But they got exactly what they needed yesterday and now they are back to controlling their own destiny. Going into Washington, big Sunday night game, two rookie quarterbacks. And if the Falcons and Michael Penix Jr. Can figure out a way to win that game, then you have to think they're going to win the division and the move is going to look like it was a Big success. And they're going to come out here. Yeah, they're going to come out here on top. Like Tampa, by losing last night, gave Atlanta control of its own destiny.

[Pat McAfee]

Agreed. So let's talk about it. Do you think they're going to look back at the draft after they gave $130 million to Kirk Cousins and then draft Penix with the 8th overall pick? And obviously we all had our reactions. We all did. We were a part of it going, why? Why would you kidding me? Kirk hasn't even been in the building yet. He hasn't even won over the chef yet. And now you're given a number eight overall pick to a quarterback. They're going to be jousting for credibility and trust within that building immediately, together at the same time. Why would you do that? That just seemed like everybody's reaction was that. And then Raheem Morris, I think, said that we had a plan. This is what we want, wanted. Do they feel like this worked out exactly how they thought it could? Now, would they have hoped that it would have gone another year maybe, or into next season? This took place, but Penix came out and talked about how he watched and learned from Kirk, how to talk to his teammates, how to operate in the locker room, how to be a pro. Are the people in Atlanta saying, this is exactly why we did what we did and we'll eat 65 million or whatever the case is, no matter what?

[Johnny Violence]

Well, I don't know if they're saying that played out exactly the way that they talked about and they themselves have talked about that there was a plan. I don't believe the plan was, okay, let's go to Michael Penix with three games left in the season. They have talked about how the plan was to get ready Michael penix for the 2025 season and to make sure that they didn't do anything to impede his development and to grow him into the type of quarterback that they believe leave he has the potential and the chance to be. I think that they felt like with the way Kirk Cousins was playing, with all the turnovers, that they had to accelerate that plan and go to Michael Penix Jr. Sooner than they wanted or expected, like.

[Pat McAfee]

But they'll be saying, this is just what we. This is why we did this. Is what they'll say. You think?

[Johnny Violence]

Yeah, well, yeah, well, it worked out. It did great yesterday.

[Pat McAfee]

They're going to be.

[Johnny Violence]

There's still two more weeks left. Let's see how it goes then. But I don't think that they planned to give Kirk Cousins, the money, only to have to give away that job after 14 games. I don't think that was the plan. But this is where they're at and they're trying to adjust and adapt and make sure that they capitalize on this season that they've had so far.

[Pat McAfee]

So they expedited the entire process a little bit. This was probably supposed to come next year at some point if Kirk ever had struggles or after next year, whenever Kirk's guarantees were kind of done in this entire thing. Now it just happens to come in a very pivotal time and you would hope that that was enough time for somebody, a rookie, to learn behind a pro. Jaden Daniels didn't have an opportunity to do that. He's been ever. He's been playing great. Did have a moment there where he was kind of down, but he's been able to bounce back up. Bo Nix had got dropped right in there, had some bad time, was able to get in there. If you sit behind a vet and then get dropped in, you're expected just to go. Like you're expected just to go. I mean, that is kind of the whole thing. Thought hopefully Penck is able to do it. Obviously they get a big time win.

[Darius Butler]

And our issue was with it was never about Michael Penck and it was never about on the field, like people being like, oh, is everyone going to take this back? No, it was never about Michael Penck being on the field or whatever like that. It was because you paid Kirk Cousins all that money. This was a stupid move, front office wise. They're still going to like they're going on the hook for all this money.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, it worked out perfect. They could come out and say, this work. We won NFC South. So I don't know what to tell you. And we got a quarterback for the future.

[AJ Hawk]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

And we're going to move on. Obviously, I hope that is the case for them because it was loud on draft night. Now, speaking of a decision involving, you know, a quarterback at the same exact place Kirk was, D. Buch has a question for you. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Talking about a plan up in Minnesota. We all thought or see it as the plan was to bring Sam Donald and kind of be the bridge quarterback for J.J. mcCarthy to take over. Sam Donald's had a phenomenal year, winning 13 games. Now with the Minnesota Vikings playing great, having. Have you been hearing anything, I guess since yesterday about maybe that decision already been made or Sam Donald kind of, you know, holding them hostage at this point with how well he's playing?

[Johnny Violence]

Well, this is going to Continue to become a interesting storyline. And to date the Vikings and Sam Darnold haven't had any discussions aimed at a long term contract extension. I think that they figure let's let the season play out, let's see where it goes. But with every week that Sam Darnold continues to play like this, this, you just look at the quarterback market this offseason. I can count right now, right now, minimum of seven teams that are going to need a new quarterback for next year. 7. There are in this upcoming draft two quarterbacks that I think teams feel very strongly about and Shador Sanders and Cam Ward, two of those quarterbacks will go to two of those teams. That leaves us with five teams with major quarterback questions. There aren't enough quarterbacks to satisfy all the teams that have a quarterback needs.

[Pat McAfee]

So much money, which is why that.

[Johnny Violence]

Plays right into Sam's bargaining power. And so the question becomes is how much will he command on the open market? What will some team be willing to commit to him? And then Minnesota has to make a decision, okay, well, do we want to go commit to this guy?

[Pat McAfee]

Guy?

[Johnny Violence]

I think there's going to be some, let me say this, I think there's going to be some intriguing scenarios out there for Sam Darnold.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I'd say especially with he just went for 246 3Ts. Also, by the way, 11 rush yards, if you need them, scamper now. I think I echo the sentiment that Dana Orlovsky has said needs to stay in the same off. We found what his offense should be and where he thrives. So who knows how many of those quarterback opportunities are going to be there. But with the way they're paying quarterbacks that have not had good years and never played just based on promise, it's like Sam Darnold's still young. Sam Darnold has showcased a lot of promise. He might get 45, 50 million a year somewhere.

[Boston Connor]

50 a year. Third quarterback ever in their first team. First year on a new team to win 13 games. Peyton Manning, Steve McNair and then him now with Minnesota so much.

[Johnny Violence]

Here's the, here's the interesting thing too. If you're the Vikings and you drafted and believe in J.J. mcCarthy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you can't pay him.

[Johnny Violence]

How high are you willing to go for Sam Donald to keep him? Do you want to just run back with him? Do you want to compromise your cap like that or do you want to turn, do you, do you believe in JG enough? Have you seen enough to turn it over to him right now? It's a really interesting decision that they're going to have to make here and.

[Pat McAfee]

Kevin O'Connell can draw a place and make people open and Justin Jefferson is always open. But there was a couple throws. Sam Donald put the Justin Jefferson, that back shoulder in between two guys spin. Touchdown. I mean it was filthy. It was phenomenal. Sam Darnold is the guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

He is howitzer, he is cannon.

[Pat McAfee]

Everything they thought Sam Darnold was going to be, he has become quick. We have about 40 seconds here before a hard out. What do we need to think about for tonight inactives wise as we pick our gambling picks.

[Johnny Violence]

Jordan Love is playing at the highest level that he's played at according to Matt lafleur. The Saints are going to start Spencer Rattler. Their quarterbacks coaches had the Saints quarterbacks in a freezer this week going through plays and in the cafeteria. Put them in the freezer there so they can get ready for the conditions tonight in Green Bay. Josh Jacobs is rolling along. The packers can clinch a playoff berth if they win tonight and beat New Orleans. I think it's gonna be a tough spot for New Orleans to go into in Green Bay where it's freezing, snowy and to try to find a way to win.

[Pat McAfee]

We appreciate the hell out of you. Happy birthday, brother. We'll see you next week.

[Johnny Violence]

Thank you guys. Appreciate you all. Happy, happy holidays. Happy New Year.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. That's Adam Schefter. We're back.

[Johnny Violence]

Festivus too Pat. Happy Festivus too for the rest of us.

[Boston Connor]

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[Pat McAfee]

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[Boston Connor]

The app is really simple to use. Pick two or more players across any sport. Pick more or less on their projection and you could win real cash on your lineup. Prizepix even invented the Flex Play so you can still cash out if one of your picks doesn't hit. On prizepix, you can mix and match players from different sports. Real money sports action while watching football.

[Pat McAfee]

Download the Prizepix Daily Fantasy app today and use code TPMS and get $50 instantly when you play $5. That's code TPMS on prizepix to get $50 instantly when you play 5 dollars. You don't even need to win to.

[Boston Connor]

Receive the 50 bonus. It's guaranteed prize picks run. Your game must be present in certain states. Visit pricepix.com for restrictions and details.

[Pat McAfee]

If you're like me, the holidays can be stressful. All the gift giving. But even the person who has everything still needs to eat. Hey, it's ESPN's Jen Latta. That's why a gift from Omaha Steaks is a great option for season. Omaha Steaks delivers comfort and joy with perfection in every bite. This season you can save 50% site wide at Omaha Steaks.com plus get an extra $30 off with the promo code TPMS. Omaha Steaks brings more than a century of family owned expertise to your table and right to your door and your loved ones doors. My family loves everything they offer. Not just the steaks but also the chicken breast, the seafood and and especially the desserts. This holiday season gift something memorable and meaningful. Visit Omaha Steaks.com for 50% off and our listeners get an extra $30 off with the promo code TPMS. That's 50% off at Omaha Steaks.com Omaha Steaks.com and an extra $30 off with the Promo Code TPMS. Minimum purchase may apply. Omaha Steaks has you covered this holiday season season football. It's wonderful. We're so lucky that we get to talk about it every single day. I'm not alone. Obviously. The toxic tables here at Boston Connor and that Ty Schmidt con man really made some waves this past weekend with your commentary. Yeah, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

It was really, it wasn't even a good joke. But what are you gonna do? Back to the drawing board.

[Pat McAfee]

I caught him on Sunday. I said, how you doing buddy? He goes, it wasn't even worth it. Like it wasn't a good joke. It was like a hack, low hanging fruit comedy 101 joke. And I think that's what I'm most upset about. Cause a lot of people are getting introduced to Boston kind of comedy there, you know, and their immediate thought is, oh, okay, so this guy's a fit is what he was saying the entire time. But I'd like to have, you know, they put buckeyes on their helmets. Okay? All that's what they're working for. So when those buckeyes are hitting, they are busting all over faces. I, I think it was pretty high level. I think it was a pretty high level joke. I, I, I don't think you should be as hard on yourself as you.

[AJ Hawk]

Were, but all right, absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

He was so bummed out. I've never seen him. It's such a low level Hack ass joke is what he said.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's not his fault. Listen, Big Nut was in our periphery just going crazy all game. It was like Inception. I mean, if. If he didn't do it, I was probably going to do it at some point. If I didn't do it, Tony was probably going to do it. When you see Big Nut all game just doing what he does, it's like, okay, I don't even. I can't even control it. Something about Big Nut is coming out. And that's just that, that just.

[Pat McAfee]

That's Buckeye football.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

That's not. Buckeyes are nuts and he's not. Football. Football went after the hammer died. Cowboys ap. Tone, I don't think you should be bummed out. I think you did a great job. Yep. Tone thinks the same exact thing.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, I don't even. Not even sure what we're talking about, to be honest.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of people.

[Ty Schmidt]

Tony was cold. Tony was very cold.

[Pat McAfee]

It was very chilly out there. Nine year NFL vet, Dairy State Butler is here. He was very cold.

[Boston Connor]

I was. I felt good.

[Darius Butler]

No, you were very cold.

[Boston Connor]

I felt good.

[Pat McAfee]

Now he was actually much more calm.

[Darius Butler]

I think he was.

[Pat McAfee]

It was bothering.

[Darius Butler]

It was bothering.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he knew because we were waiting for him to get cold. We were just waiting for him to get South Florida. And then when Jeremiah Smith scores, he goes, South Florida guy. Jeremiah Smith taking this thing out. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it was. South Florida was getting rammed into that.

[Boston Connor]

That, that was me trying to Inception myself. Like, hey, this is where. This is where you mentally are, right?

[Pat McAfee]

This we're supposed to be.

[Darius Butler]

He's a gamer, though, because before the game he did come to me, goes, you guys grew up in this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's terrible. It's not f. We hate it too. I mean, that is that you don't just. Your skin doesn't just get thin, thicker and just like deal with it as if you're, you know, an animal that sheds its fur and things like that. You just deal. You just hate it. You just. You just know that you're gonna hate it. If you didn't watch our simulcast, we understand. We wouldn't have either. It was on ESPN too. I don't know if a lot of people knew that we were even doing it. Saw a lot of tweets saying, I didn't know this was happening. It was like, to be clear, we didn't really tell anybody and we didn't really remember it was happening until a few days beforehand as well. There was a magical moment that happened during the Game. Game that I almost got emotional about. Cut to it, foxy.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh God.

[Pat McAfee]

That'S hilarious. Hell yeah. You earned that, buddy. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a man who was on the sideline for the first ever college Football playoff game at his alma mater. A place that he was a national champion at, a place that he is an icon at and got a little love from the crowd. Well deserved, well earned. Ladies and gentlemen, A.J. hawk. Hey, that was cool, dude. That was really cool. That's not just happening to anybody. You've earned that, pal. You need to know that.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh yeah, it was awesome, man. I mean the whole, whole night obviously myself being an Ohio State grad, I was. The whole night was great. But obviously, yeah, having that was. Was really cool. The three syllable thing you mentioned earlier, that's a. It's a real thing. I think for chance.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Mac Fee is an easy one. So like I'm very thankful that that is. AJ Hawk is an easy one to catch the rhythm. But not everybody's. I mean that was like four sections. That was like four sections of the stadium was saying it. I'm happy you got to take that in. As you were chugging booze out of binoculars out of General Bob Carpenter, I.

[Adam Schefter]

Was chugging, you know, the old, you know, like the old school guy. Just a little bit. Keep you warm. It's an old trick.

[Pat McAfee]

It is interesting, the binoculars that you see around some people.

[Boston Connor]

What a move.

[Pat McAfee]

Not actual. Anything for vision. It's actually going the opposite direction. That's right. You just twist off one of the eyeballs and all of a sudden what are we doing here? And normally you would think just one of the binoculars would be the case. That was double barrel. The General Bob Carpenter was there to take care of many and himself. And the Ohio State Buckeyes get a massive win. They weren't the only ones. Penn State advanced, so did Notre Dame and so did Texas. All the favorites won and covered. Both of the cold teams won and demolished the warm climate teams. Aj, what's your takeaway from the first round? Obviously there's a lot of chatter. We'll catch up with Kirk herbstreet in about 40min minutes or so to get his thoughts.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, it will be interesting to hear Kirk's thoughts with all that is going on. I mean people are so pissed off about all that. Like no matter what side you're on, I guess it is good for football because everybody is talking about it. But I think no matter how many teams get in, no matter what happens, we. We're going to look at things like this every single year now, receding, whatever you want to do. I mean, what every game has to be come down to the last possession and be within three points. Like what?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I think that is what people are expecting, like very good games. So whenever all of them were at least three or four score games at one point during the game, I think a lot of people said there's no way these are the right teams. But then you do some research and there's a bunch of blowouts throughout the history of the college football playoffs, even whenever there was just four games. And then you even dive into the super wild card weekend. Joel Clapp pointed out, like, even in the NFL, there's just some teams that are better than the other teams. That's why they're seated higher. And there may be not as many good teams as you think. Think there is. Maybe there's only a few good teams and those are the ones that are seated the highest. And then they are just going to beat the hell out of whoever is on the other side. I understand the Alabama people, South Carolina and Ole Miss folks definitely have a gripe for not getting in.

[Adam Schefter]

But like, I'd be doing the same thing if my team didn't get it. I would do the exact same thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Kentucky 1 sec team all year.

[Darius Butler]

All year. Who was the team they beat? Ole Miss.

[Pat McAfee]

Give it up. Then Oklahoma down.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, come on.

[Pat McAfee]

Second to last week of the year. And then, you know, South Carolina start playing great ball towards the end. They only lose the LSU because of a crop call. Kind of. That takes back a pick six. So they should be the most. I think the South Carolina people should have been the loudest. They were not at all. Actually. Shane Beamer came out, was like, beat Illinois. We're going to go to this bowl game. But I think Shane knows, like going forward, they got a, we got a wagon. And I appreciate them not being as loud as everybody else. Even though the people that are loud, once again, to AJ's point, we would have been just as loud if those are our schools. If West Virginia had, I would have been, what are we talking about? And then Indiana's down by whatever. I bet West Virginia, I would certainly project my team into those situations. So I understand why people are doing that. But the reality is that a lot of these games are going to be blowouts. We think going forward.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, people are going to be even more mad when this happens in the second round. But the South Carolina thing is that's what should be considered maybe is like, okay, how is the last six, seven games? Because they did close unbelievably, and, you know, the LSU call for sure, but they even lost another bad one early on as well. I forget which one. I'm completely blanking on it. But, like, maybe if they were going to reconsider some things, it would be like, hey, how is the last six weeks of your season?

[Pat McAfee]

Who's playing the best ball now?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's playing. Who are the best teams in the country now? Well, then you're going to hear people say, well, you want me to schedule bad teams at the end, then you don't want to have conference games at the end of the season. Okay, yeah, we'll bring Mercer in at the end to see how that whole thing's going. There's always going to be things to bitch about, which is why college football is awesome. Football in general is fantastic. The cold, though. Age. The cold. And I had this thought last night and I brought it up in the first hour. So I apologize for if you've been listening to the entire program for continuing to bring it up. Every national championship in college has been in warm climate. It's been in like, you know, controlled climate. 75, 80 degrees. And I'm a fan of it. As a former punter and kicker, I am, for sure. But a lot of these Northern teams aren't built for 75, 80 degrees. And if they are, they might get their asses beat by the teams that are built for the weather and for the climate and for all four seasons. It's almost like the cold weather teams, and I know the SEC people are going to get pissed off about saying this, and I still think your teams are great and I love everything about what you do. It almost feels like the northern teams have been kind of one hand tied behind their back going into some of the biggest games of the year. Because what they're built for you don't have to deal with. And who they are is not necessarily the best team for like a bunch of Lamborghinis. It's a fascinating theory, especially with how these cold games have gone. Now everyone's talking about who was seated where. It's like, I think any of those south teams go into that Ohio State game right there with the way that cold was. I think they're going to lose because I don't think they're built for it as much as the Ohio State Buckeyes are. Penn State as well. A lot of people are gonna say, well, SMU was the team that was represented in the cold or whatever. SMU shouldn't got in there. They look like a completely different team. You know also Tennessee did as well in the cold. It's like I think that cold being a part of a massive and important game for college football almost leveled the playing field for the first time in a long time between the northern teams in the warm climate teams.

[Adam Schefter]

AJ Yeah, I heard you talking about this in the first hour. Like the SUV sports car type analogy. That's a, it's a good point. Like you hear different coaches in the NFL talk about like depending on their scheme, they're going to try to bring in guys that fit that scheme. It's almost like these northern teams if you know it's going to be a big part of it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Like you are. You might have some different type of guys, some different body types at different positions that can actually handle that. Because I think the toughest thing, when you get down in the cold early, that's what makes it tough to like you need, you always need to play. Hey, I only need one play. Let's get a spark. Let's figure out. That spark seems tougher to find. I think when those freezing cold games.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The only spark you're looking for is fire to warm up. Actual fire. Actual spark in this entire thing. It's like I, I think, you know, we're kind of seeing that as well, which is not being talked about. You know, it's being talked about as the seating. It's not being talked about. Hey, first time game of importance is played below 15 degrees out there. It's like what's that?

[Boston Connor]

It's not fair.

[Adam Schefter]

For who? Fair? Cheating.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's cheating?

[Boston Connor]

The team's from the south.

[Adam Schefter]

75 of the team is from the South.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but they live in the. They, they weren't born in the dark, but they at least live molded by it. Molded exactly. Molded by.

[Darius Butler]

Think about December, like when it's the first time that it's 30 degrees and just how cold that feels versus March when it, it's going to be 30 degrees in March. We're going to be in here with shorts and T shirts on like cuz we're used to being in the cold for so much.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. Yeah, it changes you a little. Joining us now is a man who loves the Colt whenever he was in Green Bay didn't even affect him. He actually said to us, yeah, we just kind of understand the, embrace the suck a little bit more than the other team. That's what we like to think. And that is the entire mindset which is why us people from four season climates think we are tougher than you. People that are not naturally not saying it's right. Okay. And I understand if you have cauliflower here, you're going to beat my ass regardless. But I'm just saying the people that grow up in the corporate think they are tougher than the people that grew up in the warm because you have no idea what it's like. All right, Gotta go to work. Just your entire face getting cooked and then having to take off 15 layers to go inside the work and then do the entire thing. Just a little bit more hassle. So we've always thought that the only reason why I picked Ohio State is because of that over Tennessee. It ended up playing out. Joining us now, Cali boy who's embraced the cold, has been molded in the cold. Absolute dog. Four time NFL mvp, Super bowl champion, Ladies and gentlemen, Aaron Rodgers. You look sweet in that hat, dude. For the cold. For the cold.

[Aaron Rodgers]

That hat for the cold. I love the cold.

[Pat McAfee]

How are you doing? Did you see any of the college football playoff games this weekend? We were talking about how big of an impact the cold had. A lot of people are mad about the seating as a whole. What were your thoughts on the first round, Aaron?

[Aaron Rodgers]

I think you're never going to please everybody. Just think about the NCAA tournament for basketball where there's 64 now, 68 teams and there's always gripes, always gripes. Play better, play better is the key.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it got loud though this year for this college football playoffs. I think it's only going to grow louder after how these first round was all, you know, 27, 17 was the closest game. That was Notre Dame, Indiana at one point. That was three and a half score game. All of them are bad. So it's going to get loud, Aaron. And you talk about not being able to please everybody. All the people that are pissed are going to be remember everything that happened this weekend and they're going to be pitching all year long. Aaron. All year in college ball, brother.

[Aaron Rodgers]

No, I get it, I get it. But I think that one of the problems with the whole thing and I don't know if you and the boys would agree is the conference championship games now I think are kind of a problem. If there's an expectation that you lose conference championship game, you should be out of the playoff. Like the smu Clemson one was probably the result that knocked Alabama out because if SMU wins because they were ranked higher before the game, SMU wins, then Alabama gets in probably if SMU Loses. That was the whole thing. I think when you're looking at it like, do they deserve to get in? Who would be favored in a game on neutral site? Alabama vs. SMU. I bet Alabama will be favored, but based on merit and their schedule, you can only play the people on your schedule. SMU had a tough game against Cal. You know, Alabama didn't have to play Cal.

[Pat McAfee]

So nobody's talking about the Cal.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Nobody's talking about that. Nobody's late in the season. They had to, you know, they had, they had to beat Cal. Now we had to, you know, travel halfway across the country to play that game. But of course, yeah, no one, no one's talking about, no one's talking about that. No, but seriously, I think it's, it's great for college football. I wish they'd had that back when I was playing million years ago. It would have been awesome. We only had four back then and the system for getting people in was a little bit shaky, but I think it's great. I think the best part about it is the home playoff game. I think, I think that's what's great. You know, these teams deserve the home playoff game. You can say whatever you want about the, the receding of things. Like if you, if you just had 12 teams, probably Boise and Arizona State wouldn't be seated three and four. But you know what? Their conference championship champions, that's the way they want to do this thing. So it's great. Now I think that Oregon definitely has the hardest kind of run now, as we learned last week from that terrible song. Thanks for the graphic. Now you. Because 8, 9, really in a recede, 8, 9 would probably be 5, 6. I would say 4, 5 or 5, 6. So now you're talking about, you know, Oregon having to play Ohio State, who objectively is of the, of the final, you know, eight teams left. Left. I think no worse than fifth, probably. So that's, that's interesting. Be a tough game, but. And it's not at Oregon, which is a tough place to play. It's a neutral site. Where's that one at? Is that one at say, Cotton bowl, or is it Rose Bowl?

[Pat McAfee]

Rose bowl, brother. Pasadena.

[Aaron Rodgers]

So it's west. Yeah, so it's west coast, which is great. I'm, you know, I'm excited for, you know, for Both those former Pac 12 schools in there, Oregon and Arizona State, both, you know, the higher ranked teams. But I'm excited to see what Boise does with their, their back. They got a great back who, you know, had an incredible season Georgia without their quarterback, Notre Dame, you know, was basically buzz everybody since that bad loss in week three. I think it was Northern Illinois, week two or three. But yeah, I think, I think I'm going to just say that I think the, the winner of all this is whoever wins Oregon, Ohio State.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I think that's kind of how everybody's viewing it. And obviously they've already played one time and it was an instant classic. And they both are a very physical outfit, both of them. So I think we're pumped to watch it. And the 8, 9 taking on number one. I understand that both of those seeds are lower than what could be from the other games. Right. Because they didn't want the higher seed to potentially win, which they all did, and then sneak in to have to play Oregon. Oregon's thinking, though, who cares? We got to beat out everybody anyways. And Ohio State's thinking we got a witness so that our fans continue to love what we're doing. That was huge for Ohio State this past weekend.

[Aaron Rodgers]

There were some hot seats, weren't there? There's some hot seats for both the big, the Big Ten coaches, I feel like, who, who both had big wins. But yeah, Ryan Day, that kind of the hate that comes in at him is pretty interesting. AJ you can probably speak on it better, I guess. I get they haven't beat Michigan the last couple years, but they've been pretty damn Good. I mean, 11 plus wins last how many years? Three or four years.

[Pat McAfee]

The guy's 67 and 10 right now is the head coach at Ohio State.

[Aaron Rodgers]

AJ AJ missed the bowl game when he was there. Were they trying to get rid of.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Tressa back then or what were they age?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't remember. Miss.

[Adam Schefter]

What do you mean I missed the bowl game?

[Aaron Rodgers]

What do you mean you missed the bowl? Like, didn't you have a losing season one of those years you were at Ohio State?

[Adam Schefter]

No, no, we. We went to. I played in three Fiesta Bowls and one Alamo Bowl. No, we didn't miss it.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Alamo bowl, even the Alamo bowl year, was that a tough year for the.

[Adam Schefter]

It was a tough year. Yeah. Tough year. But guess what? We beat Michigan right before that. So that made everything better.

[Pat McAfee]

That's the, that's the thing that is. And that's Woody and Bo. Right? That's started.

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's interesting, those rivalries. You know, there's those rivalries in college sports. We, you know, beat Stanford this year. That's a big, big win for the program. When I was in Green Bay, I mean, Ty Knows who our biggest rival is. Well, they hadn't beat us. They hadn't beat us in a while. Yeah, Chicago.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's why you celebrated so hard. And I think that was. I think that was sweet to watch you, like, actually enjoy that, especially because they hadn't for so long. They're like. But not that they are now either. Z. Jesus. You guys are just. You're not even. You're nowhere near lurking.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hammer dog.

[Pat McAfee]

Ah, I don't know. We might be lurking a bit.

[Darius Butler]

You're not lurking.

[Pat McAfee]

Let us lurk.

[Darius Butler]

You're far from.

[Pat McAfee]

You're not lurking at all, bud. You guys are chopped liver.

[AJ Hawk]

But lurking in poop.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that is. And have been for a while. They're setting a whole new rebuild. Green Bay packers fans and Chicago, big rivalry, though, right?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yes, big rivalry. And the point is, when. When, you know, over the years, when they would hire new coaches in Chicago, the. At the introductory press conference, they always said, you know, we want to win a Super bowl and we want to beat Green Bay. Now, we didn't have as many. As many coaching changes over that time, the duration there, but I. I don't think that Mike McCarthy or Matt LaFleur came in and made that a point. To say that, you know, hey, you know, we gotta beat Chicago is kind of, you know, an understanding for a while there over the years that there's a good chance we're gonna. We're gonna sweep them every year.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, you're there now.

[Aaron Rodgers]

We didn't. We didn't every year. I know that. We didn't every year. But. But. But the Michigan, Ohio State, that's definitely a great rivalry and needs to flip. A.J. don't you think? Needs to flip a little bit here. Yeah. To get off. Take it off of Ryan Day there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Great Coach has won a lot, and their team just demolished it. SEC team in the playoff game. And I think, hey, that people are back, right? It felt like Ohio State fans were all the way back and, like, excited to be fans of Ohio State again.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You know, what was going on with the stadium? Was there a lot of people? There are a lot of volunteer fans there, weren't there?

[Pat McAfee]

I'd say like 30,000. Is. Is that really?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, probably 70. I'd say 70, 30. I talked to different people there. They were all.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Some people even thought maybe 60, 40. But yeah, a lot, Aaron, A lot of them. They. I give them credit, man. They came. I know. I know a lot of. Of them didn't leave as early as I would have if I Would have been them, but yeah, they stuck with it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The fact that they made it in the second half, most of them. Yeah. Halftime would have been a perfect time. We're going to get drinks and we got five hours. Let's go ahead and start that right now. We can make it home maybe by 1 2am here instead. They stuck until the third quarter. Boys are going to turn around. And then they didn't. And it was like, all right, I am getting out of here. Shout out to the Volunteers fan. Shout to college ball. The passion is obviously really. So let's talk a little bit about.

[Aaron Rodgers]

The shout out to the great state of Tennessee. You know, phenomenal state.

[Pat McAfee]

It is.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Great people out there. Great people. No state income tax. A lot of great country music down there.

[AJ Hawk]

Kid Rock.

[Pat McAfee]

I love Tennessee. He's originally from Michigan, obviously, but barbecue.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Barbecue down there. Memphis.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Memphis. What's that one place called that the one place downtown has tootsies? That's Nashville and South Florida. Oh, yeah. Two different tootsies.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Oh, be way different tootsies.

[Pat McAfee]

A couple different tootsies. Anyways, let's.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I think our friend Jimmy Graham's been to both of those tootsies, by the way.

[Pat McAfee]

Jimmy Graham land his helicopter on both of them.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

And then do the helicopter in one of them. Let's move along.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Banks hasn't been to either of them, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Spanx hasn't? No. I think Spanx would like that one down there. Second. Second floor. Getting shoulder rose spanks. Who would need that down there for. Anyways, let's talk a little NFL football, shall we? This past weekend, your team had no. No punts. No punts. Lost the game. Obviously that is not a stat that normally goes hand in hand. Devontae gets another tide. You guys are moving a little bit now. There's a couple fourth downs that don't go your way. What are your thoughts on the game and what did you learn from that Rams team? What do you think is your biggest takeaway from them?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, they got a good defense. They got some real good young players. Both the kids from Florida State are really, really, really good. I think first and second round pick their studs, but they play really well together. They played a lot of. A lot of shell coverage. Most of the game felt like we handled pretty good up front. We just. They kind of buckled down the red zone and we had chances on the fourth downs and didn't do it. But I think it's at least the second game I've been a part of on the losing side of A no punt game. We had, I know for sure tight remembers the game and in Minnesota where we didn't punt and I believe we lost that game. High scoring. But yeah, you know, it's a weird feeling because we moved the ball up and down. It's just a disjointed game. We start the game, they go on this long drive, they punt, get the ball in the one yard line, we go 99 yards and score and next thing you know we're in the second quarter, then we have, we get the ball, then we get the ball back, we miss a four down, they got scored. Then we get the ball back with five minutes and we take it down to nothing and kick a field goal with no time on the clock. Three possessions in the first half, no punts. We had three, they had three. We start the second second half with like a eight plus minute drive and don't score points. You know, it's just those weird games where you're sitting around a lot and then the drives were all, you know, feel like they're all 10 plus play drives. But in the end, you know, a lot of it's just not executing in situational football and but the Rams, you know, I love Matt. Matt's a phenomenal quarterback. He's had a great career. They got some weapons. The running back ran the ball really, really well yesterday. Williams, enjoy, enjoy watching play. But the defense is stout, tough and they play well together and they're going to be, you know, if they can get in, they'll be a tough out.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And they're young. I think that defense over there, especially on the defensive line.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. I think Less Less has done their GMs done a really good job. You know, they kind of mortgage the future, the short term to win a Super bowl and then, you know, had a couple thin years. We didn't have a lot of draft picks and I think they got them all back and they made the picks that they, that they got this year, especially those first two guys. I believe you can fact check me, but I think both the 8 and 55 are both from Florida State. Yes, probably both didn't play in the bowl game if I'm thinking about it, you know, when everybody was ripping them. But those dudes are both studs and most of their guys are young players. So they got a really good young, young nucleus there. And you know, like I said, they're going to be a tough out if they get in.

[Pat McAfee]

There was a video of you jousting with one of the assistant coaches on the sideline, I think there's like 2 minutes and 19 seconds left in the second quarter. Here's the clip. Can you turn a sound on as well? Back at the 44, look at Aaron Rodgers, who said this week, I'm open to taking a pay cut. I'd like to stay if they want me. I'm open, in fact, to mentoring a young quarterback, should you draft one. And clearly that is on the jets radar. Okay, so there's a lot of things here. Who are you chirping with? And then what he said about taking a pay cut to stay on the jets roster and mentoring a young quarterback. Allah, what you did with Jordan Love, when did that come out? And who all have you said that to in the jets organization?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, first that was me and Aubrey Pleasant, who's a secondary coach for them, for the Rams. So he was with the Lions in 22, I believe it was. Got let go and came and spent time with us the rest of the year. And he was kind of doing like, just learning the offense a little bit more with his time. You know, coaches, when they get released least, unlike players, unless you're a veteran guy, they still get paid. So he could kind of do whatever he wanted. He loves ball. He wanted to, you know, he's friends with Matt, so Matt let him come hang out with us in QB room, and him and I became fast friends. I just really enjoyed having him in the room. Great perspective on what the defense is thinking about how they game plan for players. So he was on the sideline for them and he was, you know, just saying some stuff back and forth during some of the moments in the game. Obviously he was in the room and I was basically telling him, you know, not to tell any of the effing secrets and that I changed all the signals and, you know, a bunch of stuff till we were having a nice back and forth. The funny thing is a couple plays later he was yelling at me about, don't call, you know, this one, this one, check that we have. And a couple plays later, I really subtly got to it and we had like a third, third and a third and 16, I think it was after a penalty. And I threw it in a flat to Tay and he's right over there giving me the. The actual signal for the play. So it was a fun back and forth between two of us. I've known Sean for a long time and, and really, really appreciate him. And he's obviously close with Doc Ellatross who was there at the game, got to spend time with documentation so we, We've had dinner before in the off seasons. And so Sean was, you know, making funny faces at me throughout the game, too, so it was good. I know a lot of people on that staff, you know, besides.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that what he's doing?

[Aaron Rodgers]

He's. He's younger than me, so. Yeah, he's got a real young sense of humor. You know, a lot of weird things.

[Pat McAfee]

It is crazy how young. Sean mcvan. Vegas. No, he's coaching over there for a hundred years. It feels like he's not even 40 yet. No, no. I don't even know if he's 40 yet. Wowed.

[Aaron Rodgers]

He's got a young face like John Coon, you know, just aging. Aging well.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, exactly. And Adam Schefter. Schefter's 58.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Happy birthday, Shefty. Happy birthday.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow. Text him. Text him. You have his number. I'll send you his number. Go ahead, A.J.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I just changed my number, so I'll text him from the old number and he won't have a new number.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's smart. That's a good boy. That's a good boy. Go ahead, A.J.

[Adam Schefter]

Aaron, during that clip, I don't know if you could hear. I believe it was one of the. It was Kevin Harlan, probably on the broadcast, talking about you willing to take a pay cut and mentor somebody next year if they bring in a young guy. What's. What's that about? Is that something just the media asked you? Did they just pose that question? You say, yeah, of course, I'm good.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. I mean, it was. Yeah, I was just answering a question. I can't remember if it was Rich Samini or somebody else asked. I think it was Rich asked a question about would you be open if they wanted you to come back? And they drafted. They said they wanted to draft the guy in the first round. I said, yeah, of course. I mean, like, wouldn't be the first time. I mean, maybe if they gave me a heads up, that would be the first time for that. But. But I, I know what it was like to be a first round pick and to be in the room with a Hall of Famer. And I tried to, you know, to help Jordan as much as possible and if there's a situation where the new staff came in and. And wanted me to be there, also wanted to make a, you know, make a pick for the future and pick a quarterback if there was one there they really liked. And of course, as far as pay cuts, I think I've already proven I'm willing to take a pay Cut. I've made a ton of money and I think if you look at both devonte and I's contracts moving forward for next year, there's cap numbers that would need to be worked around if they wanted to bring us both back. But again, there's a lot of things, I think, Pat, you asked how many people in the organization know that. You know, if they watch the interview, there's people that know that. But I haven't been going around telling people any of this stuff. Rich just asked me a question, I answered it. I haven't decided whether or not I want to play moving forward. They haven't decided, or maybe they have, but haven't told me what their plans are. Moving forward. I'm guessing they're going to, you know, want to get a GM in here in the next few weeks and then obviously let the GM be a part of mechanical in the coaching selection with who they want to go with if they haven't made a decision. I mean, I think there's a world where they just say, hey, you know, thank you. We're going to go in a different direction. January 6th on AJ's birthday and his favorite holiday. And then that's a possibility. I think there's also possibility we're going to wait and see who the new staff is.

[Pat McAfee]

So how. How would that work?

[Aaron Rodgers]

But either way, how would that work?

[Pat McAfee]

You'd be sitting in your office and Brick would come knock on the door and say, hey, we're letting you go.

[Ty Schmidt]

Time to go, bro.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that what he was. How would that. Now, on that note, Ty, extra.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Aaron, just curious.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, no, no, no. Not Coach Brick. No. Yeah, Owner Brick. GM Brick. Hey, Coach Brick. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

So we were all encompassing.

[Gumpy]

Brick.

[Pat McAfee]

With that being said.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Aaron, just curious.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Listen. First time, just to answer that. Every first time for everything. Been a few of those and you know, this year and first time in 20 years. But being I've never been released before, so being released to be a first, being released by a teenager, that would also be a first. So, hey, you know, like, I'm open to everything and, you know, I find the comedy in all of it. If that happens, hey, you know, like, it's a great story.

[Pat McAfee]

It is phenomenal. Yeah, it certainly is. And the NFL is a funny place. Place. Now, on that note, Ty has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Aaron speaking.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, you actually helped.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, you did. Speaking of that situation, obviously the. The play on the field's one thing and you know, the questions you have to answer for that, you obviously are Prepared for all that kind of stuff. But do you ever feel like you're in, like, a bizarro world when all these different JET stories are coming out seemingly, like, week by week, and it's like, Jesus Christ. Like, is this stuff really going on? I don't know how much you actually need, like, do you ever read anything or do you see any of this stuff and it's just like, what the fuck's going on here?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yes, they do.

[Pat McAfee]

Maybe that's what they meant when they said the media in New York is so crazy.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's kind of what I thought.

[Pat McAfee]

Instead of, like, with you, it's like, hey, you're about to go into, like. Because it is every week something comes out. Last week, that was an Onion article.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We thought it read like an Onion article from the New York Times Times. And it's like, no, they check their source. It's crazy. Very different, right? That is a very different situation.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Than what I'm used to. Yes. I think might be more status quo when it comes to New York. But, yeah, there's, you know, there's definitely some leaks. There's some people that have relationships with people in the media. There's motivations for writing stories. It seems like. And nothing is surprising at this point. There's, you know, there's some interesting things that. That go on at every organization, some that would like to be left uncovered, but it seems like here, those don't always get left uncovered.

[Pat McAfee]

It's crazy. It really is.

[Aaron Rodgers]

They're covered. They. They get to. They get covered.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I don't think it's very uncovered. Yeah, but it's covered. That makes it uncovered. No stone unturned over there. No undercover boss loss all the time. Everywhere. Feels like. And obviously not great for the culture and everything like that, but it's. It's crazy to kind of watch. Great.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. Not great for the culture, for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

I've been following along with the jets, obviously, since you went over there. And obviously, I have friends that are jets, but I haven't really paid close attention. And then now that I'm, like, paying close attention, it's like, wow, they're gonna win. You guys are gonna win. You guys are gonna win. You guys are gonna win. I think because it's been too. The fans have been through too much over there. I think, like, Michael Cole, this guy, he has no hope for anything. Aaron Rodgers comes in there. His first thought is, we're gonna ruin this somehow. It's like, that shouldn't be the case. But then you hear These stories get leaked every single week, every single day. It's like something has to put the fire out and they just got. You start winning games, I guess it all kind of stops. And that's what.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, I think, I think part of that is you need to, you know, like the, the reporters doing the job, that's, you know, that's their own, their own prerogative, their own motivation. But you got to fix obviously the content of some of the stuff that's coming out, but the fact that it does come out as well. Like it can't be the norm that there's so many leaks and so many people continue to have conversations. You know, whether it's getting some sort of angle of revenge or, or even with people that not related to people, with people who are still in the building. I think there needs to be. The standard needs to be that you're not creating questions for other people all the time. You're not leaking these things doesn't become the standard. So whatever it is, I mean, it comes down to obviously just what's best for the jets is not having these type of leaks all the time. And I said on when, when that gets figured out, then it'll be a little easier to win. I mean, that's, you know, it doesn't, that doesn't have a direct impact on the players on the field. Right. But it has an impact on the culture and the chemistry and the overall energy of the building. And that's what needs to get better.

[Pat McAfee]

Trust in the building is a big part. I mean, there's so many things you could say it does have a direct impact, but you're talking about like how I spin a football is not being impacted, impacted by leaks. How somebody catches the ball isn't. But trust in the entire operation and what you, how you go about doing it does get called into question. I said on NFL game day morning yesterday, three Christmas wishes for the NFL. One was we need better slates, bear weekly schedules. That was, that was a huge deal. We need replay assists for everything. Okay. But make sure it's quick. We just need somebody to help out if it's egregious. We need replay assist to be able to fix it. I understand offensive holding is going to be impossible. Passing a interference. I understand there's little, you know, tiny niches in the game that are going to be tough to kind of do that but replace. This should be a tag team partner for the refs on the field for literally everything. And then last but not least, I know in the politics world. In the real world, anonymous sources is a necessity to keep people safe, especially if you're a whistleblower, yada, yada. But in sports, it's like. It's not like it's. Anonymous sources should not be a thing. Especially in the NFL. It's like the amount of. What's the amount angle is what we have to do. Every single piece of information that gets reported, and I respect the hell out of the insiders, okay? They're on their phone. They live and die with every news that breaks. They make the NFL what it is. But it would be nice that if there was an angle behind everything that we read, like, why is this information, you know, oh, this is somebody that's been there, it's been fired, they're pissed. This is somebody in the building who's looking to get their back rubbed later on down the run. This is a. Like, I just wish we had something like that. That in the NFL, because instead it's just all, oh, we gotta act like everything is with good intentions and just trying to tell the truth when we know that that's not the case, you know, Aaron, it's tough. It's tough stuff.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Preach.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Then Rapture came on, said, no way.

[Pat McAfee]

McAfee, we're not doing that. He did say, I got a lot of secrets in here. It's like, that's what we're saying, you know, we need to know whose secrets they are and why they are coming out at the time. Because it does feel like a lot of that gets used against people. Yeah. You know, so it's like everything kind of gets worked against people, and then you're changing lives of careers and teams and everything. Just, you know, something. That's Christmas wish list. That's all.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Have you ever. Have you ever. Have you ever asked these guys? Because I know Rap Report comes on, right? And used to.

[Pat McAfee]

Then he scheduled a show.

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's the same exact time Shefty comes on.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Do these guys feel like when people feed them information that they have to quid pro quo back to them? Some sort of thing? I mean, is that. Because that would be a, you know, interesting decision there. As far as.

[Darius Butler]

Interesting dynamic?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think. I think it's a relationship built. I think a relationship gets built, you know, and how everything gets covered. We'll ask. I'll ask Chef next week. Hey, Shefty, you got about seven days, bud, to get a answer. We quid pro quoing around here. That'd be good. Seems like that is how business has always done Done in everything. You know, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Funny thing about my back, you know, that whole thing.

[Aaron Rodgers]

But how do you, how do you justify being objective in that situation? You know, how do you justify being objective in that situation?

[Pat McAfee]

I think, well, is anybody. I mean, then you. Now you get into hashtag.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, then you talk about, you talk about representation as well. Like there's, you know, like, I went down this, you know, I was told about. I didn't actually go down it. I was told about this rabbit hole years and years ago when certain people who were on TV were backing certain people. People more. And then you look at the connection. Oh, they have the same agent, they have the same representation. So of course they're going to be saying certain things about certain people. And it had nothing to do with me. I was interested why this person always rides so hard for this guy. Oh, okay, well, that makes sense. They have the same representation. So, like, we know there's those connections there. But I don't understand the motivation for, like, I'm going to dish this nugget to this person because they're going to what, write an article about me for Pro bowl selection or all Pro selection.

[Pat McAfee]

Or something, or our future coaching position. If you're like, yeah, you know, yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Like, is that the right way to go about it or not? You know, that's the question. I'm not, and I'm not judging one saying what's right or what's wrong. And I understand this goes on, but it is interesting for. I would just be interested for a guy like Shefty, like, what, what does he feel like? The outside pull is when you, when you have so many sources and obviously he does and so does Rap Report. They have so many people that talk to him. But do you feel can, you know, constrained to like, help these people out? I'm interested. I'm generally interested, not judging. I'm genuinely curious.

[Pat McAfee]

Curious about Shefty said he's happy to debate his job anytime. So I think he'll probably have.

[Aaron Rodgers]

No, no, I'm not debating.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, not with you. I think he was talking about for me. I just sent a warning shot to him. I think he just texted and he said, I'm good to talk about my job anytime. And also what you're talking about. How long has this been? This has just been probably since the beginning. Right. Of media, I assume. And you talk about the. When you have the same agency, they view that as like a team, you know, like on air, off air, everything. It's kind of like you're putting on for your team, but you don't always have a jersey on. So we don't know who's on what team. It would be a whole nother conversation that we could potentially.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, I think we know. I think a lot of us know, but I think the public doesn't maybe know.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, agreed. Exactly. It would be nice to have an agent to work those back channels every once. That is something we have missed out on. You know, that seems to be a funnel of information from the other side. And then ours is just. Don't you fucking talk to me. You know, that is. That's kind of how that goes. It's not always good. You know, you're playing a game, gotta play, play how it goes. That's 100. That's a good combo right there though. The anonymous source is real. Especially with what happens with the Jets. Yeah, the Jet. I mean, that is. We read that article.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And it just. Every paragraph was like, what, what? And then obviously you're trying to pick out who gave that information. Why'd they give that information. And then now we know way too much about the Jets. And if I'm a Jets fan, I'm thinking, is there ever going to be a chance? There is. Aaron's going way over. Speaking of winning, let's get to guy that's doing that right now for Minnesota. Darius has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Former Jet Sam. Darn. Obviously he was drafted there highly. You know, usually when you drafted that highly, going to a bad team, rough spot, a lot of expectations put on you. You talk about all the time. It takes time for quarterbacks to develop and play well in this league. What do you think? I don't know how much you've seen of Sam this year, but what do you think changed? Because as of late, these last three, four, five weeks, his recent real of completions, you can put it up there against anyone. What do you think changed with Sam Darnold? What do you think happens going forward with him?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, first of all, I think he gets paid and he deserves to and it's going to be a life changing payday. So congrats, Sam. That's definitely coming for you, buddy. I really enjoy Sam. I've known him for a few years now. I think what happens DB is a lot of stuff that doesn't really get talked about off the field and it's very subjective, so it's not like quantifiable. What I'm talking about is love for the game and then off season Stressors or just off the field stressors. And I think what happened for Sam, and again, I'm just making, I'm spitballing, I don't know him well enough to say this, this is just an educated guess, is that when you get kind of drafted to a team that's not ready with all the pieces around you, you can get beat down mentally, you can get beat down confidence wise. And I was talking to a good friend of mine who I played with, who was a backup for a long time and he said, an interesting statement to me, he said, where you're drafted or your first place you're in is the lens with which you view the other teams that you're on, whether positive or negative. And, and what he said was being in Green Bay, it allowed him to kind of see what a good organization was and a system that's quarterback friendly. And so he's gone on to other teams and he can kind of put that in the right frame and see where they're kind of lacking or see where there's some issues or see where there's some struggles or see what he really liked about that place. When it comes to Sam, I think what happened for him is, I'm guessing here he went to, he kind of left, was upset, had, you know, a stint in Carolina and then he went to San Fran. And I think objectively from the outside, San Fran seems to have good culture, good organization and obviously they're winning a lot and he kind of got that love back for the game. And if there was any anything else, stressors off the field. When you're a backup, a lot of that stuff can go away because you don't have the pressure of playing every week. You still prepare to play every week, you're one play away, but you don't have the pressure that accompanied the role of starting and you can just kind of reset. And I'm just, again, I'm just guessing here that the reset that he got there allowed him to really be free and maybe re fall in love with the game. And then he goes to Minnesota, who's a team obviously with a great home field advantage, great head coach, really dynamic offense, Justin Jefferson, one of the best receivers in the league, solid defense, B flow and what they're doing. And I think he just started having success and it just becomes, you know, like a snowball. So really happy for him. But I think a lot of times it's the off the field and kind of refalling in love with the game where you, you, you start in A rough situation. You go to different, different organization and you're able to kind of sit back and watch. And I hope that happens for, for Zach Wilson as well. You know, Zach in Denver, he's been the three mostly year sweet boy. And you know, but there's a lot of, A lot. Geno Smith, you know, Gino did the same thing. We're talking about three jet quarterbacks. But, you know, Gino got to sit, right? You got to sit and watch and maybe refall in love with the game and maybe all that pressure off you allows you to get a different perspective because your perspective is really all it is. Your perspective directly impacts your reality. And so what you choose to focus on and what you have and not what you don't have can change your attitude. You change your attitude, change your life. So happy for Sam. Love Aaron Jones. Obviously I'm not a fan of Minnesota any, anything but I do, I, I do really like Kevin. I really like Sam. I love Aaron Jones and I'm really happy for Sam because he's one of the NFL good guys for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Justin Jefferson, so much fun. So much fun to watch. So I know you don't you try not to watch lot of Minnesota stuff. You should just try to find the Justin Jefferson highlights. He is awesome to watch. And then when he gritties, if he looks at you, it's a penalty down. That's how strong his gritty is. His gritty is so strong, if he stares you down while he's doing it, he's going to get flagged because he is mentally affecting what's about to happen for the rest.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Did he get flagged for that, what he just did?

[Pat McAfee]

Yep, here's coach Kevin OConnell. Yep, here's coach Kevin O'Connell talking about it after the game. Is the gritty taunting now?

[Gumpy]

Did you get an explanation?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, that was an interesting one. I'll defer to, you know, they saw.

[Boston Connor]

What they saw and you know, and.

[Pat McAfee]

And we've got to be, you know.

[AJ Hawk]

We'Ve got to be smart about the direction at which, you know, we gritty.

[Gumpy]

I guess.

[Aaron Rodgers]

That that needs. I don't know if you guys remember the Key and Peel show when Key is acting as the, the translator for Po who's playing Obama.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

And. And so Peel says something and then Key kind of translate. We need a. We need a Kevin O'Connell translator there because what he's really saying is it.

[Pat McAfee]

Would be funny if we typed up the captions for what he was actually saying. Yeah, absolute bullshit. Your. Your guess is as good as mine. Remember, the NFL has marketed the gritty basically all over the world because of what Justin Jefferson has done. Kids who have fallen in love with the NFL because of the gritty. But now, yeah, we aren't allowed to gritty and look at a person. Okay, sounds good. And him saying, I'll defer to they saw what they saw. That's clearly his PR person being like, remember, ref saw.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Watch what you're saying here.

[Pat McAfee]

The ref saw what the ref saw. And we can never understand what they see and how they see it. And I mean he's. He is staring down Witherspoon.

[Boston Connor]

There he is.

[Pat McAfee]

He's let him down.

[Boston Connor]

I mean Minnesota, I know Aaron died doesn't like them, but they are top of the power rankings when it comes to celebrations. Obviously you got.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Oh my gosh. They did the parent trap 1.

[Boston Connor]

They did parent trap.

[AJ Hawk]

White chick or what was the Camp Rock. Camp Rock.

[Boston Connor]

Camp Rock. Yeah. Had the. The lady from the Olympics. Break dancer.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Big girl.

[Boston Connor]

Re top of the.

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's impressive. They spend a lot of their time.

[Pat McAfee]

I like that. Beef Low says, know what you're doing. You know, let's not be surprised whenever a big play happens. Let's know what we're doing. And they're like, you got it. Wednesdays, 4:30. Everybody in the indoor. We need all ideas and we need all execution.

[Adam Schefter]

I mean, you had.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Guys are on point though. You had. Look at. I mean Phillips in the front there. He's pretty on point. Then he tries to like stop doing. He realizes. Still going on Bynum. I think Bynum. It's got to be one of the ringleaders because he's been a part of like every. Every one of. Of those cow guy just, you know, coming up big. Being a leader. Love it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I love every. Obviously the Cal rhythm. If we can get it in there, let's go. Certainly talk about it. Shout out to the Cow Bears. You know it. You tell the story. It's. It's a great chant. I did not expect that good of a chant to be for the Cow Bears in Berkeley. I will let that be known. Love that place. I appreciate.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I feel like I was. You know, I'm not going to take full credit for this, but I feel like I was on the ground floor of. Of of the. The winning song is. You know what? You tell a story, you tell the whole damn world. The spirit territory. Right. But before at least in 03 and 04, when I was there, when you would say, you know it, no one said anything in between that. But we started yelling.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Oh, really?

[Boston Connor]

Okay.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Feel like, you know, there was some of us who were kind of on the ground floor with the what part, which makes the whole song.

[Pat McAfee]

It's a great addition. Yeah. You know, tell the story. Yeah. I mean, it is. Yeah, it's great. That one. Georgia, obviously.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that? What's that coming down the track? You know, that's a banger.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, we know that's a good one.

[Pat McAfee]

Country road lsu. Oh, hey, that's. I mean, that's real. They got little kids saying that in grandparents. Yeah, they're different.

[Aaron Rodgers]

That's. Yeah, it's Matt Flynn territory down there.

[Pat McAfee]

You know it. You tell the story. Yeah, that is Matt Flynn territory. I hope they get great. Having them host a college football playoff game. Oh, that would be so awesome. I'd be looking for Michigan hosting one. Would be sweet because it would be so cool. Cold. So.

[Aaron Rodgers]

So Cal hosting. Want to be great.

[Pat McAfee]

It would be awesome.

[Aaron Rodgers]

See that happen.

[Pat McAfee]

Their fans.

[Aaron Rodgers]

We're in ACC now. We can win the acc.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, yeah. The All Coast Conference. Absolutely.

[Aaron Rodgers]

We just need about. We just need about 20 million in nil. We can do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, it's actually April 8, 2025. It's about to become revenue sharing with the institutions to the players. NIL deals. You're gonna have to get in there. So depending upon how many you have, it doesn't really matter. But with that being said, why don't you give back. Why don't you give him some money? Why don't you. Why don't you open that checkbook and say, you know what? Here's 20 mil from old Uncle Aaron.

[AJ Hawk]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

And. And also, all I want is a little bit of a. A plaque that says the inventor of what you know in there. That could be something that you get, because most of these NIL people that are giving them money, they don't get a parking spot.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

They just hand over the check, and then they have their season tickets, and then they show up and they go, hey, these are the guys you pay for. All right.

[Ty Schmidt]

By the way, we need four.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah, I think it was. It was me and Marshawn. I think they really came up with it, so.

[Darius Butler]

Nice.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Just want to share that award with Marshan.

[Pat McAfee]

Those are great brains, both of those. Speaking of great brains, Josh Allen's on an MVP like year. He said something that was fascinating. Go ahead to him. Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Aaron. He was asked about chasing the number one seed over these last two weeks. They're two games behind kc so they Need KC to lose. And I'm going to read it so I don't get it wrong. He said, as an offense, it's how much are we willing to show? Are we wanting to go extreme and show everything in our arsenal? There's a line that you've got to tow. So I think he's talking about, do they want to show everything over these last two weeks before the playoffs? How do you, what are your thoughts on that? And obviously, you've had situations where you guys have had playoff spots locked up and going into the playoffs. How do you guys toe that line going into playoffs with games left?

[Aaron Rodgers]

I think that it's a narrative that gets twisted in any, any way, way that fits what happens on the field. So when you have the buy and you come out, you play a little flat. Too much rest. When you play your starters all the way through the last couple weeks, you risk an injury, you know, if you don't have the buy. Oh, you stay fresh. You stay, you stay locked in, you know, stay competitive. Listen, we all wanted to. You always wanted the buy. I played when he had two buyers and he always wanted one of those top two spots. He wanted the extra week to get everybody healthy. As far as like showing what's in your offense, Shoot. Hey, Josh, we're 15, 15 games in. Like, there's been a lot of stuff that's been shown. Now you might have some wrinkles, like a stumble play. The stumble play, which was unbelievable. Literally, I was watching, sitting on the bench. They put it up on, you know, during our game, I was like, they just faked the fucking fumble and threw leak for a touchdown. How incredible is that?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yes.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You know, pretty incredible. But that offense seems, you know, they do something crazy every week. Skipper got a touchdown pass and they always got different things. But again, love, Jared, love what they're doing. Really cool, cool play design.

[Pat McAfee]

Another cow guy.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

But as far as, as far as what Josh is saying, like, you know, they, I, I guess there's a game Wednesday that and if Kansas City wins, then Buffaloes can't get higher than the two seed. Is that right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Aaron Rodgers]

So then maybe he won't play this week.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, against you?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't want that.

[Darius Butler]

He's going to want to play against you. MVP's up.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I would like to see Josh play for.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I think he's going to play.

[Pat McAfee]

He got that humorous bone, you know.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I think he's going to play and I think he's, he's had a great year and I think he's the front runner for the mvp. Now, that being said, there's one little wrinkle there that could. That could throw it in there. And I said it a while back, and that's Saquon. You know, Saquon goes absolutely nuts the last two weeks. Lamar, he's going to keep doing what he's doing. I think he'll be in it. But I think as much as he maybe deserves to win it, I think there's people. That is Josh's turn to win it. And if Saquon goes nuts and gets way over 2000 and breaks Dickerson's record, that could throw his hat in there as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, before we get out of here, you know, Christmas, two days away. Have we finished up all of our shopping and what's your favorite Christmas movie?

[Aaron Rodgers]

My favorite Christmas movie is an old school one. I would say White Christmas is my favorite. It's more just nostalgic. Nice. But I do love White Christmas. My favorite kind of non mainstream. Most people say elf or Home Alone or there's certain people that say Die Hard, I think just to be kind of original, they think, but. Jingle all the Way, starring the man, the myth, the legend, Arnold. And another legend in his own right, Simbad.

[Pat McAfee]

Great job.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You know who Sinbad is?

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, absolutely.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Sinbad plays the. The mailman.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Who's. You know, who needs to get his. His. What's the. What are they going for? The Turbo Man. Trying to get the Turbo man, but are we going. We're going to break right now?

[Pat McAfee]

No, we're going to.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You want to throw it, then I can finish my answer.

[Pat McAfee]

You could throw if you want. I think you got good timing. 20 seconds left.

[Aaron Rodgers]

We got 20 seconds left.

[Pat McAfee]

17, 16, 15.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. There's so much I'd love to say right now, but, everybody, you have a great. You have a great Christmas. Merry Christmas. I still say Merry Christmas. You're offended by that, so be it. But have a great Christmas and enjoy all the sports on tv. See you next time.

[Pat McAfee]

Nailed it. Unbelievable. I was like, you sat up, too. You got in there. You really. You saw the defense. You know, you broke down.

[AJ Hawk]

He's gonna bump the mat.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I do, Yeah. I mean, I. I do say Merry Christmas, but when it comes to Christmas, so, you know, I don't know. You guys are. AJ probably does nothing. Laura handles all of it. I don't know about the rest of you guys. You know, Ty's probably his wife, probably does everything just like aj But I actually order most of my stuff online. I don't go in person. I used to enjoy like a little outing over to the the Bay Park Mall in in Wisconsin every now and then. But I actually order all mine online. So I was a little bit weird worried because there was one package left for my girlfriend Britney that hadn't showed up yet. So I was been waiting on this to show up. It showed up today so everything is. Is great now. We're. We're all set. All my stuff for the line is done. All my stuff for the QB room is done. But not Britney Spears. No, this is Britney with an I, not Britney Spears. But but Britney and I. Britney Spears and I do actually share. We share birthday so Happy birthday. Happy. I think she's too happy 43rd that she just celebrated.

[Boston Connor]

No I think she's. She turned five actually like five or six.

[AJ Hawk]

Five years old.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. That's a whole another story.

[AJ Hawk]

Obviously.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for everything you did Britney during our teenage years. Happy birthday. Let's girlfriend Britney getting a good Christmas gift. We just.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. I mean I don't. She doesn't watch a show.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, okay.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I don't think she doesn't have social media smart.

[Johnny Violence]

Yes.

[Aaron Rodgers]

But she's. She's a fan of. She's a fan of. Of you. I think I'm just gonna say that.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you, Brittany. Happy birthday to you and Merry Christmas to you, Brittany. And we just learned that Aaron's in love.

[Boston Connor]

Wow.

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's a good feeling, boys.

[Pat McAfee]

It is, isn't it? It is. We're all lucky for that. What'd you get the offensive lineman? Is it advertising deal?

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's. No. I actually paid for every cent of of of my gifts.

[Pat McAfee]

That seems to be the new move. Just an advertising deal. Not a bad play if you're the quarterback. I would do the same exact thing if I was. If I was in that situation. But it. It does feel got. Probably not. No. Because I don't like giving. I would actually tell the businesses that ain't enough for a deal for us to work together and blah blah blah blah blah. But I respect that people choose to do it if that makes sense.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Oh no, I. I have no judgment at all. I. I just. Yeah, I got them. Got them a few little little gifts little. I think they're happy. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Just.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah, I got them a couple things. They'll enjoy it. And then we got our big, you know, gift exchange. The because of the schedule this week, we're actually doing I think Thursday or Friday. So look forward to that. You know, the Yankee swap. You know, I don't know if they still call it that. But we get. You know, you get. We do it every year.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. White elephant.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah, but it's. But the swap thing, where you can only take it, like, once. You steal it twice, it gets locked.

[Pat McAfee]

Two times. We did three times. Right. Last time. Yeah. It took forever.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Three takes forever.

[Pat McAfee]

Long. Two is long time.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Two is a lot.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And it was, like, four really cherished prizes.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Well, they put this this year. They put some real specifications. They said, like, no Apple products, no drones. There's enough drones in the sky. By the way, I saw another one last night. That's my second I've seen in Jersey chopper. This one. This one kind of was over my. Over my house.

[Pat McAfee]

So did you get a camera on it or.

[Aaron Rodgers]

No, it was nighttime, obviously.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, how'd you see?

[Aaron Rodgers]

They're all out there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

2015 vision, I guess.

[Pat McAfee]

You should take that one.

[Aaron Rodgers]

No drones, no roombas. That's good. No roombascal.

[Pat McAfee]

Always better in theory. The Roombas. I've had a few every house. I think I got it figured out. It does. Not that so dumb. Yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's actually smart. It's mapping. It's mapping your house out.

[Pat McAfee]

Now.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You just got to wonder where that information goes to get to map it out.

[AJ Hawk]

But a couple companies.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I'm happy I got a stupid Roomba, though, because that thing. You know, that thing only got one wall. Every single time. Every house, it got one wall. And that thing was guaranteed to be found in that particular corner and then go. This is so stupid. Of course I paid hundreds and hundreds of dollars for this thing.

[AJ Hawk]

They shoot it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Tear it up, bleach it. So the information's lost.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

No Roombas, no Apple products, no drones.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah. And you got to bring your receipt.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[AJ Hawk]

It sounds not.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow, you guys are really doing it.

[Aaron Rodgers]

This one my rules. This is the.

[Pat McAfee]

Brick's never done this before. Hopefully, he's a part of it. And hopefully everybody gets a good gift. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Swapping.

[Pat McAfee]

Next time you see a drone. Next time you see a drone, let's bird shot that thing. You know what I mean? Follow it. You got to follow it, too. Pull the trigger on it and then follow it. You'll kind of.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I saw. Listen, I saw a drone. Tuesday night, we did a fun deal over at Dick's Sporting Goods with some kids, where we took them around and got him some gifts.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Aaron Rodgers]

And I was leaving. I was leaving the event, and I was in the leftand turn lane, and I saw, like, two blinking lights kind of out in the Distance coming away. I was like, no way. Like. And then it got closer and I. It rolled the window down. I peaked. I looked out. I'm like. It was like a miniature what you see of like the military style drones literally flew right over my car. Maybe 60, 70ft above it.

[Pat McAfee]

Solo wanted to be seen, I guess.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Isn't that a weird thing?

[Aaron Rodgers]

I was doing a thing where I was like pointing behind me like, do you guys see this? Do you guys see what's going on up there?

[Pat McAfee]

And did they.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I don't know but. And then last night was. Last night it was much higher. It was much higher.

[Pat McAfee]

But why do these things want to be seen? Aaron? What do you. What do you think that's all about?

[Aaron Rodgers]

I don't know. I mean Boston. Boston. Connors probably got a good.

[Darius Butler]

Do they want to be seen or they don't.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean they like to just throw it in your face, you know.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I just don't understand why they can't tell us. The great people of New Jersey deserve to be told what's going on.

[AJ Hawk]

How do they not know?

[Pat McAfee]

What if they do know though? I heard they know and that's why we love them. They know. Yeah, that's what I didn't. Didn't that come up. Was that two weeks ago?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

So they just hoping that we don't talk. It just kind of just shoot it.

[Adam Schefter]

Down and look for yourself. That's the only way you can burn shot.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, they found that one in New York City downtown.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, they did.

[Pat McAfee]

That was on the sidewalk. Obviously that's not how we're going to find one of these things in the Bronx. I don't think that's how it's going to work out.

[Ty Schmidt]

But right there.

[Pat McAfee]

I hope we do get answers. I hope.

[AJ Hawk]

A couple collapsed at Ohio stadium this weekend.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

2. Foul of the sky. Oh. 8.

[Darius Butler]

That happened at another like a Christmas event and hit a kid and like trouble. Like watch out for fallen drones in those shows, I guess.

[Pat McAfee]

It was so cold. I'm surprised those drones were able to operate the way that they were. Yeah. 500 of them all together. Obviously. Three of them couldn't take it anymore. Fell out of the sky. Drop bang. All right. Merry Christmas to you and Britney Aaron And Britney. Dodging drones.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Dodging drones. That's for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Here's a little game called Houdini to bone. We appreciate you.

[Aaron Rodgers]

You're the main bro.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, we just suit. We don't know. We just love.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

We're in love. Ladies and gentlemen, four time NFL mvp guys Smitten.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Merry Christmas, guys. Merry Christmas.

[Darius Butler]

Merry Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

Also Happy Hanukkah. Happy New Year. Seasons greetings and definitely seasons. Happy holidays.

[Aaron Rodgers]

All of them.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. Well, is there any others at all?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Probably. Probably.

[AJ Hawk]

Probably some bad ones.

[Pat McAfee]

January 6th coming up.

[AJ Hawk]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy Boxing Day.

[AJ Hawk]

It is in your house.

[Pat McAfee]

Boxing Day, December 26th. Do not miss it. Little Santa's already happened. Little Santa happened on the 6th. Yes. Was there any little gifts that were left in your apartment? Yeah, there's a little pair of socks on a plate for me.

[Darius Butler]

Nice.

[Boston Connor]

Wow.

[AJ Hawk]

How did little Saka find it?

[Gumpy]

What?

[Darius Butler]

Little Santa will find you wherever you are as long as your plate is.

[Pat McAfee]

Put out the night before. Okay. Little Santa came down to an apartment in Indianapolis like a nice pair of socks, brother. Best pair I've had. Thank you, Little Santa.

[AJ Hawk]

We're going to have to adopt that.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy Little Santa.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Can we get rid of Elf on the Shelf, though?

[Pat McAfee]

What do you mean?

[Aaron Rodgers]

There's a lot of. A lot of parent complaints. I've heard about Elf on the Shelf.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't. I don't think I've ever. What?

[Aaron Rodgers]

How did that start?

[Darius Butler]

It's a good question.

[Aaron Rodgers]

One of the great mysteries in life. We need. We need. We need Alabama Jones to serve the. To figure out this mystery here with the. With Elf on the Shelf. Where did it start? Why is it still going? What is the point?

[Pat McAfee]

Listen, Coach Saban would get to the bottom of that. He would. If you point him in a direction, he will figure it out.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Him and Jones.

[Pat McAfee]

Him and Shane. What a moment. What a moment.

[Aaron Rodgers]

That was a great moment. Great moment.

[Pat McAfee]

Coach was not happy. He called me.

[Aaron Rodgers]

He was. He wasn't happy. He wasn't happy.

[Pat McAfee]

I did not. When Shane.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I thought this was a fun show. I thought it was a fun show.

[Pat McAfee]

We're having fun here. We're having. Where Evan laughs. Superstars. Okay. All right. I. I have a thing called integrity. He looks at.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Oh, I'm in the middle of this great moment.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it was awesome. It was Coach Saban, I assume if he was to watch beautiful dogs. Yeah. He would be. He would understand completely. What's going on here. Might be tires, too. It's dropping a season of tires.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Tires. Great tire. Great, great, great show. Can't wait for season two.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you say, Mayor? June or April? April. May. I forget. He said it on game day.

[Aaron Rodgers]

He said season two of severance also coming out.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah. A couple weeks here.

[Pat McAfee]

That movie or that show freaked me out.

[AJ Hawk]

It's awesome.

[Ty Schmidt]

It is good.

[Pat McAfee]

That's one where they plug in right. Yeah. Go to work.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Where they split their brains.

[Pat McAfee]

That's wild because what are we doing when we're sleeping? Ladies and gentlemen, four time NFL MVP Aaron Rogers. That Severin show freaked me out. I almost couldn't watch it because how much it did freak me out.

[AJ Hawk]

So good.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Great cliffhanger day in the first season as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Of course I remember it. Yeah. Let's get to a break, Kirk. Herb street will be here on the other side. He was going to join us during errands but I forgot 100% on me. How about Aaron Smitten.

[Ty Schmidt]

I know. Unbelievable.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you know that age?

[Adam Schefter]

No, I did not. That's why I asked if it was B. Spears.

[AJ Hawk]

I thought maybe some friend.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. How do you now? I'm starting to wonder a lot of things.

[Adam Schefter]

I should. I do. I text him every morning. Hey, let me know update on any. Any females you're talking to.

[Pat McAfee]

All right. He was happy that all my friends.

[Adam Schefter]

All my friends that aren't married. I do that.

[Pat McAfee]

What did he say? What did he say? Not vaccinated.

[AJ Hawk]

Immunized.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm immunized. Is that what he said to you? He said I'm not dating, I'm seeing. So it was. It was kind of mis word.

[Darius Butler]

You were confused as was I said Britney with an eye. Yes, all Britney's have an eye.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. B R I T T N I.

[AJ Hawk]

A N I like Brittany.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, not B R I T, N I. I've seen.

[Ty Schmidt]

Could be that.

[Adam Schefter]

I mean that'd be. That'd be Britney.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, Britney.

[Boston Connor]

Britney.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Maybe it's Britney. And then obviously two T's. N E Y is the Spears that we. The common spelling T T A N Y. Very normal one I believe as well. That's a name they can get a lot of different. Different ways.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Brittany Rogers maybe. Wow. Doesn't have social media, did he? Yeah. Did he? Made an Amish Lady Certainly possible. 2024.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Churning butter.

[Pat McAfee]

No social media. I mean what a weapon. Imagine her and Aaron. People don't think this is true, but it is. Aaron Williams put his phone down and then just have no idea where it is somehow for three weeks and it's just what you do. I read 15 books. What were you doing? I was living my life jacking around doom like he does. He checks out like he really does. I bet him and Brittany are a. Sounds like a good. All right, good luck. Hey, we're pulling for you. Everybody deserves love.

[Boston Connor]

Oh yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

This episode is brought to you by Dutch bros get stoked for all the.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Holly jolly vibes this season at Dutch.

[Pat McAfee]

Bros. Stay cozy with returning winter faves. Hazelnut truffle mocha and candy cane mocha. Plus the new Winter Shimmer Rebel energy.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Drink blends up sweet cream and blue.

[Pat McAfee]

Razz flavor with soft top and shimmer sprinks to keep those spirits energized all winter long. Download the Dutch Bros app to find your nearest shop, order ahead and start earning rewards.

[Boston Connor]

When it comes to towing.

[Pat McAfee]

Seeing is believing. That's why Chevy Truck's advanced camera technology offers up to 8 available cameras for 14 UN views so you can focus on the view that really matters. Chevrolet together. Let's drive. Learn more about chevy [e-mail] safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for.

[AJ Hawk]

The driver's responsibility to operate the vehicle.

[Pat McAfee]

In a safe manner. Read the vehicle owner's manual for important feature limitations and information. Football is wonderful. That's AJ Hawk. Aj the boys and I were just chatting the talks the table at Boss Connor and that Ty Schmidt 1/2 of the hammer done Cowboys AP Tone 9 year NFL vet Darius J. Butler. How cool was Sean Perkins the Ohio State football team for allowing us to hang out in their facility Pretty much all day Saturday before after game day before the game. How close? What are your. What are you rolling your eyes like that? No, no.

[AJ Hawk]

Just the way you said it. I thought something else was coming out but that was one of the coolest facilities I've ever been in by far. They had this half court basketball court, but it had a mission impossible time crisis arcade game in it. It was so sick.

[Pat McAfee]

And what were you. What are you talking about? Why are you shaking your head?

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm not checking. I. I love the facility. Facility very very much. I mean that. That again. That's a big tent facility. So we. I expected nothing less when we were in the facility.

[Pat McAfee]

That is. That is not.

[Darius Butler]

The massage chairs were. The massage chairs were divine.

[Pat McAfee]

They had five TV setups, a bunch of recliners roosters supplied.

[Darius Butler]

Thank you.

[Pat McAfee]

Some phenomenal food.

[Darius Butler]

I mean hey, they gave us these.

[Pat McAfee]

Sweet like a gift bag. Yeah, it was so nice.

[Kirk Herbstreit]

Roosters.

[Pat McAfee]

Roosters has given us little mini speakers too. Traveling speakers that I've used plenty of times.

[AJ Hawk]

Sweet winter hat as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Layered up with their socks.

[AJ Hawk]

Use their socks.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey roosters. We appreciate it. And also their chicken doesn't make you dump.

[AJ Hawk]

No, no, it's good Chicken goodies.

[Pat McAfee]

Unbelievable Sugar cookies.

[Darius Butler]

Do not sleep on the sugar cookies.

[Pat McAfee]

Johnny Violence wanted nothing to do with the show.

[AJ Hawk]

And what happened? He went over there, stuffed his gullet and he was like, God damn.

[Pat McAfee]

No, what he did was he went over there and grabbed chips first, and he was like, you know what?

[Adam Schefter]

Right in your face.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Johnny Valley football.

[Pat McAfee]

I've never been more. Don't eat the food. Everybody's been pushing for you to eat the food. Don't eat the food. Okay. He. Mike Foss, obviously. Phenomenal work, Brocio. Phenomenal work. It is. That was as perfect as it could come for a setup if you're in a campus, honestly.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The issue is, like, game days in the morning, games at night. What do you do all during the day? And then traffic is always the biggest problem because in all these schools and universities, big ones at least, you got 100,000 people coming into a town that is not supposed to have 100 some thousand people coming in and coming out. So traffic's absurd. So massive. Shout out and thank you to Big Park. Hey, he's the man. He is the man over there.

[Adam Schefter]

AJ I think he said he's been there full time, like 29 years. He was there 30 years almost. He was. Yeah. When I was in school, Sean was always there, run, run everything. And now he's, you know, basically runs all the facilities everywhere. So the one.

[Pat McAfee]

The facility, and when we walked in, there's a room that just has all their trophies.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Sweet. A lot of them.

[AJ Hawk]

Very cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

You made a big deal about. I guess I kind. I didn't take it for granted, but I just assumed that's how every school, like, had a thing like that.

[Pat McAfee]

No. That many? It was all glass, too, so it was all windows. It was like a museum as you walked into the facility, and it was just trophies stacked on top of each other. It was almost. It was almost too many trophies. Almost like, hey, you guys need to build a little bigger museum here because these trophies are just stacked on top of each other. From, like, what year did it start? I saw, like a 30s. I. I think I saw all the way up till now all these trophies. And it was beautiful. It was money well spent up there. They had to invest a lot of money probably, in that every single year.

[Adam Schefter]

They are.

[Pat McAfee]

Every single year, there's more money coming in.

[Adam Schefter]

I mean, you have to continue to renovate and build new buildings and all that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That Wexner relationship over there. Ohio State is certainly a good medical facility. Yep. Football facilities, stadium facilities, hospital facilities, library facilities. All right. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is education facilities in Ohio State grad. Okay. But I don't think a lot of people are viewing them that way. Right now, ladies and gentlemen, the voice of college football who's been waiting to get on for 15 minutes as we just had this conversation right here because I completely forgot that he was on. But how could you ever forget this guy? He's blue eyes. His dedication to sport and game, his knowledge of sport and game, and also how good of a damn teammate he is on college game day. Ladies and gentlemen, Kirk Kirpsi.

[Gumpy]

How we doing?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, I see the rose ball hat. Beautiful, beautiful place.

[Gumpy]

Oh, always wear the rose bow hat. Love the hat.

[Pat McAfee]

I have a Rose bowl hat as well. I wear it. It's very well done. It was a flat bill, so I had to work it a little bit. Sure. But it was very well done. And it looks, the rose is a beautiful, you know, it's like a very nice decor, if you will, on any type of fashion. Let's talk about the Rose bowl and everything else happening. Ohio State beat the hell out of Tennessee. Okay. Ohio State beat the hell out of Tennessee. And I saw your sports center hit afterwards with Linda Cohen, who we all have massive respect for. And you talked about how, you know, these seatings and these rankings that have happened and there's always an uproar publicly from people about, you know, well, they have 11 wins, they have 10 wins. And I think you were calculating in every year that has happened in college ball when it was four teams and then now it's 12 when it was two teams. That's always a talking point. Always a talking point. And then the first round was basically all blowouts of multiple scores except for that Indiana, Notre Dame 27, 17, just 10 points. You know, that is closest margin of victory throughout the entire first round. But it was a lot of blowouts in this first round and we talked about how that could be possible. How do you think it's changed for next year and what are your thoughts on the 12 team playoff and how it started thus far?

[Gumpy]

I mean, I think I said it on that post game comment. I think people were, you know, some of the responses, it sounds like people were thinking I was trying to go to bat for other teams, teams. I'm really not. My whole thing is I just don't want. If the reasoning on the at large teams is they're better, not only the resume, but they're a better team, then put them in. I just don't, I just don't want to see a team get in because they're 11 and one, you know, and if the logic is they're 11 and one that they should be in I just don't think that's all it should be. You know, I think, I think, and I always bring this up at the ESPN seminar that you are part of this year. We appreciate you gutting that out and sticking around for both days. I always ask the question in front of everybody so we understand the ground rules for the committee. Always raise my hand and I say, as they talk about the cfp, are we trying to figure out who the most like, like the better teams are or the teams that have kind of earned their way and they deserve to be there. Because sometimes we get to near the end and you hear a lot of, well, they deserve to be in. And I've always asked him that every August before we get started, is it, Are you trying to find the best 12 or the most deserving 12? And every year they've said, no, no, no, we want the best 12. So if Indiana and SMU and Ohio State, any of these at large teams, Penn State, Texas, whoever you think, if these are the best at large teams, then so be it. Put him in. And if Indiana is one of the, and I, you know, I apologize to you and the Indiana fans. I think I was just finished calling that game and thought about the Friday night game when I, when I was standing on the field and I looked at Indiana and I really wondered, is this one of the best 12 teams as I'm watching them play. I know you said it was a, you thought that was a close game.

[Pat McAfee]

What? That's 2717. 2717. Right.

[Boston Connor]

And if you take out that 98.

[Darius Butler]

Showed a lot of fight.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of fight. Never gave up in 20 degree weather. Yeah. Hey, we get what you're saying. Yeah, yeah. Final score 27:17. But yeah, for a large portion.

[Gumpy]

But I'm just saying, I'm just saying, like if I'm in that committee room, if I were discussing it, I would just, I guess my thing would be because they all, they all get in it together and debate and discuss. My only thing would be, guys, remember in August we were talking about trying to find the best 12. And listen, I'm not trying to go to bat for Alabama, who got embarrassed by a 6 and 6 Oklahoma team team at the end of the year, South Carolina probably had as strong a case and people say, well, they lost to Alabama and to Ole Miss. How can you put them over? So I really wasn't even getting into the weeds of Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, whoever. It wasn't about, you know, Miami, Florida, you know, another team, the ACC that you could Talk about. It wasn't even debating teams. It was just if we're going to pick these at large teams, if we can all, as a committee, put our arms around each other and say, hey guys, we've done our job, resume is important. But these, these are the best teams that we feel. And that was what they've asked us to do. That's all I was saying. If these are the best teams and great, have at it. If it's a 17 point differential, whatever the score was, I don't really care. I just want to make sure that they, that's, that's what we're doing. And if that's what we did this year, then, then so be it. But I just heard a lot of these, these teams are deserving to be there. And I, I just, that's not what they're supposed to be looking at.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. And, and when you asked that question, you also said, as somebody who has, you know, called a lot of these games, a lot of. I've been very lucky. You've done the, you did the whole. I'm very fortunate, very lucky to be a part of a lot of these games. Whenever they're just blowouts, it kind of wastes the credibility of everybody. But when there was 14 playoffs, there was a bunch of blowouts as well.

[Darius Butler]

Out of 20.

[Gumpy]

There were a lot, a lot of blowouts.

[Pat McAfee]

I think there's a chance. What if there's a chance, though? That like, there is just like a class of good and then. Great. A class of good and then a bunch of. You know what I mean? What if. But because you never know who's going to show up. And I would like to ask about an added factor this year that there hasn't been in the past. I think the cold won. I think the cold won. Like, I think Tennessee having to come up into Columbus with how cold that game it was. So I don't know what it was in the, in the booth. Obviously you were there.

[Gumpy]

Oh, it was cold.

[Pat McAfee]

That was.

[Gumpy]

I don't care.

[Pat McAfee]

Bitter cold.

[Gumpy]

If you're from Ohio, that, that, that was like a cold, cold, cold night. Bitter, seasonally cold. Bitter cold.

[Pat McAfee]

Bitter cold. So shout out to the Tennessee fans that traveled in there. And you talked about it, as did we on ours. It was like, that was a lot of Tennessee fans that traveled in a lot. That was the most we've ever seen. They took over the college game day set. I almost picked them in the game because I was so bad about the Ohio State fans just letting the Tennessee fans come into the cold and just take over college game day. But in the end, I thought the cold was going to be an equalizer for a lot of teams. I thought it was going to change the math. You know, you got SUVs on these Big Ten teams. You don't have as many in the SEC teams because you don't need them as much because you're playing a lot of games. 50 degrees would be a cold game. 65, 70, you can build your team, construct your team a bit different. The players can be different than it is in the colder climates. How do you feel about the cold being an equalizer? And do you think it's going to be something that's going to continue to happen that way as we move forward with the College Football Playoff?

[Gumpy]

I think it's great. I mean, all these years, you know, we. We've talked always about the Big Ten or Notre Dame or teams in the north going down into the south, into the humidity. A lot of times, times it's, you know, a place in Florida, whether it's Miami or Orlando or, you know, down in Texas or wherever it might be. And a lot of times it's. It's. We see it in the NFL all the time. You know, it's with the Dolphins trying to come up to the north or the teams in the north trying to go down to Miami that the humidity is for real. And there's no doubt that. That. That the weather was a factor. But I don't know if the weather was a factor or a huge advantage. Maybe Penn State, smu. I mean, it's not that warm in Knoxville. I mean, I don't know what the highs were all week, but guessing it was 30s and 40s, you know, but it was cold for everybody. You guys in your fur coat, you know, you had your big fur coat on down there. Yeah, I think it was cold for everybody. Could you feel your toes?

[Pat McAfee]

Toes were okay because I got some nice toe warmers from AJ Hawk. Oh, it was very kind of AJ to do that. But we were talking earlier, but like, yeah, it sucks that it's cold for everybody, but if you have to deal with that on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And I'm not just talking about football wise. I'm talking about go to get something to eat, go to the gas station, having to deal with it, I think that takes away the initial, oh, this sucks. And I understand Knoxville, 30 degrees, obviously cold, freezing, you know, actually in America and what they call it in Canada. But, like, there's a difference between that and like 11, nine, you know, it just. There's a difference between that and like negative 10. So embracing this suck, I think you're forced to do whenever you live in it. And I think it does affect football. I think that affects football.

[Gumpy]

That's fair. Yeah. But I just think like when I was watching the game and calling the game, the things that stood out to me were in that particular game, it was just Ohio State backed into a corner corner. Some of their own fan bases not believing in them. You know, some Tennessee having 35, 000 whatever it ended up being up in the crowd. I think that motivated them talking to, to Ryan Day after the fact, you know, you know, their fans being willing to sell those tickets. So I think it was more of a us in this locker room, literally, not Ohio versus the world, but this locker room versus the world. And they, they really came out with a massive chip on their shoulder. And when they, when they got that, that face mask on that third down on that, on that pass rush, on the sack, that would have been a fourth down and a punt. Instead they extend the drive and eventually we, we saw kind of a precursor for what was to be which was Jeremiah Smith and the Ohio State skill matched up in space against Tennessee was, was going to be a mismatch. And that first touchdown pass kind of set the to zone for what was going to be the rest of the game. Whether it was 75 and sunny or 12 degrees. That was what Ohio State's plan was. The shocking thing to me, and I even think to the Ohio State staff is what happened at the line of scrimmage. I think Ohio State's skill matches up pretty favorably with anybody they face, but it was would Will Howard have time to get the shots downfield? Would the offensive line hold up? Especially after the way they played against Michigan, Michigan and bow down to them and to the way they executed their, their Alpha, Seth McLaughlin, the Remington, the best center in the, in the country. He's been out since Indiana. I think it impacted them against Indiana and then of course against Michigan. That same group, after hearing about how bad they were, man, they really, they really, I think were the MVPs of that game and allowed Will Howard and the skill to do what they did. So that was the one way Tennessee could kind of neutralize Ohio State skill was to just dominate the line of scrimmage. And it was the opposite. The theme of that game was Ohio State's offensive line and defensive line completely.

[Pat McAfee]

Dominating the football game, which might be attributed to the cold, might be a Lot of, lot of hitting, a lot of jousting, a lot of through your body, a lot of that potential potentially. But I do appreciate the fact that that Ohio State offensive line was called out by everybody. I mean, they were everybody, every. That was like the talking point of the game. If Will Howard has time, he's good, but we saw him against good D line, Michigan. He was, got his feet running, was missing targets, doing the whole thing. I had film on it actually. It was like a full, it was so much a focus on. It was like we're doing film on this whenever he has time and when he doesn't have time. Also, I think Chip Kelly was in his bag. Like, I, I think the, the edge is getting attacked and the drag route and across and then we got one on one coverage. We're taking a shot no matter what the call is. I, I think, I think they played great. Can they continue to do that against Oregon? We shall see. Go ahead, A.J.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, Kirk, how do you think this team stacks up against Oregon? Obviously, second time of the season they will be playing them, but they both feel like they're in a different spot than they were when they, they previously played. But how do you think this game, obviously you're probably calling the game. You're not going to make a prediction or anything, but how do you think they match up? We, we know everything is about matchups. Like how do you think Interior, O line, D line and obviously on the outside.

[Gumpy]

I, I'd love to hear what you think about this, A.J. but I, I, I've watched Oregon from week one to the last game they played in Indy and when they're in Onson Stadium, like a lot of great teams, you know, they, they, they are a different team there than they have been when they, the road and Peter.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

I think it's the dogs getting, dogs getting groomed. It's their least favorite day, really.

[Pat McAfee]

Peter needs to know when he looks in the mirror though. He's sharp dressed lad got him hot. He is a sharp groomed lad. He, he's handsome. Strong handsome. And I love the tongue out.

[Gumpy]

That's sideways. He goes sideways. Tongue.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Just kind of chilling. Like he, he's very comfortable in his.

[Darius Butler]

Own football guy want to leave the sideline on Saturday?

[AJ Hawk]

Hung.

[Pat McAfee]

Hung. Yeah. Whoa.

[Boston Connor]

Yo.

[Pat McAfee]

Jeez.

[Gumpy]

What?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah. You heard him. You heard what he said. We don't think he would have said that, but he did. We got to see Peter. We got to see Peter.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Down on the sideline with us. You should. He was, he was locked In. Yeah, he was locked in like this right here. Sitting down.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And. And somebody was trying to get him to move. I don't think so. I don't think so, buddy. And then another person tried to move him. No. Now. Okay, so this is the thing now. You saw Peter's head be like, nope. And nope. I'm not in anybody's way. What the hell? What is the problem here? Then third, Ryan comes in finally. And Ryan's like, hey, we gotta move. And you see Peter just, like, begrudgingly go, this isn't because of YouTube. This isn't because of YouTube. This want to let you know that. Get up. Move. I mean, it was. It was awesome watching him. He is.

[Gumpy]

I didn't know he was hanging out there with you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

He was for a bit. He was just hanging, like, literally just sitting. And then they wanted him to move, and he was not thrilled about it. Once again, I called out the security. It wasn't the Ohio State security. It was the CFP security that was talking to our camera people. And I actually said these people on the air. I said, these people every time. Because we're calling this thing from the sideline. And one. It's normally one person that has the authority and didn't get the message maybe, or didn't care about the message. So totally. While we're live, literally, hey, we're just trying to amplify this thing, telling us we need to move. You need to move. And it's like, no, we don't. You need. And I said, the next time this happens, I want camera on person, and I want to go have a full conversation with this person.

[Gumpy]

Happen.

[Pat McAfee]

No, instead, I said, every time with these guys. And the guy walked away. And then there was a conversation had. Fosso was like, they're doing the.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Paid a shitload of money to, you.

[Pat McAfee]

Know, the reason why we're here. Yeah. So they're. Okay. Sounds good. And if they get hit by somebody, that'll be on them, and it won't be on you.

[Darius Butler]

Great.

[Pat McAfee]

And it's already been signed by this entire thing because they always. Everybody.

[Gumpy]

Everybody's clean. We're all good. We're all good on that. But you're right. There's always. There's always that one guy at every stadium. But. But let me real quick on AJ in Austin. In that matchup, Oregon is. Is hitting on all cylinders. The challenge for them will be to take that same energy into a neutral site, into that beautiful setting there in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl. They got great Skill. I think if you go back and really watch that game, it was there, it was Tez Johnson and those receivers getting some one on one matchups because Ohio State, they're more than willing to play a lot of man and leave those guys on corner, on their corners, on islands. And you know, we, we know what their quarterback can do. He can run it, which he did in that game. He can throw. I think it's been Ohio State, I think is after the Tennessee game. I think they're coming in with a great deal of confidence. I think they were able to re establish that obviously after the Michigan game. But I think you're right, you're not the same team in week, whatever that was, two or three, three than you are at the end of the year. Neutral site. We all love Dan Lanning, we all love Ryan. I think it's going to be, it'll be really, really interesting matchup. The winner of that game plays what the winner of Texas, Arizona State and the Cotton Bowl. So this is, this is where it starts getting really, really interesting in this first ever 1212 team playoff.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, on that note, Ty has a question for you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Herbie, obviously everyone talking about the, you know, kind of blowouts this past weekend. How concerned or worried are you that we might be staring down two more ass whoopings in Texas, Arizona State and Boise State and Penn State? I think that's what a lot of people are talking about right now with no receding. It's like, hey, we're going to do this again next weekend. And I mean, who knows about Notre Dame, Georgia, you know, what, what are.

[Gumpy]

The spreads in those two games? You guys know?

[Darius Butler]

Yeah, it's ten and a half in Penn State, Boise State and then Texas, Arizona state is 13 and a half. The other ones are 2 and a half.

[Gumpy]

You know, Ty, I wonder if, if since this is something that I think can get tweaked along the way. I know Reese has been talking all year about those top four seeds, the conference champs, you know, get to the end and instead of looking at the conference champs, the only thing you get is you get a ticket into the playoff if you win a conference championship. But that doesn't necessarily mean you should be a top four team moving into the future. I think a lot of people bringing that point up, I think that's a, a fair point to discuss and debate in the off season. Or as you're saying, I mean, do you recede? Is that, is that fair to get to that next round, the quarterfinals and, and recede this Thing and kind of start over. Would that create better matchups? I'm not sure sure. Because I think Arizona State, I think by brand, you look at that game against Texas and you think, oh, okay, Texas is going to kill those guys. But just watching Arizona State, especially since that week that their coach, Coach Dillingham got sideways with the officials and went crazy, you know, and everybody started to kind of pay attention to them. I think from that point on, seems like, man, they've been getting better and better every week and they're more than just their talent and running back. Scatter Boo. I think the quarterback makes plays, so I, I don't know if that's necessarily a blowout. According to Las Vegas, it might be in Boise. You just, you just never know what to get from the blue turf. You know, they're always the little engine that could. Every single year they kind of relish this opportunity to play a big brand. In the past going way back, this is the kind of game they would win. You know, a game where people are just kind of looking past him. So I'm not, I'm not poo pooing these matchups or I really apologize if I came across that way in that post game ran. I was just. My big thing was, guys, if we're going to, if we're going to put these teams in and the logic is, hey, based on the resume and these are the best teams that we thought and they get beat by 20, I don't really care because that's, that's the committee's reasoning is that's the best. I, I really, I should not have made that a Indiana thing or SMU thing or anybody else. It's more about the logic behind how we're getting to these teams. That's really, I guess my only point I was making so anything beyond that was just me being emotional and acting like an idiot.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I respect and appreciate you saying that, but that has been something you've been saying, I think for years now. Right. I mean, you got into it last year with Florida State because this is six. Similar angle. Hey, are we talking about best teams right now? Because you're.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You're on your third quarterback. And that is. I think that's because. And I don't want to speak for you, but it goes back to what you preface your question with at the college football conference or convention up there. That was just speaker after speaker after speaker, not knowing people are listening to them. Can we add some sauce into this just a little bit? You know, I mean, you're running point.

[Gumpy]

On that next August?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think so. That sounds like a suit celebration there. So we can let them go ahead and continue to do that. But your question was I call these games. I'm very lucky to call these games. You know, you and F both. So like when you guys are in there, you want great G everybody for the good of college ball. We want, yeah, great games to happen. Like, so I think that is why you potentially got emotional. I think a lot of people misread you. Like, you are like obsessed with college ball. Love college.

[Gumpy]

I have a.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, I think so.

[Gumpy]

If you want to find me guilty of anything, I don't have an agenda for a conference or a team. I do have an agenda for the sport. Like I, I love college football. Like, I like, like a child. Like, I love college football.

[Pat McAfee]

I.

[Gumpy]

And I care about it. And when it's got a big stage and you got Raven Steelers on the other channel and you got Chiefs and, and Texans on the other channel. But by the way, I hope Tank Dell, that was a devastating injury. Thoughts and prayers out to him. He's battled through an injury, you know, last year and come all the way back and then to see that, that's devastating. But to have these big NFL games on and here's, here's the first time the 12 team playoff, like I, I hurt for the sport. I don't hurt for a certain team or a conference or any. I just want great games. And everybody's talking on your show and everywhere about, man, how great were those college football playoff games? That's all I want to see. And whatever it takes for us to get to that, I'm, I'm all for that.

[Pat McAfee]

Amen.

[Gumpy]

That's really, I guess what the point, my point I was trying to make.

[Pat McAfee]

We got you and we get to see it every week with you. So it's like a little bit different animal than everybody who's watching at home. And I think that also goes to your passion from, you know, as an Ohio State grad. Whenever you talk about like Ryan Day and the way he's been being chatted about because of how successful he's been except for, you know, no big deal.

[Gumpy]

That's reality.

[Pat McAfee]

No, it's a reality.

[Gumpy]

But like I thought, I thought Saban, I thought Saban at South Bend said it much more eloquently, took the emotion out of it when, when he talked about, I think he said enough all the of ripping your coach. Why don't you get behind the coach? And, and instead of Being obstacle in front of him. How about getting behind him through the advers university and help push him through. And that, that's basically my problem is I'm. I'm a friend of Ryan Dayes. You know, he, he and I talk on a regular basis about more than just football. And so I hear things that he and his family go through, especially Nina, his wife, his son, who gets death threats from multiple, multiple people and what it's doing to them as a family. So when I hear that, and I'm very prideful just like AJ in who we are as Ohio State people. And when I hear that, it really frustrates me that he, he has to deal with putting an armed guard outside of his house 24, seven for his own fan base like that. That, that hurts my heart. That that is a real, a reality for, for the Ohio State coach because he's, he's lost to Michigan four times. So that I guess when I, I get very passionate about that subject because I know a lot more than the average person knows. And I, I go to bat for him, I support him, I support his family. And so when I hear that, that he deals with out of the players like Will Howard, what he deals with because he let the clock run down, down and he hears from again a very small, passionate fraction of the fan base or he throws two picks against Michigan. And what he hears from the fan base or the offensive line has a game the way they have and what they hear from a fraction of the fan base, that there's nothing you can do to protect anybody from that. But if that were happening, it, you know, UCLA or I would say, oh, that sucks. But when it happens and it's your team team, you get a little bit more protective of your guys and your people. And so that's. Anytime you hear me talk about the lunatic fringe, I get frustrated with that group of fan. Every fan base has them. I just think the Ohio State fan base, because they're so passionate, I think that that very vocal minority of 15 or 20% is as strong at Ohio State as it is anywhere because they care so much. But I just get frustrated because I hear the real deal story from, from his wife and from his family. And I have since he's been the head coach. And so I get defensive, I get protective, and that's all it is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And it comes through and it shows. And I, as an outsider looking at Ohio State, I just view that's the job.

[Gumpy]

Like, yeah, hey, that's part of the deal.

[Pat McAfee]

But I think what you're saying is you don't love that. That is how people are viewing, like, Ohio State, like this. This guy, because he's the head coach at Ohio State, he now has to, you know, he has to worry about his fans potentially running his ass out of town if he doesn't. If he. 60. What is it? 66 in 11. Yeah, he's won.

[Gumpy]

He's won 87% of his games, which is. Since he's been a head coach, that's number one in the entire fbs. In six years as a head coach coach, four times he's been to the cfp. Who knows what he's going to do this year. This season's not even done. But four times he's been to the CFP. Out of six years, he's doing. I mean, his finishes in the AP, the final AP, 3, 2, 6, 4, and 10. And whatever happens this year. So five straight top 10 finishes probably will finish. Who knows where they'll finish this year. So. Doing a pretty decent job. The Michigan thing's real. John Cooper lived that. You know, Tress was on the other side of that. Urban was on the other side of that, and Ryan is. He's in a spot right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Didn't Harbaugh lose a bunch in a row and then he. Yeah, then he turned around. Yeah, I don't.

[Gumpy]

I don't know how many, but yeah, I mean, he lost. He lost a number of them against Urban. And then Ryan day. Well, no, 20. They canceled the game because of Coach COVID 19 was. Was. Was. I can't. Yeah, 19 was. I believe that was. That was Ryan day's first year. 19. And they won that one. So. Yeah, I mean, he's, he's. He's up against it. When you lose to Michigan, it's real, man. It's as powerful as it negates for a lot of people. It negates all that stuff. I just mentioned it kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. As you were listing off the final rankings there, all I heard was somebody in Ohio go. I didn't hear one. One time. Did you. Did you hear one? I heard a two, I heard a three, heard a six, 10 heard a four. I didn't hear a one. And this guy's acting like that is. But that a. To be completely clear, that is why college ball is different than everywhere else.

[Gumpy]

Like it is.

[Pat McAfee]

College ball has that. Now, I do appreciate that you have, because I assume during times in your life, being from Ohio, being in the position that you're in, having to potentially say something negative about Ohio Ohio State football publicly on college game day. Obviously you've had your own run ins with Ohio State fans. I would assume through history. I assume at one point you said Ohio State fans as a whole and a lot of people got mad at you. So then you said, I have to be able to figure out how to describe the people that I'm talking about within the fan base. And he started using lunatic fringe. I think that, yeah.

[Gumpy]

And I would just say this because AJ Is a big part of what Stephanie and Chris Spielman started more than a decade now. I don't know how long it's been, but this cruise for cancer, this. The cruise for cancer, the Buckeye cruise for cancer. Like, if you ever want to be reminded that they're really, really good, like I say that 80% of those Ohio State fans whether, whether Ryan Day and the Buckeyes win or lose, they are right there with them through thick and thin. And the people in that chore shoe the other night was the best fans walking, walking on the planet. So that's why I think those people get as frustrated as I do with the. Here's what. Here's the thing with the lunatic French here. Here's to sum them up. If Ohio State wins, they go online and talk against whoever they be. I mean, they go at it. They don't ever enjoy a victory. They're too busy just throwing at the opponent. And then when they lose, lose, they got to go after either Will Howard or Ryan Day or, or Chip Kelly or the kicker. So when you win, you kill your own. And when you lose, you kill the enemy. Like, there's never harmony. There's never, you know what? Or there's never.

[Pat McAfee]

They lost.

[Gumpy]

And you just, you tip your cap, you say, you know what? The boys just didn't have it today. We'll get them next time. There's never that. It's either you kill the opponent for the audacity of thinking you could play with, with us, but you kill the head coach of your own team. So that's. That's kind of where they live through wins and losses.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, we'd like to let that, you know, fringe group, as you guys describe it, know that their passion is certainly admirable. The fact that you care much about Ohio State is sweet. The way you guys go about doing it, I think 10, 15 years from now, potentially going to look back and say that was not the right way. But to the passionate fans, it shows showed up there. Ohio State fans, it's like you want. I wish they chanted AJ Hawk's name in that place. Did you hear that, Herbie? Did you hear that?

[Gumpy]

I did. I heard it from the booth.

[Pat McAfee]

It was awesome.

[Gumpy]

At first I thought they were saying to you, take it off, take it off, take it off. I didn't, I didn't know until this. Listening to you guys this morning, it was AJ Hong.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Gumpy]

I thought they're trying to get Pat to take his off in this weather.

[Pat McAfee]

No. Yeah. And that would not have happened.

[Gumpy]

Did you know, did you think that at all when you first heard him?

[Adam Schefter]

No, at first I didn't know, but yeah, I thought it was take it off for a second. But I was, for a minute, like, I don't know if Pat's gonna, I don't know. What are you gonna do with this one?

[Aaron Rodgers]

It's pretty chill.

[Pat McAfee]

I wasn't age, you know that. And they were never saying that. We, we were making sure AJ could hear that because like, that is a part of the Ohio State fan base. That is so good.

[Gumpy]

Absolutely.

[Pat McAfee]

They are, they are one of the greatest college football states ever.

[Gumpy]

Absolutely. No question.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think, I think them being a cold ass state too, was quite a weapon. And shout out to those Volunteers fans, man. Shout out to those Volunteers fans. Legit game day all the way through game.

[Gumpy]

When you walked into the stadium and you looked up, wow, I've been going to Ohio Stadium since 1975. 5. I mean, the most I've seen inside Ohio Stadium is 5,000 from the other side. 6. I, I, I've never in my mind now again, first game in December off a Michigan loss. It's cold. No, they're not on campus. The students are off campus. But it's, I don't think it was a question of would Tennessee try. For me, it was a question. They can travel, they can be outside the stadium because Ohio State fans would never sell their tickets to anybody. But it was a perfect storm. Big fan base coming in, Ohio State fans willing to not go to the game. So you had whatever it was, 30 or 35,000 Tennessee fans at the beginning of that game.

[Pat McAfee]

And I would like to say to those 30, 35,000, hell yeah. You are also what makes college football so damn special. So damn special out there. Okay, let's talk about the NFL, shall we? DButs has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Moving on to pro football. Kirk, you, you kind of talked about it earlier about playing on a short week and we got some huge games coming up on Christmas and obviously the last couple years, you and Al been calling Thursday Night Football. So in these production meetings, what's been the most common thing from the coaches and the players, I guess when it comes to preparing for these short week games?

[Gumpy]

Well, you played and you played in these games and you know much better than I do what that does to your body. I think when I the, this is our third year doing these Thursday night games for me and early I heard a lot of how challenging they were and, and I think as it's gone on, I think it's turned into more of an opportunity because they look at it now as well. If we can, if we can mentally turn this into a positive win the game, we get a mini buy like on the back end of this thing where we can enjoy our families, watch some football and recover for the next game. So I'm hearing more and more of that from coaches about, yeah, it's challenging to get your body right that quickly to have to turn it around around. You really don't practice on short weeks. You know, it's a lot of walkthroughs just trying to, you streamline the package. You kind of do what you do well and make some adjustments within the game. But I'm hearing more and more positive, let's win this. Let's get our, let's get our recovery on the back end. But I don't know, I don't know with this game. And you're right, these are, these are big games. As we get to the stretch here, with only, only two weeks ago, we.

[Pat McAfee]

The season, what do you have Thursday? Seahawks. Bears. Yeah. Seahawks need that Wolf. Seahawks need that. Bears need to stop being on tv, I think is what their fans are saying in this entire thing. But Bears could come out and play their best game somehow beat the Seahawks just like the Cowboys just did to the Bucks. Like these final games here are very interesting. Some teams seemingly have nothing to play for and then some teams have everything to play for.

[Gumpy]

And just you see Seattle there at nine. Nine at nine. It's sitting there. If they win, they're nine and seven. And then you look at the three, the Rams, who you think are going to win this week. And then it comes down to that final game, week 18, they play head to head. So Seattle needs a win this week to make that final game. Week 18. Rams, Seahawks be for all, for everything. Everything's on the line. Winner takes the division as opposed to, you know, if the Seahawks stumble against Chicago, Chicago, it's over. You know, they, they're, they're hoping for Rams upset themselves to be able to make that next game. Still matter. So to make it simple, they need to beat Chicago Thursday and. And then move on to that. That last matchup against la, we had.

[Pat McAfee]

Football Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Merry Christmas Eve on Tuesday. That's right. Then we got two games on Wednesday and Thursday. What a good time.

[Ty Schmidt]

I know.

[Pat McAfee]

It is fantastic. Hey. Hey.

[Gumpy]

This beats the hell out of July when you guys are banging around trying to come up with topics.

[Pat McAfee]

You're telling me, brother. I actually had that thought yesterday as I was thawing. I was thawing out yesterday at my house. Cause it felt like I'd been in the cold for a month. Because Friday we were out there four and a half hours before the game started, five hours before the game started, and then did game day, then had to be out there for, you know, halftime as well. So we're out there for that entire thing. It felt like we were outside in the freezing cold forever. That felt like a full day of living outside. Then hop on plane. Here we go. Five hours later, after getting. Getting on the ground, back in the freezing cold in Ohio, Tennessee fans brought the juice for me. I'm be honest. Freezing cold. Freezing cold. Then we hang out in the facility for the day and then we go back out and the game was somehow in that second half, colder than I've ever felt in my entire life. Somehow. I don't know if I'm getting older.

[AJ Hawk]

The reason.

[Pat McAfee]

So on Sunday, I literally was just like thawing out. I'd never felt my body actually do it. And I started thinking like, man, this feels. Feels terrible. And then I thought to myself, not as terrible as the show in the off season. You know, Like, I was just immediately so thankful. Those are my worst. That's the worst time of my life.

[Gumpy]

Yeah. I was figuring you get through the draft.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

And then you got may free agency. Not a whole lot.

[Pat McAfee]

Dude, I'm in shower those mornings. I mean, I'm in shower over here. Just like, how the are we going to crack create anything that people won't say, wow, what a waste of time. And then. Right. Water's just hitting me in the face and I'm not even moving legitimately. Then, you know, after hockey season ends, after NBA, there's like that time in the summer.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

July dog days.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. July. Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Baseball carries the show.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Never has. Never happened.

[Gumpy]

Never.

[Pat McAfee]

We tried.

[Gumpy]

And my reds, it definitely doesn't carry the show. Your Pirates, it's done. Well, you got.

[Pat McAfee]

We just signed Kutch. Thank you. You heard of him?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, still doing.

[Gumpy]

Oh yeah, still bringing.

[Pat McAfee]

Still bringing it still bringing it Five big booms, huh?

[Gumpy]

He's a stud. How old is he? He's a stud.

[Pat McAfee]

He's young.

[Darius Butler]

45, I think.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Red's just had a massive plus.

[Gumpy]

You got a starter. You got a starter.

[Pat McAfee]

You're talking about big change.

[Darius Butler]

You mean these?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we got the future.

[Gumpy]

These starter. These are starter.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And they're. They're thinking about trading away Jared Jones, one half of the hundo boys, alongside Paul Skeens. We're not going to do that. This owner understands that we got a chance to win right now. Resign, Kutch. Resign. Maybe Jason Kendall.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, they.

[Pat McAfee]

Could we get him back? I mean, I don't think that one's possible.

[AJ Hawk]

He's alive.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know. He's dead.

[Pat McAfee]

Rest in peace. By the way, to Roberto Clemente. Thank you for everything that you did. Barry Bonds is coming back.

[Darius Butler]

Catch is 38.

[Pat McAfee]

38 years old. He's seen a ball better than ever. The game slowing down for him three years younger. Love everything about it. Let's get back to some.

[Gumpy]

You got. Bucko's got a shot this year.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Why are we talking about baseball?

[Pat McAfee]

Why do you think? I have a bat right here, pal. Huh? What do you think? Because I'm going here and then I'm going here.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

And it's a home run.

[AJ Hawk]

Great bat.

[Gumpy]

You ever heard of a guy named Terry Francona?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I know. Big Frank.

[Darius Butler]

Absolute Tito.

[Pat McAfee]

Tito.

[Darius Butler]

Tito Frank.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Tito.

[Boston Connor]

Never heard of him.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Handmade World Series this year.

[Gumpy]

Legend just stumbled down to Cincinnati with all that young talent.

[Pat McAfee]

To do what?

[Adam Schefter]

He's a manager.

[AJ Hawk]

Stumble out.

[Gumpy]

Manager of the world.

[Darius Butler]

You guys still don't pay anybody either, though.

[Pat McAfee]

Herbie.

[Darius Butler]

You guys always shop here.

[Gumpy]

We look at ourselves as a farm system. We gotta win this year before they all go to New York.

[Ty Schmidt]

And LA just traded for Jose Trevino. That's a massive acquisition, Herbie.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, my God. Jose.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm being serious.

[Pat McAfee]

Jose's a dog, dude.

[Ty Schmidt]

He's gonna be a starting catcher for the Reds.

[Pat McAfee]

Of course he is. He's got Jason Kendall in Pittsburgh he can learn from too, if he needs to.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Terry Francone is still coaching, huh?

[Boston Connor]

Still doing it.

[AJ Hawk]

Still.

[Pat McAfee]

Still bringing it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Still bringing it.

[Gumpy]

Bringing it.

[AJ Hawk]

Still coaching it.

[Pat McAfee]

So these.

[Gumpy]

He's going to be the. He'll be the story in all of MLB this year.

[Pat McAfee]

All of it. Sh. Still in the baseball or no Sh. Still doing.

[Darius Butler]

He does an over performer.

[Pat McAfee]

What about Paul Sk. What? Is. Is he still in baseball?

[Gumpy]

Is.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Nah.

[Boston Connor]

Once every 12 days or whatever it is.

[Pat McAfee]

And he's great. Then they need to let him hit too. The motherfucker could be Shohei. They won't let him do it. Once again, Pittsburgh's holding them back. I'm done with it. Let's go, buckos. We're going to win it this year. How about the $750 million contracts that baseball has now? That's awesome.

[Gumpy]

Yeah. Paid. The problem is there's only three teams that do that. Everybody else, go look at the Reds roster. Look at their payroll.

[Pat McAfee]

I learned about the Cleveland Guardians. Sure. Commanders. Cleveland commanders of baseball. I saw their payroll whenever they made it. Compared to Dodgers, I think they were talking about. And it was 1/10. I think it was 1/10 of it. It's only going to get worse. That is only going to get bigger. But until they make rules against it, I don't blame the teams to do it. Let's get back to the NFL. Baseball stinks.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

We were actually just talking about why we. It's going to suck when we have.

[Pat McAfee]

To talk about baseball. Yeah, that's how we got here. Remember I was doing the thing in the sh. Oh, yeah. I just took. I took a trip to Terra.

[Gumpy]

By the way, how did that long coat work out for you in that cold?

[Pat McAfee]

It was pretty good.

[Gumpy]

It looked warm.

[Pat McAfee]

It was pretty good. No buttons, so can't close it.

[Gumpy]

Actually, would you go with a black tea underneath turtleneck?

[Pat McAfee]

Two of them dubla turtlenecks stacked on top of each other. You know, because I told you, I. Anytime you Amazon something, it's a real. Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Rookie mistake on Friday in South Bend.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Only had one on. One turtleneck on. And it was real thin. It was actually thinner than my tank tops. So the only thing it was doing was just covering my neck. It was nowhere near thicker than anything at all. So obviously jacket was needed. Yeah. I went double turtleneck on Saturday with the jacket there.

[Boston Connor]

Nothing on the dome either.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, just let the. Let the hair freeze. Actually, I don't believe in headaches. Got one at the end. Sure. Got one at the end. I think that's a brain freeze actually happened out there.

[Gumpy]

But how was your voice on your. All you guys. After calling that game, how'd you guys voice go on Sunday?

[Boston Connor]

Great.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, I'm bringing it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Still bringing it.

[Pat McAfee]

I lost mine at the end of my game day morning hit.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I was doing a toast with my Yin's mug and then it kind of dropped on and I was like, oh, that might not come back. And it did. You know, every once in a while you Just gotta drop into a different octave. You know, you gotta utilize a different part of your voice box or whatever the hell this thing is. That larynx drops out of nowhere, middle of sentence for me every once in a while. You know, when you yell like an all the time, it's gonna catch up to you. There is some.

[Gumpy]

There is one last thing on these games. Is Jeremiah's Smith the best looking true freshman we've all, we've all ever seen? I don't mean his catchers. I mean, you look at him in his unity. You guys were down there close to him.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I can't think of a Madden player.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Adrian Peterson as a run, but like probably him.

[Darius Butler]

Oriel Green, beckham.

[Pat McAfee]

How about D.K. metcalf? Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know how he looked at his true freshman.

[Pat McAfee]

True.

[Gumpy]

Yeah. I don't remember him as a true freshman.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I am literally just saying names for argument's sake when I watched him track the ball. Because we're there, you know, we get to see a lot of cool.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, you're right there.

[Pat McAfee]

We got X catching that deep ball against Alabama right in front of us with Matthew McConaughey. So we actually see the ball coming down like, like, like actually moving. Jeremiah, when I looked over at ball was up. So I'm looking at Jeremiah, he had no idea the ball was coming. He had no clue that the ball was coming. And then he actually looks back at Will Howard at one point, ball's in air, at this point, very much in air. And then he notices that, oh shit, the ball's coming. Then he tracks it. Then he find it was just like so comfortable, so calm. There was no panic at all. Great ball by Will. Great ball by Will Howard. But it was like just so matter of fact, it felt like he was just strolling like down a sidewalk, just casual.

[Gumpy]

They say his humility, prep and hard work are as impressive as what he looks like as a player. Which means can you imagine what that guy will look like in 2026 when he comes out for the draft?

[Pat McAfee]

It's crazy because they're saying what he'd be like top 10 pick if he was to come out right now.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. He has to play college for at least three years or three years removed from high school until you can get drafted. He can. Technically he could go train for two years right now and still be the number one.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Wide receiver drafted in a couple years. But instead we'll get to watch him just do his thing up there in the Big ten, which is He's South Florida boy, you know.

[Gumpy]

Who do you guys compare him to?

[Boston Connor]

Who do you.

[Gumpy]

Who do you guys.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, he's so early. Probably like a Andre Johnson based on his physique.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Like Drake.

[Gumpy]

That's a good one.

[Boston Connor]

Get out of.

[Gumpy]

But like, I was going young to. I was going young to.

[Boston Connor]

I can see to Julio Jones. Like, he's of that ilk, for sure.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

That was good.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well said.

[Pat McAfee]

Drag routes. They were running a bunch of those.

[Gumpy]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

The fact that he's willing to go also. You talk about his humility.

[Gumpy]

Oh, man.

[Pat McAfee]

He'll do. He would do whatever. I think he was blocking his ass. Ass off, too.

[Gumpy]

Ass off.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

That's cool, man.

[Gumpy]

How about 32?

[Pat McAfee]

So, so good. So good.

[Gumpy]

32 with his. With his knees. I mean, he just looks like it's. He and Junkins together.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

I mean, they've shared the duties almost 50. 50.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Gumpy]

So they're both so fresh right now.

[Pat McAfee]

How about on Henderson's 32? Trayvon Henderson's long touchdown run safety comes out with safety or corner.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, it was Will Brooks bad angle.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but he didn't want to do it. Nobody wanted.

[Adam Schefter]

There was no possible test.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

There's no.

[Gumpy]

Once he. Once he shook him and he. And he went around. It was just. Man at the NFL, back playing college.

[Pat McAfee]

You want to talk about Jeremiah's having a big one. How about love comes on game day. Very cool. And then we happen to just be standing right behind that play gone super. It. He gets. There was a good hole. Obviously. He sees it, hits it. But then it was like. As soon as he got out of there, that thing was history. Gone. Yeah. 98 yards right there. You know, they don't watch this.

[Gumpy]

What?

[Pat McAfee]

And. And goodbye.

[Darius Butler]

He's got another.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. That home run speed is dang different.

[Pat McAfee]

He was so. He was really good on game day.

[Gumpy]

He was outstanding while he was warming up.

[Pat McAfee]

He was really, really good on game day. She.

[Boston Connor]

Man like these dudes. We talked about the backs at Ohio State. Obviously you're gonna win games, but splitting those carries like because he had that running and what he. We didn't see him for. I feel like three serious. Dylan last night with. Well, the other night, Tennessee. Like, what was.

[Pat McAfee]

What happened to Dylan?

[Gumpy]

I think it was a hammy that was tweaked. It just couldn't loosen and up on the bike that cold.

[Pat McAfee]

Who is he? Who they had the freshman Lewis Payton.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

PTON and 18.

[Gumpy]

They needed 18. Sheldon Bishop. Y something Bishop. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

They need to. You get College football, you have the ability to do this. They need enough with the fair catch on the kickoff.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh my God.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, enough. It looks so terrible for the, the sport of football. Like I don't even know how it's allowed. I don't know how it got in. I don't like it their kickoff. Much better than the NFL kick.

[AJ Hawk]

I was gonna say I take the NFL kickoff to get rid of that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do. If we need.

[Adam Schefter]

I don't college do two man wedge.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. Do you know, Kirk?

[Gumpy]

I don't know. I don't know that they need a.

[Pat McAfee]

Stop fair catching these kickoffs. I can't watch. I almost puked. Yeah, yeah.

[Darius Butler]

That's gross.

[AJ Hawk]

Would you rather the NFL kickoff in college than the fair catches?

[Gumpy]

Me.

[Pat McAfee]

Final answer.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, I, I want to see returns. Whatever it takes to get more returns. I don't, I don't like the fair catch. I miss, I miss those 98 yard kickoff returns for touchdowns that happen here and there or even, even one that gets you in plus territory. The energy that it creates. Or Oregon getting drilled at the 10 yard line. I, I, I think that play is a big play in the sport.

[Pat McAfee]

It sets a tone for an entire drive.

[Gumpy]

It does.

[Pat McAfee]

It literally sets a tone for an entire drive, an entire game, Everything like that. Yeah.

[Gumpy]

I mean a guy flies down there and drills a guy at the 10 yard line. Oh my God. Crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it is big. Booms. You bring it. I think they're going to change the NFL kickoff to what was originally pitched, which was the 35 instead of the 30 for a touchback. And I think that'll kick, keep more people kicking it into the landing zone.

[Gumpy]

But yeah, they're just willing to take the punishment. They're like whatever.

[Pat McAfee]

30. Yeah. That's half. What? They pick up a five yard gain on first down. Sweet.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Second and five. We will give that up. If they go to 35, it's a full first down from what it used to be. I think people will change the way they look at it. And also with the weather coming, there's been more returns. There's been, you know, commanders. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Luke Mc Caffrey damn near won them the game. Every single time he returned the ball. He might have had one inside the 30, but the rest of them were way out past. They had great field position.

[Pat McAfee]

Speaking of special teams. Go ahead, call me.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, Herbie on Thursday night, Chargers, Broncos, probably the only time, maybe the only time we'll ever see this. The free kick at halftime. Did you have any idea what the hell was going on? And did Al Michaels even have any idea what's going on? He's been calling games since World War II and it feels like we'll never see.

[Gumpy]

No, I don't think either one of us were. Were really. I mean, Terry obviously did. He helped us out, but they would think of. I was still thinking about. What were they thinking at the end of the half? Talking about Denver. Sean Payton had such a great first half. They're at back at their own 10 yard line. They're throwing a couple easy passes. One was complete, Chargers timeout. The next one's incomplete to stop the clock. So that's the whole reason we had this punt to begin with. I just thought they would get 15 yards and a chance for last, last second play, you know, to kind of throw Hail Mary or attempt a really long field goal. But no, I, I learned something that night about the free kick. Just haven't seen it in so long. Pat, you. Did you ever have anything like that come into play?

[Pat McAfee]

No. So I knew about it since the first day I started kicking for our high school. Our coach, Bill Romito, had been coaching football for a long, long time and he found this in the rule book. I don't know if he had known about it before or if whenever I got on the team he had found it. But we talked to the refs before every game about the fair catch free kick. If we, you know, if they punt it and we fair catch it, we can send him out with the kickoff team and a holder and it counts as a field goal. So like our coach Ramito in high school, literally since day, day one, I've been, I've like, heard about this and I didn't fully, you know, I wasn't in the football world. I didn't know the full history of it never happening. And it never happened throughout the entire.

[Gumpy]

Never. I think what was the last time, like 1975 or something converted one?

[Pat McAfee]

I think there had been an attempted one. I think Mason tried one. Maybe Mason, Crosby, somebody attempted one and missed it. It was like a 60 something yarder within the last 20 years because I'd seen the film on it, but yeah, it is.

[Gumpy]

Here is the one thing I. That's great. You knew that. I asked Terry, I said, was this because there was no time left. And he said, has nothing to do with time. That could have been three minutes left whenever. That's why you probably never see it. What are the Odds of getting the fair catch interference. Now you're right at that cusp of taking the shot at a. You're right at the cusp of taking that shot. Right. Or the helmet Mary. You know, if there are two minutes to go or three minutes to go, you know, you just take the 15 yards and we bring the offense out.

[Pat McAfee]

We practice it at the Colts. Yeah, we practice it like once a year at the Colts. And there was a line where I would kick it and then Venateri would kick it. And Vinnie was never happy about what that line was. You know, it never. Cuz Vinnie was making 60 yarders until he was like 40 years. I mean he was making like bombs until he was very old. But I had a very strong leg. Now did I know exactly where I was going every time? No. That's why I wasn't a kicker in the NFL. But I had a very, very strong leg. So there was like a time in that thing like, well, what's the cutoff When Vinnie kicks in and then when do I. So anytime I practice it, it would have been like a 70, whatever. Anything inside of that, Vinnie was taken pretty much. And he could do his entire kickoff steps if he wanted to. The ball just has to be grounded or whatever it is. So that was a whole nother thing that like got worked on like once a year is like how many steps do we take on this? If it is like a 68 yarder and Vinnie was coming out to kick it or if it was 70, whatever, and I was going to kick it. So like once a year we'd practice it. And I think that was just so Tom McMahon could cover his ass, you know, like, hey, if situation ever comes up, just know that I knew. That's kind of how a lot of these special teams coordinators operate.

[Gumpy]

Hey, hey, what's the longest field goal in practice or just messing around, you know, at a camp? What's the longest one you've ever made? Not in a game, but like that you've made. And what's the longest one you've witnessed in person of a field goal? Not in a game?

[Pat McAfee]

Just. I don't know. I think I hit from 70. I think. I think I hit from 70 yards.

[Boston Connor]

I think I see absolutely close.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, maybe. Yeah, I. Dude, I used to murder the ball. It was a lot of fun. I think that's the furthest I've ever seen. There's kids on the Internet though. That'll go like 72, 73, I think.

[Gumpy]

So you're talking about having the ball Held on the your own 40.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

And making that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And everybody's like, well, you wouldn't be able to do it in a game because you got to drive it. It's like, no, no, you got to hit a big ball. Like everybody thinks like line driving in those long ones maybe like if guys don't have a super strong leg, they have to take a little bit of airtight time out of it. But like I don't think home run hitters, big home run hitters are hitting line drives the furthest. No, no, yeah, you gotta hit like when you're back there, you gotta hit a monster ball like it's gotta go. But you also need a little, you know, there needs to be a little, you need a little help from the Lord, you know, back there pushing it. But yeah, those are always a fun time and that was always my issue. Know I go to those camps and I'd be setting up the tea back there, kicking it over everybody's head and I thought that was important. Impressive and important. Yeah. It turns out it's those ones way up there. Those are the ones you're going to kick all the time. We should be working on those, you know, as opposed be way back. Hindsight, you know, hindsight's hindsight's 50. 50.

[Boston Connor]

You got D. Looks way cooler though.

[Pat McAfee]

Dude's so cool.

[Boston Connor]

What day, what day was that? Thursday. She was kick. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that. You look cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I do used to hit bombs.

[Boston Connor]

As far as this.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't go back today. Yeah, it was always how I felt too.

[Gumpy]

What? How far out could you make one today? I'd rip my stretch you out, get all ready to roll. How far you think you could go?

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. I was asked the other day by somebody on camera, so I don't know who they were. Interesting question. How far could you kick a left footed field goal? Guy asked me, I was like, say 80 yards. Just walk away?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, like left footed. Like I'm right footed, pal.

[Pat McAfee]

Like. Yeah, no, but I, I mean that was something too, you know, that was, that was always fun at those kicking camps too. Let me go ahead and line up.

[Adam Schefter]

I get soccer. I bet you could get good kicking.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I could hit from 50 right now. I think if I had to, like if I really, really. Oh yeah, I think I hit for 50 right now. But I'm telling you, I kicked that soccer ball out of that stadium down in Carry North Carolina. Ripped my hip flexor and that thing just ripped. So I, I don't think I should Be doing that anymore. I think it's prob. No, I'm retiring from soccer.

[Ty Schmidt]

There you go.

[Boston Connor]

Not you're done bringing it.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm done bringing it in soccer.

[Gumpy]

What are you going to do? Co you going to be a coach?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Maybe we'll see where it all comes about. Maybe we never go to carry North Carolina again.

[Ty Schmidt]

That'd be a real shame. Be a real shame.

[Pat McAfee]

Ty, you loved it down there. I did.

[Ty Schmidt]

I did. It's one of those things are you experience it once, is it going to be able to live. Live up to it next time? Fat chance.

[Gumpy]

Sounds like Ty didn't enjoy that trip.

[Ty Schmidt]

I did.

[Pat McAfee]

He wasn't there with the concave of boys, though. Late night. You didn't get a chance to experience the arena boys.

[Ty Schmidt]

I did a couple nights.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah? It was a good time.

[Gumpy]

Who all went?

[Ty Schmidt]

It was a good time.

[Pat McAfee]

We had a whole crew down there.

[Ty Schmidt]

I think everybody went.

[Pat McAfee]

AJ Was down there, too. It was fun.

[Adam Schefter]

Honestly, it was most fun soccer I've ever watched. By far.

[Ty Schmidt]

Without a doubt.

[AJ Hawk]

For sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Maybe we do get a team back in there.

[Gumpy]

How many goals?

[Adam Schefter]

The coach. Gumpy was one of the coaches, Kirk.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think so.

[Ty Schmidt]

J.J. watt almost killed some poor old bastard who was a security guard working there.

[Pat McAfee]

Tried to fight him out.

[Gumpy]

Gump was a coach.

[Pat McAfee]

Got a yellow card two times. Gaffa got two yellow cards. Yeah. Tony Mul. Tony Mul is asking a question to the ref, and Gumpy's in the back. You can't. You don't even know the rules. Come on, man. Come on, man. Come on. Best MLS ref in the league. I was told the guy. That guy sucked. The guy passed the yellow card down the line. Hey, will you tell the manager down there that he has gotten a yellow card. He cannot get another one. He'll be ejected. It's like, all right, tell him back. You still suck. Send it down. Send it down. What a time. What a time. J.J. you remember when J.J. asked, how many goals do you think you're going to score? I was like, goals.

[AJ Hawk]

You want to bet who scores more goals?

[Pat McAfee]

I was like, what? How many? J. And he did. He almost scored one.

[Ty Schmidt]

He almost did.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. He almost scored one.

[Gumpy]

They scored Soccer. I. I've just always seen kicks on Go. I've never seen Easy.

[Darius Butler]

Her baseball.

[Aaron Rodgers]

I've never seen Go.

[Gumpy]

I've never seen a goal.

[Adam Schefter]

I've just seen on highlights, though. Maybe on highlights you'll see it.

[Gumpy]

Oh, highlights.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Kirk, what was that? I forget what soccer game. It was zero. Zero Obviously, it was a. It was a big one. Run and Kurt goes.

[Gumpy]

It's like five shots on goal.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's what he said. Exactly. Hey, it's like five shots on goal. I think there was two corner kicks, right? We're close.

[Gumpy]

It was Good.

[Pat McAfee]

We're close. 95 minutes. Yes.

[Darius Butler]

Five shots on. That's pretty good, to be fair.

[Pat McAfee]

That is pretty good. Yeah. Each team gets five.

[Darius Butler]

That's pretty good.

[Pat McAfee]

Five saves, 10 shots. Tim Howard back there. All right, Herbie, good luck with this week. I'll see you.

[Gumpy]

Hey, happy holiday days, brother. All you guys. Where will we see you guys next?

[Pat McAfee]

Pasadena. Rose Bowl.

[Ty Schmidt]

Rose Bowl.

[Gumpy]

Is everybody coming to Pasadena?

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. We got a. We got an alt cast thing. Simulcast thing.

[Gumpy]

Awesome. You'll be warm.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

You'll be good.

[Pat McAfee]

Last year, when we were doing Rose bowl, that was the dumbest thing we had been a part of. Pretty neat, just on the field with how good that game was, and it was Saban's last game. You know, hindsightness.

[Gumpy]

Oh, my God, that was wild. Were you guys behind the end zone in overtime there when Blake Corum scored? And that was incredible.

[Pat McAfee]

Great theater. Hey, cinema.

[AJ Hawk]

It was truly.

[Ty Schmidt]

It was truly absolute scenes.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that game always start at the time that it's starting this year?

[Gumpy]

Always. Every year, same time. Yeah. It's like 5:18 Eastern.

[Darius Butler]

Makes sense.

[Pat McAfee]

He'll be calling it live from the Kirk Her Street Family booth up. Up on top of the Rose Bowl.

[Gumpy]

San Gabriel Mountains, Sunset.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, my God.

[Gumpy]

Like a purple glow.

[AJ Hawk]

Chills right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Cotton candy, they say. Cotton candy.

[Gumpy]

Cotton candy clouds.

[Ty Schmidt]

B52 overhead bombers.

[Pat McAfee]

What was it? Yeah, the stealth bomber. Oh, and then the grass. You can eat it. So grass.

[Gumpy]

They. I think they get the grass from Augusta National.

[Darius Butler]

They might.

[Pat McAfee]

That makes sense.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, that's what it looks like to me.

[Darius Butler]

Places.

[Pat McAfee]

That's next week. We'll see you then. You got a game? Seahawks, Bears on Thursday?

[Gumpy]

Yeah, I got a game Thursday night. You guys want to come on over to Chicago?

[Boston Connor]

Big game?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, we don't. Yeah, right.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, no, no. I watch it, though. For sure.

[Pat McAfee]

We don't. Z might take you up on that, though. Z might drive up there to watch it. You know, get a.

[Gumpy]

Come on, Z.

[Pat McAfee]

That'll be.

[Gumpy]

Bring Gump.

[Pat McAfee]

You got.

[Gumpy]

He bets on everything. He'll be in.

[Pat McAfee]

Dialed in, I think. Z. I. I'm not going to speak. Speak for Gump because maybe he will want to travel up there to see that, but I think Gump's okay watching that one from the house. Yeah, I think I'll put my feet up for that one. Yeah. I appreciate the offer, though. Herbie. Road trip. Was he. Is he in the booth with you guys or what? You maybe get a house?

[Gumpy]

Yeah, he can hang out. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

We're in the middle of conversations with Amazon right now, actually.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Oh, good. Well, actually, yeah, let's talk about that. How's that going?

[Pat McAfee]

Very fascinating situation. Very fascinating situation. There's a couple documentaries. A lot of the documentaries are show. I own show. I didn't sign off on any of that, you know, so.

[Gumpy]

So it's going well.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I'm just. I just have questions. I just ask questions. That's all my. Because I like the people over there. I think they've all been incredibly great. They've been very nice to me. So I just ask questions. You know, I'm just like, so how. So when did. Is there any. So that's awesome. It's been good. It's opened up doors again, though, for the people at Amazon, you know, to awesome. Rekindle the conversation. It's awesome.

[Gumpy]

That'd be huge.

[Pat McAfee]

It's going good. It's going good. It's going good.

[Gumpy]

Good, man.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know. I don't know how we got to this point, though. Just in the world. Sure. That we're in.

[Gumpy]

I think it'd be a great fit, personally. You guys would do great.

[Pat McAfee]

No, that's nowhere near what we're talking. Talking about. We're talking. We're talking about our show being used for and stolen. Yeah. Believe stolen is what is could be potentially viewed that way. You know.

[Gumpy]

And I got you.

[Pat McAfee]

I think that is. But it's been a lot of people trying to. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. So it's been good. We'll watch on Thursday nights still.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, I have to.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So Sea Locks Bears definitely have to. Seahawks need that one. They do.

[Gumpy]

Seahawks got to get it.

[Pat McAfee]

Got to get it for the good of ball. Seahawks need that one.

[AJ Hawk]

Caleb might figure it out.

[Pat McAfee]

Caleb. There's a stat about Caleb. There's like nine games where he hasn't thrown a pick or something straight y long and they've lost them all. Yep.

[Boston Connor]

That's wild.

[Pat McAfee]

That is wild.

[Boston Connor]

He is taking care of the program. So that's a positive.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right. Is could change Thursday. We'll see what. Hell yeah. It's okay.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, as the guy still pot in every other possession.

[Pat McAfee]

Ladies and gentlemen, the voice of college football and Thursday night football on Amazon. Kirk. Herb Street.

[Gumpy]

Hey, boys.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, Kirk. That is a fascinating dilemma with the documentary.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

It's very fascinating what they want to use. They want to just free used footage from the show.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And it's like everybody that's ever asked, it's just been like, cool, cool, cool. Thank you. Honor, honor, honor. This one just not even even asked. And then just like, hey, you want to take a look at our new doc? And then you watch it and it's like, oh, I'm. We're a part of this documentary. It's like, that's not how this world works. I don't think so. So I just have some questions. How'd we get here? That's all. That question goes to there, you know, and that once again, those are the things that, like, I'm dealing with in an email world that I. I assume everybody else that compares their shit to us is doing as well. But that's like, that's just, you know, interesting stuff. I'm learning new stuff every day. That's right. Learning new stuff every day in this one. I think we're in a really good spot.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

From what I've been told.

[Adam Schefter]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Could be good. How about this?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, there you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Put us on as a producer. We'd like EP on this thing. We like credit, you know, we're basically telling the story for you here. You're welcome. Would have been nice just to rip that and I guess just use it and sell it to a big platform for a lot of money.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Huge.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody should do that. Yeah. Not a bad idea. I don't think that's how the world works. But I do appreciate that you guys thought that that was okay, but let's bore swords down. Let's go ahead and make this happen and let's move forward and that's what's going to happen.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Quick timeline. Quick timeline. It has to. It is going to get very, very, very quick.

[Boston Connor]

Timelines are good sometimes.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Deadlines spread.

[Boston Connor]

Action.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. In this one, you would have thought there would have been some action spurred maybe before movie was made. That should have been deadline.

[AJ Hawk]

Would have been smart.

[Pat McAfee]

That would have been good. This has happened before with documentaries.

[Ty Schmidt]

It certainly has, hasn't.

[Pat McAfee]

It?

[Ty Schmidt]

Certainly has.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's take a break. Make our picks on the other side. Cover every storyline we haven't talked about yet. And then more. Oh, yeah. Then we also got overreactions from round X. Cannot wait for these. Because this wasn't just NFL. No. This was all ball. Mm. Yeah. We got some college ones.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh, there's some good ones. Yeah, that's.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

You opening up some passionate College fans, I would imagine it's pretty good.

[Pat McAfee]

And now's a good time to open it up too, you know, because there's. Oh, everybody's pissed about the matchups and the seatings. Let's hear it. Let's hear it. It's nice to know these. He is wonderful. That's AJ Hawk, the toxic tables here at Boston. Connor and that Ty Schmidt, one half of the Hammer Dad Cowboys is here. A nine year NFL vet, host of Everything D. I was gonna say Everything D. This guy's talking all these lives.

[AJ Hawk]

With the D all day expert.

[Pat McAfee]

All things D all the time, ladies and gentlemen. Everything DB Good D Bad D. Host Darius J. Bro Way. Let's go.

[Boston Connor]

Appreciate you, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, D Butts, you know the good news about what's about to take place? We're about to learn what every fan base truly feels because we put out a bird call. We say, hey listen, football fans, utilize this overreaction Monday, this particular tweet as an opportunity to kind of, you know, air out your grievances. Happy Festivus, if you will, in this particular tweet. And it ended up being a number four overall trend, that being the hashtag. I don't want to overreact, but we appreciate everybody for participating on this Christmas Eve Eve. And obviously football is heating up. There's a lot to chat about. Ty, how we're the tweets this morning.

[Ty Schmidt]

Not bad.

[Pat McAfee]

We get.

[Ty Schmidt]

We're at the point of the season now though. We're, you know, 85% of fan bases have just packed it in like they're, they're past overreacting because they, they don't have a shot anymore, you know, but.

[Pat McAfee]

So standard reaction is we're dead.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Pat McAfee]

So the overreaction, what else could it be? Exactly. Got it. Okay, let's get to some that you picked out. Here's from Nick Moral to Frankie. Signed in the back there at Frankie sticks at Paisano. I don't wanna overreact, but it's over. Get ready for a ride here. Tomlin got his winning season and Rush tried to go Mr. Unlimited and fumbled the game away. He was shaken about score a touchdown, big shot to his hip, ball comes out. Three of the four in the secondary are dead. George Pickens is never playing again. Ben Skoronic was feasting his wide receiver one until another soft tissue injury hit this team facing the 141 Chiefs in a surprisingly healthy mahomes on Christmas day. Get ready for coal, Pittsburgh. We're getting nothing but coal. Wait a minute. What do you do with a ton of coal? You forge cold, hard steel. We're back. Here we go, Steelers. Here we go. Go. Wow, Nick, that was quite a ride. It's almost like you had to talk yourself into it there. Whenever you stumbled into the coal situation and then was reminded about steel, how good did that feel? Because it felt like you were giving up hope there for a little bit. That felt like some genuine, you know, despair. Until you found the steel through the coal, pal.

[Gumpy]

Spot on, Pat.

[Pat McAfee]

You absolutely nailed the motions that were going through typing that up because you see a lot of doom and gloom out there. But we said this was going to happen.

[Darius Butler]

We said two weeks ago, you know.

[Pat McAfee]

They'Ve got this stretch of games, three games in 11 days against a really hard opponent and they have not fared well. They battled a lot of injuries and it hasn't worked out great. But here we go. Another chance to reset the narrative on Christmas in front of the nation, in front of the world. World. World, Craig. Yeah, world. And do something special. Patrick Mahomes is very healthy, though. Though it doesn't feel like.

[Darius Butler]

Yes, interesting.

[Pat McAfee]

And they're coming off covering and winning and looking really good. Really, really good. Real health, which hasn't happened.

[Boston Connor]

Really?

[Pat McAfee]

What's that?

[AJ Hawk]

He's real health.

[Pat McAfee]

They fixed their whole line too. Remember AQ said they couldn't do that. Well, AQ is gloom and doom about the Chiefs because a lot of people were praying for the chief's downfall. I do believe, you know, even though they were the number one seed, had the best record in the NFL and they're the back to back super bowl champions, everybody say this team stinks, though. Look at the way they win. They win stupid ways.

[AJ Hawk]

Can't score 30 points.

[Pat McAfee]

Haven't scored 30 points. That's a fact. I didn't make it up. That's an actual stat. They haven't scored them in the New York Football Giants. So you tell us if that's good football or not. And then all of a sudden, whenever it's starting to matter here now, we wonder if this is just going to be how this chief season goes.

[Boston Connor]

They'll figure it out.

[Pat McAfee]

Patrick Mahomes is moving. He is.

[Boston Connor]

Is. It's 0% chance Patrick Mahomes has high ankle sprain.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Boston Connor]

I'll be the one to say 0.0percent chance he has a high ankle spring. Is it a sprain?

[AJ Hawk]

You call him a fake?

[Boston Connor]

Absolutely. I'm not calling.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you were calling him with the sign you were making.

[Boston Connor]

What did I say? We know he's A what you say.

[Darius Butler]

It'S like a look at me situation?

[Boston Connor]

No, I wouldn't say that. Not about Patrick. Not about the great Patrick Holmes, but no way. Well, if he would be the only person in history of football I've ever. He move that quickly, that great after having a high spring. Maybe jealous blood, but low an bad injury. But they will figure it out like they always.

[Pat McAfee]

He's different. Yeah, he's different. He's different. He's different. Andy Reid said he thinks he has loose joints. That could be something. And if he has that, I assume he's worked on it and I assume he's working on his ankle every single minute that he is awake because that's how committed he is to his craft and that's how tough he is.

[Boston Connor]

Absolutely.

[AJ Hawk]

So if that's the case, then he didn't get his lineman nose gifts. Someone else did what he did.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you think he was one. One here, did he not? One here. Yeah, one there. What are you talking about?

[AJ Hawk]

So he's not even. He doesn't care.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, you think he picked up those boxes, wrapped them all individually? I'm assuming not.

[Ty Schmidt]

I hope so.

[Pat McAfee]

Any offensive lineman didn't expect him to do that either because we're trying to win a game. Trying to win a third straight. Lombardi. He was on the phone though. Facetiming too. He was doing one of these, one of these, and he's getting one of them on there. So he was doing it all. I mean, football.

[AJ Hawk]

Joe Tunley is the star of that team. He's the guy that's going on.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that?

[AJ Hawk]

Left tackle, Tuney.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[AJ Hawk]

Joe Dunley? Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Also known as Joe Tonley.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Okay, see, that's what I'm talking about. He does have a high ankle sprain. He's just coming back quicker than everybody because he's got actual Wolverine ring blood. He's. He's got the heart of a champion, you know, that's what his heart says. But it is fascinating that he. He recovers faster, quicker and better than anybody, anybody.

[AJ Hawk]

I'm Mahomes guy. It's just like, hey, you don't have to do all this.

[Pat McAfee]

Do what? You know, he got bent back in half, remember? Yeah, exactly.

[AJ Hawk]

You don't have to do all the. After that happens.

[Ty Schmidt]

I mean, he's taking pay cuts and stuff like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Look at him. Look at him. You think he's healthy right there? Do you see that?

[Boston Connor]

No, he's not.

[AJ Hawk]

Look at this. Yeah, look at this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, sir. He certainly helps straight though.

[Adam Schefter]

Hey, he Is running straight, though. You know, we have an ankle sprain. Like, you can run right now. Yeah, you run straight. Straight's okay. When you start. Go side to side, it's a little tougher.

[Ty Schmidt]

He just sit there, like, straight.

[Pat McAfee]

He ran straight right there.

[Adam Schefter]

Hey, what he did, though, in that quarterback, when they showed him what he did during the season, those crazy workouts was nuts to me. Like, all the running and, like, the diagonal running and striding stuff he's doing.

[Pat McAfee]

In season, I said, how does he have his energy? Like, he's got an extra workout on top of the practices and the workouts that are happening in the facility. He's doing these extra workouts on, like, Sunday night. Wasn't he doing them, like, after the game?

[Adam Schefter]

Maybe even Monday, multiple times a week. I feel like he's going, like, late at night and working out with that dude. Like, this guy, man. There's a reason Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes.

[Pat McAfee]

So maybe he. Maybe a high ankle sprain is a little different for Patrick.

[AJ Hawk]

Maybe this ain't the first one.

[Boston Connor]

First what?

[AJ Hawk]

Remember he got carried off earlier in the year, too? And last, he's got loose ankles.

[Pat McAfee]

They said loose ankles. That's why he can. Exactly. They're going to win it all again. And everybody's going to be like, n.

[Boston Connor]

If they win it all again this year.

[AJ Hawk]

I hope not.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, that. That. The. The conversation. I'm not even going to start.

[Pat McAfee]

Watch it. Not. Not what? No, go ahead.

[Boston Connor]

No, no, no. I'm not even going to go there.

[Darius Butler]

They're not winning.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you. What are. Conversation.

[Boston Connor]

No, I'm just. I'll stay in the moment.

[AJ Hawk]

He's saying he's a great football player.

[Boston Connor]

I'll see him on Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

Talk about D. That's why. Oh, you want to call him the goat.

[Boston Connor]

I would. I play with Tom Birdie.

[Pat McAfee]

But you were thinking about it and then you remembered that you played with Tom. The.

[Boston Connor]

The overall conversation around the sport. People that will start to be more of a conversation.

[Pat McAfee]

Three straight. Nobody's ever done it. He did it before. He's 30 years old.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. I mean, he's great. Greatest of his generation, for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

He's already starting. I'll say for those who. If they win it this year, though, you would. Three feet with how they've looked. You know, the entire thing. Defense always going to show up for him. Seemingly in the playoffs, too. Mag's going to be able to get it done.

[Boston Connor]

McDuffie got his first two interceptions of his career. He's been in all pro these last couple weeks. I mean, if Josh.

[AJ Hawk]

If his elbows actually hurt, they have to do a Salem wish trial in Kansas City. Dead serious.

[Pat McAfee]

Some of us go going on that shouldn't be happening.

[AJ Hawk]

There's some drones. Maybe that's what the drones are doing. They're taking nuclear waste over to Kansas City from New Jersey.

[Pat McAfee]

What? Because you're saying the block field goal in the dog into this and call this. And the ankles coming back quicker than ever.

[AJ Hawk]

The whole thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Listen to the irony of a New England Patriots fan doing this type of contract. Because this is how it was.

[AJ Hawk]

I completely agree.

[Pat McAfee]

And I.

[AJ Hawk]

And I lived it. But guess what? This is a Chiefs. So them.

[Pat McAfee]

What? They're good. They're a good team.

[AJ Hawk]

I agree. I agree. I don't root for him, though. So, like, no.

[Adam Schefter]

People hate for some reason.

[Pat McAfee]

Hate. Yeah. Because they could control the weather up there. You remember up in New England. Oh, yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh, yeah. But everyone. Why do people like, man, I don't want to see the Chiefs win anymore. Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Why? Because, yeah, the Yankees back. Yankees.

[AJ Hawk]

I think it's because there are other teams in the NFL that are so likable. Like, as a Patriots fan, I should hate the Bills, but I don't because they are so likable. The Lions, so likable. Like, you want to see those teams win. And like we talk about all the time. Like, there's the. The time to win for certain teams is so small. So it's like in a year like this where those teams have been so great and the Chiefs are quietly about to 15 and 1, that I think that's what feeds into it.

[Pat McAfee]

Versus.

[AJ Hawk]

Versus, like the hate. Personally, I know there are people out there that are like, fuck the Chiefs. Anybody but the Chiefs. Personally. It's just because the other teams out there that haven't won a Super bowl are so likable. Like, I want them to win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

[Pat McAfee]

To your point, it's just like Joe Buck or any of these commentators are hated because they're the voice of like the worst times for a lot of these sports fans. Like, so they have to say the worst time. They're the ones that are celebrating the other team in your face and how fans feel it in your worst. These dominant teams have given every other team basically their worst time at some point, you know, especially if they play for like, the Patriots had beat Steelers fans hated Patriots. Colts fans hated the Patriots. Everybody hated the Patriots. Ravens fans hated the Patriots. Everybody hated them in the AFC because at some point the Patriots delivered them the worst day. Whenever they had their biggest opportunity or their most hope, they. The Patriots usually came in and just. Nope. And then they went on to win. And then there's all these other things that start coming alongside of it, you know, are other places having a ball conversation or other places having a spy conversation or other places having all these things just start coming up. And all the teams can believe it because once again, this team gave me the worst day, week of my life with what they did to them. And when you do it for that long, you're going to get everybody.

[AJ Hawk]

You know that?

[Pat McAfee]

You're going to get everybody. Like the Chiefs, they're getting. Remember Titans at one point, Derek Henry. That's how this whole thing kind of. Yeah. Started with Tannehill. They hate him. Titans, if they get back, being good again.

[Darius Butler]

Texans were up 24 nothing.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. If they get back into the. Their fans already hate the Chiefs because the Chiefs fucking ruined their last hope that they had. It's like that's how long they've been doing it. And it's nowhere near as long as what the Patriots did. Nowhere near as long as the Yankees had their run for nowhere. Nowhere near as long as the Lakers run. I guess back in the day, it's like all those teams were delivering bad days to people for a long, long, long time. Yeah. And it feels like the Chiefs are that team now.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Everyone hates and it is on top of the mountain.

[AJ Hawk]

Like, it's cool, but just, you know, there's so many other cool teams.

[Pat McAfee]

You have to be a heel, though, I think. No.

[AJ Hawk]

No matter what.

[Darius Butler]

There's no one likable on the team.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[Boston Connor]

What team?

[AJ Hawk]

I love Joe Tunley.

[Darius Butler]

Joe Tunley is nice.

[Pat McAfee]

I love Travis. I like Patrick.

[Boston Connor]

Me too.

[AJ Hawk]

Chris Jones, Mahomes.

[Darius Butler]

I would love if Chris Jones is.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, I love Andy Reid. I love Spags. I love to. I love, love Spags. Love him.

[AJ Hawk]

I mean, Justin Reed.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Kicks.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Love them.

[Darius Butler]

I guess you're right. Yeah, they are.

[Pat McAfee]

Drew.

[Adam Schefter]

Tranquil. Tranquil is under the radar.

[AJ Hawk]

It's just the ankle stuff.

[Pat McAfee]

That's for you. You're nitpicking right now to love it. Anyways. Go, Chiefs, go. Congrats, you're healthy. We're happy. You're healthy for Christmas. Netflix is happy. Patrick Mahomes, ankle what?

[AJ Hawk]

Netflix. Shoot him up with some Netflix juice.

[Pat McAfee]

Good question. Yeah. Let's get to another overreaction, shall we? This one's from Gumpy. Hashtag, I don't want to overreact. I might have announced the Dolphin season Was Jover too early, pal? Fire up the playoffs graphic. We are lurking. Hashtag go Finns pull up the playoffs bracket for the afc. Look who is lurking. We're so back. There is a path.

[Darius Butler]

There is a very clear path for.

[Pat McAfee]

Us to make it. See the Broncos to lose both their.

[Darius Butler]

Games and the Colts to drop one as well.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, we'll take care of our business.

[Darius Butler]

We'll win out.

[Pat McAfee]

There's no problem with that. Big win over the Niners. You were celebrating pretty hard, huh? We ran the ball for the first time in a long time and it felt good. Our O line looked a lot better.

[Darius Butler]

We are back.

[Pat McAfee]

Be nice if Tyreek caught those passes. But I fell asleep for about a quarter and a half of that one and I woke up and saw the score and was like what I was. I was mind blown that it became what it did in the Dolphins favor. Tyreek said, bear, time to let me go on coach. What do you say? He said he's gonna go coach like Teddy Bridgewater.

[AJ Hawk]

Time for me to go.

[Pat McAfee]

Time for me to go.

[Boston Connor]

He got in the paint. He has some drops, but he got in the paint in paid an homage to Teddy Bridgewater with the old celly. So they are lurk.

[Pat McAfee]

He is talking about coaching. Then Teddy Bridgewater paying his tributes to him. Teddy Bridgewater just coming in, going an undefeated win title and then saying I'm coming back.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Leaving the boys in the lurch. I don't know if I love that.

[Pat McAfee]

But there's a lot of seniors on that team. He said, boys, one last run here.

[Ty Schmidt]

What about the underclassmen who busted their ass all year for him?

[Darius Butler]

We're hoping.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hey, you know, I'm gonna have coach Bridgewater drawn up X's nose. You know, great plays for me next year. And what. What's he doing? He's gonna go be a backup quarterback in the league against one and done.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, Coach. What?

[Ty Schmidt]

That's kind of.

[Pat McAfee]

That's. Daddy brought greatness to that time. Without a doubt that school that going back back after he's done playing backup.

[Darius Butler]

Snip snap, snip snap.

[Ty Schmidt]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's literally part of the deal. What are you talking about? All year he found his love of football to be at an all time high.

[Adam Schefter]

He probably told him going in too. Hey guys, we're gonna go win that. We're gonna win it all and then you're gonna watch me play on TV next year.

[Darius Butler]

He's found his calling. It's coaching.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, he's a coach.

[Pat McAfee]

Sounds like he is A phenomenal coach. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

In the table to win in South Florida.

[AJ Hawk]

Are you kidding me?

[Adam Schefter]

Like how many? He probably had 50 NFL guys he's.

[Pat McAfee]

Playing against and it was 411 zip. Is that right? The final.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Darius Butler]

He's a great coach.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo.

[Adam Schefter]

I want to see him play again.

[Pat McAfee]

Me too. I want to see him spin it because remember, his career was certainly cut off at a certain injury nowhere derailed.

[Adam Schefter]

Brutal.

[Ty Schmidt]

A couple more of those years this guy's been coaching at Florida or Florida State.

[Darius Butler]

Bingo.

[Boston Connor]

He's already getting offers. College offer.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly. He wants to go be the backup quarterback for the jets for, you know, four months.

[Boston Connor]

Hey, you can only play for so long. All right.

[Pat McAfee]

Love of the. The game.

[Boston Connor]

30 years, what he's done.

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know. They might get some new hot shot in there.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know if any of them are going to go clean sweeping. Her first year. 41 nothing. I think his job in the future as a coach is okay.

[Ty Schmidt]

I hope so.

[Pat McAfee]

You said Florida or Florida State.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, just if he wants to stay.

[Pat McAfee]

In the back about Miami.

[Adam Schefter]

Well, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Coach Crystal, you think they're going to let him go back to Louisville over.

[Pat McAfee]

That D.C. that D.C. going nowhere.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, you're right.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, how about Kirk mentioning the Hurricanes there whenever he's talking about teams that could have been left out? Felt like he did it. So it's not just SEC teams, but yeah. Still Miami had the opportunity. I would, I would love to have a. But we lost to Syracuse and Georgia Tech. We knew that couldn't happen. You know, I just, I would have loved to see Cam Ward in the playoff.

[Darius Butler]

Probably would have been electrifying.

[Pat McAfee]

But we lost games we should have won and you can't do that. I love.

[Boston Connor]

Well said.

[Pat McAfee]

I love that as he was listing off the teams, you know, the Tennessee was the biggest loss. It's like you kind of counter every argument whenever you do that. Like seeing how the entire first round went was very pivotal to the conversation about, hey, are these right, are these wrong? Who's in, who's out? And it's like, did South Car. Would South Carolina play better in Columbus, Ohio this past week? It maybe like there's. But this entire college season there's been wild upsets that have happened. Oregon's the only one that hasn't really been caught. But every other than. And they had a close one in Wisconsin. I think I was like everybody else has been got, you know, so it's like impossible to make the absolute fact argument for anybody because there's been off weeks for everybody. So just to assume that a team's going to win over another team is wild. But in the first round the teams that normally like Penn State, that's a huge win for them. But they could have lost that game.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Also it just shows how huge home field advantage is.

[Darius Butler]

Like no one's talking about that. Maybe home field advantage in college football.

[Pat McAfee]

For a playoff game is massive and maybe the weather is a huge deal. Exactly. Maybe all of it is affecting of it. So will it ever get right or are we staring down potential. Potential first round blowouts for the future.

[Boston Connor]

In the field expanded bigger.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I was about to say it's getting. It's only getting bigger. There's no chance it goes down to eight, right?

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[AJ Hawk]

Damn it.

[Pat McAfee]

No.

[AJ Hawk]

Definitely not going down. But I wonder if the results will change.

[Pat McAfee]

The expansion thought well now you got at least three teams that are mad that they weren't in. So a easy answer could be well if we open that up they in anyway.

[AJ Hawk]

So then we have our answer to going to 16.

[Pat McAfee]

14 probably. Right.

[AJ Hawk]

And they're still. There's still one of those teams.

[Pat McAfee]

No matter what.

[Adam Schefter]

They'll always be those teams though.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

You think no matter how many you put in there's going to be people that just got left out and say what are you talking about? We would have dominated these guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Darius Butler]

Aaron said they did it with 68.

[AJ Hawk]

In basketball cuz like even in this teams I forgot with 16 at least you then get the four Bama, Ole Miss, Miami, South Carolina, who 14. Two of those are still out and they're still bitching.

[Pat McAfee]

Figure the champions not getting a buy. I think is going to be a change.

[AJ Hawk]

Just rank them.

[Boston Connor]

Maybe just do away with conference championship.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, the conference championships just rank them 1 to 16.

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa, can't do that.

[Boston Connor]

Why not?

[Pat McAfee]

Massive in college football you can't. Could have got into the Big Ten one for 15 bucks. Watch the show. It was a good show. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

You can still have the game but like the automatic buys I think you just get rid of those and just rank them one to.

[Pat McAfee]

You were talking about in Toad. Totally.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh I. Yeah, that's dope.

[Boston Connor]

North south division, east west division.

[Pat McAfee]

You want to get rid of bracket. What's this?

[AJ Hawk]

The NFL?

[Boston Connor]

I mean Notre Dame they. They don't have to worry. They just went out and get. You know like it's not. I mean I don't like it but look you can't make everybody happy.

[Pat McAfee]

You can't.

[Adam Schefter]

You never will.

[AJ Hawk]

You can try.

[Pat McAfee]

You got to remember The SEC championship down there. That place is alive. Yeah. That is a. You know. Yeah. So it's a little. Little different down there when it comes to the champion conference championship. But you're talking like you don't think the Big 12 championship matters to West Virginia University.

[Boston Connor]

Sure it does. Thank you acc.

[Pat McAfee]

There's also a good tweet. It was like imagine if Ryan did day was on Twitter and they didn't make it saying go Penn State and James Franklin. Like that's what Lane Kiffin was doing. It was.

[Adam Schefter]

You don't think Ryan would do that.

[Pat McAfee]

I doubt it.

[AJ Hawk]

Age like Kiffin's just having a little zany fun.

[Pat McAfee]

I ain't giving good on X. He knows what's going to start a pot.

[Darius Butler]

He didn't tweet anything after the test. He gave me Fine Bomb.

[Pat McAfee]

Fine Bomb hasn't tweeted in days actually anybody heard from really so did they even didn't think that that was possible. They thought Tennessee was winning for sure. What?

[Darius Butler]

Boy oh boy were they.

[Pat McAfee]

They were in a big way.

[AJ Hawk]

They didn't feel that cold.

[Boston Connor]

I thought it was gonna be close.

[Pat McAfee]

Me too. Actually I did.

[Darius Butler]

Ohio State is a monster when they are not playing a team that was.

[Pat McAfee]

Wearing amazing blue and they don't have to for the rest of the year. Bingo. They do gotta play Sco docks. Sco do Sco docks. We saw that team. They are.

[Adam Schefter]

That's going to be a game man. That's going to be awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

That is going to be a physical game. I'm very excited. Jack Sawyer. I enjoyed. I enjoyed watching him play football.

[Boston Connor]

Oh yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I enjoyed watching him play jtt.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah dog man.

[Adam Schefter]

They were wrecking shop from the first play of the game. Like the whole D line everyone. The backers.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah they're.

[Adam Schefter]

Everybody played very well. Obviously.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah I think that's a good. I think everybody played well for Ohio State. Chip Kelly bag needs to keep doing that age. Why is he. What are we doing? You would.

[Adam Schefter]

You would think they would right Try.

[AJ Hawk]

Losing might have helped him.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah because now we go to we got self scout. I didn't like him throwing incompletions what four minutes left or something like that.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh they had back had different guys in trying to get some reps us.

[Pat McAfee]

Me yelling at Chip Kelly on the podcast is awesome. I wonder if that's made its way to him. Hey did you hear this is the. This is AJ Hogg McAfee and the guys calling the game. Here's your four minutes left. Chip Kelly, you son of a bitch. Fuck. We're on the fucking ball. Let's get out of here. Up there in your nice little suite. Your box must be nice, Chip. Must be nice. They kicked ass.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Oregon's been waiting. Let's go to another of reaction, shall we? This is from J.T. court at the only O.J.

[Adam Schefter]

Whoa.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that because the other one died?

[Ty Schmidt]

I assume so. But he probably has had this, you know, handle for quite some time.

[Boston Connor]

Recipes, Juice.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of people weren't saying that. A lot of people, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Why don't you give a trick resting. You love Juice so much.

[Pat McAfee]

Hashtag I don't overreact, but bad weekend to be a Tennessee sports fan. Epic bad. Toaster Bath bed. Pretty good. Merry Christmas to the fan base that always shows up but never gets a payoff. Find me face first in a punch bowl for the next six months. I like O.J.

[Adam Schefter]

Pretty good.

[Pat McAfee]

I like J.T. court here. I'll tell you what. Toaster Bath B is a good way to describe some things that I've never heard before. Got a pretty good pop out of me. Titans lose, obviously, to the Colts in a 3830 shootout. Tennessee Volunteers lose, obviously, though. I stayed in a. A blowout, but a lot of them traveled up to the cold to support, and I got nothing but respect for the Tennessee Volunteers fan. Were there a lot of UT reactions on it?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I'd say more like smu. No one from SMU really said anything. I think it was kind of just like a happy to be here type deal. But Tennessee. I think most Tennessee fans anticipated they were going to go into the Horseshoe and win.

[Pat McAfee]

Really? Yeah. So we on game day, all picked up Ohio State, so I just assume that's how everybody felt, you know, because normally the panel is pretty good indicator of how everybody kind of feels. There was a lot of people that thought Tennessee was going to win that game.

[Ty Schmidt]

I think so.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

I think so.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Because of the Michigan game, for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Because of what had just happened. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

And like, how it just seemed like, all right, everyone's done with that team.

[Pat McAfee]

And they're going to say that they just said the cold was nothing. Like, it's all mindset. That's what the players were saying.

[Ty Schmidt]

Remember y.

[Pat McAfee]

We were jogging by or walking by, and they're like, he just. I was like, you cold? Hey, just a mindset screamed in my face. I'm like, all right. Hypothermias.

[Adam Schefter]

I wish. Hey, there was a girl standing next to me. We were. When Jack Sawyer was standing there, went off yelling at all the players. The Tennessee players. There was a girl a foot away from me yelling at every single Tennessee player. This Ohio State. I don't know who she was barking and she was the. The greatest. Like, just telling him, what do you.

[Pat McAfee]

You look like you're on the JV team.

[Adam Schefter]

You need to get in a weight room or you want to call it, like, just really hurtful things. Right to these dudes faces. She's making eye contact.

[Boston Connor]

Two, like barely two feet away too. It wasn't like, you know, you yelling from the. The crowd or behind the gate or something like right here.

[AJ Hawk]

It was me to talk.

[Boston Connor]

Get in the weight room little.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, it was awesome.

[Boston Connor]

Next YouTube Ohio State guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Where's.

[Adam Schefter]

Where's your varsity team? Awesome.

[AJ Hawk]

It was.

[Pat McAfee]

They're on the field.

[Ty Schmidt]

They got as they were pregame tunnel.

[Pat McAfee]

So they got access to the field somehow. Awesome. I'm sure Tennessee hype was like we got three women telling us to hit the waiver as we're going into our. Into our locker room at that. On the field right there, I saw A.J. hawk. I think I saw Darius Baller got a cowboy. And then there was these three leg. And then Jack Sawyer came over from the. So Jack was on the one side and they were on the other. Oh, yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

They had a funnel. We had a funnel of people just. Just killing him. Yeah, it was crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Just killing him. Jack Sawyer was not scared at all. Did you see the original video? There's a guy from Tennessee. He might be a graduate assistant or a player that was not in pads. He like, turned quick, I think, to try to. And Sawyer just sat there and just like, ate it. This guy's like this far away from his face, like, blocking the Tennessee players from Jack Sawyer. In the clip that I saw, the guy definitely turned with a. Like an attempt to make flinch. That's how it all started was. Was that I was watching it happen. It was when you guys were getting miked up and stuff and. And that guy turned. He was like going through the tunnel. He was almost there and turned around and come back and do that. Yeah, he, like, tried and it wasn't. It was just like. Like he was standing like this. And then there was a turn like that you like a quick like a pump turn. And Jack was like standing right there. And you see Jack. See him? And Jack did like, like stopped for a second, but then he just kept on like swaying back and forth. And then I think that was. Yeah, it was. Jack Sawyer is a dog. I really enjoy the flag situation that happened with Michigan. I understood where Jack Sawyer was coming from also understood where the Michigan kids were coming from, you know, especially with that rivalry and that entire thing. But then watching him play do all that and then living up to the expectation. He was never bothered. He was confident. Went from before game started all the way through. He was the one every single snap basically like this from jump there.

[Boston Connor]

Is he. He's. He's a Columbus kid too, right?

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, yeah. Pickerington. Yeah. But probably 15, 20 minutes from campus.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I like that like when you talk shit and then your play matches that because a lot of people who talk shit and then don't play anywhere near to that standard. So like when you're a scout or somebody evaluating things, I think those things when it comes to to that position are like kind of intangibles. Like that's the guy I would want running out of tunnel. Been in locker room practice, weight room. I'm sure he carries that same attitude, that same mindset throughout. So yeah, I'm a Jack Sawyer fan for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. There's no false bravado.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There's no fugaz. It seemed like from looking at it. Good haircut too. I mean he had that thing high tight. He had the Ohio, you know.

[Adam Schefter]

He's huge. He's like six'six he's huge.

[Pat McAfee]

Toss big, strong, fast athletes, athletic, confident. Yeah, he's a dog. He got the attend hut haircut over there. All right, let's get to the next overreaction. It's from Sticky Bobby. At the Sticky Bobby if you ain't first your last hashtag. I don't want to react but the New York football Jets are doomed for the next 70 years. Brick for brains. Johnson can't be running the program. Garrett mad dummy Wilson is chasing checked out best wide receiver in jets history and we're going to run them out of time. A lot of this from the jets fans or was there not as much activity?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yes and no. I mean the jets know they suck so. Or jets fans know they suck so they kind of, you know the far and few between but most of them were, you know like we got a 17 year old running this team. What do you expect?

[Pat McAfee]

To be clear, we only know what New York Times.

[Ty Schmidt]

Exactly.

[AJ Hawk]

The New York Times.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

At the athletic reported. That was wild. That was wild to read and yeah that's the highest level CFL high expectations over there. They do 70. So that would be 87, 88. 87, 88 years old can certainly on a team for that long. Oh yeah, no, no doubt, no doubt.

[AJ Hawk]

At least with technology These days he's a handsome lad.

[Pat McAfee]

Young lad. He's a handsome lad. So we assume he'll sure incredibly fit remain.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And his boy 70 might not be enough. No, that might be 75 years. Yeah that might be But I think he will learn. You know he's been in it the entire time. It's just like the Colts. Just like the Colts. Daughters of Jim Merce are going to be the next owners have been trying to learn football as much as possible. I don't think they're like critiquing people in a locker room and I think they've all accomplished things in their own lives before coming back in there as opposed to never really doing anything other than just happening to exist. So I think that is a little bit of a separator but like trying to learn football as much as possible. Every single part of it. Every single part of the building. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Brick. Brick Might be Brick Jr. At that point running the program.

[AJ Hawk]

Could be be 2 Brick Cement Johnson.

[Boston Connor]

Boom.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Now we're talking pebble.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, pebble cobblestone Johnson.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. That's the next step. Well maybe just a house, you know.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Cuz bunch of bricks can build a house and that's what we're trying to make a house out of, you know. So maybe he's just a home or an estate. Maybe it's owner. Maybe he names this kid owner Johnson sick.

[Ty Schmidt]

There you go.

[Boston Connor]

Be smart. And sticky Johns has some respect for Wayne Cabet.

[Darius Butler]

Wayne Cabret, Vernas Coles, B.R.

[Pat McAfee]

Edwards.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, true.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's go Plex. Let's go to the next one. No. 1@teal102 hashtag. I don't want to react but hail to Jaden Daniels. Hail victory. Eagles are frauds. They'll never win the nfc. We destroyed your qb, got cj GJ thrown out and then the king took over clutch runs throwing dimes. We might be a team of destiny. Hail the king of the NFC East. JD5 hashtag raise hail. Okay. Praise Dale. Jane Daniels is awesome. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

So it's a fair reaction. I don't think that's overreaction right there.

[Pat McAfee]

Well Eagles are fraud that part. Eagles are your team. Yes.

[Adam Schefter]

The quarterback got hurt.

[Boston Connor]

They still scored 33.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Kenny came in and threw right away.

[Pat McAfee]

Kenny was throwing some dots.

[Boston Connor]

Devontae dropped, you know, obviously the big third down which he will catch you know 99 times out of 100 boys. What Jayden Daniels did on that two minute drive and what he's done all year long in clutch and just playing the game in period with his legs. 80 yards on the ground. Him being so good off year long in the red area. But then when the game matters most. 2 minute drive, 152 on the clock one time out. Need a touchdown like practice that every week just drove down. And Vic Fangio talked about it earlier it wasn't like it was like a prevent situation like he, he went too high, he went single high, he brought blitzes and every time he made the right play. So if I'm a Commanders fan I am happy. Yeah 10 and 5 for the first time since much better luck 91 whoa when that where the risk is.

[Adam Schefter]

There was no hope last year too Dan Quinn took that job.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh.

[Pat McAfee]

That was the name of the team.

[AJ Hawk]

I've never heard that before.

[Adam Schefter]

Might go back.

[Boston Connor]

New owner, new gm, new head coach, new program, new situation.

[AJ Hawk]

It's going to be a first round rematch.

[Pat McAfee]

What does CJ GJ do? He talks. They said.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know what happened with that for words.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he said I was just talking. Okay. That's what we're doing these.

[Adam Schefter]

What do you have to say to get thrown out though? I need to, I need a list of the words that I cannot say.

[Pat McAfee]

CJ GJ says who's drawing the line? You know when people say he crossed the line, well, who's the line? You know that's always been a conversation in like fight lead up and talk and they're like, yeah, you're supposed to promote the fight but you cross the line. Then the person goes well who, who, who decided what the line is? Because my line might be different than what your line is. And there's some people that'll go, you know, they have nothing. No governor, no line. There is no they. And from what we've learned about cj, GJ is he is a well read talker. I do believe he does his research. And I wonder if the NFL's line is anywhere near what CJ GJ's line is. And did he learn what the line is now or is he still going to have questions on what the line is in which with each ref, is there a different line? You know that is.

[Adam Schefter]

Yes there is. I think.

[Boston Connor]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Cuz some refs are like, oh all right. Hey, can't be a little bit too much there. I was passionate after our QB took an illegal hit. So my emotions was everywhere. Didn't want to do anything to hurt the team. But a little trash talk, come on now. I'm sorry.

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

If it's about his QB, maybe he said like, I'm going to cut your QB's head off right now. Watch this.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I assume the person that hit him kind of a threat. Yeah, I mean, maybe he did do a threat of cutting a head off and decapitation there. I assume the person that hit him is who cj, GJ was probably attacking. And I assume he doesn't get talk shit to that particular side of the ball much, you know, because he's normally talking to the offensive side. So I assume he had a pretty good amount of shit to say. If we've learned cj, GJ football is there is to say got ejected. That's a big deal.

[Boston Connor]

That's huge. Did he have a personal file like before that?

[Aaron Rodgers]

Two.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he got two personal files. That's why he got injected. Tko.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, that was the second one. The talk. Oh, okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Got tko. But I think he said the other one was for talk too. I think the way he.

[Boston Connor]

Division rivalry.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on, come on, ref.

[Boston Connor]

Come on, let him play.

[Pat McAfee]

And also Commish, our Commish H. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Rodge. I think we asked for cj, gj, type out every word he's not allowed to say, please, and send it to him and us and put it signed Commissioner of the NFL Roger Goodell, right down there. Could you imagine having to put that on paper? Yeah, we had to do it for our negotiation. Obviously, like these will be. These will be bleeped. These will not be bleeped. And that was a real. That way. That was a real battle, you know. So whenever you hear people say like, well, I'm not allowed to swear, it's like, well, maybe you should have went in with a. Can't take from me. I need. I need to be able to say that that has to stay. Cannot, cannot take shit. Well, what are we. Okay, we'll agree. And that had to be typed out, you know, had to be typed out on paper in the contract. I think cj, GJ asking for something similar for sure needs it.

[Boston Connor]

Got to know the line.

[Pat McAfee]

And what if cj, GJ thinks of something, you know, so I'm allowed to say, then technically, boom. And then I think Commish should respond.

[Boston Connor]

To that in a timely manner.

[Pat McAfee]

Cj, GJ is a guy you want on your team.

[AJ Hawk]

No doubt.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes, dog.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think Philadelph Eagles are going to be just fine.

[Boston Connor]

I do too.

[Pat McAfee]

I think they're going to be just fine. Let's go to the next overreactionist from Cameron Pleasant at C Hoops. Hashtag. I don't want to overreact, but sky has fallen in Philadelphia. I thought. They're going to be just fine. Cameron says things aren't that pleasant here, pal. This defense went back to late season for him last year. This postseason is going to be a disaster. Sirianni cannot lead through a septic system. Geez Louise, how many wins this guy have? All of them since becoming a coach.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, I just won 10 in a row, you know, so maybe pump the brakes a tad bit, but there actually weren't that many of these.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't lead through a septic system. Jeez Louise.

[Boston Connor]

No, it's clogged.

[Pat McAfee]

That is a little harsh. Kind of.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, it's kind of what septic system does.

[AJ Hawk]

He can't do that.

[Ty Schmidt]

That's the point.

[Pat McAfee]

Put turds through there until it doesn't anymore. Then those turds all rise.

[Adam Schefter]

Gotta pump that out.

[Pat McAfee]

You do. Gotta pump septic tank a little bit. Gotta pump the out. Speaking of, I think that's why I'm so impressed with Roosters. I thought that was going to ruin me for that game. Eating it.

[AJ Hawk]

Not at all.

[Pat McAfee]

Not a problem.

[AJ Hawk]

It's delicious.

[Adam Schefter]

High quality meat.

[Pat McAfee]

It really was good. That's an Ohio company. Yeah.

[Adam Schefter]

Roosters. Nicole is the girl. She's. My wife's been friends with her forever. She's good. Close friend. She sets all that stuff up. But yeah, the people at Roosters are awesome. They're huge. Like Ohio State supporters. They donate so much money to Ohio State.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well, we appreciate it, cuz. I did not feel that terrible. No. Now I did have a little snacky this morning. It has already run through me. Had to do it, though.

[Darius Butler]

Oh, yeah, that'll happen.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Hash Brown McDow, bro.

[Adam Schefter]

Oh, McDonald's.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. Tone was sitting right next to me eating the paper of one of these things. I looked over at it. Well, he's eating it out there, you know, cuz he didn't want the he crumbles to bounce out. It was very efficient eating stuff. But I turned over and I looked at it and it had like the perfect amount of crunch on the outside and the potato. And I'm like ordering it now. It's already exited. Yeah, that thing was just for a lease. Worth it. It was worth it. Let's go to another overreaction, shall we? This one's from yes, Bubba 1868 at yes, Bubba 1868. Hashtag. I don't want to react, but the Bills defense is like a screen door trying to stop a flood. Bubba. I pray that they don't ruin Josh Allen's chances of bringing this city Super Bowl. What's that all about? I thought we had a good defense. I thought we had to figure it out up there.

[AJ Hawk]

That's the Drake May effect, baby.

[Pat McAfee]

They're giving up a lot of points for a couple weeks. And then, you know, Drake May, he started out hot on that team.

[AJ Hawk]

He's so good.

[Pat McAfee]

He's very good. He had a pick, though. Obviously another turnover. Yeah, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Guy fell down. That did stink. And that's kind of been like his blemishes. If you're just looking at like the box score, like, he had a pick last week that was off booty's hands, right into the dudes. The defender's hands on Arizona. But yeah, Drake May is the guy. I think anybody watching that can see, like, this dude is going to be so good in the NFL. He's only 22. Like, he'll be 23 for the entire year next year. Like, he is very, very young.

[Pat McAfee]

His slide was sweet. He did a sweet slide where it was like, for like 10 yards. And I. I thought he's North Carolina kid. I forgot that he's not. He seems like he is perfect for what you guys have going on up there.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, perfect. And that was basically the first time he has slid since he slid against the jets and got hit on the button on the back of your head. That gives you concussion automatically. So he's been taking shots. He also had a third down, like, spin move. First down.

[Pat McAfee]

He's nasty LED Unc and rushing too. You know, that is always a stat that gets forgotten about because, you know, everybody's like, he needs to work on his footwork when he's passing. He needs to work on his footwork when he's passing. It's like, like the can run. Run.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, this isn't like just a mobile quarterback. He's like a. He's a duck. Don't want to compare him too much, but like the guy who's playing against yesterday for sure. Josh Allen is like a perfect person for Drake May to be. Like, I'm similar to this guy, but a little different. But very, very similar operations. Big, strong, strapping lives that can move up there in a terrible weather.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. And Josh Allen said this after the game. I. He's much better than where Josh was his rookie year. I think that's what gives me a lot of hope is listening to guys that he plays against talk about him. Because, like, I can sit here and be like, he's so good he's fucking nasty bound Patriots fan. Of course I'm going to say that like the other team and the other quarterbacks in the league are like, Drake May is the real deal. That's what gets me so pumped.

[Pat McAfee]

And how awesome is it that Drake May had to hear everybody say that he's nowhere near ready to play in the NFL.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And you know, you know much better than us because you actually hung around him. Comes from like a sport, family, athlete, family. Like talk family. Like he's a professional. Like he's gonna be. He's gonna work his ass off this offseason just like Josh Allen did.

[AJ Hawk]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Like Josh Allen talked about his rookie year. He was considered not good by everybody. Couldn't throw, couldn't complete a fucking thing. Couldn't put a ball anywhere. And then like each offseason he just got so much better. So much better. That comes from a lot of work. You don't just, just like, that doesn't just happen, you know, you don't just get better. The amount of work it feels like Drake's the right guy for all of it.

[Boston Connor]

Seems like he's the right guy. Jim Rat, like you talked about his family, his dad, brothers, sisters, you know, just a super athletic family. But even off the field, the things like you hear, like, you know, you have to learn when you're the CEO, when you're the quarterback. Like, I feel like he said all the right things in the media. When it. Whether it was Mayo calling the team soft, I respond of that, you know, showing love to the defense, the O line, being critical of himself. Like he said all the right things. That's important. The work you put in is important. And then obviously the talent, which everybody has, especially if you're drafted in the first round or in the top three like he was. So he has all the pieces just going to be about the organization around him and then how he continues to grow.

[Pat McAfee]

What did Clyde Christensen say? Oh, he's the guy. He's a guy can't miss. This is Peyton Manning plus being able to. To run, I believe is what he said. And he's obviously been around the NFL a long time and the narrative was very fast. Like, this guy's not gonna be able to play next year. Not gonna be able to play next year. Every game you watch Drake May, it's like he makes like four plays and you're like, holy, this guy is. Are they gonna be able to get it right up there though, in New England?

[AJ Hawk]

I tr. I trust it.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot of cap space.

[AJ Hawk]

I Trust it now. And yeah, that's the thing that Debugger said, like, the organization kind of backing them him up completely. Like, Josh Allen got better every year and he got Stefon Diggs. And obviously he got to the point now where it's like he doesn't need an elite guy, but, like, it would be very nice to have a T. Higgins out there and then draft Kelvin Banks Jr. But now we're the second overall pick because the Raiders won. So we're gonna get 25 picks for the second overall pick.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, because somebody's gonna go up and get Travis Hunter or quarterback those top.

[AJ Hawk]

Two QBs you would assume is Travis.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, I already deleted is social.

[Darius Butler]

You're good. He's good.

[Boston Connor]

He's just going.

[Adam Schefter]

I hope so.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, you should be celebrating, brother. Hey, we're on your side. You're a dog, dude. Everything's good, man. Know that long term, looking back, you're gonna say everything's awesome. Never forget that. You're in a great time right now. You're a special, special person in our world. Let's go to another overreaction, shall we? This is from Ivan Canfield. Hashtag. I don't want to overreact, but Toad Shake might be. I'm not saying he. He for sure is, but he might be a snake oil salesman. Guy proclaims he beats the shit out of top 25 teams, yet he's 02 against him in his last two games. Sounds like something a snake oil salesman would say. Ivan Canfield, I appreciate his activity. He's one of the most active people on my X account. Our entire show's X account is a good dude. He is from Indiana. He's wondering what's going to happen going forward with IU and Coach Signetti. I, as I heard him say it on Friday, I was like, wow, Coach Sig's very, very confident here. Coach Sig's very, very confident. Was there a lot of chatter about Coach Sig on the Internet over the weekend?

[Ty Schmidt]

A decent amount, yeah. Decent?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I think so. All Friday night, all Saturday morning, all anybody could think of is we don't just beat top 25 teams.

[Ty Schmidt]

We beat the out of top 25 teams. So, yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Why'd you make them say that, man?

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't, but I did kind of get gas it up, obviously. Google head. Go, Go head. I mean, if a guy wants to do that, I mean. All right, what do you want to do?

[AJ Hawk]

Change before the biggest game of his career?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, if you want to. If you want to hop On a ride. I'll hop on a ride with you. Let's go. You. You know your team a lot better than I do, but I appreciated him going in there. And, yeah, you're right. Sticking to his shtick the entire time. Shane Gillis wasn't happy about it. Called it despicable and disgusting.

[Darius Butler]

He did.

[Pat McAfee]

This guy leaves his team in the locker room to go little bit more FaceTime. Sounds disgusting to me, is what Shane Gillis said. And then Coach Saban. Would you ever do that? No. That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. Made a lot of valid points as I was listening to it, but Coach Signetti is trying to build a program. Coach. Coach Signetti is trying to let a world know that they exist. It's not just a. Just a basketball school. And I think. I think that's why he did what he did.

[Darius Butler]

Not a stick. No, that's just Coach Stick football and shirt. Sure, Saban wouldn't do that, but there's a lot of ways to skin a cat. And yes, is Saban the greatest of all time? But, yeah, sure, a lot of coaches have won. Talking. Okay, that's Coach Sig football. He had one of the greatest seasons of all time. All time leading. Leading this IU program where it's at. Sig's gonna be all right.

[Pat McAfee]

Just signed running back out of Maryland. Maryland has over 2,000 yards in his college career. He's coming over to IU. You know, hashtag never daunted. They got a reload rebuild.

[Darius Butler]

Rumors they're gonna get the cow quarterback. Mendoza.

[Pat McAfee]

You know it. What you tell the story. What you tell the whole damn world.

[Darius Butler]

Fair.

[Pat McAfee]

Signetti got a good story. I think he's got a good team coming. I agree he's gonna have to reload each year, but I think their building is getting better. I think their weight room's getting better. I think, like, Belize is getting better. I think everybody's fine. Money. Everything is kind of getting better down there. He's gonna have to find his guys, though, again, which might be difficult, but I got faith in him, and he'll talk forever. Yeah, I think that's just Signetti football. It really is.

[Adam Schefter]

He knows. He gets. He understands. I. I respect him for not backing off and being like, oh, I shouldn't. I gotta dial it down now.

[Pat McAfee]

Danny Pontied, you know, everybody was like, yo, you talk your give up, then you punt a couple there first. Gordy did. He punted at a certain time and kicked a field goal when he could have went for it. So I think, like, through the night, he came out and said that it was very obvious our offense wasn't going to do anything. Our defense was the best people we had. So we were going to try to get a defense. Quick turnover, do the entire thing or get the ball back. It's like that's how he felt. That's how he believed. He's going to do it again. We love you, S. We love you, S. He was getting killed on here.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, he was. Rightfully so.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, yeah. Comes with.

[Darius Butler]

He knew it was gonna come.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Every once in a while when you play into paint, gonna get dunked on. That's just the way it goes. And he was certainly right under the hoop. He was right. He put himself. He wasn't under the hoop, but then he just slid.

[AJ Hawk]

He slid. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Slid right under the. And Shaq was coming, you know, and he was like, you ain't dunking on me. Actually screaming, you ain't dunking on. And then Shaq dunked on him, and then he fell down, got up. Inbound pass. Now we go again. Now we go again. Let's go to the next overreaction, shall we? Is from Hannah Paulus at hpogulis. Hashtag. I don't want to overreact, but how many games did a Vikings have to win to gain some national media respect? 15. The Vikings have 13 wins, and all that's talked about is who should be our QB next year. How about putting some respect on our name? Vikings first Eagles NFC championship game, says Hannah Pogulis. I'll tell you what, I think we showed a little bit of respect today with the. The gritty conversation, but I do like this Vikings. The issue is the Lions have been the wagon and it's in their division, so it's tough. It's just like in the Chiefs division because they've been the wagon for the last few years. Everybody else in that division doesn't get as much conversation because you're trying to, you know, see who's going to end up in the end. Normally, two people from the same division aren't going to end up long term. Inevitably, something's going to happen. So the Vikings deserve all the conversation. They're a fucking great football team. I love watching them, too. Sam Darnold spinning it. Kevin O'Connell, so cool. So cool. Every time he comes on a show, I love him legit. He's fantastic. And then you think about their fan base. They got good fans over there. You want to talk about being cold all the time? Yeah, it's like nine months over there. It's cold. Not like tunnels six, but yeah, they live in inside. They walk down around the town. It is so cold over there. So you're right. Vikings deserve a little bit more respect. Aj, why don't you show it to them?

[Adam Schefter]

I do show them respect, but I feel like people don't fully give them the respect until they go and you make a deep run the playoffs multiple times. Like, they're like, okay, cool. Sam Donald. It's a great story. Prove to me that you can do that in the playoffs, which I think they absolutely can. But I feel like national people, casuals that aren't Vikings fans, they're like, all right, you got to prove to me when it matters.

[Pat McAfee]

Two years ago, not this season, not last season, the season before. So I don't know how you would describe it. I think some people would say three seasons ago because they would count this season as one. Nonetheless. Two seasons ago, we weren't on ESPN yet, but, boy, it was fun to say it's a different Vikings team. This isn't the same Vikings team. They were a team of destiny. Remember, they were winning all those close fucking games. They had a 33 nothing game against the Indianapolis Colts. You know, they come back and win that one. It was like, this team's it. We talked about them a lot. I know we were not on ESPN at the time, but I talked them up a lot. And then inevitably, what happened?

[AJ Hawk]

Dan Jones, they lose at home.

[Pat McAfee]

And it was like, damn, here we go. And I'm sure the fans feel the exact same way. So I think there are some people that are gun shy, and there are some people that are gun shy not to believe it. But then whenever you watch them, it's like, this team has it all. They have the explosive plays, need explosive plays. You have to have a great defense. They have it. And they have to have a quarterback that can make a throw whenever you need it. And Sam Darnold can do that. That they got a run game as well. It's like they have everything you could potentially need to go.

[Darius Butler]

Van Ginkel and what's the John Granard. They're both in the top eight for defensive player of the year. Like, they got those edges.

[Pat McAfee]

They'll.

[Darius Butler]

They'll attack you.

[Pat McAfee]

So they're unbelievable.

[AJ Hawk]

The Hitman, I mean, they're gonna be fake them. And the packers are going to be favored as away teams in the wild card.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

So I think people have respect for him, but, like, are you gonna take him over the Eagles and the Lions. I don't know.

[Boston Connor]

It's like AJ Said, you got to see the quarterback in the playoffs. I think most people would take the packers over him right now. Better record. But you look at Jordan Love, take him. Got a good defense. Got all those things you mentioned. I love the Vikings though, for all the reasons you just said.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I love him too. Kevin Ocono. Sweet.

[AJ Hawk]

He's the man.

[Pat McAfee]

I guess we gotta watch which way in which we gritty going forward. Love it.

[AJ Hawk]

Defer to what they saw.

[Pat McAfee]

They saw what they saw. What an answer. All right, let's go to another overreaction, shall we? Last one. This is from Billion dooll. World champion at la Town critic Hashtag. I don't ever react. But nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to face the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs. Two ugly road wins in sloppy conditions and getting healthy at the right time, this team is going to be a problem in January. You agree with that, A.J.

[Adam Schefter]

I do somewhat. I mean, I. I feel like puka week in and week out when this dude is healthy. Like he just continues to make big catches. We know what Cooper Cup. We know everything. Like, I don't. Yeah, I mean they are. I'd be a little bit worried about him if I was to face them.

[Pat McAfee]

And Matthew Stafford, we've seen him do it.

[Adam Schefter]

You know, that's edge rushers too. The young. Like you said, the Florida State guys, they come in from the jump and they're impact players.

[Pat McAfee]

To your point about I need to see the quarterback in the playoffs, it's like we've seen Stafford, we've seen him do it all. Maybe that last game against the Seahawks could mean something. Depending, depending upon how the Seahawks do in these. This upcoming game on Thursday could mean nothing. Rams could just kind of get slotted in for a home playoff game. But yeah, maybe the Rams do it this year again. NFC is pretty top heavy is what everybody thinks. But if a team like the Rams or like the Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, Pennix was a nice spark. They're first that division because the Bucks lost last night. Yeah, the Bucs. The Bucks losing the Cowboys has been tough for us just to hype up the Bucs. But with that being said, that could be what they needed. Yeah, yeah, the Bucs could have needed that one. And then all of a sudden they get reset. I think the Colts, I don't know what week it was, 13 or 14. The year they won a Super Bowl. It's only. The story was only told in the locker room after we lost A late game. I think they got, like, embarrassed by a team. Like, bad. I think it was Jacksonville maybe. I don't remember, but I think it was. Something beat them bad. And then they. It was like a perspective changer. So future seasons. I wasn't a part of that season, but future seasons that. See that game was talked about plenty of times. Like, hey, you remember when we lost a. Boom. Embarrassing. And then it kind of reset everything and went forward. It's like that can happen for teams, you know, that can certainly happen for teams. We'll be with the bucks. We shall see. All right, let's make our picks for tonight. Big one. Huge Saints. Packers. This a. This is a massive ordeal for the Packers. Need to win.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Must win for the franchise.

[Ty Schmidt]

You could argue.

[Pat McAfee]

Saints are getting 14 and a half points.

[Boston Connor]

So many points.

[Pat McAfee]

At Lambo Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Spencer Rattler, who played at Oklahoma, then at South Carolina, now at the New Orleans Saints. We'll be traveling into the frozen tundra on Dec. 23 for a Monday Night Football matchup in the NFC debut. Who do you like? How do you like it? So many points.

[Boston Connor]

Give me the Packers.

[Pat McAfee]

Go.

[Boston Connor]

Pack.

[Pat McAfee]

Go.

[Boston Connor]

They win.

[Pat McAfee]

They. All right, let's look at the standings from this weekend. Between you and me. Age. Wow.

[AJ Hawk]

Hawker.

[Pat McAfee]

Hawker is kind of seeing the board a little bit. Okay, so, A.J. that means you got a good eye on the board and a good eye on what the sports folks are trying to do. Last two weeks has been absolutely sensational. Who do you like? How do you like it? Age. Congratulations on seeing it a little bit.

[Adam Schefter]

Well, I mean, 14 and a half is so many. I believe this is the. The highest spread they've had at Lambo since like 02 or something. 07, I read somewhere, which is a lot, but I'm taking the packers here. I. I mean, Spencer Rattler. I believe me, I think the guy is a physical freak. The guy can sling it, he can run, he can do everything. But I just think the packers are too much at home. Do we know what the weather's like tonight?

[Ty Schmidt]

Supposed to be, I believe, snowy and windy.

[Adam Schefter]

Sweet.

[Pat McAfee]

I. Exactly. And to that point, I'm going with the cold every single time. Know that I am viewing weather in this particular capacity as a tag team partner to the teams, not just one position. Like, oh, the quarterback will be affected. Spencer Rattler going in here. I think that is true. But I think every position is affected by the cold. And on the theme of the weekend that we have been pushing, I think the weather wins again. Giving the Packers By a large margin. Don't love it. It's going to be a blowout, though, on Monday night.

[AJ Hawk]

That stinks.

[Pat McAfee]

So maybe the Saints keep it close for the good of all football. Maybe Rays gets out there and gets boys all fired up and gets them excited, and this one's a close one. Maybe the Saints win outright and say, hey, listen, you need to watch out for the Saints next year.

[AJ Hawk]

Maybe Kamar is out.

[Boston Connor]

Patriots almost did.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, we got Drake May. I don't think he's walking through that Saint's door.

[Boston Connor]

Good point.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, so we're all in the Packers. All right, let's get out of here. D. Bu great work, A.J. great work, though.

[Adam Schefter]

Good work, guys.

[Pat McAfee]

In the background. Work, boys.

[Ty Schmidt]

Good work, boys.

[Adam Schefter]

Keep a great job with the sledgehammer as well. Thank you.

[Boston Connor]

Thank you. It's fine.

[Adam Schefter]

Whatever you call it.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't you think you should have told us?

[Boston Connor]

I did it. Kind of got lost in the song.

[Pat McAfee]

Didn't tell me.

[AJ Hawk]

I did not know.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't hear it.

[Adam Schefter]

I think I heard him say something about it when. So he was, like, warming up his arm. I said, what are you doing?

[Pat McAfee]

I got swinging the hammer.

[Adam Schefter]

Got the hammer coming.

[Pat McAfee]

He's doing that. No, he was doing it on Saturday. He was warming up.

[Adam Schefter]

Yeah, he was warming up.

[Pat McAfee]

My shoulder up debut. We should have talked about this. This is a big honor. Big deal.

[Adam Schefter]

Good lighting. They got there, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Great lighting. Good hammer. Swing that thing. Okay. We're feeling it.

[Adam Schefter]

You're fa. They have you facing away from the field.

[Boston Connor]

Yep, Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

So that it's in the background. H. You see for the camera angle, kind of throwing it in there. First one, we're feeling it out.

[Boston Connor]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Second one, a little bit hard. Harder.

[Boston Connor]

Yep. And then third one, bring it home.

[Adam Schefter]

Who's pressing the button for the. The smoke when they're timing it up with your hit because you should have messed up your rhythm a little bit until you got a few, you know.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, that's no button, A.J. that's real.

[Adam Schefter]

Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

Buttons on the anvil, brother.

[Boston Connor]

The anvil that's forged.

[Adam Schefter]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

And steel.

[Boston Connor]

We got to win.

[Pat McAfee]

Most importantly, Foxy just asked if we should pick the Christmas games, I guess, huh? Start next week. We should do that. Okay. Chiefs favored by three against Pittsburgh Steelers. JJ Wide on the call. Ravens, Texans. Ravens favored by five and a half on the road. A lot of really good people on the call there, Bert, Greg Olson.

[AJ Hawk]

Kreischer.

[Pat McAfee]

Greg Olson's on the call there. What is Bert doing for that? Probably Kickoff show. If I Had to guess. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

He's the leader of the zan. I believe this is official title.

[Pat McAfee]

It will be entertaining. I'm excited for it.

[AJ Hawk]

Me, too.

[Pat McAfee]

He'll break down. He's a ball fan, right? Bert's a ball.

[AJ Hawk]

He loves ball.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Florida stated Florida State.

[Pat McAfee]

He did not play Florida State.

[Adam Schefter]

But he was a receiver.

[Pat McAfee]

I think he should have been. Could have been. He's got the Mickey Mantle, Jean. Sure. He can figure it out. He'll be on the coverage. I don't know what it is, though. I don't think any of us know where anybody is. We saw a bunch of faces. Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

I just saw the graphic. And the reason I know Bert's on is because I was like, what the is Bert doing on there?

[Boston Connor]

Halftime show.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you okay?

[Ty Schmidt]

I don't know how that happened.

[Pat McAfee]

What'd you do?

[Ty Schmidt]

I clicked my pen and went down to write down who you guys are picking, and it just exploded. That's the flex seal pen, I suppose.

[Boston Connor]

One big boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You still got the tail end there. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

I got the part that matters, like, when that happens.

[Pat McAfee]

I remember when people do that.

[Boston Connor]

If you need.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, no, no.

[Pat McAfee]

I got this. I got one over here, too, if you want. Okay.

[Ty Schmidt]

I got this one.

[Pat McAfee]

This one's a Uniball.

[Ty Schmidt]

Those are nice. You hold on to that.

[Pat McAfee]

I think I got two of them. Nope, I only got one of them, but I got another one for you. I got a.

[Ty Schmidt]

If it's a flex one, I don't do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Uniball. Two unib balls.

[Ty Schmidt]

Unball.

[Pat McAfee]

That's for me.

[Ty Schmidt]

Uniball.

[Pat McAfee]

Good catch. Good catch. Uniball is a good one. This is like. You can really. You're like an artist with this thing. You can really make sure your fingers felt tip. Yeah, it's pretty nice. AJ Likes to draw rockets that look like penises with these classic D. Bu. Who do you like in the first game? 1pm Eastern on Christmas on Netflix.

[Boston Connor]

I am going with the Steelers in that one. I like them to cover, maybe even win that one outright.

[Pat McAfee]

Were you worried about the Ravens game there? Did that sky you on this particular pick? Or you think Steelers are all the way back as George Pickens is allegedly going to be?

[Boston Connor]

I expect Pickens to be back. And I. I mean, the game. I feel like it was closer than the score indicated, but I like Russell Wilson down the stretch. Chiefs obviously love them, everything they have going on, but I got the Steelers in this one in close one age.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you agree with Darius J. Butler?

[Adam Schefter]

I agree with DBUT on most things. But I'm taking the Chiefs on this game right here.

[Pat McAfee]

Given the Pittsburgh Steelers plus three at home on Christmas at 1 1pm Eastern. Even though Chiefs might win this thing, that is. That would be Chiefs football if they were to win and keep it within three. Ravens favored by five and a half in Houston. D. Bucks, who do you like?

[Boston Connor]

Give me the Ravens to win. Ravens to cover as well. Ravens five at minus five and a half.

[Pat McAfee]

AJ Hawk.

[Adam Schefter]

I'm with D, but Ravens win. Ravens cover.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, give me the Texans five and a half. Yeah, I don't like it.

[Adam Schefter]

Anything could happen.

[AJ Hawk]

Home dog.

[Pat McAfee]

Good defense on Christmas.

[AJ Hawk]

Come on.

[Adam Schefter]

What's that called?

[Pat McAfee]

Carol of the Bells.

[Adam Schefter]

Okay.

[Pat McAfee]

Foss texted me and said name a song is Carol of Bels that you keep singing. I'm sure he knows he did. I think it's right answer.

[AJ Hawk]

No, I think it is too obvious.

[Pat McAfee]

That was good. He's got 100 kids, so just like age.

[Ty Schmidt]

He knows.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, everybody. Enjoy the hell out of of Christmas. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. I can't wait to watch Santa Claus tonight. Oh, yeah, and a Grinch, huh? And you know what? Jingle all the way. Sure.

[Darius Butler]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think with how much we've talked about, I think it does deserve, you know, a little bit more play.

[AJ Hawk]

No doubt.

[Pat McAfee]

Especially because that rat bastard neighbor trying to boink his wife the entire time.

[AJ Hawk]

So true.

[Pat McAfee]

Up it is. Up. Up. Dude. Boys, great work.

[AJ Hawk]

Merry Christmas.

[Boston Connor]

Merry Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's get the hell out of here. Team. Thank you for doing this every single day. We appreciate you guys, people that watch. You're the best. We hope your Christmas and holiday season is phenomenal. And yeah, we'll see you on Thursday. Enjoy it all. Perspective. We're alive. Never forget it. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three. Team. Give me.

[Boston Connor]

This. Christmas is different.

[Pat McAfee]

Five games. A Christmas Day gift.

[Boston Connor]

Five superstar matchups.

[Pat McAfee]

Splashdown.

[Aaron Rodgers]

Steph Curry.

[Pat McAfee]

The legend of LeBron continues to grow including Dunk the halls.

[Boston Connor]

A real time animated NBA game game.

[Pat McAfee]

Between the spurs and the Knicks and.

[Boston Connor]

Featuring Mickey and friends. Celebrate the NBA on Christmas day beginning at noon eastern on espn, abc, ESPN.

[Pat McAfee]

And Disney from ESPN Podcast and Omaha Productions. Coach is a new groundbreaking educational football podcast hosted by NFL legends Bill Belichick.

[Boston Connor]

Matt Patricia and Michael Lombardi.

[Pat McAfee]

In each episode, the coaches break down game changing situations and front office management tactics. Sharing insights from decades of coaching experience and opening up the Bill Belichick encyclopedia.

[Boston Connor]

Of football knowledge created by football legends for football fans. New episodes of Coach Drop weekly.

[Pat McAfee]

Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.